Chapter 169

169 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 2

There is a reason why I don’t want to fight here.

No matter how much my Magical Energy organ was tempered by my master’s teachings, summoning this many strong Contracts at once is exhausting.

I don’t plan on using the Magical Energy stored in the horn just yet, so it would be foolish to remain here while I am regenerating my Magical Energy.

Also, I ordered them to do as they please this time.

I did not issue any proper instructions.

I could wait a little and support them with Black Magic…but Aerial would forcibly try and make his way to me.

He’s only going along with the match because he understands the rules of this stratum, but if at any point he thinks that I am not worthy of being cautious over, there’s a good chance he’ll try to take my head.

And that isn’t my intention either.

「Lord Lemegeton, please retreat. You can leave it to us.」

Said the Elf Monster, the Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas.

I nod once, stopped to think for a bit, and then said this;

「Take down that Hunter where he stands.」

That was the whole reason Lily chose to become a Monster in the first place.

To defeat the Faceless Archer Suuri.

I hope you can fulfill your original purpose as well.

I feel like I could sense her smiling behind the cloth covering her lips.

「…Most definitely.」

「Very well.」

I wave my robe, turning my back on the enemy.

「Ooh no…you ain’t gettin’ away that easy.」

They aren’t so naive as to let an enemy that they could defeat escape.

Hamill let loose his Flying Slash.

It was aimed to the side of Stolas, right at me.

I guess Hamil’s the only one who took the bait?

「…What the fu-」

Just before Hamill’s Flying Slash hit me, my body disappeared from the first area.

The last thing I heard was his dull, surprised voice before the scenery changed completely.

I teleported to the second area.

You could say it was Spatial Mobility, but I didn’t use magic.

This time, I equipped myself with a Recording Stone.

With that, it becomes possible for me to move between areas.

However, teleporting Recording Stones are normally placed in a point where the viewer can’t see.

Other than Safe Rooms, they are installed behind walls or inside a giant rock, where you can enter and leave through a door.

Of course, I have also teleported into the Staff-Only room in the second area and then I leave it.

In each area, Lemegeton will summon Contracts and Lemegeton himself will only fight the remaining people who have reached the deepest part of the tenth stratum.

This is a method that can be used because of this format.

Teleporting Recording Stones don’t normally teleport with the teleporter, this one is special.

In contrast with the regular ones that draw Magical Energy from the Dungeon in order to teleport people, the one I have teleports people only by using the wielder’s own Magical Energy.

It isn’t something that can be conveniently used by everyone.

「Now then…」

What will happen?

While regenerating my Magical Energy, I think about the battle in the first area.

「Hmm, perhaps I got here too early.」

A voice.

「…Wh…how…?」

A voice that I know all too well, but also a voice that I shouldn’t be hearing here. Even if I were to hear it, I expected to hear it much later.

How could something like this happen?

Even if this area is connected to the last by a door, I teleported to this area.

Also, it has been barely a minute since I came out of the door.

So then why…why is he in front of me?

Why is the Storm Hero Aerial here?

「I guess the welcome party hasn’t been set up yet, huh? Or…could it be that this is where I get to fight you?」

「…To me!」

Whether this is unexpected or not, what I have to do hasn’t changed.

My Magical Energy organ screams as I shift it into high gear, summoning my Contracts.

He shows great interest in my decision.

「…Splendid.」

Like a child who was given a new toy as a present, he smiled happily.

Mankind’s strongest drew near.

◇

Just not too long ago, I didn’t have the slightest idea that I would become a Monster.

The Faceless Archer Suuri’s true form is a senior disciple to me, and my father’s best student, so I noticed it immediately.

While it may be called Godspeed, there was no mistaking it.

There is only one thing that I cannot forgive. Just one.

And that is hiding his racial identity.

He is treating his pride as an Elf as if it was something to be ashamed of.

I think it is wrong to avoid discrimination and adapting to the outside world by hiding your true self.

It is true that Elves are criticized harshly. It was very harsh and it changed for the better in a few years, but cold-hearted words are still thrown at me when I walk around town.

Even when I walk in the Adventurer part of town as an Adventurer, people would say「This ain’t no place for a Demi-Human, girlie.」「You guys locked yourself up in the forest during the war but now that Dungeon Clearing has become a safe sport, you show yourself, huh?」「An Adventurer is an occupation for pure Humans!」and other such things.

That has decreased significantly now, and when I am with my allies, I almost never hear it, but it is not uncommon for people in the industry to respond differently to Humans and Demi-Humans without explicitly saying so.

I know of the past.

Elves are conservative people and respect the tradition of being born in the forest and dying in the forest. It is also a fact that we remained neutral during times of war. That fact cannot be changed.

But what does that have to do with me diving into a Dungeon with my allies? I didn’t choose to be born as an Elf, nor do I have anything to do with my ancestors refusing to fight in the war.

If I am not being useful, then say so. I have no choice but to accept that. My incompetence is my fault.

However, those people attack me simply because they don’t like me.

I don’t believe it is right to attack the part of a person that they cannot change.

I will never yield to such injustice.

That may be one of the reasons why I always clash with Alba in the same party.

I am an Elf. I have never felt ashamed of that.

I have no choice but to live as Lily the Elf.

And neither does he, the man who inherited all of my father’s techniques, the senior disciple I respect.

He is working as an Adventurer while hiding his face.

It is impossible to not care.

「Whoa…wha?」

Lem-…Lemegeton, purposely turned his back towards the enemy to trick them into attacking him.

In the end, Sir Hamill was the only one who took the bait.

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Just as he fired his Flying Slash, I shot an arrow at him.

Its trajectory was headed straight for him. The goal was to attack him just after he attacked.

That was the plan, but it didn’t hit him.

「…Thanks, Aerial.」

The Storm Hero Aerial was the one who defended Hamill against the arrow.

Just as how the Spirit Commanding General Kimaris’s Ewan Zombie did a moment ago. He blew away the arrow with a gust of wind.

「Oh sure, don’t…don’t worry about it, hm… Mm, alright. I’ve made my decision.」

In the next moment, I felt the presence of his Magical Energy coming from behind me.

He moved. Possibly acceleration using wind, or by wrapping himself in lightning.

He’s too fast!

「Aerial, what are you…」

The Thunder Hero Sir Scathach said in bewilderment at Sir Aerial’s actions.

「I thought about it. In this Raid Battle, there is someone who knows all about us and has imparted strategies to the Monsters, who all used it to full effect to decrease our numbers to this point, right? It’s possible that us Clearing each area one by one as a unit is something that they expect us Adventurers would do.」

The battle continues while he is talking.

「Yeah, that’s most likely it.」

「Which is exactly why, Scathach, I’m going on a little adventure.」

「…What? What do you mean?」

「It’s in the name! An Adventurer is all about taking risks and going on a challenging adventure.」

He sounded cheerful.

「Masa, Lou, Michelle, and obviously Pan aren’t here anymore. And even Ewan will be alright by himself. So when I thought about all that, it occurred to me… It’s been a while since I’ve been on an adventure.」

There were several Skeletons standing in front of the door leading to the second area, but you could tell they were there by the sound.

However, they weren’t even enough to buy time. In an instant, they were cut up and scattered, only rattling noises could be heard as they were defeated.

I have to turn around to shoot him, but that would mean turning my back to Suuri.

Suuri isn’t moving, but I know he’s just waiting for the right opportunity.

If Sir Kimaris is defeated, his Zombies would disappear as well. If Glasya-Labolas is defeated, we lose his powerful invisibility magic.

Leraje is a Hunter. She isn’t good at close combat.

All that’s left is…

「Ah, Sir Naberius. Such magnificent firepower.」

The giant three-headed Hellhound. The Floor Boss of the first stratum, the Watchdog of Hell Naberius, is standing in the Storm Hero’s way.

The hellfire spewing from all three of his heads is illuminating the first area.

「Hellfire that burns you to your very bones. If I was an ordinary Adventurer, I probably would have been sent to Hell by now. To experience such sweltering heat by my lonesome makes me feel nothing but honor. But sadly, I’m sorry to say that that is all I feel… I can’t be burned.」

There was a sound of something being cut.

Unbelievably, the light that could be felt moments ago had disappeared.

I suppose it was to be expected.

That’s right. Even Fenix defeated Floor Bosses in a single blow.

Only the Four Great Spirits contractors could do that.

Furthermore, Sir Aerial has many years of experience. In terms of skill, he far outpaces Fenix.

I shouldn’t be surprised. Yet I can’t help but feel amazed.

Or perhaps it is more of a combined feeling of amazement and sheer bewilderment at his sudden actions.

「I wish to do battle with Lemegeton. Apologies, but I’ll be going ahead first.」

Saying that, Sir Aerial passes through the door that leads to the second area.

It is true that the door isn’t actually locked until all the enemies have been defeated or something…

It’s the same with all the other strata. It isn’t as if you cannot fight the Boss until you have destroyed every single deployed enemy.

It’s just that…who would have thought that the Storm Hero Aerial would decide by himself, here and now, to go on ahead.

Which means…this has exceeded Lem’s expectations.

「Ahahaha! What the hell, Aerial?! That’s the way. Now that’s the Aerial that I wanted to surpass. Man, am I glad I joined the Raid Battle!」

The young Water Hero Wraith suddenly started shouting.

To him, it appears that Sir Aerial’s actions are something to celebrate.

「Let’s go, Fran.」

「Mm.」

Along with the Destroyer Fran, young Wraith makes his way to the door.

「Hmm. I ain’t really suited to fightin’ invisible enemies that go down in one hit. In that case, I should just go on ahead and fight Haagenti and Carmilla.」

Even the Hero of the Cursed Sword Ms. Hervor.

Already, the cooperation structure between multiple parties has crumbled.

Each of them runs toward their desired battle.

I…do not attack them.

Lord Lemegeton’s orders were to take Suuri down here.

This is an opportunity that Lem has given me as a friend. I should put my full attention to this.

「…Scathach. Go on ahead.」

Suuri, who didn’t respond to my words, says to his leader.

「What are you saying? Do you think I’ll let things get more out of hand?」

「…You always think too much. Just for today, do as you wish.」

Sir Hamill joins in on what Suuri said.

「He’s right, man. You said you wanna get us back to the 4th rank, right? If the leader of our party doesn’t go wild and do something big, no one’s gonna root for us. So just go.」

「Hamill…」

「I’m sure the other two would’ve said「What my master says is right, leave this place to us.」「Indeed! We are more than enough to handle this!」or something like that.」

Sir Hamill’s impersonation of Ms. Caleena and Sir Theo…I think, was rather strange, but Sir Scathach laughed.

「Alright… I’ll leave it to you guys.」

It seems that Sir Scathach as well is heading towards the second area.

「…Hamill, you too.」

「I don’t think so, I’m stayin’ right here. Don’t want you feelin’ lonely, right?」

「…」

Sir Hamill is hard to understand, but Suuri seems to smile a little at his words.

「Lil’ Ewan’s staying behind too, right?」

「Yes, there’s something that I have to do.」

The destruction of his own Zombie and…the Zombie of Bella.

I personally have my own thoughts on the matter, but that was taken from him by the enemy’s ability after his defeat.

Bella herself has decided to return and destroy her Zombie, so I shouldn’t say anything.

「Ah, young love.」

「…Sir Hamill.」

There are three people who have decided to stay and fight in the first area.

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Suuri, Sir Hamill and young Ewan.

Good.

If the enemy is willing to disperse their forces, fine.

What is unexpected and what is a good plan are two different things.

I nock an arrow.