Volume 5 - CH 8

The second level of the Deep Hole.

Descending the stairs at the end of the first level, the landscape changes drastically.

While the first level was a narrow and intricate cave, the second level is a series of caverns with wide open spaces.

“This is where the deep hole really begins. As I explained above, this is the level where Black Goblins with scythes and vampire bats appear. There are also rats, wolves, and other zombies.”

Karim explained this level to them as they entered the second level.

“As you can see, the terrain changes to a large cave. Unlike the narrow caves before, the terrain is complex. You never know where monsters might be hiding, and you could fall into an abyss and get seriously injured or, in the worst-case scenario, you will die. You will have to pay attention to your safety during the battle, so it will be more difficult than the first level.”

Under Karim’s guidance, Mist gulped down. She was reacting to the words, “In the worst-case scenario, you will die”.

“–Mist, don’t worry. If something happens, I will save you. Even if you fall into the abyss, I will pick you up before you get hurt.”

As if to relieve Mist’s tension, Cyclo patted her on the back.

“Yes!”

Mist was also fired up by these words.

And so the exploration of the second level begins.

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Sometimes they had to walk through a space with poor visibility, sometimes through a narrow path between stalactites, and sometimes through a narrow path between two abysses.

The three of them proceeded along these rough paths with caution.

Unlike the first level, it is not easy to encounter monsters. Because the area is large, the probability of encountering monsters is low.

However, it’s not that they did not encounter any monsters at all.

“– They’re here.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Karim was the first to react, and at about the same time, Cyclo readied himself, generated his Mystletainn, and picked it up.

Mist also readied her weapon, and is ready for battle.

Then, the monster appears in front of the three who are fully prepared.

“GIiiiiihh!!”

A single Black Goblin with a scythe in its hand.

“Kikiiiiih!!”

And a vampire bat.

In addition, two skeletons, the silent monsters, stand in a line behind them.

These four monsters appeared to be aiming at Cyclo and the others.

“We’re going in fast!”

Cyclo says, and shoots the wings of the vampire bats first.

This causes the vampire bats, which have lost its ability to fly, to flutter and crash.

The rear guard can be targeted at any time, so crushing the enemies with flying ability was first. Or take away their mobility. It was a reasonable strategy.

“Nice!”

Karim also reacted well to Cyclo’s decision and moved forward.

Against the black goblin that quickly readies its head-hunting scythe, and swings down, she avoids it half-heartedly and delivers a quick sword as a counter.

She slices through the hand of the Black Goblin that was holding the scythe, letting the blade reach the bone.

“Gigyaaaaaaahh!!!”

The pain of the deep wound and the cut to the sinew causes the Black Goblin to drop the neck-cutting scythe.

“–[Light shot]!”

And Mist’s magic finishes its preparation and fires.

It was the simplest of light magic, a magic that was fast to fire but not very powerful.

But – thanks to the battle up to this point, Mist had improved to a certain level.

Thanks to this, the power of the light shot has also increased sufficiently.

Four bullets were released, one at the vampire bat that had crashed. The other three were aimed at the Black Goblin, which Karim had already passed and moved away from.

And then, the bullets hits. The light bullets penetrate deep into the target, inflicting more than enough fatal wounds.

The two monsters are now safely in Mist’s experience.

In the meantime, Karim went behind the slow-moving skeleton.

“–Let’s have Mist practice her melee combat skills too!”

Saying that, Karim kicked one of the skeletons in the back and pushed it toward Cyclo and Mist.

The other one was mowed down by Karim’s sword, cut in two with a single blow, and killed.

“I’ll do my best!”

Mist firmly held her staff and challenged the approaching skeleton.

The skeleton approaches, bones clattering. It raises its arm, to which Mist quickly responds.

“Hah!”

She strikes the skeleton in the wrist with her staff, knocking it off before it can swing its arm down.

Mist turns and thrusts the opposite end toward the skeleton as she moves the staff.

“Hya!”

The skeleton’s jawbone is destroyed by precisely pushing up on the skeleton’s throat from below.

The impact further distorts the neck bone, causing the skull to fall even further.

The head dropped, but the skeleton still continues to move, albeit dying.

“Hah!”

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Mist’s delivers that finishing blow to the skeleton.

She moves the staff back again, moving it as if to turn it, and then strikes out with the tip of the staff, as if to reap a cleave.

The skeleton, already dying and staggering, easily takes the attack and is blown away.

At the same time, the skeleton’s bones are crushed into pieces.

Thus, the battle against the four comes to an end.

“–Well, it looks good. Mist was able to defeat the Black Goblin without any problems, and she was able to perform melee combat on the spur of the moment.”

“Thank you!”

Mist smiled happily.

On the other hand, only Cyclo was paying attention to his surroundings with a suspiciously furrowed brow.

“Hm, Cyclo? What’s wrong?”

“No–it’s been happening since the first level. It seems we are being followed.”

Cyclo was aware that some kind of life form was following them from behind by clock sensing.

The fact that it continued to follow them even beyond the first level makes it clear that it is clearly Cyclo’s party what they’re after.

“The fact that they kept following us all the way up makes it more likely that they are human beings rather than monsters, huh.”

“Yeah.”

Karim’s judgment was agreed by Cyclo.

The two of them are talking, and Mist is also looking nervous.

“–Well, don’t worry, Mist. If Cyclo is by your side, you can rest assured that no matter what kind of person makes a surprise attack on us, we will be safe.”

“That’s right, Mist. I’ll protect you, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Besides, it might be a good opportunity for you to get some experience with other people.”

The two of them try to ease Mist’s tension in a lighthearted manner.

Thanks to them, Mist’s nervousness eased somewhat.

“I guess so …… Let’s continue our search just like this!”

“Alright, that’s the spirit!”

And so the three of them continued their exploration on the second level.

After that, the exploration continued on the second level for a while.

However, the presence of the pursuer didn’t disappear.

On the other hand, there were many times when we had to fight with monsters, and I even tried to expose an opening, but there was no sign of any attempts by the pursuers.　

The group began to suspect that the pursuer might be a harmless pursuer.

Finally, the time came when the pursuer showed itself.

It was just as they were finishing a battle with a swarm of vampire bats.

Cyclo’s gunfire took out half of them, and Mist’s magic took out most of the rest. Karim killed only those that escaped the attack and came close to them, after the battle was safely over.

But – there was still one vampire bat lurking behind a rock.

Cyclo had noticed it, but dared to keep quiet.

He thought it would be good training for Mist to exercise responding to surprise attacks.

And so — it was when the vampire bat emerged from behind a rock.

“Big brother, it’s dangerous!”

The pursuer finally showed itself with such a shout.

“[Prominence Arrow]!”

The pursuer activated its magic.

An arrow of high-heat fire flew toward the vampire bat.

The arrow pierces the vampire bat without missing a beat and burns its head off with scorching flames, killing it instantly.

Thus, the surprise attack on the vampire bat ends in failure.

“……What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Cyclo glares at his pursuer, his sister, Alice Owen, who suddenly appears.

But Alice, feigning an expression of unconcern, begins to speak in a rapid, explanatory tone.

“Wow, what a coincidence, big brother! But I’m glad I happened to be passing by, because my brother was in danger of being caught by a surprise attack! But I’ll stay away from you as you said! Bye!”

After saying all she wanted to say, Alice quickly left.

And so – Alice disappears again and returns to her position as a pursuer.

Seeing Alice like that, Cyclo loses his interest in glaring at her and makes a dumbfounded expression on his face.

“……What does she want?”

There was no one to answer Cyclo’s mutterings.