6
It's the 13th of month 1.
As they started exploring dungeon Tsubolt on the 9th, they would have been exploring for four days yesterday. Getting to floor 51 of a dungeon in just four days was the first for Lecan.
They reached floor 50 yesterday, but the giant variants on floor 51 were tougher than anything they came across thus far. And there were six of those beasts. That said, this was the moment Arios truly showed his worth.
White Spectres are humanoid type magic beasts. And they only attack with spears or swords. Despite their brute strength and resistance to strikes, their head is their weakness and they can't move fast.
On the other hand, Arios is a master of antipersonnel combat. He knows techniques to deal with many against one. Arios demonstrated strength far beyond what he showed at Dungeon Ninae.
And he's had enough practice working together with Lecan at Ninae.
In other word, Dungeon Tsubolt is really well suited for <Willard>.
Lecan and Arios arrived at the dungeon and waited in line with other people wanting to enter.
They showed their permit at the guard waiting in front of the entrance and got let in.
Before long, the two were inside and then they got down to floor 51.
"<Graph Make>."
This floor's rough map came up in Lecan's mind once he recited the spell.
There are two rooms with stairways, both are empty.
They're headed for the closest room.
"Arios. This time I'm going in first."
"Yes."
Lecan barged in the giant variant room and immediately cast a magic.
"<Lightning>!"
It's a horizontally spread <Lightning> that entangles all the enemies.
The six magic beasts stopped moving at once. But none is dead.
Lecan sliced off the head of the leading White Spectre.
Arios followed after Lecan into the room and went around behind the six magic beasts. At exceptional speed. Then he lopped the furthest magic beast's head off.
By the time Lecan cut down his second's magic beast, the three remaining magic beasts started moving.
"<Lightning>!"
Another <Lightning> nicely missed Arios while wrapping up the three magic beasts.
They all lost their heads while they were still paralyzed.
"This end result is simply amazing. I'm wondering if there's even anything that can stand up against this tactic."
"Yea. <Lightning> goes well with you and me. Usable."
"And here I thought we would face some challenge on this floor, this looks to be a cinch."
"Just gotta press further below."
"But should I really not lead the front?"
"No. Two people lining up is dangerous. Better spreading out in either four directions. I can't move as swift as you nor can I slip past those beasts as easily. You just get somewhere with enough room and lure the enemies there."
The insides of these rooms aren't too spacious. It would severely hamper their mobility if they ever get cornered in a cramped spot. Lecan intends for Arios's role to expand the battle space.
"Understood."
They got down floor 52.
"Not good. Both rooms have people."
"What should we do?"
"We wait."
They got to the nearest room and sat down near the entrance.
"Oh. They got two of them."
Magic beasts' reactions disappear from <Life Detection> when they die. Lecan can tell the situation inside a room to a degree using this ability.
"Which means, there's four left."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"Right."
Adventurers rushed out of the room while he had that conversation with Arios.
The one leading the way is a man holding a wand, though he's not exactly an elderly, he's quite old.
After him is a young man holding a bow, equipped with a metal chestplate and a metal headband.
Followed by a swordswoman, a swordsman, a spearsman, a shieldman, and lastly a solidly built man holding a sword.
"Uwaaa, that was close."
The archer young man sat down near Lecan.
"You guys waiting for your turn? Sorry 'bout this. Hold on for a bit."
"Yea. No worries."
"I made a mess and missed sealing up one of the <Red Body>, see. The thing ended up managing to cast its magic, so we were forced to make a run for it."
"Hou. Magic eh."
Lecan has never seen a White Spectre casting magic in this dungeon.
Or any White Spectre anywhere for that matter.
Just what's going on, thought Lecan.
"Yup, yup. Took too long to notice."
"Missing sealing up, as is?"
"Well. Those things will stop casting magic if you hit their throat with an arrow right? I managed to seal up one of 'em. But I missed the other one's throat by a teensy bit, you see. Like around here."
The young archer pointed at the lower left section of his own throat.
"I was sure I hit it right, but then it went and started howling like boooo when our front liners were dealing with the <Black Body>. Can you imagine my surprise?"
"Yeah I can imagine."
"Leader shouted out really loud, like 'RUN'. Got our withdrawal plan sorted out beforehand and we were fighting right next to the exit. So all of us managed to get away safely."
The shield man cut into the conversation.
"Nikos. We got out of this mess thanks to the fact that the attack hit my shield just right, but that was really cutting it close."
The young man seems to be called Nikos.
"My bad, my bad."
The burly man also joined the conversation.
"Once they start shooting, you can expect the barrage coming next after all. Running away then was the surefire decision. Come now, we're giving it another try."
"Yup."
The burly man turned toward Lecan.
"Out of six, we got two of the <Black Body> down, and the remaining two were wounded. This'll end quick."
"Yea. Godspeed."
"Thanks man."
The seven people entered the room in reverse order of when they came out one by one.
Lecan and Arios gazed at the entrance those people vanished into for a while.
"Arios."
"Yes."
"Did you know. The White Spectres in this dungeon can shoot out magic."
"Yes. It's the <Red Body> type of White Spectres that does that, isn't it. I suppose the <Black Body> would be the physical-focused type then."
"Wonder why we've never seen this elusive magic."
"I believe it's likely due to us beating them too fast."
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