5
The fifth day of dungeon expedition. 12th of month two.
Lecan and Eda took their first step in Rocky Mountain.
Swarms of Vileneedle Bugs (Lencilin), Brownpowder Bugs (Saglulin) and some other unknown small bugs swarmed around them. Due to <Exorcist Bracelet> Eda had on her, these bugs wouldn't get close within twenty steps from both. Instead, the number of bugs just kept increasing the longer they walked. Lecan would periodically drew <Demon Bug Cutter> and <Flame Sword> to exterminate them. They climbed the Rocky Mountain while repeating that routine several times.
By the middle point of the mountain slope, no more small bugs were present. Wrinkle Men (Zeofan) and Petitfire Dragons (Palbeizam) littered the place here and there instead, but those beasts wouldn't engage in battle even when the pair got within 100 steps as they passed by.
They kept climbing while being careful not to run into a magic beast using <Life Detection>. They didn't fight even once even by lunch time.
They continued the climb without engaging in single combat in the afternoon. Magic beasts displayed in <Life Detection> get more and more powerful, and more scattered about.
"This is much much quicker than going around the mountain foot. Wonder why Nodlein-san recommended you to take the long way out."
"Dungeon Knights consist of 100 knights, dozens of squires and another hundred baggage carriers. Might be why."
"Ooh okay. Guess it's hard for a huge group like that to avoid getting seen by magic beasts. He must think that we're gonna have to fight if we take this route."
"Mu."
"What's wrong?"
"There's something on a level beyond anything thus far. 2500 steps straight ahead up the slope."
Lecan rushed ahead climbing up the slope.
"And yet we're not changing course, yeesh I wonder why."
There's a giant boulder ahead of them. The enemy must lie beyond that boulder.
Lecan drew closer as he thought that.
Then he realized his mistake.
The giant boulder stood up.
"Tch."
This is probably Rock Giant (Nalgant). Or maybe even an even higher ranked Rock Mass magic beasts. The enemy is already in combative state. They must fight their way out here. Lecan put away Comet Cutter on his waist and grabbed <Crushing Hammer (Gwadobagh)>.
It's gigantic. Rock Giant has a humanoid shape but its height must be full eight steps tall. Four times Lecan's height.
It raised its right fist, a gigantic rock, up high. Arrows from <Bow of Yelvitz> hit that fist, but it wouldn't even budge.
Lecan struck the giant's rocky right leg with <Crushing Hammer>. An explosion along with a boom sound occurred, but despite a clean hit, the Rock Giant only slightly shook from that.
The Rock Giant swung down its right arm.
Lecan advanced while dodging to the right and struck the giant's left leg with <Crushing Hammer>.
The Rock Giant's right fist pulverized the rocky ground below, sending splinters flying everywhere. Eda retreated back while dodging those splinters.
Lecan made another clean hit on the Rock Giant's right leg, from the back this time. But it didn't seem to deal any damage whatsoever.
The combat continued on.
Neither Eda's nor Lecan's attacks had any effect at all.
Lecan tried to get it tumble down and go for its head, but the giant just wouldn't fall.
He could have done something had the foothold been soil, but since it's sturdy rocks, there's nothing he could do. This Rock Giant is just way too heavy.
The Rock Giant seemed to have lost its temper with Lecan and Eda running around everywhere dodging its attack, it started to spew out hot lava.
They had no choice but to gradually move locations as they couldn't step on hot lava, they were at a huge disadvantage in this battle.
(Crap.)
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
(If we got in another magic beast's territory.)
(Or if this Rock Giant calls out its kin.)
(Things gonna get dicey real fast.)
(Dammit.)
(This thing's way too heavy and sturdy!)
(...Hold it.)
(Too heavy?)
Lecan suddenly recalled <Mass Heave Sword (Daspiscylla)> in his Storage. That has a Grace that multiples object's weight. Magic beasts are not objects, but since Rock Giant's body consists of rocks, <Mass Heave Sword> might very well show some effects on it. There should be parts where it works at least. With such a heavy mass, even if the sword only affects some parts, it should restrain its movement to a degree at least.
Lecan threw away <Crushing Hammer>, plunge his right hand in <Storage>, grabbed <Mass Heave Sword> and swiftly swung it four times.
The Rock Giant immediately slowed down.
(Alright! It worked.)
The giant tried to move but its legs wouldn't allow it. It persisted on doing that and tumbled down instead.
Lecan's whole body turned heavier as well.
<Mass Heave Sword> has multiplied all objects within its range by five times.
Lecan grabbed a Magenta Potion and drank it down. A potion that temporarily boosts muscle strength. Probably the first time he's ever used one in battle.
He let go of <Mass Heave Sword> and picked up <Crushing Hammer>. It's unbearably heavy. But that unbearable feeling is reliable now.
Rock Giant put both hands on the ground in an attempt to get up. Lecan ran up its back. Then he lifted <Crushing Hammer> over his shoulder. His muscles were breaking apart.
He swung down the <Crushing Hammer> on the Rock Giant's back head. An explosion occurred. Lecan grimaced from the load in his hands. An extraordinary impact hit the Rock Giant's head at the same time.
Lecan lifted the hammer again and swung it down. Rock Giant's head shook violently. Lecan struck it once again as it frantically tried to get up.
Another two strikes, and the Rock Giant's head got completely demolished, stopping it entirely.
A moment later, the Rock Giant vanished, replaced by a big treasure chest in its spot.
Lecan is on his knees.
It's suffocating. Feels like his entrails have been ruptured. His face is cramping painfully.
He's worried about Eda, but his neck feels like it's gonna torn off if he moves it now.
Lecan focused on <3D Perceptions>. Eda is lying down, but there's movement and she's breathing.
He exerted his willpower and sheathed the <Mass Heave Sword> back.
The weight increase Grace vanished.
Lecan lay down in the spot.
He couldn't move a finger for a while after.
After quite some time, the two were finally able to get up.
"Lecan."
"Hm?"
"You thought to yourself, 'Tch', when you saw that magic beast earlier, didn't you."
Lecan never replied. Which is an answer in itself.
He opened the treasure chest. There's a huge amount of familiar looking ores inside.
It's Solid Sacred Silver (Lesharad).
He put them away in <Storage>
His long cherished <Overking Bear Overcoat> has been burned and torn off all over from the fight just now.
The overcoat has <Auto Repair> function on its embedded jewel, but that might take quite some time when the damage is this bad. Or perhaps it won't ever go back to its original state anymore.
His petitfire dragon's armor is in a terrible state as well.
Lecan took <Recovery Sword> and gave it a try.
Injuries from splinters and sore spots from the heat recovered to a point. But since <Recovery Sword> doesn't heal much per use, he must cut himself with it multiple times to heal all the wounds. That he must take off his clothing before using it is another bad point about it. And Eda looked awfully repulsed when she saw the wounds from the sword that remained before the healing took effect. Lecan put <Recovery Sword> away.
The two took Red Potions and Stamina Restoratives, marched about 2000 steps forward and set up camp there.
It's still a bit early, but they just don't have the strength left to keep going.
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