Chapter 28

Chapter 028

“Isran. An hour has passed.”

“Yeah.”

Before we knew it, the hour given to us for rest had passed.

At the same time as the party members finished their preparations and took their positions, dense darkness rose sluggishly, and a single human stood up from within it.

‘Watchman Vormir.’

The Floor Boss guarding the central Boss Room on the first floor.

He stood easily over two meters tall, with muscular arms and legs covered in scars.

Throwing short spears were slung across his back, and with the hide of a wolf’s head pulled over him, he looked like a barbarian drawn straight from a painting.

He was the first human-type monster we had encountered in the dungeon.

“Tank, forward.”

At the order, Pellon swallowed dryly and raised his shield to block the front.

Watchman Vormir’s concept was Druid.

He was a melee-type enemy who fought by transforming parts of his body into those of monsters.

─Grrrrrr……

A growl squeezed out from beneath his mask, as if proving that he had no reason.

In any case, he was not someone words would work on.

The fact that we could fight properly without wasting strength on pointless conversation was encouraging.

─KRAAAAGH!

Vormir let out a hideous roar and kicked off the ground.

At the same time, he transformed both arms into those of a Werewolf and threw a punch with all his might.

BOOM!

“Ugh!”

……Was that really the sound of a fist hitting a shield?

With a noise like a bomb going off, Pellon was sent flying like a piece of luggage.

He got back up quickly, but his bewilderment was obvious.

“W-What kind of strength…… Is that really a first-floor Guardian!?”

He somehow clung to Vormir to keep the Aggro from jumping to the rear, but he was already no match for him in a contest of strength.

The sight of him being pushed around by punches and kicks looked almost pitiful.

‘What is with that? Why is his strength like that?’

Was this really the Vormir I remembered?

He was difficult, yes, but he should have been manageable with specifications good enough to graduate from the first floor. Yet the current Vormir looked as though even a second-floor adventurer would struggle to deal with him.

“Archer! Keep him in check with arrows! Pull him away from the Tank!”

“Take this!”

Serien’s arrow flew, drawing a tail of flame.

It was a Magic Power-type Skill called 「Fire Arrow」.

Its effect was to inflict fire-attribute damage and add a bonus to stopping power.

─Krrrk……!

The bastard raised his arm and blocked the arrow.

The arrows, even infused with Magic Power, failed to pierce his hide and were all deflected.

“W-What……!?”

Hm. I did not expect that to fail to pierce him.

Though Serien was shocked, she swiftly took additional measures with traps and wires.

It had only failed to pierce his hide; the damage itself had gone through.

The bastard stepped back once after treading on the installed trap.

‘Traps? That is not a build an archer should learn.’

Why did she learn that when she was not even an assassin?

What a botched character build.

I took a moment to reevaluate Serien’s value.

“Should I not step in?”

“Mage, stand by.”

“Hmm……”

Bernard asked uneasily, but Persica’s judgment was correct.

If he struck with Magic now, the unstable Aggro would jump to the rear in an instant.

Until the Aggro stabilized, it was right to leave this to Pellon and Serien.

“Serien!”

“I know!”

Vormir reacted to the following shout.

The bastard transformed both legs into those of a beast, dodged every arrow aimed at his vital points, and opened his mouth wide to spit out a white lump of thread.

“Damn……!”

Arachne thread.

It was a pattern that bound enemies within range and created an area where movement became impossible.

Normally, one should have been able to escape by struggling a little, but perhaps because he was strengthened, Pellon could not move an inch.

─KYAAAGH!

Vormir instantly ignored the Tank, leaped, and took one of the short spears from his back.

The one he aimed at with his throwing stance was Persica.

Persica, who had suddenly become the target, opened her eyes wide.

“M-Me!?”

“Tsk.”

The short spear he had lifted with all his strength shot straight toward Persica.

In place of Persica, whose response was a step too late, I deflected the short spear fired at her with Parrying.

“Uh……”

“Do not freeze. Keep giving orders.”

“M-Mage!”

As though he had been prepared, the mage bastard burst flames and pushed Vormir back sharply.

Was that 「Flash Explosion」? So that man had learned explosion Magic as well.

“…….”

Persica fell silent.

Perhaps she knew she had nearly died just now; her shoulders were trembling faintly.

“So this is a Floor Boss……”

As soon as the bastard pushed away the Tank, he targeted Persica first.

He knew that she was the leader of the team, and that if he killed her, the expedition party’s chain of command would collapse.

‘That is why Floor Bosses are special.’

Most Floor Bosses were bastards who understood human tactics.

They were far more troublesome than Field Bosses in that one had to engage in a proper battle of wits, rather than merely memorizing patterns.

Well, right now, the sluggishness of our strategy was a bigger issue than that element.

‘So you are saying this will not go easily?’

If there was a spy mixed into the expedition party, then of course they would not allow us to defeat the boss so simply.

They would make us struggle again and again while draining the team’s stamina.

Then, after we finally defeated the boss through all those twists and turns, the moment everyone relaxed, they would reveal the hidden blade they had been concealing.

BOOM!

“Keugh!”

Under Vormir’s following fierce assault, Pellon’s shield finally caved in.

His face was filled with dismay as well.

It must have been because this was worlds apart from the first-floor difficulty he had cleared.

“……Isran.”

“No helping it.”

If possible, I had intended to leave everything to the three new members and prepare on our side for what came afterward…… but I suppose things did not always go the way one wanted.

At this point, we had no choice but to go with Plan B.

Persica and I drew our swords.

“You remember the contents, right?”

“Of course. I am waiting.”

We had already discussed what we would do through written conversation.

The fact that he was struggling like that meant his Health was gradually dropping.

It would be troublesome, but we could take him down.

“Mage. You can use Fire Spear Magic, right?”

“Is that not obvious? What do you take me for……?”

The mage bastard grumbled, but still cast Fire Spear.

It was a 3-star fire-type offensive Magic.

Unlike Fireball, it was a focused single-point Magic, and naturally, its damage was far higher.

“Tank! Block his vision!”

“Krrgh……!”

Pellon lifted his caved-in shield and momentarily emitted a flash of light.

Seeing that the color was red, it was 「Matador’s Flag」.

It was a Skill people rarely learned because it only had a Taunt function, but he had learned it.

─KRAAAAGH!

Vormir’s gaze turned toward Pellon for a moment.

As expected of a boss, the Aggro was drawn only for an instant, but that moment was enough for us.

“Fire Spear.”

The mage bastard fired the completed Fire Spear.

The blazing spear of fire lodged itself in Vormir’s shoulder and forearm, then burst into searing flames.

─GRRROOOOAR!!

The bastard cried out and retreated two or three steps.

Fire Spear was powerful enough to be counted among the strongest 3-star Magic. He should originally have been left dying, yet it only made him retreat……

It was absurd…… but it was not as though we had fired it with the intention of killing him anyway.

“Persica.”

“I know!”

The instant Vormir was staggered, Persica charged forward.

A boss’s weakness was different from that of ordinary monsters.

Even the chest, a universal weak point, actually had its damage reduced against that bastard because of his hard bones.

‘His true weak points are the head and the armpit.’

Especially right now, the armpit area was clearly open.

Persica closed the distance in an instant and thrust her sword toward the fully exposed weak point.

[Flash Lightning Thunder Sword]

[First Form – Rushing Thunder]

CRUNCH!

With a clean hit, the Skill effect, a guaranteed critical hit, erupted, and a brilliant flash of light burst like an aftershock.

─KRAAAAGH!!

Under the surging agony, the bastard swung his arms and went berserk.

Blood sprayed from the wound, and at a glance, it was clear that he had lost a large amount of Health.

Unlike me, she was using a proper weapon, so the damage had gone in properly.

‘The name of that was definitely…… the True Silver Sword, was it?’

A Rare Item that increased critical attack power along with Magic Power amplification.

For an early-stage weapon, its options were good, and its compatibility with Flash Lightning Thunder Sword was excellent as well.

If it was enhanced properly, it could even be used up to the third floor.

I think the Auction House price was probably around six million Runes…… but Persica said she had bought it with her saved allowance.

‘Throwing that much money into early-stage equipment…… Nobles, I swear.’

It could be disposed of later, yes, but spending six million on an early-stage weapon?

It was a spending philosophy I could not understand.

─KYAAAGH!!

The bastard raised both clasped hands high.

A ground-smash attack that came out after he allowed a critical hit.

It was a heavy attack the Tank should have blocked, but Pellon was still recovering.

“My turn, then.”

“Wh…… W-Wait!”

When I charged out, the mage bastard was greatly startled.

Of course, the same was true of Serien and Pellon.

“W-Where are you going?”

“That is dangerous!”

The three who did not know the situation were flustered by my sudden action, but Persica’s expression as she stepped back in time with me was calm.

She knew what sort of bastard I was and what I could do.

At the same time as she retreated, I wrapped Mysticism around my sword.

“I thought I was going to die of boredom.”

I was a veteran player in my own right, so I had to do at least my share to save face, did I not?

I timed it and lightly swung my sword at the blow falling over my head.

CLANG!!

A violet flash burst, and Vormir’s strike, which he had slammed down with all his strength, was deflected in an instant.

It was the unique, unrealistic phenomenon of Parrying, and it never grew old no matter how many times I saw it.

“H-He deflected it?”

“How……?”

Sorry, but it is too early to be surprised.

The bastard’s eyes glowed a deep red.

His Aura pattern, 「Frenzy」, was about to activate.

“Tank, Archer, move back!”

“I-It is Aura! If we leave it like that, Mr. Isran will……!”

“It is fine, so fall back!”

Thank you for worrying about me.

But right now, getting out of the way was how you would help me.

From here on out, this was my stage alone.

‘It was thirteen times in total, right?’

In the Frenzy state, Vormir’s attack power doubled, and he randomly drove thirteen slashes into targets within range.

The type was unblockable.

Since evasion or escaping beyond the range was possible, I had sent all the remaining members outside the range.

That way, every attack would be driven into me.

“Come at me.”

─KRAAAAGH!!

Claws wrapped in blood-colored Aura came slashing down toward me.

I measured the timing, moved Mana, and raised Mysticism.

Recalling the trajectory I had seen countless times, I activated Parrying at the exact moment.

CLANG!

Light flashed, and the first attack was deflected.

As expected of Aura, my wrist ached and my shoulder felt stiff, but……

“This is manageable.”

I smiled and raised my sword.

Shall I play a rhythm game for the first time in a while?

CLANG! CLA-CLANG! BOOM! CLACK! CLACK-CLACK-CLACK! BOOM! CLA-CLANG!

Red and violet flashes gleamed as though competing for supremacy.

The power of Aura was truly formidable, and each time I deflected it, a shockwave burst out with a resounding roar.

As expected of a Floor Boss.

And as befitted an increased-difficulty version, he was terrifying.

However.

‘Slow.’

Compared to Gordon, he was so slow it made me yawn.

That blunt knight I had endured for two weeks had been far faster and more powerful than this.

My eyes chased every pouring trajectory and engraved them into my mind, while my two arms struck up each and every blow without a hair’s breadth of error.

And so, past five strikes, past ten, and the instant I perfectly deflected even the final thirteenth blow.

─Krrrk……!

Vormir, having exhausted his Mana, extinguished his Aura.

“Mage!”

At Persica’s instruction, the mage bastard fired Fire Spear without delay.

As though he had loaded them in advance, three shots went out at once.

It seemed Persica had prepared him while I was blocking.

BOOOOM!!

Under the successive direct hits from the Fire Spears, the bastard finally sank to his knees.

His skin was charred black, and his breathing had grown faint.

He had fallen into a Groggy state.

“Yes. Stay still like that.”

I aimed the tip of my sword at his head.

The head was a weak point, but one still had to be guaranteed the minimum attack power required to pierce the skull.

It might be possible for an ordinary weapon, but it could have been difficult for Ishara, a Starting Weapon……

“Thanks for firing at me in rapid succession.”

The enhancement effect of 「Counterattack」 could stack up to ten times.

The total number of attacks the bastard had driven into me was thirteen.

That was more than enough to fill every stack, and since every blow had contained Aura, the enhancement value should have been applied to the maximum as well.

This was the result.

A sword covered in blazing Phosphorescent Glow.

CRUNCH!

The sword I thrust out pierced Vormir’s head.

The hunt was over.

***

I wiped the bloodstained sword clean in front of Vormir, who had died on his knees.

He had been quite a strong enemy.

Difficult and complex…… but entertaining enough.

“We…… took him down? This easily……?”

“What exactly was that…… Are you really an apprentice?”

Pellon and Serien stood there with their mouths hanging open in shock.

A fly might get in at that rate.

They had been filled with disbelief, but only after the Boss Room’s seal was lifted did they let go of their tension.

It meant the boss had truly died.

Thinking it was over, the two of them broke into wide smiles and ran toward me.

“That was truly amazing, Mr. Isran!”

“How on earth did you do that? I heard you were definitely an apprentice!”

Persica, who had been watching that scene, caught the mage as he was about to approach.

“Haa…… At last, freedom from my debt……?”

“Wait.”

Yes.

Sorry, but this was not over yet.

If we left through the opposite exit like this, we could go to the second floor, but if we did, we would almost certainly die.

Neither Persica nor I had yet prepared against the second-floor side effects.

So.

“Mr. Pellon.”

“I hope to see you on the second floor as well…… Yes?”

“It has been bothering me for a while.”

I approached him and offered him a handshake.

The moment he smiled curiously and took my hand, I put strength into it and pulled him in.

Then, with the sword I was holding, I stabbed him hard in the chest.

STAB!

“Uh, uh……?”

“Why do you keep smiling like that?”

You are making me get attached.

“Wh-What are you……?”

“You know the reason better than anyone, do you not?”

“Keugh……!”

He shoved me away hard.

I had stabbed him directly in the heart, but as expected, the attack power of a Starting Weapon was not enough for a one-shot kill.

“Wh-What are you doing……!”

“Stay still.”

Serien was blocked by Persica’s sword.

“Uh…… Excuse me, what exactly is going on here?”

The mage bastard still did not seem to grasp the situation.

This should be enough.

Scuffling is not my type, so I might as well reveal everything.

“Keugh…… Why did you attack me?”

“You were suspicious from the beginning. A two-handed shield warrior being rescued at the perfect timing was simply too convenient.”

“And what is wrong with that……?”

“Did you know? There are two paths for someone who uses a two-handed shield: Magic Power and Divinity.”

The main Traits of a two-handed shield were Magic Power and Divinity. Of those, most followed the Divinity build.

The reason was not anything special. It was because the two-handed shield itself was a minor build that could not hunt alone.

A damage dealer to help from the side was absolutely necessary, and in that case, belonging to a Temple was far more stable. If one belonged to the same Temple, it was much easier to secure companions.

For Magic Power, which could not do that, one usually went with a sword-and-shield combination, then converted after forming a fixed party.

“I could be the latter!”

“Yes, true. Nothing is absolute, so I hesitated a little too. But……”

If there was one thing that bastard had overlooked, it was that I had a rather sharp eye.

“You two have been intentionally letting attacks slip through since earlier.”

When the Arachne thread first stretched out.

If Serien had shot Fire Arrow at the spiderweb, the Tank could have escaped immediately.

This level of interaction was common sense among common sense, so there was no way those who had reached the second floor would not know it.

‘And 「Matador’s Flag」 too.’

It was a Skill that allowed a guaranteed Taunt in exchange for dealing no damage.

Pellon deliberately used it only after Aggro was drawn to Persica.

“Normally, I might have just thought you two were clumsy. But……”

Something that could never happen by coincidence.

The rare-species monsters that had appeared in the first phase.

“Rare species originally appear only when there is a Divinity user. But we do not have a Divinity user.”

“…….”

“That means someone is hiding one, and if so, the answer is obvious, is it not?”

Pellon and Serien pressed their lips tightly shut.

Persica took Bernard and stepped back.

And at that very moment.

SPLURT!

“Keuhak!”

One arm pierced through Pellon’s body and rose out.