Manowa

Chapter 86 – Passing Through the Spacious Room

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Even after the encounter with the Massive Chameleons Kazane and the others continued advancing.
Even though they were taken unawares by the Massive Chameleon the first time, their scent was not impossible to discover if she concentrated, so after that they didn't let their guard down and didn't receive any more surprise attacks.
However, the Massive Chameleon was not the only monster in this layer.

◎ Rock Hold Cave 26th Layer

「Deyaaa」

Kazane swung her sword with all her might at the neck of the jumping Street Gazelle.
She attacked it many times to weaken its movements before『Crushing Blow』finally activated.

「…..It's over.」

And Kazane immediately collapsed wearily.

「Ah, you did it.
Even though you had to fight unusually hard.」

Yumika was also reasonably tired.

「Dealing with their terribly quick hit and run attacks repeatedly is tiring, after all.」

Street Gazelles started appearing around the mid-20 layers and had unrivaled running speed inside the dungeon, and their special characteristic was that they would charge with their horns and separate a bit with their continued charge before turning around and attacking again.
Their pace was too fast to run away or catch them, so there was no choice but to counterattack as they attacked again.

Although Zinray and Yumika were able to counter at that speed, Kazane could not hit them with Killing Leg, but could only accumulate damage with light attacks from her sword to weaken them.
Well, that is how they are normally fought, though.

「But I obtained their skill, so I think I will be able to smoothly defeat them starting next time.」

Kazane replied while looking at her skill list.
The skill『Dash』was displayed on the list.
That was a skill that would allow her to run a short distance at the same speed as the Street Gazelle.

「Ara, although you didn't get any from the Army Ants.」

「They are already covered by the same species, so isn't it useless?」

From the 20th layer the higher ranked version of Worker Ants, Army Ants, started appearing, and they had entered battle with them many times, but she had yet to obtain a skill from them. 

「Well, they spit formic acid unlike the Workers, so I thought that Kazane would be able to learn it.」

「Something like a human girl spitting formic acid is gross.」

Kazane replied with a truly grossed out face.
Imagining Kazane drooling and her saliva dissolving the ground Yumika nodded and said「well, that's true.」

「By the way, Kazane.
Couldn't you stop them with Tebasaki-san?」

Zinray was breathing a little roughly as he asked and Kazane groaned.
Even Zinray seemed to have trouble with an opponent he could only hit with glancing blows. 

「Mm.
Directly seizing them is impossible, but I might be able to hinder their running.」

「Try it.
It might be a good idea to aim and fire at a place where they could be hit by Tiara-sama's Flame Knight.」

「That's right.
I can't catch up with Flare Bird.」

Tiara nodded with a depressed face.
Its movement speed was capable of opposing them, but its attacks were completely unable to hit them.

「It is important to use the proper thing according to the situation.」

『Because it was awful for that moment.』

「Muu」

Tiara's face sunk further at the merciless words of Louise and Mefirus.

「Can Sieg do any more?」

「About two shots.」

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Sieg, who was sitting on the front of Hippo-kun, replied.
He was considerably limp from repeatedly saving Magic Power and firing White Fang.
What was now asked of Sieg was combat experience with 100 percent White Fang.

「Well, we have to find accommodation soon, so if we meet any opponents on the way to the nearest hidden room please take care of them.」

「Yes, understood.」

Sieg said admirably with a worn out face, and Kazane gently stroked his head while saying「do your best.」It made Sieg feel good about it.

Tiara was happily hanging on to Kazane from behind.
It seemed that Tiara's dependence on Kazane had been increasing since the Orc battle.

A pink and calm atmosphere was flowing there.

◎ Rock Hold Cave 26th Layer Hidden Room

「5 White Ice Orbs?」

Kazane opened the treasure chest and took out what was inside.
Yumika closely observed them.

「Are they similar to the Flame Burst Orbs?」

「That's right, they're the ice version.」

A few hours ago they started heading towards a discovered hidden room to camp.
On the way Kazane discovered a new hidden room, so they decided to spend the night there.

That midnight.

「I thought there would be a more amazing item.」

Kazane complained when Zinray came to replace her for the night watch.

「Its rarity is certainly low for this layer, but it should be useful when fighting the Black Rock dragon.」

「Well, sure.」

Kazane agreed.

「Kazane, the futon's ready.」

「Yeah, I'm coming now.
Zinray-san, guard us well.
Call out if anything comes.
」

「I know.
You should rest well.」

「Ok, Tiara.」

「Well, shall we sleep?」

Kazane and Tiara went inside the futon together.

The other companions were already asleep.

「Ehehe」

As soon as they entered the futon Tiara hugged Kazane.

「Mou, Tiara has recently been acting like a spoiled child.」

Kazane smiled wryly.
I don't particularly dislike hugging while sleeping, so that's fine, but it's not okay to rely on me too much….thought Kazane.
Kazane was also keeping that in mind.
Probably.

「I'm sorry.」

Tiara was aware of it herself and became despondent at Kazane's remark.

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「It's still a bit scary, right?」

「Yes, you could say that.」

At Kazane's words Tiara nodded.

「Every time I remember that figure I start trembling.」

Tiara's eyes slightly moistened.
Kazane thought that she might be thinking about when she was kidnapped by the Ogres.

At that time, Kazane and the others only came across Tiara by chance before she became deflowered, but it was almost certain that the Ogres kidnapped her to do reproductive deeds.
If they were monsters in a dungeon it would be nothing but relieving of lust, but whether such deeds were necessary for Ogre reproduction or if they did it in mimicry to enjoy themselves couldn't be said.

Well, it was not the kind of story that someone could say「it wasn't dangerous」to the victim.

「But I might also be scared for a different reason.」

「…..Different?」

「I am good since I'm still being protected by everybody.
But Kazane is out in front, isn't she?」

「Well, that's right.」

Kazane was in the vanguard and was a vital part of their offensive, so there was no other way.
Tiara understood that, but her next remark overrode that.

「I worry, whenever I think about Kazane not being here anymore I can't help but be anxious.」

Tiara said as she clung to Kazane again.

「I don't want Kazane to leave.」

「Even if you say that.」

Kazane made a hopeless face and Tiara gave a somewhat lonely smile as she loosened her arms and replied「I'm sorry.」

「I do understand.
However, please let me be a spoiled child for a bit longer.
I will definitely return to normal after a while.」

「Mm」

Kazane groaned while she looked at Tiara and nodded.

「Understood.
I believe in Tiara.」

Kazane's words relieved Tiara, and she said「thank you, Kazane」as she continued leaning on her and closed her eyes.

(Well, after the dragon extermination I wonder if she will be a little relieved)

Kazane thought that maybe Tiara had accumulated a great amount of stress from the successive dungeon dives and exploration.
Then she patted Tiara's back and cuddled her like a child as she also closed her eyes.

They were also getting up early tomorrow.
She needed to recover her stamina.

◎ Rock Hold Cave 29th Layer – Evening

Kazane's party stayed overnight in the hidden room and descended to the 26th layer the next morning, and in the evening they reached a massive room on the 29th layer.

「There are many wide places on this level.」

Kazane said with a sigh.

The ceiling was a purple sky completely filled with fissures.
The blue sun had already set and night was arriving.

「This place also has a magnificent view.
We won't see it this time since we aren't descending that far, but after the 40th layer the dungeon will be completely different from a cavern with various different types of places like grasslands, volcanoes, and castles.」

「That fact isn't really clicking.
I guess I can't really believe it until I see it for myself.」

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At Kazane's remark Zinray replied「that may be so.」

「The innermost sanctum of a rank B dungeon is roughly around layer 70, and this dungeon has currently been captured up to layer 39.」

「39?」

Kazane tilted her head at that half-baked number.

「Before it entered the expansion period the innermost sanctum with the Heart Orb was on layer 40.
The innermost sanctum is only one room.
Because it is off limits it is treated as uncaptured.」

「That is to say that no parties have advanced further after the expansion?」

「That's how it is.
The dragon seems to be encamped in front of the staircase down to the 33rd layer, so since it hasn't been defeated there are no parties that have gone forward …
that's why.」

「I see.」

Kazane nodded.

「That's the dragon we will defeat, right?」

「Yes, that's right.」

Zinray nodded at Sieg's request for confirmation.

「Black Rock Dragon Giove, what kind of dragon is it?」

Sieg asked, but Kazane shrugged her shoulders and replied.

「The guild's information is old, but beyond that it seems that a few powerful adventurers defeated it themselves, so there is no detailed information.」

「It's a dragon that can be defeated by a few people?」

Louise instantly denied Tiara's optimistic question.

「No, it's not.
Named dragons are much more powerful than ordinary ones, and it's basically impossible for ordinary dragons to be subjugated by only a few people.」

Today 50 people was considered appropriate, but in the past there was a class of dragon that required 100 people.
And the Black Rock Dragon was a dragon that lived in that era.

「It seems the adventurers that defeated it must have possessed abnormal combat ability.
It seems no records remain.」

「Is that so?」

Tiara despondently said.
It seemed there was no hope of it being easy.

『Well, this lineup should be able to do even if it's not an ordinary dragon.』

Mefirus said from in Louise's arms.
Louise nodded in affirmation.

「That's right.
Even though my magic isn't as powerful as it would be against a devil it's quite effective if the opponent is big like a dragon.」

Louise's greatest magic『Judgment Bolt』had a tremendous effect on devils, but it was simply a powerful magic blow.
The effective range was also wide, and it was possible to give an especially great deal of damage to large monsters.

「Was it Kazane Bazooka? That throw by Tatsuyoshi-kun should be effective.
If you fight with a weapon like me or Yumika you will have no choice but to do several glancing blows before you can deal real damage.」

Zinray supplemented.
Simply put, the number of people necessary was a function of how much damage could pass through in time… which was also the problem.

The dragon's astounding abilities from their large body and their breath attack stood out, but the defensive power of the scales that covered their entire body exceeded them.

Attacking the scales of a dragon many times to peel them off so that damage could be given was a fundamental part of fighting a dragon.
If too much time was taken in peeling off the scales, the dragon would realize their disadvantage and escape, and could not be caught except by people who could fly in the sky.
Also, if too much time went by, human beings would run out of stamina.
The number of humans necessary was based on how long the humans could still move to attack, so large numbers were needed.

However, if there were attacks that meant it could be defeated in a short time, the necessary number of people would be reduced sharply.
And this party had several means to do so.

「Ah, this might be bad.」

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It was exactly when they came near the center of the room.
Kazane suddenly looked around.

「What is it?」

Kazane's menacing face as she looked around was too grim, so Zinray asked Kazane what was going on, but Kazane didn't answer, and with a loud voice she commanded Hippo-kun.

「Hippo-kun, runnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!」

In response to that word, the two Hippo-kun began running forcefully.

「What, what is it?」

Yumika also felt an abnormal presence in the surroundings and her expression changed.
Zinray and then the other companions successively noticed.

「Multiple reactions of magical power, it has really come…」

Louise's eyes opened wide.

Lights in geometric pattern appeared one after the other in the surroundings, and shortly after they descended to the ground monsters appeared.

「Ku, they're here.」

Zinray grasped his dragonbone spear tightly and scowled at the surroundings.

Several dozens of Orcs, Army Ants, Street Gazelles, Burrow Tigers etc.
appeared, filling the spacious room.

When the forced summoning was completed the number of materialized monsters exceeded 200.
And then the dungeon's greatest trap called Monster House suddenly attacked Kazane and the others.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

Title: Ogre Killer

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Silver Breastplate, Silver Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Carapace Bull Trousers, Berserk Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, War Spirit Summoning Ring

Level : 25

Health: 85

Magic Power: 143+300

Strength: 42

Agility: 33

Endurance: 24

Wisdom : 43

Dexterity : 27

Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog’s Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Second Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』

Kazane:「Ugyaaaaaa」

Yumika:「What a huge amount.」