20 – Warrior Party (10)
The Draco skill had a fairly long casting distance, thanks to which we could scan quite a distance. As soon as the Draco’s skill ended, Erin took over the role of clearing the way, then Draco took over again…
That’s how we all managed to reach Mont Blanc in just half a day. If we keep going a little farther, we’ll reach the foothills. Seeing that we managed to get here in just half a day, it was a bit surprising, given that we had expected it to take at least a day, or even two, to get here.
“Why are you so capable?”
It felt like the two months I had wagered with Erin were starting to feel shorter and shorter.
I guess I can catch up to them…?
“Alain, is it time now?”
Sergaria asks. She was asking about the instructions we had talked about earlier. I calculated the distance and nodded.
“You can do it now!”
“Wow!”
Ser-Aria’s strange response made the bowstring taut. Her magic gathered in an instant at the tip of an arrow.
-Warning, magical energy accumulation detected.
Another warning message appeared. A similar warning message had appeared when Erin had used her skill earlier. It seemed that a warning message appeared when a certain amount of magical power gathered.
“But this didn’t happen in the Lizard Lord Dungeon.”
She thought about the changes after clearing the dungeon. After arriving in the kingdom, the characteristic of magical energy accumulation had appeared. Could it be because of that characteristic?
-High Priestess Ser-Aria activates [Star Ray].
The arrow, imbued with magic, shone brilliantly like a star. Exactly as I instructed, it was released tight just as we were about to reach the foot of the mountain 20 seconds later.
Ssshhhhhaaahhh!!!
Kwaaang!!!
The arrow pierced through the wind and struck the large tree we had aimed for, causing it to crash onto the smaller trees beside it.
“Charge in at full speed!!”
“So, you planned to close the entrance.”
Ser-aria understood my intention from what I told her. We had blocked off the path we came through with the fallen trees, intending to shake off the pursuit of the demons.
Following my orders, the party members quickly rode their horses into the mountain before all the trees fell down onto the road.
As soon as we entered the cave, the last remaining trees fell to the ground with a loud thud which prevented the pursing demons from following us inside.
“This fool, our escape route is blocked~♡ What should we do~?”
Of course, it’s undeniable that just like she said, we have practically lost any way to return…
“We can close the canal and go back.”
“…Puhu♡ You speak well, huh?”
“That’s why we came here.”
I spoke first, stepping down from the horse.
“We’ll have to walk from here. Everyone, get off.”
“Okay~”
“Puhahahaha, now the real adventure begins!”
“If you let them go, they’ll probably run away on their own. It wasn’t a situation where we had the luxury of considering the lives of warhorses, mere expendable assets. It was best to close the canal as quickly as possible, so we had to move as fast as we could.”
However, it seemed that Frey thought differently.
“Gather the horses in one place.”
Frey gathered the horses we had ridden and created a small protective barrier by exerting divine power there.
“You’ll be safe here.”
“Are warhorses just expendable assets? Going this far…”
“Allen, they are not just expendable assets, they are lives.”
Having said that, Frey turned around. The Saint’s thoughts were so different from the culprit’s that I couldn’t understand.
“Well, whatever…”
Even though I wondered if it was necessary to go that far, I had no intention of denying her actions. If I could save the guys who worked so hard for me, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
As I finished my thoughts, I started following behind the party members who began climbing the mountain…
“Ah!?”
“Allen?”
Suddenly, I collapsed alone in place.
It seemed that my legs momentarily lost strength, probably because I had been riding a horse at full speed all morning. It wasn’t completely drained, so I could get up immediately…
“….”
Everyone else was fine, but only I fell. It was so embarrassing that I couldn’t get up. Upon seeing that, Erin chuckled and said, “hehehe, how amusing.”
“Pathetically weak and my stamina is pathetically weak too~♡”
“…Noisy.”
You guys are stamina monsters.
“…Are you okay, Allen?”
“Are you okay? Can you get up?”
“Well….”
Nevertheless, Erin and everyone else who used to make fun of me waited for me to get up again. I pushed myself up, brushed off the dirt from my thighs.
“…Sorry, let’s go.”
“If it’s too hard, take a little rest… but we arrived faster than expected anyway.”
Letitia made such a suggestion, but I refused.
“Never mind. You came all this way quickly, as you said…”
Even though it wouldn’t be helpful in battle, I didn’t want to cause trouble because of me.
“We should move when there’s at least one monster left to fight.”
I followed my party members and began ascending the mountain with them.
“The Kernel’s position is somewhere around the middle…”
As I was trying to estimate the Kernel’s location, Letitia approached me and spoke.
“But Allen, how should we fight?”
“Uh? Oh….”
I was waiting for an order. I nodded my head and said, “Let Leticia and Erin handle the sub-species demons with high numbers, while Aria and the thief take aim at the superior species. Basilisks, who are among the superior species, have fewer numbers and don’t cause much trouble, so they can be tackled separately. It’ll be easier to aim for them.”
“Okay.”
“Great, got it!”
“Freya, remember what we talked about earlier?”
“Yes.”
The kernel where the wave of monsters appears is, of course, installed by the demon army, and only the top-ranking officers of the demon army, the corps commander, and his immediate subordinate, the deputy corps commander, are authorized to operate it.
However, there are no officers near the kernel that appeared in the Estelle Kingdom this time. As time passed and limited achievements were added, there couldn’t have been a strong presence from the beginning.
In the original novel of “Dungeon in Evil,” the officer who installed the kernel in the Estelle Kingdom appears on the 35th day of the event. By the time the Wyvern appeared and a week had passed, the officer who revealed himself as a demon army officer was an NPC who ended the event
Sure, it’s a failure.
The moment the young warrior party faced the high-ranked officials of the Demon King Army, it was like facing an unbeatable existence in the narrative. And so, the event becomes a clear failure and moves on to the retry screen.
So there probably won’t be any high-ranking enemies in the kernel we’re going to. Now that the spellcaster demons have started to pop out like I told Frey, it would have been enough if we just released the debuffs well.
There were also many demons in the way to the kernel. But the party members, who were stronger than I thought, handled the demons more easily as soon as the penalty for horse riding disappeared.
Other party members fought well in their own way, but it was Ser-Aria, who drank from a liquor bottle and pierced through the eyes of Basil
Thanks to the party members who effortlessly performed tricks and antics, we quickly ascended the mountain and successfully reached the middle section where the kernel was located. It only took us half a day and about three hours to get here.
There were lizardman shamans and goblin shamans performing sorcery, but we easily dealt with all of them with Freyja’s blessing and Dulkhor’s assassinations.
Considering the expected arrival time, we were indeed moving at a rapid pace, and I thought closing the kernel would be a breeze.
However, when we approached the kernel, I had to change my mind.
“…What the hell.”
Those words just escaped me automatically.
“Foolish… humans…”
Because there was something unexpected present.
At the moment when kernels of demons started to visibly spill out, a peculiar demon appeared.
Wearing armor that had rusted and aged into a dull gray, he looked like a warhorse that had grown old. His faded cloak was torn and ragged, making it hard to discern his form. The hand holding the long spear was dry and gnarled, and even his skin was pallid.
His horse was no different. It was emaciated to the point where one could see its ribs, and its skin was also pale. Its eyes had no pupils, only white, making them slightly unsettling to look at.
“You can’t close the dimensional portal….” Erin was the first to comment upon seeing him.
“He looks strong~♡”
That was exactly right. He looked strong. It was clear that he wasn’t an ordinary monster, and for a moment, it felt as if there was a high-ranking officer of the Demon King’s army.
That made me even more curious.
“Who is he…?”
As far as I know, he wasn’t a commander or vice-commander of the Demon King’s army. And among the occasional high-ranking officers of the Demon King’s army, I didn’t know anyone like him.
I had never seen a monster like that in the Extreme Difficulty level I played. Has something changed since the Obsidian Golem appeared in the Lizard Road dungeon? Or…
“Is this a world where unknown things appear due to the reflection of Extreme Hell difficulty?”
…I hope that’s not the case. Both the Obsidian Golem and this guy, it felt like they were becoming established facts.
I’m not sure what this guy is up to, but there are a few things that are certain.
This guy wasn’t a boss monster. The demonic wave was originally a special event, not a dungeon, so there are no other boss monsters. The subordinates that appear on the 35th day to finish the event are the only boss monsters.
If this guy were an additional boss monster in Extreme Hell difficulty, a warning message would have appeared, but since nothing like that happened, this guy isn’t a boss monster.
That means… he must either be an elite monster just below the boss rank or something that didn’t exist in the game but has become real.
“…Don’t attack hastily, everyone.”
I gave that command and observed the guy’s condition.
＜Demon Information＞
◈Name: Pale Knight Astorius
◈Species: ???
◈Status
[Strength: ???] [Agility: ???]
[Stamina: ???] [Intellect: ???]
[Magical Power: ???] [Divinity: ???]
From Noble mtl dot com
◈Possessed Traits
[??? Lv.??] [??? Lv.??] [??? Lv.??] [??? Lv.??] [??? Lv.??]
◈Current Condition
-???
While the statuses are visible… it couldn’t be said that it was clear. Most of the stats were completely hidden, and the only visible information was the name.
First of all, I found out the name of this monster is ‘Pale Knight Astorius,’ but it was of no use. Since it was a name I had never heard before, I couldn’t infer any information from it. I wonder if this creature was in the Dungeon Evil.
By the way, it’s not like it says “unavailable for viewing” like the Obsidian Golem, but it can be seen, although it’s mostly covered… It’s not like it’s teasing someone.
“Or maybe this guy is much stronger than me?”
If that’s the case, just like how the stats of the Obsidian Golem were only visible after its body broke, maybe if I defeat this guy, his stats will properly appear.
“…Let’s go as planned.”
“Yes.”
Since we couldn’t gather any information, it was best to take a textbook formation for our party. The girls who knew that my instructions wouldn’t be wrong moved in accordance with the plan.
Erin, the vanguard, rushed in first, with Docgo and Ser-Aria, both mid-rankers, guarding her. And accordingly, Letitia summoned her four spirits and took charge of providing long-range support from the rear.
Crack!!!
The tree that was in the spot where Erin had dodged suddenly split apart.
Honestly, I didn’t even realize the window had moved just now. The speed… at least as fast as plunging a dagger.
“…Really fast, huh?”
I could sense a hint of surprise in Erin’s relaxed voice. She, too, had momentarily missed it.
“Erin can’t read it either?”
If the vanguard, who should be at the front, cannot anticipate the attack, it becomes dangerous. And if it’s an attack that doesn’t display a warning message, I won’t be able to notify her.
“Erin! Step back for now! Tie the thief’s feet, Aria, Letitia!”
“Okay, got it!”
“…Uh-huh.”
So, I instructed Erin to retreat for the time being. Despite showing her displeasure, she followed my orders.
-Ser-Aria, the Divine Archer, activates [Gust Arrow].
-The Thief activates [Swift Throw].
-Leticia, the Elemental Mage, activates [Aqua Float].
While Erin stepped back for a moment, the three party members tied up the knight’s feet. In the meantime, I spoke to Frey.
“Bless Erin, Frey!”
“…Ah, yes. Just a moment.”
Freya’s response was a little delayed. I asked her where her focus was at such a crucial moment.
“Why?,” she asked.
“Freya~?”
“That knight, something… seems off.”
“Off?,” I wondered.
That’s when it happened.
“With something like this… there’s no way…,”
– The pale knight, Astorius, activates [Pulverize].
The knight raised his lance once again.
Kua Kong!!
And as the spear moved strangely, the skills used by the party members in their attempt to tie down the guy’s feet were easily evaded.
“Uwak!”
“What…!”
“…It all got blocked.”
This time, the spear strikes weren’t as fast as before and the movements were rather visible. Because of that, Frey could understand what they were talking about.
“Just now, my arm moved strangely…”
“Hmm? It bent as if there were no bones.”
“The spear strikes that were so fast earlier, they were like that too.”
“Did you see?”
Erin isn’t there?
“I couldn’t see everything. She was far away, so I only saw the preparation movements… but even then, her arms were pulled back as if they had been dislocated.”
“But it doesn’t seem like there are no bones~. You can see the arm bones, right?”
“That’s right.”
“So it means that it doesn’t matter if the bones are broken and shattered for the demonic being.”
A demonic being for which it doesn’t matter if the bones break and shatter…?
It was as good as saying that it didn’t matter if the body was injured. A demonic being with a skeleton couldn’t be like that…
“…Huh?”
I realized what Frey was talking about. That would explain why she had been so pale to the point it looked abnormal.
“Undead…?”
Freya nodded her head.
So that’s why all of the stats were displayed as question marks. It wasn’t that the stats and abilities were intentionally hidden, but rather that the statuses were disabled and marked with question marks because they didn’t apply to the undead.
“I think it would be better for me to deal with them this time.”
Freya smiled mischievously.
“Erin, I’ll leave it to you.”
“Understood~.”
As a hero, Erin could effectively attack the undead with her divine stats, but it seemed that Freya was more specialized in dealing with such creatures than she was.
Freya stumbled forward, her buttocks wiggling. As she moved further away, only her bare back and jiggling buttocks peeking through the white hair became visible.
Witnessing that peculiar sight left me dumbfounded.
…Is that the saint?
However, Erin suddenly raised her hand. For some reason, she spread only her index and middle fingers wide apart.
“?”
And in an instant, those fingers obscured my field of vision.
Thud!!
“aaah!!”
This crazy woman…!!
“Her gaze is mischievous, so tacky~♡”
“What… Ugh, what are you doing?!”
“What will happen if you look at the saint with such mischievous eyes~?”
From the beginning, that woman was poking and prodding everywhere, be it the back or the chest, so why is she blaming me?!
“Ugh, I can’t see anything, so I can’t give orders…”
“It can’t be helped. Instead of being tacky, I’ll take command~♡ Hey guys, support Frey~.”
She was truly an insane woman. Poking and prodding herself and offering to lead instead?
“Ugh… fine…”
“Are you feeling better now?”
But it wasn’t a deep wound, of course. I didn’t intend to blind her. If I had done that, even with her power, she would still have survived.
When my vision finally returned, Frey was there, holding both hands neatly together.
“Go and assist Frey too.”
“Then who will protect the incompetent one?”
“You don’t have to protect me.”
“…That won’t do~♡ Leticia, can you send one spirit here?”
“Don’t waste unnecessary energy…”
“Hurry up and move, Undine! Do you want to be trampled on like a pig without listening again~♥”
Crack!
Whip crackling, the water spirit Undine rushed over and stood by my side.
‘…You’ve been through a lot as well.’
Frei neatly clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. Closing one’s eyes in front of the enemy might be considered madness, but to her, it was necessary.
“Your faithful servant beseeches you. In this place, there exists a being that has rejected the cycle of life and death, remaining in the afterlife.”
-Warning. A concentration of magical energy has occurred.
Along with the warning message, the imposing lance of the pale knight moved.
-Pale Knight Astorias activates [Black Abyssal Lance].
The magic entwined around the lance soon transformed into a black shadow. Just as it had always been, it lunged forward with movements that defied its skeletal frame.
“aaahh!!!”
However, the spear does not touch her. Erin, who was patrolling the street, had blocked that attack in an instant.
“I’ve got all of your moves figured out~♡”
“……”
The pale knight tried to thrust harder with his spear, but Erin’s sturdy guard would not break. In the meantime, Frey finishes her prayer.
“In your mercy, guide those who have gone astray…to the correct and righteous path.”
Frey, who had closed her eyes, slowly opens them. Her ashen eye pupils were now filled with divine power.
“With the Light of Sanctuary.”
-The Holy Maiden Frey activates [Light of the Sanctuary].
With the skill activation message, a glow emanates from beneath Astorias’ feet, engraved with an aura of purity. The knight tries to move his dry and twisted horse in order to evade, but it was in vain.
That sanctuary was fixed to the pale shadow of the knight.
Kugugugugugugugugugu─────────!!
A sacred light burst forth and engulfed the pale knight. The pillar of light shot up high, surpassing the peak of Mont Blanc and reaching into the sky.
“…These days, do buffers have to do such things?”
“`
I could become a dealer.
The undead creature was helpless against the powerful sacred power of the saint. If it had been a party without priests like the Orlande party, it would have been like a wall of lamentation. Fortunately, there was Frey, who was no less than an extreme counter.
Soon, a notice that the guy who was engulfed in light had disappeared appeared.
– Pale Knight Astorius has been destroyed.
When the towering pillar of light disappeared, only Astorius’ armor, now turned into ashes, remained in that place. I approached Frey and spoke.
“You did well, Frey.”
“`
“Hoho, what is it?”
Now it was time to close the remaining kernel.
“Erin, destroy it.”
“I know~.”
Kwaaang!
As Erin struck the kernel hovering in the air with her holy sword, the kernel sucked in all the monsters that were about to emerge and closed firmly, disappearing.
“Is it done?”
“hahahahaha, one problem solved!”
“Yeah, you’ve worked hard.”
Now, no more monsters appeared. It would be enough to subdue the remaining monsters in the Singing Zone and Le Blanc Mountain.
I saw a pale knight’s armor left behind. Looking at it closely, it seemed like something I had seen before…
“Hmm? This…?”
“…It’s the armor that the Paladins of the Esterial Kingdom wear.”
The name Esterial brought certainty to my thoughts. It looked similar to the armor worn by the Paladins under the rule of Orlandeau…
Then, is Astorius the name he used while he was alive?
“Thief, have you heard the name Astorius?”
“…No, I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know about that…”
“…It’s possible that you wouldn’t.”
It was a response that others also seemed unsure about.
Since it seems like he was once part of the Kingdom’s army before becoming undead… I wonder if I can find out by asking when he returns.
The strength of the undead is often influenced by their past strength, so he could be someone famous. There might even be someone who hopes for his remains to return.
I tried to pick them up. Then Frey said,
“These are things the undead wore. It would be better to purify them once more, just in case and then take them.”
“Oh, really?”
Frey slightly bowed and placed his hand on the armor. Warm divine power spread from his pale white hand and enveloped the worn-out armor.
… Everything was fine, but why did he touch it like that? He could have simply bent his knee, but he deliberately bowed and touched it.
Because of that, the deep hollow between his large breasts was clearly exposed to me. Nowhere to look…
“It’s all right.”
“…Uh, thank you.”
Fréy picked up the purified armors. Then, with a gentle smile, Fréy reached out his hand.
?
He lightly tousled my hair.
“Allen has become really kind. Even if we leave it here, no one would say anything.”
…It’s not that he’s kind, but what does it mean for him to have become kind?
Instead of that, I wish he didn’t tousle my hair. It’s not that I don’t like it, but when he reaches out his arm like that, his armpits and everything else are exposed again…
When I lightly shook my head, Frey stopped smiling and let go of my hand. She looked really pretty, so when she smiled like that, I couldn’t help but be captivated by her gaze.
I cleared my throat and looked around at the party members.
“…You all worked hard. Let’s go back.”
“Allen, you’ve worked a lot too.”
“hahahahaha, one thing is resolved!”
“……Yeah.”
“Yeah~ If we stand here any longer, I might not be able to use my wobbly legs tomorrow~♡”
…It’s not like it would be that bad.