♦Current Status♦ > ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT’s MACHINE GUN BLOCK was suspended > 17 stages of LUMINOUS FLOW hit ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT Added 17 SCARLET TRAILS 221 support damage > ELITIA activated additional attacks 20 stages hit Added 12 SCARLET TRAILS 156 support damage > ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT’s Electrocuted status was lifted “GYAGYA…!” The Demon Rabbit failed to thwart Elitia’s strikes, which drew erupting pink sprays from all over the monster’s body. Melissa and Cion then closed in on the enemy, showering it with a stream of attacks. “It worked… I’m gonna keep pushing…!” “Awooooh!” Loading a darkness stone into my gun, I activated my support. If electrical attacks worked, then the black lightning the darkness bullets unleashed should hurt, too. “Eat this!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated OUTSIDE ASSIST > ARIHITO loaded DARKNESS STONE into MAGICAL GUN > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: DARKNESS BULLET > CION activated BIND ATTACK 1 Hit ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT was Bound and Electrocuted > MELISSA activated HELM SPLITTER Destroyed section of ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT Electrocuted status extended > ELITIA unleashed accumulated SCARLET TRAILS Activated 29 stage attack “SHAHGYAAA…!” Cion and Melissa’s successive attacks both found their marks. Elitia then sheathed her sword, and innumerable gashes instantly slashed at the Demon Rabbit, which reeled back. That Helm Splitter—what did Melissa’s huge kitchen knife destroy? Whatever it was flew through the air, and Seraphina caught it. “A sealing horn. With this removed, the monster has gained even more transformational capabilities.” The thing had fallen in my blind spot, so I couldn’t make it out, but Ariadne explained it to me. Transformation… Don’t tell me…! “Ari-poo, I’m gonna go nex— Huaah?!” “Everyone, back away from that thing!” I held Misaki back just as she went in for the attack. Now hornless, the Demon Rabbit had enveloped itself in some sort of sphere that was crimson like blood. It then clawed through the bloody bubble as if being reborn—and emerged as a four-limbed humanoid creature. ♦Current Status♦ > ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT lost its MEMORY SEALING HORN > ROVING TEMPEST DEMON RABBIT transformed into STRAY STRADA As if we didn’t have enough on our hands with a powerful Named Monster, it had now transformed—into a humanoid. Should we try to get to it while it’s still stirring, or retreat with all we’ve got? “……!!” That’s when I heard her breathing directly in my head: Theresia, invisible thanks to her Active Stealth skill. ♦Current Status♦ > THERESIA activated SNEAK ATTACK Damage to STRAY STRADA doubled > THERESIA activated BUTTERFLY FROLIC Increased number of attacks > THERESIA activated SNEAK ATTACK A pale blue light enveloped Theresia’s Razor Sword for the attack. Clearly, she had decided we needed to stop the monster in its tracks now. “?!” ♦Current Status♦ > STRAY STRADA activated COWARD’S HEARING Detected THERESIA’s ACTIVE STEALTH > STRAY STRADA activated NAKED SWORD SNATCH Nullified ACTIVE STEALTH The Demon Rabbit’s new form—the Strada—sensed Theresia approach. And yet it didn’t even look back at her, instead catching her drawn sword between two fingers and rendering her Butterfly Frolic moot. Misaki looked at me. Without a word, I knew what she was thinking. She had a skill up her sleeve that could protect Theresia before the Strada delivered its own strike. However… “Haaaaah!!” ♦Current Status♦ > SERAPHINA activated SURGING WAVE ADVANCE and SHIELD SLAM > STRAY STRADA activated SHOCK ABSORBER Nullified knockback from SHIELD SLAM “Kh…!” Seraphina rammed her body into the Strada to no avail: It didn’t so much as twitch, much less present an opportunity for attack. Now both Seraphina and Theresia rushed to put some distance between themselves and the enemy, but it wasn’t going to be easy to get out of its range. “…※α≠Ω” The Strada said something—something that definitely sounded like words. But it meant nothing to me. “Atobe, if you please…!” ♦Current Status♦ > STRAY STRADA activated MOON DRILL > KYOUKA activated MIRAGE STEP Evaded attack Igarashi hadn’t leaped to attack, but to evade the Strada’s strike. In that split second, there was no time to think. “Elitia—it’s time!” Our swordswoman had already gotten a running start, aiming for the instant after the Strada’s attack to bust out her next big move—the one she’d decided the moment called for. It’s now sink or swim… Just get us out of this pinch…! “≠Ω…!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: FORCE SHOT: DOLLS > ELITIA activated STAR PARADE and LUMINOUS FLOW > STRAY STRADA activated MACHINE GUN BLOCK “Haaaaah!” A shower of blows and blocks ensued at terrifying speeds, the ground shaking violently with every crash of sword and fist. Attack Support wouldn’t work while the monster had its Machine Gun Block activated. But Elitia knew well enough not to try the same thing twice. “Unleash your powers, Antares!” ♦Current Status♦ > ELITIA activated LIBERATION Unlocked ANTARES’s capability: SCARLET SHADOW BLADE > LUMINOUS FLOW partially penetrated MACHINE GUN BLOCK > 27 stages of LUMINOUS FLOW hit STRAY STRADA Added 27 SCARLET TRAILS > ELITIA activated additional attacks 18 stages hit Added 18 SCARLET TRAILS Elitia’s slashes overcame the Machine Gun Block, leaving pink gashes in their wake as they overtook and pierced the Strada’s defenses. “—?!” The Strada silently cried out. The fact that Elitia’s sword had found its mark meant my support would also work. In a matter of seconds, my manipulation stone, which shone most when used with a plethora of attacks, accumulated incredible power. ♦Current Status♦ > ATTACK SUPPORT 2 activated 45 times Accumulated STRAY STRADA manipulation points > ELITIA unleashed accumulated SCARLET TRAILS Activated 45 stage attack Accumulated STRAY STRADA manipulation points Negotiation now possible > MANIPULATION STONE was destroyed “Arihito, the enemy’s acting differently…!” Suzuna cried. This is nothing like all the times the stone’s worked so far… It must be because the enemy’s at such a high level…! If we continued this combat, we’d risk injuring one or more of our party members before our battle with the Simian Lord. But if we had a chance to end the fighting now, I had to seize it. “Leave us, Strada!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO requested STRAY STRADA to abandon battle STRAY STRADA complied “…Wh-what? That, uh…person? just froze like an ice pop…,” said Misaki. “You’re successfully negotiating…with such a formidable monster…,” Seraphina murmured after checking her license to get a handle on the situation. The Strada looked down at Theresia, who still had her sword and shield at the ready. Then it spoke once more. “……” Did Theresia understand what it said? I couldn’t be sure, but it did look as if the monster had communicated something. Theresia walked over to us, pointed at the Strada, then turned to Seraphina. “That monster… Did the Strada say something?” I asked. Theresia nodded. As soon as Seraphina held out the horn, we could tell the Strada fixed its gaze on it. “Does it want the horn back…?” “If we hand it over, won’t it just go back into super-rage mode…? But I guess we can’t exactly get it to run off home like this, huh?” Misaki wondered. “Atobe, it looks like your powers are letting you talk to it. Maybe it could give us something in return if we give back the horn?” “Mr. Atobe, have a look at your license,” said Seraphina. “A new notification has appeared.” ♦Current Status♦ > STRAY STRADA has requested MEMORY SEALING HORN Proposed conditions: Anything within STRAY STRADA’s ability to offer “Anything…? Then can we ask it to, like, join our side, too?” The Strada must’ve heard Misaki’s question, because it shook its head. I took that to mean the manipulation stone had gained some traction, but not enough for us to use it for that. Looking at the monster now, I could see that though it was covered in fur reminiscent of the Demon Rabbit, it now very closely resembled a human woman. A small wound remained where it had just lost its horn, but even that was already beginning to close. “I’d like you to tell us where we can find Holy Stones, if you know… We came to this labyrinth to look for them.” I figured our best bet was to ask residents of the labyrinth where to go, though I could only test that theory now that we’d opened a means of communication. The Strada turned its back to us without an answer. It walked over to the path skirting the ridge, then suddenly slid down the slope. ♦Current Status♦ > STRAY STRADA activated RABBIT TORNADO Destroyed the terrain An explosive blast powerful enough to shake the hills next assaulted our ears and took us off guard. Soon after, the Strada leaped back up to the top of the cliff and looked at us. “Well…no wonder Vanessa and her party couldn’t find anything after looking here,” Elitia said, sighing. When Lynée said we might find what we sought on the first floor, she’d only meant the possibility existed. But clearly, that didn’t mean we’d find it easily. A cave had opened up halfway down the steep slope the Strada had slid down. Was it trying to show us where to find Holy Stones, or… It didn’t look like a trap, at least. Seraphina tried to return the Strada’s horn, but the monster shook its head. Apparently, it wouldn’t accept the horn until we found our Holy Stones. “They say, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ but…are we sure we’re not venturing into a trap?” Igarashi had a point, but we didn’t have time to be indecisive. We headed down the unmarked path that the Strada pointed out for us and into the cave partway down the cliff face. Part III: Big Lotto The Strada’s skill had left the ground loose, so we took extra care as we descended the steep slope. We clung tight to the cliff surface as we moved down to the cave entrance. “Yeesh, just looking down makes me go all numb… You doing okay, Kyouka?” Misaki asked. “I-I’m fine. As long as we’re careful, we’ll manage…” “Everybody, watch your step!” I called. ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated MORALE SUPPORT 1 Party members’ morale increased by 13 “Thank you, Arihito,” said Suzuna. “A boost in morale means even high places aren’t so scary anymore, it seems.” Suzuna and Misaki had gone bouldering back in Japan, and it showed. They proceeded across the cliff face relatively quickly. It was Igarashi I had to worry about—and sure enough… “Eeek…!” …!! ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated REAR STANCE Target: KYOUKA > ARIHITO activated YOSHITSUNE’S LEAP “Yikes… Are you okay, Igarashi?” “Y-yeah…thanks… Sorry. I should’ve been more careful.” “Don’t worry about it. Trust me—I’m not so good with heights, either.” As soon as I saw her lose her balance, I’d caught hold of her firmly. Then I’d used Yoshitsune’s Leap to jump through the air and drop her off safely at the mouth of the cave. “Ngh…!” Next, it was Seraphina’s turn to tumble—she’d lost her balance under the weight of her equipment. I didn’t have time to think through how to save her; I teleported behind her and used Yoshitsune’s Leap once again. “Mr. Atobe, forgive my carelessness…” “N-not at all. We should’ve distributed all that heavy gear more evenly.” “My training included climbing under a heavy loadout. I was so sure I could manage, but I was too confident and got careless.” I felt pretty exhausted all of a sudden—perhaps because I’d spent so much magic power in so little time. Right then, Theresia fished a potion out of her bag and handed it to me. “……” “Thanks, Theresia.” “We should rest here for a while before heading into the cave. It’s bigger than I thought.” “Woof!” Melissa and Cion came up behind me, looking concerned, but I’d drunk Theresia’s potion and was already feeling less worn out by the minute. The Strada looked toward us from a short distance away. I assumed it was keeping watch until we found the Holy Stones we sought. At first, I thought about calling on the Harpies to help carry us, but they were afraid of the Strada, so I quickly canceled their summoning. Their fear seemed more visceral than ours. “These are the Tremulous Foothills… I’m starting to think it’s the Strada’s ground-alteringly powerful attacks that make them so tremulous.” “It’s certainly possible. Though I thought it might hint at the cave underground.” “It appears a lot more expansive than we imagined… Oh, what’s that? Is it what they call lightmoss?” “It’s pretty dark in the cave, but it looks like we can at least enter safely. I hope I can at least find a way to make myself useful in here, since I couldn’t manage anything before…” “No need to get flustered. Let’s start off by finding some light in this darkness!” ♦Current Status♦ > Raiding previously unexplored territory > Chance of monster sighting: Unknown > Presence of area effects: No skills to assess > Caution: Sandy soil present The cave mouth itself wasn’t that spacious, but as soon as we stepped inside, we found the floor slanted downward toward a remarkably wide area. I was a little concerned that the cave air might be filled with moss spores or something else that might inflict status ailments—but thankfully, it wasn’t an issue at all. Far from it, in fact; for some reason, the air was refreshingly chill and pleasant. “Ahhh, that’s nice, isn’t it? …Wait a second. All those rocks over there look just like the ones here, but…is it just me, or are they all glowing?” “Surely that’s just lightmoss blooming… They can’t all be Holy Stones, can they?” “Misaki, why don’t you give Big Lotto a try?” “Should I? ’Kay! I’ll try headin’ over by that rock.” “I’m going with you. The rest of you, please stay here until we’re sure that it’s safe,” said Seraphina. “Mr. Atobe, the mattock, if you will.” I handed her the Dwarf’s Mattock. As soon as I had, Cion came over and circled around Misaki. “Woof!” “Huh? You’re gonna give me a ride? For real? Your back’s all super-fluffy and stuff…” Cion let Misaki climb up onto her back, and they headed off toward a group of rocks that all had similar shapes. I don’t get the feeling there are any enemies nearby. Still, we don’t know what the monster appearance rate here is. It wouldn’t be unusual for something to pop up at any moment. I prepared my slingshot and got ready to act the moment anything went wrong. Misaki looked back in my direction to make sure everything was in order, then set about activating her skill before Seraphina started in on the rocks with the mattock. “Here goes! Big Lotto!” ♦Current Status♦ > MISAKI activated BIG LOTTO Chance of finding rare items increased With Misaki’s Big Lotto skill in effect, Seraphina picked one rock out of many and swung the Dwarf’s Mattock at it. “…!” ♦Current Status♦ > SERAPHINA utilized DWARF’S MATTOCK Destroyed LARGE ROCK LUMP G The mattock, being magical, immediately cracked the lump of stone with the first piercing blow. The rock came apart to reveal several metallic masses inside. ♦Newest Acquisitions♦ > Heaven steel ore x3 > Crystium fragment x2 > Sterling Silver Sand x1 > Lightmoss x10 “If we just do this, it’ll be a cinch to figure out which rocks to hit!” said Misaki. “Mr. Atobe, there don’t appear to be any Holy Stones among the materials we found.” “Gotcha. How is your magic power holding out, Misaki?” “Just fine! Matter of fact, I’m gonna try using Big Lotto one more time! Here goes… Big—” At that instant, I saw something strange. The glow from the lightmoss grew faint, and the inside of the vast cave went dim. There were many mossy boulders in the cave, and all of them looked more or less the same, except… Wait a second… Did that rock just…? ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated HAWK EYES Detected ?ROCK LUMP’s hidden ability “Seraphina! Misaki! Get away from that rock—now!” “Huh? Whaaaaaat?!” ♦Current Status♦ > ?ROCK LUMP’s camouflage was lifted ?ROCK LUMP was revealed to be DEEP EATER > DEEP EATER activated GLUTTONOUS GAPE Target: MISAKI, CION The great, mossy boulder split open to form a mouth, gaping before Misaki’s eyes. An enemy that camouflages its true form… We should’ve seen that coming! “GAAAAAAH!!” “Eeeeeek…!” “Misaki, take cover!” shouted Seraphina. I’ve gotta slow it down, even if just for a moment! ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: FORCE SHOT: STUN > DEEP EATER activated SUPER-REACTION Action was canceled > SERAPHINA activated SHIELD SLAM Target: DEEP EATER > DEEP EATER activated STONE STIFFNESS Parried SHIELD SLAM Nullified STUN > SERAPHINA unequipped her shield “Nngh…!” Seraphina, with her shield firmly in place, had attempted to charge the Deep Eater. However, it parried the blow with its stony body. The Deep Eater wasn’t even stunned. Seraphina’s Mirrored Shell Pavis went sailing through the air; until that moment, I couldn’t even have imagined her losing hold of her shield. Elitia broke into a sprint. Igarashi began casting a spell. Suzuna had an arrow nocked on her bow. “Seraphina…!” ♦Current Status♦ > DEEP EATER activated ARMOR BREAK Damaged SERAPHINA’s GUARDIAN’S MAIL +4 “…!!” It’s no use… It’s too tough! “Haaaaaaugh!!” Elitia chose her fastest skill and set about attacking the Deep Eater. However, as far as I could tell from its characteristics, attempting even one melee attack on it was a very risky proposition. Would freezing even work on a monster made of stone? I had no clue. But I knew that I had to put a stop to its movement for at least a second. Please, please work! ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: VINE SHOT > ELITIA activated COMET RAID Added SWORD BARRIER > ELITIA activated SLASH RIPPER > DEEP EATER activated STONE STIFFNESS Parried SLASH RIPPER Our attacks were completely negated—even Elitia’s Antares couldn’t land a successful hit. However, if she’d chosen Liberation, which would have taken more time to activate than Slash Ripper, the Deep Eater would have focused its attacks on Seraphina or Misaki instead. Just as the name suggests, the Deep Eater had a mouth big enough to terrify even other monsters—a mouth that it stretched wide open. Its arms, with large claws on the ends, were now in motion; it had four unusually powerful limbs that served to support its massive body. It stepped forward on its two forelimbs…or at least attempted to. ♦Current Status♦ > DEEP EATER was Bound by VINES Action canceled “Now! Break away from it!” “Woof!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated OUTSIDE ASSIST > CION activated HIT AND RUN and HEAT CLAW Hit DEEP EATER > DEEP EATER continued to be Bound by VINES “GUGAHHH!!” Cion rained Heat Claw strikes down on the Deep Eater. Even if her claws themselves couldn’t scratch its rocky surface, the attack’s fire attribute got through. “Forgive me…!” said Seraphina. “Don’t worry! Now’s our chance to regroup. That thing holds up too well against melee attacks… We’ll give long-range attacks a shot!” The Deep Eater’s Super-Reaction skill posed a serious threat to our frontline combatants. We couldn’t risk having any more of their equipment destroyed. The question was, how effective would long-range attacks be? We couldn’t rule out the possibility that the Deep Eater had counterattacks for distance attacks, too. In that case… We had to act before it could react. That meant we’d have to borrow some firepower from a certain monster who’d put us through a hard battle before. Part IV: Rumbling Meteors and Azure Flame The Deep Eater sort of resembled a turtle with an abnormally developed head and hind legs. It looked like it broke the laws of nature just to maintain balance, especially with its mouth, which was large enough to swallow an adult human whole. What did it need a mouth that big for anyway? The cavern appeared to be a closed space, but assuming the Deep Eater hunted somewhere, it was entirely possible that the subterranean space had another exit that led somewhere else. “Here it comes, Arihito!” Elitia called. “GAAAAAAH!!” ♦Current Status♦ > DEEP EATER broke free of VINES > DEEP EATER activated HOWLING QUAKE Area effect increased by 1 stage “…What’s going on?!” “The whole cave is shaking… At this rate, it might collapse!” The Deep Eater’s roar rumbled throughout the cave. Maybe we’d discovered another reason they were called the Tremulous Foothills. It was amazing to think that a normal, non-Named Monster could use a skill strong enough to affect the very terrain. “Atobe, behind you!” Is it trying to block our only way out…? The path that we’d taken down into the cave was already unstable, thanks to the Strada’s skills. On top of that, the Deep Eater’s Howling Quake had caused the walls to collapse, leaving only a small hole in an otherwise blocked-off pathway. “Mr. Atobe, I must buy you some time…” “No, Seraphina—fall back. It’s too dangerous without your armor!” “But—!” “I’ve got another way to stop it… Come out, now!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO summoned SLOW SALAMANDER A and SLOW SALAMANDER B > Arihito summoned MAGE “?!” Using my Summoning Pendant, I called forth two Slow Salamanders and the Arachnomage. The Slow Salamanders essentially looked like even more giant versions of the Japanese giant salamander from back home; the Arachnomage was a monster that looked like a human woman from the waist up and a spider from the waist down. “I see… So that’s Arihito’s plan!” “Mr. Atobe, the Deep Eater…!” The Deep Eater noticed I’d summoned monster backup; that same instant, its eyes—tiny, relative to its huge head—went red, as if they were bursting into flame. “GUGAAAOOOOOOH!!” ♦Current Status♦ > DEEP EATER activated PREDATORY DRIVE DEEP EATER transformed > DEEP EATER activated SURFACE SWIMMER DEEP EATER’s speed increased Can now pass through terrain features > SLOW SALAMANDER A and SLOW SALAMANDER B were frightened The Deep Eater’s arms transformed into finlike shapes. What followed was a nightmarish sight; it dove into the accumulated sand on the cave floor and started swimming through the ground as if it were water. “KWOH…” “Arihito, the salamanders are terrified…,” said Suzuna. The Deep Eater is a predator… No wonder the Slow Salamanders are so scared. It’s their natural instincts kicking in! “Ngh… Hit your target!” I cried. ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: VINE SHOT > SUZUNA activated AUTO-HIT Next two shots will automatically hit > SUZUNA activated FORBIDDEN ARROW > DEEP EATER activated SUPER-REACTION and BULLETPROOF 2 Reduced damage from FORBIDDEN ARROW Nullified Vines It didn’t connect. None of our attacks did. The Deep Eater kept plowing forward, as if mocking me for thinking that just because melee attacks were ineffective, ranged attacks would have to work. “I shall stop the monster. You need only speak my name, Master…” Under the circumstances, I couldn’t call for Alphecca, but Murakumo could give me a hand. I grabbed the hilt of the sword on my back, knowing Murakumo would teach me a skill that might be able to stop the Deep Eater. Elitia and Melissa were on the move. Cion was trying to help the Slow Salamanders, which were still frozen in fear, out of their jam. Then, from somewhere beside me, a white hand reached out. It was Mage’s hand—she wasn’t trying to flee; rather, she was attempting to use a skill. “I will stop it… Now I know I can!” “Help me out here, Murakumo! Mage, I’ll support you!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: CLOUD STANCE The skill that Murakumo instructed me to use wasn’t an attack—it was a stance, purely focused on defense. “As a sword,” she said, “the only role I can play is to cut foes down…or so I thought. In your hands, Master, I’ve learned that a sword can also defend!” “GAAAOOOOOOH!!” ♦Current Status♦ > MAGE activated WEB SPINNER > DEEP EATER activated GLUTTONOUS GAPE > DEEP EATER’s speed decreased due to effects of ATTACK SUPPORT 2 “…!!” Threads shot out of not only the Arachnomage’s mouth, but her hands as well. She used Web Spinner to weave a spiderweb that, thanks to the defensive support effects of Cloud Stance, stopped the attack from the Deep Eater’s gaping maw and caused it to gently decelerate. “We’re here, guys! Put your game faces on!” Igarashi had taken that exact opportunity to come back—all the way back to where the Slow Salamanders were cowering motionlessly. ♦Current Status♦ > KYOUKA activated MIST OF BRAVERY Fear status of SLOW SALAMANDER A and SLOW SALAMANDER B was removed The Slow Salamanders, whose feelers had been sagging, were reinvigorated. The Deep Eater was already slowed down; now, with the Salamanders’ help, maybe the tide would turn… Salamanders aren’t strictly a prey species… They’ve got the strength to fight back, too! “KWAAA…AHHH!” “Misaki! Draw us a Joker!” “O-okay! C’mon, cards, do me a solid!” “My skill is derived from Cloud Stance… Master, please grant me permission to use it!” “Take this!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: DRIFTING CLOUD METEOR THRUST > ARIHITO activated COOPERATION SUPPORT 1 > SLOW SALAMANDER A activated BREATH OF STAGNANT WATER Target: Midrange Combined attack stage 1 > SLOW SALAMANDER B activated BREATH OF STAGNANT WATER Target: Midrange Combined attack stage 2 > MISAKI activated FLAME JOKER Inflicted Anger status on DEEP EATER Converted DEEP EATER’s weakness to flame attribute Combined attack stage 3 > Combined attack STAGNANT RESONANCE WILDCARD DEEP EATER’s speed decreased three stages DEEP EATER was Concussed “GAAAAAAHAAAHHH!!” At the same instant that Misaki’s card scored a direct hit on the Deep Eater, I hit it square in the jaw from a distance. “Now’s our chance!” said Elitia. “Arihito, the usual, please!” “Right… I’ve got your backs, everyone!” “Yes!” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 1 and COOPERATION SUPPORT 1 > ELITIA activated ULTIMATUM Attack power and speed increased Added SCARLET TRAILS > ELITIA activated LUMINOUS FLOW 63 stages hit DEEP EATER Added 63 SCARLET TRAILS Combined attack stage 1 > ELITIA activated additional attacks 42 stages hit Added 42 SCARLET TRAILS > MELISSA activated HELM SPLITTER Destroyed section of DEEP EATER Combined attack stage 2 > KYOUKA activated LIGHTNING RAGE Hit DEEP EATER Electrocution nullified Combined attack stage 3 > LIGHTNING RAGE activated additional attacks 3 stages hit DEEP EATER > SUZUNA activated FORBIDDEN ARROW Hit DEEP EATER Combined attack stage 4 > Combined attack LUMINOUS LIGHTNING RAGE FORBIDDEN SPLIT 1,143 support damage 52 additional cooperation damage > DEEP EATER was Electrocuted Since our enemy was slowed down, our multistage physical onslaught landed more direct hits than it would have otherwise. Every time Elitia’s sword hit the Deep Eater’s rocky hide, countless invisible blades shaved away at its strength. That still wasn’t enough to take it down…but one more push should do the trick! “Everyone, please fall back!” Seraphina’s voice echoed through the cave. In an instant, a network of red-hot lines appeared all over the stony armor that encased the Deep Eater’s entire body. ♦Current Status♦ > DEEP EATER is about to use SHARD BLAST Slowed down and backed into a corner, the Deep Eater had made its final choice: self-destruction. Even if we managed to avoid the blast itself, there was a good chance the shock wave would cause a total cave-in. “Emergency escape measures may cause the loss of equipment. But the lives of my contract holders take precedence…,” said Ariadne. What she meant was that if the Deep Eater was about to self-destruct, as I imagined, she would teleport us to safety. Assuming there were Holy Stones in this cave, it would be far more difficult to find them if it collapsed. Furthermore, if Ariadne were to teleport us out, we would likely lose our equipment…which was important. Theresia… That’s right. She’s… I hadn’t felt Theresia’s presence since the fight began. Of course, her usual modus operandi was to get herself into a key position and strike from the monster’s blind spot. But this time, it was different. Previously, I’d always at least gotten the feeling that she was there with us. Now I didn’t feel her at all. Still, I knew she was there—she had to be. “!!” ♦Current Status♦ > THERESIA unleashed MODE SHIFT: SAND CLAD > ARIHITO activated REAR STANCE Target: THERESIA Theresia had been on the floor of the cave—burrowed into the sand, waiting for her chance to attack. The Deep Eater’s hindquarters were armored like the rest of it, but its protective layer wasn’t as thick there as it was in the front. The effects of Misaki’s Wildcard were another piece of the puzzle of our survival. “Hold iiiiiit!” “……!!” “The twilight-piercing meteor blazes in twinkling flame.” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO activated ATTACK SUPPORT 2 Support Type: DAZZLING FLAME METEOR THRUST > THERESIA activated SNEAK ATTACK Damage to DEEP EATER doubled > THERESIA activated BUTTERFLY FROLIC Increased number of attacks > THERESIA activated AZURE SLASH Hit DEEP EATER 6 times Weak spot attack Critical hit > ATTACK SUPPORT 2 activated 6 times > Defeated 1 DEEP EATER With Butterfly Frolic active, Theresia dug into the slowed Deep Eater with dazzlingly rapid slash attacks. The Deep Eater’s armor—which had seemed impervious to physical attacks up until that point—cracked before our eyes. And then… The red-hot lines all over the Deep Eater’s body cooled to black. The rumbling that shook the cave floor continued for a while, but soon it stopped, as did the cave-in. “Haaah… Haaah… Did we finish it off in time?” “We did…thanks to your hard work, Mr. Atobe.” Seraphina was walking straight toward me. As she spoke, my field of vision shook; before I knew it, I had collapsed. “…Mr. Atobe, you’ve overexerted yourself, staying on your feet and using skills this whole time…” “No,” I said, “I’m not the only one who pitched in here. All of you did a great job.” Everyone was still wary of the Deep Eater, even though it now lay motionless. Sprawled out like this, it was massive; still, if we sent it to the Repository, we could probably get some useful materials out of it. “Atobe, I think these little guys want to go somewhere…” “…KWAH.” “Somewhere? Like, somewhere in this cave?” When I looked around the cave, there didn’t seem to be anything there except for the lumps of ore-filled rock. But Igarashi was right; the Slow Salamanders did indeed appear to be trying to head off in a particular direction. “Woof!” “Will you give them a ride, Cion?” asked Igarashi. “They may be a little slimy, but still…” Relying on Cion’s kind nature, we loaded the Slow Salamanders up onto her back. When the second one climbed up, it deftly positioned itself right on top of the first one. I guess that was natural salamander behavior. That done, we proceeded as the Slow Salamanders led us. Soon we came to a crevice in the rock wall of the cave, though it was blocked off with moss and we couldn’t see far through it. “It looks like we can head through here… We should try to gather some Holy Stones first, though.” “Right,” said Elitia. “We’d better look through what that monster dropped, too.” Now that the rumbling had stopped, it was time to prioritize our hunt for Holy Stones. “None of these other rocks are gonna turn out to be monsters, are they…?” “If a fight that frenzied didn’t shake any of them into action, I think it’s safe to assume they’re just rocks.” It would have been nice to have a skill that could detect mimic monsters, but then, my Hawk Eyes and Theresia’s Lookout 1 had missed the Deep Eater’s camouflage. It was possible that its concealing effect had just been too strong. In the end, though, none of the rocks we broke with the Dwarf’s Mattock turned out to be hiding any monsters. All we had to do was sift through the scattered ore for Holy Stones. Part V: Unexplored Territory “Awright, here we go again! Big Lot—” “Hang on.” “Fwuh? What’s the big idea, Melissa?” Since Seraphina’s gear was broken, the task of mining had fallen to Melissa. She reached out to pass me the mattock as she spoke. “This Dwarf’s Mattock is only good for two more uses. If we use it any more, we’ll have to charge it.” “There are limits to how much Seekers can mine without the help of specialists,” said Seraphina. “Right now, we can’t bring back any component clumps of rock as is.” She had a point. If any of the materials were main components of the labyrinth, it would be too risky to bring them outside with us without good reason. You could say it’s part of the same workings that cause stampedes; labyrinths themselves are, in a way, self-contained. “That means we need to make two successful strikes, then…,” I observed. “That last fight built up lots of morale… ’Kay, I’m ready to give it a shot!” ♦Current Status♦ > MISAKI activated FORTUNE ROLL Next action will succeed automatically > MISAKI activated BIG LOTTO Special success: Guaranteed to find rare items “Wh-whoa, that’s a way different response than before!” “Which rock should we break?” Melissa asked. “See that one over there in the back? Go hit it!” Melissa took the Dwarf’s Mattock and lightly tapped the rock Misaki pointed out. It split apart with ease, revealing a white gleam that we hadn’t seen at first glance, when it was just a mass of stone. ♦Newest Acquisitions♦ > Heaven steel ore x2 > Glowing gold x2 > Crystium fragment x2 > Sterling Silver Sand x1 > Holy Stone x2 “Atobe, look…!” Igarashi gathered the white, glowing stone from the rubble and brought it over to me. This was it—the material we needed for a Curse Eater weapon. “Great… We found it! And not only one stone, but two, even…” “Since we’ve got some heaven steel ore, too, we might be able to have another weapon made…though we probably don’t have the time for that.” “Still, we’ve got plenty of materials, and that’s what matters. We’ve got more Sterling Silver Sand for compounding our equipment, too… What do you think? Should we leave one more use in the mattock, just in case?” Igarashi articulated what I was puzzling over: whether we should use up our last charge in the Dwarf’s Mattock to check one more rock. “If we run into Yuuho, we could probably ask her how to recharge it. Then again, she said this was her spare, so it might be a one-time-use sort of thing.” “All right. Should we use Big Lotto and see if it finds another winning rock? If it does, we can decide to use the mattock then.” “Yeah, that sounds good. Do you have enough magic left, Misaki?” I asked. “Enough for this, at least! Big Lotto!” Misaki used her skill again, though it didn’t produce the same results as the previous time. “…Huh? My legs are all wobbly…” “Misaki…are you okay?” asked Igarashi. “Ah-ha-ha, I guess Big Lotto uses up more magic than I thought.” “It does when you use it over and over again like that. Hold still for a second,” I told Misaki. “Nnh… Oh, this is the same feeling I get when my magic recharges… I could really get used to this…” “Um, well… Arihito is just making sure your magic is replenished. That’s all—” “Everything okay, Elitia?” Elitia had apparently overheard while in the middle of drinking a magic potion. She’d started saying something but cut herself off. “…Can I ask you to do me, too? I also used a lot of major skills in succession, and I guess it left me a bit worn out…” “Receiving some of Atobe’s magic does make you blush a bit, doesn’t it? Then again, now that I think of it, drinking a magic potion should do the job instead.” “Y-yes, it should, but…since we’ve got the chance, I think it’d be better to let Arihito use his skills to replenish us.” Repeatedly using skills gives you a little bit of experience. That must be what she was getting at. Elitia turned her back toward me and moved her pigtails out of the way so I’d have direct access to her back. “Okay… Here goes. Charge Assist!” “…Thank you. I was right—that relieves the fatigue far better than recovering naturally.” “Don’t say that, or everyone’s going to want him to do it,” said Igarashi. “I mean, we’re not even that worn out. There’s no need to keep Atobe constantly on edge.” “Ha-ha… Well, we’re not quite done in this labyrinth just yet, so I think it’s good to make sure everyone’s recovered. We need to make it down to the third floor, after all.” “In that case, it’d be best if I just headed down there and back myself. I’m all recovered now,” Elitia said, winding up her arm to stretch it out. She was petite and delicate-looking, but the gesture made her look extremely capable. Reaching the third floor of two labyrinths in District Five and registering three thousand or more contribution points at least twice—that was what it would take for us to qualify to explore five-star labyrinths. I wasn’t sure whether we’d hit three thousand points on this particular outing yet or not. It all came down to how our fight—and subsequent conversation—with the Strada would be evaluated; we wouldn’t be able to say for sure that we’d hit three thousand without a little more fighting. “…KWAH.” “Oh…I guess we kept you waiting. Is there something over there?” I went over to the moss-covered passageway that the Slow Salamanders led us to and cleared the way with a Force Shot. Then we ventured through. We eventually came to a fork in the path. One branch slanted upward; the other stayed mostly level. I figured that we could take the upward path if we needed another way out of the labyrinth. The air was chilly and slightly damp. The farther we walked, the louder the sound of flowing water grew. “It looks like we’re about to get some more visibility… Watch your step, everyone.” A beam of bright light cut through the cave. Elitia shielded her eyes as she stepped out of the cave. “What is this…?” We followed her out onto a high ledge—high enough that it looked like falling would be fatal. But despite the danger, looking out at the new view, I started to understand why so many people like mountain climbing. “There’s a watering hole at the base of the cliff…and it’s small, but there’s a waterfall, too,” Igarashi noted. “Hey, look! Don’t those look kinda like our salamanders? They’re just a different color.” ♦Current Status♦ > Raiding previously unexplored territory > Chance of monster sighting: Normal > Presence of area effects: No skills to assess “Unexplored territory, huh? I wonder if those beasts down there are the same as our Slow Salamanders, or at least a similar species of monster,” I said. “Discovering unexplored territory is guaranteed to be worth a lot of contribution points,” Seraphina told me. “Add that to the battles we fought on the way here, and I’m quite certain we’ve met our quota already.” ♦Monsters Encountered♦ SLUMBERING WOOD LAKE DRAKE Level 13 Neutral Resistance Unknown Dropped Loot: ??? SILENTREPS A Level 10 Neutral Lightning Damage Doubled Dropped Loot: ??? SILENTREPS B Level 10 Neutral Lightning Damage Doubled Dropped Loot: ??? “All three monsters look mild mannered, but that big one’s still a dragon. It could be real trouble in a fight…” “I guess our Slow Salamanders wanted to meet up with their friends…” ““KWAH!”” The two Slow Salamanders both cried out at the same time. That was all they did, though. They stayed stacked on Cion’s back, staring out at the loafing monsters for a moment, then tried to turn tail and look the other way. “…I see. I bet that Deep Eater must have preyed on those Silentreps.” “That explains why our Salamanders were so afraid of it…” Even monsters in labyrinths are part of an ecosystem. The Deep Eater only did what was necessary to survive; it’s impossible to judge that as simply good or evil. But Seekers have goals of their own, and to fulfill those goals, they have to defeat monsters. I wondered how the Slow Salamanders saw our behavior—a look into their beady little eyes didn’t offer any insight into what they were thinking. “Atobe, I think Mage is trying to tell us something…” “Hmm? What is it, Mage?” “…………” Mage didn’t say a word; she just pointed downward, toward the Slumbering Wood Lake Drake by the water. That’s when I saw something that hadn’t been there before. Something I had to use Hawk Eyes to make out. ♦Current Status♦ > SLUMBERING WOOD LAKE DRAKE dropped a ?MASK Right of acquisition: ARIHITO’s party A monster dropped an item all on its own? “Maybe it dropped it because we’re here with the Slow Salamanders?” said Igarashi. “Or maybe it’s a thank-you present for killing the Deep Eater?” “There’s a chance…it might be both,” I replied. Mage started moving at last—and immediately fell down the cliff. Or at least that’s what I thought for a moment before I realized she was clinging to its sheer surface. “Are you going to go get it for us?” “…………” I peeped over the ledge to ask Mage the question; she nodded, then rode her threads down the cliff face in a flash. She passed between the monsters at the watering hole without incident and picked up the item the drake had dropped. “I bet Mage has spent a lot of time thinking up stuff to do for Ari-poo…” “Right… Some things get across even without words,” Igarashi said, looking at Theresia as she spoke. But Theresia didn’t meet her gaze; she turned in another direction, as if to keep Igarashi’s eyes off her. “……” “…Theresia?” “I think she’s probably just a little tired. How about calling it a day for now, Theresia…?” We still had a few days ahead of us. It would be best for us to get out of the labyrinth for a bit. But before I could say any of that, Theresia grabbed hold of my sleeve and shook her head. “…Gotcha.” Knowing that worrying too much about Theresia would just add to her burden, I couldn’t think of any good words to say to follow up. But I knew that I couldn’t overlook any small changes in Theresia’s state. The hex was undoubtedly still eating away at her, and she had to bear that fear. I couldn’t imagine what sort of pain she was going through. “……” Theresia let go of my sleeve and started stroking my arm as if to console me. Now I’d made Theresia worried about me… This wasn’t the place to get into a slump. Just then, Mage came back to give me the Lake Drake’s present. It was a mask, shaped to cover one’s face around the mouth, that appeared to be made of dragonscale. “Looks like it provides plenty of defense,” Misaki noted, “but it might be a biiit too flashy for practical use…” “That’s a risk I’m willing to take in order to maximize defensive power,” said Seraphina. “First things first, we should get it appraised. We could use a Return Scroll to leave, but I think we passed a route up and out of the labyrinth on the way here.” “That’s right. That path looked pretty stable, too… But after all the changes in geography that happened earlier, we should investigate more closely.” “Woof!” Since Mage and the Slow Salamanders had fulfilled their duties, I released their summoning. Cion went ahead of us to lead the way as we walked back to the fork in the path and took the ascending branch this time. “…We’re back in the light again.” “I wonder where we’ll step out this time,” said Igarashi. “Come to think of it, do you think the Strada is still waiting for us outside the cave?” That reminded me: We had to return the Memory Sealing Horn, or else. I wondered what the Strada had done after we’d been sealed inside the cave. In the end, though, I’d worried over nothing. We left the cave to find the Strada leaning with its back against the wall by the entrance. “We found the Holy Stones we were after. Here’s the sealing horn back, as promised.” ♦Current Status♦ > ARIHITO is recognized as the owner of the MEMORY SEALING HORN > STRAY STRADA’s status changed to friendly “Huh… Uh, what just happened?” I offered the horn, but the Strada refused to accept it. In fact, when I approached the Strada, it took my hand in its and started nuzzling it with its cheek. “H-hey…,” said Igarashi. “Don’t tell me it’s attached to you now…” “Well, that item was a Memory Sealing Horn,” said Suzuna. “Maybe that means that it sealed their memories away while it was on their head… Could that have something to do with it?” I’d assumed that the horn was a natural part of the Strada’s body. But if Suzuna’s conjecture was accurate, the horn might have been attached in order to block the Strada’s memory. “The labyrinths are home to the kin of Hidden Gods, but many phenomena therein are yet unknown… Still, I too sense that this monster harbors no animosity.” Murakumo also seemed perplexed by this turn of events, but I supposed anything was possible. “In that case…will you come with me?” “You’re taking the Strada along, Elitia?” I asked. “That’s right. All of you, wait at the labyrinth entrance.” “With Ellie and the Strada together, no matter what kinda monster they run into, there’s gonna be an all-out super-brawl to see who’s the strongest in the labyrinth!” “That seems a little far-fetched…,” I ventured. “Still, it’d be nice to get the Strada’s help. I bet it knows a lot about this labyrinth, too.” “…H-huh? Hey, that tickles…” The Strada rubbed its rabbit ears against Elitia to show how friendly it had become. Then it clenched its fist in camaraderie. “We’ll get through this as quickly as we can. Can you show us the way to the next floor?” The Strada gave its ears a twitch—which seemed to be its way of saying yes. Elitia nodded back, grinning. ♦Current Status♦ > STRAY STRADA activated RABBIT DASH > ELITIA activated COMET RAID The two of them activated speed-boosting skills and took off so quickly, it looked like they were flying. In the blink of an eye, they were out of sight. Reflexively, I looked at the faces of the remaining party members; every one of them looked half-flabbergasted and half-impressed. “It would be really helpful if the Strada joined forces with us for good…but that might be too tall an order,” said Igarashi. “If I were at the level to tame her, she’d be a real ace in the hole, even among all the monsters we can summon,” I replied. “But I’m not quite there yet.” “It’s a shame that we must rely on Ms. Elitia alone, but in terms of speed, I doubt there’s another Seeker in the entire district who can keep up with her.” I wanted to rack up some more combat experience if possible, but I’d realized something while fighting the Deep Eater: As we were, every fight we got into with a monster in District Five still forced us into a risky situation. “What do we do about your armor, Seraphina?” I asked. “We managed to salvage the scraps, at least…” “As broken as it is, it’ll take a long time to fix. We’ll make use of whatever we can get at shops in town. We simply have to hope they have the right size.” Would we be able to find any equipment that matched up to Guardian’s Mail +4? A greatshield might stand up to enemy attacks, but obviously, it’s still best to have the highest defense possible in your armor, too. Armor with rune slots would be ideal, but how realistic is that? We’ve found a lot of metal, but who knows whether it’s enough to make a new suit of armor? Not to mention how long it might take. Ideally, we’d end up with a complete set of powerful armor. If that wasn’t possible, then we’d have to make do with the best gear we could get off the rack. Now that we had Holy Stones, we’d order a Curse Eater weapon, too. All these thoughts of what we’d have to do next filled my brain as we walked back toward the labyrinth entrance.
Chapter 68
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