Once more, we’d descended into the dungeon, and our advance had been smooth—perhaps a little too smooth.
Ever since waking up, I’d felt unusually good, and more than just refreshed. My body’s condition seemed to be affecting my abilities and mana as well. It was clear to us that our movements were sharper than before. Shiro and Kuro were in good spirits too. Our physical abilities had improved, our senses were sharper, and we could control mana with ease—this was most evident in spellcasting.
I could now cast intermediate spells almost without chanting, and handling multiple spells at once was easier than ever. I could even simultaneously cast ten beginner spells without much effort. With my mana control up, my mana consumption went down. Honestly, it felt like I’d leveled up as a sorcerer—can I really write this off as just “feeling good”?
Shiro and Kuro had also gained more spells and improved at casting without an incantation. Their dragon bodies were showing big changes as well.
Shiro’s dragon eye had become more precise, able to sense spell activation and perceive fast attacks. As she put it: “If I focus my eyes, everything looks slower!” So basically, she could amp up her dynamic visual acuity for a short time. Her reflexes might have improved in response to that too. She’d also become even better at spotting traps, which made exploring easier.
Kuro’s dragon arm had simply gotten stronger, both in raw power and mana output. Whether she was bashing the enemy or casting magic, it was clear her attack power had gone up. Her whole body was stronger now, so she didn’t lose her balance from the weight of heavy weapons. She was now easily swinging around the big hammer she’d just picked out—she’s pulverizing weak grunts into dust, though!
As for me, it felt like my intuition had gotten sharper. It was hard to explain, but somehow I could guess which path to take at forks or where traps were. You could say that it was like someone whispering “This way” in my head. I could only call it instinct, but it was strangely accurate. Maybe it was a kind of sixth sense—this was a world of magic, after all—or maybe my ability to feel mana had grown and I was picking up on tiny differences and abnormalities in the form of “instinct.”
Whatever it is, we’re all in tip-top shape. But I seriously can’t think of a reason except that we got some good sleep... Maybe our dragon bodies were strengthened from making it back from the brink of death?
We suddenly stopped in our tracks, sensing the alarming presence of a magical beast. It was Shiro who’d noticed first.
“Up ahead, it’s like a mana boom!”
“Mana boom?” I said.
“Yeah!”
She gestured, insistent that something with huge mana was up ahead. The next area was the large room where we’d fought the hell chimera...
Kuro started sniffing. “Smells like hell chimerrra.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Arf.”
If Kuro’s nose had picked up on it too, then it was certain. As we got closer, even I could feel it clearly; this was the aura of our archnemesis.
I hadn’t been able to sense it before, but now I could feel the hell chimera’s mana even from a distance. My senses had sharpened that much.
We’d already beaten the thing once, but it felt stronger now, probably because my sharpened senses let me grasp its true power. I can’t believe we took that thing on with some half-baked plan...
“So it’s revived,” I said.
“Mya-myah! Shiro’s gonna beat it this time!”
“No, Kuuuro.”
In the face of this beast, my fear had returned, but Shiro and Kuro were full of motivation. The hell chimera’s overwhelming aura didn’t faze them at all.
The immense mana leaking from the room felt like it was stabbing at my skin. Even compared to the strong enemies we’d fought in the deep layer, this one was still above them. I’d thought the tortoise treant was on par, but I was wrong; this one was, without a doubt, stronger.
But as strong as we are now, we can beat this thing for sure.
We’d grown far stronger, and being in peak condition, we wouldn’t struggle like last time. Shiro and Kuro must have understood that too. Seeing their confidence, I felt my own tension ease.
We can beat this thing. No need to freak out.
“Last time, we barely got any meat. This time, we’ll finish it before it uses the poisonous smoke!”
“Yes, meat!”
“Meat.”
“We want meat.”
“Meeeat.”
Shiro and Kuro nodded with serious expressions—then immediately, their expressions melted away into grins. They must have imagined getting a heap of the hell chimera meat they loved.
Maybe it has nothing to do with fear; maybe they’re just that crazy about food. Well, they’re giving me some peace of mind, so I’m keeping my mouth shut.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but I’m gonna finish it off again.”
“What?”
“No faaair.”
I paused for a second. “We’ll get more meat that way. Do you still wanna finish it off?”
“Meat!”
“Meat.”
“That’s not an answer.” And quit drooling! It’s one thing to not be scared of the enemy, but not being cautious at all isn’t great either!
After waiting for a response, I said, “So you’re both okay with me beating it?”
“It’s all you!” said Shiro.
“Thor, you can do it.”
The plan’s simple: Rush into the room, chant a spell, and blast it at its weak point. This time, I’m gonna use advanced magic. With as good as I’m feeling right now, I think I can manage it.
The high-tier water magic Blade of the Sea King was an advanced version of Water Blade used for cutting down massive beasts. Naturally, it was far stronger than ordinary Water Blade.
“Shiro, you go in first and draw its attention. Kuro, you cover me.”
“I’ll be the decoy!”
“Kuro will protect yooou, Thor.”
“Great, let’s do it!”
Just as planned, Shiro leaped into the room first. The fact that she didn’t come running back meant there was definitely a hell chimera inside. The few seconds waiting for her signal felt unbearably long.
“Mya-mya-myaaahh!”
“Shiro’s signal,” said Kuro.
“Let’s move!”
Kuro and I burst into the room. Shiro was already provoking the hell chimera with light spells. Its two heads and serpent tail were focused entirely on her.
I seized the opening, gathering my mana and beginning the chant. Really, the safest way would have been to finish all preparations outside the room and unleash the spell the moment we entered. That way, I wouldn’t be putting Shiro and Kuro in danger too. But the advanced magic I was about to use didn’t allow for me to move during the chant, or even for the slightest lapse in concentration. That’s how difficult it was to control. If I failed, the mana might have just dispersed harmlessly, but worse than that, the spell could have misfired and dragged everyone into it. Up until now, I’ve barely been able to even activate it...
“Oh, great ocean—” Yes. It’s working. It’s working!