Leaving the rest area, I immediately used my ability, 【Wild Heart】. My senses permeated the entire floor. In order not to repeat the same mistake, I accurately tracked the enemy by their footsteps.
Is it big or small?
Are they getting closer or going farther away?
Once I pay attention to the difference in sound, I can search more efficiently than before. But at key points, I use magical powers and switched to light detection.
“I saw five red lights in the next room. They were all the same size and they weren’t hiding.”
This is how I inform them before the battle.
【Wild Heart】detects monsters as red light. The search range gradually expands from the vicinity. So, if I want to look for enemies hiding around us, I only need to put my magical power into it for a moment.
This way I won’t use up too much magical power.
Felix smiles.
“Got it. Looks like you’re used to your search ability already.”
Felix wielded his staff and gave instructions to the warriors with his fingers. The four adventurers nodded silently.
I think it’s a secret sign, but I can’t understand it.
“Um, just now…… what are you—”
“It meant to push our way through. Rion-san, I have a good idea of your abilities, so we’ll increase the speed of our attack from here on.”
We continued to advance through the lower levels while keeping encounters with enemies to a minimum. And as expected, 【Wild Heart】is very useful.
『…… He’s making good use of my blessing huh. 』
『Yes. It’s certainly important to conserve it. 』
Uru and Thor are having a conversation from the gold coin. I can also hear the voice of the goddess.
『Rion, be careful. 』
( Yes! )
I’m only level 18 now. A little lower than the level 20 which is the recommended level for this dungeon. But if we keep going like this, I may be able to upgrade my level again soon.
“Hey!”
I kick the ground and slash at a monster called a Wraith. It’s a floating monster that does not make footsteps. But I detected them before their surprise attack came.
“Ooo…… Oo……!”
Like a fog blowing away, the Wraith fades and disappears. A small magic stone crystallized and fell to the ground with a clank. We fought battle like this for countless times.
This dungeon is cold, but I still wipe the sweat from my brow.
I look in the direction we are going. The staircase leading down was wider than anything I had ever descended, and there were collapsed pedestals on the left and right.
I wonder if it was decorated with stone statues long time ago.
The moment I thought so, the gold coin vibrated, and Sigris’ voice echoed in my head.
『…… It’s about time. 』
Beyond this is the deepest part of the dungeon.
The 8th floor –the boss floor.
“Mm, let’s go.”
On the stairs, a candlestick is burning with a pale blue flame, as if inviting us in. After descending, we found ourselves in a circular hall and there are many straight roads diverging out from it. There must be a boss room at the end of it.
Most dungeons had multiple rooms where you could fight a boss, allowing several parties to challenge them at the same time.
……Come to think of it, this kind of ingenuity for adventurers may also be God’s arrangement.
“There are 13 paths to choose huh……”
Hmm, where should we go?
Sigris’s voice answered my question,
『From what I remember, you should be able to reach the same area from any of the rooms.』
Alright, let’s make a decision at once then.
I faced Felix-san.
“I think we can reach the unexplored area from any of the boss rooms.”
“Oh? Let’s go straight then.”
After he told so, the group of raven warriors tacitly moved in front. One of them opened the door and I entered the boss room as the last guard.
| ―――――――――――― Draugr Lord has appeared. ―――――――――――― |
God’s voice echoes in my head.
There is a chair in the boss room. The darkness of the space converged, and a monster appeared in its place.
It was dressed in luxurious gold and silver attire. Its eye sockets were hollow, and it looked as if it had been reduced to just bones and had traded its treasures for a new body. It carried a large staff, with a hook at the end that looked like a monster’s claw.
Sigris told me.
『In the age of myths, there were users of evil magic who descended upon the giants and mastered the art of controlling corpses. They even turned themselves into undead and attacked this dungeon…』
Red-black flames are burning at the location of its eyes.
And perhaps its growling voice was an ancient chant. Magical lights were emerging all over the large room as it open and close its jaw. Skeletons and draugr appeared, as if crawling out of the swamp.
“……It doesn’t seem to have been particularly strengthened like in the Eastern Dungeon.”
Felix-san calmly gives instructions to his members.
“Rion-san, are you ready?”
I gave a small nod as I continued to watch the undead crawling out.
Maybe this is what happened in the Southern Dungeon a long time ago. The Draugr Lord, the master of the mound, came and summoned his allies. He then created new kindred from the fallen warriors. He was the one who turned this place into the Cathedral of Darkness.
“Oo, ooo……!”
The Draugr Lord seems to be laughing. Maybe he thought we were scared because we weren’t moving.
“Solana, is it okay?”
It’s a sad myth, but it’s certainly not over yet.
I think it would be so much better if Lu is completely healthy and we could all live together in a world where we could proudly say, “God protected us!”
『Of course. 』
I checked my short sword and then I commanded,
“Wake up.”
I released Solana from the gold coin. She rose into the air, scattering sunlight. Seeing that, the Draugr Lord froze. It must have been the first time he had seen sunlight in hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
“Rion, I will respond to your wishes!”
The gold coin sticks to the short sword and become one with it. A golden light emanates from the tip, just like when Skoll was defeated.
| Skill, 『Sun’s Divine Protection』was used. 【Sword of the Daughter of the Sun】 ……Imbues the daughter of the Sun in a weapon. |
A special attack on the undead by the sun. The summoned skeletons turned back into black ash before they could even crawl out.
The Draugr Lord stepped back in fear. His mandibles agape, as if to say, “This is different from what I know!”
Just in case, I also activated 【Golden Flame】, accelerated and jumped at it. When I raised my short sword, the great sword of light reached the ceiling.
May the morning sun wake you up from this bad dream……!
“Ooooo……!?”
The Draugr Lord was swallowed up by the light and disappeared. Several fist-sized magic stones rolled to the stone floor with a heavy clank.
“……J-just one hit……”
Perhaps because of the brightness, Felix-san is rubbing his eyes.
“Felix-dono, do we need to—?”
“No. But, at this rate, we may be the ones being protected by him…”
After retrieving the boss’s magic stones, the next step was to investigate the unexplored area.
There was a hint that the seal could be removed from behind the chair where the Draugr Lord was sitting.
“It’s this wall huh…… Wake up.”
| Skill『Alarm』was used. Executing 【Unseal】. |
The unexplored area of the Southern Dungeon was the most cathedral-like space in this dungeon.
The high ceiling glows faintly, illuminating a space that could fit hundreds of people. The floor and walls were white, and if it were brighter, the word “majestic” would be more appropriate.
However, weapons and bones were scattered at the ground right now. Monsters were frozen in the surrounding walls as well, and several Draugr Lords, the boss-like masters of the tomb, were also trapped there.
『……Such high-ranking monsters like these invaded the place. One after another, undead were created from fallen warriors.』
Sigris’ words made my heart ache.
I guess the scattered bones were those who escaped becoming skeletons even though they were defeated by the monsters.
“Let’s offer a prayer”
Felix-san put down his staff.
“The temple’s prayers also have the effect of preventing people from turning into undead. It’s too late now though, and I don’t know how effective it will be in the dungeon…”
The Raven Warriors check the inside of the cathedral.
Eventually, they gathered in the center, and each of them knelt down and offered their condolences.
“As warriors of Odis, this is dedicated to the heroic spirits who fought alongside the gods. May they now put down their swords and rest their shields, and rest in glory and remembrance.”
The dimly lit unexplored area was filled with words of prayer.
『Rion, can you let me out?』
(Eh? But….…)
『Just for a little while.』
With that wish, I unsealed her.
Scattering blue light, Sigris appeared. Her one eye was hidden by her hair.
Seeing a god for the first time, the warriors are also amazed. She showed up not in the size of a doll with reduced power. Sigris is in her original form, slender and tall.
“Thank you all.”
The goddess bowed and walked to the back of the unexplored area. There is a small shrine with a spear sticking out from it.
“This is where I was imprisoned, and there were other gods called Valkyria—but now it seems that I am the only one left.”
Sigris folds her hands together and closes her eyes. She may have prayed for her companions.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to clear everyone’s grievances but…… I, Sigris, we’ll start fighting again.”
The goddess returned with a spear in her hand.
“That’s ….…”
“This is a sacred item from back then. This is where the Valkyries fought to prevent monsters, but this is all that remains.”
Just before returning to the gold coin, Sigris’ body glowed blue and she smiled at me.
“Let’s go. And thank you, Rion, for listening to our wishes.”
| 『Spear of Sigris』 can now be used. |
The Southern Dungeon was the last one we planned to explore today. My level had increased, and I felt like I understood a little more about Gods and the Raven Warriors.
We decided to go back to the temple.
I guess by now, Pauline-san is done with her business too. She should be able to tell me about Father and the enemy.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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