Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Higher Species
I set out to conquer the 7th floor of the dungeon alongside Tetsuo, the envoy from another world.
My plan was to use his black hole, a miracle of the gods, to shave away the impregnable, troublesome wall and carve a hole through it.
As planned, a labyrinth resembling the 7th floor appeared before us.
Since we used a bit of cheating and did not take the orthodox route, it remains unclear whether the labyrinth spreading out before our eyes is the correct path.
If we map this area and reach that Labyrinth Hot Spring we entered, then my planned conquest method will be proven correct.
Anyway――this is our first encounter in the dungeon.
A perfect opportunity for filming has arrived, and the enemy is a giant black monster.
It has horns; is it a subspecies of the demon we fought before?
Perhaps it is a higher species of that one.
If that was a demon, then this must be a Greater Demon?
Judging by the aura radiating from the monster before our eyes, it is a formidable foe.
Thinking that the Princess chose to fight this one makes me a little anxious.
Her choices are often the worst-case scenario.
"GROOOOAAAH!"
The monster's roar tore through the depths of the dungeon.
The thunderous sound echoed off the rock walls, shaking the entire labyrinth as if it were resonating.
Amidst stone debris raining down from the ceiling, a strange light began to gather at the monster's mouth.
"We've lost the initiative!"
The Princess's voice echoed through the passage.
"Everyone, behind me! Protection!"
Kaorulko deployed her defensive magic.
The pale blue light glowing in the monster's mouth instantly expanded like a vortex, overflowing from the depths of its throat as a torrent.
Pure blue, as if condensed from the stars of the night sky, the light tore through the surrounding darkness and dyed the dungeon blue.
In the next instant――breaking through a moment of silence as if time had frozen, a surging energy roared and was unleashed.
The beam released from the monster's mouth cut through space like a muddy torrent, rushing straight toward us with a thunderous roar.
Pale blue flashes reflected off the dungeon walls, and a brilliance that felt like it would burn the eyes covered the entire area.
Finally, it collided with the defensive magic deployed before us.
The air exploded, and the world was enveloped in flashes of light.
The barrier of the defensive magic glowed blue with a hard sound, and a magical defense wall spread out like ripples.
The shock of energy and magic colliding made the atmosphere tremble, and deafening explosions surged forward.
While the stone pavement beneath our feet cracked and threatened to be blown away, we desperately held our ground.
"It's no good! It won't hold!"
Kaorulko's pained scream, one we had never heard before, reached our ears.
Cracks ran through the barrier, holding an instability that seemed as if it might collapse at any moment.
More than the feeling of being protected, the reality of buying time sent a chill down our spines.
Since becoming a high-level adventurer, I had traversed countless death traps.
I believed without a shred of doubt that death was something far removed from me, but that overconfidence was quietly, yet surely, being betrayed.
Like a cold wind brushing against my skin, the presence of death silently crept up and seeped into the gaps of my heart.
An incomprehensible sense of oppression tightened my chest.
"Is this bad?!"
It was invisible to the eye and untouchable by hand, yet it was certainly here.
Even I panicked for a moment.
"Protection!"
Sana's additional defensive magic was deployed.
Even that was wavering, about to break soon.
"I too..."
I rummaged through my Item Box.
Is there anything?! A wall of rubble? Could that hold?
While I hesitated, Tetsuo stood before everyone.
Usually invisible, his "black hole" was clearly visible now.
He was sucking the surging flow of magical energy into the hole.
Suddenly, silence visited the dungeon.
"Compressed Light Bullet! Strike my enemy! Magic Missile!"
Sana's Light Bullet flew through the sparkling remnants of magic.
A taut line of light like piano wire blew open the monster's flank.
The protruding entrails spread across the dungeon floor.
"Woooooh!"
Iroha, who had somehow moved to the front, closed the distance in an instant and slashed the opposite side where Sana's magic had struck.
"NUOOO!"
With the monster's roar, its black skin began to regenerate.
"This one also regenerates unless you destroy the Magic Stone! It's troublesome!"
"Nyaaaaaah!"
Following that, the Princess drew her sword and charged――dodging the monster's punch that sank into the ground, she slashed the regenerating skin again.
Inside the protruding red organs, a black sphere was visible――a Magic Stone.
I took a fist-sized piece of rubble from my Item Box and raised my leg high toward the ceiling.
"Major League Ball No. 2! Nyaaaaaah!"
The moment the raised foot struck the ground, a shockwave that made the earth tremble ran through the surroundings.
That stomp, concentrating gravity and muscle power into a single point, drove a wedge into the ground, followed by an arm roaring.
The springs of the whole body linked up, and muscles that were supple yet like hardened iron undulated.
The rubble released from the fingertips cut through the void, leaving a sharp whistling sound.
Friction with the air created white mist, and for an instant, a flash of lightning ran.
Upon hitting the enemy's Magic Stone, it mixed with blue light.
The source of the monster's energy fragmented instantly.
The dungeon walls blinked as if repeating flashes.
Cut off from its life source, the red-glowing eyes lost their brightness, and the black giant collapsed right there.
"Oh, damn! It doesn't matter if I defeat it."
"Hoo... but that was quite dangerous, wasn't it? Anyway, isn't it correct to let Darling defeat the first battle?"
"Mm――it was a close call."
Iroha and the Princess nodded, appearing to agree.
That was good, but I was a little worried about Kaorulko.
"Kaorulko! Are you okay?! Kaorulko!"
Having finished filming, the Princess and I rushed to her slumped on the floor.
On the Empress's cheeks, traces of tears remained.
"...The faces of my father and mother... in my head..."
"A running light show, I suppose."
"It's when old things spin around in your head, right? I have those too."
"Young people probably don't know what a running light show is, haha!"
It might be what Tetsuo said.
"If it's painful, shall we turn back here?"
The Princess looked worried.
Although the Princess usually flustered Kaorulko, she wasn't just doing that.
"I-it's fine."
She was acting strong... but I was worried.
"Is Sana okay?"
"Yes."
As expected, she has grit.
For now, Kaorulko was in shock.
We decided to rest for a while.
"For now, how about something sweet?"
I took out a drink from my Item Box.
It was cocoa with milk and melted marshmallows.
When tired, you crave something intensely sweet.
I usually gnaw on calorie bars, but I thought it might be good to make something like this sometimes.
"Oh, thank you..."
"Be careful, it's hot."
Kaorulko, who had been sniffing the scent of the cocoa, timidly put her lips to the cup.
"It's... delicious..."
"Darling! Do I not get any?"
"Um, Daisuke-san..."
"Darling! Give some to me too!"
In the end, I prepared enough for everyone.
Well, I had prepared plenty.
"What about Tetsuo?"
"Light sugar coffee, huh?"
"I have some."
I threw a canned coffee I took from my Item Box to Tetsuo.
"Thanks!"
After handing the coffee to Tetsuo, I headed toward the corpse of the demon.
A black corpse lay on the dungeon floor, half-torn apart, spilling its entrails.
The raw, sour smell stung my nose.
If I had made one wrong judgment, we could have ended up like this.
It was that powerful an enemy.
As expected, the Princess's choice was wrong in the worst way possible.
"This won't sell, will it?"
The limit for souvenirs for Sense, who likes monsters, is probably just this.
As I tried to store it in my Item Box, Tetsuo came over.
"Are you taking it back?"
"Yes, as a souvenir for someone at a research facility who studies monsters."
"Haha, as expected of Japan――there are crazy people."
"You might be able to access the secrets of the dungeon soon."
"The fact that those words aren't a joke is what makes this world. I think even the gods consider this world quite dangerous..."
A huge, splendid demon horn caught my eye.
This horn might fetch a price.
In Kampo medicine, horns are important items.
It might have some miraculous effect.
"Tetsuo, can't you cut this horn off as payment for the coffee?"
"Yes, it's quite splendid and might sell――here!"
Following his hand movement, the giant horn was cut as easily as a cake.
"Oh, thanks!"
Looking at the cross-section of the horn.
It was sharp like a gemstone.
It looked like it could cut your hand with the horn.
I stored the giant corpse and the horn in my Item Box.
Returning to everyone, they were having a meeting for the next battle.
I joined in.
"The previous demon's attack was held by Protection, so it must be a higher species."
"Mm."
The Princess seemed to have no objection.
"Should we call it a Greater Demon?"
"Fine――let's go with that."
Everyone's opinions were in agreement.
"This is bad! A party relying only on defensive magic would be wiped out on the first sight against that enemy?! We managed to survive because that godly old man was here."
What Iroha said was true.
"There's no escape route in such a passage... waiting with the horn, turning the horn when the enemy casts magic..."
"The defensive magic holds for a little while, so that tactic might be effective."
The Princess crossed her arms, grunting.
"Sakurako-sama, let's share information with everyone when we return to the surface."
"Mm!"
The Princess agreed with Kaorulko's opinion.
"If enemies like this appear everywhere, we'll get wiped out."
If we can't share information, it will be as Iroha said.
"Originally, there was the option of not fighting the enemy..."
Sana was muttering.
Well, that is true, but with this ultra-aggressive party, it seems difficult.
"Daisuke, you said you were thrown and returned from the deep layers, how did you clear them?"
"The ones we encountered were Liches and Griffons. We managed with brute force or Kaorulko's super magic in one shot."
"Then maybe that demon could have been handled too if we hit the Magic Stone with that magic."
"It takes time to charge... and after using the magic, Kaorulko becomes unable to move."
"Then it's a gamble."
"Is there a strategy..."
The Princess grunted, but it wouldn't come out easily.
"If it's a real demon, Holy Smite might work..."
"What is that? What kind of magic is that?"
The Princess was very interested, listening to Tetsuo's story.
"It's a Cleric-type magic. Maybe Sana-chan might learn it."
"Sana's role is becoming more and more important..."
"Well, she is Izal's Saint."
"Gnnn..."
Since the two old men were praising Sana, the Princess seemed unhappy.
After the break, we straightened our formation and proceeded into the dungeon again.
The enemies that appeared were super powerful, but few in number.
Of course, if enemies of this caliber spawned like Slimes on the 1st floor, it would be impossible to conquer.
Shallow layers have way too many adventurers, so monsters spawn in large numbers――that must be it.
While thinking about the dungeon monsters, a strange atmosphere drifted from the passage.
Dampness clung to my skin, and a faint stench of rot stung my nose.
It felt as if I were being stared at intently by something invisible.
The strange presence was definitely approaching――a monster.
It was more than enough to be certain.
"GAOOOOON!"
Again, we encountered a giant enemy.
This was also a first-time enemy――an opportunity for filming.
Its pitch-black fur was wrapped in darkness like the night itself, gleaming as if sucking in light.
Its giant body was covered in muscle, and every movement made the dungeon rumble low.
Most striking of all were the three heads extending from its shoulders――each ferocious like a beast, displaying different expressions.
The central head glared at us with a cold, intellectual gaze, while the right head growled and bared its fangs.
The left head drooled while smiling eerily.
Every time the three heads breathed simultaneously, heat like fire scorched the ground and shook the air.
"What is this?! Three heads?!"
Even Iroha was surprised by the monstrous creature.
"I know this. It's Cerberus, the hellhound, right!"
"Cerberus!?"
The Princess seemed to not know this monster.
Three heads means three brains, does it?
How does it move its body?
While thinking about the enemy's body structure rather than combat, a blue light of magic ran.
"Compressed Light Bullet! Strike my enemy! Magic Missile!"
The magic, looking like a glowing line, headed toward the enemy――but upon reaching the black fur, it scattered into blue particles.
"Resistance to attack magic!"
If what the Princess said is true, it means physical attacks.
"Nyaah! Uryaah!"
The Princess and Iroha charged and attacked from both sides.
"Sana-san, support with Fireball!"
"Yes!"
"Flames of Fury! Fireball!"
The four walls of the dungeon changed from blue light to orange.
While the value of the fur as a material was lost, fire-type magic is often effective against monsters.
Since the Light Bullet magic was deflected, they must have switched tactics.
As expected of Kaorulko, rich in combat experience, but that monster had resistance to magic, so whether this would work on this one too...
Fireballs created by magic were shot into the monster one after another.
When the flames deflected, they turned back into blue magical particles and fell in a parabola.
It seemed they couldn't even ignite the fire.
Amidst the magical attacks, two sharp slashes cut the enemy's fur――but it didn't seem to take damage.
"Hard!" "Ungh!"
Iroha checked the edge of her sword.
It seemed the fur was hard, and the blade wouldn't pass through.
"Shall I help?"
Tetsuo was readying himself as a substitute.
"Wait a moment."
"Okay."
Should I use Major League Ball or a missile?
Or a Magic Stone bomb?
No, if I do that, I might defeat it again.
The reason the sword won't pass is likely because the hair is hard.
Even bear fur is so hard that the blade rounds off when slashed.
Piercing attacks like spears or arrows should work.
Honestly, this is a very dangerous floor, so I shouldn't be saying such things, but leveling up for them is also important.
If they can't clear this, they will remain in pain forever.
"In a direction that deals at least some damage..."
I took a sword from my Item Box and pointed the tip toward the ceiling.
"Darling!"
"Step back for a moment!"
"Got it!"
The Princess and Iroha moved away from the monster.
"Ultimate Move! Namu Thunder!"
The lightning strike released from my sword roared, connecting pale blue lights, and headed toward the black monster.
The giant body, the monstrous creature with three heads, was entangled in the chain of lightning and enveloped in lightning that tore through the darkness.
"Gyaaaan!"
Sharp lightning scorched its black fur, and as sparks flew, roars akin to screams gushed from the three throats.
The lightning strikes continued endlessly, flowing from head to head, from neck to torso as if possessed by a will, piercing the monster's body continuously.
It deflected Light Bullets and Fireballs, but it seemed to take considerable damage from this magic.
It seems resistance to magic is not complete resistance.
The black fur was scorched, emitting white smoke.
It smelled like protein burning, so that fur might be made of protein too.
"Oh! Amazing! Daisuke can use magic too?!"
"It's the power enchanted into this sword."
"That was Chain Lightning."
Just as I was talking with Tetsuo, magic was fired.
"Compressed Light Bullet! Strike my enemy! Magic Missile!"
The flash of magic released by Sana became a single line and pierced the monster's head.
With a dull sound, the skull burst from the inside, and bone fragments scattered in all directions like sharp blades.
White flesh from the neck, unimaginable from the black fur, was exposed, and as if to cover it, a large amount of red liquid gushed out.
Dark red brain matter spread like mist in the air, and the monster's giant body lost its balance, swaying unsteadily.
Perhaps because one of the three heads was gone, it lost its balance.
"Good job!"
At the success of the attack, Tetsuo shouted.
"Did you hit a weak point, or was it a critical?!"
Something like this happened before.
Rather than that――.
"Princess! If the flesh is exposed, the sword should pass through, right?!"
"I see! Nyaah!"
She drew her sword and charged at the monster.
Dodging attacks from the remaining heads with graceful steps, she swung the sword horizontally――the monster's neck flesh sliced like sashimi strips.
"Gyaing! Gyaing!"
The remaining two monster heads let out low, dog-like screams.
"Wow, that looks painful..."
Even though the opponent is a monster, only foolish thoughts floated in my head.
"Interesting! Nyaah!"
Targeting the spot the Princess cut, Iroha swung her sword vertically, slicing the path the tip had passed through vertically.
Overpowering momentum carried the cut to the torso, and a large amount of bodily fluid gushed out.
"Gururu..."
The monster seemed to have taken considerable damage and was about to collapse.
Remnants of the severed neck hung loosely from the body.
"Finishing blow! Oraah!"
For some reason, Iroha, who had drawn her sword, cut into the monster's body.
"Oga! Iroha!"
The moment my voice and the Princess's voice overlapped like a miracle.
The air crackled.
With a sound of something exploding, the monster's giant body convulsed, and dark red liquid gushed out as if bursting from the inside.
Creating a pillar of blood reaching the ceiling, blood splashes fell, heated, reaching us.
Wiping the blood from my cheek――the feeling of victory.
"Gyaaaan!"
The monster's groan became a roar echoing from the bottom of the earth, shaking the dungeon.
With a dying scream, the tattered black giant collapsed onto the floor.
From within the mass of flesh, a figure covered in bodily fluids crawled out.
It was Iroha.
It was too fierce, and I had forgotten to stop filming.
"Oga! That was too reckless!"
"Hahaha!"
The moment she laughed loudly without being ashamed of the Princess's words――Iroha's body glowed.
Level up.
"Damn! I got robbed of the prize by a crazy Oga."
The Princess was regretful.
As expected, she wouldn't fight like that.
While Iroha was leveling up, we watched the surroundings to see if other monsters spawned.
After waiting a bit, it seemed the level up ended safely.
"Darling!"
"Level up, that's great..."
When Iroha ran over, she suddenly lifted me up and kissed me.
"Hey! Oga!"
The Princess's angry shout meant nothing.
"Haa... Haa... I want to get naked right here and have Darling