CH 66

“Raaaah! ……Orn!”

Will swings his double-bladed sword at an approaching Manticore, causing its posture to be significantly disrupted. 

Following immediately I thrust my Schwarzhase into the vital spot, turning it into a magic stone.

As expected of a sword mainly made out of Black Dragon scales and by an excellent blacksmith.

The base state of this sword is even superior to the sword I’d been previously with [Sharpness Up] applied. 

Furthermore, because it’s tailored for me, there’s no need for me to adjust it as I do with other swords, and I feel as though it’s drawing out my full potential.

I’ve finally come to really appreciate the reason why advanced explorers are so particular custom-made 

Seeing is believing after all, I guess.

The 92nd floor is like a huge canyon.

And in contrast to the 91st floor, the demonic beasts come in small numbers.

However, each individual one has fairly high combat strength.

Among them are some demonic beasts that can compete with Floor Bosses in the layer layers.

There are extreme variations in height, and many demonic beasts possess the ability to fly. 

Since they often take the high ground, you have to pay attention not only to the front, back, left and right, but also to the top and bottom.

It’s been three hours since we arrived at the 92nd floor. 

By comparing the terrain of the 92nd floor that I’d grasped with the data mapped by “Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit”, I chose a route that would make it difficult to encounter demonic beasts as well as let us reach the Boss Area as soon as possible. 

As a result, the number of battles with demonic beasts have been kept to a minimum.

The current objective is to reach the 93rd floor.

To save ourselves for a battle at the end with the Black Dragon, we want to keep the fighting along the way to a minimum and conserve strength.

This is the big difference between exploring a labyrinth and conquering a labyrinth.

“Oh, Orn, you’ve got a cut on your hand. I’ll fix it, so sit still.”

Lucre points out a cut on the back of my left hand, which had been lightly cut and bleeding.

“You don’t have to go out of you way to use recovery magic and a wound like this–“

“No!!”

Lucre interrupts my words with a loud shout.

“–Ah, um, well, something bad might get in, yeah! If it can be fixed, you should fix it, right?”

……I’ve done it now. I think I’ve triggered Lucre’s trauma.

If I’d thought about it a little, I should have realised that this girl is sensitive to the injuries of her friends.

I might have been insensitive.

“……Right, the chance that this gets worse isn’t zero. Well then, thanks for your help.”

“Y, yeah! Leave it to me!”

◇

From then on, while repeating numerous battles, we steadily proceeded deeper. 

And then, the cave leading to the Boss Area at the farthest end of the 92nd floor came into view.

Apparently, this time nothing irregular will be happening.

After travelling through the cave for a while, a huge double door, three metres wide and ten metres high can be seen.

Through these doors is a Black Dragon.

Inside is a huge hall-like place with a diameter of about seventy metres.

Incidentally, most Boss Areas are similar in shape, although they vary in size.

However, the Boss Area on the 92nd floor, unlike the Boss Area of the 50th floor where we fought previously, has no ceiling and is open.

If it takes to the air, In the worst case scenario, there’s a possibility that it’ll rise to a high enough altitude that attack magic can’t reach it, so destroying the wings is essential this time.

“……We’re here. Everyone, pay attention to your surroundings while conducting a final equipment check. And Orn, Lain, start getting ready.”

After briefly checking through my own equipment, I also inspect my new storage magic tool.

And confirming that there are no problems, I converge mana on the blade of Schwarzhase and cloth it in pitch-black mana. 

Lain also closes her eyes as she concentrates on building a formula. 

”[Vanguard Up], [Rearguard Up].”

Selma casts [Vanguard Up] on Will, and buffs the three Rearguards with [Rearguard Up].

[Rearguard Up] is exactly the same as [Vanguard Up], where you cast five of the six basic buffs at the same time, just with the exclusion of [Strength Up].

I’m also going to be using [Quadruple] [Status Up] on myself.

“Alright, preparations complete? …….Let’s go!”

We respond to Selma’s final call by nodding our heads.

Selma touches the door and the passage slowly opens with a loud creak.

As we slowly enter the Boss Area, we hear the roar of a Black Dragon from above.

The Black Dragon is flying about twenty metres above the centre of the Boss Area.

As soon as I catch sight of the Black Dragon, I immediately use [Magic Convergence] to create a foothold and close the distance between me and the Black Dragon.

<Lain! Orn! As planned, drop the Black Dragon to the ground!”

The Black Dragon is about to shoot a fireball, but before that,

“[Mjolnir]!”

Extreme lightning rains down from farther above the Black Dragon.

Lain’s attack, which is almost like a surprise attack, can’t bring the Black Dragon down to the ground, but it does succeed in knocking off its mid-air balance.

And by the time the attack with [Mjolnir] ends, I’m right above the Black Dragon.

The Black Dragon doesn’t notice me, its attention is directed towards Will on the ground.

“[Heavenly Flash]……!”

I swing down Schwarzhase and release a pitch-black slash.

This time, it’s not blocked by a tail, and with [Impact] combined, the Black Dragon’s left wing is obliterated. 

The Black Dragon, further thrown off balance, can’t endure and falls to the ground.

It looks like it’s landed well, but it’s staring at me with an annoyed expression. 

(Maybe this specific Black Dragon has a narrow field of view.)

I stand in the air, look down at the Black Dragon and analyse this particular one.

Not all demonic beasts are the same even if they are of the same species.

There are no major differences in abilities, but there are individual differences in personality, size, and so on.

And this is no exception for Floor Bosses.

Positioning himself in front of the Black Dragon, Will wields his doubled-bladed sword,  which is emitting mana in a mixture of various colours such as red, blue and green. 

Will’s double-bladed sword is a weapon as well as a storage magic tool.

Storage magic tools can only store matter.

However, by modifying the formula, Will’s double-blade sword can store mana instead of matter.

Since the storage can only happen when it comes into contact with the blade, the timing  for storing is quite strict, but it can effectively nullify magic and sorcery.

And if it can be stored, then it can be retrieved. 

It seems that the mana released can be manipulated to some extent like how you would channel mana. 

However, mana that has been converted into sorcery or magic is mana, but at the same time, not mana. 

It’s different if you had a Talent like my [Mana Convergence] that allows you to directly manipulate mana. For people without a Talent like that, interfering with that mixed, chaotic mana is supposed to be extremely difficult. 

Nevertheless, Will has made it possible.

I don’t know if it’s the result of his own efforts or his own sense for it, but he looks to have completely mastered that rampant mana.

“Don’t ya dare look away! [Chaos Edge]!”

Will swings his double-bladed sword in a side cleave, and the muddy mana becomes a slash that flies toward the Black Dragon.

That slash strikes the face of the Black Dragon, which had been focusing its attention on me.

Up to now, as planned.

Lain and I attack, bringing it down to the ground while destroying its wings.

And its aggression towards me will be overwritten by Will.

The Black Dragon roars in anger, generating five purple haze tendrils around it.

One of those tendrils flexes around like a whip and targets Will.

That’s a bad move.

“Thing like that, you think it’s gonna work!”

When one blade of his double-bladed sword touches the haze, it disappears without a trace.

That haze is no different from a mass of mana.

In other words, it can’t work on Will.

<Go with Pattern C! Lain and Orn shave down the Black Dragon while switching! Will manage the aggro, Lucre support Will!>

<<<<Understood!!!!>>>>>

Everyone responds to Selma’s instructions.

Lain activates her magic.

I move away from directly above the Black Dragon and land behind it, multiple [Fire Javelins] rain down on the Black Dragon from where I’d just been.