“Well then, be careful!”
We say goodbye to Eliana and Calotos, and go back to Fors.
We ended up staying with them for three days, so Naoto and the others are already back by the time we arrive.
“So why do you look so troubled?”
“Picking medicinal herbs was harder than I thought.”
Says Naoto, and Rurika and the others nod.
I just use Appraisal, so I don’t even pay attention to their characteristics.
Wait, could I do it without Appraisal? I have the Memory skill. Wait, then I’d just be relying on a different skill.
“But it’s fun in its own way. Cooking outside is hard though.”
It’s tough to do it every day, but they say it would be fun once in a while.
There’s also the fact that sleeping outside of town means having to stand watch.
There are monster repelling items, and Kotori can use spirit magic to watch out for trouble, so they still had an easier time resting than most.
◇ ◇ ◇
The day after returning to the city, we head back to the dungeon. And since Naoto’s party is going too, we can go together part of the way.
After we say goodbye, we head to the seventy-first floor. But first, we confirm what we’re doing.
I prepared a lot of throwing weapons, but I ask everyone to tell me if they go through a third of them. If we spend that much on the first fight, we have to think about our plans going forward.
“Let’s go.”
I take the lead as we enter the dungeon, but Kaina is next to me.
Hikari, Rurika, and Sera are behind us, and Mia and Chris are behind them.
If anything pushes through and targets our back row, I can use Transfer, or Rurika can use Gale.
After we all enter, a hellhound appears.
I heard it was a large black canine, but it’s more like a small truck. If that thing charges forward, it’s going to have a big impact.
I attached Absorption to the shield, so I can soften it to some extent, but not completely.
I cast Appraisal while thinking that, but it’s too far away.
I could cast Transfer, cast Appraisal, and then retreat immediately, but that would take a lot of MP, not to mention that I don’t know what it would do if I got closer. I can’t carelessly approach a new monster like that.
Instead, I cast Thunder.
My first strike is focused on speed, and Rurika and the others are using throwing weapons with a focus on firepower. Hikari is also throwing out a few Projectile Slashes.
The magic hits, and so do the throwing weapons. There’s a burst of flames, and Hikari’s slashes fly into it like they’re sucked into it.
And then, Chris follows that up with spirit magic.
Her fire spirit magic envelops the space around the hellhound, and then slowly shrinks. It’s like the flames are crushing their target.
Eventually, the flames are about the size of the hellhound, and suddenly explode.
The gust it creates reaches all the way here, but I block it with Aura Shield. Chris explained it to me beforehand, so I was ready.
I squint, and focus while using Presence Detection and Magic Energy Detection.
I don’t know if it didn’t take evasive action or if it couldn’t, but I can tell the hellhound’s reaction is still there.
No, I can feel its magic energy surging for a moment, and then see more of it!
“They’re coming!”
I say, and three hellhounds leap from the smoke.
As soon as I see them, I cast Provoke, followed by Appraisal. All three are level sixty-three, but one is clearly injured.
Did it take that first magic attack? Is that the main one?
There are still flames in the back of the room, so I can’t see very well, but I can tell there are no reactions.
The three monsters rush towards me, but Sera faces one, and Hikari and Rurika another.
The one that’s left is the one I assume is the main one, and I block it with my shield. Thanks to Absorption, I can handle it much better than one would assume.
I use that opening to counterattack, but the moment my sword hits, I can feel the concentrated magic energy. My mithril sword caught it, but it’s not enough to take it down.
However, it also doesn’t mean it blocked it completely, and the monster steps away to take some distance. I can see blood where I hit it.
But stepping back doesn’t mean it’s running away. I see magic energy gathering around its mouth, and then it howls.
That howl carries magic energy.
It feels like it’s similar to Intimidate, but I feel physical pain. Was I hit with a mass of magic energy? Since it’s elemental and colorless, I can’t see it.
I managed to get ready, because it had to set up the attack. And I can sense magic energy too.
However, while it wasn’t that bad, I’m pretty sure the actual power behind it is pretty high. Even with Aura Shield, I still felt pain.
I focus my eyes on the hellhound in front of me, and use Parallel Thinking to figure out how I’m going to fight it.
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Thank you for the chapter and Merry Xmas!
Thanks for the treat.