Chapter 161: Unknown Guardian – Part 1
T/N: <Darkness Drill – Magic Spear Break> –> <Darkness Drill – Magic Destruction Spear>
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I activate <Blood Acceleration>, and the blood that seeped out through my skin covers the Evil Dragon King’s greaves.
Strangely, however, it doesn’t stick to the ground, gathering at the soles of my greaves, instead.
I kick the ground ― wow, amazing! My speed is twice as fast.
It’s inferior to <Demonic Brain Speed>, but with a quickness that’s definitely higher than Magic Combat Steps, I charge ahead in a forward-bent posture, ready to finish the other party.
I approach the big Bone Knight with the orange light dwelling in its sunken-in eye sockets.
The magic letters carved onto the surface of its black armor stand out, and two thick upper and two lower bone arms grow out of its sides.
What’s more, those four arms are grasping flamberge-like longswords that are clad in blue light.
I suppose those are its main weapons. How refined.
Well, I don’t have any intention to allow it to use them.
With that said, let’s show it my might as one and only Magic Spear Blood Chain Master.
The Bone Knight is clearly wary of me who is drawing ever closer with an abnormal speed.
It crosses the flamberges held by its upper arms in front of its chest and lowers the ones in its lower arms, adopting a double-cross defensive stance for my impending strike.
Let’s break it apart.
I carry out a feint as if trying to pierce its chest with the pointy end of my Magic Halberd and activate <Chain Spear of the Ray System> in succession ― a total of five from a short distance.
At the same time, I unleash <Chain> from both my wrists while also releasing a 《Chain Ice Snake ArrowFreezing Snake Arrow》.
The Bone Knight, though, skillfully repelled the five <Chain Spear of the Ray System> with its four flamberges.
―No wonder that this guy is a guardian.
However, it can’t defend against the incoming chains and the 《Chain Ice Snake ArrowFreezing Snake Arrow》.
The two chains that had transformed into bullets pierced its torso and one of its thick bone arms while the chain entangles itself around the Bone Knight’s legs and torso as if encroaching upon them.
At that point, the 《Chain Ice Snake ArrowFreezing Snake Arrow》 hit directly ― well, no, it didn’t.
The water spell is completely repelled by its armor and vanishes like a puff of smoke.
Oh well, something like that,
“―doesn’t matter in the least!” (Shuuya)
My spear at the ready, I rush at the Bone Knight, which can’t move about as it’s entangled by <Chain>, and close the distance in a forward-bent stance.
The instant it entered the range of my halberd, I step on the ground with a force that apparently leaves behind a footprint and, at the same time, trigger <Darkness Drill – Magic Destruction Spear>.
The Magic Halberd, clad in darkness, starts its characteristic buzzing.
First, the <Darkness Drill>.
The devil-like halberd, which had turned into a streamline of red and black, very easily penetrates the Bone Knight’s armor. Yet, even though a crunching sound couldn’t be heard, the tip of the Magic Halberd penetrates up to the Bone Knight’s back.
Moreover, the Destruction Spear’s Grand Pulse manifests.
The Destruction Spear’s Grand Pulse, which proceeds straight ahead while rotating, advances with a momentum that overtakes the <Darkness Drill> from the Magic Halberd’s tip.
In the instant the Destruction Spear’s Grand Pulse caught the Bone Knight’s torso, its left upper body half was gouged out.
“Guoooooo―”
The Bone Knight lost a part of its body in a flash.
It screams painfully while bending backwards and collapsing, effectively losing its battle prowess.
It’s half of its body, but just by its shout, it’s the true definition of The Monster.
The Destruction Spear’s Grand Pulse disappears after incapacitating the Bone Knight.
Yet, the real show starts after this.
I cancel <Blood Acceleration> and activate <Beginning of Dusk>.
In the twinkling of an eye, darkness spreads around me — a gloomy night that’s linked to my consciousness.
<Beginning of Dusk> expanded while squirming, apparently intruding on the labyrinth’s wasteland like the dark despair of the dead that creeps along the ground.
The fallen Bone Knight is engulfed — no, devoured — by the dark night’s dimensional field.
Darkness. I feel its power. The bottomless power of darkness…
The construction of a dimensional world, a world of pitch black darkness.
I laugh boisterously due to the power welling up within me, forcing me to let it all out.
“Ahahahaha, fuhahahaha―” (Shuuya)
I’m in high spirits and fully pumped up.
That’s the true power of a vampire.
Currently, my expression must be completely lunatic.
Oh well, whatever.
And then, I peer at the Bone Knight laying on the black ground.
Even without using any skills, I can clearly see within the darkness, noticing the trembling orange light in its eye sockets.
Somehow, it looks as if the lights have become smaller and dimmer.
Has the mind pollution already started taking effect?
Hmm, the opponent is a monster of the darkness as well.
It’s probably resisting.
Without any hesitation, I activate <Dusk’s Stake> against that bone bastard.
The <Dusk’s Stakes> that appeared from within the world of darkness raise the Bone Knight’s back into the sky with countless stakes penetrating its body and protruding out of its chest.
Hahahaha, now that’s a skewering, isn’t it? Should we have some barbecue? Though there wouldn’t be any meat…
However, I’m impressed by the guardian’s toughness and resilience.
Even while stabbed by <Dusk’s Stakes>, there’s still a faint, orange light dwelling in its eye sockets, barely hanging on to its dear life.
“There’s no doubt that you’re a tough one. But, it’s time to bid farewell―” (Shuuya)
I activate <Dark Dimension’s Blood Chain>, and like red meteors, countless blood chains appear from within the darkness world that’s linked to my consciousness, extending to reality.
Once the blood chains tear through the darkness world while repeatedly causing many glass-shattering-like sounds, I’m allowed to peek at the original labyrinth world. The change is amusing.
Of course, the Bone Knight is ripped apart by the blood chains and vanishes within the world of dark night, putting an end to its misery.
With that, my visual field completely reverted back to the usual labyrinth area.
Only one of the flamberges held by the Bone Knight is left laying on the ground…
There’s no magic stone. Well, I suppose it’s possible that everything will be swallowed up if an opponent is defeated by being dragged into the created dark dimension field.
I guess I will pick up that fallen sword. Something is better than nothing, after all.
If it’s Viine, Souther, or Manami, one of them might be able to use it. Otherwise, it’s also fine to sell it to the Second Prince.
I put the blue-shining sword into my item box, and then focus on the state of my friends.
They are still fighting in the vicinity of the treasure chest, with a great number of Dead Knights, Acid Bone Swordsmen, and Bone Casters left.
However, not a single Dead Monk survived their targeted onslaught.
As expected, they placed priority on defeating the monster type that chain-fired those frozen pebbles.
In a location slightly away from the treasure chest, Rollodeen, who resembles a black lion, is fighting.
Stabbing and defeating the Bone Casters and Acid Bone Swordsmen, which she had blown away with her tentacle bone swords, she bit and ate their bones, as if enjoying a hearty meal.
She sure has strong gums to be able to break those bones.
I guess I will also join the melee around the treasure chest and kill some monsters.
I won’t use <Beginning of Dusk>, though.
After all, it’s a technique of a True Ancestor Vampire and a bit of an overkill.
If I use <Dark Dimension’s Blood Chain>, the magic stones will be gone, too.
Let’s hold back on that for now.
Having said that, I will still use <Blood Acceleration>.
Going by my examination, this can be used at the same level as Magic Combat Steps.
If I use it properly once in a while, it will allow me to feint with subtle timings, mixing things up and confusing the foe.
It should definitely work well against formidable enemies.
While imagining such a tough opponent whom I haven’t seen yet,
“Everybody, I got rid of the guardian!” (Shuuya)
I yell and swing my Magic Halberd vertically after moving my body as if performing a sprinting long jump.
Boom. A Bone Caster is split in two by the red ax blade.
“Oooh.”
“―Nothing less of you, Master!”
While shifting the angle of my Magic Halberd by slightly changing the direction of my arm, I check everyone’s state.
There, the Acid Bone Swordsmen.
I move forward ― diagonally to the front and not just one or two steps ― and after accelerating, as if floating above the ground, towards a group of drifting Acid Bone Swordsmen,
I swing my halberd, and at the same time, I focus on my toes, performing a half rotation.
For an instant, I felt like I could see a wind that had transformed into a crimson gale in the space between the area where I had swung my Magic Halberd to the front.
Several Acid Bone Swordsmen were slaughtered all at once from that masterful strike.
Furthermore, just for caution’s sake, I shoot <Chain> from the <Chain Factor> on my left wrist.
While operating <Chain> that has extended far, I create a big shield for Rebecca and Fuu, who haven’t come forth as vanguards.
It might not have been necessary as the Burning Knights are standing in front of the magicians, but…
After that, I shifted completely into a mode of total annihilation.
As expected, Bia, who held a big shield while struggling at the front, was riddled with injuries.
However, Mamani and Souther toss healing potions to Bia while covering her so that she can use those.
Bia’s wounds heal immediately.
Moreover, Manami and Souther demonstrate magnificent moves.
They wield their weapons while crossing over to the left and right as necessary.
At the same time, they repeatedly advance and fall back while matching each other’s timing by maintaining slightly misaligned positions.
They are like a couple that has been married for many years, tap dancing to each other’s rhythm.
They defeat the Acid Bone Swordsmen and Dead Knights while simultaneously keeping them in check.
With nimble movements, Souther severs the right hand of an Acid Bone Knight while having her sword’s blade trace a trajectory similar to drawing a parabola.
Those are the movements of a skilled swordsman rather than those of an adventurer. So elegant and pleasing to watch.
She reliably kills Acid Bone Swordsmen while leading them around by the nose.
Eva, who’s in the rear also gets in on the action and makes a swarm of metallic needles, which are covered by her violet mana, crash into an Acid Bone Swordsman.
The monster ends up covered with needles like a hedgehog and collapses, never to rise up again.
Moreover, from a distance, Rebecca releases a fireball towards the group of Acid Bone Swordsmen surrounding Bia.
As a magician, Rebecca has a perceptive tactical insight, and she is assisting the vanguards in a timely manner.
She had been magnificent when she formed a party with me and my partner, but it’s obvious that her boasting about having good grades at the Magic Academy were no lies.
Viine steadily adds precise attacks as a rear archer.
Her mannerism as she readies her jade snake bow is graceful and transcendental.
Heh, I’d like her to wear archery attire (T/N: the Japanese one ofc).
Once a beam arrow pierces a Bone Caster, the target explodes into bits and pieces.
Next, a beam arrow strikes the nether region of another Bone Caster.
It has no balls, but its lower body half was blown off all the same.
And then she faces the last remaining Dead Knight and prepares herself.
Pulling back the laser bow string, her posture is stylish yet again.
Both her arms are clad in an aura.
A dark elf who readies a jade snake bow.
The emerald beam arrow unleashed by Viine flies in-between Souther and Manami, who are fencing the Dead Knight in by making use of their speed.
The bone horse, which carried the Dead Knight, was pierced by the arrow and crashes to the ground while neighing.
The Dead Knight also kisses the ground along with its mount.
The upper body half of the Dead Knight violently crashed on the floor and was pulverized due to the impact, but receiving concentrated fire from everyone, the Knight turned into bone scrap alongside its fallen bone horse.
―Alright.
Finally, all the monsters that had spawned around the treasure chest have been defeated.
“Yahooooooo!”
“They are dead!”
“Oooohh.”
“Naturally!”
“We did it!”
“Nyaoon.”
In high spirits, Rebecca and the slaves exchange high fives.
They appear extremely delighted.
Helme and Rollo are happy as well, but their celebratory behavior is the same as ever.
Even Eva makes her wheelchair transform.
“Nn, we did it.” (Eva)
She rejoices while advancing in her Segway-type wheelchair.
“―Master! We won!” (Viine)
Viine runs up next to me and lowers her head while genuflecting.
“Yeah, we sure did.” (Shuuya)
The Burning Knights approach us as well.
Everyone is safe and sound.
“Your Excellency, we played an active role in the beginning!”
“Us Burning Knights solely focused on defense at the end.”
“Aye, good work, you two.” (Shuuya)
The simple armor with a bra worn by Bia has become tattered, but…
“Your Excellency, the mission came to an end successfully.” (Helme)
“Yeah, it did. Helme, you fired plenty of spells, right? You’re tired, aren’t you?” (Shuuya)
“Yes. Therefore…” (Helme)
“Got it. Come here.” (Shuuya)
“Yes!” (Helme)
Helme transformed into her liquid state and settled into my left eye.
『Good job, I will give you some mana.』 (Shuuya)
It’s her reward for having done her best.
I pour a somewhat larger amount of mana than usual into Helme.
『Aahnn, I-I’m so happyyy.』 (Helme)
『Alright, I guess around this much should be fine.』 (Shuuya)
『T-Thank you very much.』 (Helme)
Helme’s voice was unusually high and passionate.
Now then, let’s inspect the contents of that treasure chest, which we have struggled so much for.
“I guess it’s locked?” (Shuuya)
“Master, do you want me to check?” (Viine)
Viine lifts her face and asks me.
“Please.” (Shuuya)
“Yes!” (Viine)
Viine approaches the treasure chest, which is sparkling with a golden color.
“Nyaa.”
Rollo-san chases after Viine.
“Master, we’ll collect the magic stones and raw materials.” (Mamani)
Mamani said something like that, seemingly intending to represent the slaves.
“Understood.” (Shuuya)
The slaves each hold a big bag and follow Manami.
They went to collect the magic stones and monster remains.
What a thoughtful bunch.
“Master, I disarmed the traps and also opened the lock.” (Viine)
Oohh, you rock, Viine!
It took a bit longer than with the silver treasure chest the other day, but to disarm the traps and unlock the treasure chest — I’m sure of it — she possesses a magnificent lock-picking skill.
It’s the knowledge how to disarm traps, or rather her skillfulness, yet I’m pretty sure that her lock-picking skill is so great exactly because her basic abilities are a cut above others.
I also head over to the big treasure chest while musing over the matter.
“Nn.”
Rollo presses her cheek against the treasure chest and rubs it.
“Rollo, step aside as I’m going to open it.” (Shuuya)
“Nyao.”
Rollo purred and stopped leaving an odor mark behind.
“You did well, Viine.” (Shuuya)
Bending a knee next to the treasure chest, I give Viine my gratitude.
“Yes! I’m happy that I could be useful to you, Master!” (Viine)
Viine lifts her face and looks at me gently from below her silver faceguard.
“Wow. I watched how you disarmed the traps and opened the lock, and I must say, you’re really excellent.” (Rebecca)
Rebecca praised Viine’s ability.
“Thank you. I’m reasonably experienced in lock-picking and trap removal.” (Viine)
“Experienced, huh?” (Rebecca)
“Nn, Viine, excellent.” (Eva)
Eva also comes up next to the treasure chest and praises Viine.
By now, her look is not the one that urged me before to be cautious of Viine after reading her mind anymore.
I think she’s opening up her heart to her.
“Very well. The lock is open, so I guess we should open it.” (Shuuya)
“What are you even saying? That’s only natural.” (Rebecca)
“Nn, naturally.” (Eva)
“Yes!” (Viine)
Now that I received permission from the three beauties, I guess I should open it already.
I grab the lid of the big treasure chest.
As I do so, Rebecca muttered, “I think I’m about to get a nosebleed,” in a whisper from behind, but let’s pretend not to have heard anything.
―I open the heavy, golden top.
At once, my eyes are dazzled by various items shining with a glaring mana light.
Yeah, yeah, yeaaaah, it’s here!
A huge object. I will postpone this for now…
Well, let’s check it out without getting flustered, starting from the weapons first?
Two blue, matching longswords in scabbards; a big, black shamshir in a red grape colored scabbard; a large disk weapon similar to a shuriken with a black chain attached to it; a two-handed ax with black ripples; a short spear and a dagger with yellow blades; a long wand with an embedded dark red magic gem; a short wand with an embedded dark ochre magic gem; a bundle of steel arrows that are tinged with a black luster; and for some reason, a farmer’s fork.
Let’s look at the armor pieces now.
A big square shield, a small round shield, a straw hat, a half plate armor with black magic letters engraved, a chain mail with a faintly yellow glow, a three-parted one-piece made out of silver threads, a light blue dress for children, several shell-like hair ornaments, ten sets of shell swimsuits, a pearl necklace, a bracelet with embedded black and white magic gems, earrings, a helmet like those worn by Roman soldiers, a face guard and a collar like those worn by Warring States Commanders, and an iron-plate-like thigh guard.
Following, a new, enciphered magic treasure map, a chest strap with a big pocket, two small pouches with strings attached, a fishing rod, some jewels, gold bars, silver bars, and a great number of deep green and black steel ingots.
Next, a bonsai-like flower pot that has no obvious reason to be here and a big frame where one can affix paintings. I understand the frame since I have seen magic painters, but as for the flower pot…
And, what stands out the most in a certain sense, a medium-sized and a small refrigerator.
Just as the ones at the prince’s place.
The treasure chest’s size is huge as well, but even then, this refrigerator is fairly big.
Oh well, it’s a golden chest, so I suppose anything goes.
However, from their appearance, they are quite different from the refrigerators I know of.
They have a spot where you can install a magic stone, and rugged, depressed dints like the surface of a rock.
Given that I can’t sense eerie mana from any of the items, I conclude that there are no cursed items.
The purpose of the potted plant is dubious, but… oh well, whatever.
As I’m deeply deliberating about my impressions after opening the treasure chest, my friends patiently wait behind me.
“Huh? You won’t look?” (Shuuya)
I turn around to the three and ask.
“Ah, yeah, we thought you’d first like to have a careful inspection by yourself or something like that.” (Rebecca)
“―I will look.” (Eva)
After simply saying so, Eva lays her hands on the golden chest and peeks inside.
“Ah! Eva! How sneaky!” (Rebecca)
A little bit after Eva, Rebecca also thrusts her face into the golden chest.
“Then me too.” (Viine)
Viine tries to approach the chest while looking indifferent.
“Waah…” (Rebecca)
“Nn, amazing…” (Eva)
“T-This is…” (Viine)
Yeah, I get you.
The amount and quality is no match compared to the time with the silver chest. It’s on a whole different level.
“Isn’t there another magic treasure map? A golden chest is too awesome.” (Rebecca)
“Nn, we won’t know unless we get an appraisal.” (Eva)
“Yes. It’s as Eva-sama says. It depends on the appraisal, but since it’s from a golden chest, the possibility of it being a dead map is high.” (Viine)
“That’s slightly regrettable. Still, we will get it appraised, right?” (Rebecca)
Rebecca asks me.
“Yeah, I don’t know whether we will have it done right away, but well, I think sooner or later, we will.” (Shuuya)
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