Step, step—
"Something is wrong...."
Meanwhile, the party was traversing the caves of the 25th floor. Led by Aisha, they continued their steady advance through the damp darkness.
Vrrr—
"The air is turbulent."
"Aisha-sama, what could it be...."
At that moment, an unsettling presence began to seep from the numerous forks in the cave. Aisha immediately halted her pace, dropping into a low combat stance. Mikoto reacted instantly, activating her detection skill.
Twitch—!
"!!"
Her ominous intuition was correct. Mikoto sensed a deluge of presences closing in on them from all sides.
Skitter, skitter—!!!
"[Blue Crabs]....!!"
"There are too many! Use the Magic Swords!"
Thump—!!!
Emerging from the abyssal shadows of the cave, dozens of [Blue Crabs] charged toward them, the sound of their many legs echoing like a rhythmic drumbeat of death. Then, another threatening sound rumbled from behind.
"....!! They're coming from behind as well!"
"What!?"
Thump—!!
"They're coming from the left!!"
"And the right!!"
Dozens of [Blue Crabs] converged on the party from every direction. Trapped in a clear pincer maneuver, the group fell into momentary disarray.
"What is this?"
"How is this happening?"
"Dammit....!"
As Dormul and Luvis voiced their confusion, Aisha spat out a harsh curse.
Thump—!!
Thump—!!
"""!!"""
—!!!!!!!!!
Lurking behind the charging swarm of [Blue Crabs] was the culprit: the Enhanced Species.
The creature pursued the crabs, tearing apart any that slowed down, effectively herding the other monsters toward the adventurers like a cruel shepherd.
"Don't make me laugh....!"
Thump—!!
"A monster is executing a [Pass Parade]!!"
The sudden ambush by the Enhanced Species far exceeded their tactical projections.
Thump—!! Thump—!! Thump—!!
"I'm scared...."
The shockwaves of the battle were so immense they reached Bell, Marie, and Akumo deeper in the cave.
".....Marie, listen to me."
Rumble—!!
"I have to defeat that [Moss Huge]."
Grrrr—!!
"So, I need your help."
Unlike Marie, who trembled at the vibrations and sounds of slaughter, Bell's resolve only hardened. He knew he had to go, and he requested her aid once more.
"No, it's scary.... Bell, you'll disappear...."
"I won't be defeated. I'm going to take that monster down...!"
"If things go south, I'm here. Though, I won't intervene unless you truly wish it," Akumo added, his voice a calm anchor in the storm.
"....."
Even with Akumo's assurance, Marie's anxiety did not easily subside.
Bell looked at her, realizing he needed to convince her not just with words, but with the weight of his own growth as an adventurer.
Reach—!
"Trust me, Marie."
"I won't let you feel this fear anymore."
"So please, lend me your strength."
Bell's eyes burned with a fierce determination to slay the beast. For his comrades, and for Marie, he made his vow.
"Bell, really? .....Bell, you won't get hurt?"
"Yeah, I won't."
"You'll get rid of the scary thing?"
"I will definitely defeat it."
"Really?"
"I promise."
Marie hesitated. She feared that Bell would vanish before the monster she had witnessed—that he would leave her and never return. But...
"..."
Squeeze—!!
Closing her eyes tight, Marie finally made her choice.
Splash—!
"Marie?"
"It's fine. Marie is making her own resolve," Akumo said.
Burst—!!
Just as Akumo suggested, Marie had organized her thoughts underwater. She emerged with her determination fully set.
"Okay! I'll take Bell there!"
Inhale—!
"Huuu...."
To guide Bell and find the path, she took a massive breath and opened her eyes wide.
"Laaa~♪!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
""!!""
An incredible melody erupted from her lips, possessing such immense volume that it felt as if it resonated through the entire floor. Both Akumo and Bell were stunned by the sheer power of her voice.
Woooong—!!!!!!!!!!
The voice, echoing to the furthest reaches of the cave, successfully caught a response.
"This is...?"
"I found it!"
Point—!
"Over there! Someone more grown-up than me is telling me the way!"
"..."
'Did she charm other monsters with her song....!?'
Bell was amazed by her ability. Marie immediately began moving through the water, and Akumo followed suit.
"Let's go, Bell!"
"Yeah, let's go!"
Splash—!!
"I'll accompany you for now."
"Yes! Akumo-san."
As Marie led Akumo and Bell toward the battlefield where the Enhanced Species lurked...
"This is impossible! A monster is using a [Pass Parade]!!"
Dash—!!
"Don't make me laugh! This isn't even a funny joke!"
Sprint—!!!
The party, horrified by the [Pass Parade] orchestrated by the Moss Huge, began to retreat. Behind them, a tide of [Blue Crabs] and other monsters, led by the Enhanced Species, gave chase.
"If we hesitate, we'll be overrun!"
"Just run!!"
Dash—!!!
Aisha, equally flustered by the unprecedented situation, could only order a retreat. Everyone pushed their stamina to the absolute limit.
"My legs feel like they're going to tangle....!"
"You slow-moving fool! Run faster!"
"You've got a lot of nerve for someone being carried!!!"
Dash—!!!!
Dormul was struggling under the weight, while Luvis, whom he was carrying, offered 'encouragement' that only added to the tension of the situation.
Aisha racked her brain for a way to break the deadlock.
'If we use Haruhime's [Level Boost], we can manage somehow.... but the problem is that Enhanced Species!'
Dash—!!!
'It's still too early!'
—Kieeeek!!!!
"Out of my way!!!!!!!!"
Crackle—!!!!!!!!!!!!
Welf's Magic Sword roared, incinerating the monsters blocking their path. However...
Shatter—!
"!!"
'The durability....'
The Magic Sword finally reached its limit and crumbled. Their primary means of wide-range crowd control was gone.
Rumble—!!!!!!!
"Dammit....!"
'I have to save the fire Magic Sword for the Enhanced Species, and the [Level Boost] as well...'
"I guess we have to carve our way through with pure grit!!"
Schwing—!
Welf analyzed the dire situation with cold precision. He drew his greatsword, deciding to pour everything into the fray. Ouka, sharing his sentiment, gripped his axe tightly.
"Let's go, Blacksmith!"
"Right!"
Grip—!!
"I'll take on as many as you can throw at me!!!!"
"Bell, this way!"
Splash—!!!
"A lot of monsters are heading toward Bell's friends!"
Bell and Akumo were moving rapidly toward the battlefield under Marie's guidance.
Dash—!!
"Is that [Moss Huge] there too?"
"Yeah, it is!"
Rumble—!!!
""!!""
Boom—!!!!
Suddenly, a massive fish-like monster, an 'Aqua Serpent,' erupted from the water.
It looked ready to crush Marie and Bell under its gargantuan weight.
Slice—!!!
"....!"
'In a single stroke...!!'
"Bell, this way! This way!"
Akumo had surgically bisected the serpent with his bare hand, continuing forward with Marie as if it were a minor inconvenience. Bell, stunned but having no time to process it, kept running.
Dash—!!
"This is...!"
"The waterway ends here."
Step—!
".....What will you do?"
They had reached the end of the navigable water.
"I promised.... that I'd go with you...."
"I can't go further from here....."
Even though she couldn't stop Bell, Marie wanted to guide them to the very end and face the danger alongside them.
"....."
'I need Marie to guide us....'
".....As I thought, I can't."
'It's too dangerous for Marie. No matter how much we need a guide—'
"Catch!!"
"!?"
Thud—!!
As if deciding that Bell's internal debate was a waste of time, Akumo simply snatched Marie up and tossed her into Bell's arms.
"There. Problem solved. I'll handle the escorting!"
".....Marie, I'm sorry!!"
Dash—!!!!!!!!!
Unable to set Marie down, Bell sprinted along the walls alongside Akumo. He worried that she might be terrified, but...
"Wow~ Bell, you're so fast~"
"If it's like this, then maybe..."
"I've never done this before!"
Cling—!
"!?"
"This is fun~!!"
Marie was actually enjoying herself, clinging to Bell. The sensation of her soft skin and her rubbing her cheek against him dealt a massive blow to Bell's composure.
"Aaaah//// Please don't cling so tight....!!!"
"Ahahaha!! Even in this situation, you're doing a comedy routine~!!!"
"We will repel the monsters here."
After breaking through the tunnels, the party finally reached a strategic point.
"There's no risk of attacks from the waterways, and we can scan the surroundings."
"We'll lure them in and burn them all at once with a Magic Sword."
Lili judged the overall situation. Unless reinforcements arrived, they would eventually be ground down by attrition.
She decided to use Welf's Magic Sword as the centerpiece of their counterattack.
"Can the Magic Sword hold out?"
"Running will only make things worse. We have to thin their numbers now."
Skitter, skitter—!!!!!!!!
"They're coming, Welf-sama!"
"I know!"
Schwing—!
Agreeing with Lili, Welf drew the trump card Magic Sword from his back.
"[Kouga]!!!!!!!!!!"
Fwoosh—!!!!!!!!!
To save everyone and wipe out the enemies before him, he released the sword's true name. He swung it down toward the dozens of approaching monsters, and a massive wave of flames engulfed them.
Rumble—!!!!!!!!
"What incredible heat...!"
"It is almost like [Gram] itself..."
Twitch—!
"Watch out!!"
But then, misfortune struck.
Skitter—!!!!
Thump—!!
"A mass monster spawn here...!?"
"A [Monster Party]....!"
The monsters they had just thinned out were replenished in an instant. If they relied solely on Magic Swords now, they would have nothing left to fight the Enhanced Species. Aisha made her decision.
Schwing—!
"You lot! Don't you dare speak a word of what you're about to see once we're outside."
"....!! In this dire situation—"
"Can you keep your mouths shut!!"
"....We will!"
After ensuring their silence, Aisha signaled Haruhime, authorizing the use of her magic.
"Form a defensive circle around Haruhime-sama! Hold the line!"
Rumble—!!!!
The cave shook as a horde of monsters charged toward them. Despite the terrifying sight, Haruhime simply trusted her comrades and prepared her spell.
"I'm starting!"
Shuuuu—!!!
It was a new magic she had acquired through a Grimoire provided by Aisha before the expedition began.
"[Kokonoe]!!!!!!!"
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 153
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T