Chapter 15 - What Lurks in the Darkness
「I'll help you now!」
Serina was about to run in, so I stopped her.
「Wait! Don't go, Serina. We have to get ready first.」
「But!」
A black flame was blown down there. Even though it wasn't a direct hit, the wind was hot as if it was burning.
My HP bar was quickly dwindling, and this means I'm taking damage.
My flame resistance isn't working, huh?
「Kyaaa!」
「Serina! This way! Get in here and close the door. Hurry up!」
I bent down and grabbed her hand, dragging her back inside. Jouga, Luka and the others hurriedly closed the door.
「Damn it, Fianna, help me to recover Serina. She's badly injured.」
I said as I sprinkled a potion on myself.
「Y-Yes!」
「Ouch, I'm burned too. It's not funny that I was damaged by the wind alone, even though I was so far away.」
Jouga said, looking at his hands, which were black and sooty.
「That was a dragon's breath, wasn't it? It was too dark to see.」
As Saki says, but I could see three claws, so I'm pretty sure it was a dragon. It was pretty big. It was smaller than the Red Dragon, but those flames and claws were a threat.
「U-um, what about Gallard-san?」
Thalia asked me anxiously, and I shook my head.
「He couldn't be saved.」
「No way!」
「The leader protected us. I can't believe It's such a strong enemy. ...... One blow took out Pedwick too.」
「It's a far cry from the enemies we've faced so far. The speed, the power, but then, suddenly, such a ......」
Gallard squad slumped to the spot, stunned.
Even the front boss is like this?
It's not just a matter of defeating them, the top rankers couldn't last more than a minute.
It was unstoppable.
Five hundred years ago, the first king must have seen it and judged it so at once. And he left a warning.
I thought the first king would have fought with the boss a few times and then given up.
But he didn't.
I guess that's why he didn't leave any information about the boss.
There's no point in leaving it behind.
『Even level 49 is no match for this place. Know that survival is the true treasure』
It was exactly as he said.
「Haha, it's impossible. My attacks didn't hit anything. The sword also cut through the air. What was going on with its body?」
The warrior said, looking at his sword.
「Yeah. I thought I hit it just in time, but I got no response at all. It may have been an illusion.」
「But Pedwick was blown away by its claws, right?」
「Yeah, that's right. So maybe it's only real when it attacks .......」
「That's absurd. How do you explain the flames? They're real, too.」
「Yeah, it's real, but ...... perhaps it's a magical body. It's pure magic power spitting straight out of its body. It's a terrifying amount of magic. ......」
Gallard's squad speaks with a look of disbelief at what they saw. ...... This is going to be tough on that dragon, even with a decent slash.
How can an attack be ineffective and a defense be ineffective?
「Has anyone done an appraisal it?」
I asked.
「I appraised it, but even the name was blocked from view. If I had to name it, I'd say it's a Dark Dragon.」
The magician said.
「Excuse me! Please open this door. If Gallard-san is just lying down, we need to help him recover.」
Thalia says in front of the door, but her companions just look at her and don't get up.
「We have to help him quickly! Are you saying you're going to abandon your leader! After all the help he's given us!」
「It's impossible, Thalia. If we open the door and go in, whoever it is will die. Gallard-san is already ......」
「Just open it, please! Just open it!」
「Calm down, Thalia. We'll go next. But only if we're ready. You and Saki will pull Gallard and bring him here. If he's only unconscious, he'll be saved if we're get lucky.」
I couldn't believe that Gallard was still alive, but I said that to appease Thalia.
「I-I understand.」
「I'm not going in there. I'm definitely not going in.」
「Yeah, you don't have to go in, Lily, just wait here with the potion. Letty, can you open and close the door with that golem?」
「Sure, I can. ――Come on, Summon! Stone Golem R!」
「And cast a magic barrier spell as well if you have one.」
「I got it. I'll put a weapon enhancement on it too.」
「A-Are you out of your mind? You shouldn't do that. Even we couldn't do anything about it.」
The magician from Gallard's squad says in dismay.
「Well, if not work, we'll be right back. Fianna, have you finished healing?」
「Yes, but it looks like this wound is not going to heal quickly.」
「I'll take what I can get. And you're going to stay here.」
「But ......」
「Stay here. We'll be in trouble without a healer. Besides, Alec's not gonna clear it in one go. Isn't that right?」
That's what Serina says, but she's right.
「Yeah. We'll try a few moves first. If we can beat it, then we're good, but we'll have to go at it a few times.」
「I understand. I'll wait here.」
「And, Arnett, you're going to have to stay here for a little while longer. When Thalia comes back, bring her back.」
「I understand.」
Now, as for our defenses against it.
The magicians in Gallard's squad have deduced that it's a "magical body."
Then magic defense is more important than physical defense.
I'll use my skills here.
【Magic resistance UP Lv5】
「I'll share the skill points with you guys, so get as many skills as you can to resist the magic power.」
As you can see, with 14 people, there aren't enough points to max them all out. Lily and Fianna are not going to be inside, so those two will be fine without them.
It would be a shame to have the virgin Thalia die right here, so I'll give her some points.
「Very well, Master!」
「Thanks, Alec.」
「I'm so proud of you, brother!」
「You're going to share it....Ah! M-my points are increasing like crazy!?」
Thalia rolls her eyes when she sees her skill points, well, she'd be freaked out if one level up and less than 30 points suddenly increased by 5,000.
「Thalia, that's a trade secret, don't tell anyone.」
Saki said, holding up her index finger.
「I-I understand.」
「Did all of you get it?」
「I got it!」
「I got it.」
「All right.」
「Okay, then, let's go.」
I leave the door open by the golem and proceed to the hall over there..
The hall is dimly lit, and I can only dimly see the floor nearby, but nothing at the edges.
「Gallard-san!」
Thalia spots Gallard's corpse a little ahead of her and starts running, but, well, I can't help it. He's someone she admires, and he's her leader.
「Time to leave it to me! Five seconds, give me!」
Saki says as she pulls out a hooked rope.
「Okay, we'll hold on for five seconds. Spread out!」
I'll lead the party and have them spread out and stand. With the light-weaver weapon enhancement magic that Letty had cast on me, I was able to use my sword as a torch.
The dragon is still not in sight.
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