CH ss - 2

Once inside, they were relieved to realize that it wasn’t pitch black but dimly lit.

“It’s brighter than I thought.”

“Yeah, I expected it to be darker.”

Asakura and Shinonome’s comments were answered by Marvelle.

“It’s because some of the stones composing the walls and ceiling can emit light. Look at the stones over there and you’ll see.”

Asakura and the others looked in the direction Marvelle pointed at and were convinced.

“I see, so that’s where the light comes from.”

“This new world is so interesting!”

The dungeon was shaped like a maze: each path had many twists and turns. The path also split many times, so they never met any of the other parties who entered the dungeon before or after them.

For a while, they could proceed without encountering any monsters, but suddenly Glifas and Marvelle told the party to stop.

“What’s wrong?”

“Monsters are coming. Prepare for battle.”

Glifas quickly replied to Tendo’s question.

Tendo and the others, feeling their nerves tingling, prepared to fight.

Tendo, Mogami, and Shinonome were at the front, with Ichinomiya and Asakura in the rear. Glifas and Marvelle stood behind them: they would join in only in case it was absolutely necessary.

All members readied their weapons, ready to fight. After about 30 seconds, three wolf-like monsters appeared at the other end of the corridor.

“Those monsters are called Greywulf. They’re very agile and fight in coordinated packs, be careful!”

Following Glifas’ words, Tendo and the others attacked first.

Tendo drew his holy sword, Shinonome her sword, Mogami raised his fists equipped with gauntlets as they ran towards the Greywulfs.

Holy swords were swords blessed with the power to inflict additional damage to monsters, demons, and the like.

Tendo’s holy sword, a Legend-grade sword named Mistilteinn, was a very powerful sword that granted the user three abilities: “Holy Magic”, which had destructive effects on monsters, a “Barrier” with strength depending on the user’s magic power and “Invincibility” available for 30 seconds a day.

Since it could only be wielded by someone with compatible magic power, it had been locked away in the castle’s storage for years, but when Tendo’s holy sword wielder ability was discovered, they quickly withdrew it out for him to use.

The other heroes too received high-grade weapons, but this holy sword was a cut above the rest.

Tendo was thus rushing towards the Greywulfs with a formidable weapon in hand.

He quickly swung his sword, but the monsters dodged it easily.

Shinonome managed to slice one, but could only inflict a light wound.

Mogami was the only one to strike a direct hit, but he couldn’t inflict fatal damage either.

The three fighters stepped backwards, each facing one Greywulf.

The deadlock was eventually broken by Ichinomiya’s clear voice.

“Everyone, close your eyes just one second! I’ll blind them!”

Tendo and the others instinctively complied and Ichinomiya activated a magic spell.

“ —Flash!!”

Even if they had their backs to the light source and their eyes closed, Tendo and the others still perceived a dazzlingly bright light. The Greywulfs caught the full brunt of the light, rendering them unable to move.

Taking advantage of such an opening, Asakura cast the spell she had prepared.

“Fireball!!”

The fireball shot by Asakura flew towards one of the Greywulfs, striking it cleanly and causing damage.

At the same time, Tendo and Shinonome approached the two other Greywulfs and cut off their heads.

The Greywulf damaged by the fireball was still faltering when Mogami finished it off.

The battle thus ended: Glifas and Marvelle waited for the group to calm down a bit, then approached them.

“Well done. For your first battle, it was simply excellent.”

“I agree with Glifas. You worked together very well too. But if you don’t pay more attention to your surroundings when you move you might put yourself or your companions in danger. Be careful.”

“Yes ma’am!!!”

Tendo and the others replied in unison.

They thus proceeded briskly towards the depths of the dungeon.

~

One week passed since the heroes entered their first dungeon.

Tendo’s party, under the protection of Glifas and Marvelle, was the first to reach the boss chamber in the bottom floor of the dungeon.

“So the boss is here?”

“So it looks like…oh yes, let’s check our status before going in.”

Tendo nodded to Mogami, then proposed they should check their status to verify their fighting abilities, so they all displayed it.

Thanks to going back and forth between the capital and the dungeon for one week, the party’s stats had increased exponentially.

<table>NAME : Tendo Koji LEVEL : 43 AGE : 17</tbody></table>

<table>SPECIES : Human (Otherworlder) GIFT : Holy Sword User (Ability to wield all holy swords. Sword Arts and Light Magic levels increase more easily) SKILLS : Sword Arts LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Fire Magic LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Water Magic LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Wind Magic LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Earth Magic LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Light Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Growth</tbody></table>

<table>Detect Presence</tbody></table>

<table>Ground Shrink LV 1</tbody></table>

<table>Physical Boost LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Appraisal</tbody></table>

<table>Language Comprehension TITLES : Otherworlder</tbody></table>

<table>Hero</tbody></table>

<table>Holy Sword User</tbody></table>

The other four members’ statuses were displayed too.

<table>NAME : Ichinomiya Suzuno LEVEL : 38 AGE : 17 SPECIES : Human (Otherworlder) GIFT : Holy One (Ability to use holy magic. Light magic and recovery magic levels increase more easily) SKILLS : Light Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Recovery Magic LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Holy Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Physical Boost LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Appraisal</tbody></table>

<table>Language Comprehension TITLES : Otherworlder</tbody></table>

<table>Hero</tbody></table>NAME : Mogami Shinya LEVEL : 39 AGE : 17 SPECIES : Human (Otherworlder) GIFT : Diamond Force (Gains “Might”. Barehanded Arts, and Physical Boost levels increase more easily) SKILLS : Barehanded Arts LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Earth Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Might LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Physical Boost LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Tenacity LV 2</tbody></table>

<table>Appraisal</tbody></table>

<table>Language Comprehension TITLES : Otherworlder</tbody></table>

<table>Hero</tbody></table>NAME : Shinonome Aoi LEVEL : 40 AGE : 17 SPECIES : Human (Otherworlder) GIFT : Master of the Blade (Acquires sword and katana-related skills more easily; The same skills’ levels increase more easily) SKILLS : Sword Arts LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Katana Arts LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Lightning Magic LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Physical Boost LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Quickdraw Arts LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Ground Shrink LV 1</tbody></table>

<table>Flying Slash LV 2</tbody></table>

<table>Detect Presence</tbody></table>

<table>Appraisal</tbody></table>

<table>Language Comprehension TITLES : Otherworlder</tbody></table>

<table>Hero</tbody></table>NAME : Asakura Natsuki LEVEL : 38 AGE : 17 SPECIES : Human (Otherworlder) GIFT : Blessed by Nature (Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water magic levels increase more easily) SKILLS : Fire Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Wind Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Earth Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Water Magic LV 4</tbody></table>

<table>Physical Boost LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Appraisal</tbody></table>

<table>Language Comprehension TITLES : Otherworlder</tbody></table>

<table>Hero</tbody></table>

Thanks to their Gifts, the skills they were best at had leveled up considerably.

Tendo’s Growth skill also helped him raise his level more than his companions.

Their levels were not low at all, though: leveling up so much in just one week was a very rare feat.

After checking their statuses, the party got into formation and opened the door to the boss chamber.

The door opened slowly and heavily, revealing a monster lying in wait in the room beyond.

The monster was called Minotauros.

A half-bull, half-human monster, with a man’s body and a bull’s head.

Its massive body measured over three metols and it carried a large battleaxe, roughly the same height as the boss.

Tendo immediately used Appraisal to check their enemy’s strength.

<table>NAME : Minotauros LEVEL : 41 SKILLS : Axe Arts LV 5</tbody></table>

<table>Lightning Magic LV 3</tbody></table>

<table>Physical Boost LV 2</tbody></table>

<table>Might LV 4 TITLES : Maze Boss</tbody></table>

“It’s got many skills but the level is nothing special, it’ll be a piece of cake for us!”

Mogami was feeling very gung-ho about the fight, but Glifas admonished them.

“Don’t let your guard down. That monster isn’t just tall— ”

“Glifas! This is a test for Sir Tendo and his party. No need to say anything.”

Marvelle interrupted Glifas in a strict tone unusual for her.

“Mmh, you’re right. I’m sorry, Marvelle…stay on your toes, everybody.”

Glifas scratched his head and gave the group a final warning, then the two instructors moved to a corner of the room, in full spectator mode.

Tendo and the others took his advice to heart and readied their weapons, while carefully observing the enemy.

Their battle against the Minotauros thus started.

The first attack came from the rear guard, Ichinomiya, and Asakura.

“Light Arrow!”

“Fire Arrow!”

Both of them used basic grade magic spells.

Their spells targeted the Minotauros’ face but were both easily neutralized by the monster’s battleaxe.

Tendo and Mogami used the opening to get closer.

Tendo’s holy sword was blocked by the battleaxe.

Mogami, however, managed to step in closer to the Minotauros, stomped the ground powerfully, and released a right straight into the monster’s sides.

A low rumbling sound resounded throughout the room, accompanied by a painful howl from the Minotauros.

The monster was forced one step backward. Behind him, Shinonome took the opening created by her four companions’ attacks and activated the Flying Slash skill.

The slash struck the Minotauros cleanly but only caused a light wound, probably due to the monster’s thick hide.

Enraged, the bull monster howled and swung its battleaxe towards Shinonome.

“Waah!!”

She managed to parry the attack with her sword, but couldn’t endure the strike and was blown away.

She was sent crashing against the wall, then knelt down in pain.

“Aoi!?”

Ichinomiya noticed her and immediately pointed her palms in her direction, casting a recovery spell.

“…Heal!”

Shinonome’s body glowed in a faint light as the pain left her body.

“Thank you, Suzuno! I was caught off guard there, but I’m okay now!”

Shinonome stood back up and joined Tendo and Mogami in their position.

The front line trio was thus reunited; they took a compact formation, staying side by side, and faced the Minotauros.

The staredown continued for some time: eventually, Tendo looked over his shoulder and nodded to Ichinomiya and Asakura.

Tendo then turned towards the Minotauros and made exaggerated motions with his sword, as if he was ready to attack. The monster noticed it and focused its attention on Tendo — that very instant, the rear guard’s magic spells struck its face.

Despite its confusion, the monster swung down its battleaxe.

Shinonome took the chance to move, with cool composure.

“Shinonome style, first strike…Flowing Blade!”

Shinonome’s sword deftly dodged the battleaxe as she slipped close to the Minotauros and sliced its defenseless torso in a rising slash.

The Minotauros’ soft belly was cut open, forcing the monster to drop its battleaxe as it stumbled one, two steps backward.

Mogami, who had circled behind the monster’s back, used that opportunity to cast magic.

“ —Earth Ball!”

As Mogami pronounced the name of the spell, an earthen ball about 10 cm wide appeared before him.

Mogami then activated the “Might” skill, to boost his offensive power, and punched the ball.

The earth projectile flew at incredible speed and struck the Minotauros right where Shinonome had wounded it, making the monster wail in pain.

“Light Arrow!”

“Fire Arrow!”

Ichinomiya and Asakura followed immediately with their spells, and the Minotauros finally stopped moving.

“Go, now!!”

Shinonome, Mogami, Ichinomiya and Asakura all spoke in unison.

“Thank you, everyone! Mistilteinn, give me power..!”

Tendo had let the other four in charge of the offensive while he molded his magic power: now, after calling his holy sword’s name, he rushed towards the Minotauros.

The holy sword emitted a stronger glow, as if answering his call.

Tendo was right next to the Minotauros the very instant the sword’s glow reached its apex, then shouted.

“Sacred Judgement!!”

The sword, infused with a high-grade holy magic spell, cut through the Minotauros without mercy: because of the spell’s effects, the beast’s body vanished into thin air.

After a moment of complete silence, the five heroes cheered loudly.

“We did it!!!”

Glifas and Marvelle praised the overjoyed party by clapping.

“Well done, everybody. Your teamwork was really good too.”

“Congratulations, you have cleared your first dungeon. You cooperated splendidly…the final attack was especially impressive.”

Tendo blushed and scratched his cheek.

“Thank you very much. But I still can’t use this sword to the fullest, so I am going to train more.”

“Being humble is a commendable trait, but you have reason to be happy today! Let’s see, let me treat you all to something nice once we’re back in the capital!”

Glifas grinned and the heroes cheered even louder.