Chapter 117: Lake Veles (15)
Chapter 117: Lake Veles (15)
Spirits are sensitive to magic power.
To be precise, it is sensitive to the magic power used by the Demon King's army.
Spirits are sensitive to the magic power of the Demon King Army, to the extent that I have seen spirits that ignore the Spirit Master's instructions and go to fight the Demon King Army.
Even though other races cannot distinguish between the magic power they use and the magic power of the Demon King's army.
And he hates the Demon Lord's magic power. He hates even ordinary elemental magic so much that when used against the Demon Lord's army, a guidance function is added.
I don't know why. It might be a racial trait of the spirit.
Anyway, the important thing is that the spirit can sense the devil's army.
Asil is half human and half spirit, so he probably has half of the characteristics of a spirit.
Therefore...
"Are you saying this is the right place?"
"No, I don't know if there are fishmen. It's just that it feels strange."
"What does it feel like?"
"Uhm... How should I say this... "
Asil crossed his arms, pondered, and opened his mouth with difficulty.
"Well, didn't I mention that it smelled sweet the first day I came here?"
"Did you say something like that?"
It's already been a few days.
If I go back to my vague memories, it doesn't seem like the atmosphere was particularly serious, but I can't remember everything, even the conversation that seemed like a daily routine.
"At that time, Soira, you said you smelled like dessert."
"Dessert... Ah. Okay. "I think that's what he said."
"I think it smells like the sweet smell I smelled back then."
"But other than then, you've never said you smell sweet, right?"
"I did, but now that I'm here, I'm in charge again. Does it become stronger as it gets closer?"
Flora's voice interrupted us as we were talking about whatever came to mind.
"You know, Soira. "We're almost there."
"Oh. Thank you."
"Thank you, Flora."
We were approaching the cave on the cliff using Flora's flight magic.
This is because it was in a location that was difficult to reach on foot.
If you are willing to swim, you may be able to go there, but the water is the territory of the fish people. In most cases, it would be better not to approach.
Even for Flora, it was difficult to make all three fly at the same time, so even though they flew at a crawling speed, they were able to land safely at the cave entrance.
"Ruler. It's not confirmed yet, but I'm moving thinking that there's an enemy here. "Understand, right?"
Instead of the usual small talk, Asil and Flora nodded seriously at what they said as the party leader.
"Yes."
"Okay."
After confirming that the two were listening properly, he continued.
"I stand in the front, Flora stands in the middle, and Asil stands behind me. If a battle breaks out, I will protect Flora, so Asil steps forward. Also... "
After this, I wanted to give a long list of precautions, but I could see that Asil and Flora's gaze was becoming increasingly boring, so I cut it off.
Finally, after briefly checking the equipment, I entered the cave.
◆
We were lucky.
"Asil! Five at 2 o'clock!"
"Okay!"
The first place I pointed to was exactly right.
Just like in the Erotic Trap Dungeon, Asil, who has combined with Salamander and created a flame, aggressively charges at the fishman.
As if the prediction that the fishermen on the white sand beach where bait was correct, the equipment the fishermen met here were different.
The spear, which was so old and unsightly that one could be confused whether it was a spear or a skewer, became a real spear over 1 m long, and it was also wearing armor made of woven scales of something.
The fishmen all hurled their spears at Asil, who was running with great momentum.
If you run straight ahead, it's a perfect situation to become a skewer.
– Pow!
However, Asil shot a small flame at her feet, causing an explosion, and at the same time used the impact of the explosion to jump over the tip of her spear.
A new technology that utilizes Asil's deceptive characteristic, which makes it almost invincible and resistant to that attribute when combined with a spirit of a certain attribute.
Although I knew it was possible based on my knowledge, I was afraid and did not try it until I actually faced the firebomb in the succubus battle.
Although the spear had a long reach, it also took a long time to retrieve it, so Asil landed among the floundering fishmen and started running wild.
In addition to causing damage using the phenomenon of flame, the flame attribute simply has the effect of increasing magic attack power. The game system is like that.
The fist, a magic attack that could not be blocked by simple scale armor, shattered the fishmen's armor and penetrated their abdomen, sending them flying.
... Abdomen, right?
Excluding the arms and legs, it's hard to tell because it looks like a fish. It's not the head or the tail, so it's probably a stomach.
This time, Asil, wearing his own equipment, a gauntlet, was able to block most attacks with the gauntlet and even grabbed the spear and stole it.
In the first place, as the spear became longer, it became disadvantageous in close combat, so the fishmen were helplessly defeated by Asil, who was swinging his fists wildly among them.
Good. If that's the case, I guess I can leave that to Asil.
This time, I started dealing with a group of fishmen that appeared at 11 o'clock.
However, he did not rush in like Asil.
If I rush out and fight, Flora, the rearguard, will be defenseless.
Of course, the opponent was a spear, and I had a shield and a one-handed sword, so if I let them get close, it would be my loss. Even if I block the attack with a shield, my attack won't reach it.
But time is on my side.
Hearing Flora's chant coming from behind him, he raised his shield towards the fishman closing the distance.
– Whoosh!
The tip of a spear flying quickly through the air is caught with a shield.
You can't block all the numerous attacks by simply parrying them.
By adjusting the angle, the tip of the spear caught was twisted so that it interfered with other spears.
The fishman stumbles after being lightly attacked with all its might. Just take a single step, place the staggering fishman in the reach, and swing the one-handed sword in your right hand... It doesn't work.
– Boom!
In order to protect his colleagues, he avoids the spear being swung by simply tilting his upper body.
The easiest way to avoid or parry an attack. All I have to do is induce the opponent's attack.
There was no intention from the beginning to make the attack successful. But the fishman who didn't know that had to make one move to block my attack.
The difference in one movement.
I gained as much leeway as I could with the fake move, and used that leeway to kick out another spear with my sword.
Let's buy enough time by repeating similar methods.
"Soira!"
I heard the voice I had been waiting for from behind.
I just ran away without thinking about what happened next.
"『Wind Cutter』!"
– Whiuuung!
With the sound of a strong wind blowing, a blade of wind passed over my head.
The fishman who was confronting me did not notice the attack and was torn to pieces by the blade.
If it had been a normal flame attribute, it would have been able to make grilled fish, but considering that it was a long chant, it was less than half the power of the 『Fire Bomb』 That it loved.
I can't help it. If such a big explosion were to occur in the cave, the cave might collapse and bury us too.
I was the one who instructed not to use fire magic, but it was still a waste.
There was a fishman who used another comrade as a shield and was safe, but as their numbers were already reduced, they were no match for us.
After organizing everything one by one, I joined Asil, who finished the battle at a similar time.
"If it's just this much, it won't be that difficult, right?"
"But don't let down your guard. It's a plan to succeed by throwing the lives of our fellow countrymen as bait. "I don't know what might be guarding inside."
"Okay. Okay. Hey, Flora."
"Yes?"
"I was thinking... "
Asil had a chat with Flora.
I wondered when the two would become friends, but thanks to Flora's proactive approach, Asil seems to have finally opened her heart.
This guy, the corruption of friends comes before the corruption of females.
Even in such a friendly atmosphere, we carefully moved deeper, maintaining minimal tension.
◆
After several battles took place, we were finally able to see a truly suspicious scene.
In one cavity of the cave, a magic stone so large that at least one person could fit was floating in the air, glowing pink.
We hid in the shadows in the corner and watched.
"... Hey, Soira."
Asil must have sensed that there was something unusual about that giant magic stone, so she whispered in a low voice.
"The sweet smell has become very strong. I guess it smells like it's coming from over there."
"Really?"
It seems like that's the fishman's target.
The fishmen in the cave were busy carrying something to the magic stone, as if they hadn't noticed that we had come all the way here.
"Is that a magic stone?"
"It seems so."
The fishmen continued to pile small magic stones that were embarrassingly small, even fragments, near the giant magic stone.
After a certain amount of accumulation, a fishman who appeared to be of high rank, wearing armor with its own decoration, appeared. When the fishman said something and gave a signal, magic power was extracted from the small magic stone and injected into the giant magic stone.
Just like charging a battery.
Under the circumstances, it seemed like the giant magic stone was doing something, and the work was done by using a small magic stone to prevent the giant magic stone from stopping its work.
– Faaah!
"... Sigh."
The giant magic stone that absorbed all the magic power of the small pile of magic stones emitted a bright light for a moment.
The shadow we were hiding in was lifted by the sudden light.
"-Gurgling?!"
I hid in a hurry, but it seems I was too late. One of the fishmen found us and screamed unintelligibly.
Now that this is the case, battle cannot be avoided.
"Flora! Backwards! "You know, don't go too far!"
I gave brief instructions to the party and got ready for battle.