Chapter 39 - A Fierce Battle and the Woman in the Robe
The Hecatoncheires had a physique honed to perfection, and it radiated an aura that surpassed even the goblin king's. Through the slits of its iron helmet, bloodshot eyes stared down at us. It took a step forward, like a sumo wrestler stomping the ring. A heavy thud echoed, and the ground shook.
"Watch out! There's one behind us, too!"
We were caught between them.
"Just one was tough enough. Beers died. There's no way we can win against two!"
Cecily was starting to panic.
"It's okay, Cecily. I'm the man who beat you guys. Even if I am still F-rank."
"Huh? You're still F-rank?" Maira asked.
"That's right. You're part of an F-rank's party now, Maira. Isn't that embarrassing?"
I just hadn't bothered to rank up because I didn't understand the system, but I said it as if I were boasting. Having defeated a B-rank party, I figured I had to be at least B-rank myself.
"You're getting sidetracked. We're in the middle of a battle!"
Cecily's words brought me back to my senses.
"Alright, I'm summoning Racshell."
"No, don't!"
Mizuki stopped me.
"Why not?"
"In Greek mythology, the Hecatoncheires are the sons of Uranus and Gaia. They're three brothers."
So a creature like that was treated as a monster in this world. And there was a chance a third one might appear?
"For now, shouldn't we just focus on defeating these two?"
"We can't be sure the third one will be of the same strength. And we won't be able to fight while protecting anyone who falls."
She was right. It would limit our options.
"...Got it. Mizuki, you take the one in front. Fam and I will take the one behind. Cecily, I need you to attack with magic. Maira, support us—prioritize Mizuki. Aira, protect Cecily and Maira!"
"""""Got it!"""""
Mizuki, I'm sorry to make you face one alone. But you're the only one I can count on for this.
I ran forward with Fam. For a moment, a soft light enveloped me—Maira's defensive blessing. Then another light surrounded my body—Cecily's attack-enhancing magic.
The Hecatoncheires swung its greatsword. I back-stepped, and Fam leaped to evade. The force of the slash sent a shockwave that made me stagger.
Fam immediately went on the offensive, striking with her sword, but the Hecatoncheires punched away each blow. Fam was sent flying.
"Fam!"
As I turned to look, the greatsword came crashing down. I barely dodged, only to be met with a horizontal swing. I parried it with my blade, but the impact sent a shock through my hands, nearly making me drop my sword. Then came a diagonal slash.
My legs got tangled, and I fell. A spear was thrown.
I couldn't dodge it. Just then, Fam's skill, Kikuichimonji, shot out and deflected the spear. It was followed by an enormous fireball that engulfed the Hecatoncheires—Cecily's magic.
"Fam, are you alright?"
"Yes, Maira's defensive blessing is working. Master, please get up."
"Right..."
I stood up. I realized I wasn't holding my sword and scrambled to pick it up. My focus was already starting to waver.
The countless hands were the real problem. The Hecatoncheires attacked with a multitude of arms and weapons without moving a single step, each blow capable of dealing a fatal wound.
The flames of the fireball were dying down, and I couldn't tell if it had done any damage. We had to press the attack. Fam and I split up and charged from opposite sides.
"Guooooh!"
The Hecatoncheires roared and leaped into the air. It jumped clean over us, landing right where Cecily and the others were, bringing down a massive hatchet.
Aira deployed a defensive barrier.
The monster's strike resounded with a deafening boom. An explosion of force erupted.
When Fam and I rushed over, we found Cecily and Aira lying on the ground. Maira was facing the Hecatoncheires, blood streaming from her head. She had also taken damage from that last attack.
"Maira, are you okay?! What about Cecily and Aira?!"
"I'm alright. Aira and the others... they can't fight anymore."
"Damn it! I'll cover you!"
I launched a stone sphere to create a diversion. It was easily knocked aside, but that was apparently enough for Maira.
Maira swung her mace. The Hecatoncheires tried to block it with a sword, but Maira's swing was sharper. It shattered the monster's arm.
She followed up with another swing, then a third, striking the off-balance monster. She skillfully wielded the heavy mace, using its momentum. Her movements were fluid and stable. She was strong.
I launched another stone sphere to support her.
The Hecatoncheires didn't dodge. The sphere hit, but it didn't seem to do any damage. A spear flew towards me. I barely avoided it.
Maira's assault was halted. In her place, Fam slashed at the monster. Her attack seemed light, but it left a mark.
The Hecatoncheires went back on the offensive, once again swinging its greatsword horizontally and vertically. Fam retreated to create distance, but Maira was left behind to take the full brunt of the attack. She didn't run, choosing to protect the fallen Cecily and Aira. She deflected the first blow, then the second, but her defense started to falter, and she began to take damage. Fam was also hit by a thrown spear and couldn't get in to help Maira.
I launched another stone sphere. Again, it didn't dodge.
I launched another one, this time putting an arc on its trajectory to make it harder to predict. The stone sphere slammed into the eye-slit of its iron helmet with a loud thunk.
The Hecatoncheires's attack ceased. It was trying to remove the stone wedged in its helmet.
"Now's our chance!"
Maira and Fam resumed their attack.
The Hecatoncheires fought back, swinging swords with its remaining arms. But its attacks lacked accuracy and failed to connect.
I readied my sword to join the fray. I would bet everything on a single strike. I would take its head. It was a giant, over three meters tall. To reach it, I'd have to lunge in deeper than usual. Its countless arms were in the way. But I believed my blade would reach its neck.
My eyes met Fam's for a split second. She seemed to understand. Good. I would strike between Maira's attacks. I slid forward, shuffling my feet.
The Hecatoncheires gave up on removing the stone and tore off its iron helmet.
I seized that moment and dove into its range. Then, I swung my sword. Fast. Strong.
I couldn't get a clean line to its neck, but I cut off an arm and reached it. However, the blade only sank about a fifth of the way in before stopping.
My sword was stuck. I was trapped. I should have just let go, but I panicked.
Then, I took a fist to the gut. The violent impact slammed my body into the ground. Everything hurt. I couldn't move. Was the defensive magic even mitigating this impact? My consciousness began to fade. No. I have to stay awake. I have to be ready in case the third one appears.
The Hecatoncheires was bleeding profusely from its neck, but it wasn't down.
Fam pulled my sword, still embedded in the monster, free.
She took the same middle-guard stance as me. It was a beautiful, effortless stance. Her left foot wasn't too open—a flaw in my own form that came from being too focused on lunging forward. She had corrected it.
The Hecatoncheires was swinging all its arms wildly, trying to keep anyone from getting close. But the speed of its swings was dropping.
She found a gap and lunged in without hesitation. There was no wasted effort. The tip of her blade drew a beautiful arc and split the Hecatoncheires's forehead. Using the rebound from her body hitting the enemy, she retreated and created distance. It was the very ideal of the strike I sought.
The monster's body swayed. But it did not fall.
"Get out of the way! I'm so pissed, I'm gonna roast you to a crisp!"
Cecily was on her feet. She launched another massive fireball at the Hecatoncheires.
The Hecatoncheires went down, engulfed in flames.
Maira smashed its head several times with her mace.
The monster vanished. Cecily collapsed, unconscious again.
"Mizuki is..."
She was still fighting the Hecatoncheires in front. Her shield was shattered and looked useless. The arm holding it hung limply at her side.
Her body was covered in wounds from the countless attacks she'd taken. But she was still standing.
A soft light enveloped her, and some of her wounds began to heal. Maira's healing blessing.
She glanced back at us for a moment, confirming we were safe. There were three ill-mannered people lying on the floor after Cecily had launched her fireball and collapsed, but we were okay. Fam was protecting them. If the monster had leaped like before, the ones on the ground would have died.
Maira started to head over to help.
"It's fine. Go heal everyone else."
Mizuki stopped her with her words. A blue light shone in her eyes—proof that her passive super skills had activated.
Mizuki took a step forward. The Hecatoncheires took a step back. The pressure she was exuding now surpassed the monster's. It seemed to have sensed her Super Kill ability. Several of its arms had already been severed. The Hecatoncheires attacked as it retreated, but Mizuki effortlessly parried every blow with just her sword.
The Hecatoncheires's attacks had been too powerful. Every single one should have been a fatal blow. But her skill to avoid fatal blows had blocked them all, and had now expanded to reinforce her ability to block normal attacks. Her Super Kill ability had also expanded, and the probability of landing an instant-death blow must have increased.
Mizuki advanced. The Hecatoncheires could not retreat any further. Its back was to the door.
Mizuki swung her sword. The blade sank into the monster's body.
The Hecatoncheires vanished.
The door did not open. Instead, the space distorted, and we were back in the original corridor.
"Hey, why are you all lying on the floor?"
Mizuki looked down at me with a mischievous smile. My entire body ached too much to get up. Maira was healing Aira and Cecily. Aira had taken the worst of it. I was waiting my turn.
Mizuki also had several fresh wounds. It was a miracle she had won.
"I was waiting for that third one you were worried about, but the enemy was so weak I got bored and took a nap. From this angle, I get a great view of your panties."
In the end, the third Hecatoncheires never appeared.
"...Maybe I should step on you."
She started prodding my head with the tip of her shoe.
"Stop it. The occasional glimpse is what gives it its charm. You exhibitionist."
That was a lie, of course. I wanted to stare at Mizuki's panties forever.
"Hmph! I really want to kick this pervert."
Mizuki got angry.
"Mizuki..."
"What?"
"We're going to be okay. The two of us can make it in this world. Right?"
"...Yeah."
Mizuki nodded and knelt down. She stroked my forehead. I looked for Fam.
Fam was standing stock-still, watching us.
"Fam, I'd like to get up now."
"..."
Fam was just looking at me. I couldn't read any emotion in her expression. It made me a little uneasy.
"Fam?"
"Ah, Master, my apologies. The battle ended, and I just spaced out."
Fam helped me sit up.
"Master, I have two things to report."
"I hope it's good news."
Fam's expression seemed stiff. I had hoped to make her smile.
"In the catalog of special skills I received, there are several items that have been blacked out."
"Is that so?"
"Among them, there are some where the ink is faint enough to read. 'Goddess Summoning' is one of them."
That was crucial information. It meant that once someone acquired a skill, no one else could choose it. Mizuki was listening silently.
"There was also a skill called 'Monster Collection.' It's commonly known—"
"Ah, you don't need to say the nickname," I cut her off hastily. It sounded like the name of a fashion show in the capital of France. It wasn't that I was deliberately avoiding it. This was probably the original.
"It seems you can summon defeated enemies to fight for you."
If they used this skill to summon the Hecatoncheires, it meant they had delved to at least the fortieth floor of the dungeon.
I understood what Fam was implying. But it wasn't definitive proof.
"One more thing. I smell roasted corn."
"...Are they nearby?"
"No. But the scent is strong in a place where no one was standing."
I exchanged a look with Mizuki. It was all but confirmed. Why would they sic a monster on us? Did they intend to kill us? If so, they must have been observing the battle from somewhere and left when I didn't use Goddess Summoning.
"Why do transferrers have to fight each other?"
Aidan had warned me, but at least Mizuki and I had no reason to fight. I'd been taking it too lightly.
"Maybe we're being made to fight a proxy war between the five goddesses and the other gods," Mizuki replied.
"All we were told was to defeat the Demon Lord, and now we're in this mess. If the Demon Lord is the God of the End, then we're at a serious disadvantage."
Most of the gods were on the enemy's side.
"We've dragged Cecily and Aira into this. I regret it. I'm going to tell them everything. If they want, I'll release them from slavery immediately and ask Maira to have the church take them in."
"At this point, it would be a shame to lose them, both as companions and in terms of our party's strength, but..."
Mizuki nodded in agreement.
"Are you okay with that, Fam?"
Fam nodded as well.
"I don't know what they were thinking, siccing a Hecatoncheires on us. But if I see that black panther and the woman in the robe again, I'm unleashing a Goddess Summoning. Even if it fails, they're enemies of the gods. I'll make it so they can't stay in this world."
"I will defeat the black panther woman. Please give me the order."
Fam said.
"I don't want to give you an order. But I'm asking you. And as for her life..."
I trailed off. The argument in Maira's room was still fresh in my mind. I didn't want to have that kind of conversation right now. But when would be a good time?
"Master, please finish what you were saying."
"If possible, I'd rather you not take her life. This is a request."
"...Yes."
Fam nodded.
"Mizuki."
Suddenly, Fam called Mizuki's name.
"Hm? What is it?" Mizuki replied, surprised.
"I am about to do something unfair."
Her arms, which were holding me, tightened.
"Master, I love you," Fam said.
"I love you too."
I placed my hands on her arms. Fam stared at Mizuki.
"Wh-what is it? I-I... love Mash, too..." Mizuki blushed and averted her gaze.
"I love you too, Mizuki," I replied to her.
"Mmmph! You're leaving me out again! Pay attention to me, too!"
Maira, having finished healing Cecily and Aira, was pouting. Behind her, Cecily and Aira were watching us with cool expressions.
After the healing was done, I told Cecily and Aira about the transferrers, and about the black panther woman and the woman in the robe. Then, I asked them what they wanted to do from here on out.
"...I had a feeling something was up, but now I know why you're so clueless about things, Mash. I'm going to Migul. If I go under the church's protection, I won't be free anymore. Can't be helped that I ended up on a sinking ship."
Cecily answered.
"I'll go to Migul, too," Aira added.
And so we returned to the entrance of the twelfth floor, and then back to the dungeon entrance.
We asked around, but the party of four had already left the dungeon.
Fam and I searched for witnesses and tracked them, but they had already left the city through the south gate.
We went back and regrouped with Mizuki and the others. They had managed to get some information from the dungeon guards.
"The party's name is 'Black Sky.' The black panther woman is Riley, a warrior, age twenty. The woman in the robe is Emma, a tamer, age eighteen. The priest is Noah, thirty-one. The warrior is Freddy, thirty-five. They didn't record their levels, but they said only Emma's level was low. There was also another adventurer who they paid to escort them to the twelfth floor."
"We can assume Emma is the transferrer. But we don't know what she looks like." As soon as she takes off that robe, she'll be unrecognizable.
"We'll have to track Riley."
It was true that the black panther woman was the only one who had left a strong impression. I couldn't even remember the faces of the priest and the warrior.
Either way, just knowing their names didn't help us.
Since they left through the south gate, we might run into them on our journey or at our destination.
"The caravan might get caught up in this."
"They were the ones who said they wanted to get in the goddess's good graces, weren't they? They'll have to accept the risk," Cecily replied.
The next time we met, it wouldn't be a simple sizing-up.
We had no choice but to brace ourselves.
Thank you for reading. To those who have bookmarked and rated this story, I am truly grateful. It encourages me to keep going. I'll do my best. Thank you for pointing out typos, it helps a lot. And thank you for the comments, I read them nervously.