Chapter 369 - Chapter 10: Finis Volcano ③
We withdrew early before the twenty-fifth group arrived.
We made a midway base, and above all, Mary was near her limit.
We all got on the high-speed medium-sized bowl and returned to the mountain hut that served as our lodging base. Finis scouts are keeping watch around the area.
“Ah—, I’m tired—.”
As soon as we entered the hut, Mary stretched out both hands and slumped onto the table with a betari sound. It’s rare for Mary, who usually pays attention to her behavior.
Beside her, Beatrix was drinking water while taking a deep breath.
“Are you okay?”
“I didn’t think they would come one after another like that. If Sianya and Bonnie hadn't been there, I would have run out of magic. In fact, from the middle, I didn't use Glaciate and only used Ice Cube, so it only served as a deterrent.”
“Me too. I didn't think I would have to remake the bowl so many times.”
“Is that so?”
“Because there were so many, I had to ram them with the bowl, and I kept changing the shape to match that.”
Since there were several icebergs, they must have hit them with full force at first. Bonnie discovered them early and it’s better to make a surprise attack before they disperse. Overflow is unsuitable for terrain where rocks are rolling around because it diffuses. Instead, Mary was taking them down one after another, but she thought it was bad around the seventh or eighth group. First, Mary running out of magic became a reality. Also, the opponents started dispersing and attacking early as a countermeasure against Glaciate, and they had to be defeated individually. As a countermeasure, they pulled the flying types toward the position until they were close, shot them down with consecutive Overflows imbued in the ball, and had the ground team deliver the finishing blow, and they reduced the ground types until only one or two remained and left them to the ground team. In the meantime, the arrows were reduced by half, and finally, they ended up adding a ramming attack with the bowl, and the final form was to deform it into a vertically long shape and fill the bottom with rocks and soil to crush them.
“No, you did well, it was impressive. Thanks to you, we only had to deliver the finishing blow or defeat the last one that jumped into the position.”
Henry-sama and the others are praising the aerial team like that, but the number of C-rank corpses inside the position tells of the intensity of the battle. Sianya apparently got off the bowl several times as a healer.
“Well, yeah. But to be honest, I was thinking of leaving everything to them if Mary ran out of magic and Bonnie ran out of arrows.”
“It was no comparison to the Northeastern Forest where the bears were strong. I’ll be angry if I don’t learn Cocytus after this.”
Sianya didn't say anything, but she’s also breathing through her shoulders. She must have fired off single thick Holy Lances and full-power Heals and Anti-Poisons. Bonnie is also applying a moistened hand towel to her eyes. It seems it was quite tough.
“So, were you able to meet the Fire Dragon?”
Beatrix, who finally caught her breath, asked.
“We haven't met it yet. However, we made a midway base as originally planned. Let’s stop here for today and plunge in again tomorrow.”
Beatrix, who said “I understand,” downed the wine served in a cup in one go.
We rested well and set out again the next day.
First, Wilson-san flew alone secretly in the early morning. Fortunately, he said there was no problem, so it was decided that those who had been decided in advance would fly in order after breakfast. The three bowl users are essential. Next, me and the priest Sianya. For the rest, either Bonnie or Mary, and for the six vanguards, as a result of rolling the dice, Mary and Gwyn-sama won.
“Gwyn! You know what you’re doing, right? Since you’re lucky enough to go as the first group, you must protect Jeanne-sama even if you die!”
Eowyn-sama is glaring at him. If you think about it normally, it’s a line he should say to me.
“Hey, hey, I’m the Crown Prince of Finis who owns this land.”
Everyone except Eowyn-sama burst out laughing. Come to think of it, rather than the dice, Gwyn-sama’s intention was the top priority.
Anyway, we reached the first base we made the day before. The inside is wide, and there’s an escape route. Wilson-san made a large bowl with depth, and Beatrix made a sufficiently thick disk. The disk is put at the bottom of the bowl, but it plays the role of creating a wind upward and pushing the bad air for the body upward. We all got inside and crouched down. Of course, our faces are covered with moistened hand towels.
As we descended, it became hot. This time too, it’s double Resist. Since Mary cast Freeze on the surface of the plate, a cool breeze started to blow.
“This is another spectacular sight.”
Gwyn-sama is looking at the wall illuminated by the Light.
“Is it about time?”
Eleanor-sama asked.
If we descend any further, hot might change to burning.
“It’s the second base.”
Gwyn-sama looks happy.
We won't make a third base. We’re sweating quite a bit. We have to manage to meet the Fire Dragon from the second base, or we’ll dry up.
I want to dig a hole like yesterday, but this time Gwyn-sama is here, so Wilson-san is just a bowl user. Also, we have to drop many small ones to make the Fire Dragon notice.
Surprisingly, Eleanor-sama can't use Curve magic. That said, she can't dig a hole with Clump Stone. I was wondering what she would do, when she suddenly said she would use Megiddo Fire.
“Are you going to melt the rock and dig a hole?”
It’s a brute force method.
“Megiddo Fire will work. Beatrix, when I give the signal, deploy a Wind Barrier. Mary, use Glaciate with that as a target. Both of you, work hard to maintain the ice wall. I’ll fire off Cocytus as quickly as possible. Jeanne, turn off the Fireflies and fire off Holy Lances consecutively at full power. Sianya too. Gwyn-dono, I leave the Overflow imbued in the ball to you.”
“Y-Yes.”
“I understand. Let’s try.”
We just have to do it.
Eleanor-sama begins the chant. The bowl gradually moves away from the wall. Wilson-san is sending wind from under our feet for the amount Beatrix canceled the plate. It’s strong enough that we all stand up, and our hems are fluttering bata-bata. I was worried about Gwyn-sama’s gaze, but Gwyn-sama also seemed to be in no position for that, holding the ball firmly and preparing for the signal.
Beatrix and Mary’s chants ended.
Between Eleanor-sama’s palms, which she held out in front of her body, a fireball of orange color was formed.
“Here we go. Prominence!”
I desperately fire off Holy Lances consecutively. Sianya and Gwyn-sama are the same. Perhaps Eleanor-sama is also conscious, as the speed of the fireball feels slightly slow.
The dragon’s head that flies became a pale yellow color. At the time of the Behemoth, it became white. There are no ultra-advanced priests. The Overflow of the ball is a diffusion type. Is the firepower insufficient...
“Beatrix!”
“Wind Barrier!”
“Glaciate!”
The two of them put out their right hands and fire magic. The ice grows in a circle with a beki-beki sound. Beyond that, a pale yellow light spreads with a guwa sound.
It makes a juu-juu sound, and the ice disk becomes smaller before our eyes.
“Eei! Glaciate!”
She fired another Glaciate, this time with her left hand. The melting speed becomes slow. However, it must be difficult to handle because it’s heavy. The ice disk gradually lowered. Sweat is beaded on Beatrix’s forehead.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. Cocytus!”
The Cocytus she fired with both hands is an irregular technique where several huge icicles become a ring and fly. It flew outside the front ice wall.
“Beatrix. Cancel it.”
At Wilson-san’s words, Beatrix canceled the Wind Barrier. The ice that lost its core collapsed with a gasha-gasha sound. There, Eleanor-sama fired another Cocytus, this time with icicles gathered inside the previous ring.
We rose rapidly and returned to the first base, so we don't know what happened.
I cast Recovery on Eleanor-sama, who fired three ultra-advanced spells.
We all drink wine from our canteens. It had become like it was warmed, and I accidentally choked. I didn't notice because I had double Resist on at full power, but it might have been quite hot.
Since Mary made a block of ice with Ice Cube to cool the canteen, when I placed it on top, the surface of the ice started to melt immediately.
“So, were you able to make the second base in the end?”
Beatrix, who was drenched in sweat, asked Eleanor-sama.
She was floating the weight of the Glaciate applied to the Wind Barrier in the air with magic control. She must have raised the output to near the limit.
When I cast Recovery on her, she caught her breath. She said thank you and put her arm around my shoulder.
Sianya lightly wrung out a hand towel placed on the ice and handed it to Beatrix. She wouldn't feel the coldness, but it’s just right for wiping off sweat.
“I don't know. However, with that color, we can consider that a certain amount of hole was dug.”
Eleanor-sama seemed to have a good feeling.
When we defeated the Behemoth, it was a color that could be called pure white. We couldn't raise the temperature that much, but it rose enough to melt rock in a short time. It was a help that the cave was large. If it were at close range, the ice wall would have melted in an instant.
“Mary’s judgment was good. The ice made with Glaciate lowers the surrounding temperature the most when it’s growing. Without going to full power, she skillfully used her left and right hands in order and chanted the second through fourth times before the first ice wall was completed. Thanks to that, she prevented the hot wind from coming here.”
So that was it...
When I looked at Mary in surprise, she said it was thanks to her guidance and gave a polite thank you. Before I knew it, she seemed to have been taught by Eleanor-sama.
“This time, it was fired in an extreme state of preventing the hot wind of the Megiddo Fire that hit the rock wall. I hope it leads to Cocytus.”
At those words, Mary, who had been giving a polite thank you, showed a perfect smile. Gwyn-sama, who was charmed, cleared his throat to cover up after he let out a sigh.
“What are we going to do now?”
Beatrix asked again.
“Let’s go after waiting for it to cool down to some extent. There’s a possibility that a large hole was opened because of the last Cocytus.”
“Because of Cocytus?”
“Yes. When you rapidly cool rocks or stones that have high heat, they crack.”
To break rocks without magic, you apparently spread oil, set it on fire, and then splash water on it. It seems that in the past, stone quarrying was done by creating cracks like that and driving chisels into them.
“After that, if we fire off one Colossus Collapse, everything that should collapse will collapse.”
Isn't that too rough? No matter how you think about it, unstable elements will remain, right?
While I was whispering with Beatrix that the second base might be dangerous, Wilson-san said, “It’s here.”
I wondered what had come, and when I illuminated the entrance, two huge eyeballs were peeking in.
I was frozen by the sudden development. This is what it means for your head to go blank.
“It’s a Wyrm. Be careful!”
Gwyn-sama shouts.
A Wyrm is right in front of our eyes. We are inside a hole that isn't that large. If it fires one flame, we’ll be wiped out.
A gachari sound is heard. Gwyn-sama, who pulled out the sword at his waist, stood in my way.
The Wyrm opens its mouth.
I reflexively fire Light toward the eyeballs and step in front of Gwyn-sama using the Cat Stone.
The Wyrm turned its face away. An opening was created!
“Glaciate!”
Eleanor-sama fires magic toward the large mouth. Ice grows inside the mouth with a beki-beki sound. The Wyrm recoiled from the weight of the ice. Most likely, it clung to the cliff and peeked in with only its face.
Gwyn-sama slashes at the throat that became completely visible with his silver sword. He barely reached and made a cut.
“Wind Cutter!”
Immediately, Beatrix delivered a follow-up attack toward the wound. Black blood splattered with a pat.
“Water!”
“Clump Water!”
Mary made the water Wilson-san produced into a lump and struck the neck twice, three times. Now the Wyrm is completely staggering.
“Holy Lance!”
Sianya fired consecutive thick Holy Lances toward the throat.
“Wind Barrier! Gwyn-dono!”
“Oh!”
When Wilson-san made an air disk with a rim, Gwyn-sama, who used it as a foothold, moved forward and slashed the neck deeply twice.
Gwyn-sama, riding on Wilson-san’s disk, is looking down. Since the direction of his face doesn't change, the Wyrm seems to have fallen just like that. The ice will melt, but its throat is slashed. It will probably be swallowed by the lava at the bottom of the volcano and die.
In the meantime, we pass around the wine.
Gwyn-sama also returned. He immediately blocked the entrance with a Wind Barrier.
“Everyone, that was magnificent. I’m impressed you could unleash attacks one after another in that situation.”
Exactly. I forgot that the decoy team wasn't there. I never imagined a Wyrm would enter the crater.
“I was in a daze. If Gwyn-sama hadn't shouted and stepped forward, I might have stayed frozen.”
As expected, Beatrix slumped down while letting out a sigh. Mary also sat down beside her.
“No, no, I intended to protect her but ended up being protected by Jeanne. Please don't tell Eowyn, okay?”
Gwyn-sama said jokingly, and the atmosphere finally relaxed.
“It’s here.”
Wilson-san said again.
This time, we really brace ourselves.
I raise the Fireflies, and Sianya strengthens them. Of course, the light is pointed downward so we can make a surprise attack. Beatrix and Mary entered the chant. Gwyn-sama also pulled out the sword he had once sheathed.
When Wilson-san shifted the Wind Barrier he was using as a lid, a bassa-bassa sound was heard. It’s not a Wyrm that flies with magic. I recognize this sound. It’s the same as the Black Dragon Child... in other words, a dragon.
I place the strengthened Fireflies below to serve as light.
“Beatrix, Mary, wait. Don't fire magic suddenly.”
The two stopped their chants.
“It must be the Fire Dragon. I’ll show the Fireflies and the stone I got from Salamander.”
I take out the stone and make new Fireflies. This time without strengthening.
Eleanor-sama nodded, and Gwyn-sama also sheathed his sword.