Chapter 673 - First Story: Miana's Training ③
We managed to break through the first floor somehow. Mary's freezing of the enemies in the rear along with the surrounding forest with Cocytus was effective. After the vanguard defeated six, we all ran, and we didn't have to run that far before the exit came into view.
The place we ran into after opening the iron door had the Dragonewt instructor. The female one. Apparently, she's the one in charge of judgment. If we pass, we go to the next floor, and if we fail, we are returned to the room where the Earth Dragon is.
"You. State your name."
"Me? I'm Matilda."
"I see. Then, Matilda-dono. I acknowledge that your way of fighting is very effective in actual combat. If you hadn't been here, no one would have been able to reach this far. However, that is only if the opponent's attack power is weak. For example, if the opponent were someone like Roberts-dono of your country or a high-level Demon Race member with a black sword, you would already be dead. Unfortunately, you fail."
Matilda had been fighting while ignoring defense from the middle. She fought with an attack-only style, relying on the defensive power of Eleanor's armor and helmet and the double-layered Defend. Although she has a Lindwurm's shield tied to her left hand, she didn't use it much. To be precise, she couldn't use it well. She must have been seen through. The difference in daily combat training with the other two showed.
After all, there were too many opponents. And the dolls this time couldn't be deterred well by my Light. I felt like I was shown the difficulty of breaking through when sandwiched from front and back on a narrow path.
"As I thought, it didn't work. I understand. The others are fine, right?"
"Of course. Since you've reached this far. Personally, I'd like to pass you out of respect for your courage and audacity, which are even moving, but here we emphasize survival over the success of the operation. It doesn't fit that purpose."
"It's fine. Your words are a medal for me."
They seem to have sympathized with each other, as they are exchanging an embrace. Recklessness is not good, but it's a good thing to be on good terms with Dragonewts.
We part with Matilda and go up the stairs. A challenge to the second floor.
"This place is apparently a forest without a path. It seems we have to find the exit that we don't know where it is. Beyond the door, there's a vertical hole with a ladder attached."
Bonnie readled the walkthrough manual for us.
But climbing a ladder to enter a forest is a manic task. It's a labyrinth in a different sense.
"Perhaps the destination is under a rock. Or a cliff."
Will says the task might be to search for a secret base used by the Paratroop Jaegers as a reconnaissance point. However, she doesn't know if the ones in the base are enemies or allies. If they are allies, we just need to find the entrance and go inside, but if they are enemies, it'll be a raid operation. Perhaps the enemies are dolls modeled after humans. Quite harsh.
"Hey, surely they aren't hiding the entrance with Camouflage and Magic Reflection, are they?"
Beatrix asked. If that's the case, we won't find it.
"Um, I think the enemies are monsters. Because the teacher from the Paratroop Jaeger treatment center should have participated in this training too. It's rare for a holy mage to go to the front line in a war against humans. Usually, they're in the treatment center."
"That's true. If the opponent in the training were, for example, soldiers of an enemy country, the premise for searching for their base in the forest should be that the method to hide their form is only Camouflage, or camouflage using trees and grass. Otherwise, it wouldn't even be a target for searching."
If the regular member of the Henry Party says so, there's no need to worry.
When we open the entrance door, there's a vertical hole with a ladder. Since it wouldn't do to be attacked as soon as we come out of the hole, I had Lyudmila do magic detection, and she said there's nothing. As expected, they wouldn't go that far.
In that case, we go up.
The order was Lyudmila, Bonnie, Beowulf, me, Will, Beatrix, Miana, Mary, and Keira. Beowulf's policy for this training is to have Lyudmila and Bonnie at the front, and Keira for rearguard surveillance.
As we go up in order, we come out to a square. No dead leaves. It's ground packed firm. However, it's surrounded by forest on four sides. Moreover, if the top of the trees is the same as the first floor, a bowl at once is impossible. In other words, we'll be proceeding through a pitch-black forest without a path. I'm worried if our physical strength will hold out.
Now, where shall we go?
As a result of scouting by Bonnie, Lyudmila, Mary, and Keira while riding in Beatrix's bowl, two things were found.
One is that the forest is unexpectedly wide. Bonnie couldn't see the end. Lyudmila could barely tell. Because Keira was there, we could tell clearly to the end. Currently we're in the middle, and it seems to be about five hundred paces to each of the four walls. The fact that Bonnie can't see the end means it's impossible for a human.
The shape is apparently like a trapezoid. 'Like' means that among the four walls, the front wall is slanted, and one corner is clearly further away than the others.
"Before that, there were more soil icicles hanging from the ceiling and tall trees than elsewhere, and the corner itself couldn't be seen. Perhaps there's a recessed place."
Keira says there might be something.
Hmm. Suspicious.
The front-left corner has clearly fewer trees and is probably in a wetland-like state. The back-right corner has a pond. And the back-left corner apparently has a place where the treetops are recessed, and there might be a small square or perhaps a large stone.
"There were many magic reactions before the four corners. The most is the front-right, I guess. Conversely, the least is the back-left."
That's Mary's magic detection result. The two with many were about twenty, and the one with the least was about five or six. The other two were apparently about ten, and the one with many is clearly many.
"There's no doubt the exit is in one of the four directions, right? Which direction do you all think is the most dangerous?"
The result of Beowulf asking everyone was the front-right where there are many monsters. We haven't seen the end either.
"Then, let's go that way."
Well, it comes to that.
"Eh? Isn't it the back-left? There might be a large stone."
Keira's reaction would be normal.
"The Sertoria Royal Army has words showing what to do at times like this. It's said that if you're lost, you should go in the dangerous direction."
"Ehh—!"
Keira is completely put off. I understand the feeling well.
"Grandmother often said that."
"Ah, I see. I see."
Did Eleanor-sama make it? Keira seems strangely convinced.
When we were about to go to the front-right, Mary called a stop. She said if we proceed toward the front-right, monsters from other directions will definitely attack, so she wants to stall them.
"What are you going to do? Glaciate... no, it's too small for this width, so they'll detour? Cocytus? But aren't there too many trees?"
Beatrix is right.
Cocytus freezes the place it hits as the center. If there are many trees, only the nearby trees will freeze, and it might not become a barrier with width or depth.
"There's something I want to try, so I thought I'd test it here."
I don't really understand, but she's the kind of girl who acquires the skill to handle a knife before you know it. It's a perfect test in a practical format. We decided to try it.
"Mist!"
Lyudmila, riding in Beatrix's bowl, emits mist toward the forest in the target front-right direction. It's a request to avoid the soil icicles hanging from the ceiling and the tall trees as much as possible. It's at full power. She emitted it in a long vertical shape according to Mary's detailed instructions. The width is about five large strides. The height is about the treetops. The length is, according to Lyudmila, about seventy or eighty large strides. An ultra-high-level mage released mid-level magic at full power. As a result, it covered a quite long area.
"Jeanne, please. Not at full power, just normal is fine."
"Understood. Over Flow, right?"
"Probably three volleys will be enough."
"Understood."
Apparently she'll fire toward the mist. From experience so far, Mist should be strengthened. I don't know what state it will become, but since it's long, I used it with a reflector.
"Holy Over Flow!"
I release it from both hands and my mouth.
According to Lyudmila, the mist became thicker. When I illuminated it with Light, it was already a white mass rather than mist.
"Then, the finishing touch."
At this stage, she released Cocytus. She lined up five huge icicles vertically and had them plunge into the mist at a shallow angle. I wondered what would happen, and the entire part covered by the mist became a block of ice. Of course, the trees that were in the place covered by the mist would all be involved and frozen together. It's more than a barrier. It's a huge block of ice. Moreover, once Cocytus freezes, it doesn't melt easily even if deactivated.
"You can do such a thing!"
Beatrix is surprised. In terms of magic, she should have studied the most in the Class of 175... in her case, it's not study. She's not that serious. It's better to say she has abundant knowledge from hearing various stories... but she didn't seem to know about the applied use of ultra-high-level magic.
"Before, I fired it toward the sea and froze the seawater. Water was much easier to freeze than air. So, I wondered if it would have the same effect if I made the mist thicker."
How does she even think of such a thing? In terms of how she learns magic, isn't she a mass of sense?
The ice passage is safely completed. My feet are cold, but there's no problem. Keira seems fine, so she stays as she is. We get into the deep-dish bowl, go up onto the ice, and everyone walks toward the target. The ceiling is within reach. Beowulf and Will, who are tall, are at their limit. Roberts-sama or Edward-sama would have to crouch.
After walking a bit, the barking of multiple monsters could be heard from below. Apparently they can't come up, as they are just barking. As we walk, they run alongside us while increasing their numbers. Lightning is fired up occasionally, and from the sound of the cries, they are Fenrirs. Our location is completely exposed, but fortunately, since the ceiling is low, there are no attacks from above. As long as we all walk in a line in the middle, the lightning fired from below doesn't hit. Just in case, I cast Magic Reflection on everyone and we just walked. If we were to fight that many in the forest, it would be extreme close combat. Only nine people can't win.
Thanks to Mary's quick wit, we can walk safely above the forest, or rather, on the ice passage. However, it's unfortunately far. We have to make a new one once we reach the end. Fortunately, since Lyudmila's was mid-level magic even if at full power, and mine was with a reflector, it was fine without working too hard. The problem was Mary, and even as a user of two ultra-high-levels, she can't fire that many. So, she was almost at her limit by the time we arrived at the edge. Mary began to breathe heavily.
"What shall we do? Shall I use Hand Over?"
"Just Refresh is fine. Jeanne, conserve your mana. After I fire two more times, I'll drop out here."
"It's fine to use Hand Over once."
"You're naive, Jeanne."
"Eh?"
Mary says that in the end, the victory will depend on Holy and the efforts of the two in the vanguard. The opponents have the characteristics of monsters even if they are dolls. I have to acknowledge Mary's claim.
"It's a place that even the Paratroop Jaegers can't easily clear even in a group. Stronger ones should come out from here. Our purpose is to have Miana get the Silver Badge, right? As long as we can do that, it doesn't matter how many people drop out. Besides, even if I fail, I won't die, and I'll enjoy myself watching from around here."
She's not the kind of girl to give up easily. She sets her purpose clearly from the start and calculates calmly. That Mary used her mana here to leave the overall combat capability.
As for mages, Beatrix and Lyudmila remain.
"Mary, thank you. I'll definitely go to the final floor."
"I'm believing in you, Store No. 4 manager-san."
Miana hugged Mary, and the policy was decided.
We climb down by grabbing onto trees. Since we're hiding our forms, we shouldn't be found easily.
Mary's last two shots were fired after the decoy went down and drew the Fenrirs, so that the passage we've extended so far would be in the shape of an arrow, extending two diagonally. It should be able to stall them for a while.
Beowulf carried the exhausted Mary in her arms. As expected of a future Queen. So cool!
Bonnie, Lyudmila, and Keira proceed through the forest while checking the surroundings. We know the direction. It's fine even if there's some noise, so we proceed quickly while removing cloth pieces modeled after weeds, and we found the recessed hollow found in the first reconnaissance.
"They're there. They're waiting in the back. I'll go take a look."
Keira sensed the presence.
As expected. Apparently there's only one. It means it's a gatekeeper blocking the narrow passage.
"I think it's Cerberus."
She scouted by sticking only her head out from the edge and came back. Cerberus. Finally, a C-rank appearance. The flames they spit cannot be repelled by Magic Reflection.
"It's my turn next. Beowulf, Will, support me. Jeanne, I'm counting on you for the light."
It's Beatrix. Does she have some plan? When Beowulf put Mary down, she and Will stepped forward.
I fly only one Firefly and send it to the back. Since Keira is wearing a visor, she should be fine, but just in case, I only illuminated the front.
Cerberus growls.
"Wind Barrier!"
She made a wall of air. She's making it fit into the hollow.
I see. Since it's in a narrow place, she can push it in.
Beowulf and Will push the wall of air. No matter how many flames it spits, they can all be repelled. However, the opponent is also strong. They had a pushing match while growling. Before long, Lyudmila joined, Bonnie joined, Keira joined, Miana joined, and it became six people against one, and finally they began to win the push. The tone of Cerberus's voice became higher, and finally it began to yelp.
"Jeanne, now!"
Cerberus is already about to be pressed against the back wall, and is barely standing on its hind legs and holding out. Its belly is fully visible.
When I approach the place where everyone is gathered, Bonnie points, saying "Here, here." Beatrix is adjusting the wall and making a hole. I got on Beowulf's back, and when I thrust my right hand into the hole, I touched Cerberus's chest directly. I deactivated the Firefly and pressed my palm firmly against Cerberus.
"Holy Over Flow!"
Without diffusing, everything pierced through Cerberus's body.
With a single cry of 'gyaun', it fell over.
Once I step back and illuminate it with a Firefly, the three necks are hanging powerlessly.
"Miana! Start chanting Flame!"
"Eh? Ah, yes!"
As soon as the chant finished, the wall of air went up. As if this was the chance, they rushed in, and Beowulf and Will cut off the left and right necks one after another with the silver swords at their waists.
"Miana. Fire Flame! It's the finish!"
"Yes! Flame!"
When Miana, instructed by Beowulf, fired Flame, Cerberus turned into wood, stone, and soil with a clattering sound. Miana delivered the finishing blow.
Whether they detoured or not, the cries of Fenrirs approached. When I illuminate with a Firefly, Beowulf went to Mary's place and carried her in an bridal carry. As expected of a future Queen. So cool!
"I'm opening the door. Beatrix, come quickly!"
Bonnie shouts!
Beatrix is backing away while facing the other side. She's using the wall of air as a barrier behind her. After that, we just need to enter the door. The cries of Fenrirs are close at hand. Or rather, I saw a neck.
Go!
She released it all at once. A gust of wind occurred, and the Fenrirs braced themselves so as not to be blown away.
"Quickly!"
"Alright, alright."
Just like that, we all tumbled into the door.