—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Doesn’t look much different from the first level.”
At first glance, the second level looked almost identical to the first.
I set up camp in the open area and, as I had done on the first level, crafted a watchtower to survey the forest.
If the first level was daytime, was this evening?
Then would the third level be night?
The dimly lit forest was eerie. I scanned the area with my telescope, searching for the path to the third level.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too far.
The terrain, however, was a nightmare.
“…One wrong step and it’s over.”
Cliffs on the outer edges, forest in the center.
To reach the passage to the northeast, we had to cross the forest. The traversable area was about a third smaller than the first level.
Visibility within the forest was limited, making navigation difficult. The cliffs meant that if we were pushed to the edges, we would be trapped with no escape.
Another problem was the dim lighting.
It wasn’t completely dark, but the light within the forest was faint, hindering visibility.
Using lamps or magic to illuminate the area would help, but it could also attract unwanted attention from the monsters.
We would have to fight in the dark.
How could I make this easier?
A quick reconnaissance might be a good idea. And I should check the area below as well.
[Contractor, I’m sensing magic from the forest.]
A magic user?
“This is going to be tricky.”
Time to go down.
I climbed down the ladder and rejoined the group, who were looking up at me like meerkats.
“How is it?”
“It’s not going to be an easy exploration. I’ll check the area below. Get ready.”
I took my shovel and dug a hole at a suitable location.
In less than a minute, a deep, L-shaped tunnel was created. I went down and carefully examined the base of the cliffs and the forest floor.
The ground seemed unstable.
The cliffs weren’t vertical but sloped inwards, forming an inverted triangle.
This added another factor to consider when using my skill. Or perhaps this was the key to clearing the second level.
Finished with my inspection, I climbed out of the tunnel and rejoined the group.
“This forest is dangerous, so stay alert.”
My words darkened their expressions. They were still inexperienced.
I observed their faces for a moment before speaking again.
“It’s much easier than the rift, so don’t worry too much. Follow my instructions and we’ll get through this without any problems.”
Time to go.
I led the slightly subdued group to the edge of the forest. Our pace was noticeably slower than before. The limited visibility forced us to be more cautious, adding to the mental fatigue.
“I’m scared…”
“Stay close to me, Shuri.”
“Lewis…”
“Mister, isn’t it too quiet?”
At Viola’s anxious voice, I turned to look at her.
Despite her tough exterior, she was still young. She looked up at me, unable to hide her unease.
[Johann! West!]
“Don’t worry. Crafting.”
“Meow!?”
A loud crash drowned out the scream as a wall erupted from the ground, blocking a fireball.
That had some power behind it.
I quickly scanned the area to check on the group and gave the order.
“Prepare for battle! Enemy to the west!”
How many were there? There had only been one fireball, but I couldn’t assume there was only one enemy.
I cautiously joined the formation, wary of the unseen monster lurking in the darkness.
“Lewis, check northeast. Sif, southeast. Shuri, be ready to cast magic. Viola, southwest.”
Minimize blind spots.
It was crucial in open combat.
The most dangerous moment when facing a predator was when it attacked from an unseen angle.
“Rue, do you sense any magic?”
[Hmm, north? Northeast? It’s not using magic, so it’s hard to tell.]
“Lewis, if you see any signs of magic coming from afar, tell me immediately.”
“Yes!”
“We’ll slowly advance. Maintain formation.”
We couldn’t just stand still because a monster appeared.
The safest option would be to set up camp and pick them off one by one, but we lacked information. We needed to know what we were dealing with before engaging.
[East!]
“Stop! Crafting!”
A hastily erected wall collided with a rock, creating a loud bang.
I sighed, looking at the crumbled wall.
A cowardly bastard. Was it planning to hide and harass us?
Change of plans. We couldn’t afford to be led around by its nose. We needed to deal with it quickly.
“Shuri, use Light magic. As strong as you can. And don’t look up.”
“Yes?”
“Quickly.”
At my urging, Shuri quickly cast Light magic, sending a glowing orb into the air. Fueled by a large amount of mana, the Light magic illuminated the surroundings with an intense brightness, rivaling a flashbang.
The monster was still hidden, but the sudden burst of light would momentarily blind anything watching us.
I took advantage of this and listened intently.
I heard it. Faintly. Southeast? It was hard to pinpoint.
“Shuri, send the Light magic as far as you can to the southeast.”
“Y-Yes!”
The light moved away from us. I kept watch in the other directions, hoping for a stronger reaction from the monster.
“!@!$#(!”
Southeast it was. Now that we knew its location, it was time to deal with it.
“Stay here and keep watch. I’ll be back soon.”
I pulled out a small pipe and a poisoned dart from my bag and ran towards the brightly lit area.
The intense light hurt my eyes, but I pulled out a wide-brimmed hat and put it on backwards. It was enough to allow me to see.
“!(@*!#)$($!!”
A two-headed dog. Or was it a wolf?
Whatever it was, the bipedal, two-headed canine was clutching its eyes and headbanging.
Was it alone?
I looked around, but there were no other monsters in sight.
Time to take care of this.
I quickly approached the still dazed creature, blew into the pipe, and fired the dart.
The dart struck its eye. It wasn’t my intended target, but it worked. The creature’s pained cries intensified.
I put the pipe away and extended my mithril shovel. The dart was coated with a potent poison that could incapacitate most monsters.
I stayed alert and used my skill to immobilize the creature.
Trapped like a head sticking out of a coffin, the monster thrashed about, trying to escape, but the bloody tears streaming from its eyes indicated that this was its last struggle.
The monster, which had been attacking us with magic from afar, let out a final, pungent whimper and died.
One down.
I cautiously surveyed the foul-smelling forest. The forest was eerily quiet again, as if the previous commotion had never happened.
There had to be more.
Judging by how it had been hiding in the darkness, the others were probably lurking somewhere as well.
“Rue, any magic?”
[No, I don’t sense anything.]
I rejoined the group and relayed the information. Their faces were still etched with unease as they discussed the situation.
“Th-There are more hiding somewhere?”
“There could be more of those things?”
“So what was it?”
“A two-headed dog walking on two legs.”
“A Gnoll?”
“Similar.”
“A two-headed Gnoll? I’ve never heard of that.”
“S-So there are such mutants?”
“It seemed to specialize in magic. We’ll continue moving without using magic.”
The forest, plunged back into darkness, was still dangerous, but with the immediate threat gone, we were able to move with more ease.
Five minutes later, I raised my hand and stopped the group.
“Shh.”
I could hear the rustling of leaves and the snapping of twigs.
I quietly tapped Rue with my index finger.
[Nothing.]
So it wasn’t a magic user. But the sounds… they were coming from all directions. I extended my shovel and held it above my head, the blade visible.
The group quietly prepared for battle at my signal.
“Check your designated directions.”
East? West? Were we surrounded?
The rustling sounds and the growls echoing through the silent forest sent shivers down my spine.
This could be dangerous.
Should I use my skill to block them?
No.
Creating walls wouldn’t guarantee our safety. It could even attract more monsters and trap us.
Since we had to keep moving, staying in one place wasn’t a good option.
I rolled my eyes, listening intently.
Growls mixed with the rustling sounds. Another canine monster?
A two-headed one? Or the legendary Blood Wolf? No, it could even be the monkeys from the first level.
Beast-type monsters were faster than humans.
Running wasn’t an option.
So… we had to kill them all.
“…I-I smell something…”
Shuri, with her sensitive nose, had picked up the scent of our attackers.
I quietly gave the order.
“Everyone, take one step to the center. Shuri, use Light magic. Maximum brightness, above us.”
It might not work twice, but it should have some effect.
“…L-Light!”
“Crafting.”
A sun appeared in the dark dungeon.
At the same time, a wide, flat pillar rose from the ground.
Our makeshift lighthouse, a collaboration between Shuri and me, cast a bright light in all directions except directly below, where we stood.
This allowed us to see our surroundings without being blinded.
The dogs, startled by the intense light, revealed their positions with their howls.
“…We’ll pick them off one by one. Abyssal Grasp.”
It was hunting time.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
