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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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A tense silence filled the air.
The three women stood, their gazes locked, a silent battle of wills playing out as they scanned their surroundings, their expressions firm, their eyes sharp, like predators on the hunt.
“I will win…”
“I won’t lose.”
“That’s what I was hoping for.”
Their eyes burned with a fierce competitive spirit. But just then, a sharp, guttural cry pierced the air.
“Grr-”
A low, menacing growl, and a heavy presence approached.
“…Woof!”
A beast, its form a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and bone, wreathed in eerie, ghostly flames, its scorched skeleton visible through the shadows.
“Grr!”
Its gaping maw, filled with massive teeth, was like that of a ruthless predator, a violet flame burning within. It had no eyes, but a sinister glow emanated from the empty sockets, creating a chilling aura.
“That’s…”
Lucy muttered, biting her lip.
A Ghost Hound. Not a creature to be taken lightly. Its ferocious speed, relentless pursuit, and the curse of its violet flames were a deadly combination.
But one of them, far from being afraid, saw an opportunity.
“I’ll take care of it.”
It was Eilly.
She casually straightened her apron and smiled, but a subtle tremor ran through her. It wasn’t just confidence; it was certainty, the demeanor of a hunter who already knew the outcome of the hunt.
“Haah!”
In a flash, she lunged forward, her sword materializing in her hand. Her pupils narrowed, and her blade traced a precise arc, allowing for no error.
Swish!
The blade, moving at the speed of light, pierced the Ghost Hound’s neck.
“G-Grrk…!”
Before it could even let out a proper cry, the monster collapsed, its blood seeping into the ground. Eilly gracefully sheathed her sword.
“That was… a piece of cake.”
She stood tall, her gaze sweeping over the others, a hint of arrogance in her smile as she added,
“A woman worthy of Master should be able to handle something like this with ease.”
Her provocative words made the other two’s expressions harden. Elisha scoffed and clicked her tongue, while Melina lifted her chin, refusing to be outdone.
“Hmph, you just got lucky.”
“That was nothing. I could have done the same.”
Just as their rivalry was about to escalate, another presence made itself known.
“Uuugh…”
This time, there was more than one.
Multiple pairs of red eyes gleamed in the darkness, and grotesque figures emerged, their forms wreathed in a black mist, their rotten flesh falling off their bones as they moved, their guttural moans filling the air.
They were undead. Though individually weak, they were a troublesome foe in large numbers, swarming their prey.
But Elisha stepped forward, as if she had been waiting for this.
“Alright, it’s my turn.”
She declared, a magic circle forming at her fingertips, a brilliant blue light tracing intricate patterns in the air.
A chilling aura began to emanate from her, a confident smile on her face.
“I’ll wipe them all out. Just watch.”
The magic power at her fingertips grew stronger, and a massive ice storm began to form before her.
“This is the cold kiss of a Great Spirit. All shall be frozen, and in its chilling embrace, my enemies will fall into an eternal slumber.”
“Ice Hurricane!”
As she finished the incantation, the temperature in the dungeon plummeted, the air so cold that it was difficult to breathe. An icy wind swept through the dungeon, freezing everything in its path.
“G-Guh…”
“Gr… Ugh…”
The undead horde’s movements slowed, their rotting flesh freezing solid. Ice crystals formed on their skin, and their eyes dimmed.
They tried to move, but their limbs were frozen.
Sharp icicles erupted from the ground, turning the dungeon into a frozen hell.
Shatter—! Shatter—!
The frozen undead shattered like glass, their bodies cracking and crumbling, the fragments glittering in the air like stardust before settling on the ground.
Elisha gracefully dusted her hands and let out a soft breath.
“So? I can handle a horde of monsters like this without breaking a sweat.”
She lifted her chin, satisfied. Her long platinum blonde hair, fluttering in the icy wind, created a mystical, yet cold, aura. Her eyes, filled with pride, reflected her skill and confidence.
(TL note: The Author originally described Elisha’s hair color as “platinum blonde” but in the illustration she looks 100% blonde to me.
Because of this, I went with what I saw and considered her hair to be blonde.
Now, in the last few chapters, the author has started calling her hair ‘silver’ so from now on I will just ignore the illustration and go with:
Elisha: Platinum Blonde/Silver very light, pale blonde, closer to silver than gold
Melina: Golden Blonde
Varis: Blonde
I apologise for the confusion, but, I’m as confused as you are!)
“Unlike someone who gets excited after catching a single stray dog.”
Her gaze shifted towards Eilly, her words a clear, deliberate provocation.
Eilly’s expression darkened.
“Ugh… That was a much more dangerous monster!”
She retorted, her voice sharp.
“There’s nothing more dangerous than a horde.”
But Elisha countered, her arms crossed, her tone arrogant.
“…….”
“Hmph…”
The tension between them grew.
But just then, another presence made itself known.
“…….”
Clang—
A massive figure, clad in black steel armor, emerged from the darkness.
It dragged a heavy greatsword, its rusty chains rattling with each heavy step. Its head was missing, but a blue, ghostly flame flickered in its place, a chilling aura emanating from it.
A Phantom Knight, a formidable foe with high defense and powerful attacks.
“That’s…!”
Elisha gritted her teeth, a look of annoyance on her face.
The Phantom Knight’s heavy armor was impervious to most physical attacks, and it was difficult to break through with ordinary magic.
“It looks… incredibly tough…”
Eilly also seemed to have noticed, her usual confidence replaced by caution.
“Alright, I’ll take care of this one.”
Melina stepped forward with a light laugh, moving past the others.
Elisha frowned slightly.
“Do you really think you can handle it alone?”
“We’ll see.”
Melina sighed lightly and drew her bow, her fingers tracing the string, her gaze fixed on the enemy.
Clang—Clang—!!
The Phantom Knight raised its greatsword and charged, the clang of its heavy armor echoing through the dungeon.
But Melina remained calm, drawing her bow, a faint green light gathering at the tip of her arrow, the wind swirling around her, green energy flowing through her arms.
“Hmm…”
She took a deep breath, the bowstring drawn taut, the arrow aimed precisely.
And—
Clang!
—the Phantom Knight, with a sudden burst of speed, closed the distance, its greatsword swinging down.
“Look out—!”
Lucy shouted instinctively.
But Melina, ignoring her warning, whispered,
“Now.”
Thwack!
The arrow, a streak of green light, shot forward, piercing the knight’s chest.
Crack—!!
A small crack appeared on the armor, quickly spreading across its surface.
“…What?”
Elisha’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The Phantom Knight staggered, a metallic groan escaping its form, the cracks on its armor widening, the ghostly flame within flickering erratically.
And then –
Boom—!!
The knight’s body shattered with a deafening crash, its chains clattering to the ground, black shards of metal flying in all directions. Only the fading blue flame remained.
Melina lowered her bow and smiled, satisfied.
“That was nothing.”
She dusted her hands nonchalantly and turned around.
Elisha and Eilly were speechless for a moment.
Elisha clicked her tongue, a look of annoyance on her face.
“…Show off.”
But then, she looked at him, her expression brightening, a cheerful smile replacing her previous scowl.
“Did you see that, Arnold?! I shattered that hideous armor in one blow!”
Her voice was filled with pride. She tapped her bow playfully and added,
“To be able to pierce through solid steel like that… I’m the most skilled one here, aren’t I?”
Melina’s intentions were clear. I’m better than them!
Elisha and Eilly frowned at her words, a silent challenge passing between them. Elisha smiled coldly and said,
“Then you can handle the next one by yourself, can’t you?”
Melina narrowed her eyes at her provocation. Eilly sighed silently but bit her lip, clearly bothered.
“You guys are doing great, but… aren’t you being a bit too hostile towards each other?”
Lucy asked, a worried look on her face, but Varis seemed unfazed.
“They’ll be fine. They’re at their strongest when they’re competing against each other…”
Lucy looked at him, unconvinced, but didn’t say anything more.
“Well… they did take down a dangerous monster in one shot…”
She seemed to have a lot more to say but held her tongue, a worried look on her face as she thought about the dangers that lay ahead in the dungeon.
“Arnold is quite popular, isn’t he…?”
“Yes… well… I’m used to it by now.”
This dungeon, especially Lucy’s event, was going to be a real pain. Seeing their lack of teamwork, he couldn’t help but sigh.
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This hair color stuff is quite annoying, now that I think about it do we even know Eilly hair color beside the one shown in the illustration?
