Chapter 560 Liz’s Team – 20th Floor (Part III)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Hiroya’s POV)
After lunch and a good rest, we started moving again, hurrying through the corridors of the two0th floor.
Eventually, we came to a rather open space.
It wasn’t a room or a hall, but rather a continuation of the rocky passages we’d been traversing, with a huge underground lake stretching out on either side.
(An underground water vein…!?)
”It’s a massive underground cavern, isn’t it?”
”We’re probably right under the Raetia Mountains. I bet the water stored here is what keeps Raetia so lush.”
Liz gasped, looking up at the ceiling, while even Rena’s eyes widened at the size of the underground lake.
The ceiling was… about 30 meters up, maybe?
Seriously high.
And the passage we were walking on ran straight through the middle of this space, cutting through the underground lake.
”The atmosphere’s completely different from the Great Labyrinth we were in before,”
Martina, leading the way, was more cautious than ever, constantly scanning the surroundings.
”It feels like we could be at the lowest floor already, doesn’t it?”
”But we searched that last room pretty thoroughly… and we didn’t find any Adamantite-like ore, though.”
Aluda and Meluda were also walking along, glancing around nervously.
”Anyway, let’s hurry and get through here. …It’s too quiet… it’s kinda scary…”
Kazumi’s anxious voice came from behind us.
…I want to run back there and give her a hug right now.
The end of the passage, the exit from this space, was about 100 meters away.
Hearing Kazumi’s words, our pace naturally quickened.
”It is quiet, but… the sound of our voices echoing… it’s a bit eerie, isn’t it?”
”Well, with a space like this, it’s best to get through it quickly, aye?”
Even Asuka and Simona, who usually kept their cool, seemed to feel the unsettling atmosphere of this place.
”The Detection spell isn’t showing any reactions… at least, not yet… Wait, what!?”
Dorothy suddenly turned around, looking toward the rearguard.
”Something’s coming! And it’s a big one!”
Martina must have detected something, as she turned and shouted.
”──Crack!”
Just as I followed the gazes of Martina and Dorothy, the ground beneath us began to tremble violently.
”Watch out! Below! Something’s coming from below!”
As Rena warned everyone, something burst through the corridor.
”Kyaaah!”
It came right under Aluda, Meluda, and Kazumi.
The 3 of them were launched into the air by the force of whatever had just appeared.
Kazumi, in particular, was soaring far higher than the other 2.
”Kazumi! Aluda! Meluda!”
”Is that… a sea serpent?!”
As I yelled, Asuka pulled out Kansenmaru from her back.
Emerging from the shattered corridor was a snake-like creature, easily 50 meters long.
Kazumi was perched on the back of the monster, which had leaped up toward the ceiling!
”Kazumi!”
Kazumi, who had been thrown off, was now snagged on the serpent’s dorsal fin.
”Nooo!”
Hearing Kazumi’s scream, I unleashed my power, pushing off the ground with all my might.
The serpent began its descent, aiming straight for the subterranean lake.
(Damn it! I’m not going to reach her!)
I managed to get closer to the sea serpent, but my desperate outstretched hand only grasped at thin air.
Kazumi reached out toward me, but passed right by.
Fear shimmered in her eyes…
(Not yet!)
I kicked off the descending tail of the serpent, increasing my speed and closing in on Kazumi once more.
”Hiroya!”
Our outstretched hands finally made contact.
I firmly grasped Kazumi’s hand and pulled her toward me.
Then, I kicked the serpent again, propelling ourselves far from the creature.
”Hiroya, don’t let go of Kazumi! ──’Fire Breath’!”
──Boom!
A torrent of swirling flames erupted from Rena’s palms, slamming into the sea serpent.
I held Kazumi tightly against my chest as we continued our fall toward the underground lake.
* * *
(Liz’s POV)
”Hiroya! Kazumi!”
Rena, who had just taken down the enormous sea serpent with her advanced-floor magic, rushed to the edge of the shattered corridor, desperately calling out their names.
”I’ll go!”
”No way, Dorothy! We have no idea what’s lurking underwater.”
Asuka grabbed Dorothy to stop her from jumping into the underground lake.
”Everyone, calm down! First, we need to check on Aluda and Meluda! How are they? Are they hurt?”
Beyond the fractured corridor, Aluda and Meluda lay sprawled out, having been thrown back, with Rena and Noo beside them.
I gestured for Rena, who was peering anxiously into the water’s surface, to check on Aluda and Meluda’s condition.
”No… Mr. Hiroya… Ms. Kazumi…”
”No way… This can’t be happening! Big Brother Hiroya and Big Sis Kazumi are…”
On ‘this side’ of the corridor, Dorothy stared blankly at the water’s surface, Asuka holding her from behind, while Martina stood frozen, tears streaming down her face.
(This is the worst possible situation… I have to hold it together!)
Despite my thoughts, I felt my own confusion swirling up, my heart racing with fear.
If only I could dive into the underground lake right now and search for them.
”No good… The other sea serpents are swarming around the dead one we just fought… We can’t dive in there…”
Simona sighed as she peered into the water.
Hearing her words, I shook my head to dismiss the thought.
Right, first things first: I need to get everyone organized.
”Lady Liz! Lady Aluda and Lady Meluda are okay!”
Noo’s voice made me look across the corridor.
”Yeah. They’re both unconscious, but their injuries aren’t severe… I’m casting healing magic on them now.”
I felt a momentary wave of relief at Rena’s diagnosis.
But…
(Hiroya and Kazumi… they’re not coming up…!)
I shifted my gaze from across the passage to the water’s surface.
Just as Simona said, several sea serpents were thrashing about, causing the water to ripple violently around the scattered corpses.
”Liz… it’s okay. Hiroya’s unleashed his power. The Hiroya that stands now is invincible. He’ll break through any hardship with that strength!”
”Exactly! And remember… Yamikirimaru──Lilith is with them. All we have to do is believe and wait.”
I repeated their calm words to myself, trying to reassure my own racing heart.
After all, it’s not like Hiroya would struggle just because he fell into waters filled with sea serpents.
Plus…
”Rena… once you finish healing, can we somehow get everyone over here?”
”Yeah. If we use Fly, it won’t be a problem.”
”Let’s take everyone and first escape this space. Then, we’ll look for a safe spot further ahead. After that, we can use your Detection to…”
That’s right.
With the ‘Clan’s bracelet’ that everyone wore, we could track Hiroya and Kazumi’s locations too.
Rena nodded at me while continuing her treatment of Aluda.
”I can confirm Mr. Hiroya is alive… but as for Ms. Kazumi’s condition… I can’t say.”
Dorothy knelt with a thud, placing her hand on her lower abdomen and quietly closing her eyes.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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