Chapter 577 Meeting
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It was a night full of events, but since we figured we didn’t need a lookout, we slept soundly until morning.
Just before falling asleep, it seemed Simona was getting grilled by everyone for sneaking off, but I was too worn out from the battle with I’mGargantua to even think about following up, and I drifted off.
When I woke up, everyone was already up, and breakfast preparations were underway.
I got ready too, and we all finished breakfast together.
After cleaning up, we geared up and set out from the Safety Zone.
The floor boss area is probably close.
* * *
Along the corridor, there were several doors, but after hearing about ‘Balthoga’s crisis’ from Gargantua, we wanted to quickly free Frejya and find out how to deal with the ‘Star of Thunder.’
So, under Martina’s lead, we prioritized breaking through this floor quickly.
On the way, we encountered a group of greater demons, but with Liz’s mind’s eye awakened and the newly available ‘Eagle Eye’ enhancing our rear guard’s attacks, we annihilated them effortlessly.
”Rena’s Anti-Magic is really powerful, after all.”
”While Rena keeps the enemies at bay, Kazumi unleashes a firestorm for a full-on attack♡”
”I’ve also become capable of attacking multiple targets now.”
Seriously, my rear guard is just too impressive.
”Meluda, check this out!”
During the magic stone collection and equipment check after the battle, Aluda’s loud voice echoed.
Meluda rushed over to the stone wall Aluda was examining, and after staring at it for a moment, turned back to us with a smile.
”I found it! Adamantite steel! It’s mixed in with this wall!”
It seems we’ve finally discovered the ore that Principal Milia mentioned as a ‘sign that we’re close to the deepest part,’ mixed into the rocky wall.
”The next floor might be the deepest floor…”
Asuka is gazing ahead at the corridor that stretches further on.
”Sure thing… First, we’ve got to take down the floor boss of this floor.”
Simona tapped Asuka’s shoulder as they both gazed down the corridor.
”Speaking of the floor boss… looks like it’s about time.”
Martina called out to them from behind, then took the lead.
”No matter the enemy… we’ve got this. Right? Everyone ready?”
Everyone nodded in response to Liz’s voice.
* * *
We arrived at a large, double-door entrance.
There was no mistaking it; the atmosphere here was different.
”…This is the floor boss’s room.”
Martina, inspecting the door, looked up at us with a serious expression.
”The aura inside… it’s incredibly huge.”
Martina stepped back a bit from the door as she continued.
”It must be the floor boss of the deepest floor ── what do you think?”
”A dragon… maybe?”
”It’s gotta be a dragon.”
”Sure seems like a dragon.”
To Liz’s question, me, Asuka, and Simona all agreed.
”A big monster near the final boss is always a dragon; it’s the standard.”
Kazumi puffed up proudly for some reason.
”Is that so?”
”Kazumi, have you fought one before?”
Aluda and Meluda looked at Kazumi with admiration, but that’s just from a past life’s game experience.
”I think we should cast some Protection magic in advance, just in case…”
”Assuming it’s a dragon, we don’t know its element yet.”
Rena and Dorothy’s conversation had me nodding in agreement.
We’re in the depths of the dormant Raetia Mountains; it could be a fire dragon living in magma or a water dragon making its home in a giant underground lake like the one we saw earlier.
”Since we’re anticipating elements that are complete opposites, we’ll have to wait until we encounter it to know…”
Rena concluded with a shrug, “Guess we’ll just have to play it by ear.”
”So, anyone here actually fought a dragon before?”
Liz’s question was met with silence.
After a pause, Liz looked at Simona and Asuka.
”We did fight the ‘Demon Dragon Goliath’ when we went to help Rose Hip’s Frieda…”
”That doesn’t count as experience. ──I inflicted a deep wound, but that was after Hiroya had beaten him up, and at that time, Gunilla had the ‘ancient civilization relic (Arbalest)’. I blew half his head off with it.”
Asuka and Simona shook their heads, saying, “That doesn’t qualify as experience.”
”So… Hiroya was the only one who actually went toe-to-toe.”
At the same time as Liz, everyone turned to look at me.
”Goliath… was just so tough with those scales. I don’t know what kind of dragon it was, but when it comes to close combat, dealing damage is a real pain.”
Back then, I attacked it by trying to scrape off the scales, and then went after the exposed flesh.
”If it’s strong in terms of protection… then a power style like Simona or Aluda might work well.”
I nodded in response to Liz’s analysis.
”After that, I’ll just keep scraping off the scales. While Asuka and Martina aim for the weak spots, the rearguard with Liz and Kazumi will focus their arrows and magic on those spots──Dorothy, can I count on you for bows and magic in the rearguard this time?”
Those mentioned agreed to my strategy, drawing on our experience fighting Goliath.
And then… there’s dealing with the breath attack.
”Meluda, your job is all about protection. ──Rena, focus on protection magic. Since the rearguard is likely to be targeted by the breath attack, make preventing that your top priority.”
”Yeah. Us vanguards will jump into the fray, so we won’t get hit by the breath attack. As long as the rearguard stays alert, we should be fine.”
Following Liz and Asuka’s instructions, Meluda and Rena nodded firmly.
”Now, the problem is… what if the enemy is a water dragon…”
Rena raised her hand to speak.
”If the floor boss is a water dragon… I think the battlefield will be a massive underground lake like during that serpent fight.”
”Oh… that would be a disaster…”
Upon hearing Rena’s words, Simona gasped, as if realizing something.
”Exactly. You, Asuka, Aluda, and Hiroya can’t ‘engage’ at all.”
Rena’s right, diving underwater to get close to the enemy is a total non-starter.
”Dragging the enemy onto land… that’s just not realistic, you know…”
Aluda facepalms.
But Rena just smiles, seeing the look on their faces.
”I’ve got an idea.”
Everyone waited on Rena’s next words.
* * *
”Freeze the underground lake…?”
”Yeah. If we froze it all before the water dragon surfaces, it might work… but it could also be Raetia’s water source. So we can’t leave it frozen.”
Rena sighs, sounding disappointed.
”If we’re thinking about taking it down, freezing the underground lake while it’s surfaced would give us a battleground… and it’d hold the water dragon back.”
”That’s the ideal plan, but… can you even freeze an underground lake?”
Liz questions Rena’s idea, but the silver-haired beauty replies with a huge smile.
”Rena’s an S-rank magician, duh.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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