We exited the fourth floor at high speed after breakfast.
The monsters we encountered were mostly G-rank, but there were a fair number of S-rank, and we even fought a few P-rank monsters.
Unfortunately, we didn’t encounter any M-rank monsters. However, the entrance to the fifth floor was located in the second safe area, so we decided to descend to the fifth floor immediately.
But the fifth floor was a level that defied our expectations.
“A maze-type floor, huh?”
That’s right. It was a floor divided by stone passages and walls, a true labyrinth, the very epitome of a dungeon. However, we had heard that floors like this existed, so it wasn’t particularly problematic.
The problem was the monsters that appeared here.
“It smells awful. If it smells like this… ”
“Yeah, an undead floor. And the fact that they’re likely all high-ranked only adds to the trouble.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Mana, Emperor Reinhardt, and H.R.H. Elis were also making disgusted faces. The fifth floor was highly likely to be an undead-only zone. The Wraith we just defeated was G-rank, but we also took down a Beast Skeleton, also G-rank.
Undead exist from T-rank onwards, and low-rank undead can be dealt with by Hunters or Orders without much issue. Most undead are created from humans or monsters who died with lingering resentment or were left behind without their magic stones. This is because many undead retain the same level and rank as they did in life; most are skeletons or zombies. However, the situation changes when high-ranking Hunters, Orders, or monsters become undead. While undead movements are generally slow, high-class humans and high-rank monsters can move faster than they did in life. If that undead is a zombie, it’s the worst-case scenario as it attacks, flinging rotten flesh everywhere. Occasionally, an S-rank Ghost appears, but Orders can easily defeat it using the Knight Magic called Purification. Of course, Hunters can also cut them down with regular attacks if their magic power is sufficiently enhanced.
And the undead within dungeons are monsters purely spawned by the dungeon itself. Perhaps because of this, there’s a wide variety of skeletons and zombies, and higher-tier ghosts exist. It’s troublesome because the rank of each individual can vary. It’s likely that in this Instant Labyrinth, the fifth floor, at least G-rank monsters appear.
Also, common to both the surface and dungeons, while undead have higher-tier species, they do not have rare species, aberrant species, or catastrophe species. Because the rank varies from individual to individual, each is considered a single species. Furthermore, when undead are defeated, their bodies crumble or disappear, leaving only the magic stone to sell. And they have the peculiar bias of being only Dark attribute.
“Normally, I’d want to skip an undead floor like this, but there’s no map here, and what’s worse, it’s a complete labyrinth. We could run out of time if we’re not careful.”
“I agree. However, we can’t destroy the walls, so we have no choice but to keep searching for safe areas. I’m also worried about Prim and the others. Are you alright?”
Mana voiced her concern for Prim, H.R.H. Maruca, and Raus. However, H.R.H. Maruca and Raus are high-class beastkin, and Prim is an Ancient Foxy, giving them a keener sense of smell than me, an Ancient Human. Prim, in particular, being an Ancient Foxy, looked visibly distressed.
“No.”
“This is tough for me too…”
“My nose is about to fall off…”
As expected. If even I, an Ancient Human, find it difficult, it’s understandable that the three with superior senses of smell can’t stand it.
“There’s no point in forcing them, so we should have Prim’s group get into the beast carriage.”
“That’s right. What about our familiar… Jade, are you alright?”
Jade, pulling the beast carriage, looked like he was about to cry. As a Hippogriff Philius, a rare breed, he has an even keener sense of smell than a normal Hippogriff.
“I think Deodorizing might help a little, but with this much stench, I don’t know how effective it will be.”
The Deodorizing mentioned by H.R.H. Elis is a deodorizing magic classified as Supplication Magic. By eliminating odors, it can also help escape pursuit from monsters, and it’s commonly used in general households for cleaning. However, its greatest advantage is its ability to eliminate the foul odor of undead. Still, that’s when used in open spaces on the surface. It’s questionable whether it will be fully effective in such a confined space. After all, an unbearable stench is wafting through this entire labyrinth.
“We should have had Deodorizing applied as well.”
“Yeah. For now, let’s have Jade equip this magic stone.”
Using the Ee-quipping magic, I imbued the Helios Orb from my storage with the Deodorizing spell and attached it to Jade’s Beast Gear with Telekinetic Magic. The Sky Serpent is a G-rank monster, so I don’t expect its magic power to run out quickly, but it’s scary how long it will last is completely unknown.
“How is it, Jade? Feeling a bit better?”
“Kwaa!”
Significantly better, huh? That’s good.
“Either way, Prim and the others should return to the beast carriage. The Mirror Room is an isolated space, so there’s no smell in there.”
“We’ll do that.”
Prim, Raus, and H.R.H. Maruca, still looking uncomfortable, retreated into the Mirror Room after using Deodorizing.
“Yamato, do you have any other usable magic stones?”
“I have various things, but if it’s for the entire beast carriage, we should probably use a Dragoon-type.”
“Indeed. Could you lend me one then?”
“Certainly, but are you planning on doing something?”
“Yes. I intend to fuse Deodorizing with wind attribute magic using Fusion Magic and then use Infringing.”
It seems Flam plans to not only eliminate the smell with Deodorizing but also blow it away with wind attribute magic. Inn Fusion Magic can fuse not only elemental magic but also Inn magic. Therefore, she intends to fuse Deodorizing and wind attribute magic to both eliminate and repel the smell.
“Alright, understood.”
I took out the magic stone of a Gast Dragoon and handed it to Flam. Upon receiving the magic stone, Flam concentrated her magic power, used Fusion Magic, and then employed Craft Magic, Infringing, to imbue the magic stone with the spell. Unlike Ee-quipping, Infringing can only imbue one spell. However, the magic created by Fusion Magic counts as a single spell, so it can be imbued with Infringing. That’s why Fusion Magic is considered a highly desirable magic for Crafters.
“I believe it’s successful.”
After completing the magic imbuement, Flam channeled magic power into the magic stone and activated the spell. As a result, the foul odor disappeared not only from the beast carriage but also from us, and due to the circulating air, we could no longer smell it.
“Kwaa!!”
“Huh? What’s wrong, Jade? Oh, it doesn’t smell over there either?”
No wonder Jade cried out in joy. The spell Flam imbued, combined with the magic power of the M-rank Gast Dragoon magic stone, cleared a rather wide area of the stench. It seems Flam set the effective range to ten meters. The fact that Jade also benefited is something for which I am truly grateful.
“That’s incredible magic imbuement, but considering the magic stone is from a Gast Dragoon, it’s not exactly standard.”
“It really isn’t. But it helped. We were suffering too.”
“I know, right?”
Ludia, Lydia, and Athena also voiced their relief, and indeed, we were all relieved.
“However, given the wide effective range, even with a Gast Dragoon magic stone, how long it will last is…”
“That can’t be helped. But if our familiars dislike it, we’ll have to proceed on foot. Besides, knowing the duration will be useful for future reference.”
His Majesty is right. If even a Gast Dragoon magic stone only lasts for a short time, other magic stones might be useless. Conversely, if it lasts, we should test magic stones of other ranks.
In any case, now that things have become easier, we resumed our exploration of the fifth floor. As expected, the undead that appeared were mostly G-rank, but there were also some P-rank, and even an M-rank Lich. Of course, nobody wanted to get off the beast carriage, so we annihilated them by firing our Unique Magic from the deck and observation seats. The Lich did take some effort, but with Jade’s support, using ice spears, we managed to defeat it. Oh, and I collected the magic stone using my Telekinetic Magic.
We proceeded for another five hours without finding a safe area. Just as everyone was beginning to fear we might have to camp in this dangerous place, we spotted a group engaged in combat ahead. They were likely the Alliance investigating the Instant Labyrinth.
“Is that a Lich? ‘Questing.’ What! A No-Life King!?”
Emperor Reinhardt, who had used ‘Questing’ on the robed skeleton the Alliance was fighting, exclaimed in surprise. Well, I was surprised too. A No-Life King is the king of the undead, right? The Helios Orb doesn’t have necromancy, so it’s probably just an evolved individual. However, the Helios Orb’s No-Life King is an A-rank monster, so if things continue like this, it’s only a matter of time before the Alliance is wiped out.
“There’s no choice, I’m going!”
“Go for it!”
Given the opponent, I couldn’t just use magic from afar. I generated a Mirror Ring, donned the Arc Order’s Coat using Ee-quipping, imbued the Azure Silver Sword – Pale Green with the Knight Magic Purification, and then used Accelerating Magic to lunge towards the No-Life King’s neck.
“!!!”
“Gah! You noticed me!?”
Even with Accelerating Magic, the No-Life King noticed me and blocked my attack with the staff it held. What the heck, even with Pale Green, that staff didn’t split in two.
“W-who are you!?”
“We can talk later. We need to deal with him now!”
Several people were down, but whether they were alive was uncertain. However, we didn’t have time to rescue them, so I imbued myself with Wing Burst, further clad the Light Arms in Pale Green, and charged again with Accelerating Magic.
“As expected of a No-Life King, magic is your forte!”
“!!!”
I had anticipated that it would be adept at magic, given it was holding a staff. True to my prediction, the No-Life King unleashed several Dark Magic orbs to intercept me. The passage wasn’t very wide, making it difficult to dodge. More importantly, if I dodged, the Alliance, and even the beast carriage, could be affected.
“Annoying, but how about this!”
So, I unleashed a barrage of Light Arrows and activated the Uranus, a Light A-rank Wide-Area Interference Spell, to nullify the No-Life King’s Dark Magic.
“Get swallowed by that vortex of light!”
Following the vortex of light from Uranus, which interfered with the No-Life King, I unleashed the Ice Edge Javelin imbued with Purification. I wasn’t sure if piercing attacks would be effective against the No-Life King, as it was a skeleton-type, but Undead have a magic core in their chest that is their source of power and weakness. If that can be destroyed, even high-rank undead can be defeated in one blow. Although its movements were hindered by Uranus’s vortex of light, the No-Life King accurately intercepted the Ice Edge Javelin. However, it couldn’t defend against the blow from behind, and was pierced through the back along with its magic core, crumbling slowly.
