It’s been five hours since we started clearing the underwater corridors of the 12th Level.
We’ve found two safe areas, but unfortunately, neither had a staircase to the next level nor a guardian’s chamber.
Still, our mapping is only about a third complete, far from even half, so it’s undeniable that this level is larger than the 2nd or 7th levels.
“The corridors are so intricate, and I never expected there to be verticality too…”
“I thought so too. Given the considerable depth, it’s not entirely illogical, but facing it in reality is more than just troublesome.”
However, what was most troublesome was the vertical movement, unlike in normal corridor levels.
Since we were using a Beast Carriage, there were inclines and declines, and several places had overpasses. The worst part was a junction as complex as a highway interchange. I thought they were crazy.
On top of that, the monsters were all M-rank or A-rank. P-rank monsters were extremely rare, limited to only Sahagins and Sirens. Since they are demi-humans, they’re considered one rank higher, so it’s no exaggeration to say there were only monsters of M-rank or higher.
“Oh, I see something that looks like a safe area!”
“Finally, the third one. It’s perfect timing, let’s have lunch.”
“Yes.”
Lydia, who had been on lookout duty from the observation deck, informed us that a space resembling a safe area was visible ahead. I was getting hungry, so a safe area here was truly a welcome sight.
“Mapping. Its position is at the southeastern edge of the map. We’ve come quite far to the edge.”
“You’re right.”
Looking at the map Mako presented, I saw that the safe area before us was indeed on the southeastern edge. The staircase to the 11th Level is in the center of this level, and since we had been advancing from the northeast, we could consider the eastern side mostly surveyed. We haven’t surveyed a corner of the northeastern edge, but let’s leave it for later.
“If we go right at the previous fork, we should be able to reach the western side.”
“Indeed. However, if this is the southeastern edge, we have no idea where the staircase to the 13th Floor or the guardian’s chamber might be.”
I agreed with Flam’s suggestion to survey the western side in the afternoon; there were practically no other options. But as Meena pointed out, we really had no clue where the staircase to the 13th Floor or the guardian’s chamber might be.
“We’ll just have to search for it on foot. And here they come again! This time it’s a Nautilus!”
No way! The Nautilus, a Catastrophe Species of G-rank monster, the Wise Octopus, is a giant octopus tens of meters long carrying a shell on its back. It’s honestly one of the most troublesome monsters to deal with. I defeated one earlier, but it was more effort than fighting some Demise Species.
The shell on the Nautilus’s back deflects most magic, and its tentacles are extremely resistant to slashing attacks. And being underwater, even I couldn’t cut through its tentacles. In my frustration, Mako and I performed the Dual Heart Fusion Technique to create Blau Solaris and Agatholam, and I sliced it with Blau Solaris’s Mythical rank technique, Maha Jarga. However, that made it difficult to use as material, and everyone got mad at me. I can’t do that again this time, so I need to properly figure out how to defeat them.
“Whoa! Not only a Nautilus, but a Kraken too!”
“Wise Octopuses sometimes swarm, but to see them with a Kraken and Nautilus, the pressure is immense. Also, aren’t there about three Nautiluses?”
“Yes. And they’re in front of the Kraken, effectively acting as a shield for it.”
This is troublesome… I guess this time, instead of letting my frustration control me, I’ll try shattering the Nautilus’s shell with a blunt attack. If so, Ludia, the Martial Artist, and Meena, who uses the Unique Magic Mace Quake, will be the main fighters. Oh, and since Eos’s Lapislazuli Light Baldish is a pair of hand axes, Eos could also go on the offensive. However, the problem is that both Kraken and Nautilus are colossal, tens of meters long, so they can’t enter the passage tubes directly. To attack directly with weapons, we’d have to dive underwater too, but for anyone other than Undines, Water Dragons, Dragonewts, or Dragonians, underwater movement isn’t just sluggish; it makes them easy targets. So, we can only attack with magic. Nautiluses are resistant to cutting and piercing attacks, and combined with the dim underwater environment, Light-attribute Engraving Magic is also weakened. Naturally, fire magic can’t be used underwater, and for the same reason as Engraving Magic, Light-attribute magic is also difficult to use. And water-attribute magic won’t work on underwater enemies, so our attack options are quite limited.
“Tch, not much time to think.”
“It’s almost a battle of chance, but we have countermeasures.”
“Same here. However, I didn’t expect them to appear all three at once, and with a Kraken no less. We should deal with the Kraken first.”
Mana and Mako have countermeasures. No, I’m thinking too. But as Mako said, the appearance of multiple Nautiluses accompanying multiple Krakens was unexpected, so we need to deal with that first, right?
“Here I go!”
While I was making excuses, Flam unleashed her Unique Magic Arrow Rain Tempest. Arrow Rain Tempest fuses Water, Lightning, and Dark magic through Fusion Magic, so it’s compatible with the underwater environment. Still, against M-I rank or A-C rank monsters, it’s far from fatal damage and only serves to slow them down. But for us, that’s enough.
“Hyaaah!”
Against those Nautiluses and Krakens, Lydia uses her Unique Magic Grand Dust Blizzard to create a vortex, generating currents andashing them with earth and ice shards. The Nautilus seems to evade by retracting into its shell, but the Kraken, lacking such a defense, can’t avoid it due to being hindered by the vortex. No, the Nautilus’s shell is also getting minor scratches, and perhaps due to the effects of Flam’s Arrow Rain Tempest, it doesn’t seem to be able to completely hide inside.
“Ludia!”
“Yeah!”
“Prim!”
“Got it!”
Furthermore, Mako and Meena use Telekinetic Magic to pull the Krakens one by one out of the vortex created by Ludia. Ludia then strikes with the blade equipped on Flare Grapple, while Prim uses Lightning-attribute magic on Crimson Wing for the finishing blow. The passages are basically made of water, so whether they are slashed or pierced, they regenerate quickly. Any seawater that leaks into the passage also assimilates immediately, so it doesn’t flood. That’s why we can use powerful techniques, but otherwise, we wouldn’t even be able to fight.
Oh, I shouldn’t just watch; I need to intercept too. I generate Wing Bit Liberator and use the twelve wing-blades as the core of Ice Edge Javelin, firing them all towards the Nautilus. Like last time, I couldn’t pierce its shell, but this time, the effect of widening the tip of Ice Edge Javelin into a hammer shape seems to be working, and cracks are appearing where it hit. Even if cutting and piercing attacks are less effective, blunt attacks are confirmed to be useful.
“As expected, blunt attacks. If we were on land or at sea, this would be a fight suited for Meena or Ludia, but underwater, it’s a problem.”
“That’s true. But it’s not impossible. Like this!”
Mana, who was watching beside me, is right. Close combat is tough on this 12th Level. However, using Earth or Ice attribute magic, it’s not impossible to deliver a powerful blow. Although there’s no earth here in the underwater corridor level, it inexplicably works as magic. Well, the effect doesn’t last long, and the power seems to be reduced, but…
Putting that aside, I next create a Gracious Bunker in the water. This giant ice pillar, about two meters in diameter and ten meters long, has the tips of several wing-blades visible on its striking surface. Think of a giant drill used for tunnel excavation. I add a spiral rotation to the Gracious Bunker and fire it towards the nearest Nautilus. The targeted Nautilus tries to dodge, but its evasive maneuvers are hindered by Flam’s Arrow Rain Tempest and Ludia’s Grand Dust Blizzard, making evasion difficult. The Gracious Bunker hits the Nautilus and continues to rotate, eventually breaking through its shell and contacting the body. At that moment, the Gracious Bunker explodes underwater, shattering the Nautilus’s shell from the inside. It wasn’t completely destroyed, but the Nautilus that was hit by the Gracious Bunker slowly stopped moving and eventually became still.
“All right!”
“I see, you’ve thought it through.”
“Of course. And Mako-san, how can you use Starlight Circle underwater like this?”
“It’s true that the affinity is poor, but it’s not the true deep sea. Also, the passage is quite bright, so it’s not that bad, is it?”
Ah, come to think of it, this passage is indeed as bright as an underground mall. It’s not like there are streetlights, but the entire passage is glowing, and I didn’t even notice until it was mentioned. But with this much brightness, even if there are distance limitations, Light-attribute magic and Light-attribute techniques aren’t weakened as much as I thought. As proof, Mako’s Starlight Circle hit the opening of the shell directly, heating the Nautilus from within and finishing it. It smells rather delicious…
“The last one too… hmm, it’s finished.”
“As expected, blunt attacks are best for breaking shells.”
The last one was finished by Meena cracking its shell with Mace Quake, Mana piercing the center of the crack with Sterling Piaster to destroy it, and then Prim, clad in the Wings of Swift Thunder, delivering the finishing blow with Lightning-attribute magic.
“I didn’t expect a level like this, but we managed somehow.”
“The level is one thing, but aren’t the monsters that inhabit it a bigger problem?”
“I was confused at first when even Yamato couldn’t cut it. Well, once we had a countermeasure, it was no big deal.”
Indeed, countermeasures are important. Right, first I need to collect the monsters. I use Telekinetic Magic to touch the corpses of the Krakens and Nautiluses floating in the sea and put them into my Inventory. That’s good.
“The recovery is done. I’m getting hungry, so let’s hurry into the safe area.”
“I have something to say, but first, lunch.”
“There are also points to reflect on.”
Mako and Lydia follow my lead, but I know what Mako wants to say. It’s about me using Maha Jarga with Blau Solaris against the first Nautilus we encountered. In reality, I could have defeated it without using such a technique, but at that time, besides being angry, I was in a bit of a panic because I saw a swarm of monsters called Megaloros-Revma approaching from behind the Nautilus. Megaloros-Revma, a Catastrophe Species of Plesiosaurus with A-C rank, had fins like sharp blades and a tail that ended in a spear-like whip. It could use Water, Lightning, and Light attribute magic. Its fangs were sharp, and it was at least 50 meters long. With eight of them arriving as a group, you’d have to be crazy, right? In fact, not just me, but everyone else was surprised by the Nautilus’s hardness when the Megaloros-Revma attacked, so we were a bit flustered. Well, that’s why we’re all going to get lectured by Mako later. After all, Mako defeated all the Megaloros-Revma with her Calamity Hexagram while I was dealing with the Nautilus. My Father always told me to stay calm in times of crisis, but it’s incredibly difficult to put into practice. That’s precisely why Mako is furious. Yes, I’ll give up and get scolded.
