It has been about ten hours since we began exploring the 12th Level.
Although it’s hard to tell on this level, it’s already past 6 PM, so we’ll stop exploring for today.
“The remaining areas are the northwest and central parts, but there are no convenient Safe Areas, are there?”
“Returning the way we came would be the best option in this case.”
“That’s the only way, but it took us a little over an hour to get here from the last Safe Area, right?”
“It depends on monster attacks, but it will probably take about that long to return.”
We encountered several branching paths on our way here, but since we were inside a corridor, we don’t remember getting lost, and our mapping has recorded the route, so we can return to the Safe Area without getting lost.
However, we haven’t been attacked by monsters since the last Safe Area, so the possibility of being attacked on the way back is not low; in fact, it might even be considered high.
The monsters that attack are M-U rank to A-C rank, but so far, we haven’t been attacked by O-rank monsters, nor any Demise Species.
That doesn’t mean they don’t live here, and even M-rank monsters are a considerable threat, so we are all on edge and honestly want to rest as soon as possible.
“Either way, let’s go back. Flo is tired too, so I want to let him rest quickly.”
“I’m hungry, but it’s impossible to eat here, isn’t it?”
“We don’t know when we might be attacked, so please bear with it until we reach the Safe Area.”
Indeed, Flo has been pulling the Beast Carriage all day, and more importantly, we’ve been making him walk around the 12th Level, which is a nest for high-rank monsters, so he must be experiencing significant physical and mental fatigue.
Of course, we are also getting hungry, so we want to return to the Safe Area as soon as possible.
“It’s precisely when you think like that that things like this happen.”
“I want to believe it can’t be helped, but it’s really unbearable.”
As we were thinking this while returning to the Safe Area, Mana and Prim discovered monsters approaching us.
What’s more, these monsters appear to be Dragoons, which we hadn’t seen on this level before.
“Tsk! Vortex Dragoons, huh!”
“And two of them. This timing, when we’re already exhausted, is really troublesome.”
A-I rank Dragoons, are they!
Even regular Dragoons often match individuals of a rank higher than themselves, so having multiple Anomally Species at this timing would be tough even for us!
No, we have no escape here, so we have no choice but to fight.
“Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Vortex Dragoons don’t have shells like Nautilus, so our attacks should pass through normally.”
“They will. But we don’t have time to waste, so let’s finish them quickly.”
“Of course.”
Indeed, aside from being an Anomaly Species, the Vortex Dragoons are otherwise typical Dragoons and likely don’t possess the defensive capabilities of Catastrophe Species like the Nautilus.
However, we can’t let our guard down… wait a minute.
Isn’t something wrong with the Vortex Dragoon on the left?
“Whoa! The Vortex Dragoon on the left is W rank!”
“Seriously!”
“W rank here? You’re kidding me…”
W rank is one rank higher, meaning the A-I rank Vortex Dragoon is actually an A-W rank, potentially rivaling or even surpassing Demise Species.
To appear at this precise moment is, to put it mildly, the worst-case scenario.
“It seems we can’t afford to be picky anymore. Mako!”
“That would be safer. But I don’t want to waste the materials, so I’ll use Deian Ceth.”
“Huh? That thing… Ah, I see. Understood.”
Yamato seemed to grasp something, then placed his hand on Mako’s, and they generated the Engraving Divine Artifacts, Sacred Sword Blau Solaris and Sacred Wing Agatholam.
Then, Mako quickly gathered magic power into Agatholam and activated the Mythical-tier spell, Deian Ceth.
“I always thought Deian Ceth was an Engraving Magic that fired light bullets like rain, but it can be used like this too.”
“Focusing it diverts processing power to control, but Agatholam has inherited the characteristics of Spirit Hexa Dipper and is a multi-core. This is not a problem.”
Multi-core, if I recall correctly, is like a magic item that uses multiple magic stones to increase its processing power, right?
Engraving Magical Tools don’t use magic stones, but even so, they typically have one item that corresponds to a magic stone.
However, I heard that some Engraving Magical Tools, like Mako’s Spirit Hexa Dipper, can rarely have multiple such items.
Agatholam, which uses that Spirit Hexa Dipper, also seems to have the same characteristic, so it appears to be more effective for small-scale demands than Yamato’s Blau Solaris.
After all, Deian Ceth, which normally rains down light, was concentrated into a single point like a spear.
“Even an A-W rank can’t withstand a Mythical-tier, it seems.”
“It can defeat even Demise Species in one hit, after all. Here, recovery is complete.”
“Thank you, Athena. So, what do we do? We can head back with the Beast Carriage, but it’ll be troublesome if we get attacked again, won’t it?”
That’s true, but what other options are there… Ah!
“Ah, that’s right. Movement in the labyrinth usually involves the Beast Carriage, and we’ve been doing that on this level, so I’d forgotten, but now that I think about it, we were flying the last two days instead of using the Beast Carriage.”
“That’s right. There’s the issue of being in this kind of corridor level, but we know the location of the Safe Area ahead, so even if we don’t fly, we could run.”
As Prim and Mana said, running ourselves would be much faster and safer than moving with the Beast Carriage.
Besides, Flo must be at his limit, so we can let Alka rest comfortably.
“That’s a good idea. Flamm, could you send Flo back after detaching him from the Beast Carriage?”
“Understood. You worked hard, Flo. Rest well.”
Flo narrows his eyes and lets out a small sound as Flamm pets him.
You truly worked hard. Please rest well.
***
Side: Eos
After Flamm sent back Flo, our subordinate monster who had been pulling the Beast Carriage, and Yamato stored the Multi-functional Beast Carriage in his Inventory, we ran back the way we came and returned to the Safe Area in just over ten minutes.
We could see a few monsters in the distance, but fortunately, we weren’t attacked, so Yamato placed the stored Multi-functional Beast Carriage near the center of the Safe Area.
“There. This is good. Still, this level is seriously vast and has many A-rank monsters.”
“It really does. There were many M-rank monsters too, but they didn’t seem as numerous as the A-rank ones.”
“In reality, it’s about half and half, with occasional P-rank monsters mixed in, but since everything that lives here is aquatic and it’s on this level, they feel tougher than their rank suggests.”
Yamato, Lydia, and Mana immediately voiced their impressions of this level after setting up the Multi-functional Beast Carriage, and I completely agree.
Aquatic species are generally considered to be one rank lower when on land, but since they can fully exert their abilities in water, they feel like they are at least their ranked level, if not one rank higher.
This was confirmed through the demonstration conducted by MARS, developed by Yamato. The Hunter’s Guild and Scholar’s Guild officially announced that aquatic species are treated as one rank lower on land, at their ranked level in water, and one rank higher underwater, a fact we have keenly experienced ourselves.
“‘Questing.’ There are more than I expected, but this is about right considering the Monster Ranks?”
“Let’s see… Hmm, I feel the same. Or rather, they’re all huge.”
“That’s true. And yet, we’re in such a narrow corridor, so if we have few of the Ancient Class, there’s a high risk of annihilation.”
Mako is using ‘Questing’ to check the monsters they defeated on the 12th Level along with Yamato.
I also checked, and indeed, most of the monsters are giant. Considering their Monster Ranks, there seem to be more than I expected.
The passages are made of water, so even if you use magic like Grand Sword, they regenerate instantly. Even if seawater flows in, it assimilates immediately, so it’s fortunate that there is no danger of flooding or submersion within the passages.
Incidentally,
5 Prognathodon (M-I)
2 Abyss Flow (A-C)
1 Cryptoclidus (M-I)
8 Megalos Rebuma (A-C)
5 Fort Weltis (M-C)
4 Arms Fish (M-C)
3 Sage Octopus (P-R)
9 Kraken (M-I)
3 Nautilus (A-C)
2 Killer Whale (P-R)
7 Fortress Whale (M-I)
2 Island Whale (A-C)
29 Abyss Siren (G-R)
8 Siren Princess (P-I)
3 Siren Queen (M-C)
1 Vortex Dragoon (A-I)
1 Vortex Dragoon (A-W rank)
A total of 88 monsters comprise the breakdown of monsters defeated in this underwater corridor level.
Although the Abyss Siren, a G-R rank monster, is the most numerous, demi-humans are treated as one rank higher within the labyrinth, so their rank is appropriate.
Even considering that, there are many M-rank monsters, and since they are in the ocean, they are treated as one rank higher. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this a nest of A-rank monsters.
“Tomorrow, we’ll investigate the remaining unexplored areas. Which way should we go?”
“Based on the route, wouldn’t it be from the northeast?”
“That’s right. Although there are many branching points, overall, this level seems to wind around from the northwest.”
“Indeed. Considering that, the Floor Transfer Array would be in the center, then.”
“That seems plausible.”
Information about the inhabiting monsters is important, but finding the location of the Floor Transfer Array is also crucial.
We’ve explored 70% of this level in one day, so we should be able to clear it by tomorrow at the latest.
As for the location of the Floor Transfer Array, I, like Yamato, anticipate it to be in the center.
It’s possible it might be a Guardian Chamber instead of a Floor Transfer Array, but that’s also a possibility.
“Speaking of which, wasn’t there a rumor about some raid challenging the Enigma Labyrinth?”
“Enigma Labyrinth? No, I haven’t heard anything about that.”
“Me neither… Ah, wait. Wasn’t that an Order, not a raid?”
Athena changed the subject here, but I do remember hearing about that rumor.
Strictly speaking, it’s a joint investigation by the Order and Beastars, not a subjugation, so that must be why the rumor is circulating.
The Enigma Labyrinth is located in the Alegria Beast Kingdom, and the Ritter’s Guild oversees the Beastars.
However, since there are no Ancient Beastars other than Grand Beastar’s Masters, the Order’s Guild has dispatched an Ancient Order to conduct joint training and investigation.
“Ah, I see.”
“However, I recall that the timing and personnel were undecided. Although it’s also for training, the primary objective is investigation, so it’s natural that they’re having difficulty selecting the right people.”
“That’s true. Even if the Beastars have command authority, dispatching an Ancient Order might disrupt the chain of command. However, to conduct the investigation smoothly, the Ancient Order is absolutely necessary.”
“After all, the Enigma Labyrinth, as far as we know, is definitely over 20 levels, and I’ve heard that M-rank monsters have been confirmed there.”
Mako and Prim continued my thought.
Ancient Hunters wouldn’t mind Beastars, but since the Order’s Guild is positioned as a higher organization than the Beastar’s Guild, it would be difficult for both sides.
However, it’s also not ideal for the Order to have command authority given the location.
There’s even a possibility that some Union might conquer it first.
It seems likely that Union would be Wing Crest.
In that case, it would reduce the concerns of the Order and Beastars, so it might be welcomed.
