Helios Orb Chronicle – Chapter 163

The next day, we spent about four hours clearing the 4th level, which was a forest.

The monsters that attacked us were as follows:

S-rank
Allosaurus: 8
Protoceratops: 4
Winger Drake: 12
Whippered Monkey: 9

G-rank
Titanosaurus: 4
Evil Drake: 2
Plate Scale Drake: 1
Sword Drake: 2

Evil Drakes, Plate Scale Drakes, and Sword Drakes are aberrant species of Feather Drakes, Armor Drakes, and Fang Drakes, respectively, but I didn’t expect so many of them to appear.

“In the end, no Lesser Dragoons appeared, did they?”
“They say they walk around normally on this level, so it’s fine, isn’t it?”

In the Safe Area, just after descending to the 5th level, we ate lunch. Rebecca reminisced about the yet-unseen Lesser Dragoon, while Prim seemed not very interested. If anything, I leaned more towards Prim’s side. Prim and I wanted the hides of M-rank Dragoons. While the hide of a Lesser Dragoon is undoubtedly better than that of a Winger Drake, it’s understandable that we weren’t interested when we were aiming for even higher-quality hides. Moreover, Lesser Dragoons have a weak spot in their abdomen, making them not worth fighting.

“Only you and Prim can say that. None of us have ever fought a P-rank monster, so we don’t know how well we can do?”

Everyone nodded at Mana’s statement. But wait. We fought a Gryphon in the Ideal Mountain Range, so it’s not like we have absolutely no experience, right?

“That doesn’t count as fighting. It’s true that I shot arrows and Mana attacked, but they were practically on the verge of collapse,” Fiam said.

Mana nodded at Fiam’s words, but was that really the case?

“Fiam is right. Besides, M-rank monsters were said to be questionable even for High Class in terms of whether our attacks would work. It’s true that our attacks did work, but that’s because Yamato and Prim attacked first and put them in a near-death state,” Meena explained.

Meena’s explanation made me recall that perhaps that was the case. However, with our Lapis Laz weapons now, not only the attacks of High Class members Mana, Lydia, and Ludia, but also everyone else’s attacks, should be sufficient against M-rank monsters. Eos hasn’t had her weapon made yet, but she should be fine borrowing Prim’s Jade Silver spear.

“Putting that aside, Lesser Dragoons definitely appear on this level, so shouldn’t everyone try fighting a P-rank monster to see what they’re like?”
“That’s what I want too, but you’ll cover for us, right?”
“Of course.”

That’s only natural. It’s said that nearly twenty High Class members band together to hunt Lesser Dragoons. I’ve heard that even then, there are casualties, so sending only five High Class members to fight them is like telling them to die.

“By the way, Meena. What’s your level?”
“Me? I’m level 44.”

Level 44, huh. I thought she might have evolved already, but not yet. Still, it’s close.

“Oh, you’re level 44.”
“It looks like I might be able to evolve today.”

Lydia and Ludia have no doubt that Meena will evolve today. Although I want to reach the 7th level today, I still plan to hunt any monsters we encounter, so if Meena actively participates, I think she might be able to evolve.

“Really. Fiam and Rebecca? What about you?”
“I’m level 42.”
“I’m level 43!”

Oh, Fiam and Rebecca are also on the verge of evolving. At this rate, Athena is probably around level 40.

“Athena, how old are you?”
“Me? I’m level 40.”

Just as I expected. The Elephant Boar was an emergency situation, so this is Athena’s first real battle as a Hunter. Therefore, she probably won’t contract acute mana fluctuation syndrome. However, Meena, Fiam, and Rebecca need to evolve today, or they might not be able to move tomorrow. No, there’s a non-negligible chance they might exhibit symptoms today, so I need to be sure to support them with that in mind.

“Eos, use this from this level onwards.”
“But isn’t this Prim-sama’s spear?”
“Yes. But it’s made of Jade Silver, so it can withstand your magic power.”

Prim handed Eos a prototype Jade-alloyed halberd. Eos, a Hydragonian, uses a hand axe made of Magic Silver, but from the 5th level onwards, P-rank monsters will appear in earnest, so Magic Silver will become difficult to use. Eos can use a variety of weapons, but she’s most proficient with axes, so Prim’s prototype Jade-alloyed halberd, which can be used like an axe, might be easier for her to handle.

“We’re prioritizing Eos’s weapon, but it’s still going to take a while.”
“If all goes well, tonight. At the latest, we’ll finish it tomorrow, so please bear with that for now.”

If all goes well tonight? That’s sooner than I expected.

“Thank you, Edward-sama. Then, Prim-sama, I’ll borrow it.”

Eos was also having trouble with her weapon, so after a moment of hesitation, she ended up borrowing the prototype Jade-alloyed halberd.

“Marisa-san, Viola-san. How do you find your weapons?”
“Yes, they are very easy to use.”
“Me too. Thank you for letting us use weapons made of Lapis Laz, which is even superior to Jade Silver.”

Fina is asking Marisa and Viola about the feel of their Lapis Laz weapons. Marisa is using a two-handed axe, and Viola is using twin swords. These were completed and handed over on the night they arrived at Dragunia. Marisa’s axe is a double-bladed axe that resembles a bird spreading its wings, but it also has a piercing tip. Viola’s twin swords have a simple design, like the blade and knuckle guard are integrated. I’ve had them fight a few times, but they didn’t fight as the main attackers on the day after arriving at Dragunia or during the Elephant Boar subjugation, so this will be their first time using them in earnest. Fina knows this, which is why she’s asking about their usability.

“Well then, we’ve eaten, so shall we resume our conquest?”
“Indeed. However, from this level onwards, P-rank monsters will also appear, so we can’t let our guard down.”

As Ludia says, P-rank monsters become more numerous from the 5th level. Not only Lesser Dragoons, but also Macronaria, a rare species of Brachiosaurus, and Triceratops, a rare species of Protoceratops, will appear. Saurians, a subspecies of Saur, inexplicably share names with Earth’s dinosaurs. They are large and use magic, making them troublesome to defeat. Incidentally, Wyverns resemble Pteranodons , Precisiers resemble Plesiosaurs, and Grantpus closely resembles Triceratops, but they are different species of monsters. Also, being the lowest rank among Saurians, C-rank monsters, they are not difficult for High Class members to defeat. However, there is high demand for those three species as mounts, beast carriages, familiars, and summoned beasts, and they are said to be non-existent in the wild.

“Still, wasn’t this place supposed to be a marshland?”
“I understand what you’re trying to say.”

Ed grumbles before we set off, but I can sympathize. The 5th level is a marshland, so the ground is muddy. But not only that, there are also many ponds and swamps around. Despite this, the passages are paved with trees and stones, like in a park, allowing us to proceed without problems even with beast carriages. It’s helpful for us, but we have no idea why it’s like this.

“There’s no point in thinking about that. You just have to accept that labyrinths are like this.”

Mana, who has experience in labyrinths, forcibly concludes, but apparently, the Float Labyrinth also has levels like this.

“Also, I heard that there are places where beast carriages cannot be used. Not the entire labyrinth, but only some levels.”
“So, does that mean labyrinth conquest assumes the use of beast carriages?”

There are labyrinths that have levels where beast carriages cannot be used, but I thought that was more common. Although there are no labyrinths on Earth like this, there are similar things. In anime and games, movement in labyrinths is generally on foot. Therefore, I assumed the Helios Orb labyrinth would be the same.

“Yes. Or rather, was your world, Yamato, different?”
“No, as a matter of fact, there are no labyrinths like this on Earth. There are similar things, but they are either naturally formed caves or artificial structures built by ancient people, so they are more like ruins.”
Also, they are often only wide enough for a person to pass through, and some are deteriorated and brittle, making it impossible to travel by vehicle.

“I see. Even though they are both labyrinths, their meaning is different depending on the world.”

I agree. The thing that surprised me the most, though, was the view on marriage. While the female ratio is overwhelmingly higher, there are reasons for it.

“Well, that’s why they say labyrinths are living beings. There’s a theory that they prepare paths for beast carriages so that they can be cleared quickly, thereby ensuring people’s safety. In fact, the rooms housing the labyrinth cores in the royal castles of each country are always staffed, and the cores would never be destroyed unless something truly dire happens.”
“Ah, so the labyrinth itself might understand that?”

The labyrinth itself cannot move, so the idea is to have its core, which is its heart, protected. Even if the labyrinth core is retrieved, the labyrinth does not disappear. In fact, it can even become more populated than before. However, even if one dies within the labyrinth, it is still considered to be within the scope of personal responsibility. And since the core is housed in the royal castle, the labyrinth can rest assured that humans can be eaten. Indeed, it does feel like a living creature, even a form of livestock that produces resources.

“I can understand that saying.”
“Indeed.”
“However, it’s difficult to call it livestock when humans are the feed.”

That’s true, as Meena points out. However, many of the materials obtained in the labyrinth are rare, and most of those who enter the labyrinth are Hunters, so many are aiming for a quick fortune. Ultimately, it falls under personal responsibility.

“That’s true.”
“Indeed. Well then, let’s go.”
“Yes. We want to reach the 7th level today, so this level and the 6th level will be rushed. We can hunt more on the 7th level to compensate.”

Right. This 5th level is said to have many aquatic Saurians and monsters, but the 6th level has many ice-element monsters, and the materials obtained are specialized. However, the 7th level is a collection of islands floating on a lake, and the environment varies from island to island. There are volcanic islands, desert islands, islands full of ponds, and even snowy islands, according to what I’ve heard. Therefore, it is said that monsters suited to those islands inhabit them. So, tomorrow, we plan to spend the whole day touring the islands to secure a large amount of materials.

However, first, we need to conquer the 5th level, this marshland, and the 6th level, this snowfield.
Since P-rank monsters will appear, we need to be fully prepared.