Chapter 10: Rescue Operation Begins
I reactivated 【Stealth】 and descended the stairs again.
The area at the bottom of the stairs was unchanged from when I checked earlier; there was a swarm of bat monsters.
The bat monsters were numerous, and since they could fly, a normal fight would just end with them easily dodging my attacks.
But I'm not normal, and my means of attack is a guaranteed-hit, long-range attack.
We have an incredibly good compatibility.
"Multi Lock-On. Magic Arrow."
I used 【Multi Lock-On】 to lock onto all the bat monsters, then nocked a transparent, guaranteed-hit 【Magic Arrow】 to my bow and fired.
The transparent arrows shot out, piercing the bat monsters one after another, pinning them to the wall, and killing them all.
"...Alright. That went well."
It went better than I expected.
I thought this method would consume less MP than creating a handful of 【Magic Arrow】s with both hands, but...
Well, I can't just be happy about it.
Let's keep going.
"...It's long!!"
I've been advancing while defeating several bat monsters—Devil Bats—but since this is an undiscovered Dungeon, I have no idea where the path goes.
Moreover, there are many forks in the road, and I don't even know how far I've gone.
At first, I was faintly following the thin trail of blood, but after it disappeared midway, I've just been defeating Devil Bats and moving forward.
"This is... bad."
My 【Stealth】 Skill is still working due to the level difference, and I'm able to take them out with surprise attacks without being noticed.
But I'm running out of time.
I don't know how many floors this Dungeon has, but Rina is probably on the lowest floor.
If that's the case, I don't have time to be moving this slowly.
"...Something... is there anything?!"
The only clue I had, the blood trail, vanished midway.
Also, unlike the Dungeons I've been in before, there's no map and no landmarks.
"...Damn it! If that's the case... I'll ignore the monsters and go full speed... huh?!"
"—da—ka?!"
"...?!"
The sound I just heard was... a human voice?
At the very least, it wasn't the sound of a Devil Bat.
In that case...
"Stealth."
I quickly used the 【Stealth】 Skill to mask my presence.
Then, I slowly moved forward, and...
"...Just as I thought."
There were several men walking down the passage, chatting.
They came from a direction I hadn't been to yet, so they weren't Explorer reinforcements.
In that case, they must be Dragon's Eye or the Labyrinth Church...
But either way, I'm grateful.
I was having trouble finding the way, but they shouldn't be.
They must have a map or something that shows the way so they don't get lost in the Dungeon.
"Oh?!"
As I was thinking about how I could borrow something that showed the way, one of the men suddenly made a sound as if he had noticed something.
For a moment, I thought my 【Stealth】 Skill had been broken, but he was looking in a different direction from where I was hiding. It didn't seem like I had been noticed.
Also, my 【Enemy Detection】 Skill was picking up a reaction rapidly approaching.
"Tch. Get ready, you guys. Bats."
The man, who had noticed the Devil Bats approaching just as I had, said that, and at the same time, they all simultaneously aimed their guns in the direction of the Devil Bat reaction.
" " "Kii!!" " "
"Fire."
With the signal from the man, given the moment they spotted the Devil Bats, countless magic bullets were fired, and a rain of projectiles assaulted the Devil Bats.
The Devil Bats were silently and soundlessly killed.
Considering that the guns made no sound and were shaped like normal assault rifles, those must be magic guns—magic tools that fire bullets using magic power.
Besides, I felt magic power the moment they fired.
"Phew... that's the end of that. Damn it, why are they even down here...!"
"Hey, cut the chatter and let's move. You do know the way, right? If you get us lost, I'll kill you!"
"Yessir."
While having that conversation, the men started walking again.
One of the men was looking at the very thing I wanted.
The thing I wanted. It was a map.
Thanks to my enhanced vision from 【Hawk Eye】, I could clearly see the men walking while unfolding a piece of paper—a map—that seemed to have a labyrinth drawn on it.
"Good. For now, I gotta get my hands on a map of this Dungeon."
Judging by their movements in the previous fight, the leader was the one giving instructions, and the others seemed reasonably strong.
Even so, their individual levels didn't seem that high, and I could easily beat them right now.
But I have to be wary of those magic guns.
Those alone have the potential to inflict a fatal wound on me, and there are simply too many of them. Plus, given the level difference, I could lose if I let my guard down.
"Phew... Alright. Let's go."
But I'm going anyway. To save Rina.
This will be my first serious fight against people since the battle at the school, but I absolutely cannot fail.
I won't be overconfident, but I'll calmly analyze the opponent and fight cautiously.
"…!"
I activated 【Stealth】 and followed the men.
I masked my presence, trying my best not to be discovered.
—Three meters remaining.
My target is the map. I'll snatch that before the fight even begins.
—Two meters remaining.
Focus on the map.
It's just like that time. Like when I snatched Rin and Anju's smartphones to delete the sleeping photos they took of me...
—One meter remaining.
"…There you are!!"
"—!!!"
I reached out for the map in the hand of the man who was walking completely off guard.
Just as my hand was about to reach the map, the man who had been giving instructions suddenly turned around, pulled a handgun from his pocket, aimed it at me, and pulled the trigger.
The bullet that should have pierced my heart was avoided thanks to me instantly twisting my body, and it only grazed my cheek.
But—
"Tch, I was slow to notice. I can't believe you'd go for a map over a chance to ambush us...!"
—I got the map.
I punched the man I'd snatched the map from right in the solar plexus, knocking him out, and then put enough distance between myself and the men. I deactivated 【Stealth】 and faced them.
"I don't recognize your face... And going for the map means... hah. I can't believe an Explorer's already snuck in... Damn it! What a pain in the ass! The guards need to get their shit together..."
"…!"
"Staying silent, huh... Well, whatever. You're an Explorer, right? Then you're our enemy! Get ready, you guys! It's Explorer hunting time!!!"
" " "Yeah!" " "
And so, the first battle against people inside this Dungeon began.
"Go! Shoot! Shoot, shoot, shoot!!"
With that signal, magic bullets fired from the magic guns flew toward me.
Since they were using rapid-fire assault rifles, the number of bullets was quite high.
But thanks to the 【Prediction】 Skill and the 【Evasion】 Skill.
Plus, thanks to my highest stat, Agility, I was able to dodge all the bullets.
I want to close the distance while dodging, but...
"Whoops."
"Aw, we missed again!"
I was dodging the continuous stream of bullets and looking for a chance to close in, but the leader kept taking shots at me with a level of accuracy that was incomparable to the other members.
...Wait, I recognize that face. I think...
"You're the Sniper, then?!"
"Oh? You know who I am?!"
The leader smirked.
I knew it. I thought I recognized that face; he was one of the executives of Dragon's Eye I looked up after the school incident.
I forgot his name, but he was the gun-wielding Sniper, and his level was supposed to be quite high.
That explains the strength I'm sensing and the high accuracy of his shots aimed at me.
And hey, Sniper, why don't you actually snipe?
"Yeah, well, I was caught up in the school attack, so I made sure to look into Dragon's Eye. Whoops."
"Hoh, I see. I recall one of the schools we attacked failed, and the guys got caught by the police. The intel said an Explorer interfered... Was that you?"
Well, if I say that much, he'll figure it out immediately.
But it doesn't matter if he knows. I'm not trying to hide it anyway.
"Well, I thought I'd play with you a little longer, but if that's the case, it's a different story. Our plan got seriously delayed because you messed up our operation... Die right here!"
As the leader said that, he tossed aside the magic gun he was holding and pulled out two handguns hanging from his waist.
Then, in a fluid motion, he fired at me.
Since there was no firing sound and bullets were being shot, those handguns must also be magic guns.
But I dodged them by moving left and right, and I also dodged the bullets fired by the other Dragon's Eye members.
"Hah!?!?"
"Hey! What the hell is that guy! He's running around at an insane speed!!"
"You idiot! Look closely! He's just dodging the bullets!!"
"Seriously?! Is that kid a monster?!?"
The Dragon's Eye guys on the sidelines seemed surprised, but that's only natural given the huge level difference.
Now... the 'operation' and 'plan' the Sniper mentioned.
He said I interfered with the school attack 'operation,' so that's correct... but the 'plan.'
What is he referring to?
I don't know, but it might be related to Rina's kidnapping.
So, I'm definitely going to find out about that.
"Multi Lock-On. Magic Arrow."
To do that, I first have to defeat the men in front of me.
As usual, I used 【Multi Lock-On】 to target their weapons, then fired transparent arrows with 【Magic Arrow】.
"Whoa!? What the hell is this!!"
"Damn it! How did he—!?!"
"M-My magic gun is—!?!"
Good. Now they've lost their means of attack.
Next... I'll close in and punch them!
"Gub-ha!!"
"Gah!!"
"W-What the hell... is this guy..."
"Whoops."
I punched the two men besides the Sniper, but when I tried to punch the Sniper, he blocked it.
"Not a bad punch you got there. Too bad for you, though. It ain't gonna work on me!!"
...He's tough.
Is his Defense stat higher than my Attack stat, even with the Hellhound Bracelet?
But even so, something's off.
The strength I'm sensing from the Sniper should be around Level 2000.
He didn't seem to use a Skill, and considering his shooting accuracy and the fact that he uses guns, I figured he allocated his BP to Attack, to increase power, and Dexterity, to increase accuracy and suppress recoil.
But...
Well, fine.
In that case...
"Oh?!"
I put distance between myself and the Sniper, pulled out the Dragonwood Bow from my 【Item Box】, created a transparent arrow with 【Magic Arrow】, and nocked it to the bow.
"...Pfft... Hahahahahaha! A bow! You're gonna fight me with a bow?! You're making me laugh!! Do you seriously think you can beat me with something that outdated!!!"
The Sniper shouted while laughing, but I ignored him and slowly took aim, 【Lock-On】ing to him.
"Well, you can think whatever you want, but don't come crying to me later."
The fact that the Sniper didn't even bother to defend and took my attack with his body without flinching means his Defense stat is that high.
In that case, his Status should be high enough to withstand my attack using the Dragonwood Bow... it should be.
"Yeah, right... There's no way something like that can break through my power, is there? Come on!!"
The Sniper provoked me, making a grand gesture to show off his Defense stat.
And at the same time, he pulled out a gun from his pocket and fired again.
"Then... Hah!!"
I shot the nocked transparent arrow at the Sniper while dodging his bullet.
The transparent arrow flew in a straight line, thanks to the 【Lock-On】 Skill.
"Hahaha! That ain't gonna wo—Guh-ha!!"
The Sniper, who must have trusted his Defense stat, didn't even try to dodge and was about to pull the trigger again, but there was no way he could withstand my 【Magic Arrow】, fired from a bow, in that state. He was shot in the chest and sent flying down the passage.
...Well... yeah, that makes sense. Is he alive? He seems okay?
"That should do it."
The Sniper is twitching, so he's probably alive, and there shouldn't be any problem.
After confirming that, I used the ropes that the Sniper and the other Dragon's Eye members had—the kind that can restrain Explorers—to tie them all up.
"Now... how should I wake him up...!"
I got the map, and now I want to ask about the 'plan' the Sniper mentioned, but how should I wake him up?
I already checked to make sure none of them were hiding weapons, so I don't have to worry about a surprise attack, and it should be fine to wake him up.
...Alright.
"Hey. Wake up."
—Slap, slap, slap, slap!!!
I slapped the unconscious Sniper's face repeatedly—a back-and-forth slap—to wake him up.
"Ugh... W-What the—!?!"
The Sniper immediately woke up from the shock of the slaps to his cheek, looked around, and, realizing the situation, glared at me.
I had considered that the slaps might be meaningless, given that my previous attack didn't work on him, but it seems they were effective.
"Morning. Sorry to rush you, but I've got a few things I wanna ask... and you're gonna answer them!"
"…H-Hah! W-Who the hell would answer to you!!"
"I see... then I have no choice."
I said that, created a single transparent arrow with 【Magic Arrow】, and nocked it to the bow.
"W-What are you going to do?!?"
"I won't do anything if you just answer my questions honestly, but... Hah!!"
"H-Heeek!!"
The transparent arrow I shot without question at the frightened Sniper passed right past his face, just as intended.
The Sniper reflexively tried to dodge, slightly moving his face, but since I never intended to hit him, there was no point in doing that.
"G-Gii...!"
"Huh? Haa?!"
My target was the Devil Bat that had been approaching from the start.
The Devil Bat didn't notice the transparent arrow that suddenly appeared in front of it, was shot in the head, and fell.
"H-H-Hah?!"
"When I say I won't do anything, I mean it literally. I have no intention of harming you... but as you can see, monsters are attacking. Well, if you can handle them in that state, then fine."
"I-I-I-I got it. I understand! I'll tell you anything, just save me!!"
The moment the Sniper heard my words, he started talking in a panic.
Hmm... I might have overdone it a bit, but oh well.
To be honest, I could have continued the interrogation like this, but I don't have much time.
"Good. Now, why don't you spill everything, Sniper-san?!"
I said that and flashed a gentle smile.
I learned a lot more from the Sniper than I expected, and I gained quite a bit of useful information.
First, this Dungeon was indeed being hidden by the Labyrinth Church, just as I suspected.
And the Dragon's Eye members here were apparently ordered by the Labyrinth Church to kidnap the 'Child of the Oracle,' a girl who could see the future.
The school attacks were carried out because the Labyrinth Church's oracle had specified the age—18—and the likely location, so they attacked and kidnapped people to find the person who could use the corresponding Unique Skill.
I see...
All the information I gathered fit together like missing puzzle pieces, and the whole series of incidents is starting to become clear to me.
This whole affair was the Labyrinth Church acting as the mastermind after all...
Dragon's Eye is probably acting on the Labyrinth Church's instructions, but they don't seem to know or haven't been told what they plan to do with the Child of the Oracle.
In any case, Rina has the 【Foresight】 Skill, so she must be the 'Child of the Oracle' who can see the future...
Honestly, it's highly suspicious.
Given that Dungeons and other incomprehensible things exist, it wouldn't be surprising if a god existed now.
But if that's the case, I don't understand why they used the roundabout term 'Child of the Oracle.'
If a god truly existed, they could have just named Rina from the start, so why didn't they?
It makes more sense that someone who desired Rina's 【Foresight】 power used some kind of Skill to impersonate a god.
...No good.
The information I've gathered isn't enough to grasp the full scope of the incident; I'm still missing pieces.
But the Sniper seems to have told me everything he knows, so there's no point in thinking about it any further.
I have the map, and I've gathered information.
Now, all that's left is to move forward.
"H-Hey. I told you everything I know, so please save me!"
"...Well, it seems like you really did tell me everything, so I'll make sure you survive!"
"Th-Thank you!"
The Sniper spoke to me desperately, tears in his eyes, while I was thinking and defeating Devil Bats.
And just as I was about to move to the staircase, which was a safe zone where monsters wouldn't come.
They suddenly appeared.
"Now then... huh?!"
"W-What the hell is that!!"
They were Devil Bats, so numerous they covered all the light in the passage. All of them were flapping their wings toward us from the back of the passage.
Why suddenly?! And why didn't 【Enemy Detection】 react?!
"Tch! Divine Bolt!!"
"Ugh!!"
I put the bound Sniper and the Dragon's Eye members behind me and fired the highest power, widest range 【Divine Bolt】 I could use at the massive swarm of Devil Bats.
The 【Divine Bolt】 I fired didn't stop, shooting down the swarm of Devil Bats one after another.
"D-Did we do it?!"
The Sniper said that with a stunned expression, but unfortunately, that's a flag, so you shouldn't say it.
I was thinking something stupid like that, and it turned out to be a flag, because the next swarm flew out from the dust cloud created when the 【Divine Bolt】 hit.
"No way!?!?"
To shoot down the Devil Bats that flew out again, I prepared to fire a 【Divine Bolt】, pouring all my magic power into it.
However, due to its size, the 【Divine Bolt】 takes a little time to fire.
That time is less than five seconds with my Agility Status, but while it's fine against a few Devil Bats, that gap is fatal when facing a massive swarm that covers the entire passage.
"Damn it!!"
Realizing I wouldn't make it in time, I plunged the created 【Divine Bolt】 into the ground, using it as a shield.
Then, I braced myself for the attack, supporting the 【Divine Bolt】.
"Guh...!!"
The next moment, a tremendous impact struck the 【Divine Bolt】.
"Gyaaaaaaah"
Amidst that, I heard the scream of the Sniper I was shielding behind me.
What I saw when I instantly turned around was the Sniper and the Dragon's Eye members being attacked by the Devil Bats.
But for some reason, not a single one attacked me.
It was as if they recognized me as something different from the Dragon's Eye members.
After confirming that, I immediately let go of the 【Divine Bolt】 and rushed toward the attacking Devil Bats—but before I could, the Devil Bats had already left the Sniper and the others and vanished from my sight.
The Sniper and the others were...
"What the hell is this...!"
What I saw after the Devil Bats were gone were the corpses of the Sniper and the others, dried up like mummies.
The Sniper and the others had torn abdomens, multiple bite marks, and signs that their blood had been sucked out.
And their faces were contorted in terror.
They were probably bitten by the massive number of Devil Bats and had their blood drained.
Since they're 'Bats,' it's not surprising.
It must have been that kind of monster or Skill.
But I can't just accept that.
"Why was I the only one not attacked? I didn't get a reaction on 【Enemy Detection】, but they were definitely Devil Bats. In that case, it's strange that I wasn't attacked!"
Yes, I was the only one the Devil Bats didn't target.
I don't know why.
If the corpses of the Devil Bats I shot down had remained, I might have figured something out, but this time, the 【Divine Bolt】 completely annihilated them.
"...No good. Thinking about it won't help, so I'll just move on."
It's not uncommon for people to lose their lives like this inside a Dungeon.
In any case, there's no point in staying here. I need to get out quickly.
I'm worried about the Sniper and the others, but Rina is more important right now.
I can't afford to stall here if I want to save Rina.
I feel bad for the Sniper and the others, but I can't put corpses in my 【Item Box】, so I guess I have no choice but to leave them here.
For now, I'll move forward while looking at the map I took from the already deceased Dragon's Eye members. Using the map as a reference, I'll figure out my current location from the path I've taken so far and head to the stairs via the shortest route.
...Now, will it be an ogre, a snake, or something else entirely?
I'll proceed with maximum caution.
I memorized the route from the map and continued through the Dungeon one area after another.
"...!"
Nothing particularly unusual happened along the way, and I was making good progress.
But my 【Enemy Detection】 still picked up the Devil Bats, and there was no instance of the Devil Bats not reacting to the 【Enemy Detection】 Skill, unlike when they killed the Sniper and the others.
And I reached the lowest floor without encountering any Devil Bats that didn't react to 【Enemy Detection】, despite paying maximum attention as I went through the Dungeon.
The only things I encountered along the way were perfectly normal Devil Bats, and there were no people patrolling the Dungeon like the Sniper and the others...
"This is incredibly unsettling."
It was unsettling that not a single Dragon's Eye member, let alone an executive, was present until this point.
If they say the Sniper was enough, then so be it...
Well, the Devil Bats were still appearing, so that much was normal. That's all.
"But that means the remaining Dragon's Eye members are on this lowest floor...!"
In addition to the many Dragon's Eye members who must be ahead, the executives—since the Sniper has already died—are the Swordsman, the Fist King, the Mage, and the Samurai, four people in total.
And the leader commanding those four.
The remaining Labyrinth Church members aren't at a level to be a fighting force... Wait, no?
The Labyrinth Church followers were acting suspiciously, and the moment I spoke to them, they ran away at a considerable speed.
A speed that a normal person couldn't achieve, meaning they had leveled up.
Considering that, and the fact that they were hiding this Dungeon, I wouldn't say they can fight, but they've probably leveled up or acquired Skills.
"...What a pain in the ass!"
If that's true, the number of combatants will increase.
In that case, I naturally have to be cautious.
But I still don't have a grasp of how strong the Labyrinth Church is, let alone Dragon's Eye, so I can't say for sure.
"...Even so, I have no choice but to do it!"
No matter how strong they are, I have no intention of losing.
"Alright! Let's go!!"
I steeled my resolve and descended the stairs leading to the lowest floor.
When I reached the lowest floor, there was the usual boss room, and...
"This was a bit unexpected."
I hadn't anticipated them being inside the boss room.
I was sure they'd be outside the boss room, but I never thought they'd be inside.
Thinking that, I used 【Stealth】 and cautiously approached the boss room door one step at a time.
Then, my presence detection, which is an application of 【Enemy Detection】, reacted.
"...Thank goodness... she's actually here."
I thought no one was here, or that the boss room door was open, meaning they might not be in this Dungeon at all, but it seems they are.
And even though the boss doesn't revive if people are inside, how can they stay in the boss room?
I hid behind the door and peeked inside, and there were the people I had imagined.
"...Are those Dragon's Eye? And those over there are the Labyrinth Church guys?!"
The first thing that caught my eye were the various weapons.
Some people were equipped with close-range weapons like swords, spears, and axes, while others had long-range attack weapons like staves and guns.
And in the center was a familiar man.
"That's Toru Oshiro, the leader of Dragon's Eye!"
Just as I expected, it was the person I thought it was. Toru Oshiro's face matched the one I had looked up, so there was no mistake.
Next, I noticed the people who seemed to be the Labyrinth Church members.
There were about twenty of them in total, all wearing the same robes with hoods, so their faces weren't clearly visible.
But the robes had the embroidered mark of the Labyrinth Church followers, so they were probably the Labyrinth Church crowd.
The Labyrinth Church followers were lined up in a circle, and in the center was—
"...Rina...!"
—Rina, who was bound by chains on both her hands and feet, unable to move.
She seemed to be unconscious, slumped over. She wasn't wearing her usual casual clothes but a white, less-revealing dress-like garment.
"Kuh...!"
I was tempted to rush out and save her, but I held back for now to assess the situation.
From the current situation inside the boss room, the Labyrinth Church followers seem to be protected by the Dragon's Eye members.
And...
" " " " "—He—Appear—Us—" " " " "
I could finally make out the words the Labyrinth Church followers were muttering, their voices so low I could only hear them by getting this close and straining my ears.
I don't know what they're muttering, but I can tell it's not magic or anything like that. Still, it can't be anything good.
"For now, rescuing Rina is the priority."
While using the 【Stealth】 Skill, I took out the Dragonwood Bow from my 【Item Box】 and nocked a transparent arrow created with 【Magic Arrow】.
First, I have to stop them from muttering.
But before that, I need to neutralize the Dragon's Eye members around them.
I want to save Rina first, but to keep her out of the fight, I have to eliminate Dragon's Eye.
Then, I have to do it now.
Besides, once the fight starts, the Labyrinth Church's muttering will be interrupted and stopped.
"Multi Lock-On!"
Since I don't know the level of the Dragon's Eye members, I'll try to take them all out before acting.
In fact, I can't handle this many people with unknown levels otherwise.
"Phew...!"
I took a breath and put strength into the hand pulling the bowstring.
Then, I took aim and... fired.
The moment I did, the sound of the arrow cutting through the air echoed.
The guaranteed-hit arrows, which I had targeted at the weapons of the Dragon's Eye members using 【Multi Lock-On】, hit their marks one after another.
" " " "—!!!" " " " "
Completely caught off guard by the sudden attack, the Dragon's Eye members were unable to dodge or block my arrows, and their weapons were destroyed as they wore surprised expressions.
"Alright, let's get this done."
From there, it was a one-sided battle.
While hiding my figure with 【Stealth】, I unilaterally used 【Magic Arrow】 and the 【Lock-On】 Skill to destroy their weapons, and then used the Swiftstrike Dagger to forcibly knock out the Dragon's Eye members one after another.
I had to deactivate the 【Stealth】 Skill because I couldn't maintain it at that time, but it was fortunate that almost no one attacked me, perhaps because their weapons had been destroyed.
However, my transparent arrows were intercepted by the leader, Oshiro, and the executives, just like during the Silver Exam, and I couldn't even scratch them.
And so...
"This is the last one!!"
I destroyed all the weapons of the Dragon's Eye members, leaving only Oshiro and the executives.
But Oshiro and the executives didn't look flustered; they were smirking and looked relaxed.
And the Labyrinth Church guys didn't stop their muttering.
"—He—Appear—Us—!"
And finally, I could hear the words the Labyrinth Church followers were muttering without straining my ears.
I don't feel any magic power, so they don't seem to be using a magic-based Skill...
In any case, I need to stop the Labyrinth Church...!!
"...To show such an attitude before us... you must hold us in contempt!"
He's fast?!
The executive with the katana—the Samurai—moved right in front of me in an instant and slashed at me.
I was able to dodge it instantly because I could somewhat predict the trajectory with the 【Prediction】 Skill, but that speed is incredibly fast.
The Samurai continued to swing his katana, completely ignoring my surprise.
Confirming that, I immediately switched from the Dragonwood Bow to the Swiftstrike Dagger and counterattacked.
"...Tch! ...He's strong, alright...!!!"
I managed to block it with the dagger, but a considerable shock traveled up my arm.
He has a lot of speed and power.
Wait, is his level really lower than mine?
Considering the levels I looked up, even if their levels have increased somewhat, my stats—at least my Power—should be virtually unchanged.
So, what the hell is with this strength...?
"…Is it really wise to only focus on me?!"
"What?!"
That's right, the opponent isn't just the Samurai.
But by the time I realized it, it was already too late.
The moment the Samurai back-stepped away, eight ice spears appeared around me, encircling me.
"Damn it... Magic Arrow."
I tried to escape quickly, but the ice spears attacked even faster.
Judging that I wouldn't be able to dodge in time, I used the Swiftstrike Dagger to deflect the ice spears, buying myself some time. Then, I threw four transparent arrows, created in the hand not holding the dagger, in four different directions.
The four thrown arrows flew to cancel out the four incoming ice spears, shattering them.
"Phew... That was close... Whoa!"
And I dodged an attack from the executive—the Fist King—who had somehow closed the distance and was swinging a gauntlet-equipped fist.
At the same time, I parried an attack from the executive—the Swordsman—who had raised his one-handed sword, and tried to counterattack, but the Fist King swung his fist again before I could.
I intentionally took the blow with the sole of my foot, in a drop-kick-like posture, and was sent flying.
While being blown back, I spun in the air to kill my momentum and landed on my feet.
"Hmph... Not bad, handling their coordinated attack. You've got some skill."
Oshiro raised his voice, sounding impressed by my movements.
The crucial Oshiro hadn't participated in the exchange at all. Rather, he had just been watching me dodge and parry the attacks.
And even now, he was staring at me, observing my attacks and defenses.
But I also learned something.
It's that the executives have one or more stats that are exceptionally high.
The Samurai and Swordsman seemed to have high Attack and Agility stats.
The Fist King seemed to have a high Attack stat, and the Mage seemed to have a high Mental Strength stat.
Based on the information I gathered beforehand, even if they allocated all their BP to the relevant stats, it shouldn't be enough to counter my boosted stats from leveling up and my equipment.
The strength I'm sensing from the executives is definitely too much, even if they maxed out their BP in the corresponding stats.
But...
"That's all they have."
Somehow, their body movements and techniques don't seem to match, and there are plenty of ways to deal with them.
In that case, let the real massacre begin.
What I need to do is simple.
"Divine Wind, Lock-On!"
Just move fast and hit (shoot) fast.
I used 【Divine Wind】 to boost my Agility stat by +5,000, then moved around at high speed, unilaterally firing transparent arrows created with 【Magic Arrow】 from the Dragonwood Bow.
"F-Fast... Guh-ha!!"
"He's too fast!!"
I first targeted the slower Fist King, shooting him and sending him flying.
The Fist King tumbled and rolled several times before trying to stand up.
It seems his Defense stat is also high, not just his Attack, so the damage wasn't too severe, but that's still not a problem.
I just have to keep shooting until he goes down.
"W-Wait...!!"
The Fist King was panicking and trying to say something, but I had no intention of listening or waiting.
I just kept shooting, shooting, and shooting.
"Guh...!! ...You...!!"
Then, the Fist King glared at me, tried to stand up, but immediately lost consciousness and collapsed again.
That's one down.
Next, I approached the fallen Fist King and severed the tendons in his arms and legs with the Swiftstrike Dagger.
He won't be able to move anymore.
It would be a pain if he revived after I went to the trouble of knocking him out.
"Hey, don't you dare forget about us!!!"
Next, I targeted the Mage with the staff who had just shouted at me.
Sensing the Mage raising his magic power, I quickly closed the distance, kicked the staff out of his hand, kneed him in the solar plexus, and then kneed him in the jaw.
Then, I severed the tendons in the arms and legs of the fallen Mage, whose brain had been rattled and lost consciousness.
"...Hah! You're quite fast. I never thought we'd be cornered this badly...!!"
"But it's not over yet...!!"
Next up is the Swordsman and Samurai combo.
The Swordsman held up his one-handed sword, and the Samurai took an Iai-like stance.
" "—【Slash】"!" "
And both of them activated their Skills simultaneously.
【Slash】 is an essential Skill for Explorers who use cutting weapons like swords and katanas; when activated, it allows them to instantly carve up an opponent.
That Skill was now coming at me from two people, the Swordsman and the Samurai, at the same time.
But...
"Indestructible Body, Magic Arrow, Multi Lock-On!"
I'm currently in a state where my Agility is boosted by the 【Divine Wind】 Skill, and I have the 【Prediction】 and 【Evasion】 Skills, so I can easily dodge it.
In addition, using 【Indestructible Body】, which boosts my Defense by +5,000 for ten minutes, is perfect in case the 【Slash】 grazes me.
Then, for the attack, I created two transparent arrows with 【Magic Arrow】 and...
"Hah!!"
In that state, I slipped right through the 【Slash】 attacks launched by the Swordsman and the Samurai, nocked the two transparent arrows to the Dragonwood Bow, and fired them.
"Impossible..."
"What... speed!"
The two of them looked astonished and twisted their bodies to avoid the two transparent arrows I had fired.
But the arrows I'm firing aren't normal.
The arrows I'm shooting are guaranteed to hit, thanks to 【Multi Lock-On】.
Even if they can sense the transparent arrows from the sound of them cutting the air, the moment they choose to dodge, it's over.
Well, since I wasn't willing them to hit this time, even if they tried to intercept them, the arrows would still slip past their weapons and hit the Swordsman and Samurai directly.
"No... way?!"
"How could this...!"
The 【Magic Arrow】s hit the chests of the Swordsman and the Samurai directly, sending them flying into the wall, where they lost consciousness.
With that, their bodies won't be able to move even if they wake up, without me having to sever their tendons.
"That's the end of that!"
With those two, the Dragon's Eye executives were completely wiped out.
All that's left is the boss, Oshiro.
Thinking that, I turned around and started running to neutralize Oshiro—
"Haa—Seriously? Even that wasn't enough...!!"
—But then I heard Oshiro's muttered voice.
"But... too bad for you. We win..."
"What are you talking about...!?!"
The next moment I tried to question Oshiro, I suddenly felt an immense surge of magic power... no, Miasma torrent, from Rina's direction.
I looked toward Rina, and there I saw...
"What?! A Magic Circle?!?"
I saw a gigantic, purple Magic Circle, unlike anything I had ever seen, unfolding around Rina, and a massive amount of black particles was flowing out of it.
What is that ominous thing...?
"Oh, oh! Our God! Our God! Manifest now, please!!"
As I stood stunned by the sight before me, a man whose robe was noticeably more elaborate and who wore an eerie mask on his face suddenly stood up from among the Labyrinth Church followers and shouted in excitement.
Then, the other followers, who had been kneeling and muttering, also stood up and began to shout the same way.
"Oh, our great God! Please, show us your form!!"
"To think the day would come when we could see your form...!!"
"We, too, will finally witness the work of God...!!"
Then, they all began to clasp their hands together as if in prayer, tears streaming down their faces.
It was then that I finally understood.
They were trying to summon something using Rina.
The muttering they were all doing was probably an incantation or something similar.
Many people use incantations to solidify their image when using magic-based Skills alone, but it's not absolutely necessary.
However, when multiple people use the same magic, they all use the same incantation.
There is certainly a reason for everyone to use the same incantation: it makes the image of the magic clearer, increases its power, and ensures they are all using the same magic.
With magic-based Skills, you can use any magic depending on your image, provided your Skill Level is sufficient.
If multiple people use such a magic-based Skill together, the magic's power increases, and they can even use magic that would normally be impossible.
Therefore, it's not uncommon for multiple people to use magic together.
It's what you might call a combined technique.
However, this only applies to magic-based Skills that can attack enemies with magic. It's different for magic like 【Summoning Magic】, which requires summoning a monster to serve you and making it recognize you as its master.
In that case, no matter how many people gather to use the magic, the summoned monster is too powerful to be controlled. The summoned monster would almost certainly go berserk.
Therefore, Rina's current situation is bad.
What's bad is that even though they've been chanting for a considerable amount of time, at least since before I arrived, a monster still hasn't been summoned.
I've never heard of 【Summoning Magic】 requiring a person. Is Rina a decoy?
But right now...
"I have to stop that magic!!"
I absolutely have to stop that magic.
The ominous nature of the particles still being emitted makes it easy to imagine how dangerous it is.
Furthermore, if I allow that thing to be summoned, not only Rina, who is at the center of the Magic Circle, but I, too, will not escape unharmed.
So, I must stop the Labyrinth Church followers who were using the magic...!!
"Whoops, I ain't gonna let you interfere, you know?!"
The moment I tried to move to stop the magic, Oshiro stood in front of me, blocking my path.
"Damn it! Get out of the way!"
But I don't have time to worry about that.
I immediately created a transparent arrow with 【Magic Arrow】 in one hand, slipped into Oshiro's guard, and struck him directly with the 【Magic Arrow】.
"Guh-ha!"
Oshiro, who took a hit from the 【Magic Arrow】 plus my fist hardened by 【Indestructible Body】, was blown away and crashed into the wall.
Good! Now, quickly, the other followers...!!!
Thinking that, I created eight 【Magic Arrow】s, four in each hand, and the next moment—
"Guh!?!"
—Black mist overflowed from the Magic Circle, centered on Rina's location, spread out, and completely filled my vision.
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