Chapter 58

I've updated it ('ω')

While relying on Nene's forward vigilance, we proceeded through the "Colorless Darkness."

We did move forward, but it was hard to tell if we were actually making progress.

"Silk, how's it going?"

"The deviation from the last time is too much..."

Silk's face clouded as she was creating a map with the [Magic Map].

I had hoped to leap to Jamie's location from the entrance to the first level, but unfortunately, it was the first level with overlapping mosaic areas that I had seen before.

...However, it was just too vast.

There were traces of collapse everywhere, and the [Wind's Call] didn't function properly. It felt like the floor itself had expanded significantly.

The monsters we encountered were also diverse; there were Bolguls and crocodile-headed wolves.

Moreover, some of them fell from the ceiling.

We might have been caught in the collapse of some floor and leaped to this relatively stable mosaic first level.

"The path is secured. The [Wind's Call] doesn't work, but the danger level isn't that high."

Nene, who had returned from her forward vigilance, called us over.

"How was the collapse?"

"There are a few spots. The corridors aren't too collapsed, but some rooms beyond the doors have turned into pits..."

There might be some pattern to the collapses.

No, given that the most solid area, the staircase, has collapsed, we shouldn't be too optimistic.

The conclusion drawn by Benwood, Mamar, and the Royal Academy of Science is that there is something abnormal about the "Colorless Darkness."

And apparently, this abnormality can be seen in various places in the kingdom.

However, the collapse phenomenon is happening only here.

I'm curious about what's going on, but... now is not the time to think about such things.

First, we need to rescue Jamie from this crazy labyrinth.

"There are resident monsters in the next room."

"What kind?"

"They look like magical creatures, but I've never seen them before. They're like black jelly with lots of eyeballs, pretty horrifying."

...I've seen that before.

Probably.

While advancing through the corridor, which had somehow become a soil wall covered in vines, I prepared resistance magic.

If my guess is correct, they are creatures skilled in magic.

"That's it..."

Nene, lowering her voice, pointed to the room from a blind spot.

Glancing over, I saw the monster as expected.

Its body, which looked like black slime, could be mistaken for a viscous creature, but it was covered with a large number of eyeballs that moved around.

There were three of them.

"...They're Hundred-Eyed Slimes. They're demons, you know."

Hundred-Eyed Slimes are low-level demons.

They are the remnants of incarnate demons that have appeared in this world, failed summonings, or the result of foolish people who carelessly made contracts with demons.

They have no intelligence and live in a form similar to primitive organisms, but they use magic, perhaps due to their instinct as creatures connected to the netherworld.

"Their monster rank is equivalent to C-rank. They use magic and are quite fast."

"Really?"

"Yeah, if you think they're viscous creatures, you'll be in for a rough time."

While distributing resistance magic, I signaled to Marina.

"Those types of demons are resistant to magic. Marina, I'm counting on you."

"Leave it to me!"

Marina, who had nodded vigorously, drew her slightly shorter bastard sword from its sheath, the one she used when we first met.

"I'll help too."

"I'll join in. I can at least hold them off."

Standing alongside Nene and Marina, I drew the new rapier I had acquired.

A magical sword made of true silver, emitting a faint blue light.

It's a rare item, but since it can only be used by a red mage, I have to wield it.

"Silk, I need ice attribute arrows. Rain, I need support with [Gravel]."

"Understood."

"Got it."

This is not an opponent to be taken lightly, but we can't afford to waste time.

"I'll leave the timing to you, Marina."

"Okay, on the count of three...!"

After a brief pause, Marina dashed forward.

Nene and I followed closely behind.

Marina's bastard sword, enveloped in the aura of a magic sword, caught a Hundred-Eyed Slime and split it in two.

The Hundred-Eyed Slime began to cast a spell at the charging Marina... but Nene and I stopped it.

"Holding them back!"

Silk's ice arrow, released in a gentle arc above our heads, pierced one of the Hundred-Eyed Slimes I was holding back.

"Yuek, finish it off!"

The Hundred-Eyed Slime, pierced by the super-cold arrow, slowed down.

Although not a viscous creature, it was liquid, so the cold-based hold was effective.

Stepping into the partially frozen Hundred-Eyed Slime and swinging my rapier, it split into several pieces and rolled away.

As expected, a famous sword has a different edge.

"Only one left...!"

Turning around, I saw that the last one had already been taken care of by Marina and Nene.

They were indeed efficient.

"Clear in the surroundings."

Nene, quickly confirming there were no reinforcements, nodded at me.

"Any damage?"

"One attribute arrow. No problem."

"I'm fine too!"

"No damage."

"Mana is fine."

The quick ambush attack seemed to have worked without any losses.

"Good, let's move on. Nene, I'm counting on you."

"Got it."

Nene nodded and ran smoothly down the corridor extending from the room.

But she soon peeked around the corner.

"Yuek! It's the stairs down! I found them!"

How was it? ('ω')

I have no relation to Taisai at the pass!

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