The Dungeon's Core (2)
Inadia's rebellion was quickly subdued, and they returned to the basilisks' area to prepare the ambush.
It had been enough time for them to move, but being carnivores, they apparently hated wasting energy on pointless things. They were still right there.
They closed in as much as possible... Ah, damn. The basilisk seemed to have noticed their presence. It stared their way, flicking its tongue.
Even without sight, it must have some other sense.
Still, there was no thought of changing plans or retreating.
"Wait! They're looking right at us...!"
Inadia panicked and pulled back dramatically, so Kirgil finally drew his sword. And he deployed the classic threat from moms back home.
"Three... two... one... "
"Uwaaaah!!"
Feeling the pressure from the countdown, Inadia covered his face with his shield and bolted left.
Did the guy have a lizard allergy or something? He was freaking out even more over this smaller basilisk than the monster turtles.
The moment Inadia charged, Kirgil signaled Hairil.
"Ierpanashi, thou art the hero of the fierce gale, Darjilka!"
⟨ Body Enhancement ⟩
Panash, boosted by the physical enhancement spell, shot forward in an instant, while Hodo followed from behind, aiming the crossbow mounted on his axe.
Kirgil somehow sensed and resisted the curse, but the others couldn't. So Ashu and Hairil waited out of the basilisks' sightlines.
"Ashu, if Panash or Hodo gets cursed, I'll let you know—please dispel it right away."
Inadia's panicked flailing reliably drew the gaze of both basilisks. The pair turned and moved toward him.
"Uwaaaah!! Get away!! Don't come here!! Uwut! What the... "
But he tripped over a tree root, reflexively shifted his shield, and froze mid-fall.
Flat on the ground in a swimming pose. Perfect position for a basilisk to swallow whole.
Sure enough, the two approaching basilisks looked oddly excited.
Bam!!
At that moment, Panash struck one from the side.
Power scales with speed, right? Even the basilisk's tough hide couldn't stop the halberd from plunging deep.
Kieeeek!
The stabbed basilisk gaped its mouth in sudden agony, and Panash timed it perfectly, thrusting his thin blade from inside the mouth toward the brain.
Right into the weak point Kirgil had taught him.
"Kuh!?"
But he froze solid. The remaining basilisk had locked eyes on him.
Whether it was mates or not, the survivor charged Panash with furious momentum.
"Ashu! Dispel on Panash!!"
After directing Ashu, Kirgil readied his sword for support. But not yet—Hodo was there.
As the remaining basilisk closed on Panash, a crossbow bolt pierced its flank. It turned its deadly gaze toward the bolt's origin.
That's when Hodo raised his axe high and bellowed.
"You bastaaard!! Where the hell you lookiiin'!! You wanna see thiiis!!"
Facing the charging Hodo with bared teeth, the basilisk flinched in surprise.
Kirgil was shocked too!
Hodo wasn't affected by the petrifying gaze!!
Just in case, he checked Hodo's Status Window...
Courage of the Vein Delver!?
'Courage of the Vein Delver!?' It wasn't a metaphor—this was an actual skill!?
With that Courage of the Vein Delver, Hodo barreled right up to the basilisk and smashed down toward its head!
The basilisk twisted to present its spiky protrusions in defense.
Crash!! Thud!!
Hodo's massive axe shattered the rock-like spikes and cracked the back shell.
Kyaaaaaaa!!
The basilisk arched its back, screeching in agony. Hodo released the deeply embedded axe and retreated; the beast thrashed, rearing its head to dislodge it.
But it didn't last.
With a shunk!, the freed Panash appeared in a flash and drove his blade into the weak point just as the mouth gaped wide.
These guys could head home already. Kirgil hadn't needed to lift a finger. The only regret? No red eyes this time.
You couldn't get them from a normal kill.
Battle over, Hodo and Panash shared a light high-five. Fantasy tales always said elves and dwarves hated each other, but not in this world.
Another prejudice busted today.
They ignored Inadia's perfect photo-op pose and resumed marching.
"Hodo, what gave you the resolve to charge like that right in front of the basilisk? Honestly, I was shocked."
"Heh heh, I told ya. I knew about the Courage of the Vein Delver. Our ancestors had to push through thin air thick with dust, poison gas, groundwater, explosions, even collapsing rocks to dig mines. Gave me the conviction I could do it too."
Dwarves digging through earth encountered every status ailment imaginable. Makes sense—Kirgil had found a poison gas zone in a cave during the goblin subjugation back in Agnes Village.
Dwarves with Courage of the Vein Delver must have solid magic resistance and status immunity.
Panash seemed fascinated by Hairil's magic. The stoic elf, who rarely initiated talk, was approaching her.
"Hairil, thy magic is a marvel unending. I deem thy arts a treasure. Once this is done, wouldst thou visit my homeland?"
"Y-Yes!? Me? B-But... this magic is... umm..."
A moment of international friendship bearing fruit. But Hairil was glancing at Kirgil.
Did she need his permission?
Ashu caught on and explained.
"It means he wants the secrets of Hairil's magic. Goldkeepers safeguard not just valuables, but information and knowledge too."
"Selling knowledge or info?"
"Something like that. In return, Iyer would offer equivalent value—gold, or other knowledge. You can demand what you want in exchange for the treasure they desire."
Hairil was checking with him because he'd helped create it.
Naive kid. Kirgil had just given a nudge; it was all Hairil's talent. If she wanted to deal with big shots later, she'd have to decide herself.
With that in mind, he pointedly looked away.
"I d-don't know! Kirgil taught me! The incantations, the method—all from Kirgil!"
Panicked, Hairil scampered over and clung to him.
No! He'd told her not to mention teaching ancient tongue! Snitch!
...He swallowed the scolding.
Hairil gazed up with a "don't abandon me" look.
She'd misunderstood his "toughen up" look-away. Beastkin instincts maybe—her social vibe was pure wild animal.
Tail tucked, ears back, pleading not to be cast from the pack.
Maybe she saw trading the enhancement spell as stealing the leader's food. On day one, she'd insisted the strongest—Kirgil—eat first.
To her, ingrained pack life trumped any brief promise with him. That was proper etiquette.
He hadn't grasped the species' value differences. This was her agonized conclusion.
His mistake.
"Haa..."
He placed a hand on her head reassuringly; she finally relaxed. Now the problem was Panash's intense gaze fixed on him.
Ashu blocked it, reading his concern.
Good ol' Ashu, quick on the uptake!
"Kirgil has studied ancient tongue with Archmage Agnes. To my knowledge, no one rivals his expertise—many mages already seek his aid."
Go Ashu! Not just a plane ride—a rocket launch!
Panash's eyes gleamed like a nocturnal predator's. Hairil's sparkled like stars. Hadn't seen eyes like that since Lirisa.
Ashu, you're in for it later!
After the minor commotion, they refocused on the dungeon and pressed on.
They encountered two more threatening basilisks, but once familiar, spotting them first neutralized the danger.
Inadia lured, Hodo ignored the gaze and bulldozed in to smash it, and agile Panash finished.
Hours later, Zone 3 darkened.
Night mode for the critters' comfort. Great basilisk welfare here—terrible for visitors.
Night meant camp, and predictably, a night raid hit. Nonstop since entering—no tension anymore, just annoyance.
Anyway, first watch Inadia shouted to wake the nearly sleeping group.
"Vile foes approach!! I'll hold them off!!"
Wondering why the basilisk-coward was suddenly so bold... thud! thud! Monster turtles crashed the raid.
The vibrations woke everyone anyway.
Demon hounds appeared as usual, but fewer—only five. Their steady culls had whittled them down.
Left the turtles to Inadia; handled the hounds.
A few days in, routine?
Panash stabbed leads, Hodo bashed flankers, Kirgil and Ashu cleaned up stragglers.
Hairil judged staying put safest, waiting by them.
They'd naturally formed a formation.
All but one.
"Hahaha! Resorting to cowardly night raids! Small wonder for base curs like you!"
Oh, showtime again?
All cleared but one turtle.
Inadia looked thrilled—no need to interfere. After a day of basilisk trauma, let him vent.
Boosting egos mattered.
But why was everyone looking at Kirgil, not Inadia?
Hey, Ashu!
Why're you raiding his pack for jerky unasked!!
These folks were hooked. Totally hooked!
Next basilisk kill, tell 'em it's that meat.