Chapter 58: Dungeon Practice (8)
Chapter 58: Dungeon Practice (8)
“Whoa! Whoa! He’s actually running away?”
“…That Vincent. I knew his resolve wasn’t sharp, so I expected him to be weak in a crisis… but I didn’t think it was this bad.”
“Haha. Who is ever good right from the start? It looks like this is his very first time in real combat. It’s our job to teach him well from here on out.”
“I suppose… Sigh….”
In the largest building erected in front of the dungeon, the professors from each department gathered, reacting in various ways as they watched the screens floating in the air.
The screens displayed several small scenes simultaneously, all showing the students who had entered the practice dungeon.
Using special magical tools installed in the dungeon beforehand, they were peering inside, bypassing the spatial isolation.
Normally, this would be impossible, but in a practice dungeon that had been managed for a long time—where the internal mana patterns were perfectly understood—it was somehow achievable.
Thanks to this, Professors Iona, Jason, and Christina were able to watch the entire battle: from the trio’s initial confusion to the final moment where Vincent saw Helena and bolted.
“By the way, student Helena is truly impressive. Her divine arts are great, but to think her body arts have reached such a level as well.”
“Phew… that girl still has a long way to go. Most priests of the Righteous Light are like that, but Helena in particular gets exceptionally enraged when facing monsters….”
“Still, it’s better than getting scared and running away, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know… It’s only because this is a lowest-grade dungeon. Anywhere else, charging out recklessly during a fight would be far more dangerous than running away alone.”
Jason and Christina let out deep sighs, each worried about their own students.
Between them, Iona was grinning ear to ear. And for good reason.
“Heehee. As expected, our Magic Department is the best! Right, Jason?”
“…I am a professor now, so please address me as Professor Jason, Professor Iona. And this is simply because student Yandel is exceptional; it doesn’t mean the entire Magic Department is the best. Look. This student named Wilhelm is a mage, yet he’s stepped into the vanguard despite everyone’s protests.”
“Ack… he hasn’t been beaten enough—ahem. He still hasn’t fixed that attention-seeking personality of his….”
The professors’ gazes shifted from Yandel to the party containing Wilhelm.
There were over a dozen parties to evaluate, but with only three professors, they couldn't keep an eye on every single student.
Perhaps that was why.
Why they missed the hem of a black robe that briefly flickered across the corner of the screen.
*
“Kieeeeeek!”
An Evil Rabbit fired its horns from a distance. Startled by the incoming projectiles, Vincent ducked behind me.
“Aaack! Save me! The horns… the horrrns…!”
“Don’t cling to me, it’s gross! You’re interfering with my magic!”
Even if the system correction meant I didn’t need intense concentration to cast, having my focus broken while spamming spells was never a good thing.
“And I gave you a Shield! It can block five or six projectiles like that!”
“B-but it was flying right at my face!”
“Then swat it away with your sword! You can do it!”
This annoying brat!
I roughly shook Vincent off and released the mana gathered at the tip of my staff.
“Water Cannon!”
A high-pressure stream of water erupted with the activation word.
An Evil Rabbit that had been aiming for Helena’s back took the hit head-on and went tumbling across the ground.
“Kyahaaaaak!”
Tsk. I was aiming for the head, but I missed. It’s all Vincent’s fault. Anyway, it is.
Its ribs were shattered and its internals turned to mush, but the monster’s characteristic tenacity kept it tethered to this world.
And then came the Berserk state.
“Kueeeeeeeee!”
But there was no way Helena would just watch that opening.
She caught an Evil Rabbit mid-air as it lunged at her, horns first.
As it gagged from the grip on its neck, Helena shattered its horns with a palm strike and then drove them straight into its crown, killing it instantly and cleanly.
It was a truly marvelous combo… but not exactly the work of a priest.
Regardless, having gained a brief moment of breathing room, Helena immediately lunged toward the berserking Evil Rabbit.
“Lord! Today, I send up another son of a bitch who shouldn't have been born in the first place!”
With that shout, Helena grabbed the bundle of tentacles that were starting to slither out from between its four-way split jaw.
“Kuek?”
The Evil Rabbit let out a confused sound… but those were its last words.
“Hrrrp!”
Stepping on the Evil Rabbit’s maw with one foot, Helena vigorously ripped the tentacles out.
Splatter!
The Evil Rabbit’s belly instantly deflated as it vomited out not just the tentacles, but its internal organs as well.
“Ah… the Lord’s grace fills my body, so what is there to fear?”
Helena spoke in a moved voice as she crushed the head of the Evil Rabbit, which was still twitching with the last of its life.
…Scary.
She’s way too scary!
How does that look like a priest in any way!
I felt like I finally understood why Vincent had seen Helena up close and run away.
But I couldn't do that. Because…
There were still many monsters, and even at this moment, two of them were pouncing simultaneously on Helena, who was currently high on the Righteous Light.
“Shock! Shock!”
I quickly spammed basic magic that could be used with just the activation word.
“Kieek?!”
“Kyeeak!”
As expected of basic magic, the power wasn't great, but since it was lightning magic, it could provide a brief moment of paralysis.
What happens if your body goes numb just as you’re about to leap?
Thud.
You just fall flat on your face in an awkward position.
Helena wore a joyful smile as she looked at the two momentarily helpless Evil Rabbits.
“Thank you, Brother Yandel! What a precious gift!”
No. That’s not a gift.
But Helena, consumed by the thought of smashing monster skulls, just grinned and drew up her holy power.
Flash.
Her holy power shimmered with a faint golden light. Combined with her blonde hair and golden eyes, it created a very mystical atmosphere… but to the Evil Rabbits, she must have looked more terrifying than the Grim Reaper.
“Kyuu?”
“Kyui?”
They even retracted their horns, putting on cute expressions as if pretending to be ordinary rabbits.
But their struggle for survival didn't work on Helena.
“These abominable monsters! How dare you try to bewitch me!”
Enraged instead, Helena hurled spheres of condensed holy power from both hands.
Holy Strike.
One of the few direct attack-type divine arts of the priest class shot rapidly toward the two Evil Rabbits.
Boom!
With the sound of an explosion, the Evil Rabbits’ heads were blown away in an instant.
Is that about two-thirds the power of a Fireball?
A normal Holy Strike isn't this strong. It’s only possible because it’s the holy power of the Righteous Light, famous for being bellicose.
Well, in exchange, they’re completely useless at anything not related to combat.
Anyway, with that, all the monsters drawn by the lure trap Vincent stepped on were dealt with.
“Phew….”
As I let out a sigh of relief, Vincent, who had been hiding behind me, asked cautiously.
“Are they all finished? I don't sense any presence for now.”
“What do you mean, ‘finished’? Don't say such jinxed things.”
“What? I just….”
I let Vincent’s protests go in one ear and out the other as I gathered mana once more.
Vroom.
A faint, wide-reaching telekinesis magic spread out with me at the center.
It was a trick Carla taught me since I hadn't learned proper detection magic yet.
The radius is short, and it can't detect magical phenomena, but it can at least sense the presence of monsters.
Fortunately, I didn't feel any particular resistance.
“Haa… It seems to be over for now. I don't sense any other monsters nearby.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. It’s true, so please get off me now.”
“Ugh….”
Only after hearing my confirmation did Vincent step forward.
When Helena finally joined us, walking over with a face full of self-loathing, the three of us could finally face each other with some sanity.
“Now, Priestess Helena, why the long face? You fought well.”
“That’s the problem. I am a priest, after all. I intended to restrain myself this time… but I lost my mind again.”
“Well… it would have been a dangerous move if this weren't a practice dungeon.”
If a priest charges forward, the other party members can't receive proper support.
Healing is delayed when it’s needed, and blessings are delayed when they’re needed.
Furthermore, if Helena were to die or fall unconscious, the party would have to rely entirely on the mage for all support.
Support magic is less efficient than divine arts, so mana consumption would become extreme, and the mage’s strength—firepower—would wither away.
The burden on the vanguard would increase, and eventually, if the vanguard couldn't hold out and collapsed, the party would be wiped out.
Because everyone knows this well, the standard tactic when parties fight each other is to target the priest first.
The only reason this had a good result was because it was a practice dungeon; otherwise, it was an irresponsible action not much different from Vincent’s desertion.
However.
“It’s okay. This isn't some high-difficulty dungeon; it’s a practice dungeon. And someone had to take the vanguard.”
“Brother Yandel…!”
Helena’s eyes sparkled with emotion.
I suppose so. Until now, she probably only heard that she shouldn't do that, both in the Church of the Righteous Light and at the Academy, so my nonchalant reaction must have hit home.
If Vincent had an individual story about overcoming his fear and eventually awakening…
Helena’s individual story, surprisingly, was about honing her body arts like this to be able to fight on the front lines like a Holy Knight.
By that point, she would be recognized not as a Saintess Candidate, but as a true Saintess.
“Ah, but as for Vincent….”
“You can just call me Vincent. …And I’m truly sorry about earlier. I was so flustered that I couldn't do my job properly.”
Vincent hung his head low.
“As long as you know. Anyway, even if we let it slide this time, what about next time? Can you fight in the front?”
“That… might be a bit difficult.”
Well, I figured. Vincent at this stage is a character who’s practically trash.
But it’s not like there are no ways at all.
I didn't realize it would be this bad in reality, but I’d encountered Vincent in a practice dungeon party more than once or twice in H&A.
“Then what if you don't stand in the vanguard alone, but instead support Priestess Helena? You can do that much, right?”
“Hmm. That seems doable.”
“Priestess Helena? What do you think? Would you be willing to take the vanguard next time as well?”
“Yes? But….”
I shrugged at the troubled Helena.
“Isn't it natural to adjust strategy according to the dungeon? The monsters here are well within your power to handle, so there’s no problem with you being in the vanguard.”
“Since you put it that way, I’ll give it my best effort.”
Helena and I looked at each other and shared a small smile.
Was it because we’d just gone through a mess together? It felt like the party had grown a bit closer.
“Anyway, to summarize: Priestess Helena will lead and face the monsters, and Vincent will support her. I’ll provide fire support with magic from the rear and give orders. How’s that? Does anyone have a better idea?”
“No. I don't.”
“I’m fine with that as well.”
The two shook their heads, agreeing to follow my lead.
Good. With this, I could naturally take command.
It was only natural since I was the only sane person once combat started….
But it was also true that this made it easier to guide them toward the hidden piece.
“Then let’s head out again.”
I briefly looked around to confirm our location and pointed toward where the hidden piece would be.
It was a shame the party members were uncontrollable, but looking at it this way, couldn't it be called a blessing in disguise?
*
In a corner of the practice dungeon.
The Academy guard who had been protecting the entrance to the massive rabbit burrow where the boss resided fell helplessly.
Thud.
About half of the collapsed body had been torn away, the edges of the wound jagged as if a giant beast had chewed through it.
The guards, each of whom was at the level of a veteran mercenary, had been wiped out just moments ago.
On the ground, where blood and flesh were scattered in disarray.
The lone man in black robes standing there muttered softly.
“Everything is according to His will.”