Chapter 59: Anomaly
Chapter 59: Anomaly
Perhaps it was because we’d already hit a major snag once before.
After reorganizing our positions, the party was making smooth progress.
“O Lord! Grant me Your light! Allow me to bring divine punishment upon these disgusting seeds!”
Helena was still running wild, looking more like a berserker than a priestess.
Rip and tear.
It was a scene straight out of a slasher movie.
There was a jarring dissonance between her menacing aura, which bled with hatred and rage toward the monsters, and her warm holy power, which shone like sunlight falling equally upon all.
However, focusing solely on killing monsters would inevitably leave her exposed.
In fact, there was one Evil Rabbit that tried to drop from a tree, targeting Helena while she was half-blinded by bloodlust.
“Hyaaaaaah!”
Slash.
With a desperate shout, a sword swung and easily cut the creature in two. I suppose I don't need to worry about that anymore.
Was looking at the Evil Rabbits still too much for him? Vincent was squinting his eyes, his hands trembling...
But he didn't run away; he swung his sword properly.
He still seemed far from his true skill level, but the fact that he could fight at all was a huge improvement.
As for me.
“Vincent! There’s another one behind Helena!”
“On it!”
I utilized my wide field of vision from the rear to give simple orders.
“Ignite, explode, and devour. Fireball!”
Every now and then, I blasted clusters of monsters with magic.
“Where do you think you’re going without even going Berserk!”
“Kieeeeeek!!”
I even plunged my dagger into the bellies of a few monsters that tried to bypass Helena and Vincent to target me directly.
…Is it just me, or do I have a lot to do?
Anyway, as we each focused on what we could do, the party surprisingly managed to function quite well.
Thanks to that, Vincent and Helena, who had been fighting with expressions of "Is this really okay?" at first, now had broad smiles on their faces.
“Haha! I was so worried about how this would turn out at first… but this is a better party than I thought!”
“It is all thanks to Brother Yandel, who turned our weaknesses into strengths.”
“…Anyone could have thought of this. Please don't lay the praise on too thick, Priestess Helena.”
“True. Anyone could have thought of it. But the fact that it’s actually working is entirely due to your ability, Brother, so please, just accept our praise.”
“Haha! Priestess Helena is right! You deserve it!”
I mean… this is only the lowest-grade dungeon, you know?
Given enough time, an A-class student could solo everything here except the boss.
Well, excluding Vincent, who still goes "Hieeeek!" in actual combat.
This guy is a total dead weight until he goes through his awakening event.
On the flip side, he’s a top-tier character once he awakens… but to be honest, I didn't play him much because he’s a male character.
Why play a guy when there are so many pretty and powerful female characters?
Anyway, seeing how excited the two of them were made me feel a bit guilty for worrying about how to secretly snag the hidden piece.
So, I gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject.
“Enough. Let’s just harvest the horns and move on.”
“He’s blushing.”
“He really is.”
Vincent and Helena chuckled as they began collecting the horns, the byproducts of the Evil Rabbits.
Since we had dealt with quite a few this time, we were focused on the harvesting for a while.
Suddenly, Helena tilted her head in confusion.
“Isn't this a bit strange? I know Evil Rabbits live in colonies, but too many are appearing all at once… This is almost like we stepped into a lure trap.”
“What of it? We must have just stumbled near a rabbit hole. It’s just more points rolling in for us, so shouldn't we be happy? Hahaha!”
Vincent laughed boisterously, even though he was still working with his eyes half-shut because he hadn't adjusted to the monster corpses yet.
Well, I could understand him.
Even after getting into Class A… no, especially because we were in Class A, points were vital.
The Academy divides classes based on grades, and the treatment varies drastically depending on the class.
It’s a kind of bait to stimulate the students' desire for improvement.
Being in a lower class doesn't come with penalties, but it’s human nature to feel bitter when seeing the upper classes receive special privileges.
If you don't like it, train harder and get stronger.
But what bait should be used for the top-tier Class A?
It’s simple. Offer rare treasures that can't be obtained normally.
In Class A, grades are tallied once a semester to settle points.
These points can be used to purchase magical tools, elixirs, or secret techniques created by the Academy professors.
Oh, and of course, they can be exchanged for gold.
The exchange rate is quite good, so students with the "poor" trait usually prioritize buying a certain amount of gold with their points.
Anyway, Vincent was likely aiming for that system, which players called the Achievement Shop.
However, Helena, whose greed was thin as expected of a priestess, remained uneasy.
Since the topic had come up, I decided to ease her worries a bit.
“It’s true that the number of Evil Rabbits has suddenly spiked, just as Priestess Helena said. There’s a large rock nearby, so let’s climb up and scout the surroundings. If anything seems off, we’ll pull out immediately.”
“Ah! That sounds good! Let’s do that!”
Helena gave a shy smile, looking relieved. It was quite the gap, considering she was the same person who had been dismembering monsters with her bare hands just five minutes ago.
Actually, there was a reason why there were so many monsters in this vicinity.
It was because they were drawn to the energy of the hidden piece—the Bleached Mana Herb—which should be on the rock I just pointed out.
A Mana Herb is already a plant rich in mana, and a Bleached Mana Herb is a mutation caused by exposure to excessive mana.
While it can't compare to a properly made elixir, it’s a spiritual herb that provides a decent boost to growth in the early stages.
And since it provides mana, it’s a stat I desperately need as a mage.
The only downside is that in a regen-type dungeon, unlike monsters or ordinary resources, clearly special items like the Bleached Mana Herb do not respawn.
In a game, it’s natural to prevent players from infinitely farming rare items, but this is reality.
There’s probably a reason why it doesn't respawn. I don't know what it is, though.
With those thoughts, I tucked the last horn into my inventory and started moving again.
Fortunately, we didn't encounter any monsters along the way.
*
“Hah… no wonder people can't find it.”
I had climbed the rock alone under the pretext of scouting.
In a corner, there was a small crack just wide enough for a hand to fit through, and the pure white grass growing inside was indeed the Bleached Mana Herb.
I quickly plucked it and put it in my inventory before anyone could see.
At that moment, a clear notification sounded.
Ding!
【You have found a hidden treasure of the dungeon!】
【Achievement Unlocked! You have acquired the new title: ‘Clumsy Treasure Hunter’!】
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【Title: Clumsy Treasure Hunter】
You have become aware of the existence of hidden treasures within dungeons.
These range from naturally occurring items to powerful artifacts sealed with monsters 300 years ago.
If you can obtain them, they will surely aid you on your journey.
But be careful.
You are not the only one who knows this secret.
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This is a title you naturally get upon obtaining a hidden piece. Its effects strengthen as you collect more hidden pieces.
That "ambush by adventurers" is an event that only occurs in public external dungeons.
It’s not something to worry about right now, so it’s essentially risk-free.
Since a month has passed and the 'Talented Freshman' title has expired, I should swap it for this one.
Now, what should I do with this Bleached Mana Herb?
It would have an effect if I ate it raw… but I can't eat it now anyway because it takes time to make the mana of the Bleached Mana Herb my own.
Above all, I have Fay, don't I?
If I ask her to turn this into an elixir, wouldn't she do it?
Even if it’s not a full elixir, just refining it so it’s easier to absorb would be a win.
I patted my stomach a couple of times at the thought, feeling reassured, and then climbed down from the rock.
Oh, and I didn't forget the scouting I used as an excuse.
“Are you back? Anything unusual?”
“Yeah. Nothing particularly stood out. I can't be certain since I can't use proper detection magic yet… but it seems like this area is just a good environment for Evil Rabbits to live in.”
“Ugh. I guess I was worried over nothing. Should we hunt a bit more here before moving on?”
“That doesn't sound ba—”
I was about to nod in agreement since I’d already retrieved the hidden piece.
BOOOOOM—!!
A thunderous explosion echoed from the distance.
Surely the practice session couldn't be over already?
Confused, we all turned our heads toward the sound, only to see a massive explosion painting the sky.
It was magic that looked as if someone was desperately trying to signal their location.
And it didn't stop at one.
Bang! Bang-bang! Pop!
My mind went blank at the parade of distress signals—something I thought I would never see in a practice dungeon.
What is it? What’s happening?
I… have no knowledge of an event like this.