Chapter 62: Anomaly (4)
Chapter 62: Anomaly (4)
Edmerec was here.
Just knowing that fact allowed me to deduce quite a lot.
First, the reason no outside support was arriving was undoubtedly because they were busy fighting Edmerec’s subordinates. Meanwhile, Edmerec himself must have hidden his presence and entered the dungeon alone.
Create chaos with subordinates, then slip in solo to achieve the objective.
This was his signature tactic. I’d fallen for it a few times back when I was a newbie. There was nothing more soul-crushing than successfully fending off a raid only to have his clones suddenly swarm your main base.
“However, there’s one weakness to this.”
“I have no idea where you get this information… but I am curious. A weakness of an Archbishop, no less.”
“Yes. I would very much like to hear it as well, Brother Yandel,” Vincent and Helena said, their eyes sparkling as we ran toward the location of the next distress signal.
It made sense. He wasn't just a Bishop; he was an Archbishop. He wasn't an opponent a student—especially a first-year—should ever have to face. Though they hadn't said it, they must have been deeply worried. If the opponent hadn't been Edmerec, I would have grabbed a few people and run for it immediately, too.
“Edmerec’s Authority is too powerful. Think about it. If he can just swallow something and spit it out a few days later to mass-produce clones with various abilities, there’s no way it doesn't have a catch.”
If it were that easy, the Church of Confused Unity would have already toppled several nations by sheer force of numbers.
Edmerec’s Authority was incredible, but it had one very simple problem.
Every time he created a clone, his own power was depleted by the amount he invested in that clone. Furthermore, if a clone died, the power invested in it was lost forever.
“That’s why the clone we killed earlier was weak for an Archbishop’s avatar.”
“I see. No one wants to waste their own strength. He must have granted it just enough power to win. Or perhaps an amount he wouldn't mind losing even if it failed,” Vincent remarked.
He was exactly right.
“Now that I’ve said this much, you’ve probably guessed the rest, but let me summarize.”
We would head to the distress signals in order of proximity and kill Edmerec’s clones. Unfortunately, the previous party was essentially wiped out, but if there were survivors who could still fight, they would join us.
In this way, we would gradually whittle down Edmerec’s strength while growing our own numbers, eventually ganging up on him to take him down. That was the basic framework.
“Of course, it won't be easy. Edmerec isn't an idiot; he won't just sit by and watch his weakness be exploited.”
He was a man who hated changing his plans, but he wasn't so stubborn that he’d stick to them even with a blade at his throat.
“But I believe this is the best we can do right now.”
If things started feeling off, we’d have to run immediately… but the entrance was likely even more dangerous. Edmerec wouldn't have left the only exit unguarded.
Waiting for the professors from outside to come to the rescue wouldn't be easy either. He would have come prepared to buy himself more than enough time.
I knew this all too well from being burned by him repeatedly in H&A. Edmerec was a master at setting the stage so that his prey could never escape.
In the end, our best bet was to hunt the hunter who was currently having the time of his life trying to hunt us.
They say crisis is another word for opportunity.
I hadn't expected a "everyone might die" event to pop up just because I skipped the tutorial, but if we won, the Church of Confused Unity would be weakened in one fell swoop. A major conspiracy involving Edmerec that was supposed to happen mid-game would naturally be crushed as well.
I was a bit uneasy about deviating from the standard "overpower him with raw damage" strategy for Edmerec, but I was confident.
I’d taken Edmerec down so many times; there was no way I’d fail now, right?
*
Despite the reckless nature of the plan, Vincent and Helena followed along well.
Even though I kept restoring their stamina with potions, they ran through the forest without rest, taking down Edmerec’s clones one after another.
Thanks to them, the results were good.
A rabbit-type clone that could shatter boulders with its kicks; a turtle-type clone that hid in a hard shell and sprayed high-pressure water jets.
Beyond those, we took down mantis, cat, and wolf types. There was even a clone that looked like a mix between a duck and a raccoon—as if he’d eaten two creatures at once.
We managed to eliminate a significant number of clones.
However, Edmerec began to adapt to us faster than expected. Once he realized I was charging in with a crowd of capable fighters, the clones started running away immediately. If they failed to escape, they would desperately try to inflict a heavy wound on at least one of us.
The only saving grace was that my inventory was still stocked with plenty of potions, and we had a fair number of priests who had joined our ranks. No matter how severe the injury, as long as they weren't dead, we could somehow save them.
Well… just because they were alive didn't mean they could all keep fighting, so it was inevitable that our combat strength dwindled slightly over time.
Edmerec forced us into a war of attrition, and we minimized the damage with my hoard of potions while rescuing other students.
At some point, it turned into a grueling stalemate.
No matter how much we kept our physical condition at its peak with all sorts of potions and buffs, the mental exhaustion was unavoidable.
The students were growing weary. Yet, we still hadn't found Edmerec’s true body.
Just as we arrived at the next location, forcing ourselves forward with sheer willpower, we encountered a welcome face.
“Ohohohoho! Did you really think you could be a match for me with just this much?”
The voice was melodic, but the tone was excessively "noble lady-like."
Her hair was a rare shade of blue, styled into even rarer drill-like ringlets. Her long ears—the symbol of a High Elf—flicked up and down haughtily, and her refined features wore a strangely obnoxious smile.
Elisha Sylvan Glenziel.
Having just torn apart a winged clone, she looked at me… or rather, at the crowd of students swarming behind me, and her eyes went wide.
“Oh my? Yandel, could it be…?”
It was a natural reaction, considering there was a similar group of students gathered behind Elisha as well.
Now I knew why Edmerec had started reacting faster than expected. It wasn't just me; Elisha had also been roaming around, defeating clones and saving other students.
With his clones dying left and right, he must have realized that being stubborn would only lead to a pointless death.
I approached the surprised Elisha with a broad smile.
“I’m glad to see you’re safe, Lady Glenziel.”
“I’m glad you’re safe as well. I’ve invested so much in you; there’s no way you’d just collapse at the hands of these low-level cultists. Yes, indeed.”
Seeing Elisha smiling confidently as if she’d expected nothing less, the tension and fatigue I’d built up seemed to melt away.
This changed everything.
A significant number of clones must have been killed, and our combat strength had just been bolstered instantly.
Perhaps my expression was too bright, because Elisha crossed her arms with a meaningful look. It was a pose that emphasized her mana capacity, which didn't lose out to Carla’s at all.
“Fufu. Were you that happy to see me? I suppose so. It seems you’ve been rescuing others just like I have, Yandel, but leading the weary and the wounded is a different matter entirely!”
“Pardon?”
My group is perfectly fine, though? They’re a bit mentally drained, sure.
“It must have been even more taxing for a commoner like you, who isn't used to such things!”
“Well… I suppose so.”
That was why I’d put Vincent and Helena at the forefront.
Despite his appearance, Vincent was from the Grenadin family, a prestigious martial house that everyone recognized. And while Helena didn't receive special treatment, it was widely known that she was a Saintess candidate. Even the haughty Class A students listened to them without complaint.
Of course, Elisha didn't know that, so she continued with a look of profound pity.
“But rest assured. I, Elisha Sylvan Glenziel, heir to the Sylvan Magic Tower and a High Elf, shall take your burden upon my shoulders!”
“Umm….”
“Oh? Are you worried I might steal your credit? I am not such a shameless person. Once we get out of here, we shall write the report together.”
“No, I trust you on that front. That’s not what I meant….”
“Then what is it? Don't tell me… could it be… that you don't trust me…?”
I gave a bitter smile and shook my head as Elisha’s eyes trembled as if she couldn't believe it.
“It’s not that. I’m saying we can't leave yet.”
“What?”
“An Archbishop of the Confused Unity has invaded with intent. There are likely traps and ambushes at the entrance that are incomparably more dangerous than what we’ve seen so far.”
“An Archbishop? Why would such a high-ranking figure… No, how did he even get in here…?”
As expected, she knew about the cultist attack but didn't know exactly who had come.
“Let’s start by treating the students on your side while I explain.”
“Ah… yes… wait, no. Holy power is a difficult strength to recover, so you must use it sparingly, Yandel.”
“Yes, I know. Unlike mana or aura, which can be easily restored with potions, holy power can only be replenished through prayer or natural recovery. That’s why we’ll use potions for everything except for a few unique wounds.”
“But potions are too wasteful. If an Archbishop is really targeting us as you say, we must save our recovery means as much as possible.”
“I have quite a lot of potions.”
“No matter how many you have, to treat this many people…”
It was getting tedious to explain, so I just opened my inventory.
Clatter!
“…….”
Elisha’s jaw dropped as she stared at the pile of potions that had suddenly stacked up on the ground.
“J-Just how many potions did you buy?! And they’re all high-grade or better!”
“I’m the type of person who takes emergency supplies very seriously.”
“This isn't 'emergency supplies' level! This is a logistics stockpile!”
In the end, Elisha couldn't help but scream.