Haewolsumo (2)
In the dungeons of Lost Elder, every dungeon has its own unique entry conditions.
For instance, entering the Abandoned Factory in the dark city of Dawnguard requires scaling the factory walls with a high Agility stat or smashing open the rusted iron gates with sheer Strength.
The Corpse Exhibition in Merirose was no different.
To enter the Special Gallery, a party of three or more was mandatory. That was why I had brought Sikan Bauer along.
Of course, I couldn't be absolutely certain that the game's entry conditions still applied in the same way, but it never hurt to be prepared.
'Well, in that sense...'
[Sky Ocean Forest: You have entered the Hidden Dungeon.]
The conditions to enter this place, the Sky Ocean Forest, were as follows.
Must be accompanied by a member of the Holy Family.
This first condition was mandatory. Without a member of the Holy Family, it was impossible to dispel the high-level barrier blocking the forest. If not for Adelia, I wouldn't have even been able to cross the threshold of the dungeon.
'And...'
Must bring a mage of the 5th Circle or higher.
The second condition wasn't mandatory. It was merely a recommendation added by players.
'...Well, still, it lowered the difficulty of the raid so much that it was considered a "de facto" requirement.'
Ultimately, it meant that both conditions had to be met to properly clear the Sky Ocean Forest dungeon.
'So originally, I was planning to visit the Adventurer's Guild to hire a mage, but...'
Ta-da. Right on cue, a 7th Circle mage rolled in on his own. And with a top-tier stealth item, no less.
'I've got you now, you bastard.'
I smiled inwardly as I stared at Isaac Berilof's back. Could there be a more commendable fellow? Showing up at the exact moment I needed him.
'Anyway.'
A Level 80 high knight. And a 7th Circle mage. Although their specs fell short compared to the Corpse Exhibition, it was still more than enough to clear the Sky Ocean Forest.
Having finished my thoughts, I looked forward once again.
“...”
A dark red forest came into view. The moment we passed through the barrier, the surrounding atmosphere shifted instantly.
Sensing the eerie energy emanating from all directions, the party instinctively went on high alert and assumed combat stances.
Shring! Adelia drew her sword. Isaac Berilof also began to channel his mana, ready to cast magic at a moment's notice.
“This is strange,” Adelia said, scanning the surroundings warily. “The Sky Ocean Forest I remember didn't look like this...”
“It's a phenomenon caused by Haewolsumo's corruption.”
“Ah.”
“It's no big deal. It just means the beast is trying to kill us.”
“...?”
Adelia paused, looking at me with a thoroughly bewildered expression. Her face practically screamed, How is this situation 'no big deal'?
'But Adelia, my dear. If you play Lost Elder about two hundred times, a single Divine Beast trying to kill you really is no big deal.'
'...I mean, there are even god-awful situations where you have to fight five Divine Beasts at once.'
Anyway, as I mentioned before, Haewolsumo was a stationary Divine Beast. The forest, teeming with countless lives, was the habitat it had lived in its entire life. Having spread its mana and nurtured various flora and fauna for thousands of years, this domain was practically one with the beast.
'In other words...' If Haewolsumo willed it, this entire massive forest could target our lives. ...Just like now.
“Ugh!” Adelia grimaced, pinching her nose.
Isaac Berilof also couldn't hide his disgust.
“Where is this rotten stench coming from...?”
An odor incomparable to a mere fishy smell wafted from all directions. Yes. The first phase of the dungeon was finally beginning.
Splash!
“...!”
Instantly, my entire body sank. My chest felt tight. Every breath I took hurt as if my lungs were tearing, and my vision began to ripple like waves. It felt as if I had been plunged to the very bottom of the deep sea.
You have been afflicted with Submersion.
Submersion. It was literally an area-of-effect debuff that turned a certain range into an underwater environment. Those trapped in this zone not only couldn't breathe, but their entire bodies felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton.
“...!”
Perhaps because it was such a rare status effect, Adelia seemed extremely flustered by the unfamiliar situation. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Only tiny bubbles floated up from between her parted lips.
Wroooong!
Just then, a faint light flashed from Isaac Berilof's hand. Simultaneously, I felt fresh air force its way into my lungs.
'Water Breathing magic.' Those raiding the Sky Ocean Forest dungeon had to fight enemies while afflicted with Submersion from start to finish. And a low-level mage couldn't handle the amount of mana required to maintain Water Breathing for a long time.
'That's why a mage of at least the 5th Circle is required to clear this dungeon.' Of course, spell scrolls could be used as a substitute, but the cost was one thing, and constantly activating scrolls mid-combat was a hassle. In other words, finding a skilled mage was the best option. Thinking about it again, it was a stroke of immense luck that Isaac Berilof had rolled in on his own.
“Cough, gasp!”
Adelia collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. She coughed violently, like someone who had just been pulled out of the water.
“W-what on earth... is this...?”
Coughing repeatedly, she looked around in bewilderment. She looked as if she had absolutely no idea what was happening. I offered a brief explanation for her benefit.
“The properties of the mana floating in the air have changed to mimic water.”
“...!”
One of Haewolsumo's abilities. It didn't just imbue mana with an attribute; it changed the very 'nature' of the mana into liquid water. It was truly a mysterious power that defied the laws of the world. It was also an absurd ability that could only be unleashed within the domain Haewolsumo had cultivated for thousands of years.
“Ha...”
Hearing this, Isaac Berilof let out a shocked chuckle. “...I've never heard of such an ability.”
As a mage of Wintersield, he would know all too well how absurd it was to alter the properties of mana. However, common sense did not apply here. Because...
'After all, the opponent is a Divine Beast.' Divine Beasts were sacred creatures born with a portion of the Elder's authority. Naturally, their abilities were bound to transcend our common sense.
'But it's too early to be surprised.' ...The trials we had to overcome were far from over.
Rumble!
The terrifying sound of rushing water echoed nearby. Before long, schools of fish began to swarm from all directions.
Silver scales as hard as steel. The sharp spike on the upper part of their snouts was like a well-honed spear. A monster resembling a swordfish. I muttered their name in my mind.
'Spear-fish.'
In truth, the level of the Spear-fish wasn't that high. If it were just a single entity, even I could easily handle it. The problem was their numbers. Dozens... no, perhaps hundreds of swordfish-like creatures began to encircle us, swimming in rapid circles.
Whoosh!
It felt like being trapped in the eye of a storm. The violent currents generated by the Spear-fish shook my balance, dragging me left and right.
'...This is already a headache.' Dealing with enemies that swam freely through the air was by no means easy. Especially in a situation where breathing and movement were restricted. If it was frustrating enough to control a character with a keyboard and mouse in the game, how much worse was it in reality?
'To make matters worse, my current state is still only that of an ordinary mercenary.' Adelia and Isaac Berilof had outstanding stats. So they could probably move relatively easily even in this situation. But I was different from them.
The only time I could be of help was when I used the Soul of the Sword Master... that is, when the boss, Haewolsumo, revealed itself. In a situation surrounded by trash mobs like this, it was best to stay quiet. Overestimating my abilities and stepping forward could lead to disaster.
Of course, as long as I had Ultimate Auto-parrying, which had evolved into a 10-star skill, the chances of meeting a futile end were low, but... 'I have no intention of wasting my trump card just to deal with a pack of Spear-fish.'
Therefore, what I had to do was clear.
“Isaac Berilof.”
“Yes?”
“Hand over Tristan's Cloak.”
“...?”
Isaac Berilof wore a thoroughly bewildered expression. Ignoring it, I urged him.
“Why are you hesitating? Do you intend to disobey my order?”
“H-here it is.”
Slide.
As I glared and threatened him, Isaac Berilof hurriedly handed over the cloak tied around his waist.
As I threw it over myself, a notification window popped up in a corner of my vision.
You have equipped Tristan's Cloak.
You are now in a state of Stealth.
The cloak wrapping my body blurred like mist. At the same time, I felt a strange sensation as if my very 'presence' had evaporated. As a test, I slid slightly to the side. Isaac Berilof's gaze remained fixed on the spot where I had originally stood. It meant the effect of Tristan's Cloak was working perfectly.
'I can just slip out of the encirclement like this.' Although one of their prey had vanished right before their eyes, the Spear-fish didn't seem to care at all. They probably weren't very intelligent monsters to begin with.
Whoosh!
Right on cue, the school of Spear-fish began to tighten their encirclement. Having finished their preparations to hunt, they began to charge one by one like arrows.
“Hah!”
Adelia swung her sword. Her blade, emitting a turquoise light, cleaved through the air.
Slash!
The Spear-fish charging at terrifying speed was sliced like paper. Although it was a species known for its hard scales, the level difference between the two was so extreme that it rendered their defense meaningless.
Whoosh!
However, the endless onslaught of numbers was not something Adelia could handle alone. Had it been a battle on land, it might have been different, but moving as if flailing underwater consumed far too much stamina.
'But there's no need to worry.' Because by Adelia's side...
Boom!
...was the 7th Circle mage, Isaac Berilof.
Crack!
With a chilling cold, the air distorted. As if a winter lake were freezing over, the 'submerged' air began to freeze in an instant.
Transparent mana particles transformed into crystals, emitting a brilliant light. White frost bloomed along the paths the Spear-fish were charging, and several of them were trapped in ice, rendered completely immobile and knocked unconscious.
At that moment,
“Hah...!”
Crunch! Adelia swung her sword. Her blade, fully imbued with Aura, shattered the frozen Spear-fish.
Adelia, looking inwardly impressed, glanced at Isaac Berilof and muttered softly, “Not bad, for a heretic.”
“...Haa, haa.”
Isaac Berilof panted heavily, adjusting his glasses. A thick layer of frost had begun to form on the lenses. Sweat drenched his face. Maintaining the Water Breathing spell while casting freezing magic had severely depleted his mana.
Still, the magic's effect was undeniable. Perhaps startled by the sudden drop in temperature, the Spear-fish hesitated to attack and began to circle us slowly once more.
'Now's my chance.' I didn't miss the opportunity and began to move.
Rustle. Thanks to the powerful stealth effect of Tristan's Cloak, no one noticed my presence. Although I felt a resistance as if moving through water, I remained calm and took slow, deliberate steps.
'Now I just need to break through that encirclement...'
Whoosh! The swarm of Spear-fish surged like a massive tidal wave. I pushed my body between them, cutting through the sharp currents.
'...Let's do this.' As I squeezed through the tight gaps, one of them brushed right past me. The distance was less than a few centimeters. However, I didn't panic. With minimal movement, I twisted my body to dodge its spear-like snout.
Another one blocked my path. Its silver scales flashed before my eyes, but I read the flow and naturally slipped through the gap. It felt like swimming between blades. I glided along with the current of the vortex. Without fighting the fierce torrent, I persistently moved along the path of escape that opened up between them.
Whoosh!
Perhaps this, too, could be considered swordsmanship? After all, the essence of swordsmanship was reading and evading the opponent's attacks, then exploiting the gap to thrust one's blade.
What I was doing now was no different. Reading the movements of the Spear-fish, utilizing the empty spaces between them to advance. And becoming a sword myself, piercing through the enemy's attacks to move forward.
I simply wasn't swinging a sword. I was perfectly calculating the opponent's breathing, distance, and path of combat. Perhaps that was... the ultimate form of 'swordsmanship'.
“Whew...”
When I came to my senses, I had completely escaped the encirclement. A pleasant message floated before my eyes. Looking back at Adelia and Isaac fighting the Spear-fish with all their might in the distance, I thought to myself:
'Good luck, guys.'
While you guys are busy fighting here and buying time...
'I'll go clean up the culprit behind this mess and come back.'