Chapter 197: Scatter and Retreat
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 197: Scatter and Retreat
First, there’s one thing I need to address.
That bastard’s defense and physical attack power.
The monster was struck in the temple by Back Attack’s dagger but didn’t shed a single drop of blood. Then, it pierced through Aimus of the Iron Veins in a single blow.
Is the difference in our strength really that overwhelming?
Probably not.
Back Attack and Aimus are no longer low-level. They are both top-tier adventurers, more than capable of exploring the 8th floor.
So, the cause of that bizarre phenomenon was likely…
‘Blackstone Skin.’
It’s a hidden Tier 8 skill you can get at the end of the Fist Monk build. It’s like an upgraded version of Aimus’s Iron Veins, turning the body black and hard as basalt.
In fact, a Fist Monk can use Blackstone Fist to shatter Iron Veins and inflict internal injuries.
‘Can we take him?’
Aimus’s Mantra of Karma is active right now because he took a direct hit.
The Lancer’s defense has been significantly reduced. It’s possible that Back Attack’s or Yernil’s attacks could land now.
But…
‘It’s still a huge risk.’
Since Aimus was injured at the start, someone is likely to die if the fight drags on. A victory like that is no victory at all.
Our ultimate goal is the Labyrinth Master, not killing this thing.
It’s better to avoid a fight for now.
To do that…
“Back Attack.”
You’re going to have to be busy.
And you too, Yernil.
It was as if the lights went out for a moment.
As if by a prearranged signal, on the count of three—one, two, three, now!
Caleb, Back Attack, and Aimus vanished.
In order, they used Universal Camouflage: Chameleon, Invisibility and Adrenaline Rush, and then Invisibility again.
Three people cloaked themselves simultaneously.
“……!”
Even the Lancer was visibly flustered for a moment.
The sound of footsteps scattered in all directions. Caleb’s party was splitting up under the cover of stealth.
And in their place…
“Huh…?”
Yernil was suddenly left alone with the monster.
She took a step back in bewilderment, her bow still aimed, exchanging a confused look with the creature.
‘I see!’
Yernil quickly grasped the situation.
Their opponent was a powerful Inter-floor Lord. Rather than engaging in a fight with a low chance of success, treating Aimus’s wound was the priority.
In that case, to allow the other two to evacuate Aimus…
“Hey!”
It was her job to draw the enemy’s attention.
There were a few reasons for this. No matter how fast the Lancer was, as a four-legged creature with hooves, its body structure made it incapable of climbing trees.
“Your opponent is me!”
Yernil activated Warden’s Relocation, taking refuge atop a dry, withered tree in the wasteland.
And from there, Blowgun Breath!
Bang!
A sound like a gunshot erupted from the incredibly taut bowstring.
A true rear-guard specialist, securing the party’s retreat. The best ranger.
Yernil’s arrow lodged itself squarely in the Lancer’s shoulder.
“……”
Watching the blood drip to the ground, the Lancer had a realization.
“Ah. I see.”
He understood the enemy’s strategy.
The elf archer was exceptionally agile with excellent high-ground mobility. Since she was from the Elvenwood, she was probably an expert tree-climber even without her skills on cooldown.
She would wage a guerrilla war, darting between the wasteland’s unique, stunted rock formations, hills, and trees.
She was trying to buy time.
Meanwhile, the wizard and the rogue would take the monk away to heal him.
‘Should I kill that monk?’
Targeting the injured enemy first was basic tactics. And once the frontliner was down, a ranger or a wizard in the back was an easy target for a fighter.
So, rather than getting bogged down in a fight with the elf archer on her terms in this terrain…
‘I’ll chase down the injured monk and finish him.’
Then the elf archer would have no choice but to come down from her tree, and Caleb would have to return as well.
So how could he track an invisible monk?
Clang! Clang!
Parrying another volley of arrows with his shield, the Lancer carefully examined the tracks on the ground.
His perception and senses were dulled while using Blackstone Skin, but he could still find it.
‘Bloodstains.’
The monk had suffered a severe wound to his lower abdomen, and blood mixed with iron dust was dripping from it.
Thud! Thud!
The Lancer began to pursue his target like a hunter tracking footprints.
“Hey!”
The anxious elf archer scrambled down from the tree.
He could feel her chasing him.
It didn’t matter. On flat ground, she couldn’t match the Lancer’s speed.
Neither could the monk, who was fleeing with a serious injury.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
He could guess the location of his fleeing prey from the loud thuds on the ground.
He was right in front of him.
“Show yourself, wizard!”
The Lancer aimed his spear at the enemy’s back and charged.
“Or I’ll kill this one!”
And when the tip of his spear pierced his target…
“……!?”
The Lancer was thrown into confusion by the unexpectedly light impact.
The invisibility wore off.
It was a plastic bag.
Dripping with blood.
‘Mirror Image Rogue.’
Having swapped places with his clone to return, Back Attack first checked on Aimus’s condition.
“Ugh…”
Aimus, who had been slowly moving away under the cover of invisibility, had a support belt wrapped around his lower abdomen.
It was the Waste Disposal Kit they had used on the 7th floor.
Caleb, Yernil, and Back Attack had long since thrown theirs away, but the older guys liked these things. They kept their stomachs warm and provided a sense of stability.
He had kept wearing it, and they had used that to their advantage.
“Seriously, hyung-nim, aren’t I a genius?”
Back Attack marveled at his own brilliant trick.
He had pressed the magic activation button on the belt and used Steal to grab a waste bag from Aimus’s inventory.
The belt teleported the blood flowing from Aimus’s abdomen into the bag, and Back Attack had poked a hole in it, running off while leaving a trail of dripping blood.
All to make the Lancer think he was chasing Aimus.
“That bastard’s probably clutching the back of his neck right now, holding a bag of your blood.”
Hah!
At this rate, I’m practically 0.5 Caleb.
So thought Back Attack.
“Yeah. You saved my life, Back Attack.”
Aimus nodded as he poured a healing potion over his wound.
“But where did Caleb-hyungnim go?”
“Looked like he used Chameleon at the same time you used Invisibility.”
“But then he just disappeared.”
Back Attack shrugged.
“Back Attack, I’m worried about Yernil, too.”
“Looked like she jumped into a tree and then came back down, right?”
Back Attack was slightly worried she might get caught again by needlessly showing off.
I ambushed Yernil from the side as she was chasing the Lancer, who was chasing Back Attack, who was holding the bag of blood.
Like a detective apprehending a wanted criminal.
“Aaaah!”
Startled, Yernil let out a sharp scream.
Yernil.
You were so focused on chasing the Lancer you didn’t even notice me? You didn’t hear my footsteps?
“Calm down. It’s me.”
“Caleb?”
“Let’s go.”
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her in the opposite direction.
“What about Aimus and Back Attack?”
“They’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
“The Lancer went after Aimus!”
That wasn’t Aimus, it was Back Attack.
And he’ll use his mirror image clone to escape, so there’s no need to worry.
That’s just the relationship between a fighter and a rogue. A rogue would have a hard time winning a head-on fight, but it’s just as difficult for a fighter to catch a fleeing rogue.
“Come over here for a second.”
The Universal Camouflage: Chameleon spell is embedded in Ingelam’s coat.
The coat itself is the source of the spell, granting a certain level of stealth based on the mass of the target it covers.
For example, when I was hiding under the bed from Mugol and Bipa, if I put the message Isel sent me in my mouth, the note would also become invisible.
Similar to that…
“Let’s wear it together.”
I put Yernil’s right arm through the right sleeve of Ingelam’s coat and my left arm through the left, pressing our bodies close together.
“……!”
I naturally had to wrap my arm around her waist, which made Yernil flinch again.
“Sorry.”
“N-No, it’s fine.”
Yernil turned her head away, embarrassed.
Honestly, this is a little too close.
“On rainy days in the Elvenwood… I always thought couples sharing a coat like this looked so romantic,” Yernil said.
Hmm.
I was just thinking about Harry Potter and Ron sharing the Invisibility Cloak.
“Let’s go.”
No matter how scrawny I was or how slim Yernil was, two people exceeded the capacity of Ingelam’s coat.
As a result, from the outside, we looked like a slightly distorted, transparent shape. Like a jellyfish.
“Let’s move carefully like this.”
We could use Yernil’s Sound Mapping to find Aimus and Back Attack.
However, the Lancer was still nearby. He would be looking for us. We had to be careful of that. So, in addition to the invisibility coat…
“Owl’s Hunt.”
I cast a noise-suppression spell as well.
“This way.”
There was something else to be wary of.
The 8th-floor monsters.
Our party was strong enough to explore the 8th floor, but we were in danger now with no frontliner or rogue, just a ranged dealer and a wizard.
“Let me know if you hear anything.”
“I hear something.”
Already?
“There’s a Primitive Spearman coming from over there,” Yernil whispered.
Sure enough, a barbarian who looked like a cannibal was patrolling a small path in the wasteland, spear in hand.
We huddled together, holding each other tightly, and waited for the enemy to pass.
[This is Hijikata. Caleb, are you on the 6th floor by any chance? Do not, under any circumstances, go down to the 8th floor.]
The message was returned.
“He’s not on the 6th floor anymore.”
Hijikata’s party, who had followed the Fairy Matriarch’s party past the cobras and down the stairs, felt a little deflated.
“I knew it,” Gadozumi said.
“It’s only been three days since they took the elevator to the 6th floor, but…”
“……”
“Those guys clear floors at an insane speed! Papak!”
This was the party that had fallen into the 6th floor and fought the 7th-floor Glutton the moment they entered the 5th.
“Looks like they’re already on the 7th floor after just three days!” Gildal exclaimed.
In reality, they were already on the 8th.
“What should we do?”
Soyul looked between Hijikata and Gildal with a worried expression.
“There’s no way for us to get down to the 7th floor. Willpower alone won’t do it.”
Hijikata made a cool-headed assessment.
“Because we don’t have any underwater breathing gear.”
Jumping into the Sea of Void on the 7th floor without an air bubble mask was suicide. There was almost no buoyancy, so you would just sink to the bottom, drown, and that would be the end.
That was true for even the most powerful adventurers.
“Would you like to go to the 7th floor with us?” the Fairy Matriarch asked.
“How?”
“Blessing of Nature: Gills.”
The Matriarch chanted the spell.
It was a Tier 6 Druid spell. A Deep Layer expert from the Elvenwood could create gills behind a person’s ears.
In Soyul’s case, under her chin.
“How about it?” the Fairy Matriarch asked. “Shall we go to the 7th floor and try sending a message from there?”
“We ended up taking the stairs…”
The Paladin Lizard, Bernard, looked around with a grim expression.
“We’re in big trouble!” Avison exclaimed, jumping up and down.
“This is the 5th floor!”
Birtanen’s party and Bernard’s party. The eight adventurers had fled from the monstrous ox on the 4th floor and ended up diving through the 5th-floor stair gate.
The hot sun blazed down on the dry desert sand.
“My… body…”
The heat was particularly agonizing for Bernard.
“As a cold-blooded creature, my strength is draining…”
Bernard collapsed onto the ground. Even sapped of strength, he was still talkative.
“This reminds me of the time I competed with Aimus to join Caleb’s party. When I couldn’t accept the results, Caleb used a heatwave spell on me. Being cold-blooded, I fainted on the spot. The 5th floor is far too hot for a lizard like me…”
“Should I use Frost Ray on you?”
Avison’s idiotic offer of kindness snapped the paladin to his senses.
“Don’t say such a terrible thing! Are you trying to kill me, Avison?!”
“It won’t work…?”
“If I said I was cold, would you cast Fireball on me?!”
Fortunately, the priest, Emma, had a spell to regulate body temperature.
“Fever Reduction.”
She placed her hand on Bernard’s forehead and cast the spell.
“Thank you, Priest Emma.”
“Wait, everyone, focus. What do we do now?” the dwarf wizard Astin asked.
The area instantly erupted into a clamor.
“Let’s go back to the 4th floor!”
“If we go back up the stairs, that ox will be after us again. Going back to the 4th is out of the question.”
“We may not be 5th-floor adventurers, but with eight of us, we might stand a chance here, don’t you think?”
“What about the profits?”
“We’ll have to split it 50-50.”
“Emma will have to cast her fever spell on all eight of us. We should get a bigger share!”
“That doesn’t matter. The problem is the exit room. Only four people can enter at a time! One party will have to clear the 5th floor with just four members.”
“How about we look for a 5th-floor party and ask for help?”
While everyone was in a state of semi-panic, there was one person who was actually captivated by the 5th floor.
“Hey, everyone, did you know!?”
Avison was certainly immature.
“They say there’s a really pretty oasis on the 5th floor-!”
“……”
“Let’s go find it!”
So that’s how it was.
“You’re saying the arrow actually stuck in his shoulder?”
“Yes. I…”
Yernil looked somewhat triumphant.
“As expected, my destructive power is better than Back Attack’s.”
“It was probably because of Aimus’s Mantra of Karma.”
“Aww!”
I wanted to let you have your moment of pride, but sorry. You need to know the facts so you don’t make a mistake when we raid him later.
“In any case, that’s good news.”
So even with Blackstone Skin active, Yernil’s damage gets through as long as the Mantra of Karma is in effect?
In that case, Lancer, you’re dead.