The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 376: Interlude Viine 2

The string of the Golden Titan extended. A golden thread budding in the air.

That was the Unique Item the adventurer party 『Innocent Arms』, led by her master Shuuya Kagari, had obtained from a treasure chest in the labyrinth.

It was Unique, but if you poured mana into it, the golden threads would turn into protective gloves. Whenever she hunted in the Whirlpool Forest of Demonic Fog, she'd use it as a means for attacking and defending without turning it into a hair ornament or gloves. Every once in a while she also amused herself by using it for the string game her elder sister had taught her.

The reason for having increased her usage of the item might be an effect of her having struggled in the battle against the silver-haired, odd-eyed Magic Cloth User in the mansion of Earl Surgebald. The name of that man, who held the alias Odd Eye, was Bounty Hunter Pearson. He was a master at manipulating the Magic Cloth of Ryaguno.

As obvious from the way he handled her, whose strength had been boosted as <Head Servant Leader>, Pearson was no ordinary bounty hunter by any means. It could be even said that Pearson wouldn't have been caught even if Shuuya had participated in the battle against him.

Because of that, the outcome was nothing unusual, but…having let him go weighed on the dark elf's mind.

Even now, while she recalled the events of that time, she locked the movements of a tree ogre monster by coiling the golden threads around the thighs of its two legs, using Pearson's way of handling the magic cloth as reference.

With a sharp glare, she fiercely dashed towards the ogre, pointing the crimson-scaled scabbard at its belly just as it was about to fall over to the front thanks to its immobilized legs. Drawing a trajectory as if swinging a bat, she slammed the dead center of her scabbard against the ogre's thick torso. The ogre's torso folded in the middle.

Holding its belly thanks to the intense pain, the ogre was blown away while sounds of its belly cracking could be heard.

The dark elf quickly pulled back the scabbard. On the other hand, the ogre crashed with its back against a thick tree trunk in the back, causing a dull, low, thundering rumble, after flying through several other monsters and various foliage. In the next moment, droves of bird monsters, birds, and small insects flew away in panic.

The spine of the ogre had been crushed and broken from the impact against the trunk. Moreover, a long, pointed branch growing out of the trunk had penetrated its belly, giving it the final blow.

The elf didn't watch the last moments of the ogre. She was surrounded by rock-shaped sorcery golems. In order to cope with them, she applied the walking style of the swordsmanship and assassination style passed down in the Azmail household.

After swinging the scabbard from the left to the right as if to clear away her own silver hair, she stabbed it into the flank of a golem approaching from the right side, making it bend back. Next, while pulling back the scabbard, she advances towards the bent golem. Just like that, she swung down the Ancient Evil Dragon Sword Gadorices in her right hand at the golem's head with a speed boosted by the wind cladding the blade.

The glittering of the naked blade resembled the <Servant Leader> Kaldo's sword skill <Grease Cicada>. Gadorices directly landed on the top of the golem's head, bisecting it all the way down to the neck. Blood teeming with violet mana furiously gushed out of the two cut sections as the golem's head parted to the left and right.

Waves of violet blood spurts relentlessly dyed the bluish-white skin forming her pretty face and her glossy, silver hair, which was a symbol of pride for her as a dark elf. Of course, her beloved silver mask wasn't spared from the onslaught of blood either.

At that moment, she focused on <Blood Path - Open First Gate>, a part of her as a vampire.

The blood instantly vanished, permeating into her skin and hair.

On the other hand, the now headless golem fell apart like a puzzle that disintegrated in the air, its fragments falling to the ground.

◆

Not yet! It's not enough! A lot more mana and blood dwells in this body!

With a sharp glint in her eyes, a firm resolution existed within her unadorned emotions. Her name was Viine Dao Azmail.

Earlier she had replenished her feelings of love through the dense and long conversation with Shuuya Kagari, the suzerain of the Light Demon Lucival.

While remembering the other <Head Servant Leader> and <Servant Leader> Kaldo, who was currently trying to build a dark guild from scratch, she strongly wished to grow powerful once more. And right now she was killing two birds with one stone by training to obtain new blood mana skills, gathering the materials requested by Mysty, or rather three birds with one stone, if you also added her exploring the forest.

She had just slaughtered all the sorcery golems, monsters which were equal to B-Rank adventurers. And then she had looted the orbs consisting of three stacked marbles existing within the jaws of the golems.

"Pheew, the jaws were cracked, but the materials were luckily safe."

Having finished looting the essential materials, Viine activated

as a signal. While confirming the smell of Mysty's

at the same time, Viine proceeded deeper into the valley, where the fog became even thicker, while clearing away the foliage at her feet.

◇◆◇◆

I must be careful once I'm outside the range of Pheremone's Touch. Well, since I'm continuing to leave behind my smell, it's impossible for me to get lost, though…

At that moment, my foot got entangled by grass. Dealing with those memento herb-like leaves and the tolborn leaves, which are constantly trying to stop you by coiling around your feet, is quite a pain. On top of that, the droves of monsters which keep attacking me all the time.

The monsters around here swoop down on me as soon as they see my feet stuck by the leaves, seemingly judging me to be an easy target.

The pretty fox with the silver fur I cut down a moment ago was one of them as well. It's always a hard fight against those silver foxes. Their fur can extend in all directions from their entire body. They use fur to entwine it around anything that can be called a branch, just to repeatedly move around by leaping while using their fur as new footholds. While exhibiting such nimble movements, they continuously shoot countless fangs from their muzzles which open up all in all directions.

Those are attacks I don't really want to receive head-on. It'd be a different matter if I had <Magic Hand guided by Thought> like Master, though.

I've managed to defeat a pack of those foxes with their diverse attack patterns by myself, even though I took away injuries all across my body. Afterwards I absorbed all of the foxes' bright red blood. Then I skinned them carefully so as to not damage their silver pelts, and after collecting their bones, intestines, and meat in another bag at the end, I started to proceed further through the forest.

This place is the best to refine my judgment since fog that dulls your mana perceptions billows up every once in a while. Even right now, I can hear loud beastly voices overlapping from the other side of the depressing fog.

I can't let down my guard.

My training is proceeding well in such a way, but…I've forgotten something important. Yes, hunting by myself means that I must deal with things myself even when feeling down! I've thought so moments ago, but I can't really get careless…in this Whirlpool Forest.

But…I want to pee…

Ohh, right! I have this with me! The 『dark spirits Master calls small middle-aged men or urban legends』.

I activate Rasheena's Bracelet, causing a great number of midgets and small arms to appear from within the bracelet while marching in ranks. They're darkness spirits which can change their appearance at will.

I silently pray, 『You guys, spread out around me』, while focusing on the bracelet.

Thereupon they salute and then start moving away while hopping around. In the meantime, I push my way through the tolborn thicket, loosen my belt and the leather binding, and…

An embarrassing gurgling drowns out the forest's noise. But, I feel better now.

Suddenly the nearby leaves move, and something appears. Something black!

I end up tumbling over out of surprise…

Fallen leaves and twigs end up sticking to my bare butt. Cold.

It's not that I've been careless, but I've got to quickly fix my―― Hmm? Looking closely, those are my spirits… All of them are midgets with mouths and beards. They're jumping around while being happy over having found small mushrooms, bow towards me, salute, or throw nuts at me.

Pheew. I keep watching the small spirits while smiling at my own foolishness. Since they're small, they might be cute, despite their beards.

But, all of them have taken out scissor-like weapons. I wonder what they're up to…

That place being exposed to the fresh air feels somewhat refreshing, so without minding it, I watch the actions of the spirits with keen interest.

They're cutting the surrounding leaves with the scissors. Then they point their scissors at my pussy… Ugh, are they telling me that they want to shave my pubes!?

"…No! This place belongs to Master alone! Go on the other side, and watch the vicinity."

The spirits look at me with lewd expressions. After saluting, they turn around and leave by skipping.

Good grief…how embarrassing. Just as Master has been saying…they're really small, middle-aged men.

After getting myself fixed up in a hurry, I cancel the guards of Rasheena's Bracelet, and resume my forest exploration. As I advanced along the curly grains on the trees that seemed to serve as signs, I sensed a wind wave. That wind wave originated from a bird monster other than a harpy.

Its beaks are as big as that of a griffon. It has stabbed those beaks into the torso of an earthworm monster, gouged it out and cleaved open its intestines as it held the torso. The intestines disappear into the bird's huge beak, just for it to swallow by making its throat tremble.

It's a medium-sized dragon, a drake species, but it's bird shaped with an even longer neck.

While knocking down the surrounding trees with its two wings and four talons, it's eating up the earthworm… The feathers growing on the bird's torso are majestic. Somehow it reminds me of Rollodeen-sama's appearance.

…When two dogs fight for a bone, the third runs away with it is nothing for me…it fills my heart with loneliness. About now, Master and Rollo-sama are putting efforts into rebuilding Cydale and hunting in the Sea of Forest…

Dropping my shoulders as I think of that, I head deeper into the forest.

While predicting what Master and Rollo-sama are doing, I recall the story about ghosts I've recently heard from Master. And I remembered the ghost monster called "shapshir" mentioned by Tsuan whom I deeply trust.

Let's bring out my blood just in case. This is also part of my training.

While focusing on <Blood Path - Open First Gate>, I release blood from both my feet…

As the dark-red, leather-made Long Gladiator Sandals covering most of my legs dye crimson red, I deploy the blood with the image of creating a lake on the ground's surface. If it's Lucival blood, the light element within should have some effect against ethereal bodies.

Mysty also uses her blood like this. The metallic lotuses floating on her blood lake are beautiful and lovely… The blood gathering at Mysty's stylish shoes is the best part of it.

She's got a lot of work. And probably because she's so eager about learning more, she succeeded in developing a wonderful, unique skill.

If it comes to plain sword-drawing techniques, I've learned them, but that fusion of blood and metal techniques is delicate and bold. Without dabbling in this and that, I'll also gather blood and strengthen my skills with the Jade Snake Bow and Gadorices.

Mysty is grumbling a lot, saying things like 『I wouldn't feel so edgy if I were blood message with Master! Shit, shit, shit!』, but…I greatly respect her high intelligence.

While indulging in such thoughts, I continue walking as I shed blood from my feet. My dense blood that's spreading in this area. This lake of Lucival blood…instead of searching for enemies…no, I think it's unsuited for that task. It might work as a method to draw monsters to me with the smell of my blood.

If I try things with my blood, I should be able to get another sensation…I remember that Master has done an exercise called "Radio Calisthenics." I just watched Spirit-sama and Rollo-sama trying to imitate him, but…now I'm alone, so I won't feel ashamed.

Let's try doing those calisthenics on the blood-covered ground.

Remembering his words, "Beauties are doing this training every day," I keep imitating Master's arm movements.

But, at that point, the magic sources of monsters draw closer. I guess they were immediately lured in by the blood smell. Since it can't be helped, I stop the calisthenics and blood emission halfway.

A galband tiger appears in-between the trees. Time for hunting――

◇◇◇◇

——————- End of Part 1 ——————-

As I keep sucking up the blood from the scattered monster corpses, I can sense a slight change in the bloodsucking sensation.

Although my calisthenics got interrupted, I must say that this is a wonderful place for training. It allows me to absorb blood, absorb magic elements, increase my concentration, and even sharpen my five senses. The actual ability to feel how my skills are improving is a lot more prominent over here than in the labyrinth. The only shortcoming would be that I can't get any magic stones.

I recall how I continued surviving the harsh training of the 【Darkness Highway】 together with my sisters.

After finishing off the galband tiger and dismantling its materials, I checked the quality of its pelt while wandering around for a while.

The blood and my training is still insufficient… Also, I feel like the presence of monsters has been low ever since I stepped into the valley. Oh, maybe it's one of those savage lands Master mentioned?

The ground feels like solid rock. It resembles the dry place I discovered the other day…

Brick-colored stones, different from the ones native of Holkerbaum, line the ground. The scenery has changed as well…it's closer to an artificial quarry than a forest, I'd say?

Even the sun rays filtering through the canopy flicker in the wind, causing an unbalance of light and darkness that doesn't remind one of a severe winter. Since it illuminates the area under my feet with a thorny hue, it creates a mysterious atmosphere.

Crooked stone monuments as they're typical for the Whirlpool Forest sprawl out at the edges of the ravine. Across those monuments, an increasing number of vertical formations that look like alcoves are visible. Is it somehow related to the ancient stone golem-like monsters which have been appearing around this area? Going by the shapes of the alcoves, ancient dwarves could have made them, no?

Since I'm curious, I approach and alcove and check. Judging by the traces of the depressed, round center, small statues should have been installed here in the past. The upper part has sections that have fallen apart as if butter melted under high heat.

The many hand-shaped patterns among the designs of the crumbled walls…feel sickening, and at the same time, it makes me sense the regret of something.

Maybe the remains of a temple that has fallen into ruin? Maybe a battle between the Buu of the divine domain and the kin of the Spirit World? Or maybe it's the outcome of the great war said to have raged in ancient times between the old, wild gods and the cursed goddess Master and I have offered our prayers.

The ground at my feet is gently sloping downwards. At the end of this wide, stone path lies…something like a pit.

This depression here might have been an assembly place, a council room, or something along those lines. Characters I've never seen before are carved into a part of the floor and walls' surface. The characters, which seem to advance through the maze of stone monuments…are impossible to decipher…

Is an ancient ruin like Roshmail? Maybe it's a relic of the Dawn civilization that appears in dwarven literature? Or maybe it's a connection to the underground passage continuing into the Pel-Heca-Line which was supposedly built by the ancient dwarves…?

An entrance into the underground world I know so well might exist further down the path…

Mysty's older brother Sol, a former first-class magician read Separatists Rashuu of the Enpal House, a investigation report about a dark elf species that treasured staying indoors, but…it seems like quite a few dark elves have advanced from the underground onto the surface.

However, for an estrangement of the 【Third Sorcery Noble Enpal Household】's 【Hundred Darkness Crossbows】…given that the report was short, I quickly finished reading all of it, but I got completely engrossed when flying through the text.

It might be unrelated to the civilization of the ancient characters here, but maybe those dark elf separatists have been living in the underground of this ruin?

I'm quite curious about such old ruins. In addition, I might also find monuments with letters from other cultures carved into them.

The headwind blowing up from the lower hole…is cold and unfeeling. The feeling that the magic elements switch between thin and dense concentration hasn't changed, but the coldness afflicting my skin is still the same as before I became a Lucival.

Once again, I fully realize that it's winter right now. Probably I can only estimate the precise date as I haven't been recording it for a while now.

And the monster attacks have now stopped altogether. The sounds of beasts, too. It's unthinkable for the Whirlpool Forest…this would have been a safe place for me to pee, wouldn't it?

Still, its silence is close to that of the underground city…my home city Da'Umezalan.

Does it mean this place is close to the bluish-white shining barrier located beneath the hill with the house where Mysty and Hankay-san live?

I'm also curious about the place that created these mysterious shapes of overlapping stones. But first, before investigating this area…let's try asking around about me and my having experienced a change in the sensation of obtaining blood.

I can estimate that it stems from me having continued sucking blood and mana, but…first I'm going to question Veronica who knows a lot about blood mana.

I sit down at a place with an array of box-shaped stones as if having a picnic. If Master was with me…I end up having such a delusional dream. I quickly shake my head to put my mind in order again.

It's wrong to act spoiled. I must become strong. In a hurry I created a blood message to exchange opinions with Veronica.

『The sensation of absorbing blood has changed, you say?』

『Yes』

『Are you possibly in a situation where you keep absorbing blood and mana?』

『Yes』

『I see. It's a training method that's available to you because you're a Lucival. As for that sensation, I think it comes from you having sucked in a drastic amount of blood and mana. The absorption didn't catch up with the body so far, but now it has. It's proof of you having a high potential, Viine. No wonder that you were chosen as the First Lucival family member's <Head Servant Leader>』

I'm really happy about this. But it's only been possible because I'm separated from Master right now.

『…Really!? Thanks, Veronica! Then I'll continue like this. I want to become strong as well』

『Oh, your unadorned feelings came out a bit!』

『Sorry, I ended up being too blunt』

『No, not at all. I'm glad that I get to hear your feelings. I already told you before, but it's an old custom for blood mana to be taught to you by your vampire blood relatives, so usually your elder take care of you for <Blood Path - Open First Gate>…no, that's too long so I'll abbreviate it…the opening of the first, second, and third gates until you obtain your unique skills, you know? But, since everyone including you has said that they want to do their utmost by themselves, I've been only sticking to giving some advice here and there』

『…Each of <Head Servant Leaders> probably wishes to grasp their growth with their own hands, actually experiencing it. The time we've spent with our cherished Master, who urged our growth by training us himself, led us on the right path. I feel like I learned something about being independent and not dependent』

『Hehe, you're writing it as something, but you're just playing dumb, aren't you?』

『Ugh, I wouldn't do something like that…』

『Isn't it fine to honestly call it preparedness and pride as <Head Servant Leader>, and not 'something'?』

『…Nothing less of you as elder vampire. You're half right. But, I'm not a <Head Servant Leader> who's going to create a family and become an empress like you. I'm aiming to become a chosen bloodkin of my own liking』

Yep, I want to be a strong <Head Servant Leader> who can stand on Master's side.

『…I see. Becoming a chosen bloodkin, huh? As I thought, Shuuya's blood is reflected in you very strongly… This is my advice as your senior: It's alright to not hurry with your growth. You're definitely the <Head Servant Leader> who was chosen first by Shuuya, so it kinda pisses me off to be honest, but…』

『…Forgive me』

『Ahahah, don't worry. It's just my real feelings that showed a bit! But, I love you with whom I could form blood ties, Viine. I want to suck your blood soon again!』

『Hehe, despite us being of the same race, the blood of fellow bloodkin was certainly delicious』

『Yep? But, back then guildmaster was really intense, so that was the smallest issue, wasn't it?』

『…I remember. Even Spirit-sama had fainted with her butt shining』

It's a memory of an enjoyable love session. Hehe, I, no, all of us have become his nourishment at that time.

『Haha, you're right? It was so hilarious. But, Spirit-sama has apparently obtained a new technique. Still, the servants back at the mansion are very unhappy. I've been hearing them bickering about Spirit-sama not being present』

『Some of the servants put their hands together and prayed to Spirit-sama, so it does make sense…』

『Looks like it. The number of decorations in Spirit-sama's space on the first floor keeps growing… The other day, when I went to show my newest horned puppet soldier, thinking that it might be nice as a new guard for Master's mansion in addition to Ajul, they had constructed a brand-new statue of Spirit-sama in a corner of the courtyard. The Millennium Plant has become slightly bigger, and its singing has a holy dignity to it…』

『…That new soldier, the horned puppet thing, is very interesting.』

『Ah, hehe, I'm sure you're curious about it as well. Guildmaster was very curious too』

『Of course. After all, it's something made by you who can manipulate plenty of <Blood Mana>』

『Aww, putting it like that, or rather writing it like that, is just like Guildmaster』

『S-Sorry』

『I'll ask Guildmaster next time whether we can't transfer our voices through the blood messaging』

I'll stop reacting unadorned then.

『Rather than that, about the new puppet soldier…』

『Oh, yeah. I made a new one while consulting about various things with Mysty and incorporating Zeeta's new insect research and alchemy. Thanks to all of this, it leveled up. Its appearance also was set to be equipment with red as base color』

『Red equipment seems like it's going to make it stand out』

『Yep. We're recently being called 【Dignified Heaven's Moon】 rather than 【Remains of the Moon】. The name of 【Bloody Moon Army】 isn't just for show either. Especially with the 【Blood Moon Sea Star Alliance】. That's why I've added a drawing of a crimson jellyfish to the torso, and a drawing of Divine Beast Rollo-chan riding on top of it. It has a deep crimson mantle equipped on its back. The mantle is designed with a picture of a moon that seems to cover the Dignified Heaven Shrine! I also made combat outfits for us which match with blood moon?』

『…A red moon clothing on Rollodeen-sama! I really want to see that! I can also make puppet soldiers, but somehow…』

Yep, I tried making them myself, but they immediately fell over. Since it made me upset, I used them as simple training target dummies, destroying them myself. However, this earned me Mysty's wrath for wasting materials…

Ever since then, I haven't attempted it again…

『Hehe, so even you as smart woman have things that are difficult for you since you don't have the necessary skill despite being principally capable of making them. But, it's nothing you need to worry about』

『You're not wrong about that, but…』

『It's inevitable for individual difference to appear. Viine, you have blood sword techniques only you can pull off, don't you? Those are techniques inaccessible to me. I can use blood swords, but you see…that Gadorices, I think it was, you possess…you mentioned some subtechniques of that. I think your specialized blood techniques that seem to make use of your Legendary weapon are unique』

『Those are subtechniques combining Lucival blood with the techniques of Yui and Kaldo as well as the drawing techniques of the Azmail Sword Style』

『Yep, those are the ones I mean! That swordsmanship is so superb because you're using it. And yet you're also so decent at archery, how unfair…!』

Oh shoot, I didn't intend to anger Veronica…

『I didn't try to brag about it. Sorry. By the way, I'd be happy if you could explain a bit more about the amazing puppet soldier you mentioned earlier』

『…Sure! The armor and helmet aren't the only special equipment! It also comes equipped with a whip staff and a snake blade as new weapons. The materials for these are extremely valuable, so I can't make many of them, but it looks as cool as a palatial guard protecting a king or emperor. It's quite superb for a guard～』

『So that red puppet soldier includes Mysty's sorcery doll techniques and Zeeta-dono's alchemy?』

『Not directly, but the alchemy materials were great as reference in various ways. But, the foundation is mostly based on my

and <Spiritual Tablet of Exclusive Ruler>, both derivations of my <Blood Mana>. The power of a Light Demon Lucival <Head Servant Leader> boosts all kinds of areas. Besides, I'd also say that it's thanks to the business with Holkerbaum, which possesses an old cemetery, advancing smoothly. Accordingly it's become easier to get my hands on ancient bones through the underground town. Since that place is a den infested with heretics and evil, the conflicts never cease, but…the fishman pirates having been driven away by 【Sea King Hornet】 and us having seized a part of the Heim River's golden route also plays a big role』

The trade along the golden route certainly seems to have made 【Dignified Heaven's Moon】 much more powerful.

『The name of 【Dignified Heaven's Moon】 isn't just for show. Despite not being under direct control of Master anymore, the dark guild seems to be expanding well, too』

『Yep. Mel is still the vice-guildmaster, but she's doing her best as Guildmaster's representative. Having said that, Mel is also my <Head Servant>』

『…Mel-dono appears to be busier with the increase of trading partners, enemy dark guilds, and her father's matter than before Master left Pelneet』

Labyrinth City Pelneet. Adventurer clans and parties who challenge the labyrinth, high-ranking nobles who put up requests, big companies with a strong spirit of competition, murder cases involving dark guilds, the transferee and reincarnators Master warned us about…I'm sure something is happening in that city every day. And since Master left, it might have become difficult for Mel-dono, despite the dark guild counting as one of the Eight Lights.

『Mmh. Well, I'm also busy dealing with dark guilds while protecting Amelie-chan. I also heard about Hoffmann of the Valmask family from Guildmaster. For him to be able to steal skills was completely unexpected…though I can't believe that Lunz possesses such an ability』

Master must have told her about Hoffmann who fought the Death Butterfly people, and the battle against Schmihazar who had locked up Kisara. Though I believe that Veronica, who's become an empress, can deal with Hoffmann.

Without telling her that…

『Even just knowing that Hoffmann's powers go beyond expectations is already a win』

『Yep, I think Lunz is strong as well, but he's an opponent I can run away from for many years while getting rid of his pursuers. But, when I heard about Hoffmann, I got really scared』

『Certainly, at present you can call him the opponent we must watch out for the most. But, he made Schmihazar fight Master after judging that he wants to observe Master's power. It was a battle method as if he had sacrificed Schmihazar to Master. And it feels like he carefully moved around so as to avoid a direct confrontation…as if he had predicted the outcome to a certain extent. When I heard about the battle against Schmihazar, I couldn't help but somehow feel that this was being the case here…』

『True…going by what I've heard, he seems to be smart, too. But…I hate him…I totally hate everything about the Valmask! I'll cut them apart with <Beheading Sword Dance>, using <Blood Sword Return>! And then I'll butcher Lunz together with Magit! Anyway, we have a leader meeting with a depressed-looking Paulsen, so talk to you later～』

『Okay』

The blood message of Veronica, who seemed to be in a bad mood towards the end, have vanished. Veronica has her own past burdening her.

…Pulling myself together, I remember that I have my own path to follow. At that moment, Master's word's crossed my mind.

『Spend your time meaningfully while thinking of your own good. And show me so that I can brag that having bought you was the very best purchase in my whole life』

He whispered those words into my ear while we were laying together on Master's bed… Moreover, he was attacking my weak spots at the same time. I immediately orgasmed thanks to his terrifying techniques, but…I was also very happy…

I'm not a slave anymore, but I'll show Master that I can do as he hoped for! That's why I'll do my utmost over here.

I stand up in order to resume my hunting, and descend a place that looks like a stairway because of how the old stones are stacked on top of each other. I guess this place is an ancient ruin.

Master warned me to not go too deep, but…I ran down the gloomy cave continuing downwards while relying on my physical abilities.

――Unlike the forest above, the wind over here feels lukewarm…the atmosphere doesn't feel like that of my home city either. It's like the sensations reaching me from my long ears are slightly different…

Is it because I've spent a long time on the surface?

But, in this depth with this connection to the dark underground world, I'm sure…a being similar to Cursed Goddess Kokodeusuzuin-sama might exist here.

After performing a triangle jump on the wall with its rock face, I land and kneel down for a moment. I doubt that I've already reached the bottom, butI should have descended…quite a bit.

There's a dome diagonally above me…how nostalgic. A spear is stabbed into a big moon symbol carved onto the wall. Bones clearly stick out from the wall.

The ceiling extends somewhat radially while drawing curves to the left, right, and bottom.

I hear groaning echoing throughout the abyss-like darkness from all over the place as if responding and hailing huge magic sources…

My blood as Lucival gets excited.

『Who?』「Who?」「Who is there?」「Bird Dragon Abirisen??」「Who?」「Hidden Engraver Chirchi?」「Who?」「Who?」『Who!?』「Who!?!」「Who!?!?!?!」

What's this ethereal voice that makes me sense an unknown fear…? Is it trying to make my senses go crazy through multiple sounds?

I've got a bad feeling about this…

I activate Rasheena's Bracelet. The darkness spirits spread out in the vicinity, but they're no impregnable defense.

I won't use my Jade Snake Bow, but instead handle it with my two swords and Golden Titan.

If something gets close…I'll mow it down with Gadorices which circulates the blood of <Swift Mad Sword>. I'll also pour the poison of the snake katana on it. And, my Lucival blood is just like holy water.

So if the opponent is a member of darkness, the poison will be the smallest problem for them. They should evaporate as soon as they get touched by the blade of my sword.

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