episode_0019

It was perplexing.

The dungeon’s weakened defenses did add a certain level of tension, but to encounter White immediately upon descending?

Has the difficulty spiked too much?

White, an undead that even seasoned adventurers shy away from facing alone. It wasn’t a lower-level dungeon like the third floor, but a monster one would have to confront in the middle floors.

And it wasn’t just one of them, but three…

“…This is going to be quite challenging.”

I sighed deeply as I watched White slither down the corridor, dragging its bones, feeling the weight of the situation.

White was a daunting opponent for me as well.

Brunhilde, a specialist in monster slaughter, could have easily brought her down… but I’m only borrowing Brunhilde’s body; I am not her.

All I had were Brunhilde’s physical abilities and instinctive swordsmanship, honed through battles with hundreds of humans and monsters.

That alone had earned me recognition at least on par with a seasoned adventurer, but ultimately, it was only half the strength.

Relying on instinctive swordsmanship itself was evidence that I couldn’t utilize the ‘traits’ that original Brunhilde possessed.

◆◆

Perhaps it was because the original novel’s setting was within a game world.

The protagonist, Kim Seungwoo, had an ability to check opponents’ information, much like a game’s ‘status window.’

…Only Kim Seungwoo had it.

After fleeing from Gunter, I tried testing if I had the same ability, but frustratingly, I didn’t have a status window.

Status, stats, skill window, info window, even the character status. I shouted every possible keyword in my mind, but nothing happened.

Is this discrimination against possessors?

…Anyway, ‘traits’ were one of the contents displayed in that status window, summarizing the skills and abilities the character possessed.

Things like , , , or .

In simple terms, it was somewhat like a skill window, right?

There were broadly two types of traits.

The ‘skill traits,’ denoting skills acquired later in life, such as swordsmanship or concealment techniques, and ‘innate traits,’ denoting inherent constitution or protection.

Of course, Brünhilde also had her own characteristics in the novel.

The traditional martial art passed down through generations of the Eisenstein family, “Eisenstein Spear Technique.”

Her personally modified swordsmanship, “Eisenbolt Sword Technique,” which was the reason Kim Seungwoo took her heart, known as the “Ice Heart,” and a characteristic responsible for Brünhilde’s dealing, not much different from a rice soup characteristic called “Gangwan.”

Among these four characteristics, the only one I was utilizing was the Eisenbolt Sword Technique.

Even that was more of an instinctive reaction than a proper utilization.

If Kim Seungwoo were to check my current status window, it wouldn’t be surprising if the “Eisenbolt Sword Technique: B” characteristic had changed to something like “Unnamed Swordsmanship: D.”

Still, I could somehow manage to use swordsmanship. I had no grasp of how to activate “Gangwan.”

Brünhilde’s strength without using that characteristic was at best on par with an ordinary knight. When sparring with Kikel or arm wrestling, she would lose nine out of ten times.

That’s why, unlike Brünhilde, who could slaughter Whites with disdain, I had to stiffen my body with tension, swallowing dry saliva.

◆◆

After White departed, I turned my head to ask the party members for their opinions.

We needed to discuss whether to continue facing the danger or reluctantly give up and retreat.

“Hmm… If it’s just one, we might be able to surprise attack somehow…”

Amy was lost in thought, gently touching her chin with her right hand.

She seemed to be contemplating whether our current strength could handle three Whites and, if so, how we should fight them.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

“Shh, hunting requires silence.”

Kikel was pressing hard on Bolton’s mouth to prevent him from having a fit, oddly quiet when faced with the undead, unable to utter a word with his snout blocked by the lizard’s front paw.

“So… what do we do now? Shall we fight or retreat?”

“For now, let’s give it a try.”

In response to the suggestion of withdrawing, Amy shook her head slightly.

To remove the novice badge, I had mustered up the courage to descend into the dungeon. It seemed too regrettable to return empty-handed after coming this far.

“Hilde, could you take on a single White? No need to win, just to buy some time.”

“Well… it’s my first time fighting a White, so I can’t guarantee anything… but if it’s just one, I suppose I can manage somehow?”

I honestly replied. In a one-on-one situation, it wouldn’t be easy to defeat it, but it seemed possible to hold out. Probably.

“If it gets warmer, it’s doable!”

Kikel also seemed ready to fight, tapping his leather-covered round shield, declaring with a tone that suggested an advantage as body temperature rose.

Is our current strength weakened due to the cold? The lizard-like comment made me chuckle involuntarily.

“No mercy…!”

Bolton didn’t need to ask. Even if we all retreated, he was determined to continue fighting alone.

“It’s decided then. Let’s give it a try.”

I nodded lightly, exhaling a shallow sigh. Honestly, it seemed better for me to give up and go back at this point… but all the party members except me were suggesting that we should fight.

As neither the leader nor the client, I couldn’t defy the rule of majority decision.

◆◆

“Listen, I have a plan…”

Right after the party’s instructions turned into a battle, Amy explained the strategy she had come up with for dealing with the Whites to all of us.

It wasn’t a grand plan by any means. It simply involved ambushing the rear one, swiftly dealing with it, while I focused on one, and the other three took down the remaining one.

“Three against one. With a priest, there’s no way we can’t win, right?”

For some reason, her words filled us with confidence.

“You’re absolutely right. We can’t lose!”

“Ka-ching! She’s brilliant! Are you a genius or what?”

Bolton and Kikel enthusiastically agreed. Their excitement was so high that it was hard to keep up with.

In any case, the “White Subjugation Operation” was underway.

We hid around a corner in the dungeon, patrolling like guards, waiting for the White to return to the corridor.

And soon after…

Thud. Ssssssh. Thud. Ssssssh.

The sound of White’s distinctive footsteps, stretching its front legs like a cricket and dragging its body across the ground.

“…They’re coming. Get ready.”

I placed my right hand on the hilt of the sword, tensing my thigh to be ready to spring at any moment.

“……”

A foul stench brushed past my nose.

They were getting closer.

“Krrrrr….”

…One.

“Garactur… Kriiakhe….”

…Two.

“Tiinahaan….”

Three.

Now.

As I signaled with my eyes, Kikel tossed the small pebble he had been holding to the third White, gently enough to provoke a response but not aggressive enough to be considered an attack.

Tap.

The pebble arched gracefully and struck the third White on the rear.

“Naah?”

The White, which had been crawling, stopped and cocked its head. A huge snail that had been hiding in its throat suddenly emerged and looked around.

“Keuu….”

The grotesque snail made eerie noises as it surveyed its surroundings.

It stood frozen for a while. The other two Whites mindlessly continued down the corridor.

This was our chance.

Not only me, but the other three party members also knew it.

“Ignis Sagitta!”

“Elia Nelishiye!”

Flames and radiance. Two arrows shot through the air.

“Flame Arrow” and “Arrow of Punishment.”

As if to prove the lack of creativity in this world’s inhabitants, these magic and divine miracles, from their names to their forms, were unmatched.

Without warning, two beams of light pierced the head and shoulder of the White who had turned around in surprise at the human voices.

“Kahaaak!”

“Haaat!”

Simultaneously, Kikel leaped low, striking with his hand axe and throwing knives like lightning, while I swiftly drew my longsword from its scabbard and charged.

“Kryaaaaak-!”

A scream that shook the dungeon walls. The snail residing in the White’s head burned in flames, and the Arrow of Punishment caused a burst of light, severing the White’s shoulder halfway.

“Haaaap!”

Next, I completely severed his shoulder with a swing of my greatsword and deeply slashed his throat, while Kikel cut off the creature’s tail and pierced its spine with his axe and dagger.

One arm, the head, spine, and tail – all in an instant. The once formidable white creature now writhed in agony, screaming at the top of its lungs.

“Whoooaaah!”

It flailed its half-severed tail and remaining arm like a whip.

“Kikel! Break its spine, break it!”

I deflected the creature’s arm with my sword and shouted as my shoulder slightly tingled from the impact.

“Got it!”

The axe and dagger rained down on the creature’s back, like steel rain pouring down.

“One more step! Ignis Sagitta!”

As Amy shot another fire arrow nearby, Kikel, exhilarated by the heat of the flames, unleashed a downpour beyond a deluge.

“Yes! It seems we might just survive this!”

“Kriiyaaaaak-!”

It was the fervor of a master chef preparing cucumbers on a cutting board.

“Mr. Bolton! Snail! Get rid of the snail! It spits venom!”

Spewing toxic fluid from its swollen abdomen, that was one of the creature’s primary means of attack.

“Ohhh! Oh goddess, smite this fiend! Smite it!”

With a futile cry for divine intervention, Bolton fired another beam towards the sizzling snail.

“Kyaaak-!”

The creature hastily twisted its neck to dodge the incoming beam.

However,

“Nowhere to go!”

Without missing a beat, my sword darted like a beam, skewering the snail’s body like a wedge, immobilizing it. As the motionless snail was fixed in place, Bolton’s “Arrow of Punishment” exploded like a projectile lodged within it.

“Kwaaang!”

With a small explosion, fragmented flesh burst in all directions.

“Guh…….”

The decapitated creature vomited bile and collapsed.

With a heavy thud, putrid ichor and ash scattered outward.

“We did it…!”

“Yes, we did.”

Before clueless Bolton could begin his resurrection incantation, I swiftly interrupted, stabbing the fallen creature’s heart into pieces.

That was the end of it.

“See! That was easy!”

Ambush and a one-sided onslaught secured the victory. Kikel chuckled as he twirled his axe and dagger around.

“I see.”

There was no particular rebuttal. The ambush had worked well, but regardless, they had won more easily than expected.

“Gahyacur…! Kriak!”

…The remaining two wouldn’t be as easy to take down.

Both the punitive arrow and the flame arrow had a limit of four shots each.

It took two shots to kill one, leaving two shots for each of them.

If they couldn’t bring down the two Wights with a total of four attack spells, it meant they would have to rely solely on mine and Kikel’s damage in the subsequent fight.

“Kyaoook!”

“Huapaak!”

Two returning Wights, alerted by their kin’s cries, charged forward emitting incomprehensible roars filled with boundless hatred towards the living.

“Phew… so far, so good according to the plan. The rest is—”

“It’s up to me now, isn’t it?”

I lightly rotated my wrist, waiting for them to come closer.

“Yes, I have a favor to ask.”

Amy nodded gently, her smile faint. I gave a slight nod and then turned my head towards Bolton.

“Bolton, you mentioned being able to use the ‘Blessed Sword,’ right?”

“The Blessed Sword,” a representative miraculous enhancement of the priests, bestowing divine power to the blade, increasing its durability, and dealing additional damage to foes like the undead or demons.

“Yes. Only twice a day, but…”

“Lend it to me. I feel uneasy with just this hilt.”

I held up the incomplete longsword as evidence.

Unlike when the four of us were taking down one, now I had to face a single Wight alone. There was no reason to save the buff.

“Of course, I’ll lend it to you. Please make sure to thoroughly cleave that maggot!”

After nodding, Bolton mumbled a quiet prayer and extended his right hand, pointing at my sword.

Whoosh!

In the next moment, a brilliant radiance enveloped the incomplete longsword. It felt as bright as holding a fluorescent light in my hand.

“Knuk…? elia, luxior…!”

Facing the Sword of Light, White trembled for a moment and wagged its tail.

Does it understand that this light represents the utmost power against itself?

Watching its figure, an infinite courage suddenly surged in my chest.

“Are you afraid?”

I leaped, wielding the blessed greatsword of the goddess with both hands, and taunted with a mocking smile on my face.

“Ubooooo!”

Whether it understood the question of fear or not, it snarled and swiftly crawled towards the White approaching from the right.

The struggle had begun.