episode_0156

In the blue desert where darkness has settled, bright lights clash.

The battle where knights of equal strength poured out their full power was truly a spectacle.

Because it was visible even while running far away.

Currently, the Knight Order was running away from the battle between the field boss and the knight, led by Karin, the only remaining knight.

But even while doing so, voices of dissatisfaction arose.

“Why are we running away instead of fighting the Doppelganger?”

There was a knight member who asked that.

If it merely imitated the essence of a single human, there would be no need to fear it.

But that is a foolish action.

In the first place, even facing the 5th floor’s boss monster, Leviathan, was not easy.

What if it’s a boss located three floors higher than that?

Even thinking about it roughly, it can be seen that if the entire Knight Order were to charge, they would all be annihilated.

“No matter how weak the boss monster may seem, it’s not something we can handle.”

“……But how can we escape? The portal to exit is already…”

“We must gather as many explorers from other clans as possible while Lord Kaiser holds out. At least until a clan that knows well about that Doppelganger appears.”

There was definitely bound to be a weakness or a strategy.

Given the strange phenomenon that the portal didn’t appear at midnight anyway, other explorers would gather quickly.

Moreover, the 8th floor is currently the Blue Desert.

Although the visibility is not as good as during the day because darkness has settled, there are no trees or clouds. Thus, the view is wide open, making it a good situation for spotting each other.

However, that doesn’t mean the 8th floor is small. It will take time to find them.

Fortunately, for times like these, there are Guides.

Together with Shiaty, the Knight Order’s Guide who has clairvoyance, and Grace, they quickly find other explorers.

“Found them!!!”

We immediately tried to run in that direction.

But only explorers are not the only ones on the 8th floor right now.

“…Mimics?”

Mimics blocking our path.

Karin rushes towards the Mimics that are approaching while constantly changing their appearance.

The Knight Order attacks the Mimics with swords clad in aura.

We merely follow behind and provide auxiliary support.

In the end, the minor Mimics could not stop our movement.

However, after catching the Mimics, magic stones and small cards appeared, indicating that they were Labyrinth monsters, not monsters summoned by a Black Mage.

But what’s even more important than that is.

No matter where you go in the Labyrinth, no other monsters are visible besides Mimics.

“Not a single other monster is visible.”

“Could it be that when the Doppelganger appears, only Mimics are left among the monsters?”

“Or perhaps they’ve all transformed into Mimics.”

Anyway, it means that now only Mimics are left on the 8th floor. And it also means that there are no monsters weakened by the environment.

“…Too late.”

We arrived at the closest explorers, but they were already torn apart by Mimics and deceased.

Just as we were quickly collecting their explorer tags.

A heated argument was happening within the Knight Order.

“Splitting up is dangerous!!! In the first place, there are only two Guides!!”

“But everyone will die like this!! And it’s a desert, so even without a Guide…”

“If they see us splitting up and reducing our own strength, the enemies will attack!”

Certainly, if the people here could scatter and bring all the other explorers, it would be great.

But that is an utterly unrealistic statement.

How can we return to the knights without a Guide?

Therefore, the best method is to draw other explorers who have Guides towards us.

It might be a bit dangerous, but given the situation, perhaps there’s no other choice.

I quickly exchanged my deck.

『Deck has been exchanged.』

『Current Deck : Elementalist’s Deck』

『Next exchange possible time until 0:59:59』

I quickly set a Joker Card.

The card needed now is [Ifrit]

Exactly one minute later, I quickly drew and used the card.

As the fire spirit came out and began to circle around me, the darkness that had settled on the blue desert slightly receded.

Ifrit emitting a light far brighter than a carried torch.

Seeing this, Karin approaches me.

“Do you have a method?”

“…Yes.”

Immediately, I breathe mana into the fire spirit.

Although I poured a lot of mana into it once already, making it a little insufficient.

As I pour mana without hesitation, Ifrit gradually changes its shape and begins to grow larger.

Ifrit, now emitting a light bright enough to almost push back the darkness of the blue desert.

Looking at the fluctuating Ifrit as if it could erupt flames at any moment, I threw a final question to Karin.

“This light can attract not only explorers but also monsters and enemies nearby.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

As soon as Karin’s permission fell, I operated the fire spirit, Ifrit, and shot a flame towards the full moon floating in the sky.

Whoosh-

A giant pillar of fire tore through the darkness and went all the way to the end of the sky.

Momentarily, the blue desert turned red before returning to its original state.

Now, all that’s left is to wait.

“Mimics are approaching!!!”

As expected. Monsters approaching after seeing the fire.

The number wasn’t large. But the sight of them transforming into Sandworms suitable for the sand and coming in a line was quite the spectacle.

“Prepare for combat!!!!”

Immediately, the vanguards step forward to block the Sandworm Mimics approaching while raising a powerful sandstorm.

In the first place, Sandworm monsters themselves have excellent physique rather than special abilities. They are perfectly suited for Mimics to imitate.

Perhaps the reason the 8th floor is a blue desert right now isn’t just a coincidence, but something that considered all these factors.

Looking at the running Sandworms, I quickly searched for a card in my deck and set a Joker Card.

Just as the sandstorm created by the Sandworms swept quickly past my body, the status window popped up.

『Ambushed! Combat starts, draw 4 cards.』

『Energy 5/5』

『Joker Card – Draw 1 designated card additionally on the first turn.』

[Mana Overcharge(0)] [Flash(0)] [Barrier(2)] [Chain Lightning(6)] + [Tidal Wave(3)]

The hand isn’t bad.

I use the first card that will receive the effect of the Hand of Exaltation.

[Tidal Wave]

Guys like Sandworms will be weak to water.

It was a card I chose based purely on intuition, but fortunately, my luck was good. Even if it doesn’t work, a decent card was drawn for the follow-up, so I used it without hesitation.

A massive amount of water shot out from the line scribbled in the air and headed towards the enemies.

Upon seeing the tidal wave, I could feel the Mimics panicking.

They slowed down, and some paused slightly.

But they couldn’t ignore the speed they were already running at, so they collided directly with the tidal wave.

Whoosh-

Intense moisture wet the dry desert climate.

The Sandworms whose bodies were all soaked changed shape once again, returned to being Mimics, and then this time transformed in a disorderly manner.

Some into things suited for the sea, like fish.

Some into monsters that adapt to water better than Sandworms, like cacti.

Just changing in such a disorderly manner makes them much less threatening than the group of running Sandworms.

But that’s not the end.

Immediately, I throw one card.

[Mana Overcharge] – Gain 3 energy. Take damage.

Momentarily, I felt the flesh on my arm split and blood spew out, soaking my robe, but without caring about that, I took out a goblin from my subspace bracelet and disposed of it instantly.

『[Butcher’s Gloves] drink blood.』

『Energy increases by 1, draw 1 card.』

This makes my energy 6.

Immediately, I use the newly obtained card.

[Chain Lightning]

Crackle-

Momentarily, a precursor of electricity jumping out appeared. Countless branches of powerful electricity surged from the ground and began to gather into a spherical shape in front of my hand.

I shot out the visibly destructively fluctuating lightning at once.

The lightning that flew instantly went beyond the Mimic it hit and continuously connected to the Mimics next to it, zzzzzt-ing.

Lightning that pierced the bodies of every single Mimic.

All the Mimics whose bodies were already wet were instantly electrocuted.

Among them, some individuals died, and some individuals survived.

But even those who survived weren’t in their right state. They were quickly removed by the Knight Order and party members.

『Check card rewards.』

The status window announced victory.

Unfortunately, this is just the beginning.

Because another wave of Mimics was approaching.

*

The fire I used had a significant effect.

It attracted monsters from all directions, but conversely, it became a symbol to call in the explorers nearby.

Thanks to that, fortunately, quite a few explorers could join us.

From parties of 5 to clans of a certain scale.

However, large clans with name recognition were not visible among them.

“Looks like a good number of people who could come from this area have pretty much arrived. Now joining the Knights…”

“We must go to other areas and find more people. The Black Mage is walking around, as well as the Heretics!!!”

Heretics. Those who betrayed the Ariel Church and use the Main God’s power for evil deeds.

Although they were said to be walking around, I couldn’t believe it.

Because a survivor said they saw the Cardinal himself walking around.

They were probably not Heretics, but just the Cardinal’s subordinates.

But it seemed many explorers still couldn’t believe that the Ariel Church would do such a thing.

We didn’t even have time to explain, given that the situation was already chaotic.

“…For now, let’s join the Knights like this and go defeat the boss monster.”

“Then everything will be solved!!”

Fortunately, among the mid-tier clans, there were those who knew about the Doppelganger.

Since the objective had been achieved, just as we were about to quickly turn towards Lord Kaiser who must be fighting far away.

“…Someone is approaching!!”

Someone with a deep black hood pulled down was slowly walking towards this place.

But even with the hood pulled down deep, light was escaping little by little from their body.

Anyone could tell it was a Priest or Cleric of the Ariel Church.

“It’s a Heretic!!!”

Immediately everyone prepared for battle, but the person approaching immediately took off the hood.

A benevolent face.

Short white hair like a buzz cut.

Unlike the old man-like hair, the man, who still had the appearance of a gaunt middle-aged man, was holding a cross in his hand and walking slowly here.

“…Car-, Cardinal?!!”

The Cardinal of the Ariel Church, a figure famous enough that many explorers here could recognize him.

But why on earth is such a famous figure here?

The surprise from the sudden appearance soon turned into questions, and the questions turned into certainty based on the Cardinal’s subsequent actions.

“…Everyone will have to die here.”