The Third Dungeon Battle: Battle (8)

Team Dragon King had unexpectedly dropped out without doing anything.

Reasonable—that word crossed my mind. Team Dragon King had been completely suppressed by water attacks from start to finish, only to be dominated by the Black Armor throughout the Dungeon Battle.

"Well, if they'd sent the Sahagin squad against that boss, they would've been wiped out though."

Thanks to the Black Armor we didn't have any particular problems, but against a big shot like that Poison Wyvern, we would've had no choice but to completely submerge them. That would've taken quite a bit of time.

"Ichika, how's the attack on Team Demon King going?"

"Almost done. The Sahagin squad arrived, so we can win."

Inside the submerged room, the Sahagin squad and a shark were toying with the boss, a large skeleton.

In particular, the Sahagin Rider on a marlin seemed to be dealing decent damage. Judging by how much the bones were getting gouged, it looked like they'd finish it off soon, just as Ichika said.

"Still, rather than returning to defend, they're attacking here instead. That Black Armor, I mean."

"They're really going all-out on offense. Let's use [The Big Ball] on this side too."

"Yeah. Let's use them all up while the Black Armor is on the lower floors. Also, send water their way too. Meanwhile, keep collecting water from the first floor and dump it outside."

Team Dragon King's gate, which had been gulping down all the water we sent, had closed, so if we didn't manually dispose of the accumulated water, it would just keep piling up.

Though that would make it a proper submerged dungeon.

"What about Core 666's Black Armor?"

"It turned back before reaching the middle floors. It seems they intend to regroup before advancing."

"… Would it be troublesome if they regrouped, or should I be glad I can wipe them out all at once? What do you think, Rokuko?"

"I'd say troublesome. At the very least, Core 666 has [Summon Skeleton]."

Isn't Core 666 getting tired using [Summon Skeleton] that much?

Not that I can talk with my [Summon Gargoyle], though.

 

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So, I tried hitting the second Black Armor with [The Big Ball] too, but this one caught it with a grinding screech and stopped it. Its feet sank into the floor, clearly showing it had pushed back with all its might.

Moreover, [The Big Ball] was shattered. So they made sure I can't reuse it…

However, the armor had many scratches on it, so it seemed to have taken some damage.

"Hmm, well, this one didn't have Skeletons, but information must have been passed along from Core 666. It was on guard. So, by intentionally hitting it the same way, I made it learn that it 'can handle it,' and then in the upper floors, I'll combine it with water current."

"Well, since there'll be two enemies now, it feels like they might be able to handle it."

"Then we'll want to take out one of them in the submerged area of the middle floors, right?"

If we can, if we can.

Now then, the two Black Armors entered the submerged area. They'd already seen through the orichalcum wire. They probably won't get caught by it at this rate.

"Rokuko, I'm sending out the Gargoyles and the octopus. We'll take them out if possible."

"Okay～, here we go!"

 

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# Team Demon King's Side #

 

"Shall we proceed, then?"

"Yeah."

They stepped into the submerged area.

With Skeletons in the lead, they advanced slowly, ready to respond even if a sudden water current appeared.

This passageway was essentially a single path. It intersected at right angles about four times, with the direct route blocked by impassable orichalcum thread.

… At the intersection, on the straight route—where orichalcum thread was strung up and impassable, though not easily visible—there were several Gargoyles.

Despite being underwater, the Gargoyles were casting spells. While one might say that inorganic types that don't need to breathe can operate like this, underwater the level of attack magic that Gargoyles could use became nearly ineffective.

Whether they tried to produce fire or water, the surrounding water just got in the way.

By process of elimination, they could only throw stones. That would do some damage to Skeletons, but it wouldn't even scratch this Living Armor made of black steel.

"Should we just ignore them and proceed?"

"Then I'll go first."

The Living Armor operated by Core 666's master took the lead.

The clanging of stones hitting them was noisy.

The first intersection had a dead end to the right—though if one needed to breathe, there was apparently an air pocket above it.

After bypassing the first orichalcum thread passage, they reached the spot where the Gargoyles had been. It was only a few steps away if they went straight, but having to go around to avoid the dungeon trap was somewhat tedious.

The Gargoyles from before had gone further in and were now throwing stones from the other side of the orichalcum thread passage. More annoying than obstructive, really.

Then, a monster swimming through the water appeared.

"… An octopus?"

"What is this? I've never seen this monster before… Do you know it, Jiji-sama?"

"I believe it's… some kind of octopus monster… I don't remember well."

Core 6 wasn't particularly knowledgeable about monsters. He especially didn't bother with weak monsters. Naturally, he didn't remember their characteristics either.

So when that monster suddenly spat ink and their vision went pitch black, he was a bit surprised.

"Damn… I can't see anything in this."

"Watch for attacks. Strengthen defenses."

The clanging of stones hitting them continued as before. After a few seconds, their vision cleared. The octopus was already gone.

"What was the point of that?"

"Who knows? Well, let's continue."

"! Wait!"

Ignoring the stone barrage from the Gargoyles on the left, the master's Living Armor stepped forward.

At that moment—its leg was cleanly severed.

"… What?!"

Despite being underwater, the armor's weight caused it to collapse—and then its body was sliced into pieces. The Living Armor died.

"I was killed…! Aidi, what happened?!"

"A rotating floor. We got caught."

When she checked the map, it had rotated a clean ninety degrees.

The Gargoyles that had been attacking from the left fled the moment the Living Armor was chopped to pieces. There was no wire between them.

She belatedly regretted not sending the Skeletons ahead first instead of holding them back—she could summon them limitlessly as long as she had magic power.

"666. Calm down and advance while checking positions on the map."

"Yes, Jiji-sama… Master, I'll punish you later."

When Core 666 tried to walk forward, the water flow began to fluctuate.

"Tch, Skeletons!"

With clattering sounds, the Skeletons formed a perpendicular formation to handle the water current.

Immediately after, a violent flow suddenly attacked them. Underwater, it was hard to see when it would come, making it troublesome.

"Wait, Aidi! That spot is—!"

"! Cra—…"

The rotating floor spun. She had forgotten about it.

Already in water where footing was unreliable, taking the water current head-on, the heavy Living Armor body lifted off the ground. The Skeletons were swept away and easily chopped to pieces. The fragments of the Living Armor her master had been operating were also carried away.

The wire loomed before her eyes.

"Tch, haaaaaah!!"

SCREEEEECH!! Holding her magic sword like a shield, she struck it against the orichalcum thread.

Against the orichalcum thread, that magic sword was not cut—it endured.

"Aha! As expected of [Indestructible]! It doesn't break!"

Confirming the sturdiness of her magic sword, she laughed happily.

"Oh… you added that?"

"Yes, I used most of this battle's 500,000 DP on it, but thanks to that!"

Once she got used to the water current, she escaped to a side path—the original route.

It had been quite dangerous, but she survived.

And so—Core 666 broke through the submerged area.