Light and Ayre's unstoppable charge that seed about to reunite them with their companions soon hit its limit.
―KUWAAAAGH!
"Hup!"
―slash
At first, the monsters tried to ignore them, overwheld by Ayre's intimidating presence, but at so point they started appearing one by one to attack.
Ayre was enraged, as if this was sothing that shouldn't be possible.
"These persistent, stupid, blind creatures...!"
But no matter how much she displayed her dense magic power, it was useless.
The monsters blocked their path, ready to fight to the death.
Even the ones they had passed earlier were all chasing after them now, naturally slowing their progress.
"Watch out, it's changing again!"
"I know."
Was the dungeon producing monsters in real-ti? The numbers were extraordinary.
Even the walls forming the maze transford into golems and lunged at them.
It felt like everything in the dungeon was turning against them.
Though Ayre continuously created and shattered ice to block the creatures, Light also had to move quickly to protect her.
―KUAAAH!
"HYAAAAH!"
―BOOM!
From spinning his spear shaft infused with magic power to push back the swarming enemies, to picking a target and striking it down in an instant.
Monsters fell to Light's flowing movents.
Moreover, the magic power wrapping around his spear shaft grew more intense with each swing, preventing enemies from easily approaching!
'Whew, without this martial art...'
If there was anything fortunate about this situation...
Light could feel his spear technique rapidly improving during the chaotic battle.
The spear blade was quite long, and the military spear technique passed down from Dokgo Yeon was perfect for the current situation as it was suited for fighting multiple opponents. ????Ν??βЕ??
'Martial arts... I thought their limitations were clear, but maybe not. Does Dokgo Yeon's martial world really have techniques like this just lying around? It's completely different from the martial world I know...'
Though she taught this spear technique as if it were nothing special, it was excellent enough to shatter so of Light's preconceptions about martial arts.
It suddenly occurred to him that she might be making great sacrifices for her teammates.
When he saw her teaching and interfering with Ban Yu-won, he thought she might have ulterior motives, but thinking about it, she ddled with him and Luciel just as much.
'It's not just because we're climbing the tower together. The training is really tough but... she's a good person.'
Not just her.
Luciel too, and... even Ban Yu-won.
Though they'd only t three weeks ago, they were surprisingly reliable party mbers who genuinely cared for him.
It would be hard to find better partners than them in this academy.
If only they were all together, they could probably clear this mysterious dungeon without much difficulty... damn it.
"Why are so many monsters suddenly rushing at us?!"
Light scread shrilly while continuously swinging his spear.
His spear blade, wrapped in white magic power, spun rapidly and split in half the skull of a giant wolf that had just broken through the wall to pounce on them.
But the monsters kept coming endlessly, climbing over their fallen comrade's corpse.
"They're trying to stop us from moving."
Even Ayre, whose emotions had been hard to read when they first t, now spoke with an irritated voice.
When dozens of monsters, each standing at least 2.5 ters tall, charged together, the piling corpses made it difficult to move even a single step forward.
If only Ban Yu-won were here, he could instantly clear away the corpses with that strange ability of his!
Light gritted his teeth and said.
"Why is this happening? We're just trying to regroup with the others."
"That's exactly why, I think."
Ayre spoke in a calr voice, having organized her thoughts.
"Because it would be troubleso if we reunited with the others."
"Wait, you an..."
"The others might be in danger right now."
In Ayre's mind, she pictured Ban Yu-won releasing his vast magic power before entering the dungeon.
Having used such large-scale magic right before entering the dungeon, he must be quite exhausted.
Not to ntion their battle of willpower.
'A mistake. ...A pathetic mistake born from being blinded by jealousy.'
If she had known sothing this dangerous would happen, she wouldn't have provoked him in the first place.
There were plenty of other ways to test his abilities.
If anything happened to him because of her selfish desires, there would be no way to atone for that sin.
Ayre bit her lip, suppressing her frustration.
"We have to save him."
"Huh? Oh, right, we should save him. Of course we should. ...What exactly happened between you and Ban?"
"I can't tell you. It's between us."
"Good grief, Ban..."
Just how many won have you made your captives?!
In Light's mind, Ban Yu-won was perfectly centing his position as the world's greatest Casanova.
Whether Light misunderstood or not, Ayre had already made her decision.
"...Do you keep your promises well?"
"It depends on who I'm dealing with... but for promises to protect my companions, always."
"Good. Then."
Don't tell anyone about what you see today.
After saying this, Ayre closed her eyes and opened them again.
A black vertical scratch appeared on her silver pupils.
"...Huh?"
That wasn't all.
Magnificent purple horns sprouted from both her temples.
Finally, seeing a small silver scale appear like a teardrop mark under her right eye.
Light could easily identify what this ant.
"A Draconian?!"
"It's a secret."
"Good... lord..."
Dragons were special beings in any dinsion.
And dragonkin, beings with dragon blood, were an apex race that answered only to dragons and gods!
No wonder the monsters were frozen in fear - she was an awakened dragonkin.
Light was shocked but thought to himself.
Ban has already succeeded in seducing a dragonkin!
I need to be careful too!
"Protect
while I cast."
"Huh? Oh... okay..."
"I'm counting on you."
Light, who had been lost in his misguided thoughts, responded with montary confusion.
Ignoring him, Ayre spread both hands wide into the air and began chanting magic.
A magic orb rose between them, and like Ayre's eyes, a vertical scratch appeared across it as it 'opened its eyes.'
"..."
While her words had been sowhat comprehensible until now, the language she was speaking seed completely unintelligible to Light's ears.
This was natural if it was the dragon language that only those with dragon blood could use.
―KRAAAAH!
―KICK, KIHEEEEK!
Though they couldn't understand the dragon language, the monsters seed to sense its ominous nature and attacked more desperately.
Light gritted his teeth as he held them back and shouted.
"Whatever you're doing, hurry up! These bastards keep multiplying!"
"........"
As the incantation continued, the monsters beca increasingly frenzied.
Light was having a hellish ti trying to hold them back alone.
As the battle grew more difficult, the signals from the holy sword grew more intense.
If he drew the holy sword, he could easily dispose of this monster horde.
Though he had promised Ban Yu-won not to draw the holy sword unless his life was in danger...
'I don't know what situation Ban is in right now. What if sothing happens to him while I'm stubbornly keeping this promise? ...But if I just hold out until Ayre finishes her incantation, maybe I won't need to draw the holy sword at all? Am I just making excuses about Ban because I unconsciously want to swing the holy sword? No, but even while I'm having these thoughts, Ban could be in danger...'
When he had the holy sword in hand, he never needed to deal with such complicated worries.
Ever since resolving not to rely on the holy sword, every day has been filled with foolish anguish.
He felt pathetic about himself - how must others see him?
"...!"
While his mind raced with complicated thoughts, his body moved instinctively to block the giant monsters.
Finally, Ayre completed her magic with an incomprehensible scream as she finished her incantation.
At that mont, the orb floating in the air opened its eyes with a flash.
―Grooooar...
A massive ice dragon was summoned.
"Ah, that's..."
"Kill them!"
―GUOOOOOOOOO!
Ayre commanded fiercely, as if her dragonkin identity had caused a change in her personality.
The ice dragon crafted from mana and divine power roared mightily and swept through the area!
―KAGAGAGAGAK!
―KUEEEK!
―KUAAAA!
Not only the mountain of monster corpses blocking their path, but also the dozens of monsters that had kept charging even after being slashed by Light's spear and deflected by its shaft - they all froze and shattered at once.
Light was left speechless at the overwhelming display of power.
"What kind of magic is this, I've never seen anything like it even in the royal palace..."
Even the kingdom's grand mages needed help from the magic circles installed in the palace to use magic that could counter an army.
―KUAAAAA!
The ice dragon, still full of energy after its first attack, lazily circled around them as if to protect the party.
Ayre's complexion grew slightly pale.
"My magic power is continuously draining. Let's hurry and regroup."
"...Right. Follow !"
But their wishes would not be granted.
They had barely resud their advance when the dungeon's boss monster appeared.
With a thunderous KUUNG!, it naturally materialized from nowhere to block their path.
―To think a human who wields dragon power would enter here. This truly makes things troubleso.
It addressed them in an oddly friendly tone.
"A lion...?"
The monsters in this labyrinth were all characterized by their massive bodies that filled the corridors.
But this beast covered in stone and taking the form of a lion was exceptional even among them - a monster among monsters easily exceeding 4 ters in height and 10 ters in length.
―There's no need to be curious about my identity, human. What matters is that I am the master of this labyrinth, and a being blessed by the 'Lantern of the Wandering Night.'
"A monster empowered by a constellation."
Light's expression hardened.
He realized it the mont he laid eyes on the beast.
That the spear he currently held couldn't even scratch it.
It wasn't due to the spear's inadequacy.
It was because his level, the level of aura he could draw from the spear, was insufficient.
―O bearer of three souls, pitiful human who wields dragon power. I have no intention of harming you.
Fortunately, it didn't seem like the beast would attack them imdiately.
It rely spread its arms to block the passage.
―Just stay and chat with
for a while, until my master achieves what they desire.
"What they desire? Could it be my companion's life?"
―Sothing like that. But isn't it fortunate that they have no intention of taking your life?
*Crunch*―
Light ground his teeth.
Fortunate? Fortunate? There could be no greater humiliation.
He recalled the words of the constellation he encountered when first entering the tower.
The words of the Observer of Ten Thousand Eyes who treated him like worthless trash, trying to use him as fertilizer for the contract with Ban Yu-won and Dokgo Yeon!
'Am I not even worth keeping in check? Do they think I'm so petty person who would be satisfied just surviving while my companions die?'
It was frustrating.
It was frustrating that he couldn't completely deny the beast's attitude, bound as he was by the fate of having to survive no matter who died.
But what angered him even more was this situation.
How this one and that one treated him like a re pebble on the road!
"I'll kill you."
He thought it was his own voice, but it wasn't.
That calm and collected voice containing simring rage ca from Ayre beside him.
"But I'm low on magic power. I'll hit it with everything I've got once, so finish it off. You can do it with that power you're hiding, right?"
"..."
―Do you really wish to fight? Of course, I know you're strong. But I also know you've consud much of your strength... You'll get badly hurt. How foolish.
Light bit his lip hard.
As Ayre said, no matter how powerful the ice dragon's strike might be, he couldn't finish it with just the spear.
But with the holy sword? Forget about finishing moves or Ayre stepping in - he could end this himself.
He could bring that arrogant lion bastard to its knees and tear its heart to shreds!
...However.
"If we kill it, the dungeon will collapse, right?"
"Yeah. Since it has the magic core in its body... we won't even need to go rescue him, he'll be safe too."
That was why Ayre wasn't rushing.
Unlike other dungeons in mountains or underground forests, since this one was generated in mid-air.
When the magic core breaks, the dungeon will dissolve and they'll all be ejected outside, allowing everyone to return safely.
"Alright."
Light heaved a deep sigh as if shaking off his attachnt - and tossed sothing from his chest to her.
Ayre's eyes widened as she looked at the round, fragrant object that fit in her small palm.
"What's this?"
"Candy. It should instantly replenish your magic power. There will be permanent growth too. Ban made it, so thank him later."
"How can magic power... why give this to ?"
"My power is sealed for various reasons right now. So you take it. Quickly."
―What...? That thing, the power within it!
The lion rose in shock upon sensing the incredible power within the candy, but Light firmly confronted it with his spear raised.
"Ha! Hurry up and eat it!"
"Okay."
Ayre bit into it with an expression that showed she couldn't understand why he would give up such a precious item to her instead of using it himself.
Though shocked by the magic power instantly filling her and the permanent changes occurring in her body, she didn't hesitate to command:
"Bite it to death!"
―KUOOOOOOOOO!
The ice dragon roared as it received the overflowing magic power.
The boss monster that claid to be blessed by the Lantern of the Wandering Night couldn't even last 30 seconds before it dissolved.
As its magic core shattered, the dungeon dissolved.
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