Chapter 155: Star-eyed Digger
The dungeon entrance burst open with a deafening sound, sending a violent gust of wind rushing outward that swept through the air and fluttered everyone's hair and soft clothing for a brief moment.
Almost immediately after, a swarm of monsters poured out from within the darkness of the archway.
Some of those creatures were humanoid in size, yet their appearances were twisted and unsettling, their faces grotesque in shape with no visible eyes at all. Instead, two long slits stretched across where their eyes should have been, formed by thin and elongated tentacles with sharp tips at their ends, those tentacles draping over half of their faces and creating two star-like shapes, as if concealing something far more sinister beneath.
Their fur was dark, coarse, and faintly glistening under the light, while both of their arms were short yet unnaturally thick, ending in clawed hands similar to those of rats or moles. The tips of those claws gleamed faintly, looking sharp enough to slice through flesh or armor with a single strike.
'Star-eyed Digger?'
"Those are A-Rank monsters from the thirtieth floor, the ones that guard their boss."
"But something feels off about them, don't you think?"
"Hey, why do they look more humanlike instead of moles?"
"Have they evolved due to the effect of the distorted ecosystem?"
"Evolved? Doesn't that mean they've become S-Ranked monsters?"
"Is Mistwalker really going to fight those things alone?"
"It looks that way, but why isn't anyone stopping her? Are they seriously going to let her handle all of that by herself? What if she fails?"
"Do you guys think her rank is a joke, dude? I'm sure she can handle it."
"Hey, weren't you the one talking trash about her earlier? Why are you suddenly defending her?"
"Who cares?"
Seraphina glanced over her shoulder, and the moment her gaze swept across the group, the surrounding chatter died down instantly as if someone had cut the sound itself. She calmly sheathed her sword before crossing her arms over her chest, her posture relaxed but authoritative.
'Let's see what you can do against them, Mistwalker.'
Star-eyed Diggers were a type of minion monster that served directly under their leader, and under normal circumstances, they resembled actual moles far more than anything else. However, due to their evolution, their appearances now stood somewhere between their original form and that of their boss, who was likely nearby as well, since these creatures never wandered far without it. Their actual eyes were hidden behind those strange tentacles, but those appendages were not merely for show, as they were capable of sensing any spell before it could even be properly formed.
As if that were not troublesome enough, these creatures were also known for their ability to evade magical attacks with unnerving smoothness, relying on their sharp senses and incredible jumping speed. No matter how quickly magic was cast, it would barely affect them, since they could detect it before the spell even took shape. That meant any magic would be practically useless this time around, at least when it came to usual low-grade spells. What would Mistwalker choose to do against them?
Seraphina had never encountered such creatures personally within the dungeon, since she had never been given the opportunity to challenge them before. Though she was well aware of their existence through the detailed information the guild had distributed to all adventurers participating in the quest, information intended to make the journey as smooth as possible. That knowledge had proven particularly useful to someone like her.
'What is she trying to do?'
Seraphina frowned slightly behind her helm as she observed Mistwalker's stance more carefully.
'This posture feels wrong when facing a swarm like this. Is she planning to take them on one by one or something? That would be a foolish choice unless someone possesses lightning-fast speed to keep up with their movements. Does she have it?'
She tilted her head ever so slightly.
'Speaking of which, what even is her element? The guildmaster warned me not to mention it in front of her or ask her directly, but I can't help feeling curious. Besides, she rejected this quest at first, yet she decided to join after I did. Why the change of heart so suddenly?'
Before Seraphina could sink deeper into her thoughts, several Star-eyed Diggers lunged forward at once with astonishing speed, their clawed hands glistening faintly as they sliced through the air itself. Their movements were so fast that it felt as if they were closing the distance in a mere blink.
However, Mistwalker did not raise her katana toward the monsters that were about to pierce her shoulder or armor. Instead, she aimed her blade at another creature that had just leapt in front of her and was still slightly farther away than the rest. It was a baffling choice at first glance, since the closer monsters were well within her reach.
Seraphina realized the reason instantly.
That was the moment Mistwalker vanished from her original position and dashed toward her chosen target at an overwhelming speed, thrusting her blade straight through the chest of the lunging monster in a single, precise motion. It all happened so quickly that the creatures which had been moments away from tearing into her body failed to even notice her disappearance, their claws cutting through nothing but empty air, as if she were still standing there.
Soon, they did notice her disappearance, and the moment they did, they leapt at the enemy, or more precisely, at her exposed back. Her katana seemed to be stuck inside the monster, so it would take time to pull it back. And during that brief moment, her back was completely open, leaving her vulnerable to a fatal strike.
Monsters usually lacked intelligence when compared to humans, but when it came to battle, some were clever enough to surprise even experienced adventurers, and that was exactly what these creatures did. Taking advantage of both timing and positioning, they attacked her at once, their bodies hovering just slightly above her, their sharp clawed hands reaching forward to rip Mistwalker's armor apart. A chilling sound escaped their throats as their intent to kill became unmistakably clear.
But they were late.
Because at that moment, Mistwalker didn't care about anything else. She twisted her body in a sharp, fluid motion, and as soon as she did, her katana sliced through the monster's chest that had trapped it, ripping it apart and sending drops of blood floating into the air as if time itself had slowed for that single instant.
Her katana, however, didn't stop there. Instead, it cut through those droplets at astonishing speed and continued through the air in a wide circular backward slash, the blade carving through heads, chests, faces, and torsos of the hovering creatures in one overwhelming motion that left no room for resistance.
And just like that, several esteemed S-Ranked monsters' bodies fell to the ground, black blood splashing and spreading across the stone in a mere second. The aftermath of her attack was so overwhelming that even some of the creatures standing behind the fallen ones had deep cuts carved into their dark fur, as if they had been grazed by an invisible blade.
Several adventurers could only stare, their jaws hanging open in disbelief. Even the party leaders wore expressions of shock, unable to fully process what they had just witnessed. They were capable of killing these creatures themselves, yet accomplishing such a feat within a single second was something none of them could realistically achieve.
Seraphina didn't react outwardly, her expression remaining cold and composed, but inside her mind was swirling slightly as her thoughts moved rapidly. 'Other than her reckless stance at the beginning, there isn't even a single flaw in her movements. The way she held her sword, the precision of her hands, the way her body twisted in perfect alignment with her strikes. This... this is perfection.'
Her eyes widened slightly.
'Perhaps this is what I've been searching for all these years. A fluidity I've never witnessed outside my master's teachings. Could I ever reach this level? Could I finally break the deadlock I've faced in my own swordsmanship? Could this... be the key to unlocking the fifth form I've sought?'
As Seraphina continued to wonder, Mistwalker had already vanished once more, only to reappear behind a Star-eyed Digger, her blade driving cleanly through its neck before she followed with a powerful kick, sending the monster flying through the air as it crashed violently into another one that had been lunging toward her.
At the same time, several clawed hands were already right in front of her, closing in from multiple directions at once. Before they could cut her, though, she twisted her hands and severed their arms with a precise first strike.
Before those monsters could even react, her blade returned from the wide attack as she twisted her body in mid-air, severing all of their heads at once as though those creatures were nothing more than fragile sheets of paper being sliced apart.
Then, she disappeared again.
When she returned some distance away, several monsters' heads fell to the ground once again, their bodies collapsing a heartbeat later.
She fought recklessly yet decisively, viciously yet cunningly, deliberately leaving openings and allowing her enemies to attack, only to cut them down effortlessly the moment they took the bait. It was as though she was guiding the monsters' movements herself, pulling their attacks exactly where she wanted them to be.
As time passed, she kept moving her body in the middle of the swarm of monsters like an experienced dancer, her movements smooth, clean, and elegant as she cut through the tide as though it were nothing, a sight that seemed almost unreal.
Despite their overwhelming numbers, the monsters were steadily being pushed back by her strength. In fact, it was becoming almost impossible for them to track her movements at all. One moment she was striking a single monster, and in the very next, she severed several at once, her presence seeming distorted, as if her position itself could no longer be clearly perceived.
Her greatest advantage in this battle, though, was her circular backward horizontal arc, which allowed her to strike from nearly any angle within her range. Her katana was long enough to keep enemies at a safe distance while still delivering fatal cuts, its sharpness playing a great role in how effortlessly her blade tore through flesh and bone alike.
But there was something else that allowed her to fight endlessly, something deeper than just reach or sharpness, and it was the overwhelming strength behind every single one of her attacks, strength that turned each strike into a decisive killing blow.
If she ever failed to cut down a monster, she would suffer severe injuries, yet she appeared unconcerned by such a possibility, whether due to absolute confidence in her skills or trust in the durability of her armor.
However, as a fellow swordsman, Seraphina noticed something deeper within Mistwalker's sword movements. Despite how perfect her techniques were… it did not truly matter to her.
Seraphina did not know how she understood it, yet at that moment she finally realised that…
Mistwalker wasn't being reckless by mere intention or cunning purposes. It was something far deeper than that and much more unsettling in nature. She was being reckless simply because she did not care whether she got hurt or not. It did not matter to her in the slightest, not even a little.
Were the rumors about her actually true?
Seraphina had never believed in rumors. In fact, she hated them more than she hated her stupid husband. But as much as she despised them, she had learned over the years that some rumors were painfully close to the truth, merely distorted versions of what had truly happened. Had Mistwalker really lost her former comrades because of her own incompetence? Was she perhaps drowning in regret even now, haunted by the weight of her past decisions?
She did not know, and there was no way to know either. Everything about Mistwalker had been tightly concealed by the guild, and even the Guildmaster himself was unwilling to speak about her, often avoiding the topic altogether whenever it surfaced. It was almost as though she was better off hidden from the world rather than known by it, a figure meant to exist only in shadows.
She was strange, unnervingly so.
'I have to speak with her later about that.'
Seraphina let out a slow sigh before shifting her focus back to the battlefield, or rather, the massacre unfolding before her eyes.
Mistwalker had already driven her katana straight into the head of one monster, while at the same time kicking another charging at her in the chest, the impact strong enough to send it flying several meters ahead before it crashed violently into a cluster of its own kind.
She pulled her katana free from the monster's skull and lunged forward without pause, charging toward the fallen group that appeared to be the last of them.
As she closed the distance, she took a deep breath, the first she had allowed herself since the fight began, before unleashing a devastating slash that cleaved through two of them at once.
She then turned toward the remaining three, who had already formed a loose encirclement around her, two attacking head-on while the third leapt upward, due to her movements having grown slightly sluggish compared to earlier.
Twisting her body just enough, she managed to slice through one of the monsters in an instant, but failed to reach the other because of the distance between them.
Choosing to close that gap, she dashed forward with the intent to cut it down, only to have the monster leap backward to avoid her attack at the last moment and meet her katana with its clawed hand.
She had poured enough power into the swing to tear through its thick fur and bite into its flesh, though it was not enough to cleave through those hardened claws. Her long run and relentless fighting were beginning to take their toll, exhaustion creeping into her body and making her movements visibly slower than before.
Even so, she somehow managed to sever the monster's clawed hand cleanly, but in the next moment, the creature retaliated with its remaining limb, swinging toward her neck. She leaned back just enough to avoid the blow, the sharp claws missing her throat by a hair's breadth.
Before it could recover, she reversed the momentum of her earlier strike and cut its head down in a single fluid motion.
At the same time, the creature that had leapt earlier was now hovering directly above her back. The tentacles covering its face swayed gently in the air, while its sharp claws gleamed under the sunlight as it prepared to sever her neck in an instant.
Mistwalker was still completing her reverse strike from the previous kill, which made it nearly impossible to perform a wide or circular attack from her current position, and her exhaustion only worsened the situation. Even if she somehow managed to attack, she would still be too late to reach the creature in time, suffering a severe wound, if not instant death.
The attack speed of an S-Ranked monster was no trivial matter, as long as one failed to evade it properly.
Despite knowing all of this, Mistwalker didn't hesitate even for a moment. She finished cutting down the monster in front of her, and before its severed head could even hit the ground, she was already preparing to twist her body.
However, it was too late to do so, and the creature's clawed hands pierced straight through her armor.
Or at least, that was what should have happened, if not for the sudden crackle of electricity that flickered violently through the air as something flashed past in an instant, delivering a devastating punch to the hovering monster. The impact was powerful enough to crush its body, bones or not, and send it flying through the air before it slammed into the nearby wall.
This type of monster was capable of sensing magic spells before they fully formed. However, even they could do nothing to avoid an attack while suspended in mid-air.
Before the monster could rise again, something stirred beneath its broken body. Then a massive surge of water erupted from below, its force so overwhelming that it launched the creature several meters high into the air.
When the monster finally fell back down nearby, already attempting to regain its footing, a greatsword appeared seemingly out of nowhere and thrust straight through its head, severing it almost instantly as thick black blood poured onto the stone floor like a small, flowing waterfall.
Valric calmly withdrew his blade and sheathed his greatsword without another glance at the corpse.
Standing before the seated woman, Seraphina stepped forward, extended her hand, electricity still flickering around her, but it was faint. She tilted her head slightly as she spoke in a calm and measured tone, "In the end, it seems you are not invincible either. Do not attempt to shoulder everything alone again. We are here with you as well. You may rely on us when the moment demands it. That is the purpose of comrades, is it not?"
Mistwalker slowly turned her head and stared at Seraphina for what felt like several long moments, or so it seemed.
Then, without acknowledging the offered hand, she pushed herself up using her own strength, sheathed her katana, and took a few steps forward as she scanned the surroundings, ensuring that none of the monsters were still alive, all while remaining completely silent.
Seraphina found herself frozen in place, utterly dumbfounded.
'Why did she ignore me like that? Does she perhaps dislike me?'
Shaking her head slightly, she looked over the motionless bodies of the fallen creatures sprawled across the stone floor, black blood pooling around them, before turning her gaze toward the dungeon entrance ahead.
'In any case, the boss must be nearby. If an A-Rank monster evolves into an S-Rank, then what becomes of an S-Rank monster?'
She glanced over her shoulder toward one side of the gathered adventurers, where her own team stood ready. Among them was a beautiful woman with long, glistening dark brown hair that flowed behind her like a cascading waterfall. Her calm silver eyes were fixed on Seraphina with unwavering focus. She wore a black suit woven from dark silk so soft that whenever the wind brushed past, it subtly revealed the elegant curves of her figure.
Seraphina was silent for a moment, then spoke in a cold, commanding voice, "Serow, prepare for immediate engagement. We advance according to the formation previously decided. Sir Valric, your party will secure the rear with us. Mistwalker... withdraw and recover your strength."
She turned her head slightly toward the entrance of the dungeon... as a dark expression appeared on her face behind her helm.
"It appears my first battle in this quest shall be against a boss. How appropriate!"
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(Chapter Ended)