The Goblin Forest was on the bright side of the second floor. It was still dark, but the countless stars that bordered the sky acted to some extent as a source of light. However, it wasn't as much as this one.
Whoom!
Dozens of spheres of light floating in the air illuminated the surroundings as intensely as if it were daytime. It was like watching a stadium at night with the lights on.
How much mana do they have left?
This alone clearly revealed the difference in our levels and gave me a tug on the chest, but now was not the time to think about it.
«Yandel, those guys...»
«Fallen Scholar» and «Corpse Collector». And I don't know the other person». As I briefly shared the information with the warriors following me, I looked ahead.
«Oh, I guess you didn't come alone after all?». The beastman whose identity he had not yet deduced giggled. He seemed to be in a good mood. «This will be quite a bit of money even divided into three».
His greedy eyes scrutinized us as if we were a mob of garbage found in a sweet hunting ground. Ha, I even thought you could congratulate us and let us go.
«How base». The gray-haired old wizard, Fallen Scholar, clicked his tongue as if disgusted.
«Because? Isn't that why you insisted on staying behind?», the beastman asked. Fallen Scholar did not answer, as if he were upset.
At this moment, the Corpse Collector laughed. «Pshehe, don't you know that old man yet? War loot or not, he probably just wants to go home quickly».
«Hmm, is that right? So only the two of us are humble people.»
«Ha, what are you saying? Do you think I fell behind to get some equipment?»
«...Then why did you do it?»
The beastman tilted his head at the words of the Corpse Collector-Clown. I also listened as he pretended not to, judging that knowing his individual motives and goals could increase the number of options. Hmm, yeah, that's what I thought.
«Of course! It's because it looks fun!» clown shouted exaggeratedly like at the Round Table. «The chance to kill the explorers who entered that arduous path with just a hint of hope! What could be better?»
Fallen Scholar frowned again. «What is that tone? As if you were acting suddenly».
«Ahh, this? I thought if I'm lucky, someone here might know! Pshehe».
«Could anyone know...?»
«Does not matter. I always wanted to kill them, but it's no fun killing them so easily, right? At least the dying should know who I am to make it fun!»
«I have no idea what you're talking about. Do what you want. I will rest». The Fallen Scholar didn't seem to understand, but I was different.
Damn psychopathic locus.
This guy expected a member of the Round Table to be here to recognize him, so he even wore a mask and revealed who he was. In a way, it was a gesture that showed his determination not to let anyone present live.
«Hmm, but the number is much higher than I thought». The beastman chatting calmly even as my companions entered the portal posed the question, but he didn't seem nervous in the slightest. These were the remains left by the royal troops. No matter how many of them were here, he hoped he could take care of them.
Even better.
I decided to think about it in the most positive way possible. If these guys had decided to start the shooting as soon as we arrived, the situation would have been even bleaker. It was good that the enemy underestimated us.
«Pshehe, I guess you all are going up?»
Whether that was arrogance or not, we just needed to use it well.
«If there were more it would have been a problem. It solves».
«Pshehe, what problems?» Clown, a high-ranking necromancer they called a one-man army, snapped his fingers.
¡Whoom!
A huge subspace opened into the air.
«Gruhhhhh!» Hundreds of corpse soldiers emerged.
«Behell-ahhhhhhhhh!» This was what he had waited so long for. It was time to begin the final battle.
The army of corpses charged from the front. They seemed well gathered, as they were properly equipped. The pressure was considerable.
«Hey, if we win this battle, we can come back, right?»
However, no one fled, at least around me.
«Ugh, now we can finally fight properly.» The warriors, who were already exhausted, laughed as they unsheathed their weapons.
«Finally, I can save face a little. Anyway, my rank is higher than yours».
It was very different from when we were clearing the way on the first floor. Various weapons such as swords, hammers, axes, and maces emitted bright lights.
[Alexandro Bell has launched Fury of Fire.]
[Ralph Kell has released Breeze Blade.]
[Milton Teterud has launched Combat Flag. Energy consumption is greatly reduced during battle].
These were skills that could not be removed until now due to field effects.
«Woahhhhhhh!»
«¡Vamooos!»
Like people who had only been waiting for this moment, the warriors charged at the army of corpses. I also used Gigantization and joined the ranks. Yes, we may not have had resistance, but we had MP.
¡Kwaaaaa!
There was an explosion as the front line collided with the corpses army, a sound that should follow a scout battle.
«Geuuuu...» As soon as the charge of the corpses army stopped, support from the rear followed: flying arrows, attack magic of various attributes, and long-range special abilities.
Of course, the other side did not sit idly by either.
[Abed Necrapeto has released Curse of Stone].
During the battle, the bodies were turned into stone statues.
[Abed Necrapeto has released Body Blast.]
The corpses modified to self-destruct exploded and burst their flesh.
¡Pum!
The strength of the explosion was a rank 6 fire magic. It was not enough to instantly kill these warriors, strengthened and sharpened by their active abilities.
Chhhhh.
However, as the corpses were handled by a Poison Necromancer, those nearby who were soaked in his blood melted in an instant.
«Ahhh!»
Even in the middle of that, one of the trio, the beastman, jumped enormously and landed in front of me. «Hey, barbarian! Are you the captain here?» Its appearance was completely different from before. With fangs that protruded fiercely, fur that covered his entire body along with blue hair, and a height and build on par with me in gigantism, the bastard had transformed into a beast reminiscent of a werewolf.
No wonder he didn't wear equipment.
I scrutinized the man and analyzed him quickly.
Are you a strengthening type?
A beastman's unique ability was Spiritual Beast. It seemed like this guy's was a strengthening type like Missha's. Among the unique powers he gained by leveling up the Spiritual Beast again and again must be a transformation ability.
So what essences has it engulfed?
Since I would find out later, I put aside curiosity and protected my face. The bastard was moving his huge front paw.
¡Pum!
There was a strong and chilling impact.
His strength is greater than mine.
As expected, it wouldn't be an easy fight.
¡Whoom!
As I was about to avoid the fighting of forces and take a step back, a sword was brandished not towards me, but towards the werewolf.
«I'll take care of this guy, you back off!». It was Melter Fend, the leader of the Nartel Clan.
«Do you take charge?»
«These are Sir Kyle's orders».
If you say so.
I gave in obediently and took a step back. A round peg should go in a round hole. Fend was the only rank 3 scout among our expedition. He had been saving strength until now for the battle on the second floor.
He said he once served as a knight's apprentice. He will be much better than me fighting people.
«Yandel, can you hear me?» The moment I left the werewolf at Fend and turned around, I heard Kyle's voice from the message stone.
«Te oigo».
«I'm sorry. I was late because I was dividing the troops».
«You don't need to apologize, tell me your business».
«Focus on leading the town against the Corpse Collector. Fend and his comrades have volunteered to take care of Blue Mane.»
«Blue Mane?»
«Oh, didn't you know that? He made a name for himself during the conquest of Noark. He was the heir of the Blue Wolf tribe, but it appears that he has been hiding in Noark after committing a crime and fleeing».
Hmm, so I wasn't a member of Orcules. No wonder no one came to mind. «Okay. I'll take this side».
«You are trustworthy. Then I'll give it my all to stop that old man». By old he had to refer to Fallen Scholar. Maybe he was the target of Kyle's revenge.
«Okay, then I'll trust you with that side». I spoke as if to end the conversation and brandished my mace against the corpses that riddled the forest.
Just then, I heard Kyle's voice again. «Oh, and one more thing. Your companions will arrive soon».
"¿What?"
I didn't receive a response.
¡Crunch!
He was crushing the head of a corpse that was covered with a shield.
King!
A large adamantium sword stabbed into the temple of the corpse pointing at my side.
«From now on, we will help!»
«¡Bjorn!»
It was Ainar and Missha. The short-range damage distributing sisters naturally stood behind me on both sides and adopted a combative stance. It was the formation that Team Apple Narak often chose when fighting.
«You're not going to be stubborn and try to fight alone again, are you?». When I turned around, I could see Raven on top of the beast summoned by Mr. Bear, Iron Bear.
No, wait a minute, if Iron Bear is here...
When I checked the surroundings, as expected, Mr. Bear had also come.
«You should be in the rear, why are you all there...?» Maybe just the hand-to-hand sisters, but why were these two here too? The rearguard would be much safer.
Mr. Bear responded as he stuck an arrow into his crossbow. «Shooting at a high angle is not my specialty».
Well, that was true, not that it was the real reason.
I'll have to feed it Jump View once we're on the sixth floor.
Thinking of feeding Mr. Bear an essence later, I brandished my mace. However, the corpse collapsed before it reached him.
¡Whoosh!
A fiery arrow had stuck between his eyebrows.
«Sir!»
So you are here too.
It seemed like his sister, Daria, was here too. He was trying to save Erwen from danger, but had he changed his mind? I wasn't sure but it wasn't bad.
«Protect the commander!» Fend and his clan members created their own territory within the battlefield and were diligently beating the werewolf.
«Useless bastards...!» Judging by that ruthless criticism, it seemed that the strategy was working smoothly, although it bothered me a little that the Fallen Scholar's side was silent.
Trust him. I'm sure Kyle will take care of whatever happens. I just have to do my job.
I scanned the surroundings. It was not difficult to find Clown in a state of Gigantization. The bastard was sitting on top of a giant corpse monster, watching the battlefield as if it were a very pleasant sight for him.
Underestimating people has a limit.
I couldn't help but laugh. Come to think of it, the dragon slayer had those same eyes when I met him.
«Missha, Ainar. Let's clear the way from now on».
I began to penetrate the corpse army seriously and advanced forward. The target was the Corpse Collector. The goal: Crush his skull and check if he had any head problems.
«Yandel! Yandel is trying to do something again!»
«Are you targeting the Corpse Collector?»
«Follow the great warrior!»
«¡Let's go!»
The explorers began to gather around me.