When I came to, the first thing I did was apologize. «Magician, I'm sorry about before».
Hans J, who nearly died strangled by a comrade during a battle, looked doubtful, but accepted the apology itself. He also knew that a split in this group right now could endanger his own life. «...Since you have apologized, I will not comment further on this matter».
When the magician accepted the apology, Patzran stepped forward to help resolve the situation as well. «Bjorn Yandel, I won't blame you. It's not that I can't understand that feeling. To be honest, Sir Aulock made a mistake earlier».
«Patzran, what mouth slip are you talking about? I only said what had to be said».
«...But the way you said it wasn't so good.» Surprisingly, Patzran took my side.
Well, how could you tell someone who was desperately looking for their comrade to surrender if he was already dead? What kind of barbarian didn't get angry after hearing that?
«Ahem, let's end this conversation here».
«Yes, I think it will be the best».
I inadvertently gritted my teeth in irritation, which ended the conversation. When I thought about it, it was a good thing. Saying something else could repeat the same situation.
«So what are you going to do?» At some point Patzran started talking to me reluctantly again, but I didn't complain because I had done it wrong before too.
«As I said before, we will rest until the barrier is finished holding».
«And after?»
«We will find a better place and we will last there. Like Raven said».
«I see. Okay.»
When the approximate plan for the future was decided, everyone put their tired bodies on the ground to regain strength.
«God's protection will end soon».
«I see. Good job. Everyone, get up».
Time passed and after the Destruction of Evil rose, we searched the area as planned and found a suitable place for defense. The back was a cliff, so it was a structure in which only three sides had to be defended.
«Behell-ahhhhhhhhh!»
We defended ourselves from the monsters there. Contrary to what I was worried about, there was nothing very dangerous to worry about. As the event started at the highest difficulty level, an even more difficult situation awaited me, but the magicians' performances were great.
«Bertia Sevnu Hellhavens!»
To be exact, Hans J's performance was great. Normally, wizards wielded great power in a battle of quantity, and Raven also played the role of a wizard.
[Hans Aulock has cast rank 5 Chain Lightning attack magic].
However, it could not be compared to Hans J's performance.
Chhhhhh. Puff!
Every time he cast a spell, these rank 5 monsters would die or faint, at least a dozen of them.
Can he finish off Chain Lightning in fifteen seconds? Who is this guy?
Doubting for a moment the high-level explosive magic, I was soon able to learn something surprising from Patzran, who was fighting at my side. «Oh, didn't you know that? Aulock is a rank 4 mage of the Benocton School».
Benocton was a school that focused primarily on the study of elemental magic; he was a rank 4 mage in a fairly high position there.
No wonder his equipment looked expensive.
When I found out that he was a more skilled magician than I thought, I was worried that something annoying might happen, but I decided to think about that part later.
Yeah, what are you going to do if you get angry? I am also noble. I have a high status wherever I go too.
«Ersina, spread a barrier.»
«Okay.»
Anyway, Hans J's performance was one thing, but if I had to choose the number one contributor to this advocacy event, it had to be the priestess.
[Lairin Ersina has released Destruction of Evil.]
Without this, we would not have had time to rest.
«Whoa, Mister. Come here. I placed my sleeping bag here.»
«Thank you.»
When we started running out of strength while fighting the monsters, we immediately extended a barrier and restored our resistance and lower MP. After reorganizing ourselves a little, the barrier was lifted and the hunt resumed. That's when we had repeated this for about four hours.
[The second Sea Fury has begun].
The second wave began.
Drip, Drip.
Raindrops fell from the sky before turning into strong jets of water.
Saaaaaaaaaa!
A heavy rain fell as in the rainy season.
«...Rain?»
Everyone was taken aback by the change in weather they had experienced in the city, but never in the maze. Of course, having been active on the sixth floor for a long time, Patzran's team was different.
«Why at a time like this...?» They were not affected by the rain itself.
«This will make it more difficult».
They clicked their tongues and frowned. Everyone knew how picky it was that it rained in the maze. The rain alone narrowed the vision. Meanwhile, rainwater ran down the eyelids and made it difficult to concentrate. Additionally, due to the low temperatures, prolonged exposure could cause hypothermia, and it was easier to drop weapons with wet hands. There wasn't a single good thing.
«What a nuisance...»
Everyone was pining for their damn luck, but I was different. The reason was simple. I knew this had nothing to do with luck.
It would arrive in about thirty minutes.
The fact that it had started to rain was proof that the second wave had begun. A middle boss would appear soon. The characteristic of that guy was to target the side with the most people.
«Everyone, don't get too far away and stay together!»
After giving the instructions, we fought the monsters until the intermediate boss arrived and we adapted to the new environment.
Shaaaaa!
The rain in the maze was something I had never experienced either.
It's much more problematic than I expected.
The ground was slippery, and in some places sunken due to caked mud. While that alone dispersed attention in many ways, the attribute monsters dug their claws vigorously like fish in water.
Squeeze!
In case I dropped the mace, I brandished it several times louder than usual. Time passed like this and, just as I was getting used to fighting in the rain, a large lizard appeared ahead.
«Mr. Yandel! There! There!»
«Kwohhhhhh!» It was a Guano Sea Snake, a rank 4 monster that had moss-covered scales, a plump tail, and walked on all fours. Its greatest characteristic was the Stench.
[You have been exposed to the Stench. All continuous damage effects are doubled, and Purification immunity is granted while exposed to Stench].
This was the passive ability that acted as my main essence when I became a Witch Doctor.
Gag! Gag...!
As befitted a monster commonly called the shit lizard, everyone began to gag as soon as it appeared.
What kind of smell...?
The stench was strong enough to make even a barbarian with a strong stomach faint. I held my breath and struggled to concentrate. For starters, she was a rank 4 monster like the Mermaid Queen, but the situation was completely different from back then.
...You should be careful not to make any mistakes along the way.
Monsters riddled the surroundings. Unlike the queen, who needed a summoned monster to wield her power, this guy was strong on his own. Plus, we had to distribute the members in the meantime. I quickly divided the group in two. «Patzran, Ainar. Don't worry about this side and focus on staying firm».
As damageers at close range and front line, the two marked the garbage mobs on both sides. Just in case, I told Hans J and Mr. Bear to focus on taking down the trash and not the battle against the boss.
«Everyone behind me!» The rest was a kind of attack squad. The goal was to kill that bastard while the trash squad held on.
«Kwohhhhhh!» After testing the ground from afar, the monster charged forward with the horns of its forehead raised forward. Upon receiving that charge with my shield, the battle then began. The battle itself was mundane.
[The Guano Sea Snake has launched Plague of the Sea].
The self-destructive spirit that came as a summoning pattern was cut off by Erwen and Raven's interceptions.
Boom!
Well, as the spirit exploded and spread blood, it sent me into an abnormal state.
[You have been infected by Scurvy. All healing effects are halved and you will continue to take poison damage].
However, this could be endured with the priestess's healings.
[Guano Sea Snake has released Deep Sea Origin.]
[The Guano Sea Snake has launched Sink.]
[The Guano Sea Snake has launched Rain Ritual.]
The other patterns of this type were not that different either, some with magic, others with divine power.
«Behell-aaaaaahhhhh!»
With the ignorant body of a barbarian, we endured the patterns like this and the battle continued. Of course, there may not have been any major incidents, but the process was still not easy.
«S-Mr. Yandel! You have to avoid that!»
The Guano Sea Snake was famous for its great endurance. Naturally, the battle dragged on, and there were several dizzying situations.
[Erwen Fornacci di Tersia has suffered more damage than allowed. Elementalization released].
In the end, Erwen suffered an injury and was incapacitated for combat. Having used half-heals throughout the battle, the priestess's divine power was practically exhausted. Of course, this was nothing to worry about now as we managed to catch her.
[You have defeated a Guano Sea Snake. EXP +6.]
In the end, even Hans J approached the attack squad and spread lightning magic. With that as an end, the monster's huge body staggered and fell, and soon dispersed like light.
«Have we gotten rid?»
Everyone bowed their heads in sync.
«Aha?! Mr. Yandel!»
«It's an essence!»
An essence fell.
Rank 4 monsters were not common even on the sixth floor. They only appeared when you went into the ocean on a boat, and even then their number was small, making it impossible to hunt dozens of them a day like rank 5s. Simply put, that's how difficult it was to stock up on its essences.
«It's been a while since I've seen a rank 4 essence». A light appeared in the eyes of Patzran, who was a veteran of the sixth floor.
Wow, it's not even its essence. Ugh, why did this have to come out too?
I clicked my tongue in disappointment and briefly erased my regret. No one in my clan was interested in this essence, but the value of the essence itself was not so bad. A lot of money would be made if it were sold.
«Raven, keep the essence in a test tube».
«Ah, right!» Raven moved quickly following my instructions to remove a test tube from the subspace.
Just as he was going to place the essence inside, Patzran stepped forward and stopped Raven. «Wait, shouldn't you ask first if anyone wants to claim it?».
It was an unexpected situation for me, since there was only a priestess and a magician. The only one who could make an offer was Patzran.
«I'm just asking just in case, but you're not thinking we have no part, are you?».
Oh, so this is what you meant. Yes, it is impossible for a swordsman to want to take this essence.
«Don't worry. The essence will be sold and shared depending on the number of people».
«Hmm, if you say so». When I finally told him what I wanted, Patzran backed away without saying another word. This ended the distribution problem.
«Um, I'll save it now, then». Raven made one last confirmation with the test tube in her hand, and everyone nodded. That was the moment.
«Anyway, the rain has stopped.»
«The situation is very coincidental. The Guano Sea Snake may have had something to do with rain».
I thoughtlessly raised my head at Patzran and Hans J's conversation and froze completely. The Guano Sea Snake had been defeated and the rain had stopped. None of this was a problem, but...
«Wait... what is that? It looks like it's getting closer...»
Through the dark clouds that were beginning to recede, a flying black object fell vertically, spitting out flames.
«He's a Drake!»
Damn.
Cursing to myself, I shouted: «Prepare for battle!».
The bastards were here.