Manowa Chapter 77

◎ Rock Hold Cave First Layer - Afternoon

Kazane used her Dog's Sense of Smell to search for small groups of Worker Ants so that Sieg could experience fighting in close combat with his sword instead of only using White Fang. They discovered that with the skill『Warrior's Memory』he was adequately able to fight the Worker Ants.

He wanted to try his own swordsmanship without relying on『Warrior's Memory,』but when he tried it out, he couldn't break through the sh.e.l.ls and wasn't accurate enough to cut through the joints, and found himself attacked instead. Any Worker Ants that attacked Sieg were taken down by Kazane with a single kick, who reflected (there's no choice but to let him fight normally with the White Sword). After that Sieg began to cry a little, so she gently hugged him and rocked him like a baby to calm him down, saying「it's ok, it's ok.」As a result, Sieg's favorable impression rose even further.

「Well then, my map is basically the same.」

Kazane opened the Map Window and confirmed.

「Hm, you really have a map there?」

Zinray strained his eyes but was not able to see Kazane's Window.

「It's a magic one, but I also don't really understand how it works.」

While saying that, Kazane looked at Zinray's map and made a few adjustments. She thought it was necessary for her companions to also be able to see a map so they could all give information from their own perspectives, so she asked Zinray to make a map like he usually would. Louise and Tiara were also taking turns.

「It doesn't seem like there are any undiscovered hidden rooms.」

Even though last time they found the Purifying Crystal using the exact auto mapping feature, it was not as easy as they thought it would be to find hidden rooms not discovered by any other parties. There were three hidden rooms, but they were all previously discovered.

「If we descend to floors that haven't been so extensively searched it will be easier to find undiscovered hidden rooms.」

「It's expansive. Completing it ourselves is a little difficult, isn't it?」

Unlike the last time when they moved quickly, as a test they decided to seriously fill out the map for the first level.

「When we go back to the surface shouldn't we buy a dungeon map to know what has already been captured? I think it would be better to know the places where n.o.body has gone.」

Kazane nodded to Yumika's proposal. Kazane had insisted on trying to do it themselves, but she was starting to feel like it was a wasted effort.

「Well, today we'll go down to the second layer and then return.」

「Ah, wait a second.」

Louise raised her hand.

「What is it? Louise-san.」

「No, I was just thinking, Kazane found that hot spring.」

「Oh, is that about dowsing?」

「Yeah, that. If you tried it, couldn't you find a hidden room?」

「Hahaha, there's no way it would be that easy.」

Everyone laughed at Louise's plan

Hidden room found.

「Five Exploding Flame b.a.l.l.s.」

「Ah, what we used to blow away those goblins.」

What was found in the hidden room were the items Kazane used to beat her first monsters.

「What is it?」

Sieg, who had never seen an Exploding Flame ball before, asked.

「A ball that makes an explosion equivalent to a Grimoire Chapter 5 spell. It's pretty powerful.」

Kazane put the Exploding Flame b.a.l.l.s in her item box. They might be useful against the Black Rock Dragon.

「Even so, I said it as a joke.」

Louise said with an amazed laugh.

『But anything that might be effective should be tried out.』

Mefirus said from within Louise's arms. Kazane nodded「that's right.」

「In truth, finding such a place is a little impossible.」

Zinray said. There was truly nothing about the wall to suggest a hidden room.

「But was Kazane's Intuition or that key more important?」

「I feel like it's mainly the Infinite Key, with the finer details due to Intuition.」

Kazane replied to Yumika's question. In fact, it was only because the dungeon was partially understood due to Intuition that the key was able to release the location of this place. The place was eventually found with Intuition, so the discovery process order was Intuition, Infinite Key, Intuition.

After that they went down to the second layer and found another hidden room with dowsing. Since the contents were two Corestones they weren't that excited, but since they could be sold for a high price they took them. And at dusk, Kazane and the others decided it was a good time to leave the dungeon.

◎ Hot Spring Cottage Near Rock Hold Cave - Night

「I'm home. Kazane, here. I bought a map.」

The door slammed opened and Yumika came in from outside. Since Kazane had more storage s.p.a.ce due to her Mysterious Warehouse, she bought an ordinary door to use with the cottage.

「Thanks.」

Kazane spread the map while she thanked Yumika.

The dungeon map that Yumika bought was actually sold by the guild. Map information could also be sold to the guild at dungeon entrances. However, if it was only correcting mistakes the guild's valuation would be low. To really make a profit uncaptured layers would have to be explored, but even then the profit would normally be a little low. But since the dungeon currently just finished an expansion period many new points emerged, so now there was a bit of a bonus for adventurers who dove deeply.

「Even with our previously recorded auto map this covers a much wider area.」

「Since the descending points are the same we can still go straight through.」

When Kazane was spreading the dungeon map, Louise spoke from the side.

「Well, I wanted Sieg to get used to combat first, but I think White Fang can be used normally as a long range attack even if we descend further.」

Sieg, who was polishing the White Sword behind her, made a happy face at Kazane's remark. Yumika was watching and also thought he was like a puppy.

「It would be nice if another Purifying Crystal appeared.」

「Well, you should consider that beginner's luck.」

Kazane was slightly discouraged at Zinray's remark.

「Is that so? Well, Sieg inherited a lot of Magic Power from Yuuko-nee, so he will manage somehow.」

「Yes, it's fine.」

Sieg cheerfully raised his voice. Tiara also smiled as if her younger brother had been praised.

「Yumika, you should settle in instead of doing the usual thing.」

「I'm fine.」

Yumika did not use her Wolf G.o.d Transformation today, so it seemed she would do the simulated fight with Zinray as usual.

「I hope your fatigue doesn't remain tomorrow.」

Kazane said in amazement.

◎ Rock Hold Cave Fourth Layer - Afternoon

「I found a hidden room in the third layer, but the fourth layer seems to be no good.」

There was one hidden room on the third layer. It also contained a core stone.

「Are you saying it won't work?」

「No, I guess it will not activate unless we go around to a certain extent. We encountered the Elder Cat and Diablo early on and immediately returned last time.」

Intuition didn't work for complete guesses. It wouldn't work if there wasn't enough information.

「There may be places in the upper layers we haven't visited yet.」

In fact the hidden rooms Kazane and the others found were near places they had pa.s.sed through.

「Maybe. But the item quality should be lower. If that's the case it would be better to advance to the lower layers.」

「That's right. Should we look around this floor for the time being?」

「Let's do it. If I remember right there are Burrow Tigers around here?」

「No, since the cleaning was done it should be back to normal. It's different from last time. The administrator said that Dart Boars come out here.」

Zinray said.

「Dart Boar?」

「That's right. It's a slender wild boar with a powerful charge attack. If we encounter one, don't get hit by it.」

「Ye, yes.」

Sieg nodded at Zinray's words.

「Wild boar, huh?」

Kazane said while peering into the cave's depths.

「There's a party fighting over there. It feels like they're struggling a bit.」

「Badly enough to need help?」

「That's right.」

Kazane said, then started running.

「Well, shall we also go?」

Yumika and then the rest also followed another Kazane and stepped further into the dungeon.

「Uwaa」

Dakka staggered after a Dart Boar crashed into his shield.

「What are you doing, Dakka!?」

「No, this guy's power is too high.」

「Don't block, avoid it.」

The magician in the rear guard shouted while the bowman shot a countless number of arrows, but the movement of the Dart Boar didn't stop.

「I shouldn't have been stingy and bought paralyzing arrows for this kind of thing.」

The situation did not change even though the bowman grumbled.

A three person party of swordsman, magician, and bowman had a hard time dealing with three Dart Boars.

「Isn't this the end of the road, Jekyll?」

The magician smacked the bowman called Jekyll.

「This isn't the end.」

「If so, tell me how we can get out of this situation.」

The magician Maka resented the two in front of him. Right after his previous party dissolved he met these beginner companions in the Tsuvaran city, Jiran. They ignored Maka's request to get another party member before they entered the dungeon, and this was the result. He didn't have enough Magic Power remaining to properly support his companions. He never thought that he would die in such a place.

(These guys are surely the type to torment their prey by stabbing and dragging them along until they die. This isn't good)

When Maka seriously considered whether it would better to commit suicide, he could see a shadow fall from the ceiling.

「Eh?」

「Skill・Killing Leg」

Kazane had Air Jumped up to the ceiling and descended to kill the Dart Boar with a kick. The Dart Boar let out one last「b.u.moo」as it fell to the ground.

「Looks good. Hm?」

A Window opened as Kazane looked around for her next opponent.

(Air Jump went up to Level 2? Another skill was also added)

The word「Charge」appeared in the skill list.

「Charge? I wonder what it does.」

Kazane's Intuition flashed.

「Oops.」

Kazane jumped with a multi-jump and the Dart Boars crashed into each other where she was just standing.

「b.u.momoo!?」

「I was able to jump? It's a pa.s.sive skill now!?」

Kazane raised a surprised voice in mid-air. Air Jump: Lv 2 was a pa.s.sive multi-jump skill.

「What are you doing?」

Each boar was pierced with Thunder G.o.d Spears. Of course, it was from Yumika and Zinray.

「Oops, sorry sorry.」

Kazane apologized to Yumika and the others coming from behind as she returned to the ground.

「Mu?」

Kazane said, then kept observing the wall and said「umm,」then suddenly shouted「Skill: Charge」followed by「Killing Leg!」and kicked the wall. A terrible crash resounded.

「What are you doing so suddenly!?」

Yumika was surprised by the sudden action and the loud noise, and raised her voice in condemnation.

「Wasn't that much more powerful than usual?」

And Zinray raised his voice in surprise at a different thing. That was because Kazane's Killing Leg's attack power approximately doubled due to the Charge ability. In addition, saying Charge after a skill's name added its power to the other ability. It was the same process as Golem Maker Plus.

「Yosh, hidden room found.」

「Oh, it's true.」

Louise confirmed that there was a room before the dust completely cleared.

「Alright, let's check insideー」

Having said that she stopped for a moment, and turned towards the trio that was there.

「Ah, sorry, I'm taking the spoilsー」

The adventurers said「no, don't mention it,」and with those words Kazane said「well then,」and they saw her off in a daze. Zinray remained, and as one would expect Maka and the rest felt miserable as he told them「is coming here with this number of people at your ability level really sufficient?」like a senpai giving advice, and since their map was insufficient, he taught them the way back to the surface. They were sent back with one Dart Boar as their share.

Based on the damage caused isn't it more like we're stealing from you ...... Maka's party said that, but were told「it's fine, isn't it?」until the end. By the way, Kazane thought that whatever was in the room was good enough as their share, but she was already inside so that was that.

And inside the hidden room

「Sieg, come over here for a moment.」

「Ye, yes.」

Sieg was abruptly called for some reason, and he approached Kazane.

While saying「hehee」Kazane took Sieg's hand and put a bangle on his wrist.

「Bangle, is it?」

「Yeah. It's called the Conversion Bangle. It recovers a small amount of released Magic Power. I think that White Fang's consumption will be slightly reduced.」

This was primarily an item for beginner magicians. It was not necessary for an experienced magician because conversion efficiency would increase and Magic Power wouldn't be wasted, but it was also useful for warriors that had anything which caused intense Magic Power consumption, such as the White Sword.

「Is it really ok?」

「Yeah. It's a day late, but it's a congratulatory gift for becoming an adventurer.」

Those words made Sieg's face shine. Then he hoisted the bangle and stared at it with pride.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Silver Breastplate, Silver Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Carapace Bull Trousers, Berserk Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, War Spirit Summoning Ring

Level : 23

Health: 80

Magic Power: 138+300

Strength: 38

Agility: 30

Endurance: 19

Wisdom : 40

Dexterity : 22

Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog's Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Second Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』

Yumika:「Steadily raising flags...aren't you?」

Kazane:「???」