LEGEND

Chapter 86

Rei had finally gotten out of the forest thanks to Set’s King’s Awe. However, what lay before their eyes was the 2m tall Water Monkey rare species.

「……Perhaps, we were lured here by them?」

With the Power Axe in hand, Ara muttered that in disbelief. However, Elena heard that and denied it while shaking her head.

「No, it’s different. If it had really lured us here, it would have gathered a larger force.」

The rest of them counted the number of enemies as Elena said that.

As for enemies, the Water Monkey rare species was the most conspicuous. Around it were several Water Monkeys that were probably its aides, they were slightly over 1m tall. In addition, there were familiar monsters such as Fang Wolves, Poison Toads and Goblins. There was also a single Lizardman, equipped with a sword and shield. Their number was certainly few as Elena had said. All together, there were about 30 of them. And……

「Look behind them. That’s what we’ve been looking for.」

Turning their eyes to what was behind the monsters at Elena’s words, the stairs to the fifth floor that Rei and the others had been looking for were right there.

「Our purpose is to go down the the fifth floor……Rei, do you think the rare species will follow if we rush to the fifth floor?」

「Honestly, I have no idea. However, the trap that was placed at the end of the second floor was made with spider silk. Given we were immediately attacked by the giant spider after going down to the third floor, there’s a high chance it will.」

「There’s no other way, is it. They are also coming from behind.」

Elena turned to look at the forest they had just come out of. Behind them, they could see the troop of Water Monkeys from before among the trees. However, they seemed to be in a state where they couldn’t move when Set looked at them.

「Leave the enemies behind us to Set. Everyone else clean up the small fry and the rare species ahead. Go!」

Rei moved his eyebrows slightly at Elena’s instruction. He gave an instruction to Set as went towards the group ahead.

「Set, please guard against the Water Monkeys in the forest!」

「Gururururu~!」

Set gave a cry full of fighting spirit. Rei thought as he followed behind Elena.

(Certainly with Set’s power, the troop won’t take a single step. However, to rely on Set for the back even though we had just threatened them a little while ago. Should I call them bold……did they not think that I could abandon them and escape?　No, did they leave the back to us after considering that possibility?)

Even as he though that way, the distance between them and the monsters in front gradually narrowed.

The other party didn’t want to let Rei make the first move and a Fang Wolf and Goblin jumped forward to meet them.

『Flame, burn the enemy according to my thoughts.』

Pouring magic power into his incantation, the Death Scythe produced a fireball. Rei shot it with a large swing.

『Fireball!』

The released fireball overtook Ara and Kuust, who were running at the front, and caused an explosion as it hit the center of the enemy’s vanguard as they approached them.

The Goblin and Fang Wolf were turned to charcoal without being able to raise a sound. The group of monsters were sent into confusion as soon as they started and hesitated to move forward.

「Ara and Kuust, kill the monsters as you meet them. Vel, restrain the Water Monkeys that can use magic. Rei, flank and attack the enemies from the side!」

The instant the opening appeared, Elena issued instructions. Rei and the three others started to take action following the instructions they received.

Ara swung the Power Axe literally cleaving the remaining Fang Wolves in two. Kuust stabbed his magic spear into the body of a Goblin, killing it instantly. A Water Monkey that was ready to fire a water ball in an attempt to support its vanguard was interrupted by an arrow that Vel shot. While giving specific instructions to all of them, Elena held down the Lizardman as she swung her sword whip, heavily injuring it.

While admiring their cooperation that was done without the slightest error, Rei took a detour as he sneaked around where the fighting was going on.

Seeing their leader fighting, although they tried to move and attack Elena and the others from behind, when Set looked at them with his sharp eyes each time, they would freeze.

Although there was always a difference in monster ranking, it was thanks to King’s Awe being used in this situation that the Water Monkeys weren’t able to utilise the nimble movements they were good at. No, they were frozen in fear that they would be crushed by his claws without a doubt if they attacked.

While checking for an instant with his peripheral vision that the back was still in a stalemate, Rei finally finished his detour and broke into the enemy group at their flank. That said, the Fang Wolves, Goblins and the single Lizardman that had been fighting Elena has been taken out. The number of monsters on the side of the leading Water Monkey rare species had already decreased considerably. Aside from the rare species and the larger than ordinary Water Monkeys, only three Poison Toads hadn’t been intercepted by Elena, due to the difference in movement speed.

Capturing all the monsters in his sight, he stopped where he was after confirming there was enough distance between them and started saying an incantation.

『Flame, pour down a rain of arrows and burn all. 』

As the incantation was said, arrows made of fire, about the length of his arm, formed around Rei. There were about 50 in number.

Maybe noticing that a large number of fire arrows had appeared, the rare species turned to look at Rei. At the same time, it may have noticed how powerful the magic that Rei was about to use was. In a hurry, it tried to give orders to its aides…but it was already too late.

『Fire Arrow Rain!』

When the magic was activated, as the Death Scythe was also a magic casting tool, more than 50 fire arrows headed in the direction that Rei swung the Death Scythe at.

「Kikikikyi~!」

The Water Monkeys screamed. Rei tried to sweep away as many enemies with this……he didn’t think he could hurt the rare species with this. It would have been lucky to hit it with a single arrow. However, the rare species took an action that Rei did not expect.

「Kikyi~!」

How? It grabbed a nearby Poison Toad and used it as a living shield to block the fire arrows that rained on it.

The surrounding Water Monkeys who saw that imitated their leader and used the Poison Toads near them as living shields.

Then the arrows landed. The fire arrows were shielded by the Poison Toads. They also pierced the Water Monkeys that had a late start and were unable to use their surroundings to shield themselves.

At the same time, a large amount of dust was blown into the surroundings by the shock of the fire arrows that had hit the ground instead of the enemies, covering the area around like a smokescreen.

「Shoes of Sleipnir, start!」

As soon as he activated the Shoes of Sleipnir, Rei took 1, 2, 3 steps as he ran into the air.

As he went through the dust cloud, several water balls flew out. They couldn’t hit Rei, who was already in the air, and hit the ground instead, launching dirt into the surrounding area.

Running through the air, Rei went to 10m above the ground. As he watched the dust cloud gradually clear, the effect of the Shoes of Sleipnir ended and he started to fall.

A surprise attack from above. The fire arrows that he had shot earlier was all part of a strategic move for this single attack.

While falling to the ground, Rei looked for the figure of his target, the rare species. But because the dust cloud was unexpectedly big, the visibility wasn’t good.

(Tch, it’s impossible to tell apart the rare species. ……Then!)

Rei had already fallen to 5m above the ground. In this situation, after creating a surprise attack with much trouble, he poured magic power into the Death Scythe and swung it down at the first shadow that caught his eyes.

「Haah!」

「Kyi~!?」

Cutting through flesh and bone, he felt a sensation similar to cutting through bamboo.

「……Tch.」

Seeing his target parted left and right while scattering its internal organs and blood onto the ground, he clicked his tongue.

After the dust cloud cleared up, Rei saw that he hadn’t hit the rare species he was aiming for and had hit one of its aides instead.

A sound of something tearing through the air could be heard from behind. The moment he heard the sound, he reflexively went down to the ground.

「Kikikyi~!」

Swinging the handle of the Death Scythe behind him as he crouched down, the next moment a dull sound of flesh and bone hitting metal echoed into the surroundings.

「Kyi~!」

Then what followed was the sound of something falling to the ground and a scream as it was unable to bear the pain. Turning around, getting up from his crouching state on the ground and sweeping with the Death Scythe, he cut the neck of the Water Monkey which had fallen behind him.

At the same time, checking for an instant, he turned the big shadow that was visible to his right. Kicking up the head that he had just cut off, he kicked against the ground and followed the head as he readied his Death Scythe.

「Kikyi~, kyi~!」

It was the biggest shadow he had seen so far. Normally, Water Monkeys should be smaller than Rei. The shadow of the Water Monkey was a head taller than Rei and was undoubtedly the rare species that was leading the Water Monkeys.

As the head of its aide came close, it brushed it aside with the corpse of the Poison Toad that had been hit by fire arrows just before. And as it approached close to Rei, it opened its mouth wide open……

The moment he saw its mouth, Rei felt a chill up his spine and reflexively kicked against the ground and jumped to the side.

Almost at the same time as Rei jumped, a purple liquid was spat out of the mouth of the rare species.

「Kyi~!」

Seeing Rei avoid it narrowly, the rare species opened its mouth again while raising its voice in anger. Rei saw that and tried to jump away again, but……

「Kikikikyi~!」

The two remaining aides of the rare species sandwiched him as they attacked with their claws.

「Rei!」

A line of light swam through the air as Rei’s name was called out. It was Elena, who had been using her sword whip to fight a group of monsters. With a sharp and quick blow, in an instant, it slashed the throat of a Water Monkey that had been attacking Rei. An arrow then hit the right foot of the other Water Monkey, stopping it’s movements.

The moment he saw it, Rei fell back to evade the arm of the Water Monkey as it swung down and pushed it, moving its position. Then the purple liquid that was spat out from the mouth of the rare species flew past. With an arrow lodged in its right foot, the Water Monkey couldn’t evade the liquid after having it’s balance knocked away by Rei……and was hit in the face by the liquid. And the next moment.

「Kikikikikikikikikyi~!」

It screamed as it rolled on the ground. As it held its face, the parts of its face that could be seen through the gaps of its fingers looked like a candle that had melted under a flame. Rei was able to see half it’s skull clearly exposed.

「Tch, a corrosive liquid!」

Using the Death Scythe to cut the body of the Water Monkey that was rushing around madly, it stopped breathing, leaving only the rare species.

However, it scowled as Rei and Elena approached, ready to spit out the corrosive liquid at any time.

(……What to do.)

It would be easy to defeat the remaining rare species before them. The corrosive liquid was certainly a threat, but it could only spit it in one direction. In other words, if everyone surrounded it, it would have no way out. However……who would want the role of attacking the rare species first and dodging the corrosive liquid. When he thought about that, the right should of the rare species suddenly came into Rei’s view.

Yes, the right shoulder had been cut sharply and was bleeding even though it was covered with water.

The moment Rei saw it, he understood why the Water Monkeys had suddenly attacked. It was the spear Rei had thrown in the forest. Maybe the spear had injured this rare species, which had caused it to start the attack in anger.

(If that’s the case, then the story isn’t too complicated.

Muttering in his mind, he called out to Elena, who was holding her sword whip.

「Elena-sama, from now, I will throw spears to attack that guy. I think that will make it direct its fierce hostility towards me, use that opening to attack. Since there is a possibility of it using that corrosive liquid if you approach, use medium or long distance attacks if possible.」

「……I see. Certainly, the spear Rei threw at the beginning is what started the fight. All right, but watch out for the liquid it spits from its mouth.」

As for Elena, at Rei’s words, she saw the injury on the right shoulder of the rare species and understood the general situation as she readied her sword whip.

「Kikikyi, kyi,、kikikikikyi~!」

The rare species tried to intimidate Rei when it saw him take a step forward. Rei meaningfully held the Death Scythe out in front of him with his hands.

「Kyi~?」

The rare species had a mystified expression, as Rei stored his Death Scythe into the Misty Ring right in front of it.

「Kikyi~!?」

Naturally, the rare species didn’t know of the object called an item box and made some noise as it couldn’t understand how the large scythe that was before his eyes had disappeared. But, it was still wary and ready to spit out the corrosive liquid at any time. However, the next moment, its wariness collapsed as anger dominated its mind. It was because a familiar spear had appeared in the hands of the diminutive person before it.

Yes, because it was a spear identical to the one that pierced through his right shoulder just before.

「Kikikikikyi~!」

The moment it saw the owner of the spear, it instinctively spat out the corrosive liquid at the person in front of it.

「The moment I was waiting for!」

However, this action was within Rei’s expectations. It wasn’t difficult to avoid. And as if in prearranged fashion, Elena’s sword whip extended into a whip……and the blade pierced through the head of the rare species.