GILF Hunter

Chapter 454: 454 Depart

’Prepare to depart now!’

The shout signaling the end of the break struck the knights’ ears. It was the end of their short rest.

While it was insufficient time to fully recover their bodies to peak condition... in a dungeon like this, such a full rest was naturally a luxury.

More than that, their desire to avoid staying in such a place for long was strong, so they all rose without complaint.

It was much better to advance faster, finish the expedition quickly, and escape this place.

Preparations for departure were finished in an instant, and the expedition moved forward into the passage once more.

Frenda, positioned slightly toward the rear of the expedition’s line, glanced toward Ian, who was walking ahead.

Ian was out at the front to quickly check for monsters and terrain and relay information to the expedition.

Perhaps because of that, he was seen talking quite frequently with the Knight Commander, who was leading from the front.

’There aren’t as many monsters as I thought. From what I’ve heard in rumors, the Labyrinth is supposed to be so full of monsters that there’s no room to step.’

’That’s how it is during an invasion. Outside the castle walls, it becomes so crowded with monsters that you can’t even move.’

’Honestly, I’d like to see it for myself once, but it’s a pity the temple likely won’t permit it.’

...The Knight Commander was quite picky with people, yet she was conversing with Ian without hesitation.

There were few people that the Knight Commander talked to so comfortably. To Frenda, it was a rather unexpected sight.

Frenda recalled seeing Ian approach and talk to the Knight Commander several times while they were at the temple before departure. He must have been introducing himself beforehand since they were entering the Labyrinth together.

Seeing him bring small, cute gifts that didn’t suit the Knight Commander at all, Frenda had thought he would surely be rejected with a blunt response. She couldn’t understand when they had become this close.

Perhaps, because he was a mercenary with no connection to temple affairs, she found it more comfortable to talk to him.

Frenda didn’t think for a second that those childish gifts had actually worked. There was no way the Knight Commander would have liked a gift that only a naive young girl would enjoy.

’....’

Frenda’s gaze followed him tenaciously, as if not wanting to miss even a single suspicious action from Ian.

Fortunately, since Ian was further ahead, it was easy to watch him. Thanks to that, Ian also didn’t seem to notice Frenda’s surveillance at all.

Though their eyes met on the rare occasion when Ian looked back, it felt more like a natural occurrence as Ian scanned the members rather than him catching her stare.

It wasn’t strange for a commander to look over their members, after all. Ian also seemed to think they just happened to make eye contact during that process.

’Ugh...’

Frenda, who had been staring intently at Ian, eventually gave up and let out a sigh.

No matter how much she monitored him like this, naturally, no suspicious parts were likely to show. If he were hiding something, he would use it when people weren’t looking.

Frenda tried to imagine what kind of method Ian would use if he were hiding something.

First of all, it probably wasn’t something like a potion. If he were carrying something like that around separately, it would have stood out, but she saw no such thing.

If it were a small bottle that didn’t stand out, Ian wouldn’t use it so freely and would have saved it.

If so... was it magic after all?

He didn’t seem like he knew how to use magic, but if he was hiding that, he was a truly cunning man.

Frenda’s contemplation was halted by an urgent voice from the front.

’Stop! There’s something ahead!’

A large black sphere was placed right in the middle of the room they had entered. To anyone’s eyes, it looked like a trap.

It was a shape that looked as if shadows had been clumped together into a round ball.

’What is that?’

’Oh no... Battle!’

Ian’s shout was heard.

Though they didn’t know what the object in front was, everyone immediately prepared for battle upon hearing that signal.

The reason was soon clear.

Just as everyone expected... that pitch-black sphere twitched and began to take on a human-like form.

It would have been better if it were just a swarm of normal Shades clumped together. Unfortunately, as per the worst-case prediction, that mass transformed into a single giant monster.

Of course, not to disappoint, normal Shades also began to swarm out from here and there.

Ian turned to the Knight Commander and Frenda and said.

’We have to light the fires.’

’How big?’

’We need to light several torches. That giant monster keeps regenerating, and we can only stop it by lighting all of those spots.’

It was too dark to see well, but altars and torch stands where fire could be placed were dimly visible scattered around. Shades were positioned as if to interfere with that.

’In so many places...?’

The Knight Commander looked back at the knights holding torches with a troubled face.

If they tried to light them while protecting the one or two torches they had now, they would have to fight all day.

Moreover, the Labyrinth wouldn’t kindly treat those as exceptions, would it? Once the fire placed on those altars went out, the mental power of the knights who lit them would surely be drained. Considering that, they had to take turns.

’Our side will handle the lighting. You all, please block that thing.’

Ian said, shaking his head. What Ian pointed to was the giant shadow giant that had risen in the middle of the room.

Taking charge of all the fires. She wanted to ask what he planned to do about the consequences, but it wasn’t a time for such leisure.

The Knight Commander didn’t ask for details and accepted the decision of Ian, the co-commander.

’Unit 4, forward!’

Knights with shields stepped out.

The shadow giant spotted the expedition that had entered the room and began to approach slowly.

Frenda, who was in the back, used the magic she had prepared beforehand toward it.

A wave of formless energy flickered as it sliced through the air and struck the form of the giant made of shadows.

It was telekinetic magic, the most powerful non-holy magic Frenda could use.

The shadow lost part of its body and collapsed.

But as Ian said, that giant shadow immediately began to regenerate.

The knights, who had wondered if they could neutralize it by dealing some damage, quietly abandoned that thought.

And... using the opening Frenda created, the members who had lit several torches dashed out.

Rin, Lia, and Airi.

It was the three of them, excluding Mika and Tanya who found it difficult to run around in the middle of monsters.

Shades swarmed toward the light of the torches held by the three.

For now, they ran while ignoring the attacks of a few Shades. Attacks they couldn’t avoid were blocked by the barrier Mika had deployed.

Airi urgently lit the first torch stand first.

Despite its old appearance that made one wonder if it would even catch fire, it ignited in an instant as if soaked in oil and burned brightly.

However, perhaps because of that bright light, it felt as if the Shades were increasing their momentum and swarming in more.

’Where do we go next? There are several.’

’The Leader said there are fakes too...’

’Who on earth made a place like this and even put in fakes!’

Rin felt the same frustration that any gamer feels when encountering an annoying, forced puzzle in the middle of a dungeon.

’Next, go to the one that’s second on the right!’

Tanya, who was observing the altars from the back, found the next altar and shouted to signal them.

In the meantime, the shadow that had completely finished regenerating began to attack the nearby knights.

Before the shadow’s attack could land, a transparent energy flowing from Frenda’s body enveloped the knights.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You have received a blessing.

- Speed increased

- Regeneration increased

- Reduced physical exhaustion during combat

- ....

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ian was slightly impressed as he estimated the rapidly appearing effects.

She must have limited herself to auxiliary magic that doesn’t emit light. Nevertheless, a considerable variety of effects were applied. The number of knights she had to buff was not small either; she was indeed a high priest.

If they had one such person in their mercenary group, it would be truly convenient.

However, it was a pity that given the nature of the priest profession, it was nearly impossible to active in a mercenary group.

The Knight Commander led the battle from the very front.

As the one with the longest experience here, she had faced giant monsters like this and monsters that regenerated endlessly several times before.

’Concentrate attacks on only one leg. Don’t let it take a step.’

It was a common weakness of giant humanoid monsters like golems.

To move, the legs had to support the weight; if there was damage on one side and it couldn’t support the weight, it wouldn’t be able to move properly. If that happened, the center of gravity would become unstable, making its attacks very simple.

It was the same for the giant made of shadows.

Seeing that its attacks were heavy and its defense was solid, it was a target that possessed a strong physical reality, unlike the Shades. In that case, the strategy wasn’t much different from a golem.

The only attack the giant could make once its movement was hindered was simple arm swings from its spot.

’Mika, barrier!’

’Yes!’

Occasionally, when it was dangerous, the barrier deployed by Mika blocked the attacks.

Frenda praised Mika’s magic as she watched that sight.

’To handle a barrier so freely over such a long distance... you are much more skilled than the barrier mages of the temple.’

’Ah... thank you.’

Usually, mercenaries would just find the magic itself amazing because it was their first time seeing barrier magic.

To be told she handled barrier magic better than others—it was a type of praise Mika was hearing for the first time. Moreover, it was praise from a high priest.

Mika’s expression became quite triumphant.

’We’ve lit the last one!’

In the meantime, the voices of Rin’s party, who had been running among the Shades to light the fires, were heard.