Chapter 29 You Can Take Him Down, Can'T You?
Day 4 of Exploration.
We were at the 45th floor of [God's Remains Labyrinth], right in front of the mountain peak.
We had finally reached the spot where the mountain peak came into view, and we stopped in our tracks.
"Well... there's nothing I can say at this point. We've come this far, so all that's left is to defeat the guardian and move on to the 46th floor."
Logan announced calmly, looking at everyone.
Logan, who had never been flustered even when fighting the dragons on the "Dragon Mountain floor", was now radiating a tense atmosphere that made his skin prickle.
Maybe he was remembering the battle where he lost 3 party members.
The other clan members also gazed at Logan with serious eyes, their tension palpable. But it wasn't a bad kind of tension.
Everyone was confident in their own strength.
That's why they felt a sense of tension that was just right. Their bodies weren't stiff with anxiety, but their fighting spirit was soaring.
We had already discussed our strategy for fighting the 45th floor guardian multiple times. The plan was for the clan members with shield-based jobs, excluding the Iron Wall Alliance, to take the lead and absorb the guardian's attacks, while the others would attack with all their might.
It wasn't a flashy plan, but it was solid and reliable.
Each member knew their role, so there was no need to confirm anything.
We had taken down the floor bosses from the 41st to 44th floors in an instant. But the 45th floor guardian wouldn't be that easy. In fact, we had to consider the possibility of defeat or casualties, even with our current lineup.
"Everyone, are you ready? ...Then, let's go."
Logan looked around at the clan members and said quietly.
Then, he turned around and started walking towards the mountain peak.
The others followed him.
We soon reached the mountain peak.
The 45th floor was a volcanic layer. The mountain we had climbed was an active volcano, with magma flowing like a river, and the source of the magma was at the peak.
But it wasn't a lake of magma with no footholds, nor was it a narrow, difficult place to fight.
The ground had become almost flat, with a shape that stretched vertically like an oval, and was so spacious that even 100 people fighting at full strength would have plenty of room to spare.
Further back on this ground, there was a place where magma was overflowing.
The overflowing magma split to the left and right, avoiding the mountain's footholds, and flowed down the mountain's slope.
――It's hot.
It was hot even on the way here, but it was nothing compared to the heat at the summit. The heat radiating from the magma flowing on both sides was so intense that just being there made my skin feel like it was burning. Sweat poured out of my entire body. Even if I didn't do anything, my physical strength would be drained away.
We stood still in such a place, gazing at the magma's eruption point at the back of the footholds.
――It's coming.
The surface of the magma began to rise.
Just like something crawling out of the water, a dragon emerged from the magma.
The dragon slowly climbed up from the magma river to the ground above.
"――ROOOOAAAARRRRR!!"
As it fully emerged, it raised its long neck and let out a mighty roar towards the sky.
The sound waves crashed against us, shaking our very cores. Only those with the courage to not lose their will to fight in the face of this roar were allowed to battle the dragon before us.
The 45th Floor Guardian――≪Ignitor the Imperial Flame Dragon≫
Its massive body stood over 20 meters tall (≈ 65.6 feet). Including its tail, its length would exceed 80 meters (≈ 262.5 feet). Its entire body was covered in thick dragon scales, and beneath them, its muscular strength was evident, like a rugged rock.
A land creature of unreasonable size.
But what was even more unreasonable was that it could fly.
Although it hadn't spread them yet, it had a pair of wings on its back.
Luckily, it wouldn't fly away immediately after the battle started. It only flew when it felt threatened during ground battles.
"――It's coming!! Tank role, move forward!!"
Logan shouted out instructions.
In an instant, the shield-bearing Jobs members rushed forward as one.
They formed a shield to protect the clan members, activating their skills. Their entire bodies, shields, and the light of their auras covered them, and it continued to expand. The expanded auras merged and fused, drawing a single, massive curved surface.
Right after that.
Ignitor opened its mouth, revealing a row of sharp teeth.
A light flickered deep within its mouth.
In an instant, my field of vision was dyed white.
A high-temperature flame with overwhelming power was unleashed from Ignitor's mouth, a destructive force that could annihilate anything in its path.
――Dragon's Breath.
This was it, the Dragon's Breath. Compared to this, the breath of any dragon we'd encountered on our journey seemed pale in comparison. It was the most straightforward and popular attack, spewing flames.
But its power was on a different scale altogether.
The tank members of our clan stood firm, receiving Ignitor's breath head-on. The super-high-temperature flames flowed along the curved surface of their aura shields.
Could they withstand it? That was unclear.
There was no time to observe.
Because...
(Those who ignored the plan are here)
Our clan's tank members leapt forward.
However, unlike the plan, not everyone was at the front lines. There were fewer people than expected.
Were they intimidated by this battlefield?
No, that wasn't it.
The tank members who deviated from the plan, along with multiple parties, were the "targets".
The moment the breath and shields clashed, Logan and I simultaneously turned to flee.
We shared a grin, our teeth bared in a cracked, welcoming smile.
"They've kept us waiting for quite a while."
"I figured they'd show up here anyway."
Behind us, the ≪Iron Wall Alliance≫ was protecting Eva and the others, with over 10 clan members standing further back.
However, for some reason, they kept a slight distance, aiming their weapons not at Ignitor, but at us――the members of the ≪Labyrinth Conquest Team≫.
No, they'd already drawn their weapons.
Multiple skills and magic attacks were unleashed, accompanied by murderous intent. The aura, magic, and killing intent were all directed at us, about to strike.
Each and every one of them possessed overwhelming, merciless power.
In the midst of battling Ignitor, if we were to be ambushed from behind like this, even if we're called the "Labyrinth Conquest Team," we wouldn't be able to avoid annihilation.
It's an attack at the worst possible timing.
But that's why I knew they would attack us here.
Logan and I retreated to the rear, facing the attackers. Without hesitation, we drew our swords.
The Sword Saint Technique skill――[Destructive Wave]
My unique sword technique, [Continuous Blade], [Aura Blade]――combined technique [Continuous Blade Barrier]
A massive aura burst forth in front of Logan, neutralizing all incoming skills and magic attacks.
Meanwhile, the [Continuous Blade Barrier] I unleashed spread out like a shield, deflecting skills and magic.
At the same time, the breath that had been protecting us from behind ceased, and the dazzling light of the breath disappeared. Although our vision was momentarily blinded by the sudden change in light intensity, we remained vigilant, sensing the magical energy reactions to prepare for the attackers' counterattack.
However, contrary to our expectations, they didn't launch a counterattack.
"What the...?! This is...?!"
"No way! Did they really...?!"
"What are they thinking, attacking us here?!"
"Behind us! Be on guard!!"
The clan members finally realized they had been ambushed from behind.
But there was no one who was surprised or confused.
It was a fact that had never been publicly announced within the clan that there was a traitor among the "Labyrinth Conquest Team" who was trying to kill the clan members. Until this very moment, we didn't know who the enemy was. In fact, we didn't even have confidence that the traitor existed, and Logan and the others hadn't warned the clan members about the possibility of an ambush during this expedition.
However, all the clan members were recommended by the [Four Great Families of the Seals], and it's likely that they knew the true reason for the clan's formation when they were recommended.
The organization that caused the Stampede last year.
There's a power that doesn't want to be discovered, hiding deep within the labyrinth.
With the grand goal of "Conquering the Labyrinth," they're gathering a force that's not impossible to defeat, and provoking an attack from the enemy forces.
At that time, we were told that it's possible that the enemy's agents had infiltrated the ≪Labyrinth Conquest Team≫.
That goes for the infiltrators as well.
In other words, they knew we were on guard, and yet they still attacked us.
That means they either have something they don't want to happen in the future, or they're confident they can win... or maybe both.
"Hmm... it was you guys, huh? The bugs that infiltrated our clan..."
Logan spoke to the attackers in a calm tone.
When I finally regained my vision, I counted and found that there were 12 attackers.
"≪Slayers≫ and ≪Hapan≫... was it?"
Two parties of 6 people each.
Two Adventurer Parties were facing off against us. I managed to recall their party names from my memories.
"Tch, we were caught... but don't get too cocky. This is just a small test."
The leader of ≪Slayers≫ (I think ―― I forgot their name) said with a relaxed expression.
There are many things I'd like to ask, but it's better to interrogate them after we catch them. And we don't have time to chat leisurely right now.
"Logan, what about the guy in the back?"
"Hmm..."
I asked Logan, not taking my eyes off him.
The guy in the back――namely, Ignitor――what do we do about them?
Currently, we're surrounded from both sides and are in the midst of battling Ignitor. Right now, our tank role clan members are doing their best to defend, but there's no way they can keep holding out against Ignitor forever. We need to take them down quickly or launch a counterattack to reduce their numbers; otherwise, we'll be in trouble.
Logan thought for a moment before opening his mouth.
"I've got experience fighting Ignitor. I can take a few people and――."
"No, wait, Logan."
"Ail?"
But before Logan could finish, Ail cut in, as if he had been waiting for the right moment.
"We will defeat Ignitor alive. You, with your experience in human combat, should take charge."
"Hmm..."
Human combat.
In terms of experience, it's clear that Logan, who was part of the Knights, has way more than us explorers.
"I'll take care of Ignitor with my team. Luckily, we don't have any openings on our side."
What Ail said was probably about how ≪Slayers≫ and ≪Hapan≫ were each part of Logan's and Io's teams.
On the other hand, there were no traitors in Ail's team.
But...
"Ail, with your team's combat power..."
"I know what you're getting at."
Ail's team, with their flame-attribute dragon Ignitor, had bad compatibility. That's because half of ≪Flames of Dominance≫'s members were wind mages, and their magic was fundamentally meant to enhance fire magic.
The 7 fire magicians from ≪Flames of Dominance≫ and ≪Balmung≫, including the women, didn't have effective attack methods against Ignitor.
In other words, excluding those 7, it was up to the 6 of us――me, Ain, Fiona, Calum, and the others from ≪Balmung≫――to take down Ignitor.
However, Ail spoke with confidence.
"But I think we'll be okay. Logan, you're probably aware of it too, right? ...Aaron, this is an emergency. Be honest with me... can you take him down?"
"..."
Of course, "him" referred to Ignitor.
I've never told anyone, but "this isn't my first time" fighting Ignitor.
The last time I fought him, I was on the brink of death, but now I have a feeling that I'm stronger than I was last year. And this time, I'm not alone, and Ignitor doesn't have any backup...
"Well, I guess..."
Ignitor, which fights on the ground, and Ignitor, which fights on volcanoes, cannot be said in the same way.
Still, I didn't think I couldn't win.
But, since I've never actually beaten him here, I can't say for sure.
Ail, however, seemed to think that was enough.
"I heard that's the case. Logan, I'll leave this to you."
"...Got it. I'll take care of this side."
Logan accepted Ail's proposal.
Right after, the leader of the Slayers, who had been waiting for our conversation to end, opened his mouth with a smirk.
"Are you guys done discussing things?"
"Were you waiting for us to finish? That's kind of you."
"Hah, it doesn't matter who the opponent is! You're all going to end up dead anyway. It's just a matter of whether you're killed by us or Ignitor."
His tone was arrogant, as if he didn't think they could lose at all.
Logan laughed cheerfully.
"That's quite a confidence you have. I'm looking forward to seeing you entertain me. ...Ail, Aaron."
"Yeah."
"Leave it to us."
Ail and I nodded, turned around, and started running towards Ignitor.
As we ran, Ail shouted loudly to the other clan members.
"We'll take care of Ignitor! The rest of you, take care of the traitors!!"
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