――――――――――
The level of [Summoning Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Enchantment] skill has increased.
The level of [Necromancy] skill has increased.
The level of [Curse] skill has increased.
――――――――――
We retraced our steps and returned to the first passage, continuing down the path that lay beneath. Surprisingly, the unnerving presence of skeleton monsters had diminished, replaced now by creatures resembling those on the upper levels.
The undead creatures, conjured through the power of [Necromancy], were supposed to persist even after the caster’s demise. Hence It seemed we had successfully exterminated them all, as we had approached with the intention of defeating any enemies. The undead placed here as a defensive measure against intruders had been completely wiped out.
Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s a shame that we won’t obtain any more monster bones, but I’m no longer concerned about that. Why? Because other creatures that dropped them had started to appear.
――――――――――
Race: Giant Centipede Lv18
Job: None
Skills:
- [Paralyzing Fang]
- [Exoskeleton]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Defense Enhancement]
- [Agility Enhancement]
- [Fire Weakness]
――――――――――
It was indeed a gigantic centipede, as its name implied. Although its level was high, it had limited skills and couldn’t use any magic attacks.
However, it was simply strong. It maneuvered its long body, employing the strength of its exoskeleton and the sheer mass of its huge form to launch charging attacks. Furthermore, its fangs possessed a paralyzing effect. It was the complete opposite of my tactics, which involved long-range attacks, traps, and summoning creatures for strategic assaults.
Even Jigoro and Genjuro had a tough time dealing with it. Well, they didn’t take any direct hits, but the incredibly sturdy exoskeleton, combined with the [Defense Enhancement], effectively blocked Jigoro’s strikes and Genjuro’s slashes. It seemed they were aiming for gaps in its body segments, which made me amazed by the fact that it suffered almost no damage.
In the end, I managed to take down the first one with my magic. After that, I supported Jigoro and Genjuro by enchanting their weapons with the fire element, adding a Fire Enchantment.
However, this situation revealed one issue. It became clear that Genjuro needed a new weapon. Surprisingly, he was still using the starting sword that came with his equipment. It was rather strange that it had been effective thus far.
Genjuro claimed that as long as one had the skill, he didn’t need to be concerned about his weapon choice. But even though there was an element of realism to his statement, we were still in a game. Furthermore, while it was a virtual world, it did have stats and data for our characters. So, to inflict damage on tough opponents, having a minimum level of attack power based on the system was essential.
Hence, he was scolded by his granddaughter, Ruby, who reminded him of this fact. She insisted that he agree to get a new weapon. It’s interesting how, even though Genjuro grew up during a time when gaming was already popular, he seemed to have led a life completely disconnected from it. On the other hand, I had been so engrossed in reading books that I hardly touched games myself, so who am I to pry into other people’s real-life circumstances?
Well, it’s best not to comment on someone else’s personal situation. Instead, let’s focus on the valuable items left behind by the Giant Centipede. That’s where the true benefit lies.
――――――――――
Giant Centipede Exoskeleton – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common)
The robust exoskeleton of a Giant Centipede. It is known for its impressive strength-to-weight ratio, as it is remarkably lightweight for its durability. However, it should be handled with care since it is vulnerable to heat.
Giant Centipede Venom Gland – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common)
An organ within the Giant Centipede responsible for producing paralyzing venom. By channeling magic through it, one can create paralyzing poison.
――――――――――
The exoskeleton seemed suitable for making armor and shields, but it appeared to have a weakness to fire. It seemed impossible to escape the vulnerabilities of the creature from which it originated, even when used as a material.
The real issue lay with the venom gland. It was a palm-sized organ with a murky green color. When infused with magic, it starts secreting paralyzing poison from its tubes. It seemed to have a limited number of uses, but its effectiveness seemed greater than that of the forest’s poisonous herbs. I recalled that the recipe for the paralysis poison of the Giant Centipede was included in [Alchemy], so it seemed like I could create various interesting things. Kukuku.
While we hunted down the troublesome Giant Centipede, which dropped useful items, we progressed further into the cave and reached an area that undeniably appeared to be a boss arena.
Was this an underground lake? The cave ground led to a small island floating in the center of the underground lake. It seemed like this was the final destination.
“Everyone, stay alert.”
“It’s the boss battle, huh?”
“What kind of opponent awaits us?”
“W-we’ll take care of it!”
“All right! Let’s do our best!”
Everyone seemed fully determined. Now, it’s time to enhance everyone with the [Enchantiement]. With that, the preparations were complete. Alright, let’s step forward.
――――――――――
You have entered the Field Boss area.
――――――――――
As soon as everyone finished moving to the center of the small island, a notification prompt appeared for each one of us. Now, what kind of opponent awaits us in this boss battle?
Just as we grew more cautious, the underground lake underwent a transformation. The water surface directly in front of us surged, and from beneath emerged something resembling a gigantic snake. Is this the boss?
――――――――――
Race: Lesser Small Naga Lv21
Job: Underground Lake Lord Lv1
Skills:
- [Poisonous Fang]
- [Sharp Claw]
- [Water Magic]
- [Wind Magic]
- [Aquatic]
- [Levitation]
- [Poison Immunity]
- [Dragon Lienage]
――――――――――
The formidable creature before us was called the Lesser Small Naga, a terrifying sight to behold. At first glance, it appeared to be nothing more than an oversized snake. Its level didn’t seem particularly high either.
However, a closer look revealed a menacing array of sharp fangs, scales that resembled fine sandpaper, and limbs adorned with razor-sharp claws, especially in the midsection and near the tail. These features unmistakably distinguished it from an ordinary serpent.
Without a doubt, it would take advantage of its massive size, fangs, and claws to engage in combat. Furthermore, its ability to use magic indicated it was equipped for long-range attacks as well. And what was this skill called [Dragon Lineage]? Just the name alone provided no clarity about its effects.
It was frustrating not being able to discern the full extent of our opponent’s abilities, much like in the early stages of a battle. Yet being given only partial information also gave rise to uncertainty.
“There’s no use dwelling on what we don’t know. Let’s proceed as usual, everyone!”
“Yaaah!”
“Understood!”
Jigoro and Genjuro, whose strength and agility had been enhanced by magic, both charged forward. Their role was to relentlessly draw the boss’s aggro.
Normally, it would be difficult for me not to hold the boss’s aggro due to the higher firepower and attack frequency of my magic. However, if either of them found an opening, they would aim for the enemy’s vital points and continue to engage, ensuring they couldn’t be ignored. …Now that I’ve put it into words, it sounds terrifying.
Currently, Jigoro was pummeling the Lesser Small Naga mercilessly with his powerful fists. The Iris-made gauntlets he wore had numerous scratches, but judging from the cracks in the enemy’s scales, he was definitely inflicting damage.
Genjuro, on the other hand, accurately targeted the openings created by Jigoro’s attacks and swung his sword. Moreover, whenever there was an opportunity, he would thrust his blade into the creature’s eye sockets or mouth. That old man was being thorough in his own way!
“Siyaaaaaaa!”
Hmm, it seemed like the monster couldn’t withstand the relentless assault anymore. Did it leap out of the water in one swift motion? Its split pupils radiated unmistakable rage. So, this was the real deal. But I was ready to face it head-on!
The floating Lesser Small Naga let out a roar as it began to employ magic. The surface of the underground lake swelled and transformed into spear-like formations. Water Lances, huh? There were three of them. It’s quite enviable that it can perform such a feat without the need for a [Magic Circle] like me.
“Activate Crescent Magic Circle, Water Lance!”
The magic unleashed by the boss and myself clashed in mid-air, canceling each other out. Was it truly on par with me, a pure mage?
Undoubtedly, the opponent was stronger and possessed versatility in both long-range and close-quarters combat. However, that very versatility carried the risk of making you a jack-of-all-trades. As a result, despite my lower evolution rank, the power of my magic seemed to match its own.
If I were alone in this battle, without a doubt, I would have initiated a retreat at this point. I’m not the kind of optimist who conveniently believes I can triumph against an opponent who is equally adept in both melee battle and magic. The moment it closed in on me, the fight would be over.
However, at this moment, I had comrades by my side. Strong comrades on whom I had come to rely too much. So, all I had to do was fulfill my own role.
“I’ll handle the magic attacks. Jigoro, focus on evading until it falls to the ground, and Genjuro, can you handle aerial combat?”
“Got it!”
“Affirmative!”
I blocked the Water Lances raining down from above, and I defended against the Wind Lances descending from a higher position. It seemed that I indeed had the advantage in magical combat. I had quite a bit of leeway.
With his evolution into the Lesser Insect Beetle, Genjuro grew wings on his back, allowing him to fly in the air. While he couldn’t sustain flight for as long as a real rhinoceros beetle, it was still advantageous to have the ability to engage flying enemies.
However, prolonging this battle would be a foolish strategy. We didn’t know what hidden cards the enemy had, and Genjuro was only dealing minimal damage due to the limitations of his starting weapons. Unless we made use of Jigoro’s maximum firepower, we had no chance of victory.
“Iris, right now!”
“Okayyy!”
With a cute battle cry, Iris unleashed her tentacles. They coiled around the tail of the Lesser Small Naga and started pulling it down.
It seems that for creatures like Iris, who was a Roper, the action of “coiling tentacles and pulling” was greatly enhanced by the skill called [Capture]. Even though her strength was boosted by my [Enchantment] skill, it was astonishing that she could actually engage in a tug-of-war with the Lesser Small Naga and be almost on par with its strength.
“Hmph!”
“Let’s go!”
As the Lesser Small Naga came to a halt, Genjuro struck its rear with his sword. Through Iris’s tentacles, Ruby traveled and attached her slimy body to the Lesser Small Naga’s body. She found her way into the monster’s wounds before stabbing with her knive or spewing acid. How vicious.
“Gyaooooooo!?”
The intense pain caused the Lesser Small Naga’s control over [Levitation] to falter, and it finally crashed to the ground. Since it was pulled down by Iris’s power rather than free-falling, it must have suffered considerable damage. The monster’s scales shattered upon impact, scattering and vanishing into blue particles the moment they touched the ground.
“Ooraaaa!”
“Syaeeeeee!?”
As a follow-up, Jigoro’s powerful punches pummeled the Lesser Small Naga, relentlessly attacking its body. His voice echoed even louder than usual, a testament to his frustration at the monster’s mistake of floating around, preventing him from engaging in a proper fight. He unleashed a torrential barrage of consecutive strikes, as if releasing all the pent-up frustration he had accumulated. It was a display of aggression that even made Iris flinch slightly.
“Sya… GRAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
“Whoa!”
“Kyaa!”
The beaten and battered Lesser Small Naga had no means to fight back, but with a change in its vocal tone, it let out a roar that almost ruptured eardrums. It seemed to have the effect of forcibly resetting the battle, as Jigoro was sent flying dramatically and Iris’s tentacles were unexpectedly repelled. Nevertheless, Jigoro managed to regain his balance in mid-air and landed gracefully. His sense of balance was truly extraordinary.
While I was lost in my own thoughts, the appearance of the Lesser Small Naga had undergone a significant transformation. Its eyes gleamed crimson, its scales stood on end, and its horns began to faintly radiate. Perhaps this was its second form, triggered by anger? A “Rage Mode,” so to speak!
Moreover, even though Jigoro’s relentless assault had depleted half of its health bar, for some reason, the health bar was gradually replenishing. Could it be that this power-up includes a gradual healing effect? How troublesome!
Even though the opponent had already become stronger, it was more problematic that it had also recovered its health. It meant we had to be even more cautious against its attacks while increasing the intensity of our own. To achieve that, it would be necessary to pin the Lesser Small Naga to the ground. This was where I came into play.
“I’m sorry! My tentacles!”
“No worries. The boss seems to have had that effect. But now, here’s where the real challenge begins, everyone! Iris, continue focusing on restraining it, and I’ll join in as well! But from now on, using magic for support will become more difficult!”
“I don’t mind at all!”
“Agreed!”
“Understood!”
Alright, then, let’s make the necessary preparations. Let’s see, the opponent’s position is over there… Alright, it looks like I can go for it!
“Setting Trap … Here we go. Remote activation of Crescent Magic Circle!”
I deployed three magic circles behind the Lesser Small Naga. While I had informed everyone of my intentions, my plan was to keep it pinned to the ground until it breathed its last. Now, behold the true prowess of my diverse magic, especially the abyssal magic!
TN: The spell of Crescent magic circle can also be translated as Tomoe Magic Circle. The mc has learned it with the Triple Magic Circle spell, and the difference between the two is that Triple Magic Circle deploys three spells at three different Magic Circles while Crescent Magic Circle deploys three spells from same magic circle. At least that what I remember. It is same with Double Magic Circle, and Dual Magic Circle.
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