The exploration of the “Black Death Ice Forest” was progressing smoothly. The majority of the monsters we encountered were Ice Horn Rabbits, and occasionally, we came across a monster that was called the Blue Water Wolf, which was akin to the water-element version of the Green Wind Wolf we had previously battled.
Their level range was also in the 40s, and their skills were essentially the same, with the wind element being replaced by water. However, their strength was certainly superior.
The reason seemed to lie in the difference in their ecology. This was because the Green Wind Wolf was the leader of a pack, evolving from the earlier Wind Wolf, whereas the Blue Water Wolf was a solitary creature that didn’t form packs.
It made sense that a lone wolf who had survived solely on its own strength without relying on subordinates or numbers would be stronger. However, they were unfortunate to encounter us. We had the advantage in both numbers and levels. To us, they were merely easy prey; this was also a simple case of survival of the fittest.
As we continued to hunt down the enemies we encountered in the forest, we finally came across a powerful opponent unlike any we had met before. It was a creature completely different from what we had imagined.
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Race: Demon Spirit Lv54~58
Job: Cursed Swordsman or Cursed Axeman or Cursed Spearman Lv4~8
Skills:
- [Cursed Sword Mastery] or [Cursed Axe Mastery] or [Cursed Spear Mastery]
- [Ghost Armor Mastery]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Agility Enhancement]
- [Dexterity Enhancement]
- [Space-Time Magic]
- [Void Magic]
- [Frenzy]
- [Wailing Shriek]
- [Physical Attack Immunity]
- [Magic Weakness]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Light Weakness]
――――――――――
Contrary to my expectation of encountering only beast-type creatures in this forest, we were suddenly faced with the appearance of ghosts. The Demon Spirit monster was a human-shaped black mist with sinister, reddish-black lights flickering where its eyes should be. Each of them wielded tattered, yet oddly filthy weapons that were shrouded in dark green aura. They could move around normally even in broad daylight, probably because the “Black Death Ice Forest” was always covered by thick clouds that blocked the sunlight.
They shared many skills with the Will-o’-Wisps, which led me to believe that they were an evolved form of these monsters. Six of these creatures appeared simultaneously. While Will-o’-Wisps could be considered among the weakest of monsters, their evolved forms were on a completely different level!
“Tch, what a pain!”
“Annoying indeed.”
The group of four led by Genjuro who were acting as the vanguard were struggling against them. The reason for their struggle was primarily due to the skill called [Physical Attack Immunity]. Surprisingly, pure physical attacks were completely ineffective against these monsters. It was the bane of vanguards.
“Whoa! My axe went right through it?!”
“The sharpness of my sword is fine… right?!”
Although their attacks now imbued with the light element thanks to [Enchantment] were making an impact, it was only the added element causing damage. The physical attacks were still nullified, and they weren’t achieving their usual destructive power.
The feeling of hitting but not feeling any resistance was disorienting. Moreover, taking advantage of their ability to phase through attacks, these demon spirits aggressively charged in, unafraid of being hit. The saying goes, “Cut the flesh to break the bone” but if there’s no flesh to cut, there’s nothing to fear.
Worse still, their weapon-based skills like [Cursed Sword Mastery] and [Ghost Armor Mastery] were also evolved versions. So, beings with naturally high combat abilities were relentlessly employing suicide tactics without any fear of death. It was seriously unbearable!
“””Keeiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”””
“Ugh, they’re so noisy.”
“Our stats have dropped a bit again! They’re using debuff magic similar to Isam’s!”
The situation was proving to be more difficult than anticipated, with the evolved Demon Spirits relentlessly attacking with their advanced skills and fearless strategies.
The enemies also had several other powerful skills. One of these was the [Wailing Shriek]. This skill had the effect of temporarily lowering the stats of those who heard the shriek. Perhaps it could be described as a kind of voice-based [Curse] skill?
The stats that would decrease seemed random; it could even reduce my strength and Genjuro’s intelligence at the same time. However, it also precisely targeted the most vital attributes, like taking away Ruby’s agility or depriving Shio of her dexterity.
“”O…Ooooooh!””
“What the hell is the deal with these guys?!”
“Have they gotten stronger?”
Even so, we were steadily reducing their health, but a sudden change occurred. The individual who had lost the most health began to rampage wildly. There was no doubt about it. This was that [Frenzy] skill!
“Be careful! It would attack randomly”
Jigoro who belonged to a race with the moniker “Mad” in its name, also possessed this [Frenzy] skill. This skill dramatically increased one’s stats, but it came with the drawback of the body moving against one’s will.
Moreover, this drawback increased in frequency the longer [Frenzy] lasted. Once activated, the effects of [Frenzy] persisted until the end of the battle or until death. Therefore, it was a very inconvenient skill to use.
However, this proved to be too compatible with the Demon Spirits. Their already irrational suicide tactics remained unchanged, and because of this, their stats simply increased. Dealing with such strong opponents who had become even stronger was indeed a problem. A significant problem, yet…
“It’s convenient for us, though. Purification!”
“Hiiiiiiiiii?!”
“That’s right. Holy Ray!”
“Gyaaaaaaaaaa?!”
On the other hand, for those who primarily relied on magic, the situation was like shooting fish in a barrel. This was because the enemies possessed weaknesses like [Light Weakness] and [Magic Weakness]. Only Iris and I could use [Holy Magic], but as long as the vanguards held the line, the two of us could continuously blast away at the demon spirits from the rear and rapidly deplete their health.
“Kieeeeeeee!”
However, it seemed they had the intelligence to prioritize eliminating us, those who could exploit their weaknesses from a distance. They would instantaneously teleport to our location using [Space-Time Magic]’s short-range teleportation. But we had already prepared a countermeasure for that.
“We’re here too~~ssu!”
“Even [Lightning Magic] is powerful enough against them.”
“Hiiii!?”
Shio used arrows imbued with light element, and Roja unleashed his magic to disperse the approaching demon spirits. While he couldn’t use [Light Magic], the enemies [Magic Weakness] ensured that anyone who could wield magic could still deal significant damage.
“Hmm~, my singing isn’t working after all~. Well then~, go for it everyone~ meee~!”
Since the enemy had the [Status Immunity] skill, Wool couldn’t put them to sleep with his usual singing. However, his voice had more than just a sleep-inducing effect; they could also encourage allies and boost their stats. This strengthened the intelligence of the rear-guard group and raised the level of damage caused by magic.
“Higyaahhhhh…”
“Good, we’ve taken down one. Let’s keep reducing their numbers!”
“Easier said than done…”
Despite the increasing burden on the vanguard, the rearguard continued to reduce their numbers, one by one, with their magic spells. After discovering that my [Curse] could dispel the status ailments caused by their [Wailing Shriek] skill, the battle became much more manageable.
――――――――――
You have won the battle.
Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.
Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.
The race level of your familiar has increased.
The job level of your familiar has increased.
――――――――――
Without any major changes, we managed to subdue all the Demon Spirits. Although we outnumbered them, the enemies were of equal strength, which meant we earned more experience points than expected. It was indeed a satisfying outcome.
“It was a struggle until we got used to it.”
“They felt like awkward enemies to deal with.”
Genjuro and Ruby muttered these words and they were unable to hide their exhaustion. Since the monsters we fought until now were alive, they would usually not resort to mutually destructive attacks. However, the foes this time were ghosts, and so they had no hesitation in using such desperate tactics. It was naturally a difficult battle.
“We can’t skin them, but there are drop items as well.”
“That’s right~~, like magic stones and weapons… W-wait! No! Don’t pick that up!”
Suddenly, Shiitake raised her voice in alarm. She, who was usually calm and collected, appeared unusually flustered. Was there a problem?
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s not just something! Look at this weapon, and use [Appraisal] on it!”
“Let’s see… What!?”
At Shiitake’s urging, I appraised the fallen sword. Only then did I understand why she was so panicked. This was the result of the [Appraisal].
――――――――――
- True Steel Straight Sword (Cursed) – Quality: Inferior, Rarity: R (Rare)
A straight sword made of true steel, drawing out the metal’s inherent power to its limits.
It is a mass-produced item using ancient technology and lacks special effects.
However, its performance is on par with the works of top-class blacksmiths.
※This weapon is cursed.
――――――――――
What was lying on the ground was a cursed weapon. I was interested in the metal called true steel, but the curse it bore was more concerning. The weapon exuded the same deep green aura as when the Demon Spirits held it. This was a clear indication that it was dangerous.
“This is something we should avoid touching carelessly.”
“Right? It might be useful for research, so I’d like to take it back with us.”
“Whether the curse affects only when equipped or even just by holding it remains unknown… and that’s scary.”
It was almost a given in many stories that weapons held by ghosts were cursed. This situation was not uncommon in various tales.
However, what differed from story to story was how the curse manifested. In some cases, just placing the weapon in a bag could curse the owner, while in others, drawing the weapon from its sheath triggered the curse. Picking it up without any precautions was definitely something to be wary of.
“Alright! Then I’ll pick it up!”
“Are you sure?”
“A woman’s gotta have guts! Eiiy!”
With resolved determination, Shiitake bravely picked up the cursed weapon. What would happen if she was cursed remained unknown. In the worst case, we might have to deal with her ourselves…
“Wow! It seems safe! Looks like we’re fine as long as we don’t equip it!”
Thanks to Shiitake’s daring experiment, it was revealed that there was no problem with merely picking up the cursed weapon. However, no one was going to equip it. It was still unclear whether the item could be processed. Taking such risks demonstrated her extraordinary curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
“Hey, Isam-san. I’m more exhausted than I thought. Shouldn’t we take a break now?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
We were exploring a field that no one knew or had explored before, and we engaged in battle with powerful foes whom we’d never seen before. This included fighting a swarm of powerful enemies just a few moments ago. The mental exhaustion was big and couldn’t be overlooked. Seventh Armor was right; we should take a break here.
“Then let’s take a break in the order we decided on at the beginning. Let’s start setting up the tents.”
“Alright.”
“Okay.”
Each of them replied positively while setting up the tents created by Iris. Additionally, Shiitake lit some monster-repellent incense she had made to increase safety. However, the possibility of monsters approaching remained, so we decided to take turns keeping watch and resting.
In this way, the first exploration of the “Black Death Ice Forest” came to a halt. I was the first on watch, so I couldn’t rest immediately. When I log out, I should rehydrate and grab something to eat.
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