Chapter 83: Dweller of the Subterranean Water Vein
“Then, I entrust this to you all.”
Having cleared out the Antraptors nesting in the disposal pit walls, we used Flight Magic to slowly descend the shaft to the bottom layer.
That said, we weren’t taking everyone down immediately. The priority was for four of us—myself, Liliera-san, Lamis-san, and Ganei-san, who could actually use Flight Magic—to scout ahead and check that the bottom layer didn’t house a mass of monsters.
Because it would be disastrous if huge numbers of monsters or chimeras lived underground. We’ve had enough of what happened with the Antraptors.
Once we reached the bottom layer, we would use Detection Magic to survey how many monsters were present. If we deemed it safe, the next step would be to string return ropes down the sheer cliff at various points, ensuring the other adventurers could get back up even if something happened to us Flight Magic users.
However, the bottom layer was quite deep, and the ropes wouldn’t reach all the way. We needed to find stable spots along the way to set up intermediate footholds. Since these ropes were meant for follow-up survey teams after this request was complete, we were meticulous, examining the quality of the rock and soil before fixing the ropes.
Only after these tasks were complete were we ready to bring the other adventurers down to the bottom layer.
Incidentally, Fluffy stayed behind this time. We didn’t want him accidentally being swept away by the subterranean water vein.
“Here, monster meat!”
“Kyunn!”
“Hey, want some monster guts too?”
“Ky-u-u-u-unn!!”
Fluffy seemed delighted, receiving scraps of meat and guts leftover from the adventurers’ dismantling work.
“Man, this saves us the effort of burying the guts.”
“Yeah. And he’s cute, too.”
“But what kind of monster is he?”
“Who knows? Eh, he’s cute, so who cares?”
“True.”
“Kyunn!”
The adventurers seemed completely charmed by the small, harmless Fluffy.
“They’re all being fooled… He just wants easy access to meat.”
“Yes, they’re being fooled. And that thing is not a cute creature…”
However, Liliera-san and Roddy-san were watching Fluffy greedily devour the meat with sour looks. They were talking about meat, but I wonder if they didn’t have enough breakfast?
After finishing the preliminary survey, we used Flight Magic to lower the investigating adventurers down to the bottom layer.
“Woah!? P-Please lower me slower!”
“S-Shaking! I’m shaking!”
The wind blowing up from the shaft of the disposal pit was surprisingly strong, causing the adventurers to scream as they were buffeted.
“Stop! Don’t struggle so much!”
“You fools! If you struggle like that, my arm won’t hold!”
Ah, I forgot to teach Liliera-san Wind Pressure Defense magic. It’s rough if you don’t know Wind Pressure Defense in a windy place.
“I’m glad we asked to be carried this way.”
“Y-Yeah.”
Incidentally, Ganei-san and I could use Wind Pressure Defense magic, so we weren’t tossed by the wind.
“But… I’m scared this Undead’s arm is going to tear off…”
Ah, please pray that it doesn’t tear off.
“I’m falling!”
“I said, don’t struggle!!”
By the way, why isn’t Lamis-san using Wind Pressure Defense magic? Maybe he wants to conserve magic power?
“Alright, everyone is down.”
Despite various—shall we say—non-troublesome troubles, we safely arrived at the bottom layer.
“Ugh… I’m never carrying humans again.”
Lamis-san was moaning, rubbing his arm, exhausted from carrying so many people. Incidentally, Liliera-san carried the female adventurers, while I carried the relatively heavier ones. Also, since the main objective was reconnaissance, no one in full metal armor was chosen for the survey team.
“Hey, look. Monster bones.”
One of the adventurers spotted monster bones scattered nearby. On closer inspection, monster bones were lying everywhere on the ground along the wall.
“These must be the bones of monsters that slipped and fell from the path above, or monsters that lost to chimeras.”
Since some of the bones were unnaturally shaped for living creatures, bones from chimeras hunted by monsters seemed to be mixed in as well.
“If the bones are new and in good condition from monsters that live in this cave, they might be worth some money.”
I see. If monster materials are worth money, then bones shouldn’t be any different. Moreover, since this is a place accessible only by A-Rank or higher—now S-Rank—adventurers descending from the ruins, there is a high probability the bones belong to high-rank monsters.
“Leave bone-picking for later. Priority is the survey.”
“Yessir.”
Chastised by Risou-san, the adventurers replied disappointedly.
“But this flow is incredible. Even the chimeras we fought would have been swept away helplessly if they had fallen right above this water vein.”
Risou-san muttered, watching the subterranean water vein flow right nearby.
We had descended onto a patch of land along the rock wall next to the subterranean water vein, which was wide enough for two people to pass, making it somewhat of a path. Right next to us, the subterranean water vein rushed past with a roar.
“It certainly looks impossible to survive if dropped here… Hey, you guys! Don’t peer in so much, you’ll fall!”
“O-Oh, s-sorry.”
Roddy-san warned the people peering into the subterranean water vein.
“First, we head upstream.”
Following Risou-san’s instruction, we moved upstream. As we advanced, the path widened gradually, while the subterranean water vein narrowed.
“I see, it seems the previous location was the most dangerously wide spot of the water vein. Although, even here, falling is still dangerous.”
Risou-san aimed his sword, enchanted with light magic, at the subterranean water vein. Even illuminated, the dark bottom of the water vein was invisible, making it impossible to gauge its depth.
“No time for sentimentality like that, boss Sōtaiga, we’ve got monsters.”
As Roddy-san warned, strangely shaped monsters—chimeras—appeared from the back of the path.
“As expected, some survived. Engage!”
“Wait, there are monster reactions from the subterranean water vein side too!”
As if in response to Lamis-san’s words, a lizard-type monster with large fins crawled out of the subterranean water vein. It seems these are native monsters living in the subterranean water vein.
“Be careful not to fall into the subterranean water vein while fighting! The rear group secure the retreat path!”
Following Risou-san’s instruction, everyone fixed their eyes on their enemy and raised their weapons.
“Well then, shall we go?”
“Roddy, I’ll support you! Protect Mail!”
“I will also provide assistance. Divine Weapon!”
Not only S-Rank adventurers like us, but also their party members were accompanying us on this investigation. The Cyclone party members immediately followed Roddy-san’s movements without needing discussion. That flow is certainly worthy of an S-Rank party.
“We will handle the enemies over here!”
“Oh!”
Risou-san also went out to intercept the lizard-type monsters with his party members.
“We will support both parties.”
Foka-san provided assistance and healing to the adventurers, and her party members supported the parts of the battle line that were thin.
“My fatigue hasn’t gone yet, so I’ll take a rest.”
Lamis-san declared that he was still tired from the aerial transport and seemed to be taking a non-combat stance.
“Well then, I shall offer support as well. Area Protection.”
Ganei-san supported us by casting wide-area defensive magic on all allies. This person’s specialty is auxiliary magic, huh.
“Now, shall we move?”
“But the battle zone is too narrow for us to join further.”
Liliera-san said, looking around. Indeed, the adventurers guarding the rear couldn’t participate in the attack because the subterranean water vein was right next to them. Although the path was wider than before, it was still too narrow for multiple adventurers to fight while dodging enemy attacks. But, Liliera-san, we don’t have to worry about fighting in such a place.
“Liliera-san, rise into the air with Flight Magic and use attack magic for support from a position where you won’t hit our allies.”
“Ah! I see.”
At my suggestion, Liliera-san remembered that she could use both attack magic and Flight Magic. Well, she practiced attack magic, but rarely had a chance to use it in actual combat.
“Then, I’m going.”
“Yes!”
We jumped into the air and supported the others with magic, taking care not to hit our allies.
“Ugh, this! It’s quite difficult to use attack magic while flying.”
Liliera-san, unaccustomed to simultaneously activating two spells, struggled to attack without hitting our allies. Well, it’s good practice in a real combat setting. I’ll support her if she looks like she’s about to hit an ally.
However, everyone gathered here was an S-Rank or A-Rank adventurer. Despite the narrowness of the battlefield, they couldn’t be stopped by mere regular monsters or chimeras.
“Alright, let’s move on. The survey is the priority, so collect the defeated monster materials on the way back.”
Following Risou-san’s instruction, we resumed the investigation.
After that, there were scattered attacks from monsters and chimeras, but most of them were defeated without issue. Rather…
“Woah!?”
An adventurer lost his balance after dodging a monster’s attack and nearly fell into the subterranean water vein.
“Watch out!”
I grabbed his arm just in time and pulled him back to the ground.
“Th-that saved me.”
“You’re welcome.”
And so, rescuing adventurers who nearly fell from the gradually narrowing path became the main focus. It got easier when Lamis-san joined the aerial support midway.
“Man, being able to fly is really useful. I don’t know how many times you saved us.”
“Clear Storm, you’re being too careless.”
Risou-san chastised Roddy-san, who had nearly fallen and been rescued several times.
“You nearly fell and were saved twice yourself, boss.”
“…Well, I am grateful.”
Incidentally, Roddy-san, who nearly fell so many times, was only doing so when trying to save his comrades, as I knew from watching from above. And the same went for Risou-san.
But neither of them said so out loud. That subtle refinement is cool, fitting for S-Ranks!
“Honestly, you guys should be grateful to us!”
Hmm, well, I guess it’s fine for Lamis-san, who did the saving, to say that?
“But there are surprisingly few monsters. Since there were so many Antraptors, I thought many more chimeras would have survived.”
Liliera-san muttered curiously.
“That’s true, now that you mention it. Since there were so many Antraptors, I think there should be more chimeras to feed them.”
Indeed, while they weren’t particularly strong, fighting that many in a chaotic battle was tedious.
“Hey, did you guys notice something?”
Risou-san spoke to us then.
“Notice… what?”
Liliera-san tilted her head at Risou-san’s words.
“The number of monsters has decreased.”
“Huh?”
“Not just that, the number of chimeras is decreasing too.”
Roddy-san agreed with Risou-san, and Lamis-san and Foka-san also nodded with serious faces. Indeed, now that they mention it, the number of monsters seems to have dropped compared to when we first descended into the subterranean water vein.
“There is a master here.”
Master—I’ve heard that term several times, even in my previous life. That in forests or caves with many monsters, there is occasionally a powerful individual called a Boss. Based on my experience in this life, does the Ancient Plant of the Monster Forest count as a master? It wasn’t a particularly strong individual, though.
“Everyone remain vigilant.”
“How do we handle it?”
Lamis-san checked the plan for encountering the master with Risou-san.
“If it’s a chimera, we defeat it. If it’s a monster, we ignore it unless it attacks us.”
“Huh? We don’t defeat it?”
I was surprised by Risou-san’s unexpected answer. I thought an adventurer’s job was monster subjugation, and a powerful monster designated as a master would naturally be eliminated. In fact, in my previous life, kings and nobles often ordered the Knights to defeat masters to develop the land.
“Defeating the master means removing the one who maintains control. And if the master is gone, the other monsters restrained by it will run wild as they please, potentially causing the dangerous situation of monsters leaving their territory.”
I see, that would defeat the purpose. Our job is to find the cause of the monster surge and resolve it. It would be terrible if we became the cause of a new problem.
But S-Rank adventurers are truly amazing. I just thought we should defeat monsters if we see them. They fight with consideration for the surrounding environment. They think not just about immediate profit but also about the safety of the people living in the surrounding lands.
“I understand, Risou-san.”
“Alright, everyone advance while remaining vigilant. Send the light magic ahead.”
Following Risou-san’s instruction, the mages sent their magic lights forward, and we followed behind.
“Detection Magic shows a monster reaction!”
The mage in charge of Detection Magic raised an urgent voice.
“Distance?”
“Approximately three hundred meters.”
“Good, we don’t want to provoke it if possible. We will reduce our numbers. Heaven Wizard and Saintess, stand by in the rear. Be ready to provide support at any time. Clear Storm and Great Eater teams, come with me.”
“Oh!”
Splitting the team, we slowly advanced along the wall.
“It’s there…”
A slight tension mixed in Risou-san’s voice. And the magic light advancing ahead gradually illuminated the figure of the monster in front of us.
A gigantic body whose head nearly touched the cave ceiling. Scales like metal reflecting the light. Huge wings grown to dominate the sky. Its form was just like…
“W-Wait, what?”
I couldn’t help but cry out in surprise at a sight that shouldn’t be found here.
“B-Bahamut…”
Liliera-san breathed the name of a monster that resembled an existence we had seen before. Yes, the name of this monster was Bahamut—the same species as the monster we encountered and fought on Sky Island.
“B-Bahamut!? Isn’t that an S-Rank monster!?”
“Grrrr-luluu…”
“Agh!”
When the Bahamut saw us and let out a growl, an accompanying A-Rank adventurer shrieked.
“I-It’s angry because we invaded its territory…!?”
“W-why is a monster like that here…?”
Everyone was rattled by the unexpected encounter with the Bahamut. Yes, I understand the panic. After all, Bahamut is not a creature that normally lives in such a confined space. It is a free and arrogant being that makes vast land its bed and the sky its ceiling. Anyone would be surprised to find such a Bahamut here.
“I-I see, I get it. The swarms of Antraptors we encountered in the cave… they fled up to the upper layers to escape this Bahamut…”
I see. Indeed, the Bahamut outranks the Antraptors. It makes sense that the wall-climbing Antraptors fled. Perhaps this Bahamut is partly the reason for the monster surge?
But this is trouble. If we have to fight a Bahamut in such a narrow place, things will be difficult. After all, Bahamut is a type of dragon, capable of breathing powerful blasts from its mouth.
“Damn it, Saintess, and you, Undead, can you cast area-of-effect defensive magic strong enough to protect all of us?”
Risou-san, who seemed to have realized the same thing, spoke in a hushed voice so as not to provoke the Bahamut, asking Foka-san and Ganei-san for a solution.
“…Even if I put up a barrier with all my strength, protecting everyone head-on from a Bahamut‘s breath is impossible. In fact, I don’t even know if I could withstand it alone…”
“I could withstand it alone, but protecting all of you is impossible. Although, if I can ascend, I don’t mind not defending myself.”
Foka-san and Ganei-san declared that fully protecting everyone was impossible. I know the reason. Even if they protect everyone from the breath, the resulting cave-in is frightening. If the Bahamut breathes fire, the impact could cause the bottom layer—or worse, the entire cave—to collapse.
Hmm, we have no choice but to behead the Bahamut before it can use its breath.
I slowly lowered my stance, charging power into my body’s spring to swiftly defeat the Bahamut. I had to move slowly so it wouldn’t notice and breathe.
“T-this is bad. Shouldn’t we run…?”
“Idiot, moving carelessly in this state will get us killed…”
The adventurers nearby started arguing about whether to run or fight. Nice, they’re going to put the Bahamut off guard with their acting!
“Ky-kyuu.”
Just then, a small cry was heard near the Bahamut‘s feet.
“Ah, is that the Bahamut‘s child!?”
Looking closer, a small Bahamut the size of a human was near its feet. It looks similar to the Bahamut hatchling we saw on Sky Island. Well, of course it does, since it’s the same species.
“I see, the Bahamut was using this cave as a nest to raise its young!”
Someone voiced their realization that the Bahamut was here for breeding. Hmm? But Bahamuts usually raise their young under the open sky. It even built a nest normally in the forest island on Sky Island.
“A-alright, let’s slowly retreat so we don’t provoke the Bahamut. If it has a child, it might not pursue us if we back off.”
However, that hope was immediately denied. The Bahamut took a large step forward, glanced at us, opened its eyes wide, and let out a roar.
“KYAAAAH-EHHH!!“
It seemed enraged that we had invaded its territory while it was raising its young. Or perhaps it thought we were good targets for the child’s hunting practice?
But this strange roar—a scream-like cry—I have never heard it in this life or the previous one. Since it lives underground, it might be a special subspecies or mutation. I need to be extra vigilant. It might possess unique special abilities. It would be best to activate Complex Special Attack Resistance Enhancement Magic.
“Everyone, remain vigila—wait?”
I was about to urge everyone to be careful, but I cried out in surprise at the Bahamut‘s strange action the next moment. The Bahamut, which had roared, picked up the child at its feet and immediately fled backward at full speed.
I understand it couldn’t turn around because the cave was narrow, but running backward at that speed is amazing. I see, Bahamuts, like lizard-type monsters, have eyes on the sides of their faces, giving them a wide field of view. …Wait, this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.
“The Bahamut… fled?”
“W-wait, what just happened?”
Liliera-san and the others looked dumbfounded, wondering what had occurred. It’s understandable, since it’s normally unthinkable for a Bahamut whose territory has been invaded to run without a fight.
“Did it avoid fighting because of the child?”
Foka-san suggested that the Bahamut‘s retreat was motivated by maternal instinct. Hmm, given a Bahamut‘s temperament, I think it would fight to set an example for the child, rather than flee. But then again, the opponent seems to be an underground variant, so perhaps it has a gentler disposition.
“W-well, a dangerous monster retreated on its own. Let’s count that as a win. We will return downstream and continue subjugating the remaining chimeras!”
“O-Oh!”
Regaining our composure, we decided to resume the chimera subjugation according to Risou-san’s command.
Bahamut’s Perspective
Gyaa!! Why!? Why is that human here!?
I finally left Sky Island and found this hidden gem with plenty of food—and now I have to move again!?
It was perfect for my son’s hunting practice since I could let some prey escape and there were plenty more! Where is there a place of peace for us!?
