Novel Bin Chapter 024: The boss battle at the 20th floor, before that …
As usual after waking up I did some stretches. “Nothing feels sore.” I felt relieved and began preparing for the morning.
Yesterday, I began getting accustomed to training with the Valkyrie Paladin Corps and for the training exercise I had to ride on a horse.
However. “I am sorry. Fornoir is feeling slightly under the weather so I prepared another horse for you.”
Yanbus-san brought over a chestnut horse that was slightly larger than Fornoir.
“It’s large.”
“Yes. This one here has a slightly rougher temper but due to that it should not succumb to training exercises or monsters.”
“It does look strong.”
Just like how I was taught previously, I stood at the side of the horse facing forward, moved slowly and touched the horse’s flank, gave the riding signal and sat on the saddle.
The next moment, it’s back legs suddenly reared up. I was caught unaware and was tossed off, landing on my back hard.
Subsequently, I tried multiple times but the same situation repeated itself. Furthermore, even on other horses I was immediately thrown off. Dazed, I challenged multiple times but still could not successfully saddle a horse.
Of course, I could not go for the exercise and until the Valkyrie Paladin Corps returned, I had already fallen off dozens of times and hurt all over but I felt that I was being looked down upon by the horses so I didn’t cast recovery magic on myself.
Seeing me with wounds all over my body, Lumina-san placed her hand on my shoulder and muttered “For the time being you will have horse riding training.”
Just like that my second training with the Valkyrie Paladin Corps ended.
I finished my breakfast, collected my bento and headed towards the labyrinth.
“Let’s vent all of yesterday’s anger.”
I trained multiple times at the 10th floor boss room using purification magic, sword and shield style and, sword and short spear style.
Currently in my magic bag, I had 3 holy silver daggers.
These cost an expensive 75,000P each, I had to use all my P to get them but, just by thinking [Holy silver dagger to left hand], it will really appear on my left hand.
With almost no time lag, I believe that it will display tremendous effect when aimed at when a chasing opponent is caught off guard.
However, the current me still couldn’t perform such an act so I trained there.
While eating my bento, the questions I had in my head spilled out from my mouth.
“Why can’t I achieve doing that?”
In order to examine that question, I continued swinging my sword and spear and conducting my magic training.
However I had no idea since when but monsters stopped appearing.
“Was there such a mechanism? Could I continue diving if I cast 「Aura Coat」?”
Thus for 4 days I experimented to find my personal fighting style.
And so the days passed by with training. Finally, in front of the 20th floor boss room I did my final preparations.
“Weapons, good. Armour, good. Recovery items, good. Cast magic, good. Advanced dose of Object X, good.”
Today, I will clear the 20th floor.
Even without being able to use magic on the 10th floor boss room, I am now able to win without taking any damage.
“Well then, God, Buddha and ancestors, please lend me your strength. Also I humbly wish that magic can be used.”
I offered my final prayers and opened the 20th floor boss room.
Similar to the 10th floor, the sound from a rusted door rang out and I was met with a dim atmosphere.
“This completely makes one feel that a boss is here. Lately the boss room I go to has always been bright so I’ve forgotten.”
When the door closed, after the room brightened, 2 skeleton knights wearing ominous equipment and a Wight appeared. Going by the skeletons I’ve met until now, I felt that these fellows were Specter Knights. I had a bad feeling.
I immediately chanted 【By the hand of holy healing, by the breath of Mother Earth, I wish for no harm onto my body and myself, return the unclean existence to its original path. Purification.】
Purification magic swallowed the 3 of them up and they disappeared, such a thing did not happen.
“There was no way right~.”
『Gugyoogyoogugoo』
From the screams, I understood that they were suffering.
However it did not reach to the point of defeating them.
I once again chanted purification magic.
However, the Specter Knights didn’t sit there like it was nothing, they faced their shields forward and charged towards me.
The magic struck them and the charging speed dropped by did not stop.
I readied my sword and shield, avoiding the 2 charging bodies.
As I did that 3 black fire spears flew towards me at the same time.
“Namusan (TL: MC is praying here.)” I chose the route of receiving one of the spears with my shield. The image of the shield dissolving in one go flashed before my eyes and I discarded the shield before equipping a new one while chanting purification magic and casting it towards my back.
The approaching 2 Specter Knights who reached a distance of about 3 meters from me were hit by purification magic for the third time.
Upon contact, maybe because of the close distance or maybe because it was the third time, the Specter Knights stopped.
I did not stop there. I approached the Specter Knights which stood still without raising their shield, slashed at one of them with my sword, discarded the sword and retrieved a dagger, channelled magic into it and threw the dagger towards the other Specter Knight.
However, monsters are not so easy to that extent.
『Gaann』 It repelled my dagger using it’s shield.
I created some distance for now and pondered on how to defeat the remaining 2 monsters while casting purification magic.
Although I’ve defeated one, due to that the remaining Specter Knight set up to so as to defend the Wight. The Wight was stronger than I expected and it released black fire arrows towards me.
The problem is my shield. The shield cannot defend against that black magic.
The shield I used to block the magic attack earlier now had a hole in the center, with flames burning within it.
I might even get game over with a single blow if I get hit by that.
The remaining Specter Knight came slashing. Although I somehow blocked it with my sword, I was still slightly cut.
“If that’s the case, I have no choice but to do it.”
At the same time the Wight released fire magic, I blocked it with a shield like before, tossed it aside and somehow closed the distance to the Specter Knight and cast purification magic at close range.
However, it didn’t stop and slashed downwards with its sword. Somehow I dodged it by flying to my side. In desperation, I pulled out a dagger, channelled magic into it and threw it towards the Specter Knight and it spectacularly pierced in between the eyebrows.
“Yes!!” I wanted to praise myself for the toss that saved the day, but it had to wait until I defeated the remaining Wight. The moment I looked away, the Specter Knight glowed with a red light and 『Gyoroo』 it’s eyes looked towards my direction.
『Nuriaaaaaa』 While feeling fearful I fired myself up, beheading it with the sword held in my right hand. But, I was left with an unwanted souvenir.
『Guuuuuu』 Heal couldn’t remove the burning-like pain. Perhaps, I casted purification instead and the pain subsided.
A ball of perspiration fell from my forehead.
“Haa Haa, that was a curse? Even for an illusion that’s too dangerous. But only you are left. Prepare yourself.”
I used 「Magic Barrier」 and 「Aura Coat」 and decided to defeat the Wight by raising my vigilance to the highest level.
The Wight released multiple magic at once.
The third shield became useless as well but because it was now 1-vs-1. I spotted an opening and used purification magic while taking out my bow to hinder with its casting.
“No way.” The Wight cast back magic on itself, enveloping itself with black light.
“Isn’t that clearly a black version of magic barrier. … If I can’t defeat it with physical attacks I will defeat it with magic, if I can’t defeat it with magic I will defeat it with physical attacks.”
Letting loose an arrow, the moment the Wight’s magic paused I approached it and cast purification magic and 「Area Heal」.
Surprised that instead of only a portion of its body, its whole body was covered by 「Area Heal」, the Wight groaned and stopped. At that point I threw the third dagger, and additionally also threw the spear at its torso which penetrated it, the Wight tumbled backwards and disappeared.
“Ha~. It’s over. By the way, it’s attack method was different from the previous Wight and I felt that it was stronger. Anyway it is a good thing it wasn’t the first time I seen one. The Specter Knights were strong as well.”
I picked up the large Wight magic stone, the smaller 2 magic stones, but larger and darker in colour than the ones from the undead until now, from the Specter Knights, applied purification magic to the dropped weapons, armour and accessories and stored them in my magic bag.
At that moment. 『Gogogogooo』 A rumbling sound resounded and a door appeared. I opened that door and stairs leading downwards appeared.
“As expected. But I wonder until where does this lead to? To be honest it will be tough to proceed any more. Well for now it is bento time.”
After the impoverished me ate the bento, I made an effort to recover physical strength and magical power by meditating.
“I’ll take a peek at what’s below, battle the Specter Knights and return. Okay, let’s do that.”
I descended down to the 21st floor and was momentarily stunned. The level was way too different.
Firstly, the normal walking zombies changed into ghouls which charged towards me when they saw me.
Casting purification magic dissolved them and made them disappear but that was too scary. I looked at the orange coloured walls and ascended the stairs. Returning to the boss room, I defeated the single Specter Knight.
“It doesn’t drop any items huh. Also it died with just 1 purification magic. I wonder why?”
I battled multiple times, while feeling that it really hurts when I get slashed, I declared that I will one day defeat the Specter Knight without relying on magic. I ascended the stairs, realizing that I had defeated the 20th floor boss and escaped from the labyrinth.
This was just a day before I reached a month since I came to the Healer’s Guild headquarters.