Drop.
The sound of a single drop of water echoed in the silence.
The cave was pitch-black, with only the torch in my hand providing light.
「Renge, Sorte, there’s a depression ahead.」
「Got itssu」「Understood」
Without letting our guard down, we advanced deeper and deeper into the cave.
The monsters inside were far stronger than those outside.
We had to move without making noise, never missing even a hint of a monster’s presence, while dividing the watch between front, rear, and sides to prepare for ambushes.
「Falconbats ahead. Over a dozen.」
「I’ll handle itssu!」
The monsters appeared from ahead, creatures that looked like a mix between birds and bats, flying through the cave with astonishing speed.
They hunted in packs and attacked with their sharp beaks, piercing their prey and then circling back to feed.
Even in narrow, pitch-black spaces, they flew freely. Their speed and ambush tactics made them especially dangerous.
To defeat them safely, it would normally take five or six B-rank adventurers.
You’d at least need someone with a shield, a trapper, or someone skilled in sensing presences.
But if Renge was the one fighting…
「Hup! Hah! Sei! Urya! Oraaa!」
She threw her fists right alongside the monsters’ beaks, not deflecting them, but smashing each one into the wall with force, taking down every Falconbat that charged.
Still, even Renge seemed slightly slower than usual. The creatures’ speed in the dark made it harder to react.
「Renge, I’m using magic. Flame Run.」
「Much appreciated! Now I can see perfectlyssu!」
I cast a fire spell that crawled along the cave walls, lighting the way in a straight line.
By igniting both sides of the cave, I secured us a light source.
Using fire magic in a cave was risky, so I kept the spell short and limited its range.
「That’s the last of themssu!」
Renge struck down the final one, then flicked the monster’s fluids off her gauntlet before collecting the magic stone and drop items that had fallen along the wall.
High-ranking monster stones were more pure and sold for a better price, making them great for rewards, or in this case, a souvenir for our lord.
Of course, we always left behind anything dropped by insects.
「Time to find a base.」
「Agreed. No signs of monsters nearby. Let’s split the torches and look for a good spot.」
Inside the cave, we had decided to use dead ends or depressions just big enough for people to enter as makeshift bases.
Thankfully, the accessory our liege had bestowed upon us offered strong resistance to status effects, so we didn’t have to worry about poison gas traps. That alone was a huge relief.
To avoid being flanked or surrounded from multiple directions, we avoided wide-open areas and searched for spots surrounded by walls on at least three sides.
「Alright. This spot should work.」
We found a space about the width of a gap between a hollow and the main path. We set up torches along the surrounding walls to secure light.
A small campfire, and two simple sleeping mats.
We sat down, but kept our weapons close, ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
「Mmm… They really are pretty strongssu.」
「It’s exhausting…」
「Still, I think we can manage the rest of the way.」
We hadn’t yet encountered anything too overwhelming.
The deeper we went, the stronger the monsters would get, but at this pace, it didn’t seem like a problem.
「We can’t let our guard down. Some monsters may be small, but still dangerous.」
「Yeah, but most of the trouble comes from status effects. Thanks to this thing master gave us, it’s been easier than expectedssu.」
Some monsters could petrify you with a single glance.
Others made you drowsy just from their scent, or paralyzed you with the lightest touch.
What made status effects dangerous was when they stacked.
One hit of paralysis only caused mild numbness. Two hits would make that area harder to move. By the third, your entire body might become sluggish.
This accessory reduced or completely nullified that first hit, and just wearing it gave us a huge advantage.
「Right. We’ll need to thank our liege when we return.」
「Wait… a monster. I’ll take care of it.」
「Got it. I’m counting on you.」
Sorte stood up. Drawn by the light, a monster stepped into view.
A goblin… but one clad in armor and wielding a weapon.
It had probably looted those from a fallen adventurer’s corpse.
A goblin smart enough to do that would likely be a hobgoblin.
And deeper in was an even larger goblin in full armor, a Hobgoblin Leader. That one was their boss.
「Gigi! Gagiaaa!」
With a screech, the goblins charged.
Humanoid monsters sometimes possessed a degree of intelligence, which made them troublesome foes.
However,
「GigyAAAAHH!」
With a thunderous death cry, the Hobgoblin Leader fell first.
When a monster’s boss was killed, the rest often hesitated or grew confused, that was another trait of intelligent enemies.
Sorte had taken advantage of that and swiftly eliminated their leader.
The rest were just stragglers.
「Let’s get some water boiling.」
「Good idea. I’d like to wash up toossu…」
「No baths. Just wipe yourself down.」
「Okaaay. I’ll hold back for now. We’ve got the hot springs waiting anyway. I’ll look forward to that insteadssu.」
Hmm.
Come to think of it, I had planned to return straight to my liege once this was over… but if I go back like this… um, would I still smell alright?
Sorte might just hug the moment we meet.
If I stink and hates it… that’d be a disaster…
「Haa, it’s done.」
「Welcome back. I’ve prepared some water. Go ahead and clean yourself off first.」
「Then I’ll gladly accept…」
Sorte’s beautiful tail and ears were stained with blood and mud. She removed her armor, and while she washed up, Renge and I stood and kept watch on our surroundings.
「Haa… I want a real bath…」
「Ah, I said the same thing earlierssu.」
「We really do stink, huh…」
「Well, it can’t be helped. We’re in a cave.」
「Yeah… oh no, my tail’s bad, but this part’s even worse…」
Water was a valuable resource, mainly reserved for drinking or cleaning wounds.
We couldn’t afford to use much of it.
However, if we let our hygiene deteriorate, we risked falling ill, something even worse than status ailments.
If that happened, even the accessory would be of no help.
「Alright. I’m done. Renge, you’re next?」
「Yup, I’m up. Keep watch for me, please.」
As Renge and Sorte switched places, a large boar stepped into the torchlight.
「Whoa, an Evil Boar…」
「We can’t let that thing through…」
Its long tusks were built for charging. The beast would impale its enemy and slam them against the wall.
If no wall was there, it would just keep running with the victim skewered, truly a vicious monster.
If it charged now, it could seriously damage Renge or even wreck the campfire.
「I’ll take care of it. If I miss, I’m counting on you.」
「Got it. I’m ready.」
I stepped forward, positioning myself directly in the boar’s path as it prepared to charge.
Its crimson eyes glowed, and as that light surged toward me, I gripped my sword and swung with full strength.
「Hmph!」
「Oink…！」
With a grunt, the Evil Boar was struck broadside by the flat of my blade and hurled off to the right.
「Gugyaaah!」
「Oinkkk!」
Two cries of pain echoed.
That meant there had been more monsters coming from that direction.
Perfect timing.
「No problems there.」
「Yeah… huh? What’s this…」
「Ugh, that’s… disgusting. What a tasteless thing…」
Lying at our feet was a ring shaped like a skull, clearly cursed.
Was it a relic from a fallen adventurer?
Or perhaps a cursed drop from a monster?
Items like this could curse you just by touching them. We couldn’t risk picking it up.
「Things like this… need to go!」
Sorte lifted it with the tip of her spear and flung it far into the distance.
It might have been safer to dispose of it properly, but given our current objective, this was probably the best move.
「Aina, I’m done…ssu, something’s coming!」
「Yeah.」
「It’s fast…」
A mysterious creature sped toward us from up ahead.
It moved with such minimal sound and presence that, if not for our heightened senses within the cave, we would never have noticed it.
Yet, without ever entering the light, the presence passed us by and continued toward the exit.
「…What was that?」
「No idea. It seemed to be wary of us, but…」
「That couldn’t have been the boss monster, rightssu?」
As unlikely as it seemed, the presence didn’t stop moving.
If it truly were the creature of the deepest part, it wouldn’t have just ignored us.
「I don’t think so. There’s still that awful stench coming from further inside…」
「Yeah. Smells like there’s something nasty waiting up aheadssu.」
The two werewolves had keen noses.
That wasn’t the only reason, but it was clear they could sense that the true source of this magic power lay deeper within.
「Alright. Let’s keep moving, but stay on alert.」
「Right. Oh, Aina, it’s your turn now.」
「Alright, I’ll use what’s left.」
I took the remaining water they had used and soaked a cloth in it.
Removing my armor and stripping off my clothes, I wiped away the dirt and grime clinging to my body and finally took a moment to breathe.
If I didn’t loosen up now and then, I’d end up collapsing from mental exhaustion.
This was the time to reset.
「Haa… that feels nice…」
「Take your time. Looks like we’ve got a group waiting for us.」
「Yup. I’ll go keep them busy for a bitssu.」
Even if we washed ourselves, monsters would still keep showing up like this.
Still, taking time to refresh ourselves was important.
「Sorte, let’s see who stays cleanerssu.」
「Fine by me. Loser gives the winner a massage.」
「Alright, here I gossu!」
Hey, you two…
I’m still naked here. Could you please take your guard duty a bit more seriously?
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