Chapter 72: Way to the Final Floor

After collecting enough Stillstone Hajime, others headed for the deeper floors, fighting through the labyrinth.

Throughout their journey inside the labyrinth, they encountered many monsters, like a Black Firey worm with sharp teeth crawling on the wall, a flock of small bat monsters led by a giant one and now a lizard. 

The strange chameleon-like monster was extremely fast, could swim in lava, and liked to shoot its tongue to drag its prey into the lava river.

Hajime, annoyed shoots the damn lizard, but every time, it submerges itself inside the lava to dodge the bullets or any projectile it notices.

"Damn that Lizard. It keeps dodging our attacks." Hajime scowled.

Shea, Shizuku and others watched the lizard submerge itself in lava and then suddenly appear from a different place.

"Annoying", Hajime growled. At that moment, he wanted to pull out 'Orkan' and blast the entire area, but he refrained. The demon was surely watching them, and it would be foolish to reveal his capabilities to his enemy, so he chose not to use any of his other artefacts.

"Let me help," Yue standby till now said.

Hajime looked at Yue and nodded.

Yue walked closer and raised her hand, "<Asura >" 

She chanted her spell.

As soon as she said that a purplish black hole appeared right above the lava river where the lizard was hiding for its next sneak attack.

The black hole started absorbing the lava in its vicinity, and the lizard, sensing the danger, jumped out from the lava trying to escape.

Yue seeing this was about to use another spell but when she saw Shizuku was making a move she stopped.

Shizuku seeing the lizard finally showing itself decided to finish it in one strike. For that, she uses one of the skills Rihito enchanted in her Katana.

Shizuku assumed a sword-draw stance and executed a horizontal slash, activating the skill 'Wind Slash.' A swift, wind-powered arc was released, reaching the lizard in mere seconds and slicing it in half. In mid-air, the lizard was completely defenceless; it could do nothing but be cut apart before falling back into the lava river, never to return.

"Good job Shizuku," Shea praised, seeing her masterfully take out that monster.

"I have to say your swordsmanship is quite exquisite," Tio also praised.

"Thanks," Shizuku said, feeling happy to receive praise for her swordsmanship. She expressed her gratitude to them.

With the lizard's death, they again started to head deeper into the labyrinth.

"..."

"Hajime are you still unable to contact Rihito via <Telepathy >" Shea asked.

Shizuku also wanted to know and looked at Hajime.

"About that, I have been trying to contact him for a while now. But it's no use, I can't connect with him. He is likely out of my telepathy range." Hajime explained.

Shea and Shizuku were disappointed to hear that.

"I see…" Shea said her ears plopped down.

…

In the innermost part of the labyrinth, just above the final trial in mid-air, a man stood on a large white dragon, surrounded by numerous wyverns awaiting his orders.

Freid Bagwa, the demon army general, was currently observing the humans who said have disrupted their plan to make Ankaji fall.

The moment his eyes fell on these adventures he instinctually knew these people were no ordinary adventurers. No adventurers can make him feel threatened, not even those Gold-rank ones.

But these guys were different. For the first time in a while, he felt threatened, his instincts honed through war warned him they were dangerous, especially the white-haired man.

Freid decided to test these individuals. Before he attacks, he will evaluate them; it will be advantageous for him to know more about them before facing them. 

He then sent some of the monsters he had tamed throughout the labyrinth. He thought those monsters combined with the troublesome landscape of the Gruen Volcano should be able to make them use their hidden cards. But he soon finds out those monsters he had sent were swiftly killed. Some were killed through magic, others were smashed or sliced.

Freid observed everything through the shared senses of a small bat monster, which was skilled at hiding its presence.

He narrowed his eyes seeing them kill those monsters so quickly. So, this time he had sent a troublesome monster he had faced in this labyrinth. This monster's ability to hide in lava and escape from any type of scanning ability was perfect for this task.

As expected, the chameleon monster's troublesome ability to travel through lava forces them to use some of their hidden ability. Like this girl," Freid said looking at the blond girl who used that strange magic.

From what he was told the blond was a dragon man.

He narrowed his eyes, "Dragon men huh?"

Then there were those three girls with those artefacts, one with a hammer, sword and a fan. Except for the girl with the sword, the other two don't seem human, maybe they are from the ones from the beastmen tribes.

Pondering he concluded.

"They must be the irregulars that my God had warned me about. They must be eliminated. I shall make this labyrinth their last resting place." He affirms to himself and waits for them. He will attack at the most opportune moment.

…

Back on Shizuku and Shea's side.

"Guys, I think this is a dead end," Shizuku said, noticing the road coming to an end.

"Hmm… it seems we travel in the wrong way," Tio said.

At that moment, all they could see was a river of boiling lava flowing downward. The path they were following into the depths of Gruen Volcano suddenly came to an end.

"Let's see," Hajime then pulls out a few 'Ornis' to scout the place to find a way ahead.

"..."

"..."

About 20 minutes later

Hajime had a frown on his face.

Yue saw this and asked, "Hajime, what's wrong."

Shea, Shizuku, and Tio looked at Hajime to see what he had found out.

Hajime looked down at Yue, "It seems we are not in the wrong direction. The way ahead is from here."

"..."

Hearing that everyone looked at him with questioning eyes.

"I think this is the next part of the trial," Hajime looked at the fiery river.

"So, what should we do?" Yue asked.

Tio thinking of an idea said in a low tone, "Should I carry you all on my back? I can easily carry you all in my dragon form."

Hajime thought about Tio's suggestion, but he shook his head in denial.

"No, hide the fact that you are a dragon man, I am sure it will be in use in future."

"Then how will be continue," Shea asked.

Hajime smiled hearing those words, "Don't worry, Rihito and I had something for situations like these."

…

Chapter end

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