Volume 1 Chapter 91 Drake Hunting
"Wow... So that's how it is. I heard about it in town, but this is my first time seeing it."
"Hey, hey... You've never seen Drake before, and yet you're thinking of heading to the dungeon? That's crazy!"
A man in leather armor, holding a black longbow, said with an exasperated tone.
Drake is an A-Rank monster, so it seemed reckless to head to its territory without knowing anything.
"Are you just going to wait for it to disappear?"
Curious about his intentions, I asked the man.
And then──
"No, I'm going to hunt it."
He answered without taking his eyes off.
"Is it designated as A-Rank by the Guild? Are you sure about this?"
When I asked this question, the man snorted and replied.
"That dragon imposter is just similar in appearance. It doesn't have any troublesome magic defenses. If we can just defend against its flame breath with magic, we can defeat it. The materials from it can sell for a good price, and if we bring them back, we can live comfortably for half a month. We are an A-Rank party, so it's only natural that we can pull something like this off."
The friends seemed to agree with him, as they had confident and full faces. From their expressions, it was clear that they had hunted on this mountain many times before.
"Um, can we also join--"
"Hey, no need to interfere."
Interrupting Fatina's offer, the man with the bow firmly refused.
"I can't move as I please when I'm with someone I don't know. Besides, it's more convenient if there's only one prey. That's our catch."
I heard that A-Rank monsters rarely appeared on the surface. If they didn't have to go all the way into the depths, it would be a great hunting ground for high-level adventurers like them.
On the other hand, it was different for humans who weren't like that── those with low levels.
They would be burned to ashes by flames or torn apart by claws and ultimately eaten.
Suddenly, the image of adventurers aiming for goblins and orcs in the Emerald Green Dungeon came to mind.
──Is it really this different because of the Level Cap?
Of course, it's obvious and doesn't require much thought.
I thought I understood. The low Level Cap, how fatal it is for adventurers.
"..."
But I'm different.
It's beyond reason, my skill level rises with Instant Death Magic.
I never really questioned it before.
Why do I alone possess such power?
Is there some kind of reason?
Is it possible that there are others who possess similar abilities that I haven't encountered yet?
Am I truly okay just like this?
──Now is not the time to be thinking about such things.
Yes.
I tell myself it's not a problem to worry about.
The important thing is to be strong and not lose.
That's all it should be.
But even so... why do I feel this wavering in my heart?
Why is that?
Once again, let's focus on Drake.
Drake stopped moving its head and assumed a position like crouching on the spot. His eyes are closed. It seems like it intends to sleep here.
The armored man who was watching it from the side made eye contact with his companions.
"Let's go! Just do it as usual!"
With the signal from the man with the battle axe, the adventurers all started running towards Drake.
Drake, noticing the approaching footsteps, raised its head and let out a loud screech as a warning, facing them. Then, almost immediately, it stood on all fours and opened its large jaw.
"Water—— create a shield that repels flames and clears the path. (Water Veil)"
This was the incantation by the priestess of the adventurer party. A blue light emitted from her hand and enveloped the man as if clinging to him.
Almost at the same time, flames spewed out from Drake's mouth.
As the name "Fire-breathing Drake" suggests, it was its signature attack, a fierce blast of fire.
"Ooooh!"
But the fiery breath was split in two as if avoiding the man. Water magic acted as a shield, blocking the flames.
'──!?'
Realizing that the breath had no effect, Drake flapped its wings and flew backward, trying to distance itsself from the warrior.
"You think you can escape!"
Without missing a beat, arrows flew from behind and pierced Drake's wings. It was the arrows shot by a man with a bow. He intended to prevent Drake from flying away by injuring its wings.
Perhaps due to the pain, Drake let out a cry.
The man wielding a battle axe in both hands continued to run with unwavering momentum. If he could land a blow with such a heavy weapon, it would surely cause significant damage.
But then, suddenly, flames radiated toward the man from an unexpected direction.
"What!?"
Before he knew it, other Drakes had arrived. There were five in total. They surrounded the man, all simultaneously exhaling fiery breath.
The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence. It was as if they had planned this very moment.
"New one appeared?! Damn it!"
The man strung an arrow on his bow once again and aimed it at the Drakes.
However, the Drakes easily dodged it in mid-air.
Are they planning to keep doing that until the magic wears off?
"W-What are these guys?! It's like they're hunting or something──"
"This is a trap! Run away quickly!!"
Even though he was engulfed in flames, the man who seemed unharmed by magic protection shouted.
"But, if you do that, what about you?!"
"Forget about me! We'll be wiped out at this rate! Take them with you and escape as far as possible! ...Ugh!"
Whether the magic was starting to fade or not, the flames gradually closed in on the man.
The hunter had suddenly become the hunted.
"Ark-sama!"
Fatina shouted and drew a jet-black sword from its sheath.
"──I'll handle this."
I pointed my right hand forward, targeting every Drake that appeared in my field of vision.
"(Death)"
I cast 'Multiple Chant' and unleashed the Instant Death Magic towards Drake and its friends at the same time.
It was a creepy magic with skull-like shapes intertwining, and it flew towards Drake and its friends' bodies.
'!?'
Did Drake and its friends realize they were being targeted by the magic? They moved to avoid it, and it seemed like they were able to escape.
──But.
The (Death) suddenly changed direction as if it was tracking the moving Drake and its friends, and it disappeared as if it was sucked into their bodies.
Drake had no magic defense. In other words, if it hit them.
'Grrrooarrr!!'
Suddenly, there was a scream of agony echoing in the surroundings.
The bodies of Drake and its friends, who were moving in the sky and on the ground, all tilted at the same time and then fell sideways, unable to move anymore. Each of them was foaming at the mouth and remained completely still.
In a life-or-death situation.
Unlike when I missed my shot against the Minotaur, I was able to easily defeat Drake and his friends.
But what was up with that Death's movement just now?
I've never experienced anything like this before. Could it be because of the abilities I acquired or the increase in my stats? It felt strangely sharpened, like a heightened sense.
"Huff, huff! I, I'm alive...! And what is this... Are Drake and the others dead...?"
As the man who had finally escaped from the raging fire checked that his body was unharmed, he looked at the corpses of Drake and his friends.
"Could that have been [Instant Death Magic] just now?"
"Yes."
"I've heard rumors in town about a boy who can use Instant Death Magic, which shouldn't work, and a party of beastmen with the skill of [Sword Saint]. So, you guys were the ones?"
"What!? If that's the case, you should have told me from the beginning! I didn't think you were that strong... Well, thanks to you, I'm saved!"
The male archer's expression suddenly changed to relief.
It seemed that the story from Voltana had also reached Metis. It was unexpected that it would become a topic even in a town so far away.
Although the staff member, Dill, didn't say anything, maybe he just didn't know it was us?
"We've become quite famous, haven't we?"
Fatina spoke with an unusually happy tone.
It's not like we wanted to become famous or anything...
And then, I remembered our original purpose.
I decided to ask about the location of the Inferno Pathway while I was at it.
"If you don't mind, could you tell us the location of the dungeon entrance? In return, you can do as you please about the Drakes in return."
"Uh...yeah. If you go straight up this slope, you should be able to see the entrance up ahead."
"Got it. It's a relief."
"...Wait!"
I was called out and turned around.
"What is it?"
"I don't know what will happen ahead. The Drakes have never acted like this before. It may just be a false sense of security, but... please be careful. If we lose our benefactor, it will weigh heavily on our minds."
"...Yeah. Thank you."
I expressed my gratitude and quickly started walking in the direction the man pointed.
"By the way, I'm glad everyone is safe."
"Yeah... that's right."
"...Ark-sama? Is something wrong?"
Fatina asked if something was bothering me, perhaps because my thoughts were showing on my face.
"No, it's nothing."
The source of the unease.
I felt like I knew what it was.
I continued forward. Fortunately, there is no sign of monsters at the moment. However, strangely enough, that feels odd.
According to Dill and the adventurers I spoke to earlier, the Drakes are supposed to be lingering around the Inferno Pathway.
So it's strange that we haven't encountered a single one so far.
By chance, was it just luck? Or did Drake and the others suddenly disappear?
If they did disappear, what caused it?
I wondered about it, but in the end, I couldn't find an answer.
Then, after walking for a while, we suddenly arrived at a flat open space.
What I first saw there was clearly a man-made structure, different from the black rocky surface I had seen before.
It was like a beautifully crafted entrance made of white stone, as if the front of a large temple had been cut out and forcibly attached to a wall.
"This is..."
Mel murmured while looking at the end of the long passage.
It was bright even though there were no torches, and I could see all the way to the back.
Continuing along the passage slowly, we eventually emerged into a large cavern.
Directly below was a huge lake of molten lava.
And above it, a gray bridge stretched to the other side.
"It seems like it's that way."
We stepped into the Inferno Pathway, which was the last place.
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