Chapter 71 – Rotten Swamp (1)

Cara blinked her eyes at the sight unfolding before her. Since she was a mage, she was a layman when it came to swordsmanship, but she had basic common sense. And she could tell that the movements Velloc was showing right now defied common sense.

Whenever a solid line flashed, the head of one of the monsters was invariably crushed. When the creature exploded while clutching its belly, Velloc blocked it with the wide flat of his greatsword. And then it was a repeat of killing another, blocking, counterattacking, and thrusting. The thing masquerading as a sword stretched out in all directions, regardless of front, back, left, or right, and all of this happened in the blink of an eye.

‘To face those guys with one hand… somehow he seems to grow stronger and stronger.’

To Cara, it looked as if lines of light spread out centered around them, keeping the monsters at bay. Even while that was happening, there was not the slightest shock to her, so she newly estimated the prowess of the knight before her eyes. While Cara, carried on his back, admired him, Velloc had no thoughts. To be precise, he was only scheming how to kill them, how to slice them down.

Kk-rrr-ruk!

Before a crushed finger could touch his body, he blew off the creature’s head, and received the one trying to crush him with loaded body weight on his shoulder. Soon, recovering the swung sword, he struck down hard. Dust shot up, and blood and bone fragments exploded. Velloc blocked this by holding his sword like a shield. Then, taking a large step forward, he sliced horizontally. This time too, a fountain of blood surged.

The sound of something being crushed, the sharp wind-splitting sound, and the metallic clanging noises. He continued his ruthless slaughter like a machine for killing monsters. With that, the barrier of the dead surrounding the two gradually began to thin.

Kki-ru-ru-ruk!

Did they think the situation was turning strange? The fishmen who were submerged in the water revealed themselves on the silt. Soon, waving their webbed hands, they shouted something.

Velloc was a knight, not a linguist. Thus, he could not understand the words of the monsters said to live in the deep sea. However, he realized that they were issuing some sort of order. This was because the movements of the drowned corpses, which had only been charging staggeringly, suddenly changed. It wasn’t a huge change. It was just that the creatures, which had been attacking one or two at a time with a slight time gap, rushed in all at once. This is a bit bad. Velloc gripped his sword tightly, keeping in mind the Cara he was carrying.

This mindless charge was indeed a tricky attack. If there was some distance, he could just slice and kill them one or two at a time, but if they pushed in recklessly, Velloc also had to accept some damage. Because their rotten bodies were restricting the space to swing his sword.

The smell of water grew closer and closer. The face dripping with pus and the bugs crawling between the eye sockets were also quite horrific. Fearing that she would be a hindrance, Cara kept her mouth tightly shut, but her heart was pounding. There was also the sound of teeth grinding. The resentment toward her helpless self passed through the armor and was transmitted to Velloc as well.

Between the wall of monsters closing in from all sides and his self-blaming companion, Velloc took a breath. Soon, using his right foot as an axis, he rotated his body. The silt that was on the floor swirled like a spinning top. The sword extended above it stretched out like a spear tip. The squishy feeling touching his hand was like cutting rotten straw. Velloc did not care. He created a storm once again.

Her curly red hair whipped around, and the charging monsters stopped dead in their tracks. It was like looking at dolls with severed strings. Soon, transparent solid lines connected to their bodies.

Chwaaaaak

A storm of blood arose. It was a phenomenon that appeared as the monsters’ upper bodies, heads, and chests split open. Exploding sounds echoed in succession, and rotten organs and bone fragments flew like daggers. Velloc protected Cara by covering her back with his sword.

Those flying straight ahead, he just blocked with his body. Small bone fragments lodged into the gaps of his armor. The shockwave generated as the gas exploded also slammed into his body. Fuck. It hurts a bit. As the clinking sounds rang loudly, Velloc firmly wrapped his arms around Cara’s delicate body. He remained like that for a long time until the explosions ended. A moment later, when the blood mist cleared, Cara shouted in alarm.

“Velloc!”

“Don’t shout. My ears are ringing.”

“But…! You! Your wounds right now!”

Velloc patted the struggling Cara as if to reassure her. Soon, shaking his sword with his blood-dripping arm, he looked around.

“How many are left?”

With the blow just now, most of the drowned corpses surrounding them had vanished. Now, only dozens of fishmen remained. They also had their eyes wide open, seemingly surprised by the sight just now. However, that was only for a moment. The fishmen bared their eyes, which looked like rotten pollack roe, and screamed. They looked like demons filled with hatred and resentment toward everything on land. Relentless. It’s good that they are consistent. Come at me. Just as Velloc gripped his sword, they initiated their move.

Kku-ru-ru-ruk!

However, instead of rushing at him, the fishmen pulled back. Soon, entering the pitch-black water, they only poked their heads out and held out the spears in their hands. The oxygen coming from their gills bubbled, and their webbed arms moved slowly, creating ripples on the water surface. Long-range attacks against a warrior. A correct stance. Fuck. Clever bastards. Just as Cara’s grip wrapping around his neck tightened and Velloc braced himself, suddenly, he laughed.

“I’m glad you’re safe. Saved me the trouble of going to search.”

An arrow plunged into the eye of one of the fishmen trying to throw a spear. The creature rolled its eyes back, groaned, and sank into the water. That was the beginning. Black lines shot down like arrows onto the heads of the flustered creatures. A few only created ripples on the water surface, but most hit the monsters’ bodies. The sound of beating leather echoed loudly.

The ones wearing feather decorations on their heads, arms, and chests screamed and sank into the lake. Looks like a weapon I’ve seen somewhere. While Velloc tilted his head, the sound of the pulley turning stopped. Soon, clanking metallic sounds and a woman’s resonant voice echoed in the cavern.

“Lord Velloooc! Are you alright?!”

Cutting through the darkness, a snake flew in with a whoosh. Soon, that snake captured one of the fishmen and breathed out a hot flame.

Kk-eeeeeek!

Looking toward the place where the line of fire was connected, an even larger fire was visible. Helena’s paladin was charging while emitting holy power. Oh. To use it in this way, it’s better than I thought. While Velloc was admiring it, the sound of the pulley turning was heard again. The arrows shot out with a wind-splitting sound ended the breath of the remaining monsters.

“Adel! Let’s go together! I can’t cross this place alone!”

“Isabel! Won’t you come quickly! Lord Velloc is in danger!”

After the sound of bickering echoed, the snake that had flown earlier flew in once more. The snake wrapped around the statue next to Velloc with a whir, and moving on its own, it brought over a heavily armed female knight and an elf.

“Lord Velloc! Are you alright?!”

She looked at Velloc with worried eyes, then opened her eyes wide upon seeing Cara carried on his back. Adel gestured toward the two, stammering,

“Why… why? Is Cara… carried on your back? Why?”

“Adel. That is…”

Even though the monsters were all dead, Cara did not loosen her arms. She only rolled her eyes and mumbled. When Isabel intervened, the situation became even stranger.

“Romance blossoming in the midst of battle… How romantic. However, wouldn’t you regret it if you abandon the main wife…? If not, could it be… both of them?”

Isabel looked at the two who were soaked in water once, then at Cara, who was emitting a strange atmosphere, and said so. Fuck? This woman? Adel bit her lip hard. Just as she was about to say something to Cara while glaring at her, Velloc said,

“Cara got hurt. To the point where she couldn’t move properly. So I was just carrying her.”

“Is that… I see. I made a needless misunderstanding.”

The outer corners of Adel’s eyes, which had been raised, lowered gently. She said,

“I’m sorry, Cara. Are you hurt badly? Lord Velloc, may I examine Cara’s wounds?”

“I am alri…”

Cara, who would usually complain of pain, waved her hands, avoiding Adel’s eyes.

“Of course.”

However, Velloc lowered Cara, who was dangling from his back. Adel supported Cara with a gentle touch, then examined beneath the robe that had a hole in it. Adel clicked her tongue. Thanks to the potion, the wound had healed, but there was a bruise all over. The wound could open up at any time through the weakened skin. She closed her eyes. Soon, she stroked Cara’s wound while chanting a prayer.

“O Helena. Put your light here…”

Instead of red flames, a golden glow erupted from Adel’s hand. Did she learn a healing spell too? While the four faces shone brightly, Isabel hung the bowgun on her back and said,

“To think water would suddenly pour out… I’m glad the swimming skills I learned in the army were helpful.”

Velloc looked at Isabel. So that’s what she meant by having already obtained one. If the Duke knew, he would draw his sword. Velloc’s gaze directed toward the bowgun held in her hand, then to her face and body. The leather armor revealing her body shape was hideously punctured here and there. It was a clear trace of battle. However, the scratches that should have been there were absent. With just this, Velloc understood the situation.

Adel, who had fallen into the water, was saved by Isabel, and the injured elf was healed by Adel. Perhaps because of that, a bit of trust seemed to have formed between the two. Did it go well? While Velloc was thinking so, Isabel smiled brightly and covered her body.

“It’s a bit embarrassing when you look at me like that. Why? Do you want to throw me down too?”

Velloc shook his head. This elf is indeed strange. It felt like she was missing a screw somewhere. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Isabel approached. Then, she suddenly began to take off his armor. What’s wrong with this woman again? While Velloc was flustered, Isabel whispered in his ear,

“Now that I look at it, you are also injured. You need to be treated. But before that, we have to pull out the thorns lodged in your body.”

The elf quickly took off his armor and shirt, and pulled out the thorns one by one using her fingernails. Soon, she looked at it with a pleased gaze.

“Lord Velloc!? Oh my goodness! Please wait a moment!”

A moment later, when Cara’s treatment was finished, Adel’s holy power burst forth. The two who had been in tatters were able to shake it off and stand up vigorously.

A demonically smiling elf, a jealous paladin, and a confused mage. Velloc was out of his mind at the situation, but he could tell one fact. The upper class of a knight is definitely a paladin. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed he had chosen the wrong job. Damn. Along with Velloc’s sigh, the group composed themselves and moved their feet once more.

#

When Cara became able to use spells, the situation was easily resolved. As the light orb she floated brightly illuminated the stalactite-filled ceiling, the group could easily look around.

Kk-eeeeeek!

Even when monsters leaped out from the water, Isabel’s repeating bowgun spewed arrows. Pubububuk. The creatures turned into hedgehogs, rolling their bellies up as they sank. Watching this, Cara asked,

“Isn’t that the one used by the dwarf knight?”

Isabel smiled nonchalantly and nodded.

“That’s right. I picked it up while it was about to be trampled under the monsters’ feet.”

“Hmm… so you stole it?”

“That’s a bit of an understatement. How is picking up an ownerless item stealing? This is a spoil of war. Well, if Velloc asks for it, I’ll give it…”

Isabel glanced at the bowgun she held, looking at Velloc. Because he was the one who defeated the twin giants that had killed the dwarf knight.

“It is fine.”

Velloc shook his head. Either way, it was a good thing that the group’s combat power had increased. However, he only added one more evaluation of Isabel in his mind.

A screw-loose elf and former soldier, and on top of that, she has bad hand habits. I should manage my wallet well. When Velloc showed no particular reaction, Cara also let out a hollow laugh and let it pass. Soon, stretching out her hand, she cast magic once more.

“Breath of the Banshee!”

The frost ray spewed from her hand froze the surface of the turbid water with a crack. The group easily crossed the frozen lake. The difficulties Velloc had struggled to overcome alone were easily broken through once the four of them gathered. Yes, this is the charm of party play. Around the time he thought so, Adel, who was scanning the surroundings, said,

“Look over there.”

The group turned their gazes. At the edge of the lake, between the gaps where the stone walls and stalactites stretched out like thorns, a small door was visible. Velloc said,

“A door attached to the ceiling… Novel.”

“How should we climb up to there? Unless we have wings…”

Cara took over Isabel’s words.

“Don’t worry. I can move you one by one using levitation magic. Everyone, this way…”

It was just as she spoke, clutching her staff. Velloc also swung up the sword in his hand and said,

“Everyone, get ready.”

“For what?”

As Velloc looked down without a word, the group also lowered their heads. Their faces stiffened. A huge shadow was wriggling beneath the surface of the frozen lake. A streamlined body, fins, and a house-sized eyeball. Right, are you the boss here? Just as Velloc tilted his head, the ice shattered with a crash, and the predator of the rotten swamp revealed itself.