Chapter 75: Mantis Zombie and Teamwork (1/2)

Sponsored Chapter!

——-

Light overflows from the Spirit Stone.

The Chaotic Spirit Stone, that was as if stars were scattered inside of it, pulsed and life burned in it.

The radiance burns ever so brighter, and melts.

Lights of many colors overflow from the stone, and with a mysterious pulsation, the heat emanating from the stone increases as if it were alive.

“This is my second time using it, but…it is like I am giving life to a stone…” (Hikaru)

It truly is as if life is being poured into the stone, and the Spirit Energy that’s being sucked out from my body can’t even compare to what I use with a normal Spirit Ability.

The hot and overflowing light gathered, and swelled densely.

I let go of the stone.

The stone began to knit a green statue, and shaped into the single form of a monster.

“……”

The Mantis Zombie stood silently there.

The swaying of Spirit Energy rising up must be because of the ability.

When I undo Darkness Fog, the Mantis begins to walk slowly to the Lizardman.

The Lizardman soon takes a battle stance.

I don’t know what logic works behind it, but it seems like it understands that the Mantis Zombie is an enemy. Looks like I can’t use this as a way to fake that they are both comrades, and then ‘bam!’ get them by surprise.

The two monsters begin close range combat, and in that instant…

“[Shadow Bind]!” (Hikaru)

The Lizardman had its body restrained from the shadow tentacles, and with a combo attack from the Mantis’s sickles, it collapsed in a second, and changed into a Spirit Stone.

It was so anti-climatic that I ended up a bit surprised by the result, but the Mantis has higher individual battle power than Rifreya.

Turning it around, that would mean that if the team of me and the Mantis doesn’t bring a result like this, it would be impossible to come down to the 4th Floor with Rifreya. It is as simple as that.

“……”

The battle ended, but the Mantis Zombie was still there.

At the time with the Flame Orangutan, it disappeared really fast, but maybe because my Spirit Abilities themselves have gone up, or because the dungeon is a special environment, the Ability has been strengthened.

Whichever the case, they are reliable comrades.

I pick up my shortsword and the Spirit Stone of the Lizardman, and check my surroundings with Dark Sense.

“There’s a Giant Crab over there. Let’s go.” (Hikaru)

“…”

The Mantis is super silent, but it looks like my words are getting through, it is silently following.

And then, even though we haven’t practiced in battle at all, our coordination was perfect. We easily defeat a Giant Crab.

“Hmm, is it because I created this undead?” (Hikaru)

Most likely, even if I don’t say it out loud, my intentions are transmitted to it.

You could say that’s quite the big advantage in a battle where there’s changes at every second.

After that, we defeated a number of Lizardmen and Giant Crabs, but it seems like there’s only those guys and Slimes close to the stairs.

The remaining monsters that show up in this floor are: Sahagin, Mantis, Lamia, and Scylla. I wanted to fight a bit with the Sahagin, but they are half-fish, so they probably hide inside the water.

Also, I was scared to encounter a Scylla if I were to go too deep.

Scyllas are the strongest monsters in the 4th Floor.

I wouldn’t be able to win against it even if it were to be doing a handstand.

“Well…I am already pushing myself to the brim though.” (Hikaru)

Even when I mutter this, the Mantis Zombie doesn’t respond. A loyal warrior that exists only for my sake. The Dark Element is honestly pretty plain, but I once again confirmed that the 8th Ability really is a special one.

The Mantis Zombie disappeared on the 6th battle against a monster.

It has been around 1 hour I suppose. You could say that was quite the valuable support for 1 Chaotic Spirit Stone. It isn’t the 8th hidden ability for nothing.

By the way, I got one Chaotic Spirit Stone from the Lizardman I defeated together with the Mantis. When things get bad, I can call it.

An ability that can call a proper warrior (moreover, disposable!); the value of it is unmeasureable.

“It has begun getting cold… I kind of understand what Rifreya said. There’s the temperature as well, but it is mostly the water spraying from the waterfall, raining around and dampening my clothes.” (Hikaru)

Since coming to the 4th Floor, I have only been exploring the vicinity of the stairs, and yet, my clothes are completely wet, and combined with the low temperature of the surroundings, my body has gotten pretty cold.

I relied on the Mantis Zombie when it came to the battle itself, so there’s also the fact that I haven’t moved my body much.

I might catch a cold like this. Going down from a fever in the Viewer Count Race wouldn’t even serve as a good joke.

Well, I do have Disease Resistance, and I could buy some type of potion if something happens, but I should change clothes just in case.

I use Dark Sense to confirm if there’s any monsters around, and change into my spare clothes.

Rifreya said Fire or Water Spirit Abilities were necessary here. They can’t just go changing every instance they get wet, so they must be dealing with the water with Fire or Water Spirit Abilities.

I don’t know if there’s such abilities in the fire and water elements though.

When I checked in the Status Board, only 1 and a half hours had passed since I came to the 4th Floor.

I want to continue hunting for at least 4 hours more.

“I am fine with hunting alone, but I am thinking of using Create Undead once more in order to get accustomed to the 4th Floor.” (Hikaru)

I bring out the Chaotic Spirit Stone of the Lizardman.

“[Create: Undead]!” (Hikaru)

The sparkling chaotic light brings back the Lizardman.

A muscular warrior. It is mysterious how it is equipped with a sword and shield, but that must be how monsters work.

“Now then, there’s a time limit with undead, so I will keep going.” (Hikaru)

I don’t think I will be able to maintain the Lizardman Zombie for long.

It would be handy for short decisive battles, but using it while moving on fields would be wasteful. Chaotic Spirit Stones rarely show up, but judging from the probabilities, the chances of strong ‘mixed’ monsters like Lizardmen and Mantises dropping them are decently high.

I utilize Dark Sense as I go deeper and deeper.

“Lizardmen… 2…no, 3. That does look dangerous.” (Hikaru)

With 2, that doesn’t really mean it is 2 times stronger.

It normally gets several times more troublesome.

Make that 3 and the chances of losing shoot up.

Even Ogres and Trolls had at most 2, and yet, to think 3 would pop up with Lizardmen…

(…I will defeat 1 and the other one…the Undead Lizardman will defeat it. Can we defeat the last one with the momentum?) (Hikaru)

I formed that plan.

No, it isn’t such a cool thing like a ‘plan’. You could even say this is super rough on the edges and riddled with holes.

“[Darkness Fog]…!” (Hikaru)

There’s no choice of not fighting.

If I were alone, I would avoid it, but I have the Undead Lizardman with me. If I run here, there would be no point of using the Chaotic Spirit Stone.

I advance through the darkness together with the Lizardman.