Chapter 77 - Monitor Footage of Growth (1/2)

Two days left until the Security Team’s announcement regarding the coming Stampede. Stephanie had returned to her post in her Clan’s main party; they were currently in the middle of exploring layer sixty-five, with the Black Gate leading to layer sixty-six visible in the distance.

But they were also facing a roadblock: a monster that looked like a combination of a loach and a catfish; it had given the Scarlet Devil Squad quite a hard fight before. Its name was still undecided since Amy had yet to appraise it, but in Live Dungeon, it was called the Bolseyer.

The Bolseyer loitered around the Black Gate to the sixty-sixth layer, guarding it. The Gate itself stood on an island surrounded by a doughnut-shaped lava ring. The Bolseyer swam in this ring; if one wanted to go across, then it was necessary that they defeated the monster first.

In order to open a Black Gate, one must not be under the hostility of a monster. It was technically possible, albeit difficult, to open the Gate without the Bolseyer noticing, but Ealdred Crow had chosen to defeat the monster outright.

“I can take care of the opening jump just fine, but you all should be careful, just in case. Then I’ll use an Eidolon to fish it out of the circle… and we’ll just see how it goes from there. Will that be all right, everyone?” Rook asked once he was done outlining a general plan for the team.

“Hmm, well… First of all, our two Tanks must be as careful as they can not to fall into the lava. Also, the Bolseyer spits lava bombs as one of its methods of attack, so it would be helpful if everyone could position themselves so that you don’t have any allies directly behind you. I am aware of that as well, of course,” Stephanie proceeded to explain.

“Understood,” Bittman replied, and the party’s other Tank, a woman, nodded.

Rook was surprised to see how openly Stephanie was stating her opinions to the two Tanks. She had been so much of an overly humble part of the party before, not expressing any of her opinions unless asked.

“Stephanie’s changed quite a bit, hasn’t she? In her mood and aura stuff…”

“…Why’re you asking me, boss?” Sova responded with a hint of annoyance to Rook’s whispers, while maintaining his black greatsword.

Sova, influenced by his respect for the Crimson Spellblader and his ability to wield practically every weapon, also practiced the use of multiple weapon types. Out of what he had tried, the greatsword was what he was currently least skilled with, but he had managed to wield one and make it through the sixty-fifth layer’s monsters just fine.

Once everyone was ready, Rook summoned a few Goblins and sent them towards the center of the circle. As soon as the Goblins got near the Black Gate, two of them disappeared in an instant.

The black, serpentine-looking Bolseyer had leaped out of the lava and instantly flicked away two Goblins. Rook ordered the remaining Goblins to escape, intending to send them away from the combat area.

Before the Goblins could get away, however, the Bolseyer slithered up to them and swallowed them whole. The two Tanks used <<Combat Cry>> to pull the Bolseyer’s aggro; Stephanie cast <

> for both of them, and then <<Haste>> for Sova as he rushed forward.

The Bolseyer, as a catfish would, had round, blank eyes and whiskers growing from its nose. Its long, serpentine body was covered in some sort of red membrane.

Sova went around behind the Bolseyer as it was being distracted by the two Tanks, and swung at its black body with his greatsword. Despite the monster’s mollusk-like appearance, however, its body was quite tough. The slimy texture of the covering layer also seemed to dampen incoming impact.

The two Tanks were preoccupied dealing with the Bolseyer’s signature slide-tackles, unable to do anything else due to just how difficult the attack was to dodge.

“<<Summon — Slime>>.”

Rook installed a Water Magic Stone onto his staff and cast the skill to summon a blue, gelatinous-bodied Slime. The creature bounced forward, heading toward the Bolseyer.

…But then it got squished by the Bolseyer and promptly faded away. Sova kept on attacking, but was having a hard time getting through the monster’s lava-like coat and tough skin. Moreover, each time it took a hit, the coating membrane ripped apart, gushing with a slimy substance that burned Sova’s body in spots.

“<<Heal>>.”

Stephanie, having set up an <<Area Heal>> beforehand, ran into its perimeter and cast <<Heal>> for Sova. Then, seeing that the Tanks were starting to be fatigued from dodging all the attacks, she cast <<Medic>> for both of them.

“Our current strategy doesn’t seem to be working! Tanks, I suggest that you take turns using <<Combat Cry>> to have it alternate between you two! Bittman, are you good to start!?”

Bittman responded to Stephanie’s suggestion by raising one hand without looking back and giving a thumbs-up, then he immediately unleashed <<Combat Cry>> at the Bolseyer again. Rook was impressed by Stephanie’s instructions; he rummaged through his Magic Bag and pulled out a medium-sized Green Magic Stone, placed it on the ground, and stuck his staff to it.

“<<Summon — Orc>>.”

The Green Magic Stone on the ground began melting down and splitting apart, forming into three cudgel-wielding Orcs. Rook ordered them to charge at the enemy.

The Summoner Job had the ability to summon Eidolons based on the caster’s mental energy, and also the consumed Magic Stone’s size, quality, and properties. Although the number of Eidolons that could be summoned at one time was limited by the Eidolons’ ranks, the ability to summon monsters to add to a party’s limit of five members was a significant advantage.

In exchange, however, Summoners were severely limited in personal attack and defense options, and since their main function consumed Magic Stones in addition to their mental energy, the Job also required excess financial strength to operate viably. Although it was possible to perform a Summoning without Magic Stones, it consumed a great deal of energy and would only result in Summoner-specific, non-monster Eidolons.

Most of the Summoner-specific Eidolons were mostly Arcane Beasts that performed healing and support. The catch was that their skills were only good for auxiliary effects, being not as effective as those of the other Jobs. These Arcane Beasts could be summoned for less mental energy by consuming colorless Magic Stones, too, but that still would do nothing to help with their low effectiveness.

After a change of plans, the Tanks took turns defending against the Bolseyer’s tackle attacks, while Sova and Rook’s Orcs attacked. Then the Bolseyer suddenly stopped all movement, as if its batteries had run out…

“Retreat!” Stephanie shouted.

Sweltering heat blew violently from the Bolseyer’s body. The two Tanks stepped back while blocking their faces with their hands, and Sova dashed away, having been quick to react to the shout. The three Orcs took the full brunt of the heat, turning into light particles and fading away.

Stephanie promptly healed the two Tanks, then shot <<Air Blades>> into the Bolseyer’s wide-open mouth.

The Bolseyer slid along the ground, intending to swallow the two Tanks as they were stunned by the heat wave, but it instead ate the bladed wind blasts right up; it flinched and screamed in pain. Meanwhile, Stephanie reapplied her allies’ support skill effects.

The Bolseyer slid back and dove into the lava, then popped right back out. It shook off the lava off its whiskers, then spat out a bunch of red-dyed rocks from its mouth. The Tank woman, the primary target of the swift attack, avoided a direct hit but was still knocked quite far back. Then the rock fragments hit Bittman in the shoulder with such force that he was blown away as well.

“<<Heal>>, <<Heal>>.”

Stephanie healed up the two Tanks, but then the Bolseyer bounced up and repeatedly spit lava at them like a cannon bombardment. Bittman moved quickly to avoid direct hits, but still took accumulated damage from all the smaller fragments that he could not dodge.

The Heavy Knight lady, on the other hand, staked her tower shield onto the ground and defended against it head-on, but eventually lost to the impact and was pinned under the molten rock. She was subsequently burned to death by the sheer heat.

“<<Summon — Wyvern>>.”

Rook used three Medium Green Magic Stones to summon a Wyvern and sent it toward the Bolseyer, which now was staying half-submerged in the same spot in the lava. In an effort to stop the bombardment, Sova jumped onto the Wyvern.

The Wyvern dodged the lava blasts by gliding to the sides. Once close enough, Sova hopped off the Wyvern’s back and struck the Bolseyer’s head with his greatsword.

…But the monster was unharmed. It proceeded to open its mouth so wide, one would think that its jaw had fallen off. The Wyvern knocked Sova away, and was then caught by the Bolseyer’s mouth.

The Wyvern, burned by the lava spilling from the monster’s mouth, screamed in pain as it turned into light particles and disappeared. Sova groaned in annoyance at how his previous attack was ineffective. He proceeded to store his greatsword into his Magic Bag and pull out a long sword instead. Although Swordfighters could still use their skills with a greatsword, the long sword was their most effective weapon.

“<nchant Earth>>.”

Sova, with his long sword enchanted with increased strength, stabbed the monster’s face, but the red, slimy coating prevented his weapon from piercing through.

“Oh c’mon!”

Although frustrated that his attack was yet again unsuccessful, Sova retreated… but then the monster’s long, elastic black whiskers tangled around his leg.

“<<Raise>>.”

Stephanie, seeing that Sova was trapped, quickly cast <<Raise>>. A pillar of light shot up into the sky, and then particles of light gathered to form the Tank lady.