59. The Result of Defeating a Rare Monster

Shiroru’s warning via Thought Transmission reached us all. She must have been truly startled, given that she hadn’t limited the message's range to just me.

"What was that just now?! Was that Shiroru?"

"Shiroru... chan?"

Zephyr and Eina, whom I hadn’t yet told about the Thought Transmission, cried out in surprise. Even Eina, who was usually so quiet, had spoken up. She must have been genuinely rattled.

Wait, now wasn't the time to be distracted. Even without a specific skill, Shiroru’s scouting abilities were top-notch. If she hadn't noticed it until it was right on top of us, it couldn't be a normal monster.

Following Shiroru’s gaze, I saw a blur dash past. I didn't know what it was, but it was incredibly fast!

"It’s a Raremerat! Close the door!" Lowell shouted.

He wanted to make sure it didn't escape. I didn't fully grasp the situation, but I chose to trust his judgment. I dashed to the door, which we had left wide open, and managed to slam it shut just in time.

Thud!

"Chyu!"

Immediately after, the creature collided with the door. I’d made it by a hair’s breadth. The monster glared at me with resentful eyes. To put it simply, it was a gleaming rat. It had a highly polished, metallic sheen, but it didn't look like a toy; aside from the texture, it was a perfect match for a Giant Rat.

As if seeking revenge for the shut door, the Raremerat pounced at me. I instinctively met the attack with my knife.

"It’s rock-hard!?"

The vibration nearly sent the knife flying from my hand. I had managed to block the strike, but I didn't feel like I’d dealt any damage at all. It was like hitting a block of solid steel. The impact had even rung out with a sharp clink!

"Raremerats are elusive creatures that occasionally spawn in rat-infested dungeons," Lowell explained. "They're incredibly fast and have skin as tough as metal. But that doesn't mean they're invincible. If we keep up the pressure and don't let it get away, we can take it down!"

I had no idea such monsters existed. That meant one could have appeared back in the Cygnil Dungeon, too. I’d spent a decent amount of time exploring there, yet I’d never seen a single one. Then again, I wondered how Lowell knew so much about them.

His next words provided the answer.

"Raremerats have a very low chance of dropping their tails. If one drops, please, let me have it."

I see. Lowell needed that specific material. That explained his knowledge—and the desperation seeping into his voice. It was likely related to the medicine Spira needed. If so, I had to give this my all! If it was a rare drop, then it was my time to shine.

Against a foe this hard, my options were limited. I’d have to rely on Dehydrate. My dagger skills were proving insufficient far too often lately. Still, I was lucky to have any means of attack at all.

I didn't know if Dehydrate would work on a Raremerat, but I’d have to try. As long as it was a living thing, it should be susceptible. Since smaller monsters had less internal moisture, the spell should be devastating if it connected.

'Shiroru. Can you herd that rat into the corner where I am? Tell the others too.'

'Understood! I'm on it!'

I sent the request through the Bracelet of Bonds. I avoided speaking aloud because I was worried the Raremerat might catch on to the plan. Some high-intelligence monsters understood human speech, and while I didn't know where this rat stood on the IQ scale, I wasn't taking any chances.

Now, for my own preparation.

It was possible to hold a spell on standby after finishing the incantation, but it was difficult to move around violently while maintaining that focus. By that same token, I couldn't exactly chant while chasing a target as fast as the Raremerat. My best bet was to hide my presence and let the rat come to me.

I activated Shadow Hiding to mask my presence while holding the Dehydrate spell at the ready. Then, I simply held my breath and waited.

Shiroru pursued it relentlessly, while Zephyr and Lowell used their positioning to cut off its escape routes. Bit by bit, the Raremerat was cornered into my side of the room—now!

"<Dehydrate>!"

I snatched the Raremerat and activated the magic instantly. It struggled for a fleeting second, then went limp. A moment later, it vanished, melting away into nothingness.

"Whoa, what’s all this!?"

'Ooh, shiny things are raining down!'

Was this the loot? The moment the Raremerat perished, a fountain of coins gushed out of thin air and clattered onto the floor. They looked like silver coins at first glance, but the design was entirely unfamiliar. The coins piled up until they formed a mound slightly larger than the rat itself. Then, a moment later, a long, thin object dropped onto the pile with a soft plop.

"The tail!"

Lowell rushed over to confirm. It looked like he’d gotten exactly what he wanted. I breathed a sigh of relief.

However, we didn't have a moment to celebrate.

"Whoa! What’s happening?"

'It's shaking!'

A low rumble vibrated through the floor, and the ground began to heave. It wasn't enough to knock us off our feet, but the tremors showed no sign of stopping. I’d heard of this phenomenon occurring in dungeons before.

"Could it be... a Dungeon Collapse!?"

If that were the case, we were in serious trouble!

"A Dungeon Collapse? Are you sure?"

"I don't know for certain, but if it is, we’re in danger! We've got what we came for, so we need to get out of here now!"

"Right!"

No one argued. We nodded to one another and bolted from the room, racing toward the entrance. As we ran, I focused on the pile of mysterious coins, willing them to be stored; luckily, the Storage Ring was flexible enough to vacuum them all up in one go.

Eina was the slowest runner among us, so Zephyr had already scooped her up like a sack of rice. The fact that he could keep pace with us while carrying her spoke volumes about his incredible stamina.

The tremors didn't stop. If anything, they were getting violent. I didn't know how fast a collapse progressed, but this wasn't looking good. Fortunately, the exit wasn't far. Since the dungeon was small, the sprint to the surface was short.

'There’s the exit! Everyone, move!'

Shiroru took the lead, barking encouragement as the exit came into view. The shaking was so intense now that we probably wouldn't have been able to keep our footing if it weren't for our enhanced adventurer physiques.

Just as we scrambled out of the large hole, a massive roar thundered through the earth. The impact resonated through our very bones, even outside the dungeon. But as quickly as it had begun, the vibration ceased. Then, silence returned to the ruins.