Thanks to Set’s King’s Intimidation, Rei and his companions finally managed to clear the forest. However, waiting for them right in their path was a two-meter-tall Rare Species Water Monkey.
"…Is it just me, or did we walk right into their trap?"
Ara muttered the question to no one in particular, her voice tinged with disbelief as she gripped her Power Axe. Elena, who had overheard her, shook her head in disagreement.
"No, that’s unlikely. If they had truly lured us out, they would have gathered far more forces than this."
At Elena's remark, the others took a moment to re-examine the enemy's numbers.
The most prominent figure was the Rare Species Water Monkey. Surrounding it were several Water Monkey Retainers, each standing just over a meter tall. Further out, more familiar monsters like Fang Wolves, Poison Toads, and Goblins filled the ranks. There was even a single Lizardman equipped with a scimitar and a shield. Just as Elena said, their numbers were relatively small—about thirty in total. And then…
"Look behind them. There it is—the thing we’ve been searching for."
Following Elena’s gaze, the group looked past the monsters. There, they saw the stairs to B5F.
"Our goal is to reach that lower floor… Rei, if we leave that Rare Species here, do you think it will pursue us?"
"I can't say for certain. However, the trap at the end of B2F utilized spider silk, and we were attacked by a Giant Spider the moment we reached B3F. Given that pattern, the possibility of it following us is quite high."
"Then we have no choice. They’re still aiming for our backs as well."
Elena glanced toward the forest they had just exited. Swarms of Water Monkeys were gathered among the branches. For the moment, however, they were frozen in place, kept in check by Set’s menacing glare.
"Leave the enemies in the rear to Set. Everyone else, wipe out the Rare Species and the rest of those runts. Move!"
Rei’s eyebrows twitched slightly at Elena’s command. As he charged toward the swarm ahead, he threw a quick instruction to his partner.
"Set, keep an eye on those monkeys in the trees!"
"Guruuuu!"
With Set’s battle-ready cry at his back, Rei moved to cover Elena’s flank while lost in thought.
(Set’s power is certainly enough to hold that swarm back. But still, for her to entrust our rear to Set—a creature tamed by a man she was practically threatening just minutes ago—is quite something. Is she just that bold? Or did she simply consider the risk of me abandoning them and decided it was worth taking?)
Even as these thoughts crossed his mind, the distance between them and the waiting monsters rapidly closed.
The monsters had no intention of letting the adventurers strike first. Fang Wolves and Goblins lunged forward to test their mettle.
"Flame, obey my will and burn the enemy."
Rei poured magic power into his chant, manifesting a Fireball at the tip of his Death Scythe. He swung the massive weapon wide.
"Fireball!"
The orb of flame streaked past Ara and Kyuste, who were leading the charge. It slammed into the center of the enemy vanguard unit, erupting into a violent explosion.
Goblins and Fang Wolves were incinerated before they could even scream. The monster troop, their opening momentum utterly shattered, hesitated to take another step.
"Ara, Kyuste, annihilate anything in your path. Vel, suppress the Water Monkeys trying to cast magic. Rei, circle around and hit them from the flank!"
Elena seized that moment of hesitation to issue her orders. The three of them moved in a fluid, practiced motion to execute the plan.
Ara’s Power Axe came down in a Vertical Cleave, literally splitting a surviving Fang Wolf in two. Kyuste’s Magic Spear pierced a Goblin’s torso, killing it instantly. Any Water Monkey attempting to launch a Water Ball found its actions interrupted by Vel’s precise arrows. Elena herself wove through the chaos, her whip-sword clashing against the Lizardman that had lunged at her.
Rei felt a renewed sense of admiration for their flawless coordination as he broke away, making a wide detour around the main skirmish.
Behind them, the monkeys in the trees saw their leader engaged and tried to intervene, only to be pinned by Set’s piercing gaze.
The gap in their status as monsters was already vast, but with King’s Intimidation active, the monkeys were stripped of their characteristic agility. More than that, the primal fear of certain death kept their feet rooted to the branches.
Rei took a split second to confirm the stalemate in the rear before plunging into the side of the enemy group. Since the wolves, goblins, and the Lizardman had already been deployed to intercept Elena’s unit, the Rare Species’ personal guard was thin. Only four of the larger Water Monkey Retainers remained, along with three Poison Toads that had been too slow to join the initial fray.
Rei came to a halt once he was within range and began his incantation.
"Flame, become arrows that burn all and fall like rain."
As the spell took shape, arrows of fire about the length of a man’s arm manifested around Rei. There were approximately fifty of them.
The Rare Species finally noticed the sudden appearance of the flaming projectiles and snapped its head toward Rei. Sensing the sheer power behind the magic, it frantically tried to bark orders to its retainers—but it was too late.
"Shower of Flame Arrows!"
The magic triggered. The fifty-plus arrows floating behind Rei shrieked through the air, following the downward sweep of the Death Scythe. They rained down exactly as the name suggested.
"Kikikiki!"
Water Monkeys shrieked in terror. Rei didn’t expect this to wipe them all out, but he hoped it would at least injure the Rare Species. However, the monster took an action Rei hadn't anticipated.
"Kiki!"
It reached out, grabbed a nearby Poison Toad, and held it up as a living shield against the rain of fire.
Seeing their leader’s example, the other Water Monkeys scrambled to grab their own Poison Toads to use as shields.
Then came the impact. The flame arrows slammed into the living shields and the slower Water Monkeys who had failed to find cover.
The arrows that missed the targets struck the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust that enveloped the area like a thick smokescreen.
"Sleipnir's Shoes, activate!"
Rei didn't hesitate. He triggered his magic boots and sprinted upward, taking three steps into the empty air.
Several Water Balls streaked through the dust cloud, but they had no hope of hitting Rei in his aerial position. They splashed harmlessly against the dirt below.
Having ascended ten meters, Rei watched as the dust began to settle. The effect of the Sleipnir's Shoes wore off, and he began his descent.
An aerial ambush following a distraction—the flame arrows had been nothing more than a setup for this.
He searched for the Rare Species as he fell, but the dust cloud was still thick enough to obscure his vision.
(Tch, I can't pick out the leader… Fine, then!)
He was already only five meters from the ground. Knowing he would lose the advantage of the surprise attack if he waited any longer, Rei swung the blade of his magic-infused Death Scythe at the first shadow he saw.
"Haa!"
"Gi!?"
He felt the resistance of flesh and bone as he tore through the target with a Vertical Cleave.
"…Tch."
Rei clicked his tongue as the dust cleared, revealing the bisected remains of a Water Monkey Retainer, not the leader.
Suddenly, he heard the whistle of air being sliced behind him. Reflexively, he dropped into a low crouch.
"Kikikiki!"
While still crouched, he swung the shaft of the Death Scythe in a wide arc behind his back. The heavy metal handle connected with a sickening thud against meat and bone.
"Kiki!"
The sound was followed by a body collapsing and a pained shriek. Rei spun around and unleashed an upward slash from his low position, severing the neck of the fallen Water Monkey.
Glimpsing a larger shadow to his right, he kicked the severed head toward it. He followed immediately after, closing the gap with his Death Scythe at the ready.
"Kiki, kiki!"
The shadow was massive compared to the others. While most Water Monkeys were smaller than Rei, this creature stood a full head taller—the Rare Species.
It swung the charred Poison Toad corpse it had used as a shield, batting away its companion’s head. Then, it opened its maw wide at Rei.
An instinctual chill ran down Rei’s spine. He threw himself to the side just as the creature spat a glob of purple liquid.
"Kiki!"
Enraged that its target had escaped by a hair’s breadth, the Rare Species opened its mouth again. Rei prepared to dodge once more, but…
"Kikikiki!"
The two remaining retainers lunged at him from both sides, claws bared to pin him in place.
"Rei!"
As Elena called his name, a streak of light danced through the air. It was a strike from her whip-sword. The swift, precise blow tore through the throat of one of the monkeys in an instant. Simultaneously, an arrow from Vel struck the other retainer’s leg, stumbling it.
Seeing his opening, Rei dodged the wounded monkey’s reach and shoved it from behind. The creature stumbled right into the path of the purple liquid spat by the leader. Unable to avoid it, the retainer took the liquid full in the face.
"Gigigigikikikikikiiiii!"
The monkey collapsed, thrashing and screaming. It clutched its face, but Rei could see through the gaps in its fingers—its flesh was melting away like a candle, exposing the white of its skull.
"Tch, some kind of dissolving liquid!"
Rei brought the Death Scythe down, ending the creature's suffering. Now, only the Rare Species remained.
The leader glared at Rei and the approaching Elena, its throat swelling as it prepared to spit again.
(…What’s the move?)
Killing it wouldn't be hard, but the dissolving liquid was a major threat. It could only fire in one direction, though. If they all rushed at once, it would be over. But who would volunteer to be the bait? Then, Rei noticed the creature's right shoulder.
There, despite the water covering its body, was a deep, bleeding gash.
In that moment, Rei understood why they had been targeted so relentlessly. It was the spear he had thrown in the forest. That wound had driven the creature’s vendetta.
(That makes this easy.)
"Lady Elena," Rei called out, not taking his eyes off the boss. "I’m going to bait it with a spear. It has a grudge against me, so it’ll focus everything on my position. Take it down while it’s distracted. Stay at mid-range to avoid that liquid."
"…I see. This whole mess started when you threw that spear, didn't it? Very well. Just watch your step."
Elena nodded, readying her whip-sword as she realized the situation.
"Kiki, ki, kikikikiki!"
Rei took a deliberate step forward, thrusting the hand holding the Death Scythe out toward the monster.
"Kiki?"
The Rare Species looked confused for a moment. Right before its eyes, Rei withdrew the Death Scythe into his Misty Ring.
"Kiki!?"
Ignorant of the concept of an Item Box, the creature became agitated as the giant weapon vanished. It stayed on guard, ready to spit, but its caution was instantly drowned by a wave of pure fury. In the small man’s hand, a familiar weapon had appeared.
It was a spear—identical to the one that had torn open its shoulder.
"Kikikikikii!"
Driven by pure instinct, the Rare Species launched its dissolving liquid at the man it hated most.
"Right where I wanted you!"
Rei had been waiting for the tell. He sidestepped the projectile with ease. In that same heartbeat, Elena’s whip-sword lashed out, its segments extending into a metallic coil. The blade at the tip of the whip-sword drove straight through the Rare Species Head.