Chapter 324 – Golden Hunger Wolf

After dealing with the monsters, I checked our situation.

“Any injuries?”

“We’re fine here.”

“Mm. No problems.”

“I’m alright too.”

Marlene also smiled when our eyes met. Yeah. Seems like there’s no problem.

The Storm Fangs had been charging recklessly regardless of our defensive positions due to their ferocity… but their movements had slowed and we managed to repel them well enough.

Now then… While having Sheila and Irmhild continue keeping watch, let’s start harvesting materials. Having repelled the first wave, we had quite a substantial amount of materials.

“What should we harvest?”

“For Storm Fangs, probably their fangs and fur. They’re materials that work well with Wind Magic, so I think they’ll fetch a pretty good price.”

From the Lesser Demons, we got a large quantity of fairly decent quality Magic Stones. We also extracted Magic Stones from the Troll and Cyclops. We collected the weapons the Troll and Cyclops had been using too. The Magic Stones from those two are of decent quality but…

“They’re still somewhat… lacking, wouldn’t you say?”

Rosemary said, looking at the Magic Stone in my hand.

“Yeah. Well… they’re not big catches like Flame Demons.”

We’ve obtained Magic Stones of sufficient Level to use in the Sonic Cannon, and they’re more than enough to contribute to the airship construction, so I shouldn’t be too greedy.

“What lies ahead from here?”

“For a while, it continues spiraling downward. We can’t avoid combat… but the structure is such that the Grand Corridor’s endpoint leads to a gate.”

When Grace asked, Claudia answered like that.

For now, let’s have the spoils sent outside.

And so, working quickly… after finishing the harvesting, as we proceeded further and further down, Sheila and Irmhild stopped.

“Enemies?”

“Probably enemies. They came out from behind the pillars. Not Basilisks or Cockatrices.”

“Humanoid… They’re slowly approaching us. This is—that monster we discussed.”

Irmhild took a stance with her Bow and, without hesitation, fired an arrow into space that appeared empty.

The sound of something kicking off the floor echoed. It must have dodged the arrow.

But before it could land, Irmhild’s second arrow, fired in rapid succession, caught it mid-air. The Light Arrow pierced the empty space, and a high-pitched scream rose.

An invisible monster. With an arrow in its throat, it revealed its form, tumbling across the Grand Corridor floor while scattering rainbow-colored bodily fluids. It writhed for a while but eventually stopped moving. A monster with skin possessing a strange, pearl-like luster.

It’s humanoid… but the shape of its arms is different. The parts from the elbows forward are like Katanas.

“Invisible Ripper. An invisible monster.”

The enemies requiring caution in the Full Moon Labyrinth aren’t just Basilisks and Cockatrices. For Full Moon Labyrinth countermeasures, we’ve prepared for other monsters we felt necessary to address.

Invisible Rippers possess the property of being unseeable during their activity. They’re quite nasty monsters that sneak up while transparent and slash you. They can’t fly but have high jumping power… even if you’re in the air, they’ll likely deliver Slash Attacks. That said, they don’t have much durability, and since we have Dragon Scale Armor, they probably can’t inflict serious wounds on us.

Well, Irmhild’s temperature sensing is effective, and it seems they can’t fool Sheila or Lavigne’s senses either. Even if someone else deals with them, there are countermeasures like generating mist or using wide-area attacks, so as long as we know they’re there, they’re not that scary of an opponent.

“What do you think about facing them? If they mix into a chaotic battle, can you handle them?”

Though we’re relying on Sheila and Irmhilt for detecting Invisible Rippers too.

“They have a unique smell. I’ll know even if they mix in.”

“They have body temperature but are invisible, so the incongruity stands out.”

Hmm. Seems like it won’t be a problem with these two.

“If there’s no problem, we’ll handle them.”

“Understood.”

The harvesting point from Invisible Rippers was those arms, huh? I hear if you channel Magical Power through them, you can create blades that become invisible. Ah—If we circulate them, that could be dangerous. Maybe it’s better to have the workshop process them and give them to Sheila.

As we proceeded downward while scattering the attacking Lesser Demons, Storm Fangs, and Invisible Rippers, Sheila and Irmhild stopped again.

Then, spreading their arms sideways to halt everyone’s movement, they said in tense voices.

“…Coming. Two large monsters…!”

“The shape of their body heat… probably a chicken. A lizard is coming a bit later.”

Just as Irmhild said.

From ahead in the Grand Corridor, a giant rooster’s comb peeked into view. Immediately, to block the view from high places, the dark Spirit Shade summoned by Marlene spread out a pitch-black space. The darkness created by Shade is one of our measures against Basilisks. We considered various methods like reflections and such, but ultimately, we just need to prevent eye contact. As the curtain of darkness spread, only the giant chicken feet and snake tail became visible near the floor level.

Slightly later, the Basilisk also seemed to appear from beyond the curve. The bipedal giant lizard’s legs and tail followed the Cockatrice. If it were just them, we could charge in and crush them as is, but—

“Invisible Rippers are coming too. Multiple of them.”

“We’ll handle them!”

As expected, they came along with other small fry. It’s better to have fewer uncertain elements in a battle against two major monsters. We’ll deal with the small ones first.

“Don’t go beyond the darkness. If there are too many to handle completely, it’s fine to let some flow over to us.”

“Mm.”

“Yes!”

“Then, Ignis will handle the Basilisk.”

Ignis, having received the order from Rosemary, charged into the darkness beyond. As Marlene raised her Ritual Rapier, Dullahan headed toward the Cockatrice.

Both have Resistance to Petrification. Ignis, being a Doll, is unaffected by petrifying gazes, and petrifying breath or petrifying beaks—poisons of that sort—don’t work on Dullahan. If necessary, I’ll have Balor fly out from here for support.

We can attack if we can see the foot positions, but we can’t have Balor open its eye… so we need to be very careful to ensure Ignis and the others aren’t in the line of fire.

“Grace, defend the Rearguard. Marie, don’t go to support Ignis either.”

“Yes!”

“Understood. I’ll focus on support from the rear.”

Marlene used the Lantern to create illusions of Ignis and Dullahan and had them charge at the Basilisk and Cockatrice.

For the third time, battle commenced in the Grand Corridor.

Sheila and Irmhild danced in the darkness. For the two of them, Shade’s darkness is no obstacle at all. Sheila glided flying low to the ground, wielding her Pearl Sword, and as Irmhild fired Light Arrows into empty space, Invisible Rippers fell one after another.

“Three! They slipped past to the rear!”

I know their positions. Because Ashley spread water on the floor. The Invisible Rippers stepped into the water surface. And there—.

“Grind Dust!”

A composite Magic of wind and earth. Hardened sand swirled into a war wheel, mowing down the general space where the Rippers probably were.

Rainbow-colored blood splattered around. Eclair’s Lightning Strike spread across the water’s edge, and one was scorched black. Two leaped and closed in on us. The Rippers, covered in fine wounds all over their bodies, were no longer invisible monsters.

“There they are.”

Grace’s Axe was unleashed with tremendous force, smashing the Ripper that was in mid-air.

The other one charged headlong into a Trap made of Rosemary’s Magic Threads, had its body sliced apart, and was then Penetrated by an ice bullet fired by Lavigne.

Next—the Basilisk and Cockatrice. Judging from the foot movements, Ignis and the Basilisk seem to be clashing with War Hammer and Claws. The scales are quite tough too.

The Cockatrice and Dullahan… seem to be flapping their wings and soaring into the air. Given that I can hear the sound of hooves galloping through the sky, they appear to be engaged in aerial combat. The Cockatrice’s beak seems to be quite strong too. I can hear the sound of Greatsword and beak colliding.

I charged Balor with Magical Power, increasing its power through circulation. The target should be—the Cockatrice. When it lands on the ground, I’ll blow its legs off before it crosses paths with Dullahan next.

“Wait. This is…!”

Then Claudia put a hand to her forehead and frowned.

“From below—a Guardian is climbing up at an incredible speed!”

Guardian… Coming here now.

“I’ll handle that one.”

Saying that, I fired the Magic Bullet without hesitation. Balor, transformed into a Light Bullet, Crushed the Cockatrice’s leg in a single strike. The Cockatrice, tumbling as it fell, had its chicken face turn this way. A face of shock. There, a Greatsword was swung down and its head was lopped off. I checked the foot positions of the Basilisk and Ignis. Balor drew a sharp-angled trajectory, reflecting off something to strike the Basilisk from the side. It’s the second shot, but—I don’t need to Penetrate. It’s enough if I distract the Basilisk for a moment.

Ignis’s step-in. Into the spot where Balor’s strike had landed, Ignis’s War Hammer blow was driven home. A sound like something shattering echoed, and the Basilisk’s legs stumbled.

Before I could confirm the Basilisk’s fall—something flew out from beyond the darkness, whipping up wind.

With golden shining body hair—it was a bipedal wolf. Tracking its movement with my peripheral vision, my eyes met its. I immediately charged toward it. It caught Ouroboros’s strike with its Claws wrapped in Fighting Spirit.

“Werewolf

Origin

(

Origin

)

——! Marlene! A Blessing!”

Claudia, having identified the Guardian’s type, said in a slightly urgent voice. As Marlene made a gesture of prayer, a Blessing enveloped our bodies.

Werewolf Origin. Those who were like that from birth. An ancient race said to have spread the Werewolf’s Curse throughout the human world.

In BFO, I heard information from a scholar NPC who deciphered Ancient Documents, but… is this that?

Using a Blessing is probably so that even if bitten, we won’t contract the Werewolf’s Curse. I see. With this, we can fight to our heart’s content.

The Werewolf showed movements as if trying to crush us with brute force, paying no heed to the Blessing.

I relaxed my strength, Parried, and performed a Form Shift. I flicked up the opposite end of Ouroboros toward its jaw, and the Werewolf, spinning greatly, leaped back to Dodge. It stayed airborne as if treading the sky.

It grinned. It bared its fangs and showed a ferocious smile. Excellent. A worthy opponent.