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176 – The Tenth Stratum – The Realm of Demons and The Awakened Interceptors 8 / Events 3

To the Adventurers, the reborn tenth stratum might sound like trouble, but even though they are fighting the same Monsters doesn’t mean that they pose the same threat that they did before.

Even if they are summoned with brand new Avatars, there are unavoidable problems.

Take the Vampire Queen Carmilla for example.

She was able to drive the Adventurers into a corner last time because of her plan involving blood-sucking leeches, in addition to her abilities.

Even if an Avatar were to eat food, that wouldn’t become nutrition for the main body.

Even if an Avatar were to suck blood, that wouldn’t become strength for the main body.

Therefore, she cannot use that power for her rematch with the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor.

Kimaris couldn’t use the ghosts that were destroyed previously, and the Time Demon Agares was summoned not long after he started replenishing the spent Magical Energy in his horn.

Carmilla and the Impaling Daughter Haagenti put up a hard fight as normal Vampires, but they failed to murder Herv, who is a descendant of those bathed in dragon blood.

The Chief of the Werewolves Marchosias demonstrated his power as a Floor Boss and overwhelmed the Destroyer Fran, who is simply strong, and I almost thought he had her.

He managed to break her grotesque right arm which greatly reduced her mobility.

Her right arm, which caused nothing but uncharacteristic violence, has now become nothing but dead weight.

However, she let Marchosias’s claws sink into her right collar.

Doing that, she was able to tear off her right arm from the joint.

In that state, she threw the severed arm at Marchosias, then attacked him while his guard was down, biting his windpipe.

It would have been impossible to kill Marchosias in that kind of situation.

But in this battle, that Destroyer is the exception among exceptions.

A rare, illogical existence.

Perhaps related to her growing up with Wraith, she normally looks and acts well behaved.

But her actions in getting out of that predicament and defeating Marchosias were bizarre.

By the time Ewan reached the second area, all the Monsters were annihilated.

Ewan met up with Fran, who took a Repair Potion to stop the bleeding, and Herv who said 「I like your style!」to Fran as she supported her by carrying her side.

In terms of the scale of battle, the one in the third area can be said to be the largest.

The Ruler of the Waters Vepar summoned a fleet of pirate ships and she wielded Water Magic.

The Eloquent Thrush Lord Caim poured all his strength into attacking, creating large-scale Wind Magic.

First off, Wraith dived underwater to destroy the fleet from below.

He would blow a hole in the bottom of the ship and then use Wind Magic to capsize it.

He overpowered them in the aquatic Monsters’ own field, but Vepar could not allow that.

You would know if you watched him that he is particularly good at using Wind Magic.

Possibly the influence of having Aerial as his teacher.

No matter how talented a Hero he is, he isn’t perfect in every element.

He is very good at creating the illusion that he’s good at every element, but there is a difference in proficiency with each one.

From most proficient to least, the order would probably be wind, water, earth then fire.

Due to the bad weather and the Water Blade, he can’t freely fly around, and Vepar in the sea and Caim in the skies block his way.

He could or might have been able to force his way through like Aerial did.

But…

「I guess even the Water Hero can’t get away from water-users, huh?」

「How about borrowing the power of the Spirit? I’d love to see it in action, boy.」

「…Sorry lady, I’m not gonna use it.」

Wraith has another problem he has to deal with in order to pass through.

Magical Energy.

Magical Energy-related abilities are hard to develop. This applies to Heroes as well.

The only way is to increase the maximum amount little by little by continuously using the Magical Energy organ.

The Frost Hero Bella is an excellent Adventurer, but in the Fenix battle, she used the time in between her magic spells to regenerate her Magical Energy. She knew of the necessity to fight while considering such things.

Even if Wraith has been training and training since he was a child, there is a limit.

In Bella and Ewan’s cases, they are Spirit Contractors. In times of emergency, they can borrow the Magical Energy from the Spirit.

But Wraith, on the other hand, refuses to make a contract.

Not only can he not receive Spirit Magic, but he can’t receive a blessing of Magical Energy either.

The youngest age one would start as an Adventurer if they had gone through School would be thirteen-years-old, but Wraith flew right past that stage and took part in a Raid Battle at the age of ten.

With how he rushed through each area and the flashy way he fought in this area, he used a considerable amount of Magical Energy.

Unlike the other strata, you can’t set your affairs in order after defeating a Boss-class Monster.

He has to break through to the final area as he is.

Perhaps taking that into consideration, Wraith takes up a defensive stance.

Thinking that, Vepar began to attack him, but the truth is, her assumption was wrong.

「You’re late, Ewan.」

「We came as fast as we could.」

The two young Heroes exchanged smiles.

He believed that the comrades in the previous areas would catch up with him, so he was waiting.

「Oh, I’ll leave the Fish Men to you, Herv.」

「Huh?」

On what’s left of the sand pathway, the Fish Men warriors detected Herv and Fran and came up from beneath the sea.

Wraith didn’t say anything to Fran.

Their eyes met, and that was it. It was more than enough.

Even I know how easy a battle will become once you can leave the other enemies to your allies.

By the end of the fierce battle, both Vepar and Caim were crushed.

Herv tore the Fish men apart and threw them away, tore them and threw them away, over and over until they were all defeated.

「…I’m pretty sure you would have been able to take them all on by yourself.」

「Meh, I just thought it’d be a lot easier if I had help.」

Ewan and Wraith were franker with each other than before, cracking jokes.

Returning to the sand pathway, he looked at his childhood friend again.

「Hey, your arm…you gonna be alright?」

「Mm.」

「Alright.」

What each person saw when they went towards the fourth area was a smoldering and smoking battlefield and the form of the Thunder Hero Scathach…on his knees.

There was no one else around.

「Sir Scathach!」

He turned his head slowly towards the rushing Ewan.

「Yo Fiver, you dead?」

He laughed in response to Herv’s voice.

「Unfortunately not, you muscle girl.」

Scathach glossed over his stab wound in the abdomen with a Repair Potion and was resting to regenerate some Magical Energy in order to head towards the final area.

Aerial destroyed Furcus’s armor and went towards the final area before her true body came out of it.

「Furcus and Agares were here? You defeated them by yourself?」

Scathach stood up while nodding at Wraith’s question.

「Aerial’s the one who took care of Furcus’s armor, though. But even then, she was hell to deal with.」

Furcus had no armor, and Agares did not have Magical Energy from his horn to rely on. But even then, they are both formidable Floor Bosses.

The Reaper Knight is the mightiest martial artist and the Time Demon has an incredible Magical Energy organ.

In the fourth area, Scathach used Thunder Domain twice.

It is a Technique where he runs around the field as fast as lightning, slashing his foes with his Holy Sword as he goes.

Most of the enemies were defeated with the first use, but the Floor Bosses didn’t die.

Usually, it is a skill that is so fast that even the user can’t aim with it, but Scathach is a rare individual who has complete control over it.

But having the ability to aim means provoking Furcus to counterattack.

If there is intent, my sword master will read it and match it.

I learned that much from the Tag Tournament.

Scathach used Thunder Domain but he was stabbed by a spear instead.

As expected of him, he quickly put distance between them after an unexpected situation.

Thinking that he was read by Furcus, he decided to use it a second time but relinquished control this time.

He ran around the field at speeds that he himself had no idea when or where he will cut, wreaking havoc on Furcus’s ability to read his movements.

Knowing that an average lighting strike would not be enough to take down Agares or Furcus, he used Spirit Magic meant normally for groups to defeat just two opponents.

This is how he ran out of Magical Energy.

「Are Suuri and Hamill…」

「They…」

「No, the fact that you’re here means they won. That’s all that matters.」

Scathach frowned at the absence of his allies, but he quickly faced forward.

「Let us win this. For the sake of those two!」

「Hmph, you’re right.」

「Hey, I’m gonna go on ahead.」

Herv was already opening the door.

Scathach smiled wryly at her and started walking.

The number of Adventurers who reached the final area is…six.

The Storm Hero Aerial. There are several small lacerations on his whole body.

The Gale Hero Ewan. No noticeable damage.

The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor. She has made a full recovery thanks to her regenerative ability.

The Thunder Hero Scathach. There is a stab wound through his abdomen. Repair Potion was used.

The Water Hero Wraith. Minor damage.

The Destroyer Fran. Missing right arm. Repair Potion was used.

Unfortunately, every Hero that participated in this Raid Battle was permitted to enter the final area.

However, even still, I will not let them make it to the eleventh stratum.