Chapter 29: Lord of the Hierarchy
The enormous husk of the labyrinth worm, where the Lord of the Hierarchy resided.
Greon and I each placed our hands on the crack and exerted all our strength to open it.
The moment we touched the husk, there was a tingling sensation, as if an electric current was flowing, and my arm went numb, but I continued to apply force. Greon, who surpassed me in both physique and strength, was the first to peel back. Cecily placed her hand on Greon's side, and Lina placed hers on my side, adding more strength, gradually widening the crack.
"Let's go."
Laruc swiftly slipped into the triangular opening near the ground.
At that moment, everyone in the party who was connected by formation felt the air inside as if it was their own.
The magical power was dense.
The depth was vast.
And there it was!
At the farthest end of the extensive husk, which continued nearly a hundred steps ahead, bones and skins of something were piled up, and there was a single monster there.
When Beth and Carena followed through the crack, the gap had significantly widened, allowing Cecily and Lina to pass by bending down.
At that moment, a low growl could be heard. They had been noticed.
"Go ahead!"
Greon released his grip and slid in, his voice urging me to do the same.
At the same time, a swooshing sound echoed, and an arrow flew in.
I thought I wouldn't make it in time, but then Beth chanted something.
With a metallic sound, the arrow bounced off an invisible wall. Invisible... no, when I focused my eyes, I could see a glass-like transparent wall unfolding, covering the women.
So this is Beth's "Magic Shield." It saved us.
The second and third arrows that followed were accurate as well, seemingly more powerful than yesterday's kobold leader's arrows, but at this distance, at least Beth's magic seemed capable of blocking them.
The figure that appeared in the distant field of view was labeled "
Indeed, they had a higher level than us, but the level difference was not large enough to overwhelm us with a 6-to-1 advantage.
The problem was how to attack.
"Do you plan to stop their attacks as well?"
Greon, who came out late, asked, and Beth answered, keeping her gaze fixed forward.
"Unfortunately, probably. Also, I'm doing my best to maintain the shield."
It seemed that she had to continuously consume MP to sustain the shield. So Beth couldn't use offensive magic.
Laruc, who had disappeared from sight and emerged from the shadow of the shield, retaliated with her bow, but it seemed too far to hit accurately. Since the kobold road had six targets, it would be advantageous for us to aim.
Moreover, it seemed that shooting an arrow would break the stealth skill because the kobold road's arrows began targeting the defenseless Laruc.
Laruc hastily stopped shooting and returned.
"Let's switch to yesterday's plan."
I said that and conjured a ceramic shield. However, this time it was half as thin as yesterday's.
Consciously envisioning a sturdy shield with the newly obtained "amazing clay." The image material came from seeing Beth's magical shield.
Greon and Cecily support the created shield. It seems that even with female hands, it can be supported now that it has become lighter than yesterday.
As for its essential strength... Arrows hit it, but it's fine.
However, unlike a magical shield, this one is opaque, and I can't see what's in front. So, I start making a few small peepholes in the large shield.
"Beth, switch to attack magic."
Karina gives instructions.
I replace Cecily and support the shield, while Cecily and Karina switch their weapons to bows and arrows and aim through the peepholes.
For a while, the exchange of arrows continues, but the Kobold Road moves swiftly, seemingly avoiding the arrows.
Then Beth releases a burst of flame, but even that is evaded.
"We need to get closer."
At Cecily's plea, Greon and I raise the large shield in sync and start moving forward.
Even with the two of us, it's barely manageable, but with Cecily joining us, our speed has increased compared to yesterday when there were four men.
The Kobold Road seems shaken by the approaching large wall.
When we get to a distance of about 30 steps, Beth releases her magic from behind the shield once again. Finally, the swirling flames engulf the Kobold Road, enveloping its upper body in fire.
Is it settled now? I thought, but...
"Gwaaah!"
Letting out a scream, the enemy's appearance began to change. What's going on?
When the flames subsided, what stood there was a giant wolf-like figure.
I felt like I saw such a display, but it disappeared from view and instantly leaped towards us. Surround it? No, that won't work!
It leaps over Laruc and Karina's arrows, and directly above the large shield, it leaps over a height of over two meters and comes crashing down headfirst.
The only one who had their sword ready, Lina, protects everyone and cuts upwards from below.
With a clanging sound, the sword is repelled, and Lina is kicked away by the Magewolf's front paw.
A tremendous impact runs through my left shoulder as I turn around, and I'm knocked down.
"Get away from the shield!"
Greon and Cecily give up holding the shield and disperse everyone. Laruc, who sneaked up behind the Magewolf, thrusts a dagger into its rear.
Nasty, but nice move.
As the Magewolf roars and tries to turn around, we, who have thrown away the shield, surround it.
Enduring intense pain, I take aim with my right hand and create a clay enclosure.
However, it instantly creates a hole in the clay wall with a momentary collision and attacks Beth, who was in front. Once again, I create a ceramic wall, this time fully hardened, to appear in front of me.
A crack appears in the charging demonic wolf.
However, they bought a moment of time.
At the moment the ceramic wall shattered, Beth completed her incantation, and the demonic wolf was engulfed in flames. However, the mass of flames continued its momentum and threatened to engulf Beth. Just as her small body froze in fear, the delicate body of Lina, who was still fragile, leaped from the side and pushed the demonic wolf away.
The demonic wolf, who failed to take its final prey with it, fell to the ground and finally stopped moving, accompanied by the smell of burning flesh.
For a while, everyone was unable to move and breathed heavily.
In addition to the pain in my shoulder, my consciousness was hazy from depleting my MP. For now, I "cleaned up" the large shield and walls and replenished a small amount of MP.
I felt slightly better, but there was still a sensation of MP draining away, making it difficult.
Lina was also exhausted. Her left shoulder, covered in armor, albeit made of soft vinyl, was roughly torn apart, and it was pitch black inside. However, it seemed that something was escaping from there instinctively.
I crawled over and pressed my right hand against Lina's shoulder wound. It felt like a tingling sensation, similar to when I touched the discarded shell of a worm.
"Shiro... What should we do?" Karina asked, sensing that something serious was happening.
"I'm not sure either... But I think Lina and I might be connected somehow."
"Karina-sama, about that doll..."
Beth exclaimed as if she had sensed something. Karina seemed to understand.
"Is that so? Let's give it a try."
Karina applied the same "healing" as for human injuries to the tear on Lina's shoulder. In an instant, the hole closed up, and along with it, the pain in my shoulder faded away.
"I read somewhere that a magical link can be formed between a familiar summoned by summoning magic and the spellcaster... However, normally, even if the familiar is killed, the spellcaster doesn't die. But if the spellcaster is injured, the summon beast is also injured..."
"But in that case, would it mean that Lina is the master and Shiro is the subordinate?"
Both Beth and Karina seemed bewildered as they explained.
I had no idea either. However, it seemed that if Lina was injured, I would also be hurt. Does that mean that if something were to happen to Lina, like her being destroyed, I would die too?
When I looked at Lina, she was silently staring at me.
If dolls could have a complexion, maybe it was just my imagination that she seemed pale?
However, even though I'm aware that I'm usually insensitive to people's feelings, I don't think it was just my imagination that her expression seemed to contain sadness or loneliness, or some kind of such emotions.