Chapter 114 - Roaring Storm!
"Luke, what should we do?"
Ais looked at the swarm of bees approaching in the distance, a hint of worry in her eyes, and quietly sought Luke's guidance.
Over the past three years, she had grown accustomed to relying on Luke's decision-making whenever they were together. In this moment, it was no different.
To fight or not to fight?
Luke had considered this question since first spotting the Bloody Hive.
Honestly, he wanted to avoid a battle entirely. There was little to gain in facing such a vast number of low-level monsters.
While they would collect an abundance of magic stones and materials, Luke and Ais simply couldn't carry it all away.
With reluctance, Luke finally addressed Ais:
"We'll break through the swarm as quickly as possible. Our priority is eliminating the Bloody Hive."
With their plan decided, Luke and Ais simultaneously accelerated, transforming into streaks of blue and green light as they charged into the dense swarm of monsters.
This was a well-traveled route on the 24th floor, frequently used by adventurers.
If left unchecked, this troublesome group of mid-floor monsters would surely lead to the demise of many parties of unsuspecting adventurers.
Soon, Luke and Ais collided with the oncoming swarm. Without hesitation, they plunged straight into the battle.
Swish!
With each swing of Ser-Veresta, Luke effortlessly bisected Deadly Hornets, sending them plummeting from the sky.
On Ais's side, things were even simpler.
"Tempest!"
The gentle breeze surrounding Ais instantly transformed into a raging storm, clearing a wide swath around her in a single blast.
Despite the loss of their comrades, the Deadly Hornets relentlessly pressed their attack, using their sheer numbers to encircle Luke and Ais.
As the bodies of slain Deadly Hornets fell, another wave immediately took their place.
Their sharp stingers, coated in noxious purple venom, made for a horrifying sight.
For ordinary adventurers, these freely maneuvering aerial foes posed a serious threat.
The Deadly Hornets' tough exoskeletons, unique venom, and overwhelming numbers often meant certain death.
However, these threats held no sway over Luke and Ais.
The Deadly Hornets found it impossible to inflict any meaningful damage.
The Prana defense surrounding Luke deflected all of their attacks.
Their stingers bounced off his aura as if striking steel, producing sharp metallic clangs.
Ais was even more amazing. Her emerald winds held everything at bay. The Deadly Hornets couldn't even dream of approaching her.
The immense swarm proved incapable of halting Luke and Ais's advance.
Luke continuously formed Prana platforms beneath his feet, while the emerald wind propelled Ais effortlessly through the air.
Like piercing beams of light, they tore through the swarm's defenses, arriving directly before the Bloody Hive.
As they appeared, a torrent of orange-yellow mucus erupted from the hive, covering the sky as it surged toward Luke and Ais.
This mucus spray was the hive's sole attack.
While not particularly lethal, its high viscosity could completely immobilize an adventurer if struck.
Most often, the hive used this mucus in ambushes – sealing an adventurer's movements before the surrounding Deadly Hornets pierced through their defense.
Yet, against Luke and Ais's relentless advance, the Bloody Hive's counterattack felt desperate, merely an attempt to force them back.
"Ais, prepare for a decisive blow. Destroy the hive before the swarm catches up. I'll handle the mucus."
Seeing the mucus descending, Luke tightened his grip on Ser-Veresta and intensified his Prana output.
Simultaneously, vast quantities of reserve energy flowed from the Sword Sheath of Tranquility into his body, and then coursing into Ser-Veresta.
Boom——!
Replenished with a surging torrent of Prana, Ser-Veresta ignited.
Black flames enveloped the sword, consuming the pristine white blade and transforming it into a flaming black magic sword.
Luke swung the massive Ser-Veresta, unleashing its attack against the oncoming wave of mucus.
Hoo——!
It seemed as if the sky itself was ablaze! The boundless black flames incinerated the Bloody Hive's mucus with overwhelming destructive power.
Under Luke's precise control, the black flames passed harmlessly over Ais as she rushed forward.
The hive's counterattack had been completely neutralized, leaving it defenseless against Ais's final assault.
Locking onto the hive's magic stone, Ais softly began her chant:
"Lil Rafaga!"
As the third stage of Ariel's incantation was uttered, the emerald wind swirling around Ais erupted in a violent storm.
Ais's attributes soared in tandem with the raging winds.
Her sky-blue Sword Ale and emerald green Lil Rafaga shimmered together. In a flash of blue-green light, Ais slammed into the Bloody Hive.
Boom——!
Ais's blow detonated, obliterating both the hive and the wall behind it.
…
"Ais, how about it? Did you find anything?"
"No..."
After repelling the Bloody Hive, Luke and Ais had quickly dispatched the converging Deadly Hornets.
Now that the dust had settled, they searched through the ruins Ais had created.
After combing through the debris with no success, Ais walked to Luke and gently tugged on his clothes.
"I'm so sorry..."
"My attack must have been too powerful. I must have shattered the drop item."
Luke, who was in the middle of lifting a boulder, felt the tug and tossed the stone aside.
Seeing Ais's guilt-stricken expression, he struggled to find the right words.
They were currently searching for the drop item of the 'Rare Species: Bloody Hive.'
Any monster designated as 'rare' was guaranteed to possess valuable drop items.
For particularly challenging rare species like the Bloody Hive, their dropped materials often fetched prices several times greater than even the floor boss's giant magic stone.
This represented a tremendous opportunity for Luke and Ais, who were diligently saving to commission first-class custom equipment.
After all, vanquishing the Bloody Hive and clearing the swarm had consumed considerable time and effort.
Luke had even tapped into the Sword Sheath of Tranquility's energy reserves, while Ais expended a significant portion of her magic power and mental energy.
Unfortunately, Luke and Ais couldn't possibly collect all the blue-purple magic stones and 'Deadly Hornet Shell' materials dropped by the swarm.
Ais's earlier attack had also shattered the Bloody Hive's valuable high-level magic stone.
Thus, if they wanted this battle to be considered profitable, finding the rare species drop item was paramount.
"It's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up. I ordered you to eliminate the hive quickly. If the item was destroyed, the responsibility ultimately lies with me."
"Besides, drop items are always a matter of chance. Maybe this Bloody Hive didn't have one. This could just be bad luck."
Luke's words lifted Ais's spirits slightly.
"Let's keep searching. Since we've taken care of the nearby monsters, and there's now a hole in the wall, the dungeon shouldn't spawn anything too quickly."
"We'll look for a while longer, but if we come up empty-handed, we'll have to accept it and move on."
Heartened by Luke's support, Ais pushed her worries aside, focusing on the task at hand.
"Okay! I'll look over there again!"
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