It seems these clones roam the depths of the labyrinth.
Looking at this, the abilities of the "Apostles of Gemstones" are incredibly formidable.
It seems easier to take on Ruby and Emerald. Diamond rarely attacks, allowing us to strike freely, but I wonder how effective our attacks will be against it. Oh, having Ava with us might solve that problem.
As for Sapphire, if we can't catch it, our efforts are futile. Among us, only I could match Sapphire's speed. I'm curious how far my own speed can go... But wait, if we have Mihana with us, we should be able to handle it.
Amethyst's magic prowess is a bit overwhelming. If she keeps unleashing area attacks, we'll have no way to defend ourselves.
...Wait a minute! Are the others manageable?
"...Alright, I'll guide you to the 26th Apostle, so follow me," she said. It seemed she had been steering us clear of the earlier battle to keep us safe. As she spoke, Miba-san had already grabbed the reins of her steed, Sleipnir.
...Wait, aren't we supposed to head to the underground labyrinth?
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
I had completely assumed we would return to the underground city of Cobalt Blue and head to the labyrinth from there, but Miba-san instead rode Sleipnir toward the east from the Central Ruins. We climbed onto Snow's back and slowly soared eastward under her lead.
By the way, the swift Drake we had been traveling with was taken in by Miba-san's clan, 'Gekka.' Since they couldn't keep renting the swift Drake from the beast guild indefinitely, they decided to buy it outright. Miba-san then used the transfer magic circle at the ruins to take them to the clan home of 'Gekka' in the Elegant Kingdom.
To my surprise, there was a transfer magic circle right here in the Central Ruins as well. Naturally, this piece of information about its existence was classified, and I was reminded not to speak of it.
It seems that only royalty, nobility, and A-ranked adventurers are permitted to use this. Mostly, however, royalty and nobles don't visit the ruins, so in practice, only A-ranked adventurers can access it. The magic circle for teleportation is linked to the Water City, meaning traveling to the royal capital requires passing through there.
After waiting for Miba to leave her running Drake in the royal capital, we followed her lead, guiding our beasts of burden east toward a specific point.
"Hey, Miba, where do you think we're headed?" Trinity asked.
Although Miba's Sleipnir was considerably faster than my running Drake, it still couldn't match the speed of Snow, my Silver Rider Drake. As a result, Snow's pace felt surprisingly leisurely, matching Miba's speed. Perhaps bored by the slow atmosphere, Trinity decided to ask about our destination.
"Well, logically, it should be a point where we can enter another underground labyrinth. After all, there are several points that lead to the surface in this vast underground maze."
"You're not wrong. While there are several points available, their number is limited. The point in this direction is... probably over there."
"Hm? Ava, do you know that point?"
"I haven't been there myself, but I've heard rumors about it."
Was this information gathered when I was researching the 26 Apostles in the real world?
"Are we diving into the underground labyrinth from here?"
"Probably. It's not too far, so we should arrive soon."
As we spoke, a massive rock formation came into view, rising prominently amidst the sprawling grasslands.
It stood at an astonishing 15 meters tall.
"Wow, that's incredible! Is that—could it be what I think it is?"
Trinity gasped in awe at the sheer size of it.
I was equally astonished by its imposing presence.
"Yes, that's the rock ore said to yield the most mineral resources in this plain. The entrance to the underground labyrinth should be at the base of that rock."
Mihiba-san halted Sleipnir in front of the rock and got down.
We lowered Snow beside the rock and approached Mihiba-san.
"...Hmm, this is the main body of the 'Apostle of Gems.' If we fight the 'Apostle of Gems' here, we won't need to search for the Apostle in the labyrinth."
"...Huh?"
Mihiba-san's sudden revelation left me momentarily speechless.
It seemed Ava and the others were just as puzzled by Mihiba-san's words.
"Wait, are you saying this giant rock ore is the main body of the 'Apostle of Gems'?"
"...Hmm."
"So the fragments are in the underground labyrinth, while the main body is right up here?"
"...Hmm."
What the heck?!
There was a shortcut to fighting the 'Apostle of Gems' without descending into the depths of the labyrinth!
"...Or should we head to the underground labyrinth to find the clone?"
"No, if there's no need to search, it's better to stay here and avoid wasting time."
"Oh, so you intend to fight me here?"
Suddenly, a voice broke the conversation, and the rock gleamed, revealing a woman. Her long golden hair cascaded down to her waist, and her golden eyes sparkled with an otherworldly allure. At a glance, she was breathtakingly beautiful, yet there was an artificial quality to her presence that couldn't be ignored. Her figure was striking and well-defined, dressed in a suit and a tight skirt reminiscent of a corporate professional from the real world.
"...Ah, 'Apostle of Jewels,' it's been a while."
"Indeed, it has, Mihane. Your appearance before me indicates that you've come to challenge the Angel Quest, correct? But you've already defeated me. So, are they the challengers now?"
As she spoke, the golden-haired beauty— the 'Apostle of Jewels'— scrutinized us. After glancing at me and Trinity, she turned to Ava, her expression shifting to one of mild surprise.
"Hm, it seems you have some potential to challenge me. The massive stone behind me is the real body of the 'Apostle of Jewels, Gem.' I am the clone closest to it. However, if you wish to fight me, be prepared for what that entails."
With that, five identical women appeared before the 'Apostle of Jewels.'
However, their hair colors were different: red, green, silver, blue, and purple. This must be the clones that Bijin-san mentioned were residing in the underground labyrinth. But why summon all types of clones? I have a feeling this isn't going to end well.
"Challenging me on the surface means you will have to battle and defeat all six of these clones, including myself."
I knew it! But come on, Bijin-san, you didn't mention this! ...Well, thinking it over, I guess it makes sense. It was far too convenient to fight the "Apostle of Gems" above ground without going underground. Clearly, there's a corresponding risk.
"...So, you want to go down to the labyrinth and find the clones?"
Bijin-san asked the same question again. From a combat perspective, battling the clones in the underground labyrinth might indeed carry less risk. However, searching the labyrinth would take too much time. My answer was already decided.
"No, time is precious. I'm fighting the 'Apostle of Gems' here."
When I said this, Trinity made a displeased face, but unfortunately, she had no right to refuse.
"Also, given our numbers, I'll need to form a party that includes Bijin-san. Unless there's a rule that says someone who has already cleared a challenge can't attempt it again? I'm sorry, Bijin-san, but I need your help."
"No, there's no problem. Not just for me, but other apostles can be challenged as many times as you like."
"...I don't mind either," she said.
I checked with the 'Apostles of the Gem', and it seems that even those who have already cleared the challenge can attempt it again. Miba-san readily agreed to join us. Considering we were facing such a large number of Apostles, three of us would definitely struggle. Just having an S-rank adventurer like Miba-san with us would significantly reduce the burden.
"Well then, if everyone is ready, may I begin?"
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
In front of the massive Rock Ore boulder, six 'Apostles of the Gem' took their positions. At the back stood a blonde clone, with a purple-haired clone in front of her, and the front line held a silver-haired clone, flanked by red-haired, blue-haired, and green-haired clones behind her.
The silver-haired clone would defend against our attacks, while the green-haired clone would provide long-range support with magic. It seemed that the red-haired, blue-haired, and green-haired clones would serve as skirmishers.
Speaking of which, what abilities does the blonde clone possess? When I asked Miba-san, she informed me that the blonde clone is a complete entity, embodying all abilities. Seriously? That means there's a possibility that just that one blonde clone could wipe us out.
Should I send Miba-san to confront the blonde clone and hold her off? No, she's in the back, most likely fulfilling the role of commander.
Upon closer inspection, the other clones have blank expressions, resembling puppets that simply follow orders. As long as the blonde clone is issuing commands, she likely won't engage in battle herself.
Thus, our strategy would involve Miba-san keeping the silver-haired defender occupied while Ava, our wild card, counters the purple-haired clone's magic. The remaining red-haired, blue-haired, and green-haired clones would fall to me and Trinity.
If we're not careful, the silver-haired one could potentially defend against all our attacks. That's why we've decided to focus our efforts on the heavily armed Miba. Ava will undoubtedly have some countermeasures ready for our magic again.
"So, Miba, I want you to keep an eye on that blonde as soon as they make a move. It'll be tough on Ava, but she needs to handle both the silver-haired and the purple-haired enemies," I said.
"...Got it," Miba replied.
"Understood," was Trinity's response.
"Wait, seriously? A 2-on-3 situation? That's insane!" she exclaimed.
"It can't be helped. We're already at a disadvantage in numbers. A little recklessness is necessary," I insisted, pushing Trinity to accept our plan as we took our positions.
"Alright, I'm going in!"
As we concluded our strategy and readied ourselves, the "Apostles of Gem" charged at us. We, too, rushed toward them.
"Diamond, contain Miba! Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, take down the boy and girl. Amethyst, unleash a full-force attack on the cloaked swordsman at the back!"
For some reason, the orders from the blonde matched my own plans perfectly.
First to leap into the fray, Miba's attack was intercepted by a clone of the silver-haired foe. True to its defensive nature, the clone effortlessly absorbed Miba's S-class adventurer strikes. Meanwhile, while the silver-haired clone was occupied, Trinity and I closed in on the red, blue, and green clones.
I charge towards the blue-haired speedster. With the swiftness of the Sword Princess's One-Cut Style, powered by the Gale and Thunder techniques of the real world, I could match their speed. However, speed directly correlates with attack power; a fast strike can't be underestimated.
The blue-haired fighter lunges at me, wielding daggers in both hands. Their strikes hit with the force of a great sword, if not more. I dodge their attacks with the footwork of the Sword Princess's style, aiming to counter with my blade, The Unicorn, but my strike narrowly misses as they evade.
We exchange attacks, each of us deftly sidestepping the other's blows.
Meanwhile, Trinity faces the green-haired opponent. True to her combat-oriented nature, Trinity responds to the green-haired fighter's dagger techniques with her own, but the green-haired one seems to possess a unique ability. Occasionally muttering "Weapon Change," she switches her weapons and adapts her attacks accordingly. Trinity struggles to counter the ever-shifting offensive.
Then, the strength-focused red-haired fighter springs into action—coming straight for me. Working in tandem with the blue-haired opponent, they exploit the openings between their strikes, launching a powerful punch that cuts through the air.
I barely evade the blow, but the shockwave sends me off balance, inflicting minor damage. As I recover, the blue-haired fighter accelerates further, preparing for another assault.
**Second Gear**
Wait, is the speed increasing?! Until a moment ago, the pace was merely fast, but now it matches my own. All the earlier confidence has evaporated in an instant. Second gear likely means there could be a third or even a fourth gear, ramping up the speed even more.