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Mortal Combat on the 6th Floor, and the Meaning of Strength – Part 06

Realization dawned on Marius. The chimera had been waiting for an opening between the vanguard and the rearguard. Its biggest weakness was magic that nullified its magical membrane.

Marius and Gerhardt swiftly sprang into action.

“Woooaah!”

“Oooohhh!”

Gerhardt had already pulled back and was close to the chimera, while Marius surged forward, drawing the Blue Flash. A blue glow emanated from the blade.

The chimera crouched and dashed toward the group of mages just ahead.

“Stooop!” Kinga cried when he realized his comrades were in danger.

The mages, having just finished firing their spells, looked helpless. And what’s more, Kinga Wolf’s vanguard—tanks wearing lifeless faces—had fled instead of protecting the mages.

Victory was theirs. Grudgingly, Marius credited Gerhardt for the opportunity. The chimera might claim a few mages from Kinga Wolf, but Gerhardt’s strike would stop its movement, allowing the Blue Flash to finish it off.

The chimera stirred.

“Huh?”

Marius couldn’t believe his eyes.

It leaped once more.

“What?”

And where it landed—was a member of Azure Blade Nebula, the female Healer.

She stood frozen, unable to comprehend the situation. The chimera crushed her upper body with its foot. She was dead in an instant. Blood sputtered from the remaining lower half of her body.

Marius was utterly stunned. He had placed the magic gems under the care of the Healer, the magical stones required for using the Blue Flash. Needless to say, the stones were obliterated along with her.

He knew that the chimera possessed intelligence. That’s why he recharged his sword behind his shielders and incited Kinga Wolf to divert attention. But even after all his precautions, the chimera still knew. That the magic sword’s lifeline lay in those stones. That fact shocked him more than the death of his comrade.

The chimera turned, its gaze fixed squarely on Marius.

Then, it smirked. Like it was having a blast. Its expression betrayed not only intelligence, but a cunning and tenacity that surpassed Marius’s.

Every hair on his body stood on end. The chimera had them all in the palm of its hand the whole time. It retreated while taking hits from the spells to create a gap between the vanguard and the rearguard. All to eliminate the magic stones effectively.

In other words, the greatest threat to the chimera, the one thing that could jeopardize its life, was the Blue Flash.

The magic sword in Marius’s hand had run out of mana, its blue brilliance fading.

We should retreat.

Marius now fully grasped that the Blue Flash was the key to defeating the chimera. And if he lost it, there might be no way to kill the creature.

“Kyaaaah!”

Before he could announce their retreat, Liza, who stood next to the dead Healer, screamed. She had just finally comprehended what had happened in those few moments. Tears welled up behind her glasses as her body trembled. She stood rooted on the spot, eyes glazed.

The chimera glanced at Liza. It had chosen its next victim. Before he could even say anything, Marius instantly concluded that his next move should be to withdraw along with the Blue Flash.

It was a cautious, logical decision. It didn’t matter that Liza was loaned from the Church. That she held profound respect and affection for Marius.

“Lord Marius!”

Marius’s legs paused momentarily as he attempted to flee. He was looking at the chimera, not Liza. The creature was watching him. Even as Selyse, Sara, and Gerhardt were moving towards the chimera to help Liza, the chimera’s gaze remained fixed on Marius.

As if it were testing him. Provoking him.

The words from the entrance to the dungeon flashed in Marius’s mind.

“Those who walk the path of supremacy,
Those who seek wisdom,
Those who master the mystic arts,
Those who excel in cunning,
Those who possess bravery,
Accept my challenge.

The one who overcomes all shall learn the essence of magic—Runay-aas o Saak.”

Marius felt he didn’t fit into any of the descriptions on the monument. He came to a painful realization. That he was just a mediocre adventurer. It didn’t matter if he was Rank A. Without the spirit of an adventurer in his heart, he could never truly be called an adventurer.

Those who sneak away with a sword in hand are not adventurers. Nor are those who use their comrades who are begging for help as bait to flee.

“Damn it… Damn it!”

Marius broke into a run, clutching the now-dim Blue Flash.

“K-Keep firing!”

Balls of light streaked past Marius into the darkness. They struck the chimera, disrupting its magical membrane, but the beast did not care anymore.

The chimera exhaled a stream of black flames at its feet. The dead Healer was the first to be engulfed in the inferno.

“Run!” Sara grabbed Liza’s arm, pulling her to safety, but the flames pursued them relentlessly.

“Haaah!”

Selyse leaped into action, swinging her sword with all her might. The flames parted before her.

The White Ray Blade might be able to cut through the breath itself, but for just the edges of the flame, even an iron sword could deflect the attack.

“Take that!”

Gerhardt also brought down his battle axe with tremendous force, pushing back the encroaching flames.

“Thanks, Selyse!”

Flames licked at Marius’s heels, but he gathered his strength and leaped. The chimera seemed taken aback by his bold move.

“Haaaahhh!”

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though the Blue Flash regained its brilliance, though that might have been a trick of the light. Marius’s slashing strike cut across the chimera’s face, tearing its left eye.

“Gyaaaah!”

Marius had landed a blow that preserved his pride as an adventurer.

“Marius!”

But it wasn’t a fatal strike. It was too shallow.

The chimera’s front paw swatted at him like a pesky insect, and he was sent hurtling, bouncing across the ground like a ragdoll.

“Marius!”

Selyse rushed over. Marius’s condition was far from stable. He had suffered multiple fractures and deep injuries. Just one direct hit resulted in this. The enemy was so powerful that even superior gear proved ineffective.

“We need to re—”

“Men! Stand your ground!”

Selyse was about to voice the same conclusion as Marius, when Gerhardt’s thunderous roar cut her off.

“If we take out one of its legs, we win!”

His words snapped the exhausted Beastmen back to their senses.

“Swords work! Go!”

“Hell yeah!”

The group surged forward toward the chimera.

“Tch! We’re not letting them take all the glory! Move out!”

Kinga also rallied his comrades.

Gerhardt’s decision couldn’t be deemed wrong outright. With the mages from Kinga Wolf present, whittling down the chimera while nullifying its magical membrane was indeed a viable strategy.

Marius was incapacitated. Many failed to grasp the gravity of the situation, and their spirits remained high. But amidst the chaos, Gerhardt glanced at Selyse, his eyes conveying a silent message.

He knew. The Blue Flash was now useless. He was telling them to leave while they bought some time. As long as the Blue Flash survived, there was still a glimmer of hope against the chimera. Taking the magic sword out of this place would help them next time.

Once again, Gerhardt sought to stall for time.

“Selyse.”

A feeble voice reached her. Marius was regaining consciousness.

“Marius!”

“Lord Marius!”

Liza, her face streaked with tears, hurried over and started applying healing magic. But Marius’s focus remained on Selyse.

“Take this… with you.”

In Marius’s grasp was the Blue Flash. Despite his grave injuries, he refused to let it go.

“Wh-Why?”

“I know… you can…”

Marius closed his eyes.

“Are you telling me to take it and run?!”

The sword in her hands suddenly felt incredibly heavy.

“Selyse!”

Sara, Serika, and Sophie arrived.

“What should we do?!”

Gerhardt and the others were fighting the chimera with their lives on the line, but even Gerhardt didn’t believe they could win this way. If Selyse took the Blue Flash and fled, they would likely initiate a gradual retreat.

There was only one option.

I’m not strong enough. I’m too weak!

What would Sandra do in this situation?

Even Marius, usually so composed, had launched a reckless attack.

She knew the right answer. It was to run away, to suppress her burning desire to fight.

But was that really acceptable? Was that what it meant to be a “strong” adventurer?

She gripped the magic sword tightly. At that moment, the Blue Flash in her hand began to tremble.

“…”

Selyse stared at the sword. It quivered as if it still wanted to fight.