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Mortal Combat on the 6th Floor, and the Meaning of Strength – Part 07

Gerhardt’s battle axe bit into the chimera. But the chimera seemed unfazed. Gerhardt realized why—it was slowly healing its injuries. This gigantic monster had almost inexhaustible mana and vitality that regenerated its wounds.

The severed snake tail, however, had not regenerated.

So that’s it!

Superficial wounds were healable for the chimera. But severed limbs or deep wounds—those inflicted by the Blue Flash—could not be healed. In other words, they couldn’t wear it down bit by bit. That was why the chimera’s greatest fear was the Blue Flash.

Gerhardt realized his decision was correct. If Selyse fled with the magic sword, there was still a chance.

Get out of here, quick!

With some hesitation, Selyse grabbed the sword and its sheath and started running at full speed.

Good. We’ll buy you time!

He didn’t know how much longer they could hold the front line. Maybe not long, but at least until Selyse reached the fifth floor.

What would happen to him then? Would he sacrifice himself to keep his comrades alive? He wouldn’t disgrace himself by using his comrades as shields to survive.

I’m sorry, Jillarte.

Jillarte, his human deputy leader, came to mind.

In the battle to decide the leader of the Confederacy of Einbiest, the Ruler’s Rumble, they had fought as enemies, but afterward, Gerhardt appointed Jillarte as his deputy. Now, he sometimes thought of her almost like a daughter, though Jillarte’s father had once been Gerhardt’s rival.

The adventurers who came to their aid were undoubtedly sent by Jillarte. Gerhardt trusted Jillarte enough to believe that.

That might’ve been pointless, though.

The chimera’s strength far exceeded their expectations. For Gerhardt, who craved battles with powerful foes, it was the perfect opponent. Yet, he felt a pang of guilt for involving his comrades.

“Hyaaahhh!”

“Die, you monster!”

Even in the face of death, the Beastmen fought with exhilaration. Perhaps for them, this battle was a terrific one.

“Hey, monster,” Gerhardt’s throat, raw from days of shouting, trembled as he spoke. “Your opponent is me!”

Even the chimera couldn’t ignore Gerhardt. Kinga, fighting nearby, looked at him in shock.

Gerhardt charged and swung his battle axe. His attacks could land where the magical membrane had been dispelled. The chimera’s foreleg was slashed, emitting black miasma. Holding the chimera’s attention was Gerhardt’s task now.

The chimera, annoyed by the attacks, reared back on its hind legs and stomped down, shaking the entire space. Kinga and the others lost their balance, but Gerhardt leaped at that moment. His battle axe embedded in the base of the chimera’s foreleg.

“Shaaaahh!”

Gerhardt felt satisfied at the chimera’s screech. But the next moment, his eyes widened.

The chimera charged. It struck Gerhardt mid-air, sending him flying, then sprinted forward. The Beastmen couldn’t react in time.

Gerhardt didn’t need to check to know where it was headed. It was the fleeing members of the Four Eastern Stars.

“What?!”

Neither his desperate attack nor his tenacity mattered to the chimera. It was determined not to let them escape with the Blue Flash.

“Fuuuck!”

By the time Gerhardt got up, the chimera was already far ahead.

Selyse was running with the magic sword. She had told Serika, Sophie, and Sara that they were leaving with the weapon and to back her up with everything they’ve got. The three agreed immediately. The Four Eastern Stars understood each other so well that they didn’t need detailed explanations.

Gerhardt was fighting with his last ounce of strength. They had been battling demon-type monsters for days, ending with this enormous chimera. His resilience was nothing short of incredible.

But even that isn’t enough against that monster. This is the only thing that has a chance against it.

Selyse ran, gripping the sword and its sheath in each hand. They were two parts of the Blue Flash, though now its blue glow was completely dormant.

“Almost to the passage!”

“Keep running!”

Once they exited the cavern, it was a straight shot down the passage to the fifth floor.

Sophie gasped. “The chimera is heading straight for us!”

The chimera that Gerhardt was supposed to hold back was now chasing them. Each step of its massive body covered several meters, closing in at tremendous speed.

“Run! Once we reach the passage—”

“Leave it to me!”

The corridor was wide enough for the chimera to charge through, but the Four Eastern Stars knew how to use its shape to their advantage.

Without needing an explanation, Serika started channeling her mana while running. Sara entered the passage first, followed by Selyse and Sophie, with Serika bringing up the rear. When they glanced back, the chimera was less than a hundred meters away. It wouldn’t take five seconds for it to reach them.

Bursting with magical power, Serika’s fearless smile seemed to say that three seconds was more than enough.

The chimera screeched. Serika thrust her staff forward with both hands.

“Grand Earth Rage!”

Mana swirled around her, emitting a phosphorescent glow. In the next moment, the dungeon floor rose over a wide area. The raised ground formed a mound, completely blocking the passage. Even the chimera was so surprised it came to a sudden stop.

Marius, who had regained consciousness thanks to healing magic, and Gerhardt, who had picked up his battle axe again, both watched in amazement. High-level earth magic like Grand Earth Rage wasn’t uncommon, but seeing someone cast it so quickly and raise the ground so high was a first for both of them.

“Holy shit,” Kinga breathed. “No, wait! What the fuck are you doing?! How are we supposed to get out of here if you block the way?!”

“They did it.” Gerhardt grinned. This was good. This would trap the chimera here. “Wait, what’s it doing?”

The chimera opened its mouth wide and inhaled deeply. The breath it released was far more powerful than anything before. It hit the mound like a laser beam and exploded.

“Gah!”

“What the—”

“Kyah!”

The blast wave reached Gerhardt and the others, kicking up a massive cloud of dust that momentarily hid the chimera. Half of the mound was gone.

“What power,” Gerhardt murmured in astonishment.

He had never seen any magic this powerful in all the battles he’d fought. This chimera alone could easily destroy a castle.

Letting out a screech, the chimera crouched and charged at the mound. The remaining soil rumbled, scattered in the air, and the chunk of earth blocking the path started to clear. It slammed into it again. And then a third time. On the fourth hit, the chimera finally broke through the earth barrier and entered the passage.

In a rare occurrence, Gerhardt could only stand there, stunned by the chimera’s overwhelming power. Such a force was beyond any individual’s capability. It was like a natural calamity. The wrath of Mother Nature that made one realize just how insignificant they were.

Had the Four Eastern Stars reached the fifth floor? No, it was impossible in such a short time. The chimera would soon catch up to them. And not a single person would return alive from the sixth floor.

“What… What is that?”

What Gerhardt saw beyond the scattered debris he did not expect.

Serika, having cast the spell, nearly collapsed, and Sara caught her just in time. She had poured all her remaining mana into creating a mountain that would have taken dozens of people several days to construct.

“That was amazing, Serika!”

“Heh, heh… I’m totally spent, though!”

Carrying Serika on her back, Sara made her way to Selyse and Sophie.

“This will buy us some time. But… what about the others inside?”

Sophie knew what sealing the hole meant. The rest had to either defeat the chimera or advance to the seventh floor. If the seventh floor was similar, they would eventually run out of food. They didn’t even know if there was a seventh floor.

“We have to call for help immediately!” Serika said. “Sara, put me down, and you go on ahead!”

“But Serika…”

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Selyse said, looking beyond the passage Serika had sealed.

There was a tremendous impact, sending a shockwave that tingled their skin.

“What the heck?!”

“Is that the chimera?!” Sophie immediately recognized the chimera’s evil aura.

After a resounding crash, they could hear the chimera’s footsteps through the thinning wall.

Sara and Sophie immediately understood that the wall would collapse, and Serika knew she was too drained of mana to do anything.

Selyse alone was different.

“Step back, girls.”

“S-Selyse?”

Sara’s breath caught in her throat. At that moment, Selyse smiled.

There existed beings called demons. Born—or perhaps, one might say, spawned—in a completely different realm, they loathed, envied, and sought to consume the hopes and life of the people of this world. While they couldn’t come to this world whenever they could, when they did, they wreaked havoc, consuming life, devouring light.

The chimera was such a being. It detested the Beastmen that found it and aimed to slay it. The prolonged battle didn’t tire it, as it could absorb mana here. It despised the adventurers who came as reinforcements. When its snake tail was severed, it was driven into a frenzy.

However, the magic sword was a troublesome thing. It knew that with just one blow, the weapon could turn the tide like flipping a chessboard. Thus, it couldn’t allow it to leave this place.

The sudden appearance of a dirt mound produced by earth magic surprised it, but it knew it could break through with its breath and body slams.

After four body slams, the chimera finally obliterated the obstacle. It was certain it would catch up. And once it did, it would destroy the magic sword, ensuring victory.

Then, all that was left to do was to massacre them.

“Screeeech!”

At that moment, the chimera had let it guard down completely.

In all its previous battles, it had been surprised but had deflected every attack and outwitted every opponent. It had crushed the magic gems and elemental magic stones with its cunning. It believed that neither the Beastmen nor the adventurers had any moves left.

That was its mistake. For the first time, the chimera was careless. So, it couldn’t comprehend what it saw.

Beyond the dirt and sand stood four women. Why hadn’t they fled? Were they at their limit?

There was no time to think further. One of them was closer than the chimera had imagined, almost right under its nose. The chimera charged forward, ready to crush her within a second.

And then it saw. The magic sword in her hand. It was glowing blue.

“Die,” she said.

The chimera couldn’t stop its momentum.

In the dusty, debris-filled air, Selyse swung her sword. A blue flash sliced through the air.

The magic sword’s blue blade reached the chimera’s face, slicing from the tip of its nose, through its skull, down its neck, and through its torso.

The chimera’s body, thrown off balance, passed by Selyse without spraying blood, and fell into two halves beside the women.

“…Ah…”

It couldn’t even scream. It didn’t understand what had happened. Its massive body turned into black dust and vanished.

The slain chimera died without a sound.