Volume 5, Chapter 31 – The Beast’s Lair

“This is quite a number, indeed.”

“Wow, I wonder if there are more of them here than there were at the bottom of the valley?”

“Hmph, it is useless for trash to gather in mere numbers! Hah!”

The General dove headlong into the beasts, sweeping them aside in a single motion.

One after another, they were sliced to shreds and slammed against the walls.

“What are you idling for! Finish them off, quickly!”

I had been wondering whether I should use Purification Magic, but the General’s shouting made the decision for me.

The reason I had been hesitating is that I cannot use multiple instances of the same spell simultaneously.

I have no idea why, but while I can easily use Purification Magic alongside Healing Magic or a Barrier, I just can’t seem to cast another Purification spell while one is already active.

“The light is about to go out. Please be careful. Purification!”

I stopped the Purification light that I had been maintaining at my fingertip as a substitute for a lamp.

Then, I activated the magic to purify the entire room.

A dazzling light enveloped the space, and when it vanished, the underground chamber was plunged into almost complete darkness.

Since I am a Vampire, I could see without any problem, but for those without that kind of vision—including the General—fighting in pitch-black darkness should be difficult, right?

Or so I thought…

Rеαԁ οn KαtRеaⅾіnɡСafе

“Hah! Hah! Hah!”

In this darkness, the General continued to cut down the attacking beasts one by one, as if he could see them perfectly.

“Purification! Purification! Oops, Defense Wall!”

While purifying the beasts the General had cut down, I used a Defense Wall to guard against those heading toward us.

“I can see a little as well.”

As Shizuku-san said this, she leaped forward in front of the beasts, gripping the sword I had given her.

However, even with the eyes of a Black Fox, this level of darkness seemed to be too much; Shizuku-san looked like she was struggling quite a bit.

Though she lacked her usual sharpness, she still managed to gradually take down the Undying Beasts, likely because the opponents were so weak.

“Lu-chan! Could you ask Mashiro-chan to attack the Undying Beasts with Wind Blades? I’ve found that we can defeat them if we hit them with Purification Magic after they’ve been dealt a fatal wound.”

“I see! I’ll try that. Mashiro! Please!”

Lu-chan immediately summoned Mashiro-chan. Mashiro-chan, unfazed by the darkness, began shredding the beasts with Wind Blades.

As expected of a Wind Spirit. It seemed that not being able to see was no issue at all.

“Purification!”

I used Purification Magic on the Undying Beasts that had been felled by deep wounds.

At that moment, I noticed a lonely presence beside me.

Reаⅾ оո КаtReαԁіոgCαfe

“Um, Chris-san… um, could you guard our rear?”

“…Yes.”

Unable to fight in the darkness where her vision failed her, Chris-san looked a little—no, quite a lot—frustrated, but it couldn’t be helped. If she forced herself forward, she would get injured, and in the worst case, there was the possibility of a mutual kill.

Wait? But didn’t she say something about tailing someone with a swoosh or a whoosh or something? I forget, but she said something like that, didn’t she?

Maybe that was a case where it was only impossible if there was no light?

Shortly thereafter, we purified all the beasts in the room we had stormed. I think we defeated about 40 to 50 of them.

I honestly wonder how so many beasts could fit in such a small room.

“It seems there is still more ahead. Let us move.”

As the General prepared to advance, I called out to stop him.

“General, could you wait a moment? I want to recover my MP.”

Saying this, I leaned back against the wall and downed an MP Recovery Medicine in one go.

“Phew, it tastes as awful as ever. By the way, General, how are you able to cut down beasts you can’t see so accurately in this darkness?”

I asked, hoping to be of some help to everyone.

The General may spew nothing but insults and have a terrible personality, but his skill is undeniable.

“Hm? Why ask this now? You protected your attendants from those beasts as well, did you not? Is it not the same thing?”

Reaԁ οո ΚαtRеαⅾinɡСαfе

“No. I can actually see in the darkness with my eyes. I believe it’s different from you.”

“I see. So it is a special ability of the Saint.”

No, it’s actually a Vampire ability.

“A warrior, through training, becomes able to accurately perceive where the enemy is and what kind of attack they are launching without using their eyes. Especially when the opponents are such trash. If your attendants cannot do this, it means their training is lacking. Ah, though it may simply be a lack of talent.”

As the General spoke, he cast a disdainful glance toward Chris-san. Apparently, he could pinpoint Chris-san’s position even in the dark.

“Now, that is enough. Let us go.”

With that, the General headed toward the door that seemed to lead deeper inside, and then he kicked it open!

“Eh? Ah, wait!”

I hurriedly created a light with Purification Magic to secure visibility.

Beyond the door was a corridor, and naturally, it was overflowing with a massive number of Undying Beasts.

◇ ◇ ◇

From then on, it was a cycle: advance down the corridor and purify masses of Undying Beasts, storm a room and purify Undying Beasts, descend stairs and purify Undying Beasts.

For the first time in a while, I spammed Purification Magic so much that I nearly ran out of MP several times.

Because of that, I ended up drinking that foul-tasting MP Recovery Medicine over and over.

This might be the first time since the Mummy Disease incident that I’ve relied on so many MP Recovery Medicines in a single day.

Rеаԁ оn ΚαtRеadiոɡCаfе

“No, the numbers are truly staggering. Has it been nearly thirty times now? The number of times we’ve fought groups of beasts since entering this cave. Ah, there are surely masses of them beyond that door as well…”

Shizuku-san muttered with an exhausted expression. Personally, I couldn’t help but feel that this was all because Shizuku-san had compared the beasts at the bottom of the cliff to cockroaches.

“Shizuku-san, there’s a law that says if you say things like that out loud, they really will be there.”

“I-Is that so? Th-Then, that place over there must be the end. Therefore, there should be no more beasts.”

“Hmm, but if we’re talking about laws, there’s also the law that says it’s not the end and there are still beasts…”

“Then what am I supposed to do!?”

“Ahaha, it can’t be helped.”

“…Hmph, Fiene-dono is as impressive as ever. I am grateful.”

When I said that while laughing, Shizuku-san’s expression softened. I’m not entirely sure why, but it seems she interpreted it favorably.

A gentle atmosphere began to drift between us.

“Hey! Stop chatting! I’ll kick your asses!”

However, with this one shout from the General, the mood instantly snapped back to tension.

Translator Note

I think Chris’s skill is weaker than last time…?