The Last Trial is Easy?
«Guryuu-en Great Volcano» probably has fifty floors.
Since it was the current floor Hajime’s party was in. The “probably” part was because the floor’s situation was a little special. Frankly, they didn’t understand anything about the current floor.
But more accurately, Hajime’s party were currently on board a brown colored boulder, like a small boat, on the magma that was flowing like a big river, mid-air.
“It feels like Indiana-san in hard mode eh…” Hajime muttered while recalling the Earth’s most famous and too aggressive Archeologist.
As for the reason why they were in this situation… truthfully, it was Hajime’s mistake. Hajime’s party had noticed the magma that continued to scorch them, was sometimes making unnatural movement while they were searching for the Serene stone right before they completed the floor.
More accurately, the flow of the magma greatly changed even though there was nothing obstructing it before, or the current suddenly slowed, or there was only a part of magma flowing in the air, and it overflowed, thus the magma dripped below.
However, those happened on the magma away from the passage, so they didn’t worry about it because it would not disturb them from conquering the floor. However, Hajime by chance used “Mineral Enquiry” to the surrounding and found out that the cause of the magma’s unnatural movement was “Serene Stone.” It seemed the magic power inside the magma was calmed by “Serene Stone,” similar to obstructing the magma flow.
Hajime’s party then thought that the place where the magma’s movement was strongly obstructed would have a large amount of “Serene Stone.” Thus they searched for it and they indeed discovered a large amount of “Serene Stone” buried in that place. While noting the magma’s movement, Hajime’s party collected a considerable amount of “Serene Stone.” Afterwards, they came to a certain location while thinking there would be much stone in reserve.
It was a place enclosed by the magma flowing in mid-air like a huge wall. Hajime transmuted a stair to approach it and came to know that a large amount of “Serene Stone” was buried there when he used “Mineral Enquiry.”
Immediately, Hajime used “Mineral Separation” to only collect “Serene Stone,” but he was careless because he kept collecting “Serene Stone” due to lack of concentration from the heat. He didn’t put much attention to the surrounding wall of magma.
Hajime noticed this mistake when he stored the “Serene stone” into “Treasure Box.” It was because magma spouted with tremendous momentum from the wall the moment the effect of “Serene Stone” had disappeared.
Hajime immediately jumped back, but the magma was spouting with tremendous power just like water gushing out from the cracked and thus collapsed dam. The hole from where it spouted expanded and more rushed out.
The overly tremendous momentum of the magma made the surrounding immediately filled with magma. Hajime used transmutation to create a small boat before Yue’s barrier was broken, and the party boarded it. The small boat was immediately heated up by the magma, but there was no problem since Hajime had strengthened the boat using “Strength Endowment” derived from “Vajra.”
Following that, they continued to drift along the flow of the magma and was flowing mid-air before they were aware of it. They flowed into the depth of «Guryuu-en Great Volcano» using different route from the stairs. Flowing as they felt the scorching heat from the streaming magma, and ended up where they were currently at.
By the way, normally they would’ve stopped on the riverbed when they were about to ride on the magma’s sky road, but Shia used “Effect Endowment” of gravity magic to reduce the boat’s weight, and thus they were able to get on the magma. “Effect Endowment” made it possible to adjust the weight of the thing Shia touched as if it were her own.
“Ah, Hajime-san. There’s another tunnel.”
“We art almost at the level of the foot of this mountain. Be prepared, okay?”
Seeing the direction Shia pointed at, Hajime’s party was would indeed continue to flow into a big hole on the wall along with the magma. They understood the magma was continuing to flow downward. Until now, they’ve entered a tunnel every time they descent a floor, it might be a shortcut if compared to normally using the stair.
While nodding at Tio’s advice, Hajime’s party drifted into the tunnel. The magma’s sky road was continuing in the middle of the big tunnel like a snake. After the magma’s sky road was going lower, it suddenly cut off right after a curve. No, more accurately, it was a sudden downward slope similar to a waterfall.
“Again… everyone, don’t get shaken off!”
Yue and the girls nodded at Hajime’s words and they either clung to the edge of the small boat or Hajime’s waist. After feeling the anxiousness similar to when the climbing jet coaster about to go down from the first falling point, Hajime’s party’s boat finally fell.
Fwiish Swiish
Sound of wind entered their ears. Shia used gravity magic to shift the weight while Tio controlled the wind as they descend on the rapid magma. The magma’s speed increased by times as if it didn’t have any viscosity.
Transmuting spikes on his shoes to fix his posture, Hajime cautiously watched over the surroundings. After all, usually at such time…
“Tch, they come after all.”
Clicking his tongue, he pulled out Donner at the same time, and Hajime unhesitatingly pulled the trigger. Explosive sound resounded. It rang out three times accompanied with three flashes that cut through the air without deviating and destroyed the targets. The ones that came attacking Hajime’s party were the bat-type monsters that scattered magma from their wings.
These Magma Bats were not much of a threat alone. They only have considerable speed and capable of scattering magma like flame bullets. They were only small fries to Hajime’s party.
However, the troublesome point about Magma Bats was they attacked in group. Thirty more could be found if one was seen, just like Black G demonic beasts, appearing from the crack of the boulder wall.
Even now, although Hajime instant-killed three Magma Bats, as expected, they could hear sound of a large amount of fluttering wings amidst the wind coming from the rapid descent.
“… Hajime, leave the left and behind to me.”
“Ah, I will leave it to you. Shia, Tio, you control the boat.”
“Roger!”
“Mhm, leave it to this one. How about ass spanking as a reward?”
Ignoring Tio’s perverted remark that could neither be taken as joke nor real, Hajime and Yue were back to back diagonally on the boat. Then, crowd of Magma Bats could be seen.
It was not an exaggeration to call them as one living creature. The numerous Magma Bats were moving as one big mass, like a group perfectly ordered birds. Their appearance was just like a dragon if seen from the side. It might be more accurate to call it a fire dragon because each of its wings was cladded in blazing magma.
The mass of Magma Bats approaching Hajime’s party divided into two on their way, creating pincer attack from the front and behind. No matter how weak they were alone, the numerous them were moving as one huge creature and normally would overwhelm anyone with their number.
However, the party here were a group of cheat-like individuals. The demonic beasts that became fertilizer on the ground near the town of Ul were the proof the party wouldn’t be so weak being overwhelmed by just number.
Hajime took out Metzelei from “Treasure Box,” set it beside his waist and pulled the monster’s trigger.
BAAANNNG
With the ringing of the peculiar shooting sound, the storm of death exhibited its undoubtable might and one rapid fire pierced through various targets. The bullets crushed the wall of the cave in the distance while the Magma Bats were killed and fell into the ground without being able to resist.
Furthermore, Hajime took out Orkan using the other free hand, placed it on his shoulder, and mercilessly fired it. Spark created, and the rockets flew and pierced into the middle of Magma Bats who were grouping due to Metzelei’s barrage, scattering violent impacts along with roaring sounds.
The result was clear. The crowd of Magma Bats were crushed and falling just like a short squall.
Similar thing happened to the Magma Bats attacking from the rear.
“”Storm Dragon.””
Yue’s right hand thrust straight, and the moment she muttered that, a green sphere of wind was created. Following that, the sphere transformed, forming a dragon in less than no time. The wind dragon, who was a compilation of green-colored wind and called “Storm Dragon,” glared at the crowd of Magma Bats once, and it opened its jaws, moving to devour its preys.
Naturally, the Magma Bats shot flame bullets towards “Storm Dragon,” then they divided into two again to dodge the dragon. However, all of Yue’s “dragons” were a compound of gravity magic and other element. Naturally, “Storm Dragon” was not just composed of normal wind; it was composed of wind blades that were pulled by gravity to create a dragon. Once it moved, it would be difficult for the prey to escape.
Magma Bats, just like the other demonic beasts that became the food of “Thunder Dragon” and “Azure Dragon,” couldn’t resist from being pulled towards “Storm Dragon.” Thus the body cladded by wind blades cut the demonic beasts’ bodies to pieces, scattering flesh and blood. It should be noted that the reasons Yue didn’t use “Thunder Dragon” or “Azure Dragon” was because the Magma Bats were strong against heat and Yue judged it was enough to just cut their wings.
In the end, “Storm Dragon” came within the crowd and released the million wind blades formed its body in all direction, completely annihilating the Magma Bats.