LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 90 (Self Edited) – Enjoying the Holiday
Chapter 90 (Self Edited) – Enjoying the Holiday
Although this was an obvious fact, there were holidays at the academy. The academy used the five-day school-week system, and it would be closed during the two days off on weekends and public holidays. There were also other long break in summer and spring at the end of the semester, but… this matter would be put aside since it was still far away.
It was a matter of course that there were holidays in the academy, but… if people asked whether the way the students spent the holiday compared to the public, it would definitely be different.
For most of the students, they couldn’t even go out of the academy despite being on holidays. It was necessary to obtain permission to go out whether it were holidays or not. It might be said to be a hassle, but… actually, it was inappropriate to think that as the reason. Whatever it was, the students didn’t go out not because of such a reason. They merely want to spend the spare time for training or studying rather than going out.
Despite being holidays, the academy premises were full of students. When it came to the training ground, it was particularly remarkable. If people looked at it, most of them wouldn’t think that today was a holiday.
Well, at the end of the day, no matter what people wanted to say, the students’ activities didn’t changed much either on weekdays or holidays.
That was also true for Soma. If there was a difference, he would read books in the library, instead of in the classroom. However, the book he chosen wasn’t random. Since he was able to search thoroughly the library bookshelves, the holiday might be better for him since he was a perfectionist.
Nevertheless, Soma was pretty much gathering information at the library during holidays when he was still new in the academy, but recently, there was a slight change. Just like after school, the opportunity to head toward the training ground had increased.
However, the final destination was different from that after school.
“Now, shall I go on conquest with full spirit?” (Soma)
Soma was going to that place again even today.
When he casually looked around while muttering, what came into his view was a dim room with bare rocks. The sight seemed to convinced that it was a cave, but it wasn’t. Even though there was no light source, the sight could be clearly seen, telling him what kind of place it was.
That place was a dungeon.
The atmosphere was quite different from the place he went during the training and examination, but that was normal. It was because the layer he was at that time and this time was different.
The current location was the 73th layer of the Royal Academy underground dungeon. It was said to end at 50th layer, but it went further down.
Basically, this was a place that shouldn’t exist, and as a matter of course, it wasn’t a place where people could enter. So, why Soma was in such a place…
“Hmm, I’m also mapping this place with full spirit!” (Hildegard)
Well, whether this should be said of course, this young girl was the cause.
While thinking back upon the details why they came to such a place, Soma looked at her. However, Hildegard, who noticed it, tilted her head.
“Hmm? What is it?” (Hildegard)
“No… if people hear that you are in charge of drawing maps, they probably think that it would be surprising.” (Soma)
It was an appropriate excuse, but she actually had it in mind.
Hildegard was a former dragon, and a former God. If people thought what that kind of existence was doing in a dungeon, she was mapping by walking rather than fighting. Rather than worrying who she was, it was better to worry about what she was thinking.
“Aah, that may be so, but… isn’t this a necessary thing to do?” (Hildegard)
“Well, I guess you are right. Anyhow, it is not necessary for you to do this… How should I say this? I mean, to begin with, you don’t have to come here, right? I can do it alone if I use magic tool.” (Soma)
“That is true, but I can’t just stand still while asking you to do this arbitrarily.” (Hildegard)
“Anyhow, I’m not doing this for free. So, I don’t think there is a need to worry about it, but… to be honest, this is a waste of your time.” (Soma)
“That’s because I’m a former God.” (Hildegard)
He wasn’t sure how serious she was because the former God was shrugging with smug face while saying that. Well, since he was surely helped in this matter, it wasn’t a problem in particular.
It was just how the things were. The reason why Soma was here was to accompany Hildegard. He was asked for this immediately after passing the entrance exam.
There was an assumption where there were 100 layers. Basically, it was a conquest to go through all layers.
“Well, shall we move on?” (Soma)
“Hmm, sure.” (Hildegard)
In this way, both of them progressed leisurely. On top of not having clues, they basically had to do it from the scratch. There was no need to think about trivial things until some extent of mapping was done.
“Hmm, should I say this as I expected? Recently, the frequency of attack has increased.” (Soma)
— Ruler of Swords – Divine Protection of Dragon God – Battle Ready – Special Rank Presence Detection: Surprise Attack – Null
However, even when he was attacked by a monster immediately after saying so, Soma was already aware of its presence before he was able to see it. He leaped toward the monster and swung his sword as always–
— Ruler of Swords – God Killer – Dragon Killer – Divine Protection of Dragon God – Absolute Slash: Self-taught – Gale Blade.
— Flash.
First, he beheaded that monster before it did something, and a broken posture body like a lizard collapsed and fell on the ground
Just to be sure, he surveyed the surroundings, but there were no other enemies. Apparently, this monster seemed to attack alone.
When he let out a small breath while holding the sword, he resumed his walk.
“By the way, the strength of the enemy hasn’t change. I think I’ll be able to reach the end somehow.” (Soma)
“…The only one who can say that is you, you know.” (Hildegard)
When he turned to the voice that sounded astonish, he saw that Hildegard was really making an astonished face. However, Soma, who didn’t understand the meaning, merely tilted his head.
“Is that so? If it’s my father, I think he also won’t have hard time in this layer.” (Soma)
“Why are you comparing with the previous Sword King? Your standard is weird.” (Hildegard)
Even when Soma said that, the first strong man he saw in this world was his father. It couldn’t be helped to have him as a standard.
“To be honest, this is going to be tough even for me, you know? Well, you can easily defeat it to that extent.” (Hildegard)
“Even if you say that, I’m pretty sure you can defeat them easily if you are at the level of the previous life.” (Soma)
“I can’t really bring out the strength I had at that time, so there’s no point in saying that. Nevertheless, I still have Special Rank Taijutsu skill, but… goodness, you are still out of the standard as always.” (Hildegard)
“I don’t want to be told that by you when you are the same or even more than that.” (Soma)
While shrugging his shoulders, Soma also felt that the strength of the monsters was obviously increasing. The increase in strength between each layer was unthinkable compared to the upper layers.
Perhaps, if this increase in strength was the same with the above layer, the students would surely not allowed to proceed to the second layer. There was also an understanding that there was no place as deep they were in right now.
“By the way, what are you going to do if I’m not coming here?” (Soma)
“Well… I’ve said this just now. It is going to be demanding very soon even to me. It is necessary to have the participation by at least two Seven Heavens, and even if I gathered notable adventurers, this may still result in death. For your information, I’m not joking.” (Hildegard)
“Hmm…” (Soma)
To be honest, Soma didn’t have to go until this deep, but Hildegard was also speaking the truth. Soma murmured while thinking back upon that reason.
“Is it because the fragment of the Evil God’s power?” (Soma)
On the occasion of doing conquest here, Soma asked why it was necessary, and he was told that as the reason. It seemed that the fragment was sealed at the bottom of this dungeon.
Speaking of why such a thing was sealed at the bottom, the order was actually the other way around. After sealing it there, someone made a dungeon over it in order to strengthen the seal.
Even if it was a fragment of its power, it still held tremendous strength. Although it was sealed, it could be understand at a glance that it had affect the surroundings. Hildegard thought that the seal might not be enough, but there were various factors at that time and it seemed that she was at the limit at what she could do.
And the way to minimize the effect was to create a dungeon.
“Honestly, I wonder if there was another way to do it…” (Soma)
“I also wonder about that but, I only notice it because of the result. I guess there was a reason why they couldn’t do it.” (Hildegard)
By the way, it seemed that the monsters that shouldn’t appear in a certain layer was the effect if this. The affected ones would be mutated to be stronger monsters. Strictly speaking, it seemed that the sealing method was intended not to affect others by forcing the remnant to be absorbed by the monsters inside the dungeon.
Basically, it shouldn’t affect the monsters in the first fifty layers.
However, there was a limit to the amount that a monster could receive. Due to the specification of the dungeon here, if the monsters weren’t defeated, no new monsters would be replenished. As a result, the monsters that were in the upper layers were affected little by little, and… recently, the first layer was also affected.
Hildegard would have done something if she knew this since long time ago, but she only knew it after building the school here. There were individuals who were easily affected by the residue of its power just like the monsters. Although the mutated monsters were regularly dealt by the lecturers who knew the circumstances, they were currently neglecting monsters in layers below the 30th layer because of possible dangers.
However, because of that, the frequency of mutated monsters appeared in recent years had further increased. Thus, there might be some effect to students and outside the dungeon. When Hildegard thought what to do about it, Soma showed up.
Still, the reason why there was a different in the strength of monsters to such an extent between here and the upper layers was because the surrounding area here had been completely affected. So, after this, the new monsters supplemented would return to its original strength. Hence, it would be relatively safe.
Actually, it wasn’t necessary to go until bottom layers, but since Soma wanted to go this far, Hildegard wanted to look at the situation for caution’s sake. It also could be said that Soma would do it if he could do something about it.
“This is a severe case of counting chickens before they’re hatched.” (Soma)
“Well, there is an advantage to you too, am I right?” (Hildegard)
“That’s why I am undertaking this conquest.” (Soma)
The advantage was that he could go to places where he had never been before. Soma wasn’t sure if there was anything, but there might be something that could help Soma to achieve his purpose.
“Hup.” (Soma)
— Ruler of Swords – God Killer – Dragon Killer – Divine Protection of Dragon God – Absolute Slash: Self-taught – Gale Blade.
The figure of a humanoid with a head of a cow that came into the encounter was cleared away before the axe the monster held in the hand was swung. The blade that sunk in the belly passed through to the other side without any feeling of resistance, and the upper body which couldn’t stop the momentum was blown away as it was.
“Nuuooh!? Hey, did you blow it away to me!?” (Hildegard)
“I want you to deal it yourself if it is that much. I know you can do it, right?” (Soma)
“Of course I can, but can you be a bit more gentle to me!?” (Hildegard)
While shrugging off Hildegard’s complaint, Soma went ahead while putting back his sword. There was still room for giving away attention, but there was no need to do that.
Then, while narrowing his eyes ahead, he suddenly thought this. He seemed to be linked by fate with the name of the Evil God.
Well, such a troublesome matter probably wouldn’t happen soon. Hildegard was also here, and as he expected, nothing happened this time.
As Soma thought about such a thing which half of it was his own wish, he went further deeper.
—
TLN: