Chapter 91: [Arc 2] Chapter 37: Dead Man’s Cave: 2nd Half

Layer 6: Monster House

...I thought liches were supposed to be rare monsters. Eh, I'm not wrong? Good to hear that others agree with me. In that case, why is the layer filled with them?!

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Appraisal Result:

Race: Lesser Lich

Rank: D-

Type: Undead Monster

Element: Death, Ghost

Description: An undead monster half-way towards reaching the position of a No-Life King.

The Lesser Lich is the result of an undead monster going through the same prosses as live Necromancer does when they try to become a lich. To become a lich, one needs to alter one's living soul into that of an undead, meaning those who already is an undead cannot become a lich through the usual way. A Lesser Lich is a monster who develops a fake "living" soul, which is used to evolve into a lich upon reaching the Lesser Lich's max level of LV40.

As the Lesser Lich has a living soul in it, fake or not, it has a distinct vulnerability against attacks on the soul, such as mind control spells, as undeads lack a soul to be harmed, usually. Lesser Liches cannot inflict status conditions upon physical contact, nor can they drain life-force or mana from their target, resulting in them not having a countermeasure against physical attackers as real liches have.

They do have a great aptitude for magic and a mana reserve to match. While not to the extent of a real lich, Lesser Liches can perform great magical feats that make what ordinary undead magicians can do, pale in comparison. 

If faced against a Lesser Lich, it is recommended to force them into a physical fight and prevent them from using magic at all. Another move to take is to use fire, light, or holy-attribute moves on the Lesser Lich, as they have the crippling weakness in the form of the [Fire Weakness LV5], [Light Weakness LV5], and [Holy Weakness LV10] skills.

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...You know what, forget what I just said. These guys ain't as bad as I first thought. Way better than the real deal.

"Alright brats, it's finally my turn to rampage. Don't intrude now." - Bermuda

"Wouldn't dream about it." - Garami

This is the whole reason for adding him to the party in the first place. And as I wanted to save my strength for the boss-fight, I waited in the corridor between the fifth and sixth layers with the others. 

"Huh? Aren't these just simple lich counterfeits? Puh, that's classic! Can't decide whenever you want to be alive or not, is there anything more pathetic? Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Look, act as good fooders and line up so that I can take care of this one blow. Now, get to it! Get!" - Bermuda

...What the hell's the walrus doing? 

"Milady, milady. Mister Bermuda over there is famous for being the one obtaining the title of Grandmaster in the Adventurers Guild, mostly due to his violent tendency to challenge any wild monsters in sight, like what is happening right now." - Zelot

So said the priest, while accepting the lunchbox I had stored in my storage. What? With that amount, even the mighty Grandmaster will take some time to finish this layer.

And never mind that, is that guy a martial arts user or a Berserker? Can see why he's got all those Unique Skills though. 

"But I heard that the Grandmaster was the weakest one of the four Grandmasters on the continent." - Lily

"Even if he's the fastest one to obtain the title, it doesn't mean that he is the strongest one." - Zelot

And those two had deepened their bond during this short time in the Haunt. Maybe their personalities meshed well together?

"Bfen, hob dron id be? (Then, how strong is he?)" - Lily

Swallow before talking. No one's gonna steal that Gluttony-size Desert Tuna-lunchbox of yours.

"Hmm, in pure stats, he's more than five times stronger than the King Tuna from the Dust Bowl." - Garami

"Bvie-?! (Five-?!)"

Hey, Lily is one thing, but the rest of you should know better than to eat while talking to people. Only Levi's unfazed, eating her herb-roasted Tuna-on-spear.

"And while his classes are more for naval warfare than anything, he's got advance classes related to martial arts, so he's fine on land as much as on the water. And he's got four Unique skills." - Garami

"*Gulp* Four-?!"

"As a reward for you guys swallowing instead of spitting, this kind Garami will teach you the secrets behind the Grandmaster's strength.

"First off is what could be defined as a water-attribute variant of my own Hydra skill, [Ta-]" - Garami

"Tannin!" - Bermuda

What timing! From behind Bermuda came a blue-colored magic circle, and from that, came a massive dragon of water. It looked different from the Water Dragons I've read about, with this one being closer to a western dragon, and it has a massive jaw like a crocodile and a double tail. It crashed into the group of liches, causing a not-so-small flood on that layer. 

"It does resemble what you used against that dusty majesty before. Both the power and appearance." - Mira

"Yeah, that's the one. A different skill is something that increases that guy's luck, while also being able to enhance a move of your own, or guarding a fatal blow." - Garami

"Then, why's the Grandmaster called the worst gambler in Velantas?" - Lily

Even if you ask me with those puppy-eyes, I don't get it myself. I continued, trying to ignore the surreal sound of drowning undeads.

"Then there's something called [Navigator of the Storms, El Draque], which enhances your ability for naval warfare and seafaring skills to a stupid degree-" - Garami

"Is there any use of that here? Velantas is practically in the middle of the continent." - Carion

...Again, don't ask me. 

"And finally, there's [Sedna, Mistress of Sea Animals]-" - Garami

"Why 'mistress' when the skill-user is an old man? And what good is there for a skill related to sea animals here in the wasteland?" - Mira

Seriously, don't ask me!

---

Layer 7: Key

After the liches were washed away by the literal sea of death, we arrived on the 7th layer... along with all the water that was the remains of the said sea.

"...Did you need to flood the place that much? We're gonna catch a cold like this." - Garami

The water level was above our feet, so we were getting a real drenching.

"I can't anything for that my only AoE attack covers a large area." - Bermuda

It's that? That the effectiveness of the skills in the same skill-line needs to be the same, even when the attributes are different? So Hydra is more for quality while Tannin empathizes quantity? Still think that the old man could hold his punches a little. His real punches were enough to send the liches AND their magic flying. Have you ever seen a death-curse being punched away? I'm serious here!

"Hey, why's the entrance right in front of us?" - Lily

"Let me take care of this. This layer is a Key-layer, which requires us to collect the keys spread around the layer to proceed." - Bermuda

"A more physical variant of the 4th layer. But there are no keyholes here." - Carion

"No problems at all. See that inscription and those buttons? They are part of a puzzle that one needs to complete. The correct solution is the key." - Bermuda

Really? What does it say? "Kona-

"As these types of puzzles and quests are based on riddles from different worlds, we need to look after the clues spread out on this layer. Trying to complete them at random will invoke a pun-" - Bermuda

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, and open sesame!

*Clank* *Rumble, rumble, rumble...*

"......Eh? EEEHH?!" - Bermuda

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

---

Layer 8 Exploration

"Alright, I let girlie get the honor on the last layer, but you can't cheat like that with an exploration-type layer! Remember to keep your hand on the left wall all the time, then in the end-" - Bermuda

"Mira, bring out more water. The entrance should already be open here and going downward, so the water should flow towards there." - Garami

"Let me finish before busting my bubble! And if you need water, then let me do it then! My pride as a Grandmaster can't stand getting treated as not being needed!" - Bermuda

---

Layer 9 Brawl

This one reminds me of the 2nd layer, with one passage and monsters preventing us to reach the end. This time our opponents are Skeletal Dragons. They look like trash when compared to Levi, but there's a ton of trash in this place.

Can we roll our way to the next entrance? No, too much bone. Getting poor Levi hurt ain't an option, even after all the enhancements Zelot cast on us after reaching the layer. And our best bet sulks cause of the rain period on his parades the last two layers. Tch, what a pain. 

"Oh no, this time I can't come on any schemes at all. Who can save us from this predicament?" - Garami

*twitch*

"Huh? Ah, oh yeah. Those terrible Skeletal Dragons are way too much for some low-ranked adventurers like us. If only a great senior could help us." - Mira

*twitch, twitch*

"No, we cannot expect that a hero in shining armor will suddenly appear before us now in the hour of need. Like, some Grandmaster-" - Carion

"Say no more! This brilliant and awesome lord Bermuda's gonna solve your skelly-problems!" - Bermuda

"We were waiting for this." - Garami

"It's the true star's turn!" - Mira

"Watch out, because the main event is about to start!" - Carion

"Wha-ha-ha-ha! Heavy Blow!" With that as the gong, along with a poor Skeletal Dragon that's resting in pieces now, the strongest adventurer in Velantas went forward.

"...Too easy." - Garami

"Way too easy." - Mira

"Almost too easy to be true." - Carion

"...You guys..." - Lily

"Well, with that amount, even if we get only 20% then it will be enough for a level or two with just this layer. At this rate, I will get that class by the day after tomorrow." - Garami 

"You're aiming for something already? I haven't chosen yet." - Mira

"I aim for Gol-["Know it" - Garami & Mira]-, is that so." - Carion

"I'm, I'm, ehm..." - Lily

Someone's giving their all. Think about it later if. This is an important choice in your life.

"I'm aiming for two classes, but one of them needs both Black Mage and Summoner at LV40, so it will take a while." - Garami

"...Eh? Did the temperature drop now?" - Mira

You're imagining it. And why are the rest of them acting like they're freezing? Even Levi!? And Bermuda who should be out of earshot! And the Skeletal Dragons?!

"...Moving on, the other class I want, the one I want to get with all this, is the Alchemist-["Are you crazy?!"]-oi!" - Garami

What's with the reaction? Even Zelot got angry at me. That's a new one.

"Wait, Garami's an idiot that doesn't know left or right of common sense at all." - Mira

You picking a fight here? Cause you got one!

"Boss, even I know about the 'Continent Destroyer'." - Lily

"Conti-what? ...Tres Clades?" - Garami

"That's the one. After that incident, they made a law that required someone to have a license for obtaining the Alchemist class. Anyone who does not have it will be executed on the spot." - Mira

Executed!? I've read about that apocalyptic chimera, but ain't that a little too much?

"You can obtain the license after getting the class, as some people may have obtained it before hearing about the regulations. But only while the class is of LV3 or lower, or else, execution." - Carion

...This world takes people's life too easily. Way too easily. Show some compassion for others! 

Grr, then after getting the thump-thump, or info about it, from this place, I need to get that license while looking for anything useful for my Dungeon. Why is my schedule this full-packed just by entering society? *Sigh...*

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"Oi, Grandmaster! The clock's ticking, so wash away those guys already!" - Garami

"Good idea! Still have two more shots this week, and with it being recharged tonight and all..." - Bermuda

'Two more shots this weak'? Oi, you don't mean...

"[A Thousand and One Seas]... Tannin!" - Bermuda

Wait a-!

---

Layer 10 Lord (Flooded)

As we arrived at the final layer of the Haunt, we were greeted with a massive arena in the style of the Roman coliseum, along with huge pillars here and there on the battlefield. The place has a majestic presence. Or, it would have, if the whole place wasn't flooded. Only the highest seats were above the water level, along with the tops of the pillars.

"...I'm sorry. So sorry." - Bermuda

"You better be!" 

Wow, in full synch. As expected of our party.

"Sure you don't wanna admit defeat? Undeads don't need to breathe, while demons do." - Mira

If she hadn't said that with so much glee, I would have thought she cared about me. Why did I tell those guys to use so much water? No, the question is, how did they manage to squeeze out this much water?

"It's either sink or swim. Quite literally." - Garami

With that, I jumped from the seats to the closest pillar still above water. In the middle of the arena, a large, grime-colored magic circle appeared. That must be the famous Lord making his dramatic entrance. The light of the circle continued to increase in brightness and wide, before starting to shrink, shrink, shrink... ain't it shrinking a little too much? It was the size of the arena when it was at its biggest, but it's now the size of a school desk.

"Blub, blub... blub?! Blubblubblulb!" - Haunt Lord?

Something appeared. And it's drowning. Wasn't this joint supposed to be "undeads only"? It's not a lich, as I first expected, and it ain't skeletal either. And I don't think ghosts wear armors. They would possess them instead. 

*Splash*

It threw something out of the water. That's... ah. It's one of those. The audience (peanut gallery) also saw what was thrown, and...

"IIIIKK! A CUT-OFF HEAD!!" 

And the girls, and Zelot, freaked out when they saw the decapitated head. It's covered in a helmet, so you can't see the contents even, geez. You deal with killing monsters every day, what's with the sudden disgust for corpses? Or, taking a good look, even Bermuda and Carion looks paler than before.

(Garami, Garami! That one's bad! Get back!) - Bermuda

What's he talking about? That one is one of the fantasy world's favorite undeads, the dullahan.

"Which idiot was it that flooded the Haunt?! WHICH ONE!?" - Dullahan

Tch, he climbed up the pillar his head was on while I was distracted by the others. The armor ain't what you could call fancy, or 'heroic'. It's more like your typical plate armor from the late medieval ages.

The dullahan's using a great shield and a flail with what appears to be an extendable chain. That must be what he used to climb up the pillar, just smashing it into the top of the pillar, then withdrawing the extended chain. And his head... is held in the same hand as the shield. After getting a better look at it, the shield is attached to the gauntlet instead of being held. And it has a viewing port like those modern shields the police uses on Earth. Fancy.

"Who was it?! Who's the freaking senseless idiot who flooded my Haunt?! WHO!?!?!?" - Dullahan

"It was her idea!" - Bermuda & Mira

So said the true culprits. And I'm only the mastermind operating from the shadows, so why am I getting all the blame? So strange.

"Damn you! If you want to challenge me, do so fair and square! Flooding someone's home, what are you? A demon? Have you no sha-!" - Dullahan

He's starting to irk me, so Turn Undead.

"GIIYAAAAA!!" - Dullahan

"HUH?!" 

"What? Did you want to listen to him?" - Garami

"Not that, but..." - Carion

"Why're you using holy magic?! You're a demon with True Chaos! That's way more off for a priest than this guy!" - Mira

"Miss Mira, even I will be hurt when you say it like that." - Zelot

Good thing I've not told them about Raoul's talents yet. And I'm not cheating here. Raoul's classified as a weapon, not a monster. 'Living Weapons is the same as monsters'? Peh, details, shmetails. Who needs them?

"Hah, hah, damn it, to make such a surprise attack... oi! You white one! Are you some sort of Chaos Priest? And what's up with that power? It almost made me ascend despite my defensive gears against the holy attribute." - Dullahan

He said while tilting his head with his hand while asking me. Even if you ask me... was it because Raoul was some super-fancy divine item before I turned it into a mimic? 

"Garami! Haunt Lords do not only get powered up by the Haunt itself, but it also gives them special items to cover for potential weaknesses, or to enhance their strengths." - Carion

Ugh, that wasn't written in the Kigal-Note. It only gives a round-up of the info after all, so it fails at points like now.

"Hey! The bet's still on!" - Mira

"Some advice should be fair to give. Girlie's facing the worst type for her, so give her some slack." - Bermuda

I'm glad for the mental support, but the Grandmaster's right. Dullahans are defense idiots, even more than the Shadow Guard from the temple. And [Appraisal] told me that Turn Undead only seared off 27 of its 257 HP. Even if I spam it, I'll run out of MP before I finish him off. And that flail's bad news too. The extendable gimmick of its allows the dullahan to reach me despite the whole place being surrounded in water. How to take care of those remaining 230 HP... huh? Ain't that kinda low for a Lord and all?

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Nameless   | [Dead Man's Cave Haunt Lord]

Race: [Dullahan]   | Level: --

Main Class: Dark Knight LV25

Sub Class: Guardian LV15

HP: 232/500   | MP: 100/160   | SP: 351/410

STR: 300   | VIT: 450 + 100   | MAG: 70

RES: 400 + 75   | SPD: 85  | DEX: 75

INT: 85   | LUC: 68

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I wasn't wrong, half of his HP was already gone. Even if he recovered some of it just now. Why's... oh-ho? So that's why.

"Don't ignore me! Ignoring the boss is a greater blasphemy for adventurers than-["Turn-" - Garami]-whoa!" - Dullahan

"- Undead." - Garami

The spell hit the dullahan, but some dirty-looking aura appeared when he hid behind his shield. And it negated the Turn Undead?! No, it dispersed it? Anyway, his defensive gear looks like it's specialized for anti-holy strategies, meaning it won't hinder my real plan.

"Damn, that was close. Oi! Stop interrupting me the whole time!" said the dullahan, while throwing his flail towards... me!?

I dodged in a hurry, but the dullahan made a snap with his wrist, making the flail turn towards me again. In a hurry, I jumped off the pillar, and into the water.

The dullahan made a laugh, sure of his victory, and withdrew the flail to throw it again. That's when I detonated the sigil I had made on the flail's chain, which I had placed on it when I dodged it. The spell of the day is; [Gunpowder Magic]'s starting spell, Detonate!

*Ka-Boom!*

The explosion destroyed the flail, or at least the chain-part of it, making it nothing more than junk. The explosion also made the dullahan drop his head in surprise. Catching it right before it fell off the pillar, the dullahan made a sigh in relief... only to see me, who had dragged myself to the pillar with a spider thread, fiddling with it.

"Hey, what are you doing? ...Is that the same magic circle-thingy that was on my flail?" - Dullahan

You just have to love beginner magic. They are damn cheap, and they can be stored with a sigil instantly.

"Why's it so much bigger? Why're you keeping such a distance?! Hey, you-!" - Dullahan

And, Detonate♡.

*KA-Booom!!*

"GIYAAAA!" - Dullahan

And, [Bind].

"-AAA, what's this?! *Splash* Blub blu bluuub! (Not this agaaaiiin!)" - Dullahan

I used my threads to lift me up from the water and back to the audience seat where the others were waiting. After a little while, the dullahan disappeared and the rewards came in as the jackpot of a slot machine.

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SYSTEM MESSAGE:

Haunt: [Dead Man's Cave], is cleared! 

Rewards will be dealt out shortly.

EXP has reached the required amount.

Garami has reached LV11

Life attributes have been recovered.

All basic attributes have increased.

0.5 skill point(s) acquired.

EXP has reached the required amount.

Garami has reached LV12

Life attributes have been recovered.

All basic attributes have increased.

0.5 skill point(s) acquired.

EXP has reached the required amount.

Garami has reached LV13

Life attributes have been recovered.

All basic attributes have increased.

0.5 skill point(s) acquired.

Tamed monster, Blitz, has reached its maximum level. 

Evolution is now possible.

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Phew, another good day's work. At the other side of the arena appeared a magic circle, probably the teleporting one. And in the middle of the arena came a stupid-large treasure box... while still submerged. ...I'll have the sea mammal and the water sprite fetch it.

Blitz should have a level cap at 15, so he went up 9 levels only on this one round? Wait, should I let him evolve right now, or should I keep him like this, then down-leveling him along the rest of us? That would give him more skill points, and maybe he'll unlock some rare evolution then? Yes, let's go with that. And Mira-chan, why are you so pale? No need to be scared, I won't do anything too crazy tonight. Gue-he-he-he.

Greydra

Kigal-Note/Undeads/Ghosts: Dullahan

Dullahan, the headless rider. An undead monster of the Ghost- and Death-attributes. Rank C-.

A ghost of a knight, who has lost its head. A rare type of undead, whose body remains almost the same as when they were alive.

The dullahan is a regular evolution of ghost-type monsters, and are known for their prowess with riding, and their defense. They can also curse their victims with barely noticeable curses, but all the curses of the dullahan will automatically be converted into the death-attribute, so anyone with resistance to that attribute will not be affected by the dullahan's curses.

A dullahan can tame, and ride, any kind of ghost horse, even the dreaded pale horse, who will kick to death, whoever it deems unworthy. They have a great talent for using shields, and they can also use weapons that can be used along with the shield quite well.

Despite being classified as monsters, dullahans can live their life like normal people, but they have a weakness for holiness and water. The last one is so severe, that they cannot cross puddles of water, not to mentioned running water like rivers.

Mira's comment: The minus part must be because of that water weakness of his. When thinking about that, it's not that much of a threat.

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