Chapter 235 – Breaking Through the Dungeon (2)

After that, various traps and undead attacks continued throughout the dungeon.

As we descended from the 4th floor to the 5th and 6th floors, we faced traps and undead attacks that utilized Earth’s weapons, Ea’s magic, and even the Demon King’s evil energy.

But we were no longer surprised.

Although the methods varied slightly with each trap, they weren’t significantly different from what we had seen on the 3rd and 4th floors.

Even the new traps that mixed technologies from both dimensions became predictable once we had experienced them.

Moreover, some traps had faulty combinations.

There were magical traps where weight-sensing devices from landmines were laid on the floor, triggering flames throughout the corridor when stepped on,

And there were skeletons that charged at us with bayonet techniques, with swords attached to guns.

Of course, such incorrect setups were only found in one or two places, and the other traps were reasonably well-made, but after experiencing various traps while descending to the 6th floor, they all felt mundane to us.

“Still, I won’t say anything now.”

However, even as we passed through the 6th basement floor without much difficulty, everyone remained vigilant.

Yerim, who usually cracked jokes, kept her mouth shut and shook her head this time.

Probably because she had been taught a lesson earlier.

Thanks to that, when we were suddenly attacked in the middle hall of the 7th basement floor, everyone was able to retreat quickly without panic.

Enemy attacks poured down behind us as we retreated from the hall.

Rat-tat-tat-tat! Boom!

Machine gun fire rained down on the shields that Yelena and Irene had alternately deployed, and black flames created with evil energy shook the shields.

Weapons from Earth and magic created with evil energy poured down simultaneously.

Up to this point, it wasn’t different from the other traps we had experienced above, but the problem was that the underground hall was filled with such enemies.

After escaping the hall while blocking the enemy’s attacks with shields, we gathered in a corner of the corridor far from the hall and shared what we had seen inside.

“There were several machine gun positions, along with liches and death knights.”

“From what I confirmed, there are three liches and four death knights.”

Following Yerim’s words, Zahina provided the exact numbers,

“There are also numerous evil spirits wandering around the hall.”

Princess Meliya informed the others about the evil spirits she had seen.

While listening to my companions’ accounts, I continued to examine the entrance to the underground plaza at the end of the corridor.

“Is it fortunate? They’re not chasing us.”

The undead in the hall did not pursue us.

Once we exited the hall, they stopped their attacks.

As if trapped in that hall, the undead did not move.

As I tilted my head in confusion, Saintess Meliya spoke.

“It would be troublesome if they were lured elsewhere. The undead in that hall are probably bound by the Demon King’s orders.”

The princess, or rather the imperial princess, knew more about the Demon King and the dungeon than I expected.

Well, she was the imperial princess from the imperial family descended from heroes, and had been prepared as a saintess candidate from before, so it was natural that she knew well.

“If not that, then perhaps we’re the ones who are inadequate.”

Indeed, Yerim and I had become a hero and a saintess by chance.

We hadn’t prepared anything, so we couldn’t have professional knowledge about saintesss and heroes.

“In technical terms, I’m called an amateur saintess…”

Ignoring Yerim’s quiet muttering beside me, we discussed the enemies inside the hall.

“Skeletons with Earth’s guns are one thing, but death knights and liches? Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”

At Yelena’s words, Meliya looked at me and Zahina with a serious face.

“I confirmed it too. It’s as Zahina said. Moreover, they’re not mass-produced ones made from any knights or mages, but proper death knights and liches.”

At my words, everyone looked at each other with serious expressions.

“My goodness… I wondered why we didn’t see strong undead on the surface; they were all gathered here.”

As Yelena said, it seemed that all the remaining subordinates of the Demon King were gathered in that hall.

Liches and dark knights.

How dangerous and difficult it had been to face even one of them.

Before becoming a Sword Master, they were enemies I had to flee from on sight.

Yet, such enemies were gathered in that hall in groups.

In truth, it made sense for the Demon King to gather his strongest subordinates to protect himself, but for us who had to face those undead before the Demon King, we couldn’t help but sigh.

“So, in the end, they’re the final mid-bosses before the final boss?”

I shrugged at Yerim’s complaint.

“I suppose so. Though they’re excessive for mid-bosses.”

“But the final boss is the Demon King.”

There was nothing to say to that.

With the current Demon King as the standard, any other enemy would be just an ordinary mid-boss.

The problem was how to defeat those enemies.

It was said that two death knights could match one Sword Master, and even liches could face a grand mage if tens of thousands gathered.

Yet, in that hall, there were three liches and four death knights gathered.

Considering how I had barely defeated two death knights before, it was hard to be confident about winning against the enemies inside.

To face such enemies before even fighting the Demon King.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

Indeed, no matter what, the most difficult enemies were strong ones prepared in the orthodox way.

In this situation, instead of tricks or extraordinary methods, we had to compete with skill, but I asked my companions one last time.

“Before we charge in, is there any good strategy?”

It was a formal question without expectation, and as I predicted, everyone shook their heads, but one companion looked at me with a puzzled expression.

She was Ea’s saintess, Princess Meliya.

“Sir Egger, you are the hero. Why are you worried?”

I could only tilt my head at this unexpected question from an unexpected person.

I didn’t understand what she meant.

“I am the hero, but what does that have to do with it?”

When I didn’t understand, the princess looked at me with an incredulous expression, and then, the other saintess beside her realized something.

“Ah… That’s right. Sir Egger, you’re the hero. Since undead and a hero’s holy power are opposites, you could use holy power instead of mana, right? Since you’ve been acknowledged by the gods of both dimensions, your holy power should be even stronger.”

“Ah…”

Hearing Yerim’s words, I unconsciously let out a groan.

That’s right. I was the hero.

The hero of both dimensions, Earth and Ea.

The natural enemy of undead who could use holy power from both dimensions.

“I’ve really been doing something foolish.”

Even after being recognized as a hero, I had habitually been moving mana instead of holy power.

Partly because I had seen previous heroes who overused holy power die or be defeated by the Demon King, and partly because mana, which I had cultivated all my life, was more familiar to me… Thanks to that, my swordsmanship had become sharper, and there seemed to be a possibility of learning new techniques, but in any case, I had not been using the strongest weapon I possessed.

Indeed, I deserved to be called a fool.

It was no wonder Princess Meliya looked at me with an incredulous face.

I looked up with a reddened face, then let out a deep sigh.

‘Alright. The embarrassment ends here.’

“I’ll take the lead, everyone support me.”

“Yes. I’ll do that.”

“Yes.”

Hearing my companions’ smiling responses to my words, I turned my body and advanced toward the hall.

With each step I took, I infused holy power into the sword in my hand.

First, the holy power I received from Earth’s god, somewhat rough and stubborn, flowed into the sword.

Then, following it, the holy power from Ea’s gods that I had recently obtained flowed into the sword.

Perhaps because it was holy power infused together by the polytheistic gods of Ea, a somewhat inclusive and warm holy power flowed into the sword that already contained Earth’s holy power.

Woooong.

The two holy powers met inside the sword.

At first, Earth’s holy power and Ea’s holy power seemed to repel each other, but soon the two holy powers settled side by side in the sword.

They didn’t mix, but the two holy powers that didn’t repel each other filled the sword as I entered the hall.

The interior of the hall hadn’t changed from when we left.

There was a passage leading underground on the opposite wall, and in front of it were several machine gun positions.

Death knights stood in front of the positions, and behind the positions, liches raised their hands toward me.

The liches’ magic burst forth immediately.

Fireballs flew toward me.

Simultaneously, the machine guns spewed fire.

I hurled myself toward the incoming bullets and flames.

I trusted my companions following behind, and the shield and holy power surrounding me.

Ping ping ping! Boom!

As expected, the bullets bounced off the shield, and the flames created with evil energy couldn’t penetrate the mages’ shields and the holy power cast by the two saintesses.

The flames created with evil energy burst before reaching me as they encountered holy power, and I rushed through those flames toward the center of the hall.

Then, undead rushing from the front.

I swung my sword powerfully toward the death knights who were running at almost the same speed as me, a Sword Master.

It was still a distance where the sword wouldn’t reach, but for me and those death knights, such distance was meaningless.

The powerfully swung sword extended long.

Instead of sword energy filled with mana, it was sword energy filled with holy power.

Unlike other heroes, a sword energy that seemed to blend two colors was swung toward the approaching death knights.

At the same time, the enemies also swung their swords toward me.

My sword energy, glowing white with holy power, and the death knights’ sword energy, blackened with evil energy unlike mine, met in the middle between the approaching undead and me.

Flash!

I expected to hear a tremendous collision sound, but no collision sound was heard.

Instead, a bright light that covered the eyes.

In that light, all the sword energies filled with evil energy shattered.

Damn, the sword energy created with holy power poured by the gods of two worlds was much stronger than I thought.

A holy power sword energy that completely shattered the death knights’ sword energy.

No wonder heroes didn’t bother to learn proper swordsmanship.

Swordsmanship is meant to counter the opponent’s swordsmanship, weapons, and shields, but this holy power sword energy ignored all those weapons and defenses.

Even after all the sword energies created with evil energy were shattered, my holy power sword remained intact.

If the enemy’s weapon is shattered and my weapon is intact, the result was obvious.

I didn’t stop but continued running and swung my sword in the opposite direction.

Slash!

The sword energy filled with holy power swept through the death knights who had lost their weapons.