Chapter 38: The “Rain-Covering Wondrous Bird” Kamak
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The Eternal Darkness is a dungeon with a total of twenty-five floors.
Twenty-five floors – not an extreme number, but not a beginner-friendly length either.
Considering the beginner-friendly [Moon Touch] has five floors and the five major dungeons all exceed fifty floors, the Eternal Darkness can be said to be around a moderate scale.
Right in the middle of this moderately-sized dungeon – the fifteenth floor occupies just such a position.
It does not possess overwhelming strength like a final floor boss from another dimension, nor does it employ cheap rules like the “Death God” of the tenth floor.
However, it is no pushover either, and with its blessed physique, spiritual power, and troublesome field, it is far stronger than at least the malicious and pale demons of the fifth floor.
Moderate in dungeon size, moderate in floor level, moderate in strength.
Truly the middle boss of middle bosses, the one we are about to face – the “Rain-Covering Wondrous Bird” Kamak – occupies this middling position.
◆Dungeon City Sakuraflower – 336th Dungeon [Eternal Darkness] Fifteenth Floor
Towering endlessly into the boundless sky, a great baobab-like tree rooted in the air.
On the crown of this massive plant floating about 300 meters above the ground, it was there.
An unhealthy-looking purple coat of feathers.
Even from a distance, its overwhelming gigantic physique commanded awe.
Its burly, haughty features worthy of a predator’s dignity were as present as ever today.
The “Rain-Covering Wondrous Bird” Kamak.
The great avian guardian ruling the fifteenth floor glared down at us from atop the massive tree swaying in the sky, just like that day long ago.
“Been a while, boneless chicken. We’ve come back here again!”
I taunted the bird while readying my Ekkexacchus.
Thinking back, various things have happened since then.
The decisive battle with Mr. Szilard.
Meeting Jupiter.
We even played some galge and got all riled up over some serious talk, didn’t we?
Ah, the memories of those days come rushing back like they happened just yesterday…!
“You’re just remembering things that actually happened yesterday, calling it ‘like it happened yesterday’.”
“Your wording is weird.”
“…………”
No, read the mood here.
This is that thing where you psych yourself up before a big fight, you know?
“……Don’t know what ‘that thing’ is.”
“Jupi-chan, that’s what you call ‘chuunibyou’.”
“Absolutely not!
Don’t teach a child a word you just learned while using it incorrectly!”
“……From my perspective, Kyouichirou is the chuunibyou one.”
“See, see? Kyou’s chuunibyou!”
“Gugh….!”
These guys, forming a little alliance against me!
“Well, whatever. Anyway, let’s start this fifteenth floor rematch! You guys ready?”
“The only guy here is you, Kyou-san.”
“……I request a correction.”
“……Fair ladies, are you both feeling well?”
Oh! The two ladies cheerfully raised their hands together.
Ah, how tiring. Nitpicking every little thing like middle schoolers.
“I’m a middle schooler-“
“I’m a sixth-grader in online school.”
Right, that’s right. The only ones here are kids.
“Still, you seem to be in quite a good mood, Jupiter. Seems like a lie after how down you were acting yesterday.”
The silver-haired twintail’s talkative mouth shyly clammed up in embarrassment.
“Yesterday…I just got a bit negative. Since you two are accepting me into this party, I intend to give my full effort.”
“Excellent. I’m counting on you, artillery.”
“Leave it to me.”
The mysterious girl’s eyes showed no hint of anxiety as she nodded firmly.
A mental breakdown is likely no longer a concern.
“Alright then, allow me to rudely ask you to shoot down that bird making a smug display over there.”
“Understood.”
Jet-black spiritual power began overflowing around the nodding Jupiter.
She’s got plenty of spirit, huh. Good, blast that thing away.
“Fall!”
In an instant, jet-black lightning exploded on the massive baobab tree swaying high above.
Blinding flashes.
Thunderous roars.
In the blink of an eye, the great tree in the sky was engulfed in a pillar of fire.
A barrage of black lightning continuously unleashed from the “discharge point” formed over 300 meters high.
Well then, what will you do? Your favorite hangout spot will soon collapse.
“KERYYYYYYY!!”
An ear-splitting scream rang out from the blazing giant tree.
Having its nest set on fire, the bird has finally decided to get up, it seems.
Spreading its ominous-colored wings, at last the Rain-Covering Wondrous Bird took flight.
Mere moments later, the massive tree floating in the sky was reduced to cosmic dust by the black lightning’s power.
The baobab’s remains rained down on the distant earth.
To think the opening move would be this…I’m struck with dread.
Does having an artillery just make this much of a difference…? No no, I need to focus on commanding now.
“Prepare to intercept! Haruka, deploy [futsu otamashī] while staying alert for close-range attacks! In case the enemy tries an energy attack, unfold a Copy [Soukyu] at a slightly higher position just in case!”
“Understood!”
“Jupiter, begin attacking the bird bastard! For bombardment on the large bird, choose linear-type techniques that minimize impact on the ground! I’ll handle your movement and protection!”
“……So in other words,”
“A piggyback ride!”
After an unnatural pause, the silver-haired girl’s head bobbed vertically.
“Most reluctantly, understood.”
Don’t be so resistant! My back is the safest place!
“Kyouichirou… I don’t dislike it. But a piggyback ride is still childish.”
“Only a kid would care about appearances like that! Cling to your big bro’s back without worry!”
“……Hmph.”
While making a put-upon “hmph” sound, Jupiter climbed aboard my back with small steps.
“Got a good grip?”
“Yeah. ……Lumpy.”
“Proof of my musculature. Don’t hold back—-! Here it comes!”
In an instant, a massive fireball came raining down from above.
The source was naturally Kamak.
Three fireballs spewed from the bird’s mouth came hurtling at us at dizzying speed.
“Haruka! Intercept them!”
“Leave it to me!”
But that’s naive.
There’s no way those meteor-like fireballs will reach us.
For the Anti-Sorcery Sword of the Azure Secret [Soukyu] that severs energy itself, attacks of this level are child’s play.
“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Accompanied by Haruka’s spirited shout, her annihilating slashes danced through the air.
Slish! The pleasantly crisp sextuple metallic rings consecutively extinguished the unsettling crackling flames.
It was like a typhoon against a candle flame.
Kamak continued firing fireballs in succession, but it was all meaningless.
The six [Soukyu] blades dancing in the sky swiftly dispelled them with the momentum of a sleeve’s brush.
“Alright! L We’ve got our long-range countermeasures now. Jupiter, why don’t we start our counterattack now?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
The piggybacking twintail began fidgeting and muttering softly on my back.
Most likely forming her “discharge points.”
Normally, long-range spirit arts are fired by first creating “discharge points” in the surrounding space.
If spiritual power is the gunpowder and spirit arts are the bullets, then “discharge points” are akin to the muzzle.
Being able to produce optimal “discharge points” adjusted for the scope, power, range, and vector of the spirit art is a critical foundational skill for shooters.
Top-tier shooters can even connect those “discharge points” via “spiritual channels” formed from their own spiritual power, allowing them to establish points at a considerable distance away.
With Jupiter’s specs, setting up “discharge points” several kilometers away is likely possible.
We heightened my spiritual perception to the maximum and looked up at the sky.
Tracing the visualized flow of spiritual power, an unbelievable sight sprawled out ahead.
“Hahah, awesome.”
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An odd laugh inadvertently slipped out.
Around Kamak firing fireballs, over a dozen “discharge points” had already been formed.
Spiritual power channels extending into the sky.
At the ends of those channels, massive cavities could be seen.
Countless channels and holes surrounding the Rain-Covering Wondrous Bird.
Each and every one of them a muzzle, a cutting edge to shoot down the giant bird.
“!?”
Kamak must have sensed the ominous spiritual flow as well.
The bird tried to change position while firing off warning fireballs, flapping its wings.
“Futile.”
However, the encirclement was not broken.
Jupiter freely manipulated the “spiritual channels”, tracking Kamak.
The pursuit-enabled “discharge points” immediately reformed the encirclement, and then—-.
“Pierce!”
Jet-black lightning thundered forth.
Over a dozen point-blank bombardments.
The dark lightning discharged through the “spiritual channels” and “discharge points” instantly charred the “Rain-Covering Wondrous Bird” into a burnt turkey.
“Kyouichirou, is that enough?”
“……No, not yet. Keep it up until that thing dissipates into particles of light.”
“Understood.”
That charbroiled bird bastard being savagely lynched in the sky was undoubtedly on its last legs.
But it had not yet perished.
The fact that it was still being lynched in mid-air proved as much.
It likely remained alive despite being burnt to a crisp by using some form of regeneration skill.
The secret to his regeneration technique was that it was a heat energy substitution type, similar to Sherald’s.
By converting his body into flames, he could erase his wounds – a wild and almost divine technique. In the game, it was probably represented as HP recovery, plus boosts to heat magic power and resistance.
That’s quite a troublesome ability. Being able to get the benefits of a buff, recovery, and resistance all in one technique is very cost-effective.
Kamak’s skills aren’t that high-level, but they’re still able to withstand Jupiter’s bombardment.
Gradually, parts of Kamak’s body start burning purple and transforming into an energy form.
The way his body is regenerating while wreathed in flames is like a phoenix.
“This is bad, his heat resistance is increasing.”
“Don’t worry, my black lightning is more than just regular lightning. The second effect should start kicking in soon.”
The meaning of Jupiter’s words became clear shortly after.
“KE…RY?”
Suddenly, the birdlike Kamak vomits purple blood from its beak.
The damage is not from the lightning, but from the collapse of its internal organs.
“…The black lightning has a dual attribute. In addition to lightning, it contains miasma. Even if he can endure the lightning, he can’t escape the corrosive miasma that eats away at his body.”
This was essentially a death sentence.
No matter how much he tries to turn his body into flames, the underlying blueprint of his existence remains unchanged.
That’s why he can regain his original physical form through re-substitution. But the miasma of the black lightning is destroying that fundamental blueprint from within.
Even if the powerful lightning can’t finish him off, the accumulated miasma can destroy him from the inside… Truly a villain-worthy ability.
“KERYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!”
Thrashing violently in the air, Kamak lets out a horrific scream.
This could be described as its death throes.
Constantly pelted by the black lightning bombardment, and with the miasma eroding it from the inside,
its demise is now just a matter of time.
“!? Kyou-san! The bird is coming closer!”
Haruka was the first to notice.
In the direction Harune is pointing, the massive form of the giant bird is steadily growing more imposing by the second.
This is not a fall, but a deliberate, stealthy approach. The muscle movements are dynamic.
It’s clearly homing in on a target.
…A final kamikaze attack?
“Haruka, please intercept it. Try to keep it from getting too close to us.”
“Got it!”
Casually giving her response, Harune quickly re-forms the ‘Azure Vault’ formation.
Creating a vertical six-layer vortex centered on Kamak’s predicted landing point,
the Azure Vault clones are ready to turn the giant bird into mincemeat.
But they don’t have the spare energy to fly in another direction.
Kamak’s life is about to be extinguished by the ongoing black lightning bombardment.
Falling means the end, fleeing means the end. So what will you do, Kamak?
“…………”
The Kamak glares at us with a sharp gaze.
It has chosen to fall.
Wreathed in flames, the giant bird plummets into the tornado of blades.
The raging slashes nullify the energy substitution regeneration, while dismantling the lord of the fifteen layers.
Its wings are torn off.
Its legs are severed.
Its torso is ripped open, the black lightning piercing its spilled innards.
And finally, in the moment Kamak’s head is severed, I know the battle is over.
Its shredded body falls towards the ground, torn apart by the storm of slashes and black lightning.
Just before impact, I fix my gaze on the decapitated form of the monster.
That massive body now reduced to just a head – how pitiful.
Sorry about this cruel end.
Go ahead and curse me with all your hatred, “KERY”… won’t you?
“Didn’t it just make a sound?”
Before Jupiter can respond, a sudden change occurs.
The severed head of Kamak’s mouth glows with red heat.
Even now, with just the head remaining…?
“Get away from me, Jupiter. I’ll handle its attack!”
“Got it.”
The small figure retreats from my back.
Yes, that’s right.
From here on, it’s my turn.
Kamak’s beak opens wide.
The fall is imminent, and this is likely the only chance it has to attack.
I stand in front of its line of fire and deploy the [Fourth Dimensional Defense].
Alright, go ahead and shoot.
And then I’ll block your fireball, and that’ll be game over.
Shoot, come on and shoot–!
“…………”
But Kamak does not fire the fireball.
Maintaining the pre-launch state, its severed neck plummets to the ground.
Scattering its brains dramatically, the severed head bounces… bounces?
Striking the ground once, the recoil slightly shifts the position of the head.
With the position shifted, the line of fire naturally changes as well.
But trapped within the [Fourth Dimensional Defense], I can’t recover in time.
What tenacity. What hatred.
It had accepted its own destruction for the sake of this single moment.
Surviving the storm of blades, enduring the black lightning bombardment, and even penetrating my defense – a final attack.
[Run, Jupiter!!]
My shout, however, cannot reach her due to the laws of the fourth dimension.
In that final instant, the beak accurately locks onto the retreating figure of Jupiter, and then–
“KERYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!”
The fireball is launched, targeting the fleeing girl.
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