56 – Daphnia

Once, the air gap echoed.

No, several times.

”damn! Shit!”

Apis, who nervously threw the empty quiver to the floor, burst into anger.

Broken arrows were scattered all over it, like burnt-out matchsticks.

It was a fact that it was easy to tell just by looking at her grieved expression that all these were traces of failure.

”In addition to the spirit bow, I also shot a bomb bow. Does it make sense that you won’t budge!? how the hell did you get it These beggar-foot-wrap-like walls!”

The tone was a bit fierce, but the argument was right.

Spirit magic that can be said to be exclusive to elves. On top of that, the power of the Spirit Bow, with the strength of Apis trained to the limit, was comparable to that of a cannon.

Furthermore, the bow and arrow is powerful enough to pierce even the scales of a dragon in one blow, so-called Apis’ secret weapon.

If it hadn’t been for an urgent situation like now, it wouldn’t be strange even if harsh reprimands came out of my mouth, saying, “You shouldn’t shoot something like that in the city.”

”Shooting something hideous like that in the city! What are you doing if someone gets hurt!”

As if a bomb had exploded at close range, the nun who was covering her ears with both hands pressed Apis with a weepy tone.

”ah! Noisy! then! A colleague is locked up! You want me to just let go and watch!?”

It was Apis who asked in a rather harsh tone, but she also had tears in her expression.

There seemed no doubt that this black pillar that swallowed a whole building was a kind of ‘dungeon’.

Dungeon.

A general term for a different space created by excessive condensation of mana, which was scattered like air in the atmosphere, in a specific terrain for unknown reasons.

As much as Mana, which is the basis of all existing abilities in this world, is its subject.

The shape of the dungeon and its accompanying characteristics were so diverse and diverse that even within this system that boasted a long history, there was no completely defined precedent.

In dungeons where vicious monsters were infested like cockroaches, the nobles were at least on the side.

A space where lava can bend like waves, gravity can be distorted, time and space are distorted, and it is not strange even if things like poison or curses are constantly spewing out.

A bottle without a lid in which all sorts of evil things are tightly packed.

That was the impression I got from seeing the dungeon.

among dogs.

A tower with no end in sight.

A labyrinth with no exit.

A ship controlled by corpses.

I heard that there are also special types of dungeons.

Among those unusual dungeons, there are dungeons that appear every few hundred years and shake off the danger that shakes the foundations of the world.

Humanity calls him the ‘Demon King’ and holds him in awe.

”If only I could somehow get in here!”

Apis suddenly proposed a plan, and I silently bowed my head and agreed with that opinion.

There is no other way to destroy a dungeon that has once appeared, other than breaking the core of the dungeon within the dungeon.

This is an immovable law that our party has personally proven by going through the trials and tribulations.

A dungeon that has lost its core goes into an incubation period until the core is restored, and the cycle is determined by the size and danger of the dungeon.

Short ones have an incubation period of a week, long ones for hundreds of years.

Humankind has been able to maintain its existence until now, because whenever the demon king appears every few hundred years, the warrior who was endowed with the protection of the saint has broken the demon king’s core.

However, that’s the story of when you can enter the dungeon to the end.

I’ve seen many dungeons where it’s hard to get out once you’ve entered.

It was the first time that even those of us who could be proud of having seen the most types of dungeons among modern humans had never seen such a type of dungeon that stubbornly refused outside invasion.

Because.

It was inevitable that Apis would become nervous before this bleak situation, which could not be like this or that.

While we’re hesitating outside the dungeon like this, no one knows what danger the hero inside the dungeon is facing.

But, why?

As the seriousness of the situation became clearer, my mind was getting calmer.

While Apis was constantly shooting arrows at the black pillar.

The reason why I was just staring blankly at Apis’ ceaseless efforts was no different.

If it were me, it seems like I could do something.

It was because, like a wave, deep in my thoughts, a sense of inexplicable inexplicable origin rippled.

trudge.

”uh?”

”Priest?”

My actions as I silently moved toward the black pillar must have looked quite monstrous.

Sister and Apis. Their gazes suddenly converged on me.

And those gazes, right after I put my hand on the black wall in front of my eyes, instantly distorted into astonishment.

”Hey—!!!”

”Priest-!!”

Again.

Like when you throw a small pebble into a large lake.

Light ripples rippled across the entire black wall, centered on the area where I touched.

Then, the mysterious patterns engraved on me by the saintess, which were located here and there on my right arm, began to emit a brilliant light.

At that moment, I was able to have confidence in the vague intuition I felt.

As expected, I agree.

This pure white aura dwelling faintly in my body was in sync with the prototype of the power of the black wall in front of me.

The waves and branches of power may be separate things, but they are something that grew from the same root. Only one thing could be said for sure.

I can’t quite explain why.

All of this was the result of blindly surrendering my body to my intuition that somehow seemed to be so, even if I tried to refine myself, it was full of holes.

Not instinct, not intuition.

Wouldn’t the expression “a sixth sense born from the soul” fit the best?

It was around the time I was thinking such nonsensical thoughts.

My hand started to get sucked into that darkness one after another.

”Hey! you! what are you doing! now!”

”Yes, priest!”

The feeling that someone from beyond the darkness is pulling my hand roughly.

Into the bottomless depths of the sea, a sense of helplessness, as if my body and mind were slowly sinking, tried to swallow me.

”Keugh!”

Apis hurriedly grabbed my arm, but it was too late.

My body, which did not even show the slightest intention of resistance, had already been eaten by the black pillar in front of me for a long time.

”Hey! Are you crazy!? I crawled in alone, knowing what the hell was going to be there!”

”Yeah····. I’m regretting it right now…”

”No, how! How the hell did you get in! It’s a wall that didn’t even budge even though I put dozens of arrows into it…!”

”If you can’t push it, try pulling it. I borrowed the wisdom of our ancestors…”

”You madman! I’m not in the mood to joke right now! Open your mouth and get out of there right now!”

I must have been quite dissatisfied with my frivolous attitude as I was being sucked into the wall while making silly jokes.

Suddenly, Apis raised her voice.

”Oh, no! No! Priest!”

The nun who joined late also seemed to be trying to add strength to the task of pulling me out.

Even if one nun helped with what Apis couldn’t do, the result would not change.

Putting an ant on top of an elephant playing tug-of-war doesn’t seem to change anything.

”You know where it is and crawl in alone! On a weak topic! Won’t you come out right away!? You must have seen what the big team and Downa looked like! What the hell can you do when you’re busy gossip in an ordinary dungeon! Even today’s miracles have already been used up!”

”Yes, priest! Rage’s priest! that, yes! I’m going to call someone now! a little bit! wait a minute please!”

Every word of the accusations Apis fired at me was true.

Even if the hero is in desperate need of someone’s help.

It was safe to say that the difference in abilities between me and the hero surpassed that of an elephant and an ant, and was equivalent to the gap between a dinosaur and a water flea.

I was naturally aware of the frivolous reality that I, who had already used up today’s miracles, could only be a hindrance even if I went to help her.

but.

”apis.”

What can I do? that the body has moved

And, again, in case you don’t know.

Daphnia may have something it can do in its own way.

”I lost the bet. Because there is no post office around here. I will deliver the letter directly to the hero.”

”you····!”

My awkward smile, which forced the corners of my trembling lips to hang down, was clearly reflected in Apis’ golden eyes.

Because I was also born as a company manager.

I wanted to get in shape for the moment I didn’t know if it would be the last time, but when I tried to force myself to do something I didn’t normally do, it was inevitable that my body would squirm.

how long has it been like that

Maybe Apis felt something from me after looking into my eyes for a long time.

I slowly let go of the hand I was holding on to.

”If I die, I will kill…”

”Ah, Mr. Apis!? Why do you hold your hand!?”

I tried to tell the nun to calm down, who seemed shocked by Apis’ behavior.

Before I knew it, the darkness had swallowed even my lips, so I had no choice but to give up intervening with her.

like that.

I thanked Apis for understanding my intentions with only my eyes, and before long, I gave myself up without regret to something beyond the darkness that wanted my body.

”Priest–!!!”

The nun’s muffled voice, as if coming from underwater, wet my ears.

If I had known it would be like this, I would have touched that breast without any desire.

”Puhahahaha.”

Even at the moment when I didn’t know if it would be the last time in my life, it was right after I gave myself a self-deprecating laugh after thinking such trivial thoughts.

the world went dark