Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 239: Battle for the First Basement Floor
Tauro freed everyone from their restraints and locked the unconscious Salk inside the cell.
“Here are your real weapons.”
He retrieved the equipment he had hidden in [Magic Storage] and handed it back to his companions.
“Are we really leaving this piece of trash here?” Ankh asked, pointing at Salk.
“I heard that he has a skill called [Escape]. Keeping him locked up and collecting him later should be safer than dragging him through a battle. More importantly, we have to stop the wide-area instant-death spell.”
“Right. That comes first.”
Tauro’s party immediately hurried toward the stairs.
As they approached, voices drifted down from the floor above.
“It’s a surprise attack! Everyone who can fight, arm yourselves!”
“What? How did they find this place?!”
“The sorcerer captured after the attempt on Count Dareder may have leaked the location.”
“Impossible! He was a first-rate sorcerer. If he tried to divulge information, the spell formula placed on him should have killed him.”
“I heard his curse was reflected back at him. That may have prevented him from killing himself.”
“If that’s true, this place may already be surrounded.”
“I don’t know! Resist for now. I’ve ordered the sorcerers to assemble at the treasury. We may have to use that, so be prepared!”
“What about the prisoners below?”
“Forget them!”
The footsteps receded.
“As expected, the device is probably in the treasury,” Tauro said after drinking a mana-restoration potion. “That room is on the first basement floor, directly above us.”
“If we seize the treasury, perhaps I won’t have much to do after all,” Aeris said, visibly relieved.
“We can relax after we take it,” Ankh replied. “I’ll lead. A greatsword is awkward indoors, but I have plenty of experience with shorter blades.”
He tapped the throwing knives and daggers stored in his armor. Before becoming an adventurer, Ankh had been a mercenary. He knew ways of fighting people that differed from the Assassins’ Guild’s methods.
“I’ll take point,” Ragune said, raising her shield and spear. “My resistances give me the advantage against poison and paralysis.”
“Then Ragune goes first, followed by Ankh and Aeris. I’ll guard the rear,” Tauro decided.
On the first basement floor, Ragune and Ankh overwhelmed their opponents. No matter how skilled the assassins were, meeting those two head-on in a narrow corridor was disastrous.
Ragune advanced behind her shield, dropping enemies with precise spear thrusts. Ankh covered every opening with thrown knives and close-range strikes. Aeris supported them with magic, while Tauro used [Presence Detection] and [True Eye] to direct the group from the rear and warn them of approaching enemies.
They rapidly fought their way to the treasury at the back of the underground complex, defeated its defenders, and secured the area.
The treasury door was locked, so Tauro used [Spatial Transfer] to enter and swept its contents into [Magic Storage]. Among the items were two exceptionally large, specially processed magic stones and a large collection of cursed stones.
“These are even larger than the stones in the Children’s Village. What would have happened if they had powered the wide-area instant-death spell with these?”
Cold sweat ran down Tauro’s back. Having already died to that spell once, he never wanted to experience its terror again.
“Someone’s coming, Leader!” Ankh warned.
Tauro used [Spatial Transfer] to leave the treasury. Five enemies were preparing to retake the room.
“You four, fall back. I’ll deal with them using this magic stone and cursed stone. Don’t get caught in the effect.”
A man who appeared to be a sorcerer drew a magic stone the size of a child’s fist from his pocket and stepped forward while his companions retreated.
“Aeris!”
Tauro immediately understood what he intended. The sorcerer was prepared to die merely to buy time for the others.
Aeris reacted at once, enclosing the man inside a barrier.
Black haze erupted around him, but the barrier contained it and prevented it from spreading.
“A barrier—!”
By the time the sorcerer understood, it was too late. He collapsed and died as the price of the spell.
“They carry smaller stones on their persons too,” Tauro said. “I’ve collected the large ones, but any surviving sorcerer may try the same thing. Stay ready, Aeris.”
“I understand. I’ll be prepared to deploy a barrier immediately.”
She tightened her grip on her staff.
“Let’s move to the surface. Our allies should already be fighting above us.”
The others nodded and followed Tauro toward the stairs.