While enduring the pressure that was building up throughout her body, Luda desperately searched for the situation around her.
She used all five of her senses, not to mention her hearing. The Knight's Palace is a level 8 treasure house. Basically, the level of a treasure house is proportional to the amount of mana and material it contains, and the higher the level, the higher the quality and quantity of the illusions that inhabit it. It's no wonder that a level 8 treasure house has several times as many illusions as the White Wolf's Lair we explored the other day.

However, strangely enough, Luda's senses could not detect any signs of life.

At the head of the line were the highest level members of the Foreign Mist. Some of them were bandits of a higher level than Luda. The deputy leader of the group, Ae Rallier, is one of them.
But his expression was just as quizzical as Rouda's.

There were no traps and no enemies.

Castle-shaped treasure halls are few in number, and the appropriate level tends to be high, so Luda had never explored one before. However, from what I've heard, there are highly-organized apparitions that appear.
Even if that were not the case, it is hard to believe that there are no illusions in the treasure house.

I may have misjudged the situation. From the moment I saw the Treasure House from a distance, my instincts kept ringing a strong alarm bell. I should have obeyed it, and now, even after all this time, I regret it only a little.

He knew from the Garest Mountains that the purpose of the Misty Thunder Dragon was different from Luda and the others. Even so, Luda and the others had followed Arnold, partly because they hadn't been able to accomplish the request Luda had received yet, but also because they felt they had to stop the engagement.

She couldn't predict what would happen if a level 7 Thunderous Flash and a level 8 Thousand Transformations collided. From what she could see, the former would win hands down, but since it was obvious that the Thousand Transformations had been highly mimicked, such a prediction would be meaningless.

No, let's be honest. Even if it was individual to individual, Luda thought that if the Misty Thunder Dragon and the Ghost of Sorrows clashed, the former would be defeated. Luda didn't know how good Krai was, but he could tell the difference in the quality of his companions. The party members of the Thunder Dragon of Mist are not weak. They boast stable abilities, but even so, they are nowhere near the impact they had when they first saw the Zekage.
I don't know much about Citri, but since he's in the same party, he must be of the same rank. Arnold engaged Ryss by the lake, but he would have been defeated if Sitri or Kry had been in the mix there.

As long as the Misty Thunder Dragon is determined, there's no stopping the clash. I've tried to convince him several times, but treasure hunters value face. I can understand why.

After all, the reason Luda came along was to intervene after the Misty Thunder Dragon was defeated.

The members of the Misty Thunder Dragon were violent and were exactly what ordinary citizens imagine when they hear the word "treasure hunter", but they were not evil people. They never abandoned Luda and the Crimson Flame even when they were in a desperate situation along the way, and they had even helped them several times. I must repay my debt.

Kry has Tino with him. Even if Luda couldn't stop him alone, if he and Tino pleaded for mercy, they could at least save his life.

That's what I was thinking. Now that I think about it, I must say I was naive.
It was true that Cry would nod if Luda begged for mercy. If Cry nodded, Zekage would not shake his head. But that would only be true if they were face to face.

He might die before he could face it.

The difficulty level of the treasure hall that Krei Andrich was headed for was beyond what Luda could have predicted.
He hadn't engaged the phantom yet, but he didn't need to. Compared to this place, the [White Wolf's Lair] he had explored before was like heaven.

The blue-faced Luda desperately concentrated his mind, followed by the even paler Crimson Flame.
There were fifteen of them, a far larger group than the original group that had been formed to explore the treasure house, but that was no consolation. Luda, Gilbert, and the others would probably be helpless in the face of the monsters that inhabited this hellish land.

Their only hope was the "Thousand Transformations" that should have entered the Treasure Hall earlier. That man, who rolled everything in the palm of his hand with a loose expression on his face, would have known that Rouda and the others were here. No, we can only hope so now that we're here.

Stingray said he just wanted to take a look around. I'm not going to die here, he said.
The mana material in the field was thicker than Luda had ever seen before, and he could feel it building up in his body, slowly but surely strengthening his abilities.

It's a good experience. How I wish I could laugh it off.
There are no absolutes on the battlefield. There is always the possibility that an attack will escape the detection of the stingray and Luda's presence, penetrate the formation of the Misty Thunder Dragon in front, and reap its life before Luda even notices.


The inside of the castle was different from what I had imagined, and had a somehow solemn atmosphere.

The outer walls and high gates made of stone were in harmony with the landscape and did not deteriorate, as if they had just been built.
The door, which opened naturally as if waiting for Arnold and the others, looked like metal and had a strange texture when touched. It was proof that this castle was made entirely of mana material. Perhaps the gates and doors that could be broken down by using all the strength in the world boasted a hardness that could not be imagined from their appearance.

I carefully checked the area around the gate, but the room that should have been filled with soldiers was empty and unoccupied. It was eerie to see the tables, chairs, and lit lamps that had been left behind.
Aei peers into the room through the window and asks Gilberto, the lord of the house.

'Hey, Gilberto. Do you know anything about this treasure house?

'No, I don't. I've looked into it, but I found very little information. There are too few hunters who have explored it.

A treasure house with no prior information is an object of avoidance for hunters. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why this treasure house has not been explored for so long.
After passing through the gate, smooth stones were paved on the ground to form a path. There were narrow paths to the left and right, and thicker paths in front.
The surrounding area was evenly planted with well-tended trees, which looked a bit distorted as thick clouds blocked the light from reaching them.

Arnold grabbed his greatsword and said, in a position to go into battle at any time.

'...... There's no sign of the battle.

'It may have been overwritten, but--'

We've only just passed through the gate. It's strange that we haven't had any close encounters up to this point, but common sense dictates that the real battle begins once we enter the castle building.
Arnold, with a grim expression on his face, walked proudly down the front path. If you look up, you can see the jet-black castle towering in the dark clouds.

'............ There's no ...... trace of Kry, either.'

'............'

I hinted that he might not be there, but no one said anything.

I'd like to think that he's not in the castle, but there was a sense of danger in the Thousand Transformations that he could do anything. Aside from the three of us, including Kry, I'm a little worried about Tino, who was probably forcibly brought here. Tino was certainly strong, but I don't think he could take on a level 8 treasure house. He's probably crying in pain right now.

If I didn't think about it, I would have been crushed by the tension.

So far, there was no sign of life at all. The Misty Thunder Dragon would not choose to retreat before it had fought even one battle.
If the illusion is to appear, I want it to appear as close to the exit as possible - preferably before it enters the castle. It's even better if the opponent is alone. The best thing would be for Krai to come back and meet us by chance before we enter the battle, but for some reason, I can't see that happening at all.

'Hey ...... you guys, are you okay?

'Oh, yeah ...... a little tight, but no problem.'

'We haven't even seen the illusion yet.'

Carmine and Gilbert, the leaders of the Crimson Flame, responded to Aei's words. However, their faces were filled with deep fatigue.


Maybe you have the same look on your face.

Luda is a level 4 hunter, but he is a solo level 4 certified hunter. It is generally said that reaching a high level solo is more difficult than reaching that level in a party.
I've been a hunter for a while now, and I've always been proud to be one. The Crimson Flame doesn't whine, but I can't whine either.

I will return alive at all costs. If you think about it calmly, what Luda received this time was just an errand. There was no way she would die in the middle of such an errand.

As she drew in a deep breath, Arnold, who was leading the way, stopped.

Suddenly, something that sounded like noise entered my ears. The members of the Misty Thunder Dragon spread out and quickly formed a formation.

About ten meters in the direction of Luda and the others, darkness was stirring.
The noise grew stronger. The pale darkness gathered in one place, taking on color and shape.

Carmine, who was behind the Misty Thunder Dragon, saw it, opened his eyes, and took a few steps back.

'The ...... occurrence of illusions! Isn't it stupid ...... not to occur in front of people's eyes?''

'Heehee,......, the mana material is too strong.'

The ray broke into a cold sweat and gave a half-hearted smile.

The detailed mechanism is not known, but it is generally believed that the illusion is caused by the accumulation of a certain amount of mana material.
If a hunter is present in the Treasure Hall, the mana material will be absorbed by the hunter, making it unlikely that an apparition will occur in front of him. This is not to say that there are no past examples, but it is an extremely rare phenomenon unique to high-level treasure halls.

The mage of the Thunder Dragon of Mist began to chant attack magic. Hearing this, the mage of the Crimson Flame hurriedly follows suit. Luda regained his composure as his ally entered a battle stance.
I was surprised, but when I thought about it, it was fortunate that the illusion occurred right in front of me. You can attack your opponent before he has a chance to get into position. It would be a trivial fight, but perhaps I could defeat him unilaterally without allowing him to counterattack.

The darkness gathered and a knight appeared. He was about the same height as Arnold. A dark knight with a jet-black helmet that completely concealed his head and armor that covered his entire body.
A knight with a jet-black sword at his waist.

That's two of them.

I think it's bad. The only one in this treasure house who's barely under the appropriate level is Arnold. The rest, even the members of the Misty Thunderdragon, are probably far below the proper level.

We don't know the strength of the illusions yet, but it's bad luck to encounter two of them in the first round.
On the other hand, I'm glad there are only two of them. Arnold would have had to fight one, and the rest of us would have had to fight another.

We have no choice. I'll make up my mind. This isn't the first time I've fought a powerful enemy and exchanged lives.
The moment the illusion takes shape, the ray cries out.

'Do it!

Two parties. The two mages had chosen fire magic as their surprise attack.
A blade of blue flame and a storm of compressed flame bullets attacked the Black Knight, who had just begun to move.

The black knight received it without even showing any sign of evasion. A muffled sound resounded in succession, and a light that was instantaneously generated blocked his vision.

'Did you do it?

'Of course not!

A ray shouted back at Gilbert's voice.

Before he could confirm the result, Arnold had begun to move.
He's got a huge body and a huge two-handed sword, yet he's moving at a tremendous speed. The way he runs, clad in purple lightning, is as majestic as the god of thunder.

The light clears. With a roar, Arnold swung his greatsword down. The Black Knight intercepted him with the sword he had drawn from his waist.

A high-pitched sound echoed through the air. Before you can be surprised by the result, the ray that followed behind Arnold gets behind the other black knight and kicks him in the back of the knee.

The knight took the attack spell head on and showed no itch whatsoever. There was not a scratch on his helmet or armor, not even a speck of clouding.
The attack spell was powerful enough for Luda to see. If Luda took it seriously, he would be seriously injured, if not fatally.

To be hit by such a blow and remain unharmed--what hardness!
You'll be able to get a lot more than just a pair of shoes.

This is the most incompatible opponent for Luda.

I'm not going to let you get away with it!

The black knight flipped his sword. The speed of the sword was too fast for even Rouda's kinetic vision to catch.
Arnold tilts his greatsword and catches the blow with a minimum of movement. The sound of the swords exchanging was heard as if they were connected as one sound.
It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation.

But the problem is the ray that attacked the other one.
The battle on your side was almost one-sided. The black knight attacked, and the ray evaded. The knight's armor that covered his entire body was impervious to the ray's attack, and even the initial shot to his leg, which almost took him by surprise, did no damage.

But that was the only thing that had worked.

The reason why Aei continued to charge at Arnold was probably because even Arnold thought that it would be unfair to take on two of them at the same time.
One of the Black Knights was focused on chasing the ray, and showed no signs of joining the other one.

The fact that the ray managed to avoid the unnoticeable flash of the sword was because the black knight's body movement was not that fast. The speed of the sword is quite fast, but if you take a backward step, you need to turn around. If he takes a step backwards, you have to chase him. Unlike the Zekage, he was able to change his position well and never collide head-on, which was the royal way of a thief.

In the meantime, three swordsmen from the Misty Thunder Dragon joined the ray. The three large swordsmen surrounded him, and the black knight stopped his hand as if to check on him.
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'd*mn, you monster ......, is this what you call a small fry ......'

One of the surrounding swordsmen breathes hard and points his sword at the Black Knight. The ray smiled deeply at his words.

'Yeah, that's quite a feat. But I set you up for the ...... type.'


'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

In the meantime, the battle between Arnold and the Black Knight was intensifying.

The black knight has the upper hand, with his sword flashing with tremendous speed and his armor impervious to all attack magic.
The greatsword is a weapon that emphasizes the weight of a single blow. In the event that you are not able to find the best way to get the most out of your business, then you will need to look for a company that can help you.

--That's what Luda and Gilbert thought.

The battle took an unexpected turn.
I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it, but I'm going to have to.

I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.



A white beam of light will pierce Arnold. It's a spell to enhance his physical abilities.
Body-enhancing magic is a double-edged sword. Many hunters are reluctant to use them, especially those that increase muscle strength or instantaneous power, because they change the way you feel.

Luda was once surprised by them.
At this moment, Arnold's body is probably feeling very light. He is so light that he cannot control his sword well.

'......!

But from Luda's point of view, Arnold's behavior did not change at all. He caught the godspeed blow with a minimum of movement.

For a moment, I thought it was a dud, but I soon realized I was wrong.

He's used to it. I'm used to sudden changes in my senses.

It takes a bloody effort to adapt to such a bizarre change in sensation. He's probably trained countless times. She must have undergone many physical strengthening spells over and over again to be able to cope with any situation.

She has been subjected to strengthening spells in order of strength, endurance, and defense. Arnold, who was under the strengthening spell, but was still receiving the sword, seemed to be holding back a great deal of anger.

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Even so, the Gorai Haha Sen does not move.

Gilbert was about to run out to intervene, but Aei shouted at him.

'Get out of the way, you bastard! Stay where you are in case something happens! I'm still okay!

Gilbert stopped, bit his lip in frustration, and stomped on the ground. I understand how you feel. It's frustrating that I'm not good enough. Carmine and the others must be feeling the same way.
I was familiar with the movements of the Misty Thunder Dragon. I'm not going to be able to do anything about it.

I'm not sure what to do.

'............? Wait a minute, is that--'

The black knight, who was exchanging sword blows with Arnold, suddenly stopped moving for a moment. It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation.

It's not fatigue. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

I thought for a moment it was just my imagination, but it wasn't.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing. He stopped moving for a moment, his center of gravity swayed, and his knees moved as if they were twitching.
Before you know it, the battle situation is tilted to Arnold's side.
The godlike brilliance of his sword dulled. It was not that Arnold's movements had changed. Arnold, the recipient, was barely moving his body anymore.

I'm sure you're right. I'm not sure what to do.

You will find a lot of people who are not familiar with this kind of thing. I'm not sure what to do.

It's lightning. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.
The opponent was wearing a suit of armor. Even the strongest armor could not protect him from electricity. This is also a merit of lightning magic in general.

Perhaps Arnold had been waiting. He was waiting for the moment when the effects of the electric shock would accumulate and expose his opponent to a fatal opening.

If you call it clever, you're probably right. Arnold's size and huge sword did not allow him to imagine such a strategy.
But Luda could feel the toughness of a treasure hunter in that strategy.

This is what level 7... is a tactic that has been arrived at through study and experience.

Finally, the black knight's body wobbled and he fell to his knees. Arnold roared in the large gap that finally appeared.
The air trembled. The other black knight stopped moving as well, due to the tremendous will to fight. The sword that Arnold held high shone and lit up with a golden light.

The aftermath of the energy made my body numb.
It was lightning. It's not natural, it's like the breath of a dragon--golden lightning.

''Thunderbolt Flash.''

The blow reminded me of a lightning strike.
The golden line passed through the black knight who lifted his sword in panic.
The blade didn't just pierce the black armor, but went on to cut through several meters of cobblestones, spreading its energy around.

The black knight explodes. There was no need to think about life or death.
It was a powerful blow that was a complete change from the detailed maneuvering he had just done.

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'Wow, that's amazing ......!

'This is--level 7......!

I've only seen him tossed around by the "thousand changes, million changes", but that blow was a true hero's blow.

The body of Arnold, who swung down the blade, was still covered with electric shocks and glowed with gold.
Without a hint of joy at his victory, his golden eyes narrowed as he turned to his next prey.

The stingrays gradually widened their encirclement. Then, the thunder-clad hero leapt toward the black knight.

The battle ended easily enough.
Arnold's strike was not as fast or as powerful as the previous one. The lightning-covered blow cut the black knight in two with the sword that received it.
It's as if the struggle we just had was a dream.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

After checking the condition of his companions who were blown away, Aei breathed a sigh of relief.

...... Arnold, you've done it. I'm sure you're a strong opponent of the Level 8 Treasure Temple, but--'

'Ah. But it won't be like this.''

The light on his body weakened. There is no joy in Arnold's expression.
Certainly, seeing as how it appeared in the middle of nowhere, it's probably not that powerful. Perhaps the fact that it is always on guard is evidence of its long history of warfare.

But this is how I was able to defeat an enemy at level 8, a treasure house above the proper level. I should be a little more pleased...



At that point, Luda suddenly felt something tugging at his heart.

'You're good, old man! How do you do that move? I wonder if I can do it too?

'...... Talk in your sleep.'

Arnold was taken aback by Gilbert's excitement and seriousness about his joke. A ray is looking down at the corpse of the phantom lying on the ground with a scowl.

It is true that we are not careless. But there is a loose tension in the air, as is typical after a fierce battle.
The shock of Arnold's thunderous blow shook Luda's brain as much as it did her own.

Her eyes widened. It's--it's d j vu. Luda had encountered a similar situation before.
She'd been in a pinch, had healed her wounds, had caught her breath.

She looked at Gilbert, who was also with her at that time. The red-haired boy who caught her gaze looked back at her with an absent-minded look.

'...... Gilberto, do you ...... remember what happened at the [White Wolf's Den]?

'What ......? What do you suddenly ............ e ...... ah!

Gilbert's expression instantly turned pale. It must have occurred to him the same thing. That's how memorable it is.
The forces, the circumstances, and everything else were different. But the circumstances were eerily similar.

Even down to the point that they came here as if they were involved in Krei Andrich.



People call that a 'thousand trials.



'Old man, this is bad! More refills, more refills! I got another one last time!

'...... Are you crazy?'

Gilbert shouted to Arnold in a panic. I'm sure he's not thinking about it, but for now, I appreciate the momentum.

I know how you feel. Another refill, yes, another refill. That's what happened last time. We fought one strong enemy and managed to defeat it, and then three more came in with different weapons.
If Kry hadn't come to our rescue at that time, Luda and the others would have died there. And there's a level 7 named Arnold, who may not be able to help us this time.

Maybe it's just my imagination. Maybe I'm just worrying too much. But I couldn't ignore it.
When Gilbert suddenly started to make a fuss, Luda advised him.

'Mr. Ei, I think you should do as Gilbert says. The last time something like this happened, we got an add.'

'...... Hmm. What do you want to do, Mr. Arnold?'

At Aei's words, Arnold looked at his companions and snorted.

'......Go back, go forward, or .......'


I was wrong about Arnold. He's definitely a level 7 hunter.
He may have a lot of pride, and he may be impossibly inflexible, but he won't make a bad decision when the time comes.

I engaged the phantom. We were able to break through, but we had a rough idea of the enemy's strength. We were able to win this time because there were fewer of them. If we continue on, someone will be seriously injured. And there was no way this man, who was much more intelligent than he looked, could not see that.

Luda stepped forward. She looks straight up at Arnold.
I don't know for sure. But her instincts were telling her. Through Tino, Luda knew a little more about the Thousand Transformations.


'I think we should move on.


"What ......?

I'm not sure if it was unexpected, but Arnold was blindsided.

But they knew. The Thousand Trials is not something you can escape by trying to escape.
There was no way that the man known as the "Thousand Transformations" did not understand Arnold's character.

That's why-- Luda chooses to outsmart him.
It's all intuition. But sometimes you have to trust your instincts more than your logic.

Yeah. If it's all change, put a strong opponent on the retreat.

But if you just say that, you don't know what Arnold, who has a grudge against the Thousand Transformations, will think.

Luda looked serious and said with all his heart.


'My--my intuition is telling me. We must move forward now. Any retreat is fraught with powerful enemies. If we go back, I think we should go forward once and then turn around. Please, just once. Trust me!







'This is ridiculous. But sometimes that foolish intuition can save the party.

He moved forward as if he were being driven, paying attention to his surroundings.

Arnold decided to trust Luda. His words were filled with reality. Of course, with the possibility of illusions coming from outside the path, there was no guarantee that there would be no danger on the way out.
Luda is a solo hunter. The fact that she is a solo hunter indicates that she has a good ability to detect danger.

The important thing is balance. A hunter cannot be one who shy away from danger, nor can he be one who charges headlong into deadly danger.

In short, Arnold's words were worth risking the lives of the entire party.

'Yes! No one's coming! We were on the right path!

There was no sign of pursuit. Even Gilbert, who had been frequently looking behind him, breathed a sigh of relief.
He said his reasoning was that he had been through something similar last time, but he wondered how traumatic it had been.



I followed the road straight ahead. As the huge jet-black castle approaches, its strangeness is palpable.
What really lives in that castle? Arnold, who had little experience in diving into high-level treasure halls, had no idea.

It took more than ten minutes to get there. Just as the entrance to the castle came into view, the trees that had been growing on either side of the path disappeared, and the landscape changed.

Luda's eyes widened and she let out a small scream. Gilbert turned pale, and even Arnold gasped.

What was there was a circular square.
It was a circular space with cobblestones laid out on the ground. The view was clear and almost unobstructed. The castle was straight ahead, through the square.

But more than anything else, the reason for Luda and the others' dismay was the black mountain that lay along the perimeter of the square.
Gilbert approached the pile, examined it, and shook his body.

'What is this--......?

It was a pile of corpses that had been killed in every way possible.

The reason why it looked like a black mountain was because most of them were black armor, helmets, and swords.
Just by looking at them, we can see that there is more than one way to kill them. Burned to death. Crushed to death. Some were frozen, and some were torn apart, armor and all. We barely know from the shape of the armor that it was humanoid.

No, it wasn't. It was the same thing as the Phantom that Arnold and the others had just engaged.

'Oh, my god ......'.

A ray of sunshine tugged at his cheeks as he rifled through the pile of corpses. He stabbed his sword into the pile and pulled out a fresh head, which was shaped like an octopus. It was black and wet with mucus, but the two green eyes on its front were dark and cloudy, devoid of life. The one that Arnold had fought had not been human, though he had not been able to see what was inside.

Luda also examined the pile of corpses with trepidation, but all of them had faces and shapes that were slightly different from those of humans. Taking into account the abandoned armor, they could be called deformed soldiers.

Gilbert looked around at the pile of stuff piled high and muttered in dismay.

'Is this all from ...... done by the [Thousand Transformations]?

The plaza is large. The number of them piled up around the perimeter is not a hundred or two hundred.
Phantoms are things that dissolve into the air as soon as they finish their life activities. The stronger the mana material is, the longer it takes to disappear, but if they were defeated so recently, it's no wonder Luda and the others were able to walk right past them, except for that one battle.

It's not humanly possible for Arnold to have slaughtered all the phantoms he could.

I couldn't believe it. But I had no choice but to believe. Who else could have created such a scene?
Looking at the corpses in their various ways of dying, I can understand why they are called 'a thousand changes'.


'............ Mr. Arnold, look at this. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's had a bit of fun.


My heart thumped hard. Something cold went down my spine. When Arnold realized what it was, he was stunned without expressing it.

It was something he hadn't felt in a long time: fear. Fear of the incomprehensible, fear of the absolutely powerful.

Now I'm afraid to even try.

I knew there was a chance I'd lose. But that's the party talking.
Arnold was always convinced he was the strongest. At all times, even when he was struck down by the Zekage in the tavern.

His heart palpitated. I let out a ragged exhalation and stared at the pile of corpses once again.

This is-- Level 8. It's too far away. I can't see a way to win. I clench my teeth and grip my sword tightly.

'............ d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it.'

It's not enough. It's not enough. It's too much for me right now. I don't even know what I'm missing.

Ray notices Arnold's condition and looks concerned.

As a leader, you have to stand in front. You have to show your people that you're strong.
He pushes through the intense conflict with only his will and looks ahead. Even if it's just on the surface, you have to look strong.

The ray's expression returns to normal. He wasn't fooled by the act. Perhaps he knew Arnold's intentions, and he knew what they were all about.
It's not a fundamental solution, but it does bring back a bit of calmness to the way he handled the situation.

That's right. Now is not the time for conflict. What we need to think about now is how to get everyone out of this hellish treasure house safely.
No matter what the situation, even if his will is frustrated, Arnold has an obligation to lead the party. That will only disappear when Arnold dies.

You can either wait for the "thousand changes" and bow your head, or you can take the long way around and find a way out. .......

That's when the ray opened his eyes.
I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it. ............ coming. It's a horde. ...... It's a mess! There's nothing we can do!

'............What?'


A few hundred meters away, just beyond the horizon, something black was stirring.
No, it's not something. It's a knight. An army of deformed knights in black armor. They're still a long way off, but they're advancing toward us little by little, like a surging wave.

I don't know how many they are, but they are definitely a horde that we can't fight. The horde of Orcs we fought the other day was of a similar scale, but the quality of this opponent was too different.
Even if Arnold squeezed every ounce of life force he could muster, he wouldn't be able to reduce it by half.

Luda, who had also noticed the horde, looked on.
I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

'A thousand ...... trials ......'.

You think this is an ordeal......!

'This is crazy ...... shit ......'.



Look around the square. You can't run away from them now.
But there's no way we can win if we engage them. In this wide space, you'll end up surrounded and crushed. Can we really call an ordeal that we have no room to overcome a ordeal?

The other members of the group had also noticed the swarm of phantoms and were completely frozen in place.
However, we can't give up until the end. Calming your breathing, you search for a plan of survival.

Suddenly, his vision caught sight of a jet-black castle further away from the square.
It is the main part of this treasure house. Perhaps the level of danger is not as great as it is here.

But - is it better than being swallowed up here?

The strange group is getting closer and closer to us. We're running out of time.
The others, who had been frozen for a while, now regained their composure and waited patiently for Arnold's words.

And then, Arnold made his decision.