Rei went down the stairs and safely entered the third level underground. However, the moment he took his first step in the third floor, Rei reflexively swung the Death Scythe.

  「!?」


  At the same time, Ara use her sword to repel something that flew towards her.

  「Tch, as expected. It’s that.」


  Looking at the thing twisted around the handle of the Death Scythe, Rei muttered seriously.

  A white thread was there. The white thread stretched towards the ceiling of the dungeon. At the ceiling was a spider, about 2m in length with over 20 eyes at first glance. It turned to look at Rei without emotion.

  「Was the trap at the stairs the work of this thing? Also……」


  Elena, Kuust and Vel, who wer behind Ara glared at something which was bigger than a human and had green scales covering its hands and feet. They were demi-humans with a face of a reptile and a thick, long tail. Lizardmen.

  Armed with bows, swords and spears, they glared at Ara with hostility, as if looking at prey.

  「Rei, you do something about the spider. If possible, it would be great if you could finish that quickly and come to help us as soon as possible.」


  Waving her sword whip, Elena gave a sharp cry as she used it’s whip form to fling it at the Lizardmen.

  The blade of the sword extended and curved like a whip to attack, causing several of them to suffer wounds that weren’t minor and throwing them into confusion. Taking advantage of that, Ara repeatedly stabbed out with her long sword. As Rei wasn’t available, Kuust stepped forward to the vanguard with his magic spear. Supporting them were Vel, covering the two with his bow, and Elena. The sword whip seemed to move through the air like a snake with quick movements as it struck the Lizardman with the bow, who was about to shoot.

  Even while watching the situation from the side, Rei pulled on the thread that had twisted itself around the Death Scythe to drag the spider down from the ceiling. As if understanding what would happen if it fell, the spider desperately resisted as it pierced its legs into the ceiling.

  「Tch, a waste of time. Set!」


  「Gururu~!」


  Waiting for that, Set flapped his wings as he kicked against the ground. Using that momentum, he used his claws to run up the wall towards the spider.

  「Kikiki~」


  The spider pushed against the ceiling with and gave a cry that sounded like metal rubbing against each other as it tried to avoid Set’s strike. But……


  「The moment I was waiting for!」


  To avoid Set’s attack, it had to move from its position of being stuck to the ceiling. In other words, it had to move it’s legs out of the ceiling. It was forcibly pulled down without being able to give any resistance by the thread twisted around the Death Scythe.

  「Kyi~!」


  Though it was originally a spider, which shouldn’t have any cry, maybe because it was a monster, it gave a scream of intimidation.

  It probably suffered some damage from being pulled to the ground. Though Rei tried to cut it with the Death Scythe when its movements slowed, the spider opened it’s mouth at that moment, spiting out some kind of liquid.

  「Tch!」


  Due to his intuition, he immediate fell back and took some distance after the spider spat out the liquid. Seeing that the liquid gave out smoke as it touched the ground when it landed, it was clear that his choice had been the right one. The huge spider then noticed the figure of Set, trying to attack from above, with his compound eyes.

  「Set, back!」


  「Gururu~!」


  Hearing Rei’s sudden shout, it stopped it’s fall by kicking against the wall with his hind feet before changing direction in mid air. At the same time, innumerable were shot from the abdomen of the huge spider, sticking to the ceiling without catching Set. If he had continued his attack from above, there was no doubt Set would have been tangled by them.

  「Thread and poison, both are difficult long range attacks for Set and me to deal with……it can’t be helped, I’ll have to give up the materials and magic stone.」


  Muttering, Rei focused his magic. Set understood what Rei was trying to do by his actions and attacked the spider in order to turn its attention away from Rei.

  『Flame, burn the enemy according to my thoughts.』


  Pouring magic power into his words as he said the incantation, the laws of nature were twisted and a 50cm diameter ball of fire appeared at the tip of the Death Scythe’s handle

  『Fireball!』


  Swinging the handle, the fireball was shot out. By the time the huge spider noticed the heat approaching it, there was already no evading. Without a sound, its body was burnt and its body fluids boiled at the same time.

  After Rei confirmed that fireball had hit, he immediately turned to look at the Lizardmen.

  Lizardmen. Though they were D rank monster, the same rank as the Orcs he had defeated before, their intellect was clearly higher than that of the Orcs. Unlike Orcs, who merely obeyed orders from others higher up the hierarchy, Lizardmen would make their own decisions on what was the most suitable action and carry them out. Originally, it might have been possible to count them as a monster of a higher rank, because their reproductive abilities were low and their individual power wasn’t far from and Orcs, their rank wasn’t any higher. Still, their proof of subjugation, which was the tip of their tail, could be handed in at the guild for 5 silver coins.

  As for the Lizardmen, with Elena commanding Kuust, Vel and Ara, it still wasn’t an easy fight and the battle was about equal.

  (No, I should admire the Lizardmen. The same number of Goblins were easily defeated on the floor before.)

  While thinking like that, Rei noticed that the Lizardmen at the vanguard had fallen into a confused fight against Elena and that the rear had become separated.

  「Elena-sama, I’ll attack their rear with magic. Please be careful not to get caught in it!」


  「Magic? I understand. We have heard it. Be careful to not get caught up in Rei’s magic!」


  While listening to Elena’s words, he focused his mind and poured magic power into his words.

  『Flame, pour down a rain of arrows and burn all. 』


  At the same time he cast the spell, arrows made of fire, about the length of his arm, formed around Rei. About 50 were created.

  『Fire Arrow Rain!』


  At the same time the magic was activated, 50 arrows shot out in a large arc and literally poured down onto the Lizardmen at the back.

  An innumerable number of fire arrows suddenly appeared. One Lizardmen who chose to defend by evading while others who chose to defend with their shields. As for the one who chose to evade, though he could avoid 1 to 2 arrows, with 10 arrows flying it couldn’t dodge them all. A fire arrow pierced it the moment the Lizardman couldn’t evade. Intense flames spread through hiss body in an instant, becoming a torch that illuminated the area, brighter than the walls of the dungeon that glittered faintly. Moreover, the Lizardmen who lifted their shield instead of evading were even more miserable. If what Rei had shot was a normal arrow, then it would have been the correct course of action. However, the arrows shot this time were not ordinary arrows but arrows made of fire.

  「SHAAAA!」


  As for the Lizardmen who had raised their shields, the fire arrows pierced their shield and spread flames from where they hit. Naturally, the flames not only spread along the shield but also up the arm holding the shield, burning both the shield and arm. As for the Lizardmen who lost their ability to move, due to the dulling of senses from the acute pain and shock, they were unable to dodge the flame arrows that followed. As for the one Lizardman who chose to evade, although he was hit by two fire arrows and had its whole body wrapped in flames, it wasn’t for long.

  A single blow. The Lizardmen that saw their rearguard fall into a state of annihilation from a single magic attack fell into a state of panic.

  「ShAAAAAAAAA!」


  Maybe the leader of the Lizardmen, a Lizardman bigger than the rest gave a loud shout to the others. Normally, they might have all collected themselves upon hearing that voice. ……Yes, if nothing was done. However.

  「The enemy is confused!　Take them down before they recover!」


  Yes. Elena, referred to as the General Princess, wasn’t going to make the fatal mistake of missing a chance when the enemy was confused.

  The rearguard had been annihilated by Rei’s magic and had lost all their strength. At the same time, the number of Lizardmen fighting Elena and the others had already been cut down to 10 and were slowly decreasing one by one.

  A few minutes after Rei had cast his magic, the Lizardman leader who had raised his voice earlier was the only one remaining.

  「Shashashasha!!」


  The Lizardman had a suitable appearance to lead the other Lizardmen. He was one size larger than the other Lizardmen and was 2m in height. His muscles seemed to burst out from the leather armour it wore, which seemed to be made from the skin of some monster. In his right hand, he held a huge great sword that was well over 1.5m long. His other hand held the only metal shield that the Lizardmen had.

  The Lizard easily controlled the great sword with one hand and turned the tip of it towards Elena.

  「……That fine, so you want a duel. I take it that you want me to be the opponent.」


  Holding the sword whip in her hand, Elena took a step forward.

  「Elena-sama!　To fight against a monster in a duel!　If it absolutely has to be done, let me substitute for you!」


  Kuust tried to go ahead of Elena with his magic spear in his hand. However, Elena was the one who had been challenged for the duel and she made the decision.

  「Kuust, that Lizardman over there is the one that led the rest of the Lizardmen. ……Adding to that, looking at its body, it’s not an ordinary Lizardman. Rei, do you understand?」


  Though the question was suddenly dumped on him, Rei answered without pausing for a moment.

  「Possibly, I think that it might be a higher ranking Lizardman General. If that is so, then it’s a rank C monster.」


  「Hmm, as expected. It has a distinct personality compared to the other Lizardmen.」


  「Elena-sama, if it is, it’s even more dangerous. Please leave it to me.」


  To Kuust, who began to speak with increasing fervor, Elena turned an unexpectedly sharp look.

  「Too many words Kuust. Even thought he’s a monster, he’s also a proud warrior. I cannot disregard his pride and refuse the duel.」


  「Elena-sama!」


  「……Kuust. Too many words, I’ve said it. Are you going to make me say something 3 times?」


  「Guh……yes, I understand.」


  Impaled by Elena’s eyes, Kuust reluctantly pulled his spear back and stepped back.

  「Elena-sama, I wish you good fortune in battle.」


  Next to speak was Ara. However, her words were different from Kuust. She had firm faith that Elena would win the duel.

  「Umu~, people call me the General Princess. I won’t lose that easily.」


  「Just saying, you probably shouldn’t do this.」


  「Hou~?　Then Vel, will you also stop me? 」


  「Though it would be good to stop it if I could, our princess isn’t someone who can be stopped. Then all I can do is just watch.」


  Elena gave a wry smile at Vel’s words.

  「Though I’ve said it many times, stop calling me princess. Though it’s fine because you’re saying it with good intentions, don’t try to say that in strange places. I would be charged with lese majesty.」


  「Yes, yes, I know.」


  Vel sent Elena off in a light tone. Finally, the last one to call out to Elena was Rei.

  「The strength of the General Princess, please let me me see it with my own eyes.」


  「Hmm, that’s right. You’re also watching and you have a strength equal to mine. I cannot show a bad fight.」


  Elena gave a smile as she said that. What appeared on her lips was not a graceful smile as expected of a duke’s daughter but a ferocious smile worthy for neighbouring countries to call her the General Princess.

  「Guru~」


  Set saw that smile and gave a cry to see Elena off.

  With 4 people and 1 animal at the back, Elena faced the Lizardman General with her sword whip.

  For several seconds, neither side moved.

  「SAAAAAAAAA~!」


  「Haaaa!!」


  They kicked against the ground at the same time and rapidly closed the distance. Elena, whose sword whip had the longer range than the great sword, made the first move.

  Wielding the sword whip, the tip of the blade drew and irregular arc as it went to cut the head of the Lizardman General.

  「Sha~!」


  However, the Lizardman General immediately used his great sword as a shield to block the attack. But……


  「Don’t think it’s over yet!」


  Though the sword whip was driven back by the great sword, with a quick snap of Elena’s wrist, the tip of the sword struck at his face again.

  As expected, the irregular attack was not foreseen and his scaled left shoulder was cut, spewing blood.

  「SHAAAA~!」


  However, as if nothing had happened, in defiance of his injured arm, the Lizardman General threw his metal shield at Elena while using the pause of the sword whip to move into range for the great sword.

  If Elena’s weapon had just been a whip, the fight might have become advantageous for the Lizardman General. However, Elena’s sword whip could be used as both a whip and a sword. Therefore.

  Kin~!

  As the great sword was swung with great force, it was caught by the sword whip that had returned to its sword form.

  「Sha~!?」


  Though the Lizardman General only raised a voice of surprise at the sudden change of his duel opponents weapon, to Elena, who exceed first class swordsmen, this was a fatal opening.

  「Haah!」


  Sliding the sword whip diagonally up the great sword, she parried the attack of her opponent……and used the opportunity to slice the sword blade into the side of the Lizardman General……cutting and tearing!

  「!?」


  The Lizardman General was split into top and bottom without understanding what had happened and died.