En's words were far too shocking for Thunder Fang with Syu.
The power of the soul — Soul Energy — could seal Relics.
In other words, it could nullify them.
"R-really? Old man..."
"Well, the details can wait until this is over."
*GUOOOOOOOOO*
The hobgoblin roared mightily.
Its roar carried pressure, and the three of them flinched — if only for a moment.
Then the flame and wind dwelling in the sword grew violent enough to rage wildly.
Thunder Fang with Syu understood.
This hobgoblin was getting serious.
En lowered his sword casually, looked up at the hobgoblin, and stood there without so much as taking a stance.
The blade shone white.
It was a practical, unadorned sword with a plain appearance — functionality over form.
*Voztoth* — that was what was carved at the base of the blade.
It wasn't an OOPArt, but it was a masterwork.
*GURRUAAAAAAA*
The hobgoblin roared roughly and charged at En.
Wind and flame became a fire tornado, sparks crackling, and swung down at En.
"Pesade Claw"
The tip of the white light sword Ensu swung upward dispersed the fire tornado.
It also carved a gash into the hobgoblin's body.
*GAAAAAHHH*
"It's not like every Relic can be sealed just like that. There are limits and conditions, and it's not exactly easy to use either."
*GUOOOOOOOHHH*
The hobgoblin let out a piercing scream as its body swelled.
Horns sprouted from its head and an eyeball opened on its forehead.
"Rhit Blow"
Ensu thrust at the hobgoblin.
She took the blow with her sword. But the sword shattered and the massive body flew backward as if it weighed nothing.
It slammed into the rock wall and the surroundings trembled faintly. The hobgoblin rose to its feet with vigor.
*GUAGAAAAHHH*
The hobgoblin's body swelled further and its horns grew longer.
At the same time, fire and wind spiraled into existence around its log-like arms.
"W-What the hell is that?"
"It's an ogre now."
"That's no goblin."
"Looks like something's not normal. That's some kind of dungeon anomaly."
"Huh? An anomaly? You've gotta be kidding me. Old man."
"No wonder that makes sense now."
"So that's the dungeon anomaly."
*GRAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH!*
The hobgoblin — no, the dungeon anomaly — flew into a rage.
It channeled the flames dwelling in its right arm into a spear-like shape, wrapping them in wind to create a fire tornado lance.
*GAGAGAGAGAGAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!*
Ense stepped forward and deflected the fire tornado lance the anomaly had swung with the flat of his blade.
The dungeon anomaly stumbled slightly, and Ense closed the distance in a single step.
"Psyche Fang."
The dungeon anomaly's head was severed. The headless giant body crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact.
"Th-that's incredible."
"Ense. As expected of you."
"So strong... so this is First Class..."
Ense flicked his sword lightly and sheathed it.
"Well then, shall we move on?"
He smiled, almost shyly.
Heizen. The deepest floor of Wof's dungeon.
Jess said something outrageous.
"I have a Relic that can control dungeon monsters."
"Seriously?"
"But in this dungeon, there are two monsters I can't control."
"Can't control...?"
"Probably. Those two aren't normal monsters."
"Not normal?"
"They're an anomaly of the dungeon."
"Huh, in this dungeon?"
I was surprised and shocked at the same time.
An anomaly happening in this dungeon — I didn't like the sound of that at all.
"After all, the same thing happened with Jess, didn't it?"
"Right, of course. So what should we do?"
"It might be fine to leave them be, but unlike Jess, if you can't communicate with them, it might be better to take them out."
"Um, um, and why would that be?"
"Because you never know what they'll do. Anomalies are different from normal monsters — the dungeon's rules don't apply to them. Having something like that lurking in a dungeon is about as dangerous as it gets."
"I, see."
"Anomaly. Bad. Want you to do something. Wof. Take it out."
Isibara looked up at me with pleading eyes.
Wait — I'm the one who has to take it out?
"What about Jess, though?"
"Him. Different. That Relic. Useful."
"Got it."
Isibara's response left Jess wearing an indescribable expression.
"Well, fair enough. We did cause her trouble."
"I get the feeling. Being abandoned the same way."
"We didn't abandon her."
Though the fact that we got bored and forgot was true.
"Sounds like you've got a good story going there."
Shesh showed up in high spirits.
A quick glance revealed the black minotaur sitting there in a state of utter exhaustion. Poor thing.
"You going to take them down for us?"
"Just finished my warm-up, actually. Sure, I'll handle it."
"That's still the 70th floor boss, though..."
Jess grumbled. Come to think of it, was it?
"So where are these things?"
"93rd floor and 55th. Neither one's a boss. The monster types are unknown."
"Then let's do the 93rd floor first."
"From here, it'd be better to move to the 90th floor and head down three from there. I'll guide you."
"Um, um, um, I want to participate too!"
Juicy raised her hand with great enthusiasm.
Shesh looked at her, then sent his gaze over to Isibara.
"Doesn't bother me."
"Fine by me."
Juicy's face lit up.
That little exchange of glances. Shesh — so he took Isibara for the client.
Before long, Isibara led the two of them off to deal with the disturbance in the dungeon.
Come to think of it, Axe and the others. Whereabouts are they now?
Floor 55, was it? I wonder if they ran into anything.
As I was leisurely mulling it over, I heard a heavy thumping sound from behind.
"What the— Riv!?"
"What's going— hold on, you two as well!?"
Ah, Agaro and Riv, who'd been having that drinking contest, had both passed out flat.
Peaceful, as always.