Level Eater
Chapter 145

Though they had heard it was deep, the hole in the waterfall's basin was even deeper than expected. How were they supposed to search for a single monster in there?

That was the topic Cardina and her sisters, with Nana's translation, had been discussing for a while now, but no good ideas had surfaced.

"Still, isn't it way too deep? How does such a huge hole open up in a place like that?" (Ai)

"Maybe a meteor went BANG!" (Tatsuro)

"If that were the case, the hole wouldn't be so long and narrow, would it?" (Ai)

"Right, right—oh, sorry. We got off track. Hmm, to expand the detection range more than now, we'd have to increase the magic power. But in that case, it seems like we'd need to reach level 11 for it to be effective, rather than just lifting the limit... What to do..." (Tatsuro)

"Can't we just brute force it with magic power to expand the search range?" (Ai)

"It's not impossible, but it would require an enormous amount of magic power." (Tatsuro)

"How about mixing Ki and Mana?" (Ai)

"That requires too much concentration and isn't suitable for delicate dispel magic. It's great for increasing firepower, though. Hmm..." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro crossed his arms and racked his brain, but no good idea came to mind.

Ai tried to think as well, but she was so clueless about magic that she was half-thinking about tonight's dinner.

In the midst of this, only Nana had an idea that might work, but given the nature of the idea, she hesitated to speak up. However, Cardina and Jeanne seemed to sense what she was thinking. So Jeanne signaled with her eyes, and Cardina nodded in response.

"Pewee—" (Cardina)

"Hmm? What's up, Cardina? Did you think of something good?" (Tatsuro)

"Neigh!" (Jeanne)

"J-just a moment, sisters!" (Nana)

After gathering the attention of Tatsuro and Ai, Cardina, along with Jeanne, pushed Nana forward, saying, "Our younger sister has something to say."

"Nana, do you have something?" (Tatsuro)

"Pewee" (Cardina)

"Neigh" (Jeanne)

"Is that so? Nana, if you have an idea, don't hesitate to say it. We can decide whether to do it or not after hearing it." (Tatsuro)

"But... I'm a bit reluctant about this method..." (Nana)

"Nana?" (Ai)

"Yes..." (Nana)

"Is it a method that only you find unpleasant? If so, you don't have to say it. We don't want to make you do something you hate." (Ai)

"It's not me, it's... my mother who might find it unpleasant." (Nana)

"Me?" (Ai)

Ai, confident that she wouldn't get angry no matter what Nana did, looked puzzled and pointed to her own face. Then, seeing Nana's troubled expression, she gently smiled and patted her head.

"Hmm. I don't quite understand, but I promise I'll forgive you no matter what you say. So can you tell me?" (Ai)

"You won't hate me?" (Nana)

"No, I won't. Because I love you, Nana." (Ai)

Moved by Ai's motherly expression, Nana made up her mind, took a deep breath, and spoke of her idea.

"It's to use [Dragon Drain] on mother." (Nana)

"On Ai? Why?" (Tatsuro)

"Don't you remember? We are clusters of father's Mana. So, our Mana can be shared with father." (Nana)

"So, in other words, you absorb my life force and turn it into magic power? Would I be okay with that?" (Ai)

"Mother's Ki and recovery rate are extraordinary. And since life force and Ki are quite similar, if you circulate Ki within your body and keep recovering life force, you should be able to store a lot of energy." (Nana)

"Then, if Tatsuro and Cardina share that energy, we could use it to expand the detection range underwater by force, right?" (Ai)

"Yes, and using [Dragon Drain] generates dragon energy, which is a higher quality energy than Mana, so Jeanne and I can convert it into magic continuously. This should allow us to handle much more magic power than Father expects." (Nana)

In simple terms, while Ai recovers her life force with her energy, Nana adjusts and absorbs it with [Dragon Drain]. Then, Jeanne and Nana share that dragon energy, converting it into magic and passing it to Tatsuro and Cardina. Thus, the magic alchemy is completed.

"So, you were hesitant to use an attack skill on me. You could have just said it right away." (Ai)

"But, using an attack on my beloved mother..." (Nana)

"If it's not out of malice and you're trying your best to overcome the situation, I don't see it as an attack." (Ai)

"Really?" (Nana)

"Reeeallly?" (Ai)

"Oh, please don't mimic me~" (Nana)

As Ai and Nana bantered playfully, Tatsuro watched warmly, waiting for them to calm down.

With a new strategy in hand, Tatsuro and the other team members looked down at the basin from the bridge they had just built.

Standing at the far edge was Tatsuro, with Cardina flying above him. Jeanne and Nana, who had [True Form], were in the middle, and Ai stood at the back. Each prepared their minds for the task ahead.

First, Ai circulated her Ki throughout her body, maximizing her life force. Confirming this, Nana shook her horns and began [Dragon Drain] on Ai, extracting her life force and obtaining dragon energy.

While Nana did this simultaneously, Jeanne focused solely on converting that dragon energy into Mana and passed it to Tatsuro and Cardina. Finally, Tatsuro and Cardina used that magic lavishly to perform an underwater detection spell.

Thanks to using the magic without reservation, they achieved a range far beyond what Tatsuro and Cardina's skill level and magic power could normally cover, searching for the monster in the hole under the basin.

They only found a few small fish, with no other unusual creatures in sight.

Despite Ai's help, they were beginning to reach the limits of expanding the detection range. Just as they were about to give up, there was a reaction.

"Ah!" (Tatsuro)

{Found something!} (Tatsuro)

{Is it a monster!?} (Ai)

{Yeah, there's one stuck to the wall, not moving like it's dead.} (Tatsuro)

{Can you tell if it's the Piporin?} (Ai)

{I can't be sure of its name, but it's the only monster-like reaction. This must be it. If not, I don't know anymore. Also, with Ai's ridiculous names, I can't remember the monster's real name.} (Tatsuro)

{Teehee, sorry about that. So, how do we capture it?} (Ai)

{I memorized its location. I have an idea that might work. Let's go back to the shore first.} (Tatsuro)

{Got it.} (Ai)

"Nana, that's enough." (Tatsuro)

"Yes." (Nana)

With that, the extreme magic amplification was stopped at Nana's signal.

Up to that point, everything had gone well. However, as Tatsuro used the remaining Mana to explore a bit further down, he encountered a surprising reaction.

But because he was using excess magic he couldn't handle alone, he could only sense it for a moment. After stopping the underwater detection magic with Cardina, they chased after Jeanne and the others who had already moved ahead.

Descending from the bridge, Tatsuro was more concerned about the fleeting reaction he had sensed than the monster's presence.

Noticing this, Ai asked him if something was wrong.

"Tatsuro, is there something else bothering you?" (Ai)

"Ah, yeah... It was just for a moment, and it might have been my imagination, but if you're okay with that..." (Tatsuro)

"Of course. Tell me anything." (Ai)

"Well, actually, a bit further down from where the monster was, there seemed to be the entrance to a dungeon." (Tatsuro)

"What!? There's a dungeon there!?" (Ai)

Ai was shocked by the unexpected discovery, while Nana calmly joined the conversation.

"Even if there's a dungeon in such a place, wouldn't it be impossible for anyone to enter?" (Nana)

"Exactly. It's too scary for even us to go there without proper preparation. But it could be something else entirely, so let's set this information aside for now." (Ai)

"We should prioritize our original mission since we probably wouldn't understand even if we think about it." (Nana)

Though Tatsuro and the others were now confident they had captured the monster, Cardina, who had resumed scanning the surroundings, informed them of another life sign nearby.

"What's it this time... Is it a human?" (Tatsuro)

"Pewee!" (Cardina)

"Cardina-onee-sama agrees." (Nana)

"Where exactly?" (Ai)

"Over there, something's moving slowly... Is it injured?" (Tatsuro)

To help Ai identify the location, Tatsuro pointed to the forest area opposite the direction they had come from, seeking more information. The figure, slightly taller than Nana, was walking unsteadily towards them, as if sick or injured.

Because it seemed so suspicious, Tatsuro and the others watched with their guard up. As the figure came into view, they saw a cute girl with silver hair, dark skin, and pointed ears. Her clothes were dirty and torn, likely from repeated falls, and she had a gold-glowing dagger at her waist.

Tatsuro hesitated about approaching her, but then the girl collapsed to the ground. They quickly used healing magic to analyze the situation and confirmed she was unconscious. Lowering their guard, they all rushed over to her.

"What's wrong with her?" (Ai)

"I don't know. She only has minor scratches, and there doesn't seem to be any illness... But her pulse is weakening rapidly." (Tatsuro)

"What!? That means—" (Ai)

"If we leave her, she'll definitely die! Nana!" (Tatsuro)

"Yes!" (Nana)

Even though she was a stranger, they couldn't let her die. Tatsuro and Nana tried to revive her with [Life magic], while Cardina worked to find the cause. However, instead of getting better, the girl began absorbing their magic, her breathing growing shallower until she eventually stopped breathing altogether. (T/N: well [Life Magic] is used for healing and other related stuff)

"No way..." (Tatsuro)

"Pewee..." (Cardina)

"Desu-no..." (Nana)

"Could she really be... dead?" (Ai)

"Unfortunately, our Life magic had no effect on her, and we couldn't find the cause. There's nothing more we could have done." (Tatsuro)

"...I see. sadly, someone so young had to die, but we can't do everything. Let's at least give her a proper burial." (Ai)

"Yeah, let's do that." (Tatsuro)

Though the outcome was disheartening, they had to accept reality. At Ai's suggestion, they decided to look for flowers to put in a makeshift coffin for the girl. Luckily, the nearby nature provided plenty of wildflowers to use.

To check her identity at the adventurer's guild, Tatsuro tried to store the coffin in his [Item box]. However, it wouldn't go in.

"What's wrong?" (Ai)

"I don't know why, but the coffin won't go into the item box." (Tatsuro)

"What? Let me see... You're right, it doesn't fit. How about you, Nana?" (Ai)

"...I have the same problem." (Nana)

"So it's not just my system acting up. But why—? Ai, the coffin!" (Tatsuro)

"The coffin? It's... moving!" (Ai)

As Tatsuro and Ai watched, the lid of the coffin, which should have contained only the girl's body, began to move by itself, sliding bit by bit.

"Pewee!? PEWEE!" (Cardina)

"—! Father, the girl inside the coffin seems to be breathing again!" (Nana)

"What!? She was definitely dead—" (Tatsuro)

"Now's not the time to say that! If she's alive, we need to get her out quickly!" (Ai)

"Yeah, you're right." (Tatsuro)

Though they were confused, they rushed to the coffin, and Ai lifted the lid. Inside, the girl, who should have been dead, was breathing heavily, her hand still raised as if she'd been pushing the lid. Her crimson eyes met Tatsuro's.

"Oh, good morning. Excuse me, but you seemed to be dead a moment ago. Are you perhaps a zombie? If so, please don't bite us. Do you have such impulses?" (Tatsuro)

"What are you saying, Tatsuro...?" (Ai)

Ai, who hadn't been directly involved in her death, couldn't understand Tatsuro's question. But having witnessed her life force fading away, Tatsuro's question, while strange, was valid in this otherworldly context.

The girl, still panting and holding her chest, stared at Tatsuro and his team with wary eyes, saying nothing.

"Well, waking up in a coffin would make anyone cautious. But can we at least talk? If you're okay on your own, we'll leave." (Tatsuro)

".........................."

Even Tatsuro's serious approach received no response. He signaled to Cardina to secretly check the girl's condition, but at that moment, the girl shouted.

"Stop making that strange bird do things to me!"

"Hey!" (Tatsuro)

"Wait!" (Ai)

The girl had drawn her golden dagger, pressing it to her neck, signaling with serious eyes that she was ready to take her own life. Strangely, her eye color had changed from crimson to a bright sky blue.