Level Eater
Chapter 181

|T/N: for now I can't say that Divine weapons and Celestial Weapons are the same, it will be determined by more information we get from the author in the future|

[This is the last challenge. If you succeed, it will be a perfect victory. Do your best. Now challenger, while touching the stone tablet, repeat after me - I am the challenger]

"Neighhh" (Jeanne)

[Oh Magical Beings who seek battle, respond to my challenge]

"Neighhh, Neighhh" (Jeanne)

When chanting in Jeanne's language, a black vortex appeared just like with Cardina.

"To me, it sounded exactly the same..." (Ai)

"But she properly repeated exactly what was said" (Tatsuro)

"Seems like it. The black vortex appeared... huh? The monster isn't coming out" (Ai)

"Usually the vortex would start changing shape by now, this is strange" (Tatsuro)

"Perhaps the monsters are hesitant to volunteer after seeing Jeanne's appearance" (Leah)

When Leah joked like that, as Tatsuro and others were laughing saying that's impossible, a mysterious voice suddenly spoke up.

[Actually, that's exactly right. Everyone's backing away thinking "Isn't that a bit too big?" They're currently voting on who should go, so please wait a moment]

"Monsters voting? What kind of surreal scene is unfolding inside that stone tablet? I kind of want to see it" (Ai)

[I said voting but it's just that kind of image, they're not actually writing names on paper or anything, so it wouldn't be interesting to watch]

"Oh really. I wanted to see it too. Right, Tatsuro?" (Ai)

"Yeah, Ai" (Tatsuro)

As the two who had nothing better to do started getting close, the vortex finally began transforming into a monster's shape.

Jeanne cautiously took several steps back to maintain distance and waited for the monster to fully emerge.

"tjzt,tr6i.ol7ro.7ryjyri"

"Neigh?" (Jeanne)

What emerged was a monster about three meters tall and covered in full body armor.

Its head was red metal, the torso yellow metal, the right shoulder to the right hand was black metal, the left side white metal, around the pelvis was green metal, the right thigh to foot was blue metal, and the left side was purple metal - making for a very colorful monster.

On its back was an orange metal weapon about two and a half meters long with a spiked sphere at the tip. Commonly known as a morning star.

In its left hand was a gray metal fan about two and a half meters long.

Up to here, in a sense, the weapons seemed fitting for this monster, but there was one thing. The weapon held in its right hand felt out of place.

It was gripping a three-pronged spear that looked like a fork made of what appeared to be pure white marble. First, it felt odd for this monster composed of various colored metals to be holding it.

Above all, despite being wielded by a three-meter-tall monster, it was only about 120 centimeters long. Rather than a spear, it looked more like holding an oversized fork.

"That spear... could it be!?" (Leah)

[Ah, you noticed?]

When Leah raised her voice in surprise at the spear the monster was holding, the mysterious voice responded playing dumb.

"What do you mean noticed?" (Ai)

"Is it within the rules to explain about that spear here?" (Tatsuro)

[Ah, normally it wouldn't be allowed but... since we cheated a bit too, you can explain it not just here but to the current challenger as well]

Cheated. At those words, everyone's expressions turned stern and their gazes gathered on Leah seeking an explanation.

"That is a divine weapon that was stolen from the treasury of the neighboring country Liberheight about 300 years ago and has been missing until now. It's called Justina, named after the only celestial being who was said to have used it." (Leah)

"What effect does this divine weapon have?" (Tatsuro)

"It's said to be able to summon storms and lightning." (Leah)

"Like magic? I didn't know divine weapons could do things like that too." (Tatsuro)

"Yes. However, the principle seems to be a bit different from magic..." (Leah)

While Jeanne was also nodding and listening in on the conversation, it seemed the monster wasn't going to wait patiently.

The monster raised high the divine weapon spear Justina, unleashing lightning and storms around Jeanne.

The power was almost equal to if Tatsuro alone had cast a combined lightning and wind magic. Taking it head-on would be devastating even for Jeanne.

Therefore, while hearing the worried voices of Tatsuro and others, Jeanne managed to achieve a stalemate by creating her own storm with full-power wind magic.

"Brrrr!" (Jeanne)

"sirhrwi,irjh.orhkbprkh,ppp"

While making mysterious sounds, the monster began pouring more Ki energy into Justina to increase its output.

The stalemate gradually crumbled, and Jeanne's skin was getting burned in places by the lightning from the storm.

But even so, Jeanne didn't give up, and while glaring at the opponent, she unleashed [Dragon Horn Spear Blade].

At that moment, due to resources being diverted from wind magic, she was pushed back by the lightning storm and took damage. But she immediately strengthened her wind magic again to minimize the damage.

Additionally, [Dragon Horn Spear Blade] was noticed and avoided by the opponent before it could be released, so she couldn't inflict damage.

"At this rate, Sister Jeanne is in danger!" (Nana)

"No. It seems the tide is turning." (Tatsuro)

"Eh?" (Nana)

As Nana who had been panicking turned back toward Jeanne following Tatsuro's gaze, the momentum of the enemy's lightning storm was gradually weakening.

Once that happened, Jeanne could sufficiently defend with just her wind magic alone, and within less than a minute it completely stopped.

And as for the monster itself...

"It's collapsed on the floor looking exhausted, maybe it ran out of spirit energy?" (Nana)

"Probably. It was forcefully doing all that without magic after all. I thought it wouldn't last long, and sure enough." (Ai)

"That's why it's stupid. If it can't fight after getting like that, it should've thought more carefully about when to use it." (Leah)

"It probably got fixated on trying to end things there after being scared by the power of Jeanne's [Dragon Horn Spear Blade] that she forcefully unleashed. At normal times, the power and speed would be even higher." (Tatsuro)

When everyone looked at the mark left by Jeanne's [Dragon Horn Spear Blade], since the monster had avoided it and it hit the floor directly, it had created deep cracks demonstrating its threat.

Jeanne, with smoke rising from her burned skin, went over to the exhausted monster in front of her, grabbed it with her large claws, and threw it at the wall with full force.

"klhig,oklpkpkp-k"

"Brrrrrr" (Jeanne)

After the monster crashed into and became embedded in the wall, she reached out and pulled it free, then slammed it down, and when it slightly bounced from the impact, she struck it with her tail sending it back into the wall.

"Wow... Jeanne's quite angry, huh" (Ai)

"Well, after being attacked however it wanted..." (Tatsuro)

"It looks as tough as it appears." (Ai)

In front of Tatsuro and others who had completely switched to spectator mode, they saw the monster throw away the divine weapon spear Justina, pull itself out of the embedded wall, and switch to the morning star on its back.

Though its movements were somewhat awkward as if its spirit energy had only slightly recovered, it still faced Jeanne on its own.

In response, Jeanne stood majestically waiting.

The monster, with morning star in hand and fan held diagonally in front, tried to attack Jeanne's right leg.

Not intending to allow this, Jeanne tried to deflect it with her tail. However, that tail strike was repelled by the fan, and if she had been a moment slower in pulling back her leg, she would have taken the morning star's strike.

As Jeanne struck several times with her tail as if to confirm whether the fan's deflection was a fluke, all were returned, and she nearly ended up hitting herself with her own tail.

Satisfied that it wasn't a fluke, Jeanne created a tornado with wind magic to lift the giant heavy monster into the air, then channeled dragon power into her horn.

Then she lowered herself and delivered a direct [Dragon Horn Spear Blade] thrust at the falling monster that was trying to deflect with its fan.

"jgiulk!!"

"Neighhhhhh!" (Jeanne)

It pierced through the fan without allowing any deflection and skewered the monster straight through.

Apparently, while it appeared to be full body armor, the inside was also completely lined with the same metals as the exterior.

So it had quite a sturdy construction - or it should have, but it seems it had no effect against Jeanne's [Dragon Horn Spear Blade].

|You have Reached "Level: 29"|

"Brrrr" (Jeanne)

Jeanne roughly shook her head to drop the monster impaled on her front horn to the ground. The monster's corpse made a thud sound as it hit the floor.

Without even glancing at it, Jeanne transformed to [Adult Form], and Tatsuro and Nana who had rushed over immediately supplied magical power and healing with life magic.

"Alright, it's completely healed now" (Tatsuro)

"Neighhh" (Jeanne)

"You're welcome" (Tatsuro)

After Tatsuro and Nana beautifully healed her lightning-burned skin, they needed an explanation for why that monster had that spear. As if knowing they were thinking this, the mysterious voice began explaining.

[We normally don't do this but since they were so reluctant, when I said "I'll give you this so go do it" that monster finally got motivated and came out. Having monsters come out unwillingly is not what we want either]

"'I'll give you this so go do it'... that's quite something to give away, isn't it?" (Tatsuro)

As Tatsuro said this while looking at Leah who seemed knowledgeable about that spear, she nodded clearly.

"Yes. Where did you get that? Could it be you had it all along?" (Leah)

[Let's see... about 300 years ago, about eight men and women entered this dungeon carrying it...]

"Maybe those people were the thieves?" (Tatsuro)

"Given the situation, probably" (Leah)

Just like Tatsuro's group now, dungeons are ideal for hiding. Especially the higher-level ones.

So those thieves probably deliberately crossed the border and entered to throw off their pursuers.

While they were nodding in understanding, the mysterious voice continued its story.

[They were wiped out around the second floor. They didn't seem able to handle the spear well either. Basically, when people die in the dungeon, their possessions including items in Item Boxes come under our management, so I thought "might as well make it a prize" and kept it in storage]

"What do you mean by 'our management'? Just who are you?" (Tatsuro)

[Who am I? I am this dungeon]

While Tatsuro had half expected it, he was speechless along with everyone else. To think dungeons were beings capable of communication.

"Then if we get wiped out in this dungeon, everything including what's in our Item Boxes becomes yours?" (Tatsuro)

[Yes, that's right. Can't leave things abandoned after all. If that happens, I'll use them as treasure chest items in the dungeon or as reward prizes like this]

"That's not going to happen, so stop making calculations" (Athena)

Athena declared this clearly to the dungeon as if saying she wouldn't let such a thing happen.

Since Tatsuro and others came with the intention to conquer it, everyone nodded. And as the atmosphere relaxed, Leah asked the dungeon something she had been secretly wondering about.

"Um... so what happens to that spear? Will you be taking it back?" (Leah)

[Eh? That was given to that monster, so it belongs to you who defeated it. If you throw it away I'll collect it again but...]

"No no, we'll take it then. Just to confirm one last time, this isn't treated as a prize but as monster materials, right?" (Tatsuro)

[Yes, that's fine]

Having gotten proper confirmation, Tatsuro's group first collected the spear, then properly helped themselves to the monster's corpse made of rare-looking metals along with the morning star and the pierced metal fan.