Chapter 71

More and more demon rats attacked us as we made our way down the sewers.

I disposed of them with a swing of my sword.

Josh was a former hunter and was able to catch his targets with precision.

“Got you!”

Serulis was also cutting them down.

The demon rats were not attacking us from the front alone.

They also came from our backs.

They would swim in the sewer water and come out behind us and jump.

“Serulis. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Understood!”

I looked down at Gerberga, who was in my breastplate.

He was staying calm.

“Lord Gerberga. Are you alright?”

“Cluck!”

He seemed fine.

Ario said,

“It’s hard to know when I should use magic when they attack so sporadically.”

“That’s true. And Fireballs consume a lot of power.”

Currently, Fireballs were the only attack spell that Ario could use.

From what I had seen during the fight with the goblins, he was able to use it about 10 times at the most in one day.

And that was quite impressive for an F Rank Sorcerer.

That being said, it was still quite limiting. He would have to be careful when using it.

Fireballs were the most effective when you used them in a crowd.

“It might be good to learn Magic Arrow later.”

“Yes. You’re right, Locke.”

We talked like this as we continued to go deeper.

“It feels like there are more of them the further we go!”

“Yes. I agree.”

Josh and Serulis shouted.

“Josh. How many arrows do you have left?”

“I have about 50.”

“Ah, hmm. You brought quite a lot then.”

“Yes! I knew it would be a long fight!”

Josh smiled happily.

If he had 50 now, he must have brought at least 100.

That many arrows would be quite heavy. That would make it hard to move.

“Josh, try not to waste any.”

“Understood!”

We moved even faster after that.

The fact that they were increasing meant that the reason for this infestation must be deeper in.

We needed to find out what it was.

We tore through the rats and advanced until we reached a small clearing.

This was where the sewage water merged.

Serulis pointed to the center of it and muttered.

“Is the water rising?”

“No, that’s not it.”

What Serulis was pointing at was a crowd of demon rats.

They were forming a kind of mountain in the water that started below the water and peeked out of the surface.

“Ario! Use your Fireballs!”

“Leave it to me!”

As if unleashing his pent up anger, Ario began to launch his Fireball into them.

It was his most powerful Fireball.

“Squeak-ki-ki-ki-ki!!”

The demon rats let out their wretched squeaks, which echoed around us.

At the same time, the smell of them burning and the water steaming combined to create a most disgusting odor.

“Oghhh…ggregghhh…”

Grulf had a sensitive nose and looked nauseous. The poor thing.

I wanted to pet him on the back, but there was no time.

The other demon rats were furious now, and they jumped at us.

“Squeak-ki-ki-ki-ki!!”

“Ahhh!”

I slashed at them as they attacked.

With one hit, several demon rats were decapitated and went flying into the air.

Serulis also stepped out and impressed with her swordsmanship as she laid the rats to waste.

Josh unleashed his arrows without missing his targets.

“GRRRRR!!”

Grulf quickly recovered from the smell.

He hunted the demon rats with his fangs and claws with excitement.

Grulf was a spirit beast wolf.

Normally, rats would run away from him. It was the same with demon rats.

And yet these were coming straight for him. It was strange.

No matter how many we cut down, they did not seem to decrease in number.

“How many are there!”

“Ario! Use another Fireball!”

“Understood!”

When the demon rats crowded together again, Ario launched a Fireball into them.

“Serulis, you stop them from running away. I’m going in!”

“Leave it to me!”

I jumped into the sewer water in order to put a quick end to what was left of the horde.

The water was much deeper than I expected. It stopped right below my waist.

It was obviously very filthy, but I couldn’t let that stop me.

I swung the Devil King Sword into the rats. They were so densely packed that over a dozen were in the way of each swing.

I swung again and again. In moments, over a hundred of them were dead.

I was covered in sewage water.

But I was careful to keep it away from Gerberga.

If I tripped and fell, Gerberga would be drenched in sewage.

“Lord Gerberga, pardon the stench.”

“Cluck-cluck!”

‘Don’t worry. Fight as hard as you can.’ Gerberga seemed to say.

“Thank you, Lord Gerberga.”

“Cluck!”

Serulis was fighting behind me and catching every rat that got passed me. She was a most reliable Warrior.

Josh and Ario were also doing their best with magic and arrows.

After a few minutes of intense fighting, we were able to wipe out the demon rat horde.

“Are you all alright?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, Locke.”

“I am fine. Thank you.”

“Even demon rats are dangerous if they are in this number.”

“Grough! Guff!”

Grulf was in the water and splashing around.

“Grulf?”

“Grmgh! GGggbgh!”

“Are, are you drowning?”

I frantically went over to him. He was being attacked by a few demon rats.

I quickly killed them and saved Grulf by pulling him out of the water.

But it wasn’t easy, as Grulf was very big.