NOVEL FROG [20] : Flames of Resolve
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"Still nothing?"
After finishing off the monsters around her, Mellie couldn't help but sigh.
It had been three days since Mika decided to level up. During these three days, the three of them had been eating and sleeping in the dungeon, constantly searching for the Infant Dragon without a moment's rest.
Despite their efforts, they still had no results.
"It's no use. The fog here is too thick, which really hampers our search!"
Airmid shook her head and looked at Mika, who hadn't said a word, "Mika, we should go back and rest for a while. Even though my magic can restore physical strength, it can't restore mental fatigue."
"After three days, your mind must be reaching its limit!"
"You're right!"
Hearing Airmid's concerned voice, Mika rubbed his temples with his fingers to alleviate his mental fatigue.
Although Mika and his companions were still physically fine, their mental exhaustion was undeniable. Searching for the Infant Dragon in a foggy area required them to be constantly vigilant for any signs. This constant concentration quickly wore down their spirits.
After three days, even though their magical power (mental energy) was still abundant, their spirits were extremely tired.
"We indeed need to go back and rest. Once we're refreshed, we can come back and explore again!"
"I agree, let's go home!"
Mellie readily agreed with the suggestion to return.
Having reached a consensus, the three of them chuckled lightly and turned to head back.
But at that moment, an unexpected change occurred.
With the sound of rocks cracking, monsters began to emerge from the walls around them. Moreover, they were all troublesome Beastmen.
As large monsters and natural elite enemies, the Beastmen were formidable foes for adventurers exploring this area.
"This is a monster feast!"
Mellie immediately went on high alert.
Simultaneously, a horde of Imps swarmed in from both sides of the rocky chamber.
"We're surrounded!"
Looking around at the monsters filling the area, Mellie's expression had never been so serious.
"It seems the dungeon has noticed our weakened state and wants to keep us here!"
"We'll have to give it our all today!"
Mellie twirled her staff gracefully, filled with battle spirit.
On Mika's other side, the silent Airmid said nothing. She simply assumed a stance, ready to chant her magic as soon as the battle began.
"Wait!"
Mika extended his hand to stop them.
Then, amid their puzzled gazes, he took off his backpack and handed it to Airmid, saying seriously, "Leave this to me! You two prepare to break through."
"That's impossible. We won't leave you behind."
Airmid quickly replied.
In contrast, Mellie, who roughly guessed Mika's intentions, looked worried.
"Isn't this too risky?"
"An adventurer who doesn't take risks can't become a hero!"
Mika responded firmly to Mellie, then turned to Airmid.
"Airmid, I'm not doing this to cover for you."
"I want to make this monster feast my adventure!"
With that, Mika slowly drew the longsword from his back and began chanting magic.
"Ignite! With this circle of flames, protect me!"
As he chanted, crimson flames emerged from various parts of Mika's body, swirling around him.
The temperature around them rapidly increased, and the air seemed to ignite, though this wasn't the end of the chant.
"The fierce battle has begun, the horn of wailing is sounding."
"The dark end, the bright flame, hope is burning."
"The fire burns eternally, cutting through all!"
Vast crimson magic power coiled, condensed, and compressed around the sword in Mika's hand, finally forming a blade of light attached to his sword.
Looking at the Beastmen and Imps blocking their path, Mika swung his sword immediately.
"Triumphant Sword of the Fire King!"
With Mika's shout, the blade of light attached to his sword shot forward.
The searing blade of flame instantly incinerated everything in its path to ashes.
As the magic power dissipated, the flaming blade slowly vanished, revealing a clear path back.
"I don't...!"
Before Airmid could speak, Mika grabbed her hand.
"Don't leave here. I need you to stay outside and keep an eye on me. Only with you nearby can I fight with peace of mind."
"I-I understand!"
Knowing Airmid well, Mika quickly convinced her.
"Take this and go quickly!"
Handing the high-quality longsword to Mellie, Mika then drew another longsword she carried.
Grabbing the greatsword stuck in the ground, he fully prepared for battle.
"You don't need any weapons? As expected of you, don't lose, Mika!"
"Good luck, Mika!"
Hearing their encouragement and watching them escape the monster's encirclement from the corner of his eye, Mika refocused and scrutinized his surroundings.
"There are over two hundred monsters, including seventy Beastmen. The rest are mostly Imps, with a few Silverback Gorillas and Armored Rats."
"My body is in good condition, but I'm mentally fatigued, with half of my magic power remaining. However, my armor and weapons are newly replaced, so I'm ready for battle."
The earlier "Triumphant Sword of the Fire King" had used up half of Mika's magic power, limiting his magic use in the upcoming battle.
"But that's no problem. With my current weapons, I can't use much magic anyway."
Thanks to their accumulated wealth and deeper dungeon explorations, Airmid and Mellie had upgraded Mika's equipment. As a key frontline fighter, the quality of his gear was crucial.
So, while changing his armor, Mika also replaced his greatsword with one that could withstand his flames. Although it required maintenance after each use, it was necessary.
Mika didn't use his mother's first-tier longsword for this adventure. As mentioned by Hephaestus when Hestia asked her to forge a weapon for Bell, too sharp a weapon could ruin a talented low-level adventurer.
Therefore, Hephaestus forged a weapon that could grow with Bell.
Mika resonated deeply with Hephaestus's words. With that sword, Mika would be invincible on the upper floors, slaying any enemy with a single stroke. That wasn't adventure; it was merely swinging a sword, which wouldn't significantly enhance the divine blessing.
After all, divine blessings aimed to unlock potential, not just accumulate experience.
Hence, for this adventure, Mika wouldn't use anything beyond his capabilities. He wanted a genuine adventure to transcend this great cause.