For some reason, she developed a slight aversion to Amanogawa Kouki.
"If he was really that strong, why didn't he stop that Behemoth back then?"
As this thought popped into her head, Kaori-chan was startled by herself!
"How could I have such a thought?"
"This is so unlike me!"
"What's wrong with me?"
Shirazaki Kaori had a gentle personality and had never resented anyone, let alone disliked anyone.
It should have been like this…
"It's all your fault that I've become like this… Hiyama-kun!"
Kaori-chan silently cursed the person whose whereabouts were unknown.
Unbeknownst to her, her heart had been completely tainted by that person's influence and was no longer pure.
"Kaori-chan, I'll support you too. Just let me know if there's anything I can help with."
"That's right! Taniguchi Rei will always be on Kaori-chan's side, no matter what."
Listening to their conversation with Kouki, Nakamura Eri and Taniguchi Rei now joined the discussion.
They were both Kaori-chan's good friends and also powerful individuals with special vocations.
Nakamura Eri was a black-haired beauty with glasses and long hair, and she had a gentle and quiet personality.
She generally always stepped back, taking a comprehensive view of the situation. She liked reading and served as a library committee member at school.
Taniguchi Rei was a tiny person, only 142 centimeters tall. Her small body was filled with endless energy hidden somewhere, and she always seemed happy.
Her two braids bounced along with her, a sight that made people smile, making her like the class mascot.
"Mm, Hui-chan, Rei, thank you both."
Kaori-chan smiled at her two good friends.
"Oh, right, even if Hiyama-kun dies, he can be revived with Hui-chan's Descent Ritual, that would be great!"
"Rei! Rei! You shouldn't say that!"
"Kaori-chan believes Hiyama-kun is still alive, and my Descent Ritual isn't very skilled yet…"
Nakamura Eri's expression became agitated upon hearing Taniguchi Rei's thoughtless suggestion.
"Hui-chan, I don't really mind, so it's fine."
"Rei, don't go too far, Hui-chan is troubled, you know?"
Kaori-chan watched this scene and gave a wry smile.
Seeing that Kaori-chan truly didn't take Rei's words to heart, Hui-chan also breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the word "Descent Ritual" still made her face pale.
"Hui-chan, are you still having trouble with the Descent Ritual? It's such a rare vocation…"
"Mm, I'm sorry, if I could use it, I could help more…"
Hui-chan's face looked troubled; she truly couldn't get past this mental hurdle.
Nakamura Eri's vocation was the extremely rare "Necromancer," rumored to be able to revive deceased creatures.
The Descent Ritual was an extremely difficult dark magic, a spell that acted upon the lingering thoughts of the deceased.
In fact, several priests in the Holy Church could also use it to hear the lingering thoughts of the deceased and convey them to their surviving families.
However, the essence of this magic was not there.
The true method of using this magic was to envelop the lingering thoughts of the remains with magic, giving them the ability to materialize for control, or to possess the remains and turn them into puppets.
In other words, although there would be some degradation, it allowed the dead to utilize their skills and strength from when they were alive and be commanded. Additionally, by possessing a living person, it could, to some extent, replicate that person's techniques and abilities.
Although much stronger than creatures like "zombies," it was still essentially a dead person.
Hui-chan felt an aversion to commanding the dead on an ethical level, so even though Hui-chan had this talent, she was completely unable to use it.
Chapter 23: Can This Be Repaired?
"Ah…choo!"
Hiyama, in the abyss, sneezed.
"What's wrong, Master? Did you catch a cold?"
The blonde vampire, now dressed in a JK uniform, asked with concern.
"I'm fine. Someone is probably cursing me."
Hiyama waved his hand, indicating he was fine.
He couldn't possibly catch a cold.
With his current sky-high resistance, the poison of a venomous dragon could be drunk like plain water, let alone a cold; it was simply impossible.
"Don't talk about me, are you okay?"
"Hm?" Yue tilted her head cutely.
"I think I might have been a bit too crazy last time."
Hiyama felt that Yue's walking posture was a bit strange, but he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
Yue finally understood what Hiyama was saying, and her face instantly flushed, whispering like a mosquito: "Did Master forget?"
"?"
"I am an 'Immortal' vampire; all injuries can be repaired in a very short time."
"So there will be no problem."
The reason her walking posture was a bit strange was actually that she wasn't quite used to wearing this JK uniform.
"Hm?"
"Does that mean… that part was also repaired?"
Hiyama suddenly thought of it and immediately asked curiously.
Yue's face turned even redder; she wished she could find a hole to crawl into, but in the end, she still nodded gently.
Hiss!
Hiyama gasped, "The 'Immortal' skill is terrifying!"
Does that mean every time will be like the first time from now on?
...
Since their last rest, Hiyama and Yue had descended about ten more floors.
This floor was their first time stepping onto it, but both of them looked relaxed, as if they were on a picnic.
Meanwhile, dozens of floors above them, his classmates were nervously adventuring, afraid that a monster would jump out from an unknown corner and devour them.
One wonders what they would think if they saw Hiyama and Yue in this scene.
Yue possessed all-attribute magic and could activate it instantly without chanting, becoming a great help to Hiyama.
However, healing and barrier magic did not seem to be her forte, perhaps because she had "Immortal," so she unconsciously judged them as unnecessary.
When they descended to this floor, the first thing that came into view was a vast Tree Sea.
Each floor of the labyrinth had different terrain, but this was the first time Hiyama had seen such a large-scale Tree Sea.
The jungle, with trees over ten meters tall, was lush and green, and the air seemed a bit humid.
Just as Hiyama and Yue were exploring for the stairs leading to the lower level, rumbling sounds suddenly echoed all around them.
What appeared before them at this moment was indeed a magical beast that looked rather comical.
Its appearance resembled a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex, but in stark contrast, a delicate flower grew on its head…
Its sharp teeth and the killing intent it exuded undoubtedly showed how powerful this monster was, but then one's gaze moved upwards.
That flower, resembling a sunflower, swayed gently, which was quite amusing.
"Roar!!!"
The Tyrannosaurus Rex roared and charged towards the two of them.
Hiyama calmly summoned his Purgatory Armor, ready to teach this ignorant magical beast a lesson.
But Yue's movements beside him were much faster than his.
"Crimson Spear."
Yue raised her slender, jade-like fingers, and a long spear of flame coiled around her fingertip, flying straight towards the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
It accurately struck and pierced through, the flame spear mercilessly dissolving the surrounding flesh, instantly killing it on the spot.
Immediately, a rumbling sound echoed, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex lay horizontally on the ground.
Then, the flower on its head gracefully fell to the ground.
"…" Hiyama was somewhat speechless.
Recently, Yue had been very actively demonstrating her abilities, always taking the initiative when encountering monsters and instantly killing them.
Unfortunately, Yue didn't understand the concept of "kill stealing," and Hiyama didn't want to explicitly tell her, fearing it would dampen her enthusiasm.
So he just let her do as she pleased.
At this moment, Hiyama's perception skill told him that there were about ten magical beasts heading towards them.
"Are they a group-type monster?" Hiyama thought of the Two-Tailed Wolf he encountered for the first time.
Most monsters in the labyrinth fought alone; very few monsters understood group cooperation.
For monsters that adopted a circular encirclement strategy, Hiyama actively charged towards one of them.
He pushed aside the dense branches and rushed out, seeing a reptile over two meters long. If he had to compare it, it was like a raptor-type dinosaur monster.
A flower resembling a tulip bloomed on its head, swaying incessantly…
"Why does it look a bit cute?"
Yue widened her beautiful eyes and whispered.
"Are monsters nowadays also in fashion with wearing flowers?" Hiyama looked at this monster with cold eyes.
The raptor, like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, exuded killing intent and growled, adopting a ready-to-pounce stance, though the flower still swayed comically…
"Roar!"
The raptor pounced towards them, its strong legs equipped with about twenty-centimeter-long hooked claws, shining with a ferocious gleam.
"Come on!"
Hiyama neither dodged nor avoided, his black Purgatory Greatsword slashed down at the monster.
A pillar of blood shot up into the sky!
The raptor's corpse continued its momentum for more than ten meters before falling down.
"What a strange monster."
Hiyama put away his sword.
Although he was somewhat puzzled, the labyrinth was full of inexplicable monsters anyway, so he didn't pay it much mind.
Not long after, they arrived at a place filled with countless thick trees, each about five meters in diameter. The thick branches of adjacent trees intertwined, resembling an aerial corridor.
"Skywalk"
Hiyama stepped, climbing into mid-air as if ascending stairs, even though there was nothing beneath his feet.
This skill was acquired from a rabbit that could bounce in the air; its effect was similar to the "Moonwalk" in One Piece, allowing one to walk in the air.
Yue also used wind magic to fly to Hiyama's side.