About an hour after the successful capture of Jewel Sniper and separation from Vihela and Bune.
　The lays were making their way straight through the natural maze of rocks to the exits without hesitation.
　It goes without saying that Seto made it possible.
　Ray rides on Seto's back and shows Elena the way by checking the maze's path from the air to where the exit is, or reinforces the information on the map with the information.
　Of course, since two and one party are acting in two separate ways, there are attacks as if they were just right for monsters to target.
　But all the unfortunate monsters with this idea had been killed by Elena's connecting sword and wind magic.
　Elena was the only one who was attacked, simply because Ray was alone, flying in the sky, and, above all, because of the presence of the Gryphon Seto.
　Still, two bandet goblins were slashed by Elena's connecting sword, the last one was struck on the head by a blow to the ground by Sett's forefoot coming down from the sky, scattering brains, blood, flesh and bones around him.

"There weren't so many enemies before we got into this maze..."
"Even monsters don't want to fight in places with good views. If there's a place to fight in our favor, of course we'll ambush there."

　Returning his words to Elena, he holds the dead body of Bandette Goblin in Mistilling.

"That's true, sir, but... Set, it's all right to attack your head, but if you crush it, you won't be able to secure a place to prove the punishment."
"Guru..."

　When Elena's right ear, which was half torn by the impact of crushing the head, was seen at the edge of the field of vision, a set of people who said sorry.
　The right ear, which was certainly half-finished, could be taken over by the guild as a proof of subjugation.
　Ray, smiling bitterly at the scene, reaches for an encouraging stroke on Seto's head.

"Well, I'm not that short of money. Overdoing it would have been a bit of a problem, but for now it can't be helped. Be careful next time."
"Grull!"

　Ray's words cheerfully make his eyes squint comfortably at the comfort of being caressed.

"Now, here's the maze, but if you go ahead, you'll find a fork. Is that on the map?"
"Oh, this is it."

　The spot Elena pointed to certainly has a fork in it. However, there is one thing that differs from Ray's confirmation.

"On the map there is a shortcut on the far right, but as far as we can see from above, the road is blocked. It's probably a trace of battle. I don't know if it's a monster and an adventurer, or a monster-to-monster battle."

　Or maybe the Cyclops, where Vihela was fighting, was raging.
　Thinking this way, Ray traces the maze on Elena's widening map with his fingertips.

"If I go the second place from the left at this fork, it will be a little detour, but I think I can get out of here somehow."
"I see. ... I'm sorry, I have no choice but to move on the ground."

　He breathes a sigh, thanking Ray briefly for his advice.
　Ray immediately shakes his head, distracted by the melancholy gesture.

"Don't worry. It wouldn't have been a problem if the two of us could ride on the back of Seto's back. It's my fault that I can't do it, not Elena's fault."
"Guru..."

　At Ray's words, Seto bowed apologetically.
　Seto doesn't mean he likes it and doesn't put Elena on his back. It's simply difficult to fly with anyone but Ray on board. Ray and Sett's common conclusion was that it was almost impossible for a second adult to do so, and that the cause was related to witchcraft.

"You told me not to worry, didn't you? In the first place, only a Dragon Knight can imitate flying. When I think about this, I feel comfortable enough just to be able to tell me the right way from the sky."

　arrive at the fork of the road with a little smile on one's face
　The Ray's path is one, but the place where they arrived is like a square, from which the roads are divided.

(It's not like a natural maze, is it? It's certain that someone's will has an influence. ... well, I don't have to think what it is.)

　The image of the nucleus of a dungeon that was previously destroyed in death size comes to mind.
　What Ray destroyed was the core of the dungeon, but he had not yet created it.

(Well, what's the core of the dungeon here? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

　Unlike the core of the dungeon you destroyed, this core of the dungeon is still growing. The strength of the monster protecting its core is... or at least a dragon species, isn't it? While thinking like that, shake your head out of your mind what's no use thinking now.

"Ray? What's the matter? Here we go."

　Elena calls out to Ray, taking the only route he can take now, although it is likely to be the second from the left.

"Oh, I'm sorry,"

　Ray, too, recovered from what Elena had said and followed along with Seto.





　about an hour's journey down a maze of rocks
　Lays were walking a little faster, partly because they spent too much time on the Cyclops and Jewel Sniper issues.
　Ray and Sett had been traveling back and forth several times between the ground and the sky, making sure they were on a safe path, when a strange object came into Ray's view as he walked.

"Is that... a stone statue?"

　Not just Ray, but Elena probably discovered it as well. Three stone statues of a woman with fox ears, an elf man, and a human man.
　On the edge of the road, in a hidden position, the stone statue was clearly unfamiliar with the surrounding scenery and felt uncomfortable.
　In the first place, who would go all the way to the dungeon to carve a stone statue?
　Such a question passes through Ray's mind, and the next moment he takes a little breath away.
　What if this wasn't a stone statue, but a former beast, a former elf, a former human being?
　Deserts, petrochemicals... they are tied together... to open their mouths to see if Elena has arrived at the possibility a moment earlier when she tries to come up with the answers that are derived.

"Basilisk."
"…Oh, Seth, beware of your surroundings. Are you resistant to petrification, Elena?"

　a quick instructor Ray
　There is not a trace of a relaxed atmosphere in the tone.
　Ray himself has a strong body resistance to the effects of dragon robes and attacks of his kind in the first place. However, it was not clear whether Seto and Elena were resistant to petrification.
　Of course, since it's a rank A monster, Gryphon, it should have a higher resistance than a low rank monster, and even Elena has inherited the magic stone of the Ensent Dragon. 　
　It was certain, but nevertheless, that he was more resistant to such attacks than the adventurers petrified before him.

(No, that's me too.)

　Ray doesn't think his tolerance is complete because he wasn't attacked once.

"Better than a real adventurer,"

　While listening to Elena muttering, two and one hide behind a rock near the three petrified adventurers.

"I never imagined there would be a Basilisk in a place like this... well, since there was a Cyclops of Rank C, there would be a Basilisk of Rank B."
"Oh, worst of all, it might be Cocatris, not Basilisk, but it doesn't change that you have the ability to petrify someone."

　A basilisk is an eight-legged giant monocular moth that petrifies the viewer with its monocular eyes.
　Cocatris is a monster with the upper half of a chicken and the lower half of a snake, spewing a brace that petrifies the touch.
　Despite the difference between gaze and brace, the ability to petrify objects was the same.

"But which is more troublesome is the basilisk, after all."

　Ray spins words while concentrating on not missing any of the surroundings.
　Elena nods in the same way, detecting the presence of others."Oh, Cocatrice's brace is all you have to do is touch it. It's not easy to avoid, but it's never impossible. But the basilisk is different. be petrified just by looking at unless you have a huge shield that covers your whole body."

　You don't have to petrify it if you can block your eyes. It is possible to carry out attacks as it approaches, but as it approaches, its eight toenails and tusks are deadly toxic.
　There are more ways to deal with it than petrified eyes because it has no effect if it is not directly damaged, but the poison is too much to be said to be deadly.k.a. deadly poison.
　I've also bought an antidote set at a store where I bought Elena's overcoat before diving into the desert hierarchy, but I'm not sure those antidote prepared for desert monsters will work. such a powerful poison
　Of course, if you can beat that amount, you'll earn a lot of money.
　Claws and eyeballs are also useful as catalysts for making magic items, or as materials for higher-grade potions, and scales are a fairly expensive material for scale armour.
　Claws and tusks can also be used to poison a wounded person if they can be incorporated into a weapon.
　The price of magic stones is reasonably high.

(However, if I could defeat him, I would definitely use the magic stone in the art of the beast.)

　Ray thinks like that inside, but he's wary of the people around him, but even after a few minutes he hasn't moved at all.

"...what do you think?"
"If you think about it normally, if they were hit by a basilisk, wouldn't they be near here now?"

　We've found three petrified adventurers, but we don't know when they petrified.
　Extremely speaking, it could have been days or weeks since it was petrified.
　Because it's petrified, it's going to be difficult to take someone up to the top, even if someone else find it. Furthermore, given that the road was a roundabout route that few people used, it is highly unlikely that the Rays found the first three petrified people.

"Anyway, if the basilisk is not here now, we shall proceed here at once."
"I don't mind... Ray, what about these three?"

　Elena's gaze was directed at the three petrified men.

"I don't care what you say," You can take me... No, can't you?"

　I suddenly wonder as I retort my words.
　It's true that Ray's mistrings can't accommodate a living opponent.
　But conversely, if you don't live, you can be held. And the three stone statues in front of us wouldn't be living.

(...can you do it?）

　Thinking this way, Ray gently touches the nearest human figure and tries to put it in the mistling... as if it were only natural, the figure of the human figure disappears.

"Oh,"

　It wasn't Elena... who was watching it, but Ray himself.
　I thought I might be able to do it, but I was surprised to see that I could do it.

"What are you going to do with your surprise..."

　When Elena tells her with a wry smile, she smiles shyly at the strange sight, and as if to mislead it, she touches the fox beast woman and the Elf man's stone statue and collects it in the mistling.
　Ray has a subtle look on his face.
　I realized that although it was good to collect it, there was no point in bringing it to the ground without these three people involved.
　In the first place, it takes quite a bit of restorative magic and magic to get the three petrified back together.
　Of course, considering the amount of money Ray has, it is not that much of a burden...

(Well, I'd like you to give me the worst treatment, then work and get it back.) I think the best thing is that these three people are on the ground.)

　The reason why they acted almost hypocritical is probably because they understand that the next class is still a little different from the previous one.
　As far as I can read from Pleiades and from the maps that Elena manages, the next tier is a little different from the past in the desert.
　With that in mind, they rush down the street, making sure there are no basilisks around them.
　His careful action then led him through the maze, taking longer than usual, to discover the steps down to the 15th basement.