Chapter 92
Following the route marked on his map, Haruto continued onward as the ground beneath his feet grew increasingly damp.
Before long, a faint pearly glow appeared ahead, accompanied by a cool wave of moisture.
Haruto’s eyes brightened.
He put away the map and quickened his pace toward the light.
After rounding a bend, an immense underground lake spread out before him, drawing a look of wonder from his face.
Water poured continuously from cracks high in the surrounding rock walls, feeding the vast lake below.
Even more remarkable was the faint trace of magic contained within the water.
The entire lake glowed softly, illuminating the dungeon’s fourth floor so clearly that even the patterns on the distant stone walls were visible.
Haruto discarded his torch and walked slowly to the water’s edge.
Beneath the crystal-clear surface lay a breathtaking sight.
The outlines of elaborate buildings appeared and vanished beneath the rippling water.
Pillars, walls, and rooftops stretched through the shimmering depths, their blurred silhouettes resembling an illusion conjured by magic.
These were the outer districts of the Golden Castle, long since submerged beneath the lake.
Though its former prosperity had been sealed underwater, the scale and splendor of the old city could still be glimpsed through the surviving architecture.
Haruto stood there quietly for a moment before drawing his attention back to the problem at hand.
His first challenge was finding a way across the enormous lake.
The entrance to the dungeon’s fifth floor lay on the opposite shore.
Although Haruto had been diligently studying magic, he had yet to sense magic power within himself, which naturally meant he could not use spells such as Water-Walk.
Neither his Gourmet Cells nor Nen allowed him to walk across water either.
He could, of course, develop a Nen ability specifically for that purpose.
Doing so would be a terrible waste of his potential, however, and Haruto had no intention of making such a foolish decision.
With sufficient physical strength, it was theoretically possible to run across water by alternating one’s steps at extreme speed.
Someone powerful enough could even kick off the air and fly.
Haruto attempted both techniques several times, but every effort ended in failure.
He did not believe his physical abilities were lacking. He simply had not mastered the necessary technique.
Unfortunately, he could not afford to spend a great deal of time learning it.
He would have to find another solution.
There were several crude wooden rafts nearby that could barely carry a person across the lake.
Using one, however, would make it difficult to notice dangers beneath the water in time.
More importantly, Haruto did not know how to row.
After considering his options, he decided that swimming would be easier.
With his current strength, even fighting monsters underwater should not pose too much of a problem.
Haruto removed his outer clothing, lowered his stance slightly, and dove into the lake.
The water was cold, but not enough to bother him.
Once submerged, he stretched out his limbs and began swimming forward, each powerful stroke sending rings of ripples across the surface.
His explosive strength allowed him to move through the water at an impressive speed.
After swimming for a while, Haruto rolled onto his back.
Floating beneath the lake’s soft glow, he gazed up at the illuminated rock ceiling with a relaxed expression.
He had no idea how long he had been swimming when faint disturbances suddenly appeared beneath the surface.
A moment later, an entire school of Blade Fish burst from the water and soared through the air.
Haruto’s eyes lit up with delight.
Blade Fish were another excellent ingredient.
Unlike ordinary fish, they possessed a pair of enormous pectoral fins that spread like wings from either side of their bodies.
The edges were as sharp as blades, capable of easily slicing open human skin.
Those same fins also allowed them to leap from the lake and glide several meters through the air like flying fish.
For adventurers attempting to cross the lake, a school of Blade Fish posed a serious threat.
Even if an ordinary party survived the encounter, they would likely emerge covered in cuts and looking thoroughly miserable.
Haruto was about to capture a few when he suddenly sensed an enormous creature racing toward him from deeper beneath the lake.
His expression immediately turned serious.
As a massive shadow appeared below him, Haruto drove his arms and legs through the water and shot several meters forward.
The instant he moved, the shadow slammed into the spot he had just occupied.
Water exploded upward several meters as the lake churned violently.
After stabilizing himself, Haruto turned and finally saw the creature clearly.
It resembled an enormous snake, though it was far more ferocious than any ordinary serpent.
The monster was over twenty meters long, its entire body covered in hard blue-gray scales.
Two pairs of fan-shaped fins grew along either side of its abdomen, while a set of vertical pupils stared fixedly at Haruto.
"So it’s a Sea Serpent."
Understanding flashed through Haruto’s eyes, quickly followed by excitement.
The Sea Serpent was enormous and certainly looked intimidating, but it remained well within his ability to handle.
Since it had chosen to attack him first, it could leave its body behind as compensation.
Haruto drew his longsword, steadied his breathing, and quietly expanded En while waiting for the monster to strike again.
There was no chance he could chase a Sea Serpent through the water.
A moment later, the creature submerged and launched another attack.
Its huge body twisted with surprising agility beneath the surface as it opened its jaws and lunged toward him.
Its every movement, however, had already been revealed by Haruto’s En.
Just as the Sea Serpent closed in, Haruto kicked powerfully and shot several meters through the water, narrowly avoiding its jaws.
At the same time, he twisted his wrist.
The longsword flashed beneath the lake and sliced precisely across the Sea Serpent’s neck.
Wrapped in Nen, the blade passed effortlessly through its scales and flesh.
The monster’s enormous head separated from its body.
Blood instantly dyed the surrounding water crimson as the head rolled away. Its massive body thrashed uncontrollably for a few moments before finally going still.
Haruto grabbed the Sea Serpent’s carcass and swam toward a ruined structure protruding above the lake’s surface.
After dragging the body onto the building, he inspected the cut across its neck with eager eyes.
The exposed flesh was firm yet delicate, with a rich red color that looked appetizing even before being cooked.
Haruto had already decided to use the Sea Serpent for his next meal.
That was also why he had not immediately stored it inside Gourmet Restaurant.
Taking it out again would only waste Nen.
Before he could decide what dish to prepare, however, he noticed that the Sea Serpent’s blood had attracted the scattered Blade Fish.
A dense school now circled the severed head left floating in the water.
The corners of Haruto’s mouth curved upward.
Cooking the Sea Serpent could wait.
It would be a terrible waste to let so many Blade Fish escape without capturing at least some of them.
Their razor-sharp fins made catching them efficiently rather troublesome, however.
After a moment of thought, Haruto came up with a solution.
He extended his right hand and steadily gathered Nen into his palm.
The aura condensed into a sphere, its restrained surface concealing an immense amount of force.
Haruto leaped onto the Sea Serpent’s floating head and pressed the Nen sphere beneath the water.
"Explode."
The sphere detonated instantly.
A powerful shock wave erupted from its center and spread rapidly in every direction, sending enormous ripples surging across the lake.
The Blade Fish had no chance to escape.
Some were killed outright, while the rest were stunned by the blast.
One after another, they floated belly-up to the surface until the water was covered in a dense layer of fish.
The sight was rather spectacular!