Catochrists are monsters that petrify their prey with their gas, then peck at them.

But in reality, they don't actually like stone, they'd rather eat animals and monsters that aren't petrified, if they could.

The many weak humans inside the city are a feast for them.

Three Catochrists entered the city through the broken gate. The knights rushed to defend them, but they were quickly turned to stone whenever the Catochrists breathed their petrifying gas.

And to make matters worse, magic attacks had no effect on the Catochrists. Magic would simply dissipate when it hit the petrifying gas they breathed. And the area around the Catochrists was constantly filled with the gas, acting as a barrier that nullified magic.

Catochrists are monsters from the deep floors of the Wairago dungeon. You can't conquer this dungeon without facing the Catochrists.

The truth is, Iraira was so strict with the magic users in the newbie training program because she knew magic didn't work on Catochrists.

The only effective way to defeat them was to get close and use physical attacks. But their feathers and scales were tough, and even a mediocre swordsman's sword would be deflected. You need the powerful physical attacks of a high-rank warrior to cut through them.

Since no defenses against petrifying gas had been found, the only way to defeat them was to dodge the gas, close the distance, and defeat them in a swift battle. A magic user who could cast support magic to increase a swordsman's attack power would be useful, but a magic user who specializes in offensive magic, healing, or defense couldn't handle the Catochrists, who nullify magic.

Actually, Iraira had been training these adventurers to be experts at conquering Wairago.

There would be criticism about the unbalanced composition, but these trained adventurers should be able to thrive as adventurers even after conquering Wairago.

She didn't not understand the importance of magic users and healers. But if you wanted to be an adventurer and use magic and healing, you could do that in other, safer dungeons. There was no need to be in dangerous Wairago.

(Iraira was thought to hate magic users, but she never actually said, "Magic users shouldn't be adventurers." She was simply misrepresented, being misunderstood due to her poor communication skills and "Demon Instructor" image.)

...

The knights were desperately fighting back, but most of their attacks were useless. The magic users among the knights fired spells, but they all dissipated. The arrows and spears launched from a distance couldn't penetrate the Catochrists' bodies and fell to the ground.

If this continued, the city would be destroyed by the Catochrists. Should they evacuate the city residents through the other gate? But there were monsters swarming outside the city now, those that had spilled out of the dungeon.

If it came to that, it might be better to take their chances fleeing outside and escaping through the horde of roaming monsters than fighting the Catochrists...

...

At that moment, a figure quickly approached the Catochrists and severed one of their necks in a flash.

The warrior with a black blade in her hand was -

Iraira, the "Demon Instructor," former S-rank adventurer.

Iraira charged toward the Catochrists that had entered through the gate, dodging their petrifying breath with swift footwork and cutting them down one by one. Iraira had continued training even after retiring and becoming an instructor, her skills hadn't faded.

The surviving knights cheered.

Iraira wiped out the Catochrists that had entered the city, then went out through the gate and started slaughtering the Catochrists outside the city.

At the same time, the adventurers rushed to the broken gate and started sealing it. Iraira was locked out, but she had instructed them to do so. She told them she was fine, she would take out the Catochrists on her own, and she strictly ordered them not to leave the city.

Catochrists were dangerous monsters, even a single one could destroy a city. The fact that they came in a pack was what made Wairago so dangerous.

But Iraira was true to her word. She was taking out the Catochrists one by one. It seemed she might be able to kill them all at this rate.

The knights, watching from the top of the walls, were overjoyed.

But...

Iraira's movements gradually slowed.

Something was wrong.

Her complexion was like stone.

She hadn't breathed the petrifying gas directly, but she'd been running around near the Catochrists.

While it was dissipated and thin, the petrifying gas was still filling the air around the Catochrists. Even if it was a small amount, if you breathed it for a long time, the petrifying effect would gradually take hold...

But Iraira kept running desperately, swinging her sword.

She was the only one with the strength to effectively attack the Catochrists. If she fell, the city would be destroyed.

She would wipe out the Catochrists, even if it meant dying. She had gone outside the city with unshakeable resolve.

She had already given up her life.

That time...

When her son, who had become an adventurer, was petrified by a Catochrists in Wairago, Iraira died that day too.

Next Episode

Iraira wipes out the enemy and collapses.

What was her wish?

The adventurers are Iraira's hope.

Stay tuned!