Tl: Sam
…
Meanwhile, at around that time, Yui Hoshino was advancing through the dungeon’s lower level together with the explorers who had become her companions.
Along the way, several more explorers had regrouped with them, swelling their numbers into quite a large party.
“Hoshino-san! The path continues over here!”
“Please leave this monster to us!”
“If it’s traps, leave it to me! I hold a Pre-1st Class Trap Disarming Certification!”
“Ah, haha… thank you very much.”
Supported by her eager companions, Hoshino and the group advanced smoothly.
The monsters of the lower level were strong.
Even for seasoned explorers, a moment of carelessness could prove fatal, and plenty of people had lost their lives down here.
However, their current morale was remarkably high, allowing them to hold their own even in the lower level.
The biggest reason for that was likely the shared desire among everyone to support their leader, Hoshino, and make themselves useful to her.
「She’s crazy popular lol」
「When on earth did they develop this kind of relationship?」
「Circle princess of the explorers」
「They have better coordination than before they got stranded, which is hilarious」
Hoshino had launched a stream using her drone.
It was the drone she always used for her own streams, brought along as a spare just in case.
By streaming, they could communicate their current situation to the outside world.
「Saw on the news that a rescue team is trying to enter the dungeon」
「Ah, saw that too」
「It’ll take time though. This is Hokkaido after all」
「Supposedly a few Ministry of Monster Control personnel are on standby nearby, but a small squad won’t be enough」
「Well, but Shachiken is there for times like this」
Hoshino checked the comments from time to time as she walked.
As she did, the information she had been searching for caught her eye.
「Come to think of it, Tanaka was safe too」
「The only one sent down to the deep level, but he was totally chilling lol」
「He just saved Mikami earlier. He was slicing up Salamanders so smoothly it was hilarious lol」
「Hope they regroup soon」
“Tanaka-san… is safe…!”
Hoshino murmured softly enough that no one else would notice.
She had believed all along that Tanaka would be fine, but knowing for sure brought immense relief.
He would surely make his way back even from the deep level. In that case, she had to do everything within her power as well. Hoshino steeled her resolve in her heart.
Moving forward with a lighter step, the Gold Leo explorer scouting at the very front suddenly shouted.
“Monster ahead! That’s… a Lava Dragon, an S-rank monster!”
“An S-rank monster!? Even though this is the lower level…!?”
Hoshino shuddered at the unexpected report.
It wasn’t impossible for monsters to appear outside their native floor. Normally, though, encountering a monster far beyond one’s abilities left the option to run away.
Right now, however, that wasn’t an option.
As long as the monster blocked the path back, there was no choice but to fight. On top of that, another reason not to flee presented itself.
“The Lava Dragon is currently engaged with an explorer! There are people down as well!”
“No way…!”
Though she couldn’t tell who it was from a distance, the Lava Dragon was fighting humans.
That person was battling while shielding the fallen, clearly struggling in a difficult fight.
Grasping the gravity of the situation, Hoshino narrowed her eyes, switched into combat mode, and kicked off the ground with tremendous force, sprinting forward.
“I will take the lead. Everyone, provide support!”
“Eh!? Hoshino-san!?”
Hoshino dashed at full speed, closing the distance to the Lava Dragon in a single burst.
「Wait, that’s way too dangerous!」
「An S-rank is way too dangerous」
「Let’s wait for Shachiken!」
「Stop, Yui-chan!」
「Run away!」
Faced with Hoshino’s seemingly reckless action, the viewers cried out in alarm.
『Goa?』
The Lava Dragon noticed the approaching girl and turned its gaze toward her, but it was already too late. Carrying all her rushing momentum, Hoshino unleashed a flying kick with everything she had.
“Haaaah!”
Launched at blinding speed, the kick buried itself straight into the Lava Dragon’s flank, lifting its massive ten-meter body clean into the air.
『Gogu!?』
Letting out a pained groan, the Lava Dragon was blown backward, tumbling across the ground.
It still had enough strength left to move, but it had clearly sustained serious damage.
「Huh?」
「Insane」
「Eeeeeh!?」
「Way too much brute strength lol」
「Yui-chan is so strong it’s not even funny」
「My oshi is too strong, this hurts」
「Tanakaaa! Just how much did you train her?」
「Wait? Isn’t the person fighting the Lava Dragon that person?」
Having repelled the Lava Dragon, Hoshino approached the explorer who had been fighting it until now.
It was someone Hoshino recognized.
“I thought it was Tanaka-chan… but to think it would be Hoshino-chan. You saved me.”
“You’re… Yuki-san!?”
The one who had been fighting the Lava Dragon was none other than Yuki, Yukinoshin Busujima.
Having been locked in an extraordinarily grueling battle, wounds marked their entire body, and their clothes were frayed and torn.
“Such terrible injuries… Are you alright!?”
“You saw me looking pathetic… I managed to take down five of them, but I slipped up. Maybe it’s the aftereffects of the hiatus.”
Looking around, five Lava Dragons and numerous other monsters lay scattered across the ground. It appeared Yuki had brought down that many monsters all while protecting the fallen explorers.
「Took down all that alone? Returnees really are built different」
「Even without being able to use weapons properly」
「For real that this is after a hiatus?」
「Well, Yuki-san has the Rapier Kick after all」
“Please don’t move. I’ll treat you right away.”
“My bad, Hoshino-chan. That helps.”
Hoshino treated Yuki’s injuries with practiced skill.
Soon after, the companion explorers caught up as well.
“Everyone, please rescue the fallen! If your hands are free, secure the perimeter!”
“Understood!”
“Got it, Leader!”
“Didn’t even have time to provide support…”
Following Hoshino’s instructions, the explorers moved briskly.
Watching their coordinated actions, Yuki blinked in surprise.
“I’m surprised. What on earth did you do to them?”
“I didn’t do anything. Everyone is just being kind.”
“Zero self-awareness… noted. Not just cute, but possessing a touch of bewitching charm too, what a dangerous girl.”
“?”
Not understanding what was meant, Hoshino tilted her head.
Yuki let out a soft chuckle watching her.
The taut tension relaxed for a moment, but as the Lava Dragon kicked by Hoshino rose back to its feet, tension flared up once more. Yuki gripped their rapier, intending to face it, but Hoshino stopped them.
“Please rest. I will handle that monster.”
Readying her greatsword, Hoshino took a battle stance.
The opponent was an S-rank monster; Yuki tried to stop Hoshino from being reckless, but faster than that, Hoshino dashed forward.
『Gaah!!』
The Lava Dragon spat a sphere of molten lava from its mouth, attacking Hoshino.
That super-heated sphere would melt a person upon mere contact.
Yet Hoshino did not dodge, meeting the attack head-on.
“Hmph…!”
Poising her greatsword like a baseball bat, Hoshino batted the molten sphere right back with the flat of the blade.
Batted back at high speed, the molten sphere flew straight back into the Lava Dragon’s face, dealing massive damage.
『Goaaah!?』
「Eeeh!?」
「lol」
「Nice batting!」
「Her fighting style is getting more and more like Tanaka’s lol」
「Way too insane」
「If they ever have a domestic dispute, the building’s gonna collapse… lol」
Closing the distance while the Lava Dragon flinched, Hoshino hoisted her greatsword and brought it down with all her strength.
That decisive blow easily severed the Lava Dragon’s tough scales, dealing a fatal wound. The shockwave was tremendous, sending massive fissures tearing through the ground beneath the dragon’s feet.
『Ga… a…!』
Letting out a faint, powerless sound, the Lava Dragon collapsed.
Having defeated a formidable enemy, Hoshino landed gracefully and wiped the sweat from her brow with a soft breath.
Witnessing her overwhelming strength, not only her fellow explorers but Yuki as well stared in utter shock.
(Taking down an S-rank monster in a single blow…! This girl isn’t just an unpolished gem…!)
Faced with such extraordinary young talent, Yuki felt their heart throb with excitement.
Had she not been alongside Tanaka, they would have invited her into their guild on the spot to offer help in honing that strength.
“Splendid, Hoshino-chan. If you hadn’t arrived, it would have been bad.”
Yuki offered their thanks as Hoshino came jogging back.
In truth, had she arrived even slightly later, protecting the explorers would have been nearly impossible.
“No, no, it was no trouble at all!”
After saying that, Hoshino turned her gaze toward the other explorers receiving treatment behind Yuki.
“Yuki-san, you regrouped with the others as well?”
“Yes, I secured everyone who teleported near me. Combined with the ones accompanying you, that makes almost everyone accounted for. Teleporting to clustered areas was a blessing in disguise.”
The only ones missing from this location were Tanaka and Mikami, while all the other explorers were safely assembled. Leaving Mikami to Tanaka, all that remained was to escape.
“Hoshino-san… was it? Thank you for saving my people. You are our lifesaver.”
The one who approached saying that was Kumaiwa, president of the Obsidian Bear Guild.
He had regrouped with Yuki early on and helped rescue their comrades, but had been taken down after being injured in battle against a monster.
Thanks to the treatment, he had recovered enough to move.
“Kumaiwa-san, your injuries are severe too… Were there that many monsters after all?”
“Yeah, that too… but there was one truly monstrous beast. I took these injuries while escaping from it.”
Kumaiwa exchanged a glance with Yuki, who gave a silent, firm nod.
“After running from that monster, we got tangled up with the Lava Dragons. Already exhausted, we were cornered in no time, leading to the situation just now. We made quite a ruckus, so that thing might notice us… we should leave here quickly.”
“There is a monster like that…? Understood. Once first aid is finished, let us move immediately.”
Hoshino made the decision and prepared to move out.
Then, in the very next moment, the entire dungeon shook violently.
“Eh, an earthquake!?”
Planting her feet, Hoshino managed to keep her balance.
Wondering what was happening, a terrifying voice reverberated throughout the dungeon.
『GOOOOOOOOOHHH!!』
A deep, massive, terrifying roar.
Shortly after that voice, the monster slowly revealed itself from deep down the path.
『Ruru…』
That monster was an enormous dragon. Red scales, white horns, and long whiskers.
Unlike Western dragons with wings, it was an Eastern dragon with a long, slender, serpent-like body. Despite having no wings, it leisurely swam through the air, looking down upon the humans below.
It was in an entirely different league. Hoshino sensed the dragon’s overwhelming strength at a single glance.
“Yuki-san. That monster is…”
“Yes, that’s what took us down. The dragon’s name is ‘Kagutsuchi.’ The supreme existence among flame-attribute monsters. Its rank is EX, above S… a genuine monster with no recorded subjugation.”
Yuki’s words sent a shiver through Hoshino.
Hoshino had never fought an EX-rank monster before. She had only seen footage of Tanaka fighting one.
It had looked terrifying on video, but seeing it with her own eyes, the horror was on an entirely different level.
And the fear felt by the explorers who had been with Yuki was even greater.
“Th-That’s him… it chased us!”
“No way! We barely managed to escape…!”
The explorers trembled in terror.
That was how overwhelming Kagutsuchi’s strength had been.
“Hoshino-chan, what should we do? If we flee now, we might still be able to escape.”
Kagutsuchi was still some distance away; running at full speed might allow them to hide once more.
However, doing so would prolong their escape from the dungeon, and worst of all, several people still could not move properly. Carrying everyone while fleeing was impossible; running meant abandoning them.
And naturally, Hoshino would never take such an option.
“I will fight. I don’t know if I can win, but I should be able to buy some time. In the meantime, please take the injured and escape.”
“Wh-What are you saying!? Its strength is out of this world! Challenging it alone means certain death!?”
“Kuma-chan is right. There is no reason for you to throw away your life.”
Yuki agreed with Kumaiwa’s words.
Both of them knew the monster’s horror all too well. Sending Hoshino out alone was out of the question.
“Thank you for your concern. But… I am going. If I run away here, I won’t ever be able to catch up to that person.”
The eyes of the girl speaking held a color of absolute resolve.
Seeing that, Yuki and Kumaiwa realized persuasion was impossible.
“Please rest assured. I am quite sturdy, you know. I can at least stall it!”
“Hoshino-chan…”
As Yuki struggled for an answer, the other explorers who had remained silent until now gathered around.
“Hoshino-san… no, Leader! We will help too! If one person can stall it, we might win if we all fight together!”
“We would have died if not for Hoshino-san! Please use our lives too!”
“Everyone…”
Hearing the passionate voices of her companions brought warmth to Hoshino’s eyes.
To be honest, challenging an unknown monster alone had been terrifying. Knowing they would stand beside her eased her anxiety considerably.
“Thank you, having everyone with me is so reassuring! Let us win together and return safely!”
At Hoshino’s call, the explorers shouted in agreement.
Watching the scene, Yuki murmured, “Youth is wonderful…”, gripping their rapier once again with renewed resolve.
“If I leave it to the youngsters and run, I won’t be able to face my employees. Not sure how much I can manage with an injured body, but maybe I’ll push myself a bit more. What about you, Kuma-chan?”
“I don’t particularly want to die, but… if our employees are this motivated, I have to go along with it. If I run here, everyone will probably just follow Hoshino-san anyway.”
Kumaiwa said that with a laugh, readying his large circular shield. Despite having taken a beating earlier, his body felt strangely light.
“Good answer, Kuma-chan. Let us show them the stubborn pride of veterans.”
“Good grief… I’m well past the age where muscle soreness goes away quickly, though.”
Inspired by the youth’s bravery, the two rallied.
And so, the curtain rose on their battle for survival.
Tl: Sam
…
“So, are you alright?”
“……Yeah, no problem.”
When I spoke to the rescued Mikami, he retorted with a sullen attitude.
Whatever he was being stubborn about, he was an absolute pain to deal with.
「He’s probably sulking because getting beat up by Salamanders was streamed lol」
「Ehh… is he a kid?」
「Mikami-kun, that’s so uncool!」
「Make sure to properly say thank you, okay」
「Well, everyone has a phase like this」
Most of the comments seemed sympathetic.
Well, certainly, having what happened earlier broadcasted to the entire world would suck. He seemed to sell himself as a cool handsome guy, so his brand image was ruined. I felt a bit bad for him.
“I appreciate that you saved me. Thank… you.”
Mikami offered his thanks, though it looked difficult for him to say.
He just had a lot of pride; he wasn’t a bad guy deep down.
“However, even I could have defeated monsters of that caliber! I have soloed an A-rank monster before, you know!”
“Ah, yeah, yeah. Understood. For now, let’s treat your injuries.”
“Owwwww!”
I forcefully rubbed recovery potion into his wounds.
It stung, but this healed things fastest. He’d just have to bear it.
「Mikami-kun is hilarious lol」
「Is he a tsundere character?」
「A cool-type glasses tsundere character hits my kinks way too hard pant pant」
「People’s kinks really are broad, huh」
「Selling himself as the cool-type is completely impossible now lol」
「Corporate slave salaryman x cool tsundere glasses… my favorite dish」
「Another day of the internet being full of perverts」
“Alright, that should do for first aid. Shall we get moving soon? Ah, can you walk on your own?”
“……I appreciate you treating my wounds. However, I cannot leave together with you.”
“Hm… hm? Eh?”
At his unexpected reply, I was momentarily baffled.
Wh-What was that supposed to mean?
“I will return on my own. Piling on this many blunders and then being escorted back on top of it would ruin my honor. You would be able to return faster alone anyway. Please leave me alone.”
「Hey hey, is this guy for real?」
「No way your honor could drop any lower than it already has lol」
「This tsundere act has gone way too far」
「He’s so hopelessly twisted lol」
Hearing Mikami’s words, I inwardly sighed.
It was an excessively selfish and self-centered way of speaking; it had been a while since I felt this irritated. It might not fit the modern era, but… looks like he needed a little lecture.
“Why don’t you just hurry up and go? If you stream such a boring scene, won’t your viewers get tired of it? The concurrent viewer count will drop too…”
“Hey.”
“Eh?”
“Shut up for a second.”
“……Tsu!?”
I directed just a tiny sliver of the “pressure” I usually used to intimidate monsters straight at Mikami.
It seemed effective, as his expression instantly lost all composure.
「Eep」
「Way too scary」
「My heart skipped a beat」
「My heart is still thumping, what is this… love?」
「Isn’t that just arrhythmia?」
「Remembering getting lectured by my boss makes me want to throw up」
“I sat quietly listening, but… just what is your deal? Every time you open your mouth, it’s nothing but self-preservation. Do you even understand that this is an emergency?”
“I-I understand that much! But precisely because of that, shouldn’t you not be wasting time on me?”
“……In other words, you have no intention of saving your comrades, is that it? Even as we speak right now, your subordinates might be in danger in this dungeon, you know?”
“That’s…”
Mikami faltered.
Apparently, his thoughts hadn’t extended that far.
He had only been obsessing over how to erase his blunder, completely failing to consider the safety of his comrades.
“Dungeon exploration isn’t a game; it’s a life-or-death job. If you’re doing it with half-baked resolve, you ought to quit.”
The end of those who entered the explorer business with half-hearted feelings just because it made money was almost always tragic.
Back while working, I saw the corpses of people like that more than once or twice.
We explorers know that this job is harsh and terrifying.
Those who don’t know are either those who died before understanding it, or those who got lucky and survived without realizing it. This guy was the latter.
“We never know when we might die. That is why explorers help each other out, to raise our chances of survival even a little.”
Back when I was a kid, there were times I was saved by explorers I met by chance.
Whenever I tried to thank them, they always said, “Don’t worry about me. If you find someone in trouble, just help them the same way.”
Back then, I didn’t understand why they said that, but now I do.
Passing along that kindness ultimately helps raise the survival rate of explorers as a whole. Those people didn’t just save me; they saved the people connected beyond me as well.
“If you die from your own arrogance, I couldn’t care less. It’s your own fault. But when someone acts selfishly, others suffer for it. This time, a huge number of people were put in danger because of your guild… and you plan to run away without even wiping your own ass?”
“B-But that was my subordinates acting on their own…”
“No buts!”
I slapped Mikami’s cheek with all my might.
Taking that open-handed slap unleashed from diagonally above, Mikami let out a sound like a squashed frog with a “Bobue!?” and planted into the ground.
「Mikami-kun!?」
「Can’t blame him for that one」
「He’s surprisingly athletic-club minded, huh」
「Well, Mikami-kun is definitely in the wrong here」
「After all, Tanakaaa held back his desire to go see Yui-chan quickly just to help him」
「Ah, Mikami-kun pulled his face out of the ground」
「His face is swollen up lol」
「It looks like a cream pan lolol」
「That should’ve injected some fighting spirit into him」
“I-It hurfts…”
Slumped on the ground, Mikami rubbed his cheek with teary eyes.
Maybe I hit him a bit too hard. I should reflect on that.
“Mikami, why did you become an explorer in the first place? Being that desperate for results, what is it you want to become? Is that goal something worth endangering others to achieve?”
“I…”
Mikami cast his eyes downward and hesitated.
And after being silent for a moment, he slowly began to speak.
“Back when I was a child… I was attacked by a monster, and an explorer saved me back then. The way that person gallantly defeated the monster was so cool, they looked like a hero to me.”
Being attacked by a monster as a kid probably meant during the Great Imperial Palace Monster Disaster.
You couldn’t enter a dungeon without a permit, and the only time a child could be attacked by a monster outside was back then.
In that case, was this guy in Tokyo back then too? At that time, I was also mopping up monsters together with my master. Perhaps we had even passed each other somewhere.
“That’s why I wanted to become an amazing explorer just like that person. And I thought if I became famous, maybe I could meet them once more… Well, it was only for an instant back then, so I don’t really remember their face, though.”
「Mikami-kun had a past like that too, huh」
「I thought he just liked money」
「He has a cute side to him」
「My opinion of him went up a bit」
「Then why did he turn out like this… cries」
「True that」
“I see… I understand your reason for becoming an explorer. I think it’s a good reason. But doing things the way you are now, do you really think you can become like that person?”
“Th-That’s…”
Mikami trailed off awkwardly.
He probably realized it himself. That his actions were far removed from what the person he admired had done.
But that was the only way he knew to climb to the top. That was why, before he knew it, he had become tainted by a results-first explorer mentality.
“This is the turning point. What will you do? Keep going as you are now, or become a true explorer? You decide.”
I extended a hand to the seated Mikami.
Mikami showed slight hesitation for just a moment, but soon took my hand with a resolute expression.
“Even from now… can I change?”
“Of course. Even a corporate slave like me managed to change, after all.”
「That’s true lol」
「Having the guy who changed the most right in front of him makes it so convincing」
「Good luck, Mikami-kun!」
「What a heartwarming story」
「M O V I E A D A P T A T I O N G R E E N L I T」
「Guess we gotta keep an eye on Iron Stag」
“Now then, we’ve burned some time, so let’s hurry along.”
“Ah, um, Tanaka-san. Actually, there’s something I haven’t mentioned yet…”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Umm, actually, I saw a dangerous-looking monster further up. Given its size and appearance, I think it’s probably the EX-rank monster ‘Kagutsuchi.’ I escaped from it and ended up all the way down here.”
“Yo…! You should’ve said that sooner!”
“Hii! I’m sorry!”
Are you kidding me? That means the Lava Dragon I defeated wasn’t the boss monster after all.
Boss monsters rarely move from the lowest floor, but… triggering the teleportation trap might have activated it to eliminate intruders.
Hoshino and Yuki-san are strong, but whether they can beat an EX-rank monster is another story. Looks like I’d better hurry.
I hoisted Mikami up by force, slung him over my shoulder like a sack of rice, and bolted forward in a flash.
“It’s gonna shake a bit. Don’t throw up on me.”
“Eh, w-wait… urp, gasp, blargh”
“Hey, I literally just told you not to throw up!”
Having learned of the EX monster’s existence, I sprinted through the dungeon in a hurry.
Tl: Sam
…
An EX monster was an aberration that surpassed human intellect.
Its power transcended the framework of living creatures, to the point of being described as a “disaster.”
In the past, the monster “Shoggoth” that rampaged in America had annihilated three cities, causing millions of casualties.
Even multiple S-rank explorers working together could not bring it down; until Tanaka defeated it, EX-rank monsters were believed to be impossible to defeat.
The Flame Dragon Kagutsuchi’s rank was “EX I.”
Among EX ranks, it fell into the weakest category.
Even so, its abilities were several tiers higher than an S-rank’s, and there were likely only a handful of explorers in the world capable of facing it head-on.
And against such an aberration… Hoshino was clashing head-on.
“Haaaaaaah!!”
Hoisting her greatsword, she brought it swinging down onto Kagutsuchi.
Kagutsuchi caught the blow with its prized horns, but the impact transmitted to its brain, making it stagger slightly.
「Hang in there, Yui-chan!」
「You can totally do this, for real!」
「Blow that guy away!」
The comment section was also hyped up by Hoshino’s heroic display.
(I can do this! I will win…!)
Seeing that she had the upper hand, Hoshino swung her blade repeatedly in a fierce onslaught.
Kagutsuchi produced multiple fireballs and unleashed them at Hoshino, but her companions shielded her from them.
“Daraah! Rapier Chop!”
“Ngh! Such power…!”
Yuki shattered a fireball with a kick, while Kumaiwa intercepted another fireball with his shield.
The temperature of the fireballs was terrifying; Yuki suffered burns and Kumaiwa’s shield began melting, yet neither of them stopped.
“We’re no match for that thing on our own… Support the Leader! Don’t hold back on the recovery potions!”
Those who couldn’t face Kagutsuchi head-on kept it in check with magic and ranged attacks while supporting Hoshino with recovery potions and buffing spells.
Thanks to their efforts, Hoshino was able to hold her own against Kagutsuchi despite its superior rank.
「Amazing, everyone’s doing their best」
「Can’t believe this is an impromptu team lol」
「Yui-chan’s leadership trait is insane」
「Uwoooooh!」
「Take it down before Tanaka gets here!」
“Take this! Adamant Sword: Ten Thousand Slashes!”
Leaping high into the air, Hoshino slashed into Kagutsuchi’s long body.
That technique, traced from Tanaka’s own moves, sliced through Kagutsuchi’s tough scales, gouging deeply into the flesh beneath.
The dragon bled, its expression twisting in agony.
『Uu… Ooh…!』
After letting out that groan, Kagutsuchi glared sharply at Hoshino.
Under that piercing glare, Hoshino felt a chill run down her spine. The genuine killing intent of a powerhouse. Instinct told Hoshino that her opponent had gotten serious.
『Rururu… Goaaah!!』
Letting out a thunderous roar, Kagutsuchi radiated intense heat from its entire body.
The surrounding temperature spiked drastically, causing sweat to erupt from Hoshino’s body.
「Wait, something’s not right」
「I’m only watching the stream, but I’m breaking into a cold sweat」
「Ugh, scary…」
「Is it just me, or is the room hot?」
「Feels hot just watching, how hot is it in reality…?」
Sensing that a disastrous attack was imminent, Hoshino screamed.
“Everyone, run away! Something is coming!”
The intense heat emitted from Kagutsuchi converged into a single point, taking shape.
What formed was a single greatsword. A blade forged of pure flame energy.
The size of the blade was completely out of the ordinary, measuring a full twenty meters in total length.
Seeing that blade carrying enough energy to annihilate an entire city in a single strike, the explorers’ spirits broke.
“What in the world is that…”
“Th-There’s no way we can beat that.”
“We’re going to die here…!”
Amid the atmosphere of despair, Hoshino bolted forward alone.
Her arms and legs still moved; in that case, there was no choice but to fight. Her resolve was set.
“I will win! Right here…!”
Magic essence erupted from Hoshino’s running body.
The magic essence within her burned intensely, drastically boosting her physical abilities.
”Re-Awakening.”
It was a power-up technique accessible only to a select few Awakened. Although it came with a time limit, Hoshino had made this technique—granting immense power for a brief period—entirely her own.
She would be left completely immobilized after using it, yet she was certain that if she was to use it, it had to be now.
“Haaaaaaah!!”
Carrying all her rushing momentum, Hoshino leaped into the air and slashed forward.
Kagutsuchi pointed the tip of the flame sword it had manifested, “Flame Blade: Kagutsuchi,” directly at Hoshino and fired.
The two colossal energies clashed, scattering explosive roars and shockwaves all around.
The impact was tremendous; the explorers clung desperately to the ground, yet some were still blown away.
「Yui-chan!?」
「Wait, is she okay!?」
「That sound was crazy, my eardrums are gone」
「As expected, isn’t this too rough even for Yui-chan…?」
「Wait, this is seriously impossible」
The explosive roar ceased, and the billowing dust settled.
And floating there in mid-air, unchanged from before the clash, was Kagutsuchi.
Its breathing was ragged and it appeared fatigued, yet its body was still intact.
「Ah… are you serious」
「Where’s Yui-chan!?」
「Taking that attack just now, surely…」
「Save her, Shachiken!」
「Wait, isn’t someone over there?」
When the streaming drone approached the blast site, it discovered a fallen figure.
“U-Ugh…”
The one lying there was none other than Yui Hoshino.
Burns marked her body in various places, but it appeared she had avoided fatal injuries.
However, the damage was immense; although she planted her hands against the ground, she was unable to push herself up.
「It’s Yui-chan!」
「Thank goodness!」
「Run away, quick!」
「Please, please, please」
Confirming its enemy’s survival, Kagutsuchi let out a low growl from its throat and slowly approached.
The power to manifest another flame blade had not yet returned, but attacks with claws and fangs were well within its capability. A soft human could easily be torn to shreds.
“D-Damn it…!”
Hoshino desperately tried to move her body, but having just used Re-Awakening, her muscles refused to obey.
Kagutsuchi’s razor-sharp fangs slowly closed in, preparing to tear her apart, but in that very instant, a certain figure stepped in front of her.
“Looks like I made it in time. That’s enough.”
“Eh…?”
At that familiar voice, Hoshino lifted her gaze.
Standing there was a swordsman clad in a black business suit. Seeing the person she had longed to meet all this time, Hoshino cried out aloud.
“Tanaka-san…!”
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Hoshino. You did great.”
Tl: Sam
…
“Are you alright? Can you move?”
“You’re…”
When the exhausted explorer shifted his gaze, the explorer Yui Hoshino stood before him.
Behind her, nearly twenty explorers followed along. Not only from the Iron Stag Guild, but also members from Obsidian Bear and the Gold Leo Guild.
Regardless of guild boundaries, those who had been separated seemed to have banded together and moved as one group.
“Can you drink some water?”
“A-Are you sure…?”
“Yes! We’re all in this together, so we have to help each other out.”
“Thank you… You saved me.”
Receiving the plastic bottle from Hoshino, the male explorer gulped down the water inside.
The place they were in was the dungeon’s lower level. While not quite as extreme as where Tanaka was, it was still an intensely high-heat zone, with exposed lava in several places.
Water was a precious commodity and their lifeline.
(Honestly, it’s not like I have much to spare, but if anyone gets dehydrated, they won’t be able to move. We need to head up quickly and resupply on water…)
Hoshino wiped away dripping sweat and thought things over.
If everyone’s supplies were intact, there would have been plenty to go around, but some explorers had lost their luggage when they were teleported. Several of Hoshino’s items had been ruined as well, so she didn’t have much margin to share with others.
Even so, she couldn’t bring herself to abandon anyone.
Having finished the water, the man bowed his head to Hoshino in gratitude.
“Thank you so much… I feel alive again. I’m not in perfect shape, but I can at least walk. Do you mind if I come along?”
“Yes! Of course! Let’s escape together!”
Encouraging the explorer, Hoshino moved forward.
Among the explorers present today, some had no prior experience exploring the lower level. While several grew anxious after being suddenly teleported down here in such a state, the fact that they could keep pressing forward was largely thanks to Hoshino’s natural brightness.
However, even in such a situation, trouble arose.
“In the first place, it’s your fault for letting greed get the better of you!”
“What did you say!? You guys would’ve opened that chest if you found it, too!”
“Don’t lump us in with greedy bastards like you!”
As they advanced through the dungeon, a dispute suddenly broke out between explorers.
Looking over, explorers from the Gold Leo Guild and the Iron Stag Guild were arguing back and forth.
The subject of the argument was about Iron Stag opening the treasure chest and triggering the teleportation trap.
Both sides understood how pointless it was to argue right now, but they couldn’t help venting their grievances over how carelessness had brought about this dire situation.
“In fact, the Iron Stag bunch has always been reckless. Just the other day, you stirred up monsters with your forceful exploration and caused trouble for everyone!”
“Doing that back then was the best choice! We dealt with the stirred-up monsters ourselves, so there wasn’t any problem!”
The quarrel grew heated between the two.
The dispute ran in parallel circles, showing no sign of resolution.
Then, Hoshino briskly strode over toward them.
Seeing her approach in silence, the two explorers stopped their arguing.
“H-Hoshino-san. What’s wrong…?”
“Sorry, but this doesn’t concern you. Aren’t you annoyed by Iron Stag too, Hoshino-san? Leave us alone.”
Hearing their words, Hoshino stayed quiet for a moment, then suddenly swung down her clenched fists, punching both explorers and planting them face-first into the ground.
“Bubeh!?”
“Gah!?”
Stuck side-by-side into the earth, the two groaned in pain.
Somehow pulling their heads out of the dirt, they pressed Hoshino, demanding, “What was that for!?”
“Both parties are to blame in a fight! You both know this isn’t the time to be fighting, right?”
“Well, sure, but… in the first place, this happened because these guys were greedy…”
When the Gold Leo explorer complained, Hoshino showed him her clenched fist again. Having intimately learned how much that fist hurt, he swallowed his words with a hurried, “N-No, never mind.”
“I understand why you feel anxious. I also understand wanting to complain. But can’t that wait until after we safely escape!?”
“Hoshino-san, you…”
Hoshino pleaded with a serious expression.
Before anyone realized it, every explorer present was listening intently to her words.
“I won’t tell you to become best friends. But… just for now, let’s cooperate! Once we escape, you can fight as much as you want. If you really can’t hold back, then I’ll take on all your anger myself!”
Hoshino spread her arms wide, leaving herself wide open as if inviting them to hit her.
Seeing her selfless, desperate stance, the Gold Leo explorer reached toward Hoshino… and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I give up. You’re completely right. It was childish of me, my bad.”
He apologized to Hoshino, then bowed his head to the Iron Stag explorer he had clashed with and apologized.
There was no longer any trace of anger on his face, only regret.
“Sorry for causing trouble, Hoshino-san. Your words and your fists really hit home. I’ll make up for the trouble I caused by pulling my weight. Believe it or not, I’ve been an explorer for quite a while, so work me to the bone, Leader.”
“Thank you… Wait, Leader? M-Me!?”
“You’re the only one who can unite all of us across different guilds. Isn’t that right, everyone?”
When he called out to the other explorers, everyone around nodded in agreement.
“Hoshino-san! You’re the only one who can lead us!”
“Please be our leader! We’re begging you!”
Multiple voices rose up, wishing for Hoshino to take the lead.
Not much time had passed since they set out to escape together, but Hoshino had already won their hearts.
(Wh-What should I do? I’m not cut out to be a leader, though…)
Hoshino had a bright and cheerful personality, but standing above others was something she was rather uncomfortable with.
However, having overcome life-or-death situations since meeting Tanaka, she had grown as a person.
(Still, if becoming their leader will bring everyone together… then it’s worth doing. Tanaka-san would definitely do the same thing.)
Hoshino steeled her resolve and decided to become their leader.
She had already been serving in a leadership role along the way, but officially taking on the title added a whole new weight to her shoulders.
“Understood! I’m still inexperienced, but I will serve as everyone’s leader until we escape! Let’s join forces and get out of here together!”
At Hoshino’s words, the other explorers raised their fists with a resounding “Yeah!” in response.
Though both supplies and stamina were precarious, the birth of a new leader undeniably breathed strength into them.
(Please wait for me, Tanaka-san. I’m going to do my best!)
Swearing that in her heart to the person she admired, Hoshino resumed advancing toward escaping the dungeon.
Tl: Sam
…
“Hmm, I’m lost.”
Scratching my head, I muttered that to myself.
Spreading out before my eyes was a vast expanse of lava and a path split into countless branches.
Because the scenery in the lava zone never changed at all, it was difficult to tell which way I had come from. Although I vaguely remembered the path I took, once you’re lost, you might even lose track of that.
「Not very cool, lol」
「No, but seriously, there’s no way to tell the path here」
「Isn’t it that way? (Random guess)」
「Don’t just guess randomly lol」
「Monster corpses just keep piling up endlessly lol」
「At first he was actually explaining the monsters, but he gradually started silently slicing them down, which is hilarious」
「It was touching when Lava Dragon-kun gave a thumbs-up as he sank into the lava」
「Was that Terminator? lol」
「I’ll be back」
「Way too much false memory lol」
I was fine with both the lava and the monsters, but not knowing the way was bad.
Normally, you explore a dungeon from top to bottom. Even if you don’t know whether you can reach your destination, you never lose the way back, because you just have to retrace the path you came from.
However, I had arrived at the deep level via teleportation. There was no way I could know the way back. Good grief, what a pain.
「What’s Shachiken gonna do?」
「Ah, by the way, looks like the other teleported explorers were found」
「Seems so, heard everyone was sent down to the lower level」
「There’s a post saying Yui-chan is acting as their leader, for real?」
「Looks to be real. Pretty amazing that she can unite such eccentric explorers」
「As expected of the wife」
「Do we already know if everyone’s safe?」
「Safety should be confirmed for pretty much all of them」
「Whoa, good thing this dungeon has the property of relaying radio waves outside」
I noticed important information flowing through the comments.
Apparently, the explorers were in the lower level, and Hoshino was uniting them.
Thank goodness… I had trusted in her, but knowing Hoshino was safe was a huge relief. Not only that, uniting the other explorers was quite impressive. Once we returned, I would have to give her plenty of praise.
And knowing that everyone was in the lower level was also great information.
That meant the options available to me increased.
“Thank you for the information, everyone. Since the others are in the lower level, I think I’ll break through the deep level a little forcefully.”
「Hm?」
「Did he think he wasn’t forceful all this time?」
「What’s he planning to do?」
「I have a bad feeling about this」
「Whatever it is, it’s definitely nothing normal」
Tapping the dungeon wall with a tap-tap, I rested my hand against it and concentrated.
Then I felt the vibrations traveling from the wall into my hand. The vibrations generated from tapping echoed inside and bounced back to my hand. By carefully sensing that information, I could grasp the general structure of the current floor.
“Alright… I’ve grasped the general layout. Looks like there’s a path leading to the lower level over that way.”
「Why can you even tell that?」
「It’s the special move: Corporate Slave Sonar」
「Is he a bat?」
「Bat: “Don’t be ridiculous, even I can’t do that”」
「Should’ve done that from the start (regular)」
This method was convenient, but it only revealed a rough structure.
Its accuracy wasn’t high, and the detection range was narrow. Grasping all the intricate winding paths was difficult. However, finding a path that connected upward was well within reach.
“Well then, let’s begin.”
Drawing my sword, I looked toward the direction of the path leading to the lower level.
Then, advancing while swinging my sword at high speed, I pushed forward while excavating the dungeon wall.
「Huh!?」
「He’s literally digging lol」
「Wait, you can dig through a dungeon?」
「No, normally that’s impossible」
「He’s a human boring machine」
The walls of a dungeon were exceptionally hard. Scratching the surface was one thing, but boring a tunnel was an entirely different story. Past the surface layer, dungeon walls became ridiculously dense.
However, destroying them wasn’t completely impossible. By slicing into it over and over again in the span of a split second, you could open a hole like this.
“That said, digging holes in a dungeon carries the risk of a cave-in, so I recommend not doing this if there are people on the same floor.”
「Okaaay… like hell anyone can do that!」
「Only you can do this (regular)」
「Way too unnecessary of a concern lol」
「He’s plowing right through even while talking lol」
「If there’s no path, just make one (physical)」
「Looks like he’ll reach the upper floor in no time like this」
Gouging through the dungeon with a grinding roar, I advanced.
Because it struck the wall countless times, the sword gradually began glowing red-hot. It was under considerable strain, but well, it should be fine. No matter how much I overworked this blade up until now, it held up without a scratch.
「Looks like monsters stopped attacking too」
「True. Progressing super smoothly」
「Well, the monsters probably realized Tanaka is an absolute psycho」
「Monster: “What’s with that human? Digging through the wall, gross…“」
「True that」
「Not human movements after all lol」
「More like the speed of heavy machinery」
After carving through the dungeon wall like that for ten-odd minutes, I emerged into an open space.
“Oh, is that the path leading up? Better head up quickly and regroup with Hoshino.”
Splashing through the lava, I headed toward the path leading up.
Then, something came clattering down from above with hurried footsteps.
“These footsteps, not just one. Monsters?”
「Oh, monsters incoming for the first time in a bit?」
「Well, if they came from above, they’re lower level monsters, so it’ll be fine」
「Easy peasy」
「Hm? But is that really a monster?」
「Eh?」
The figures coming from above entered my vision.
Most of them were monsters, giant lizards found in volcanic areas known as “Salamanders.”
Their rank was A, if I recall. They were monsters found in the lower level, but with hard scales, ferocious temperaments, and super-heated bodies, their strength wouldn’t be out of place even in the deep level.
There were about five such Salamanders, and there was a single person being chased by them.
“Damn it! Stay away from me!”
That person fled toward me while fighting the Salamanders.
Though he fought back with a sword and magic, it didn’t seem very effective against the Salamanders.
“Hm? That guy is…”
Looking closely, I recognized the person running this way.
Let’s see… Mikami, if I recall. An explorer affiliated with the Iron Stag Guild.
Apparently, he was teleported near the deep level and ended up wandering all the way down here. Unlucky guy.
He was an obnoxious fellow, but I couldn’t just abandon him.
Guess I’ll lend a hand.
Tl: Sam
…
“Haaaaah!!”
Mikami slammed the sword in his hand against the Salamander.
While his movement was solid, whether due to exhaustion, there was no weight behind it. That single blow merely scratched the Salamander’s scales slightly, falling far short of inflicting actual damage.
“I-It’s too hard! There was nothing like this in the data!”
「lol」
「There are actually people who say manga-like lines like that for real? lol」
「Way too much of a data character, no matter how you look at it」
「Mikami was this much of a small fry…?」
「I was rooting for him, but I’m getting the ick lol」
「Hurry up and throw away the data」
Apparently Mikami could use magic as well, but it seemed he could only use flame magic.
Against a Salamander with scales of fire, flame magic was naturally of little effect. For Mikami, who possessed no other means of attack, the Salamanders were his natural enemy.
“Then how about this! Greatest Slash!”
Mikami raised his sword with bravado and swung it down onto the crown of the Salamander’s head.
The Salamander staggered slightly from the impact, but the wound was shallow. Letting out an angry hiss of 『Jua!』, the Salamander delivered a headbutt to Mikami’s abdomen, and taking the brunt of it, Mikami was blown away with a choked cry of “Guha!?”
“I-Impossible… Against mere Salamanders, someone like me…!”
「Mikami-kun is way too hilarious」
「Skill name is so cool, huh lolol」
「Completely got the ick」
「If he knew this was being streamed, he’d probably want to die」
「Don’t sweat it」
「Stay strong」
The five Salamanders moved to encircle Mikami. At this rate, he risked being swallowed whole.
Kicking off the ground, I headed toward him.
“D-Damn it! An elite like me, in a place like this… wait, huh?”
“Yo, you alright?”
A split second before he was swallowed whole, I scooped Mikami into my arms and leaped away from the spot.
Because it was in the spur of the moment, it ended up being a princess carry. If Rin saw this stream, she would probably demand that I do the same for her.
「It’s a princess carry! Not fair!」
「I want Shachiken to carry me too」
「Doesn’t that sound a bit different in meaning? lol」
「Badump…」
「To think Mikami-kun would become the heroine. Even with the eyes of the viewers, we couldn’t see this coming」
Holding him forever would be awkward in multiple ways, so I set Mikami down.
Seeing me appear out of nowhere, Mikami couldn’t hide his astonished expression.
“Y-You, why are you here…?”
“We’ll talk later. For now, leave the Salamanders to me.”
Having their prey snatched away, the Salamanders seemed furious.
Opening their massive jaws, they charged toward me.
“Tanaka-san! Their scales are harder than the data suggests, fighting them normally won’t work!”
“If they’re hard, there’s a way to fight tailored for that. Rest and watch.”
Readying my sword, I locked eyes with the Salamanders.
I had eaten these guys before in the past, and I remembered the meat being plump and delicious. The thigh meat in particular was exquisite. Guess I’ll defeat them and procure some meat.
“Come.”
『Juraaah!!』
The Salamander lunged to bite with tremendous force.
Ducking low while stepping forward, I evaded that strike and drew my sword in a flash. The blade severed the Salamander’s neck in a split second, claiming its life.
“If the scales are hard, you just aim for the gaps between them.”
“T-Too fast…!”
「Shachiken’s sword stroke, you seriously can’t see it lol」
「Impossible unless the camera’s performance improves more」
「Mikami-kun having his eyes wide open in surprise is cute」
「Seeing it in person really must hit different after all」
“Alternatively, targeting the soft spots… like aiming inside the mouth works too.”
Drawing the Salamander in until the last possible moment, I thrust the sword into its mouth.
Then, piercing right through to the heart deep inside, I drew the sword back out. Even if their scales and hide are hard, monsters that are hard on the inside as well are rare. If you destroy their internal organs, neither humans nor monsters can keep moving.
「Hii」
「Scary」
「Way too gory」
「Zero hesitation whatsoever」
「I definitely don’t want to die like that」
Perhaps enraged by their comrades being struck down, the remaining three Salamanders attacked simultaneously.
Having learned from seeing their comrade pierced through the inside just now, they charged at me with sharp fangs and tackles without opening their mouths. At times like this…
“Against opponents where blades don’t work well, blunt impacts are effective. If you don’t have a blunt weapon, doing it bare-handed works fine.”
Striking the Salamander from above with a clenched fist, I drove it into the earth.
I finished off the other two with a kick and a hand chop.
「Like hell anyone can do that bare-handed!」
「That makes no sense!」
「It literally just happened though!」
「Such an educational stream」
「Except for the part where it’s completely useless to anyone else, it’s very educational lol」
「Everyone, make sure to properly prepare weapons, okay!」
Bare-handed combat was something I actually recommended, but it was receiving poor reviews.
If you learned to properly transmit shock into the body, you could inflict damage directly to the brain and internal organs, broadening your tactical options.
Back when I was a kid, my master had confiscated my weapons before throwing me into a dungeon too… How nostalgic.
Now then… with the Salamanders dealt with, guess I’ll hear what Mikami has to say.
Tl: Sam
…
“Nn… where is… this…?”
Rubbing her head, Yui Hoshino woke up.
Her head was hazy from the effects of the teleportation magic, but quickly remembering that she had triggered a teleportation trap, she surveyed her surroundings with caution.
“Monsters… don’t seem to be nearby for now. Is there anyone else…?”
Readying her sword, Hoshino took a close look around.
The place she had been in just a moment ago was a snowfield, but she noticed that the scenery had completely changed. Rugged, bare rock was exposed everywhere, and neither snow nor ice could be seen at all.
Far from it,
“It’s hot… The magic essence concentration is high too, so it looks like I was sent down to a pretty deep level.”
Hoshino instinctively realized she had arrived at the lower level.
In this Niseko Volcano Dungeon, the areas from the middle level and above were an ice and snow type dungeon, but from the lower level down, it turned into an intense heat zone instead.
Ice and snow dungeons were difficult to conquer, but the difficulty of a high-heat dungeon was even greater.
Even if you stripped off your clothes, you couldn’t escape the heat, and stamina drained much faster than in cold places. Although only a few minutes had passed since she was teleported here, large beads of sweat were already forming on Hoshino’s skin.
“When you get lost in a dungeon, aiming for the surface is the standard rule. Tanaka-san will surely do that too, so I need to head up.”
Suppressing her anxiety, Hoshino set her sights on escaping the dungeon.
Then,
“Huh? Someone’s there.”
After walking for a bit, Hoshino found a group of crouched explorers.
There were about ten people, and judging by their gear, they appeared to be explorers from Iron Stag.
They seemed to be injured, unable to move from the spot. Seeing them, Hoshino hurriedly ran over.
“Are you alright!?”
“A-Are you Hoshino-san…?”
The explorers looked bewildered at Hoshino’s sudden appearance.
Meanwhile, Hoshino examined their bodies, assessing the extent of their injuries.
“It must be tough to walk like this. I have recovery potions and a first-aid kit, so please allow me to use them.”
“Eh, no, um, you don’t have to go that far…”
The explorers tried to decline out of politeness, but Hoshino began treating them without giving them room to refuse.
Hoshino treated them briskly in a practiced manner. Watching her, they wore apologetic expressions.
“We’re so sorry. Because we opened that treasure chest, you got caught up in this too…”
If they hadn’t opened the treasure chest driven by greed, they wouldn’t have been teleported all the way down here.
On top of that, having their injuries treated left them filled with guilt. They assumed Hoshino had to be angry with them as well, but,
“Please don’t worry about it. You never know what will happen in a dungeon. Right now, rather than arguing, let’s join forces and escape together! It’s okay, we can manage this!”
Seeing Hoshino smile as she said that, the explorers felt ashamed of their own shallowness.
And at the same time, they were deeply touched by her strong, kind-hearted personality.
“Hoshino-san, once we make it back alive, we will formally apologize for this incident. So… just for now, as companions, may we fight alongside you?”
“Yes, of course! Let’s do our best together!”
Hitting it off with them, Hoshino set her sights on escaping.
And in her heart, she thought of Tanaka, from whom she had been separated.
(This is the right thing to do, isn’t it, Tanaka-san? I don’t know if I can do it well, but just like what Tanaka-san did for me, I’ll do my best to save everyone…!)
Hoshino looked back on the dungeon where she had first met Tanaka.
Seeing Tanaka save her from a hopeless situation, Hoshino had developed a deep admiration for him.
To get even a little closer to him, Hoshino resolved to do her best.
◇ ◇ ◇
“…Good grief.”
Moving through the dimensional rift while the space warped and swayed all around me, I muttered to myself.
A little time had passed since I was tossed in here, but it didn’t feel like I could get out.
It seemed the teleportation trap we triggered was a special design. It probably had a function that measured the magic essence quantity of the teleportation targets and sorted where to send them.
Seeing that I had the largest amount of magic essence among the group, it must have deemed me a threat and decided to trap me in this dimensional rift.
In other words, at this rate, I would have to take up permanent residence in this alternate space. That’s a problem.
“Can’t be helped. Guess I’ll do this.”
I moved through the dimensional rift using the front crawl.
The feel was a bit different from swimming in water, but well, it was more or less the same thing. Anyone can do it once they get the hang of it.
「Why on earth can he swim through alternate space?」
「Just when I thought he ended up somewhere weird, he’s doing weird stuff lol」
「Where is this?」
「Thank goodness Shachiken is alive」
「Oh, did the signal come back?」
Before I knew it, the drone was flying by my side.
Apparently, it had been recognized as my belonging and teleported to the same location. It served as proof of my safety, so having it follow along was a huge help.
The viewers might be worried too, so let’s explain the current situation.
“I’m drifting in a dimensional rift for a bit, but I’m completely fine. I’ll escape now.”
「Why is he so calm… lol」
「The vibe makes it sound like he’s just taking a walk, lol」
「Indeed, it sounds just like ‘I’m taking a light stroll’ lol」
「This should be an emergency, yet there’s zero tension」
「For Shachiken, emergencies are normal after all…」
I closely observed the distorted space.
Fundamentally, space is the same as any physical object. If you observe it carefully, you can see the weak spots.
“Right… here.”
I thrust my arm into a thin spot in the space and forced it open with brute strength.
Then a hole opened in space, allowing me to exit.
“Well then, I will now escape.”
Slipping my body into the hole, I exited.
Along with a distinct slippery sensation, I succeeded in returning to normal space.
“Alright, that worked… hm?”
Having escaped the dimensional rift and been flung into mid-air, what I saw was a scenery of solid ‘red.’
Until now, it had been a snowfield, a world of white, so the change was drastic. Not to mention, the temperature was insanely high. Why?
「Ah」
「Eh?」
「What’s this?」
「Could this be…」
「Isn’t this lava?」
I see, so this red was lava.
I clapped my clenched fist into my open palm, coming to an understanding.
And all the while, I continued my freefall… and in the very next instant, having been suspended in mid-air, I plunged straight into the bubbling, boiling lava.
Tl: Sam
…
「Eeeeeh!?」 「Shachiken!?」 「He fell into the lava!!」 「Total wipeout unavoidable」 「Wait, is this for real?」 「Hey hey, that guy is dead」 「Tanakaaa! Are you seriously okay?」
Come to think of it, this dungeon formed in a volcanic area. It wouldn’t be surprising for there to be high-heat lava zones. Since it was covered in snow from the upper to middle levels, that completely slipped my mind.
Thanks to that, I ended up taking a full-on dive into lava.
“Pwah, the temperature is pretty high.”
「Eh?」 「Huh?」 「’Pwah’ my ass lol」 「He’s alive!」 「Wait, what’s happening?」
“Ah, sorry to startle you all. Um, this much heat is fine. I’ve trained for it.”
「I see」 「Wait, what does that even mean?」 「Human potential really is limitless, huh」 「He’s just normally relaxing in the lava lol」 「Lava isn’t a hot spring, you know」 「Lava bath lol」 「Amazing, the human body♡」
Sitting down on a convenient rock, I thought things over while taking a half-body bath in the lava. Phew, it’s moderately warm and really improves blood circulation.
Now then, what to do from here? Judging by the palpable magic essence concentration, this is probably the deep level. And among that, it’s safe to say it’s the innermost depths. To think I ended up all the way in the back when I had only planned to finish up in the middle level.
Well, landing on the very bottom floor could be considered lucky in a way. Because if I head back up from here, I won’t overlook any of the scattered explorers.
“For now, I’ll aim for the upper level. And while rescuing the other explorers along the way, my goal will be to escape this dungeon.”
「Roger」 「Good luck!」 「Curious about what happened to the other explorers」 「Well, Yuki-san and Yui-chan are there too, so that’s somewhat reassuring, but…」 「Still, this dungeon seems to have a high danger level, so it’s worrying」 「True that」 「First Attacks really are scary after all」
Having decided on my goal, I immediately started walking toward the upper level. Where I was now was a wide-open space drenched in lava. Looking around, I could see a path continuing upward in the distance. Let’s head up from there.
“Hm? This is…”
After walking for a bit, I found something. It was a small sphere floating in mid-air. It looked like condensed, boiling lava, and was about the size of a soccer ball.
Feeling considerable energy from that sphere, I had an idea of what it was.
“Isn’t this a dungeon core?”
The nucleus of a dungeon, the dungeon core. It could be considered the heart of the dungeon, and if it breaks, this dungeon will collapse.
“The fact that a dungeon core is here means I really did end up in the deepest part. Looks like I’d better hurry…”
「That dungeon core looks crazy hot」 「Wait, wouldn’t it be fine if he just broke this? lol」 「Idiot, if you break this, everyone gets buried alive」 「Shachiken might be fine even if buried alive, but the others won’t be…」 「By the way, there’s no dungeon boss, huh」 「Away from home?」 「Well, it’s better if it’s not around, right?」
Indeed, having a core without a boss present was unusual, but today’s objective wasn’t the boss. While the cat’s away, let’s make a quick retreat. Just as I thought that and began walking,
『GROOOOOOOAAAHHH!!』
From within the lava, unleashing a roar that shook the very atmosphere, a monster emerged. A massive dragon with scales of lava… this guy was a Lava Dragon.
「Uwoooooh!!」 「Freaked me out lol」 「What is this guy!?」 「Isn’t this guy a super rare monster?」 「First time seeing it」 「Looks way too strong」 「It’s an S-rank monster, after all, of course it’s strong」
The Lava Dragon drooled lava-like saliva from its mouth as it glared at me. Apparently, it was hungry. However, you aren’t the only hungry one here.
“I was just getting hungry myself. Time to procure some food.” 『GRRR… BAAAH!!』
The Lava Dragon snapped its massive jaws open and lunged to bite. Enormous fangs. If I took a bite from that, it wouldn’t end with just a little pain.
“Hup.”
I caught those fangs with my bare hands. The Lava Dragon’s body was as hot as lava, but well, this level of temperature was completely fine.
“Hmph…!” 『VAH!?』
Gripping the Lava Dragon’s fangs tightly, I lifted it up. And just like that, I slammed it against the rocky ground with all my might.
「Eep」 「Way too brutal lol」 「RIP」 「Lava Dragon-kun, you were a good guy…」
Thud! The ground shook, and the Lava Dragon grimaced in agony. However, its fighting spirit hadn’t faded yet; slowly raising its head, it gathered flames within its mouth.
“Dragon Breath, huh.”
Fiery breath is a dragon’s specialty. The Lava Dragon’s breath was probably far hotter than an ordinary dragon’s. Readying my sword, I met that breath attack head-on.
“Come.” 『GAAAAH!!』
A colossal storm of fire large enough to fill my entire field of vision rushed forward. A ferocious attack; for an ordinary human, not even their bones would remain.
Staring that attack down from the front, I drew my sword.
“Tanaka-Style Swordsmanship, Tachikaze.”
A slash sharp enough to cleave through even a storm severed the dragon’s breath in two. And that single blow also severed the neck of the Lava Dragon waiting behind it, bisecting it cleanly.
“Sorry, but I’m in a hurry.” 『Ga, a…?』
With an expression that seemed completely unable to comprehend having been cut down, the Lava Dragon collapsed.
「Uwoooooh!!」 「Shachiken is the strongest! Shachiken is the strongest!」 「Tanaka really is unbeatable after all!」 「As monstrously strong as ever lol」 「Who could even beat you!?」
Alright, with this, the obstacle was gone. I didn’t know whether this guy was the boss monster or not, but having other monsters of this caliber around would be dangerous. Let’s aim for the upper level as quickly as possible.
Tl: Sam
…
Yuki-san was a first-rate fencing practitioner, a fencer.
Normally, it’s preferable for the weapons explorers use to be sturdy.
If you parry attacks from monsters possessing strength far greater than humans, or strike the hardened bodies of monsters, weapons will break in no time.
The sword I use is exceptionally sturdy as well. If I used an ordinary sword, it wouldn’t even last a day before shattering.
However, the rapier Yuki-san uses falls into a rather fragile category among swords.
If you thrust with poor form, it will snap immediately, and it can’t be used to block an opponent’s attack head-on either.
Yet Yuki-san overcame that weakness with sheer skill.
By pinpointing the opponent’s weak spots accurately, they minimized the strain on the blade, and skillfully parried and deflected incoming attacks with the rapier to evade them. Thanks to that, even with a weapon like a rapier, they were able to fight monsters on equal or even superior footing.
My fighting style and Yuki-san’s are quite different, but there was a lot to learn from their skill-focused technique. If I could see that swordsmanship again, I’d be delighted.
“Though… can they really swing a sword again?”
In the Imperial Palace Underground Dungeon, Yuki-san suffered severe injuries.
A catastrophic wound where their arm was nearly torn off. Being able to move it normally now can honestly be called a miracle.
However, no matter how much they’ve regained mobility, whether they can execute delicate movements like before is another matter.
If the connections of muscles and blood vessels change, the sensation of moving the arm changes as well. Can Yuki-san’s swordsmanship, which demands extreme precision, truly be reproduced with that arm now?
『Buuuu… Baaah!!』
The giant boar, the Frost Boar, locked onto Yuki-san and charged forward at breakneck speed.
Its fangs made of ice had enough force to easily pierce metal armor. Even for Yuki-san, taking that head-on would surely hurt.
「Here it comes!」
「Is Yuki-san gonna be okay?」
「They haven’t been in the field for a while, this is scary」
「Can they do it?」
「Slice that monster to ribbons!」
For Yuki-san, this was their first real combat in several years.
Yet there wasn’t the slightest hint of tension as they elegantly assumed a stance with their rapier, just like in the old days.
Right hand and right foot forward, hips lowered, and the empty left hand brought behind to maintain balance. The distinctive fencer’s stance was unchanged from the past.
“I’ll show you something special. My new, beautiful technique…♡”
Yuki-san aimed the tip of the rapier between the Frost Boar’s brows, then kicked off the ground and dashed forward.
Then, swinging up the rapier, they flexed its long blade upward, using the recoil to accelerate. Are we finally about to see it, Yuki-san’s swordsmanship?
“Take this! Special Move: Rapier Kick…!!”
“Eh?”
Yuki-san’s thoroughly trained leg kicked right through the Frost Boar’s face.
The power was tremendous; the Frost Boar’s massive body was blown away with incredible force, bowling over several trees before rolling across the ground and coming to a halt.
With that, it won’t be getting back up… wait, there’s something way more concerning right now!
「Eh?」
「Huh?」
「They kicked it lol」
「The rapier had nothing to do with that!」
「The rapier was just for support」
「Is this a tonfa kick?」
「That’s just a regular kick lolol」
Having landed a magnificent kick, Yuki-san flicked their rapier to the side with a sharp snap and struck a pose.
It looked stylish, but that rapier wasn’t used at all. If there’s no straight man to call it out, I’d feel bad for the viewers, so I decided to ask what that was all about.
“Yuki-san, what was that just now…?”
“Ever since my severe injury, I became unable to wield a sword like I used to. But I can’t run away from the front lines forever, especially to protect my darling employees.”
I’ve heard that Yuki-san’s guild employs many people who were persecuted for various reasons, such as their birth or gender. To protect them, expanding the guild wasn’t enough; pure strength was probably necessary too.
“That’s why I came up with a new fighting tactic. Even if delicate sword technique like in the past is impossible, I can still swing a sword dynamically. A new, beautiful technique utilizing the flex of the rapier’s blade and its recoil… that’s the ‘Rapier Kick’!”
“I-Is that so…”
「Shachiken being bewildered lol」
「A severe shortage of straight men」
「The rapier was completely pointless lol」
「No, but it actually makes sense…」
「Does it really make that much sense?」
「Sense-kun is bewildered by this too」
「Wouldn’t kicking normally be faster? lol」
「Idiot. That wouldn’t be beautiful, would it?」
「Everyone’s so distracted by the kick that nobody’s mentioning how strong they are even without a sword lolol」
I don’t know how true the claim that the rapier’s recoil increases power is, but there’s no doubt that the kick just now was a splendid blow.
Even if they aren’t as strong as in the past, they’ve definitely returned to a dependable level.
“Now then, with my gorgeous legs, I’ll take on the other monsters too… wait, my. Looks like it’s already over.”
Looking around, just as Yuki-san said, the monsters that appeared had just been completely defeated.
Apparently, the Frost Boar that was just taken down was the strongest monster among them.
“Phew, there was an accident, but it ended safely. Still, with this sheer quantity of monsters, we should definitely assume the danger level is higher than other dungeons. There seem to be injured people as well, so it’s probably best to retreat for today.”
“You’re right. We’ve only just entered the middle level, so heading back shouldn’t take much time either.”
I agreed with Yuki-san’s words.
If we were a party of a few people, finding a relatively safe spot to take a break might be an option.
However, right now we were a sizable group of nearly thirty people. No matter how we hid, the probability of being found by monsters was high.
In that case, rather than lingering in the middle level, turning back through the dungeon carried a lower danger level. We had just defeated the monsters along the path we took, so the chances of encountering monsters on the way back were low as well.
Having decided on that, Yuki-san and I conveyed it to Kumaiwa-san of Obsidian Bear and the leader of Gold Leo.
Since we hadn’t explored much of the middle level yet, they looked somewhat reluctant, but both agreed to the retreat.
Among the explorers, some were quite exhausted from the battle earlier. They probably agreed that coming back another day was better than pushing ourselves recklessly right now.
“Now then, guess I’ll inform Iron Stag too… hm?”
Turning my eyes toward Iron Stag huddled together a short distance away, I noticed they were investigating something.
They seemed to be digging into a snow-covered area… what are they doing?
Wondering what was going on, I approached, when suddenly they raised their voices loudly.
“Found it! It’s treasure!”
The Iron Stag explorer shouted in a delighted voice.
Looking over, a treasure chest was indeed poking out from beneath the accumulated snow. Apparently, they found a buried treasure chest during the fight earlier.
Dungeon treasure chests often contain items of high value. For those desperate for results, this was likely a coveted prize they had longed for.
However, many treasure chests have traps set on them. Poison, mimics, and the like. Just because you found one doesn’t mean opening it right away is safe.
Isn’t there anyone to warn them…? I thought, but their leader, Mikami, was right beside them, encouraging them to open it. Guess there was no one to stop it.
“Let’s open it quickly! With that many monsters guarding it, there’s definitely something valuable inside!”
“Hey. It’s dangerous, so sto…”
I approached to warn them, but…
“Alright! It’s ope… hm?”
The very instant the treasure chest opened, the entire ground beneath us began to glow.
At the same time, the bodies of everyone standing atop it began to faintly glow as well. Hey now, are you kidding me?
Grasping the meaning of that light, Hoshino, who had noticed it as well, rushed over in a panic.
“Tanaka-san! Is this…!?”
“Yeah, of all things, it’s a teleportation trap.”
Among the traps existing in dungeons, teleportation traps are particularly troublesome.
As the name implies, a teleportation trap teleports the target to a different location. And that destination is almost always an exceptionally dangerous place.
While not by a trap, Hoshino and I had experienced being teleported elsewhere by a monster’s attack before. The sensation was identical, which was likely how Hoshino realized it too.
However, this teleportation wasn’t the work of a monster, but of the dungeon itself.
It was likely a higher-tier teleportation magic than what that monster had used. In fact, the range of the teleportation extended across this entire middle-level area.
It could probably choose multiple teleportation destinations, so the chances of everyone landing in the same place were likely low.
“No way, why did this happen…”
Despairing over what his comrade had done, Mikami fell to his knees on the spot.
The other members of Iron Stag were in a panic as well, unable to comprehend what was happening.
「Wait, what do we do about this?」
「Tanakaaa! Do something!」
「This is an actual pinch」
「Can even Shachiken not do anything about this?」
Honestly, I could interrupt this teleportation.
The teleportation magic laid out on the ground: if I severed it, the teleportation wouldn’t activate.
However, if I clumsily interrupted the teleportation halfway, there was a risk that someone might get trapped in the space between dimensions. Actually, I was trapped there once before myself.
Back then, I managed to crawl my way through the distorted space and swim back, but if you can’t swim through it properly, you’d wander the dimensional rift for eternity. With so many other people around, I shouldn’t test that now.
In that case, what I need to do right now is…
“Hoshino, I don’t know where we’ll be sent, but there’s a chance we’ll be scattered to different places. If that happens… I’m counting on you over there.”
Hoshino looked surprised for a brief moment, but her expression quickly turned resolute as she answered firmly, “Understood. Leave it to me!”
To think she’s become this dependable, even though it hasn’t been that long since we first met.
“See you later then.”
“Yes! We will definitely meet again!”
With those parting words, we were teleported.
Now then, please don’t drop me somewhere too ridiculous, alright?
…..
Tl Note: Only one chapter today, will get back to more regular releases by next week
Tl: Sam
…
「Isn’t this bad!?」
「There are tons of monsters」
「The Ice Orc’s face is way too scary」
「I-I-I-It’s not time to panic yet」
At the sudden turn of events, the comment section grew hectic.
Many of the explorers were also panicking due to the sudden emergence of the monsters. In the midst of that,
“Form ranks! Don’t show your backs to the monsters!”
Kumaiwa-san, president of Obsidian Bear, shouted.
Immediately, members of the same guild gathered and formed a defensive formation.
The tanks formed a circle facing outward with their shields raised, while the attackers and magic-users gathered in the center.
It was a well-drilled, efficient maneuver. It seemed they trained properly as a team.
As expected of a veteran team.
“Tanaka-san! What should we do!?”
“Calm down, Hoshino. If you panic, you’ll be tripped up.”
Saying that, I calmed Hoshino down.
In a dungeon, those who lose their composure die first. You can’t serve as an explorer unless you stay calm, especially during a crisis.
“In a dungeon, not getting surrounded is ideal, but teleportation traps and such can get you surrounded. When that happens, tracking every single monster with your eyes is impossible.”
“Yes, what should we do at times like that?”
“It’s simple. You read their presence. Once you get used to it, you can move in pitch darkness just like during the day.”
「Super hard routine (regular)」
「He said ‘It’s simple’ lolol」
「If we could do that, nobody would…(omitted)」
「The modern Last Samurai」
「Is he a bat?」
“Read… their presence?”
“Yeah. You also sense the opponent’s footsteps, breathing, the sound of air currents, and the like. That way, there’s no need to rely on sight.”
“Understood.”
Saying that, Hoshino readied her sword and closed her eyes.
Incredible concentration. To think she could grow this much when I had only taught her a tiny bit.
『Grrr…』
While I was feeling impressed, the Ice Orcs steadily closed the distance. They probably thought we were easier to defeat than an armored, organized group.
Unfortunately for you guys, the girl you’re targeting is my prized disciple. You’re going to regret this, you know?
『GAAAAAAAH!!』
Three Ice Orcs charged simultaneously.
At the same time, the Ice Goblins in the trees fired arrows.
A well-coordinated attack. The threat level of each individual wasn’t that high, but with coordination like this, ordinary explorers would be taken down without being able to do a thing.
Yes, if it were an ordinary explorer.
“…I see it!”
Leaping up, Hoshino dodged the Ice Orc’s club, then spun horizontally while swinging her sword, blowing away every falling arrow.
“Haaah!”
Riding that rotational momentum, she slashed at the Ice Orc, cleaving its tough body in two with a single blow.
Seeing that, another Ice Orc lunged from behind to avenge its fallen comrade, but Hoshino sensed it without looking and dodged with a backward somersault.
「Ehh!?」
「Her movements are insane」
「When did Yui-chan get this strong?」
「No, she had brute strength before, but her movements are way too sharp now」
「She lives with Rin-chan and Amatsuki-san, so she has no shortage of masters, huh」
「Still, isn’t she way too strong lol」
“How’s… this!”
Controlling her posture in mid-air, Hoshino swung her sword downward, slashing the Ice Orc’s body.
Caught off guard, the Ice Orc let out a cry of 『Guoh!?』, crumpled to the ground on the spot, and vanished, leaving behind a few materials.
Efficient, excellent movement. I’d give her a perfect score.
『Guu… uu…』
The Ice Orc flinched at Hoshino’s unexpected counterattack.
Seeing its comrades defeated, it attempted to flee, but I grabbed its wrist, stopping it in its tracks.
“Where are you going? You’re the one who came over here; don’t just leave as you please.”
『Gua…!?』
「Eep」
「This corporate slave is way too terrifying」
「Those dead eyes really add flavor」
「I feel bad for Ice Orc-kun」
「It’s starting to look pitiful」
「Trying to run, but his arm isn’t budging an inch lol」
The Ice Orc struggled desperately, but I had no intention of letting it go.
Now then, how should I deal with it?
“Guh, it’s no good!”
“These guys are a pain!”
The voices of struggling explorers reached my ears.
Looking over, the members of Iron Stag were having a hard time with the monsters. Apparently, they were being thrown into disarray by the monsters’ coordination.
Alright, guess I’ll lend a hand.
“Hup.”
Gripping the Ice Orc’s wrist tightly, I threw the Ice Orc into the horde of monsters.
Hurl-thrown at supersonic speed, the Ice Orc scattered shockwaves as it collided with the other Ice Orcs and blew them apart.
“Gyaaah!!”
“Wh-What happened!?”
The Iron Stag explorers gasped in shock as the monsters suddenly exploded into pieces.
I broke into a cold sweat wondering if I threw it a bit too hard, but it seemed the explorers didn’t suffer any damage.
「Hii!」
「Too absurd」
「Is this bowling?」
「Strike! lol」
「The explorers are genuinely freaked out lol」
「Well, can’t blame them for being shocked」
「Ice Orc-kun is pitiful too」
「Dirty fireworks」
“Hey, are you alright?”
I approached the members of Iron Stag.
As far as I could see, there were no serious injuries. I have to be more careful when people are nearby.
“Th-Thank you, Tanaka-san. You saved us.”
“Taking down an Ice Orc that easily… Tanaka-san really is incredible!”
The explorers looked at me with sparkling eyes.
It felt kind of embarrassing.
「Shachiken blushing lol」
「He never dives in dungeons with others, so he’s probably not used to this」
「Yui-chan making a bored face lol」
「Does she think her husband got stolen? Cute」
“Are you alright too?”
I spoke to an explorer who had an injured arm.
However, that person glared sharply at me despite my concern.
“I am fine. We can handle monsters of this level by ourselves.”
I was flatly rejected like that.
…Hm? Looking closely, isn’t this the explorer called Mikami who picked a fight before we dived into the dungeon?
He was acting tough, but seeing that he had been injured in the previous fight, I couldn’t just leave him alone.
“No, but your injury…”
“I said I’m fine! Please leave me alone!”
Saying that, Mikami ran off toward where the monsters were.
Hey now, is he going to be okay?
「What’s with that guy, so rude」
「It’s Mikami from Iron Stag. He’s in a slump lately, so he’s on edge」
「A little while ago, he was appearing in magazine interviews and stuff all the time」
「He was talking all high-minded, but he’s nothing special lol」
「Well, monsters have been getting stronger lately, so can’t be helped if he can’t shine」
「Not everyone is as strong as Tanakaaa after all…」
I was worried about Mikami, but from what I saw, he could probably defeat an Ice Orc alone.
Is there anyone else who might need help?
“Uwah!? A huge one came!”
“Hiii!? Help me!”
Looking in the direction of the voice, an enormous boar monster was standing there, looking furious.
A monster whose fangs were made of ice, a Frost Boar.
Sharp fangs and thick fur. While it didn’t possess any unique special abilities, the charge unleashed from its massive body would knock out an average explorer in a single blow.
It was fair to say it belonged to the considerably stronger class among monsters appearing in the middle level.
「Whoa, that guy looks strong」
「Frost Boars are lower-level class monsters, after all」
「Having something like that in the middle level, this dungeon really is dangerous after all」
「Go get him, Shachiken!」
The comments didn’t even need to tell me.
I tried to step in to help, but… faster than that, a figure stood before the Frost Boar.
“Little boar-chan. Your opponent is me. I’ll play with you a little♪”
The one standing in front of the Frost Boar was Yuki-san.
Drawing their rapier, Yuki-san took a stance. Apparently, we were about to see Yuki-san’s sword technique for the first time in a while.
…..
Tl Note: That’s a lot of chapters for today, to celeberate my birthfay, I decided to go all out today. My birthday is 22nd btw, Depeding on where you are and when you’re reading this, it could already be my birthday(timezones) Come drop your birthday dates in the discord, and happy birthday to me.