Chapter 10

For now, this concludes the first chapter of the company entry.

Tanaka Jiro, 28 years old, single, no girlfriend, occupation: Dungeon Tester (full-time employee)

Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)

Position: Warrior

"Hey, hey, this is a fantasy world, isn't it?"

Stepping into the square, it was as expected that the entrance behind me would be sealed, though it wasn't really a good thing.

"Could you have been a bit gentler? This was unexpected."

The stairs that seemed to be built into the walls to repel intruders were also within the realm of expectation.

But,

"Are there really floating spherical armies, in a classic style?"

I had expected that this time, it would be something like a standard stone golem, or at least something that would only slightly deviate from my expectations. However, my prediction was completely subverted when spheres the size of bowling balls were discharged into the air.

"If these things self-destruct, I'm done for, right?"

Seeing the clearly spherical objects, I could only think of one purpose.

Like mines floating in water, they seemed to be non-aggressive until they exploded, much like the Wood Puppet's Blood type, which self-destructs. Essentially, they were self-destructing, tackling bomb-type monsters.

Thinking about how to deal with them, it felt more important to focus on mental fortitude rather than technical skills.

"Lock on?"

And it seemed the time for observation was coming to an end.

Since their appearance, the spheres had been flashing at regular intervals, as if identifying me. Gradually, the intervals became shorter, and the blue-white light covering the spheres transformed from blue to red like a signal lamp.

"Pinball!?"

Before I could dodge, my arm moved on its own.

"Heavy!?"

With a solid feel, I deflected something, and then it exploded.

"Is this too hard for a first-floor finale?"

Considering it's a dungeon designed to challenge heroes, this level of difficulty might be necessary, but I can't help but wonder if it's a bit over the budget.

As I had predicted, the mines launched self-destructing attacks. If they didn't hit their target, they wouldn't explode. The random ricocheting off walls, floors, and ceilings required calm handling to avoid being overwhelmed.

There was no room for maneuvering to dodge.

With spheres bouncing around everywhere, it was risky to move recklessly.

It was safer to stand firm and counterattack.

Fortunately, the spheres were still moving at a speed I could keep up with, and the mineral tree was harder than the enemies.

One by one, sometimes using my feet, I deflected them like targets, adjusting my footwork and wrist movements to knock down the increasing number of spheres.

By staying in one place, I could save energy, as they came flying at me.

But, as if to strip away the saved energy, they kept coming at me without pause.

"Ugh"

However, even with focused concentration and counterattacks, mistakes can happen.

A sphere that I failed to handle exploded nearby, and fragments flew towards me. Then, as if on cue, more spheres flew at me from all directions.

This is bad.

My stance was compromised, making it difficult to fully counterattack.

If this continues, the spheres will flood in like a carpet bomb, and my position will quickly become the epicenter.

If that happens, there's no need to imagine the outcome.

If I think I'm done for even for a moment, I can feel my strength slowly draining.

I've held on longer than expected, but this is as far as it goes.

Fortunately, my body is made of magic, so there is pain, but it's a matter of luck.

If I have the resolve, I can avoid being traumatized by the pain of the explosions.

It's frustrating, but there's no other option.

Just as I was about to give up,

"Kah"

It seems that logical thinking and emotional responses are separate entities.

"Don't underestimate meeeeeeeeee!"

I thought my mouth had relaxed for a moment, but the voice came from deep within my gut.

What's the big deal with this situation?

My stance was compromised by the explosion, but in a way, that's all it was.

It's an unreasonable thought.

The fact that my stance was compromised made the situation more dangerous, yet I couldn't help but laugh at the idea that it was just that.

"This was ten times worse!"

During the training, I faced poisons, paralysis, gravity, physical punches, hypnosis, foul odors, vision obstruction, sword fights, and occasional area spells, all of which were potentially fatal.

Even if I take a hit or two, it's just a minor injury in this situation, and there's still room to fight back.

Before I completely lose my strength, I need to think quickly and find a way to act within the time limit.

Indeed, there is a basis for saying it's just that, but how can I avoid this situation?

Thinking and thinking,

"Kah! Bring it on!"

In the end, I couldn't come up with a solution.

But, to be defeated by a self-destructing kamikaze attack is not something that would break my spirit.

"Kah, I've been in situations like this countless times! If you want to crush me, be prepared to be crushed yourself!"

Well, to be honest, I acted before I could think about it.

"I'm here to kill, not to be killed!"

I wonder what I'm shouting at inorganic objects, but for now, I'll focus on these floating spheres.

The vicious smile that my instructor drilled into my core, the idea that you must kill before you are killed.

To execute this, I naturally smiled, as if the instructors had possessed me.

"Kukukuku, it's not so bad, is it?"

Surprisingly, laughter can come naturally even in a dire situation.

What I thought was a hopeless situation was just a self-imposed constraint. Once I let go, it's easy to break free.

While being hit by the shockwaves of the spheres I deflected, I started a full swing from a compromised stance, gradually regaining my balance and increasing my speed to match the accelerating enemies.

Among them, just one, a single sphere, was cleanly cut, and then the spheres flying at me started to be cut more easily.

"Kukukuku, kakahahaha, ahahahahaha!"

This time, it's my turn, as if declaring it. With a step forward, I felt my territory expand.

There's a phenomenon called runner's high.

The more you run, the more your mood elevates, making you want to keep running.

Before I knew it, I was laughing. Where did the me who was trembling just a moment ago go?

There's a calm me observing this excited me. Despite the high spirits, my vision is clear.

My body is hot, my heart is pounding, and my blood is rushing through my body.

But, my spine reacts sharply, and my mind remains calm.

This dual state of my mind and body is bringing out my maximum potential.

It's not enough.

This speed is still too slow.

It's not enough.

This strength is still too weak.

It's not enough.

This sharpness is not enough to take down the enemy in one hit.

It's not enough. There are too many things lacking to defeat these enemies.

The number is still overwhelming, and they keep increasing.

"Faster! Quicker! Swiftly! Swiftly!"

If my hands are not enough, think of ways to improve efficiency.

Eliminate waste, change your position, there's no need to stay at the edge.

If I move to a more densely packed area, like the center, I can take them down more efficiently.

"Ah, at this point, I don't feel like losing!"

Expel frustration, create a storm, and crush everything.

Everything feels good.

I can even see things that shouldn't be visible.

It feels like I have eyes on my back, sensing the positions of the enemies.

"Well, maybe it's just my imagination!"

The feeling that I can hit them just by swinging is a result of my accumulated experience, which makes me happy and further improves my efficiency.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

At this point, I want to give it my all.

It's more like cutting down rather than engaging in combat.

It's more like expanding and connecting rather than swinging.

Like performing a choreographed fight, the footwork is set, and the enemies come to me as if following my movements.

Even in the center, the epicenter of the enemy's dense formation.

"Is this the final move?"

To turn the tide, a single sphere sprouted spikes.

The spikes are sharp and would easily pierce through my equipment.

Fortunately, they don't bounce and are stuck in the ground, but a variation that can cause fatal injuries with a single impact is not beneficial in this situation.

"So, what's the point?"

It's not beneficial.

But, I cut them down anyway.

At the brink of life and death, where a wrong move means losing, there's no room for despair.

"Listen, Jiro, fear is a sensor. But despair is just a weight. You need to engrain this into your body."

"Indeed, we teach fear, never despair."

Ah, I understand the words of the instructors from my training.

Indeed, it's true.

Fear tells you where and how threats will arise.

If you step back, you can avoid it; if you swing, you can cut it down.

Fear acts like a drug that aids your actions.

"Consume fear, and turn it into nourishment."

As I spoke the words that came to me, a sense of unnecessary force drained from my body.

The feeling that fear had become my ally gradually made my sword strikes faster.

Even in the epicenter, I enjoyed cutting through, increasing the number of pinball golems I defeated.

Before I knew it, time had passed, and the last sphere was cut down, exploding behind me, ending the battle.

"Phew, a close win."

It wasn't a complete victory.

I was covered in soot from the explosions, and my body was riddled with cuts from flying debris. The bandages I had wrapped around myself were torn off halfway through.

"Damn, I don't want to get old. I don't want to move anymore."

Even with my enhanced body, the backlash from moving at full capacity feels more intense.

It seems that what you could do when you were young becomes harder as you age.

"Thank you for the hard work."

I placed the peak on my shoulder, as if carrying it, and thanked the overused mineral tree.

It's said to be a living metal.

If I drag it along the floor and it gets damaged, that would be a problem.

"Damn, it's crushed."

And when I reached for a break, the cigarette box was crushed and deformed from the explosions and rolling around.

It was obvious that it would tear if I pulled it normally, and after much effort, I managed to take one out and smoke it, which seeped into my body.

"Should I be relieved that the explosions didn't leave the area unstable, or should I lament that all the spoils of war were destroyed? What kind of expression should I have?"

By the time I had smoked half of it, my calm thoughts made me look around, but the process and the result fixed my expression in a bewildered look.

"Well, I knew it would be a loss from the start. I'm glad I made it through safely, so I'll celebrate with a more luxurious snack tonight. Ah, not surume, but jerky. I'll eat the 1000 yen bag."

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