Chapter 48

I will translate the provided text into English, maintaining the original formatting and structure:

【Black耀】to fly

Leo to cast『Shadow』.

Today, instead of a sword, I equipped the staff I used before, holding two staffs.

The boss is huge, so a sword would be fine, but if the party is all melee, it becomes a problem, so I’m taking charge of long-range magical attacks.

During the journey, the attacks of the regular-sized enemies hit each other and are dangerous, and even with the boss, Ochazuke said, “It’s troublesome to pay attention to everyone, and if the enemy uses multiple attacks, everyone will get hit if we’re bunched up, so stop it.”

What does it mean to be a magic swordsman...

I also shouldn’t be like a “mage” and a “swordsman.”

Usually, they fight with a sword while casting spells as support, and enchant the sword with magic to make it a magic sword. It seems there are many sword users.

At the beginning, it’s still manageable, but if you branch into a mage, the issues with HP, stamina, strength, and speed usually lead to giving up and switching to another class or focusing on magic, only using a sword when accidentally taking the target. The staff is also more convenient because there’s no need to switch weapons.

By the way, when I started as a swordsman, I remember being shocked by the HP difference with Kikuhime. Even though my STR has increased as a magic swordsman, I still feel like it’s less than half of Kikuhime’s. If I didn’t have the solo boss-killing equipment, I might have given up.

Now, with 【Judgment】, even with low HP, it’s fine as long as I don’t get hit.

While thinking about my current situation, I use 『Shadow』 and attack spells.

“Is Homura’s that a variant of a double skill?”

“Probably?”

I answer Ochazuke’s question.

“Karma used both swords for skills, but I’ve never seen someone floating with both hands free.”

...!

“You know, with two staffs, you have two arms.”

“Hey!”

Maybe I should have held both. It’s fine with 『Shadow』.

“No, wait, the effect only works with the dominant hand, so it doesn’t decrease.”

Indeed, when I experimented with Petros in the forest, the effect didn’t change whether I held the staff in my left hand or let it float. It was disappointing.

I didn’t really notice it when I fought Galahad, but the Circle Moss has high physical defense, and normal attacks barely work. Skills seem to be safe.

It doesn’t matter to me, who relies on magic, but if I observe from a distance, the damage difference is significant. The three melee fighters also noticed... well, even if they didn’t, Leo and Shin were already focused on skills. Kikuhime noticed and stopped using normal attacks at the beginning.

The Circle Moss spits acid.

It’s you, I need a 『Neutralizer』! A bad status that corrodes armor and lowers defense. Kikuhime took it, and I threw a 『Neutralizer』 to neutralize the acid effect before a special attack.

“Thanks.”

“Phew.”

Ochazuke immediately casts a recovery spell.

“Tough, huh? Ah, Kikuhime’s defense is down, can you use 【Black耀】?”

“It will take a bit to re-summon.”

“It takes a while, huh? The effect is strong and the skill level is high?”

“No, the spirit’s rank is too high for me.”

With 【Action Chant】, I can cast spells while moving, but Kikuhime is stopping, so I don’t need to avoid, and I chat with Ochazuke between spells. We’re not too close to avoid taking hits together.

Not moving might make me sluggish, but chatting while fighting is also fun. The melee group is yelling and hitting and kicking.

“Uwoooo!! This skill rotation has more damage!!”

Shin is diligently studying a skill rotation that increases damage.

“Oh, that’s nice.”

“If you think it’s nice, Leo should use other skills too!”

“Hahaha! I took a skill that glows when I pose, so I’m out of skill points!”

“Is that a skill that uses skill points? Is it even a skill?!”

I can’t help but interject in the melee conversation.

“Hahaha!”

“Anyway, 『Shadow』, do your best.”

After a moment, Ochazuke said to me, who was stunned.

I still have a bit more to do with 『Shadow』. What other skills did you take, Leo? 【Frost Blade】... hasn’t leveled up yet.

『Shadow』 doesn’t have different levels of strength, so I just fly the old staff to Leo and cast attack spells with the current main staff.

It’s going well. I thought Petros wouldn’t need 『Shadow』 for surprise attacks, and Leo wouldn’t need it anymore, but if it’s like this, I can still handle the 『Shadow』 role.

I’m sorry for thinking 【Weapon Hold】 was mediocre. Any skill can be useful depending on how you use it.

“Uwoh!”

“Kyaa!”

“Danger!”

“Sorry!!”

When I tried to use the usual sequence with my main staff in my right hand, 【Circulating Power】 activated and I took the target.

“Use it, but warn us first!”

I was scolded by Kikuhime and had to apologize after receiving a recovery from Ochazuke. The defense from 【Black耀】 was effective, so it wasn’t a big disaster, but it disrupted the battle and caused trouble.

But 【Weapon Hold】 is an incredibly useful skill.

If I use 【Circulating Power】 with both staffs, I can double the effect. With a normal double skill, I can activate 【Circulating Power】 twice within the same time, but there’s a gap between the first and second activation. Even if one effect is weaker, being able to cast both at once is romantic, isn’t it?

“Griffin’s ‘Power Gauntlet’, the damage is good. I want good equipment for a holy mage soon.”

I was about to send Griffin’s ‘Power Gauntlet’ for modification, sorry.

“The damage is up, but the defense isn’t, so it’s Black耀, right? That was helpful.”

“Kikuhime’s 【Grand Slash】 was powerful.”

“It’s a derivative of 【Slash】 with a charging time before activation. The longer you charge, the stronger it is.”

Despite the accident, we could defeat the boss with five people.

With the dungeon and boss, our levels and skill levels have increased, so party battles are now manageable.

Here are the spoils:

Circle Moss Shell × 4

Circle Moss Chestplate

Ruby × 10

Speed Ring

“Gah, it’s a bit creepy!”

“It has an indescribable bug-like quality.”

“Ugh.”

“I don’t want to wear it.”

I nod in agreement.

“The chestplate, the armor shop in the market can make it look prettier and slightly increase its abilities. Why don’t you have it processed?”

“Hmm?”

“The shop owner is a woman named Elias. Since there are few adventurer stalls, you should be able to find it easily.”

I’ll sell the chestplate to Elias. Watching the four who equipped it, I think again.

And the rubies, I’ll try combining them later with alchemy.

“What will you do after the circle is released? I want to open a secondary circle too.”

“It takes time to move, so maybe tomorrow? Unless you have the running skill.”

“I have it!”

“I have it too.”

“You have it?”

“Oh, everyone has it.”

“I don’t have it.”

The punchline is that Shin, who said he wants to open a secondary circle, doesn’t have it.

“Alright!”

Ochazuke gets pumped up.

When I pay attention, he says,

“Run!!!”

“Hahaha!”

Leo follows, then overtakes him.

“Are you trying to teach Shin the running skill by running?”

“Let’s go!”

“I can’t catch up!!!”

Ochazuke and Leo are out of sight in a moment.

“Oh, they’re back.”

“Why is Ochazuke scattering stars?”

“Wow.”

I stop to look closely.

“Leo looks dirty.”

“Eh, does running make you dirty?”

“Yeah, I think they run similar distances, and I think Shin can get it soon. I don’t know what effect it will have.”

“It’s fun, isn’t it?”

I sincerely hope it’s just a faintly glowing swarm of fireflies. I’m glad it’s not hearts, stars, or dust.

“Petros had a creepy effect, but it looked cool.”

“I want to choose the effect.”

Shin is confused.

“Hey, run faster.”

Leo, who returned, says to Shin.

“No, you can’t catch up if you don’t have the running skill.”

“Just run normally.”

“What’s with the stars?”

“Hehe, they’re nice, aren’t they☆”

Kikuhime’s effect is like large daisies scattering. Flowers bloom and scatter behind her as she runs.

“Running alongside Leo is quite surreal.”

“Please don’t get too close.”

Kikuhime keeps her distance from Leo after I comment.

“So, running styles show individuality. By the way, you can use the effect even when not running.”

Ochazuki scatters stars while explaining. Sunglasses with heart-shaped frames would suit him, but he looks suspicious.

By the way, I was also made to run earlier.

I was told it was boring and uninteresting.

“Eh, I’ll try running a bit acrobatically.”

“Please be more daring than Homura.”

With the floating effect, my running style is indeed acrobatic, so I don’t deny it. It was fun to float.

“Can you change your running style now?”

“It seems the running style you used for a certain distance is adopted, not a cumulative effect. I left the dungeon soon after, so I think Shin will get it soon too.”

“You always gather information, don’t you? The bulletin board is scary.”

“Unfortunately, this is a punchline I heard from Karma.”

Since we’re running anyway, we registered the circle and used the transfer gate to move to Fast, and are now running to Sekan.

Watching Shin run while not using the running skill, he adds unnecessary twists, but I think it’s just fun to run that way.

Ultimately, he runs with a low stance, moving only his legs, to get the running skill. The effect is a faint wolf-like phantom, which looks quite cool.

“Cool! It’s awesome!!”

“Yeah, it’s the best I’ve seen.”

“Furry!”

“I should have taken a back run or something!”

“Hahaha! You’re envious, aren’t you?”

Shin takes the compliment while Ochazuki spouts some curse-like words. Honestly, the wolf effect is a bit envious.

“What a mismatched party!”

When everyone runs together, it’s a mess.

“Kikuhime’s flowers and Ochazuki’s stars look like a shoujo manga, don’t they?”

“Homura’s blue fireflies would suit anyone... except Leo.”

If Leo’s dust effect matched, I’d cry! If the effect remained, Leo’s path would look like a road after a tornado, with scattered leaves and twigs.

“Add Petros’s black and creepy effect to this?”

“Terrible.”

“What a terrible party.”

“This could be a clan thing, right?”

“Yeah, running with the same effect would be spectacular and cool.”

“I want to see a pack of wolves!”

...Did the muscular heart effect in the circle come from a set effect...? I remember it now!! Damn!

We passed Fast and entered Sekan.

《Announcement: The field boss ‘Goblin King’ in Sekan has been solo defeated by Akira.》

Oh, Akira.

Can he solo it now, or did he exchange patrols with a resident adventurer like me?

“Oh, another solo defeat.”

“This time the name is shown.”

“The same person as before?”

No.

“Showing the name is bold.”

“It’s fine, he’s a hero.”

“Well, I’m enjoying Leo’s announcements.”

“In the same area.”

“We might meet.”

We ignored familiar enemies in Fast, but since we haven’t fought the enemies in Sekan, we decided to fight them. Since we’re on the main road, we don’t encounter them as often.

I want to cut and discard something on the way, but Kikuhime’s shield skill needs to be leveled up, so I let her take the hit first. Everyone is in a one-hit kill state, so when there are two or fewer enemies, we don’t attack and focus on leveling up with Black耀.

Purple clouds drift, the yellow moon sets, and the white moon shines brightly just before the sun rises.

It’s beautiful.

“I’m so hungry!!! Food!”

“Breakfast!”

The cries of about two people ruin the moment.

“Homura, can you pay for a meal?”

“I want something warm.”

The other two also couldn’t.

“Sorry, do you have extra food to share?”

A sudden voice. Turning around, I see a short, red-haired, medium-height boy who looks like a hero from an anime, a man who looks like a knight with orange hair, and a black-haired woman who looks like a healer. The two behind are dressed in white and have a refined air.

“I’ll pay, and I’ll give you the meat and hide from the sheep I hunted.”

Who are you?

“Let’s introduce ourselves first!”

“Sorry, I’m Akira!”

“Oh, the one from the announcement!”

Leo’s question was answered by the name of the solo defeater. So the two behind are residents of this world.

“Congratulations on the defeat, that’s impressive.”

“Just give me the meat, and the hide and money are fine. What kind of food is okay?”

“I don’t have preferences! But I want something warm.”

“What about the two of you?”

“I’m Percival. Sorry for the trouble, I don’t have preferences either.”

Shiba Inu Drill.

Is that it? A friend of Galahad?

A knight of the Round Table.

I want to ask, but it’s bad, I remember a Shiba Inu in the neighborhood. And I just saw a Shiba Inu Drill special on the internet yesterday! Why does he have Shiba Inu-colored hair?! I might laugh if I let my guard down.

“I’m Eimi. I don’t have preferences either.”

“Then, gratin, deer stew, ruby berry tart, and tea.”

I hand the items to Akira and receive the meat, trying not to laugh. If he’s a friend of Galahad, he should have a ‘Return Stone’ but maybe he can’t go back to the city to eat.

“Thank you! Hearing your voice made me want something warm too.”

He seems to be the type who can’t control his desires. He seems to be impulsive and acts on his thoughts.

“Alright!”

Percival uses a ‘Return Stone’ and the three disappear.

They could have gone back to the city, had a warm meal at a restaurant. Did they have a conditioned response to the talk about food?

“Oh?”

“Can you warp? That’s cool.”

“I have a few ‘Return Stones’, so I can share.”

He came to get food for Shin.

Please search for Shiba Inu Drill.