Chapter 48

The search on the 9th floor was mostly complete.

Only one room remained.

At the farthest position from which the room could be seen, Seiki and Kuren stood.

This was the floor where aardvarks appeared, so Seiki had imagined a giant aardvark boss.

However, his imagination was a bit off.

The boss in the room was a humanoid monster with an aardvark head.

It was a sub-human named Beruberu.

Standing at 2 meters tall, it had a more slender body than an aardvark and walked on two legs.

It held a spear in its hands.

Among the monsters Seiki had fought, none had equipped weapons.

It was different from any monster he had faced before.

Indeed, it was a guardian of the middle floors.

"...It looks strong."

Seiki's spine trembled.

He was probably in a position where the boss wouldn't notice him.

However, he couldn't find any openings in the boss.

Had it already noticed their presence?

Or was it so formidable that it didn't create any openings?

"I hope it's the latter."

Seiki's lips twisted into a grin.

The excitement of facing a formidable opponent made his spine tremble...

Beside him, Kuren trembled as she watched the boss.

The boss on the 9th floor seemed quite strong, perhaps because it was just before the middle floors.

Even from this distance, she could feel the boss's power.

"...I'm scared."

Kuren thought the boss was scary.

This feeling might be the same as when she was left alone in Monpara.

It must be that much of a difference in strength between Kuren and the boss.

Still, they had to move forward.

They had to adventure.

If she continued to fear the opponent's strength, Kuren would never be able to break out of her weak self.

* * *

"...Shall we go?"

"Yes!"

Seiki, who had finished checking his equipment, began to focus.

This time, they wouldn't attack from outside the room.

That wouldn't work.

Seiki could only imagine the bullets being deflected.

Without creating an opening, ranged attacks wouldn't hit.

So, he had to cut deep first.

Into the deep well of concentration.

He fell, he dove.

"---!"

Seiki launched himself with all his might.

The boss immediately noticed Seiki.

"..."

The boss, with its spear at the ready, grinned.

Seiki's spine shuddered.

20, 10, 5.

The distance closed, and their weapons clashed.

---Clang!!

Their strength was evenly matched.

But there was too much difference in height and weight.

And the difference in weapons.

Thus, Seiki was pushed back.

But he didn't panic.

He slightly lifted his body, reducing the impact of the opponent's attack.

Before Seiki could get into position for his next attack, the boss moved its spear.

The raised spear came down sharply on Seiki.

He deflected it with his dagger and aimed for the boss's throat with his magic sword.

The boss immediately countered.

A thrust with the pommel.

So fast!

He braked with his forward foot.

His shoes squeaked.

His body creaked.

The pommel passed in front of Seiki.

The sound of the wind made cold sweat break out.

If he had taken that pommel, Seiki would have definitely fainted.

He could feel the power from the sound.

Before the counterattack came, he stepped back.

Seiki moved out of the boss's range.

The strength he felt in that brief exchange.

He couldn't win by fighting recklessly.

Brute force wouldn't work against this opponent.

So, focus!

Focus, concentrate, observe, imagine, anticipate, and try.

Analyze the opponent's every move and defend against all attacks.

Then, surpass the opponent's violence!!

Seiki boldly attacked the boss.

The boss defended against all of Seiki's attacks with a flexible use of its spear.

If he tried to step in too deeply, he would be forced to retreat by a sharp counterattack.

But standing still wouldn't work either.

He would be caught off guard by a small opening.

Good.

Very good!

Seiki smiled.

A formidable opponent after a long time.

A full effort after a long time.

He pushed his abilities to the limit.

But it still wasn't enough to defeat the boss.

The gap was filled by Rara.

The potato stones she shot deflected the attacks he couldn't block.

At that moment,

Rara strongly tapped Seiki's shoulder.

Seiki quickly leaped and retreated from the spot.

A white, swirling mass passed by Seiki's side and hit the boss's spear.

Bang!!

It was probably charged thoroughly.

A spell with enough power to knock back even the owner.

But the boss, while sliding, managed to withstand it.

Glow.

The hate directed at Seiki shifted to Kuren.

The boss ignored Seiki and approached Kuren.

Not good!

Kuren couldn't defend against the boss's attacks.

Seiki immediately moved.

He ran to Kuren with all his might.

But the boss moved almost simultaneously.

"Rara!"

Rara, understanding Seiki's intention, shot at the boss.

Perhaps not considering it a threat,

the boss didn't avoid the potato stones.

It let them hit.

Kuren was about to enter the boss's range.

Before that,

"Hya!"

Seiki scooped up Kuren and fled the room.

He ran over 100 meters from the room.

After confirming with detection that the boss wasn't pursuing them, he slowed down.

Looking back, Seiki confirmed that they had escaped from the boss and let out a deep breath.

He slumped down, breathing heavily.

"...That was close."

The boss's movements just now were quite dangerous.

In all the battles so far, Seiki had never been outflanked by a monster.

Or if he was, Rara and Kuren's attacks would eliminate it before it reached Kuren.

But Beruberu was different.

It approached Kuren at the same speed as Seiki.

It didn't even flinch from Rara's shots.

No matter how much defensive equipment Kuren wore, she couldn't withstand the damage as a backliner.

If Seiki hadn't saved her, Kuren would have been seriously injured by now.

"If the usual winning pattern doesn't work, it's tough."

They needed to change their strategy to defeat the boss.

Hate management was important.

Kuren's powerful spells would steal the target with one hit.

Reducing the power a bit and increasing the number of attacks might be better...

"No, maybe we should level up a bit more."

The boss this time was almost on par with Seiki.

Perhaps even stronger.

If that was the case, it would be better to level up and gain the strength to overwhelm the boss.

Fighting a strong opponent was fun, but losing one's life was not.

"...Hmm? What's wrong?"

Beside Seiki, who was thinking, Kuren was biting her lip as if enduring pain.

Her eyes seemed to be welling up with tears.

"Are you hurt?"

"No..."

Kuren seemed hesitant, taking deep breaths repeatedly.

But her face quickly turned red, and then—

"Why did you save me, Akihoshi?"

"Do you think I'm unreliable? Did you think I couldn't handle that attack?"

"No, no... It's normal to act on the worst-case scenario, right?"

"We are a team, right?"

"I consider you a teammate."

"Then why did you save me in the 'best-case scenario'?"

—The dam broke.

Unable to hold back, Kuren let the tears fall.

Kuren was part of a team with Seiki.

Or so she thought.

But was a team really this formal?

Was it a team as long as they could coordinate?

Seiki was always kind to Kuren.

Even though they were strangers who had only brushed shoulders in Chikaho, he always helped with Kuren's leveling.

Of course, Kuren and Seiki weren't in a romantic relationship.

They weren't family, and probably not even close friends.

But she wanted to be considered a teammate.

She had intruded on his dungeon, followed him for leveling, and taken up his precious time.

Furthermore, in Chikaho, she had become complacent with the power gained from the skill board and made mistakes.

Counting them, she had no successes.

Since becoming an adventurer, it had been a string of failures.

She knew it was presumptuous to ask for more.

But Kuren couldn't help but wish.

If Seiki ignored the 'best-case scenario' and saved her,

Kuren would always be a burden to Seiki.

"I always make mistakes. I might make more. I know I'm not trustworthy. But, Akihoshi, I want to adventure. I want to adventure with you. Please, I beg of you."

Kuren bowed deeply.

"Please believe in me!"

As the heat of the emotions in her chest spilled out, Kuren was suddenly overcome with trembling.

If he rejected her...

Everything would end here.

The end was staring her in the face.

"......What should I do?"

But Seiki nodded.

He listened to Kuren's opinion.

The end that was visible disappeared.

Heat returned to her body.

Kuren roughly wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

"Fight freely."

"Huh...?"

"Don't worry about me. Pretend I'm not there and fight."

"But then Kuren will—"

"I'll manage."

Kuren said firmly.

From now on, she wouldn't walk the safe path Seiki created.

She would forge her own path to adapt to the changing battle.

With her teammate—Akihoshi Seiki.

So, please trust her.

Seiki closed his eyes for a moment.

In his mind, he heard Kuren's words, 'the best-case scenario.'

That timing was the worst for Seiki.

Why did she call it the best?

10 seconds. 20 seconds.

His mind replayed the battle.

A storm of saturated malice and violence.

In the midst of it, a glimmer of a path appeared.

A path he hadn't seen before.

...No, he had seen it but ignored it,

the best path.

"Alright. I'll leave it to Kuren."

"---Yes!"

Kuren's smile bloomed.

But it was still a bit awkward.

She seemed a bit tense.

Seiki knew Kuren from when they first entered the dungeon.

He had seen her when she was weak.

If she pushed herself, she might break.

If she failed, she might suffer.

Such worries crossed his mind.

Seiki didn't want her to get hurt.

That's why he ignored the 'best-case scenario' and saved Kuren.

But Kuren said she wanted to adventure too.

By focusing too much on safety, Seiki had become overprotective.

He had taken away Kuren's chance to adventure.

And he realized that by doing so, he had greatly limited his own offensive options.

This reflection and realization prompted Seiki to adopt her opinion.

He checked his equipment once more and got into position.

Kuren was also carefully checking her equipment.

After confirming, they both nodded.

"Let's go for a rematch!"

As he said it, Seiki ran with all his might.

He no longer thought about Kuren.

He only thought about defeating the monster—the boss.

As soon as they entered the boss room, the boss also came out.

The raised weapon was quickly deflected.

He dodged.

Circled around, and attacked from behind.

But it was too slow.

The boss easily deflected it.

Focus.

Focus even more!

Don't miss the attack, the change, the sign!!

Seiki delved deeper.

Approaching the limits of his concentration.

He wielded two daggers to block the boss's spear.

Occasionally, the boss would extend its tongue to intimidate Seiki.

Thanks to that, he was on the defensive.

The boss was stronger in terms of strength.

But Seiki was slightly faster.

He could handle it.

But he couldn't attack.

Seiki was on the defensive because something was missing.

What's missing?

What is it?

Think!

While exchanging blows, Seiki smiled at the difficult question before him.

At that moment,

---Clang!!

The boss's head tilted slightly.

It was Kuren's magic.

The boss immediately turned its hatred towards Kuren.

Seiki instinctively tried to focus on Kuren again.

But with strong will, he twisted his reflex.

—This is it.

This is it!!

In that instant,

Seiki activated stealth.

He blended into the air.

The presence of the opponent he was facing disappeared.

The boss's movement hesitated slightly upon noticing this.

But it was too late!

Seiki laughed.

He threw a silver wolf dagger at the boss's back as it turned towards Kuren.

The dagger hit its mark, deeply piercing the boss's shoulder.

"Kyaagooooo!!"

The air vibrated strongly from the boss's nose and mouth.

Meanwhile, Seiki circled around to the boss's blind spot and turned off stealth.

"---?!"

The boss turned around, sensing Seiki.

Kuren didn't miss the opportunity.

---Clang!!

Her magic hit the boss's head again.

The boss's eyes quickly turned bloodshot.

As it turned to face Kuren, Seiki struck its back.

"Hey, don't forget about me."

He immediately activated stealth.

He barely dodged the pommel thrust as he turned around.

Always improvising.

The path he walked was unexpected.

One misstep...

The thought made him tremble.

But Seiki laughed.

Good.

Very good!!

A sure victory awaited.

The path, though narrow and dangerous,

was now clearly visible.

Seiki took the target again.

Rara defended against the dangerous attacks.

Occasionally, Kuren's powerful strikes.

The target changed.

Seiki went into stealth.

The boss couldn't ignore Seiki's disappearing presence anymore.

The balance of targets between Kuren and Seiki swung wildly.

A huge opening.

"Over here."

Seiki appeared.

The boss immediately reacted.

In that instant,

Kuren's magic flew.

---Clang!!

The magic hit the dagger embedded in the boss's back.

It pushed the dagger deeper, severing the arm.

The boss's arm fell to the ground.

"Kuaaaaaaa!!"

The boss, bent over, pressed its shoulder and screamed.

Its bloodshot eyes turned to Kuren.