Chapter 55

Happy New Year.

This year, I humbly request your continued patronage.

Kagemitsu is from Itako City, where the Edo-period village is located.

When the profession of adventurer was born, he was one of the first to think, "I want to be a ninja!" This was because he had played at the "Itako Edo-period Village" in the neighboring town since he was a child.

To kill monsters without being noticed, hiding in the shadows—how cool is that!

Naturally, the reason he chose the handle "Kagemitsu" was out of admiration for ninjas.

However, contrary to his hopes, he stood out wherever he went.

Even when he dressed plainly, walked in the shade, and held his breath, he was always noticed by someone.

He was uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and had a bad case of stage fright.

What would happen if such a Kagemitsu went to a city with a large population like Sapporo?

The stress of being the center of attention was making his head feel like it was going bald.

He even felt like he couldn't leave the borrowed apartment.

Still, Kagemitsu resolved to go outside.

In the heat of the moment, while delving into the dungeon, he made friends and often formed ad hoc teams with them.

By the time the team "Aerial" was established, Kagemitsu had become accustomed to the gaze of others and had overcome his stage fright.

It seems that even when in a dire situation, if you put your all into it, things can turn out better than expected.

The dream of becoming a ninja didn't work out, though...

And so, now.

Kagemitsu felt that his body, which had previously reached its limit, had become slightly lighter.

Perhaps in the extreme state, the dormant power he had until now had blossomed.

Indeed, if you put your all into it, things can turn out better than expected.

Still,

(This is tough...)

The limit had been raised, but the meter that had been pushed to the max didn't go down.

(The Grim Reaper is still wandering in my field of vision.)

He was well aware of the boss's strength.

Just looking at it from a distance gave him chills.

He didn't think it would be easy to exchange blows.

However, he didn't expect that the long-range attacks, which were the source of damage, wouldn't work at all. Becky's arrows didn't even scratch it.

Despite the prolonged battle, Kagemitsu had yet to land a decisive blow.

On the contrary, Van and the cat had withdrawn, leaving him in a dire situation.

He had to admit that his expectations were too optimistic.

He hadn't been able to land a single critical hit on the boss.

Even when he hit, it was at best a scratch.

Given the characteristics of the greatsword, a powerful weapon, even a single hit could drastically change the situation.

In fact, the boss was wary of Kagemitsu's attacks.

Because it was wary, it was difficult to land a blow.

If he forced an attack, it would create an opening, and he would receive a fatal counterattack.

Damn.

If only one hit would land!

Kagemitsu clenched his teeth, torn between a faint hope and the reality before him.

Can't Van and the cat come back!?

The Aerial team members were equipped with very expensive healing potions.

He had calculated that unless they were seriously injured, they could return to the battlefield after taking a healing potion.

But they didn't return, no matter how long he waited.

They weren't dead.

He could sense their presence, so they were fine.

Had they been injured so badly that they couldn't return even with a healing potion?

Or had they used up all the healing potions after being hit multiple times?

How long would he have to continue fighting the boss alone?

The pressure was almost crushing him.

...Should he run?

But how?

To escape from the lizardman, someone would have to sacrifice themselves to hold it back.

If so, it had to be him...

He didn't want to die...

Of course, Kagemitsu had no suicidal tendencies.

But he had important friends around him.

They had supported each other and grown stronger since the days when he was a low-level adventurer,

laughing and crying together...

He thought he would throw his life away to save his important friends.

That was the samurai blood in him.

Itako City, as the name suggests, was the land where Date Masaharu, a member of the Sendai clan, settled.

When the Tohoku War of the Meiji Restoration left the Date family in dire straits, they sold their possessions and moved to Ezo as settlers.

It was a unique form of group migration, unprecedented in its form.

The settlement was covered in dense forests, and it was impossible to cultivate fields.

In winter, the land was buried under deep snow, freezing everything.

He supported and helped his retainers, who had settled with him, with his own wealth, and they survived.

The thoughts of Date Masaharu for his retainers and the thoughts of fighting to the death with his comrades linked and spurred Kagemitsu on.

Adventurers prepare themselves to die at any moment.

Of course, this is not a resolve to commit suicide or die a dog's death.

It is a resolve to throw away one's life without hesitation when it is necessary to protect something or someone.

"An adventurer is one who finds himself face to face with death."

It was time to make up his mind.

Kagemitsu waved his greatsword to threaten and retreat.

"Everyone, leave this to me and run—"

Just as he was about to say "run,"

"!?"

"Kyaahh!!"

A huge needle-like object pierced the boss's eye.

Was it thrown?

But who...?

Kagemitsu frowned as he continued his attack.

The right eye was completely destroyed.

The left eye barely managed to guard, leaving a wound on the eyelid.

Blood was flowing from the center of the handle of the needle-like object, which appeared to be a shuriken.

It was a type of weapon that draws blood from the target, used by ninjas and assassins.

But who threw it?

There was no one in the team who could throw a shuriken.

Could it be the air?

Kagemitsu lightly searched for the presence of the strange mask, but found none.

Are they still fighting in the monster arena?

The minions haven't come over here, so they must not be dead...

But is the air okay?

With the lizardman's eye destroyed, Kagemitsu had the mental space to think about things other than the battle.

At this rate, could they escape without sacrificing anyone?

Just as Kagemitsu was calculating his escape, something happened.

Suddenly, scales flew off the boss's back.

Then, a small tear appeared on the tail, which had only been given minor wounds.

"!"

Seeing this, Kagemitsu instantly switched from his intention to run and charged in.

It was the cat.

Or maybe Van.

He didn't know what had happened behind the boss.

But it was a golden opportunity.

The boss tried to turn around.

"I won't let you!!"

Kagemitsu heightened his presence and earned a strong hate from the boss.

This was Kagemitsu's special ability, which he had kept hidden until the end.

It was unique to him and an advantage for Aerial.

Provocation.

Thanks to this, no matter how much damage the backline dealt, the monster's hate didn't shift, and the formation didn't break.

A stable formation led to a stable battle.

This was the most important skill for Aerial when tackling dungeons.

The boss, pulled by the provocation, turned its gaze back to Kagemitsu.

"Raaaaahh!!"

Kagemitsu strained his entire body and swung his sword.

But the attack didn't land.

Still, Kagemitsu didn't panic.

He didn't get flustered even when his attacks missed.

After all, someone in the back was relentlessly pushing the lizardman to the brink!

This was Aerial's winning pattern.

By allowing the damage dealers to attack freely, they could secure victory even against higher-level monsters.

And now, they were in the perfect position for it.

"Ughh!!"

Kagemitsu received a fierce attack from the boss.

The attack was filled with a sense of urgency that he had never felt before.

It was because the taunt prevented the boss from responding to the attack from behind.

The lizardman's attack was so fierce.

But Kagemitsu endured it.

Even when Kagemitsu went on full defense, the lizardman couldn't easily break through.

That was to be expected.

Kagemitsu was earning hate.

He had been in the position of taking the most attacks in the team for years.

If Kagemitsu went on full defense, it wouldn't be easy to break through.

His body, which seemed to have awakened beyond its limits, forgot fatigue and pain, moving only to survive.

One wrong move and death awaited.

Even in such a situation, Kagemitsu calmly chose the best course of action.

The intense shock of the attacks.

Even with his guard up, damage gradually accumulated.

Still, Kagemitsu continued to defend, building up his killing intent.

There would be an opportunity.

He believed that.

And then—

The moment finally arrived.

Behind the boss, which had been scattering scales,

The boss's tail, which had never been seriously wounded, was severed at the base and flew through the air.

"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh