Chapter 19

This is Miu's story from her past life.

Or rather, it's a memory from a game.

"Would you mind mining rare ores at the Gunma Mine?"

"Yes."

"However, the ores in the Gunma Mine have magical properties and have transformed into golems. Please mine without attacking them."

"Huh?"

There was a subplot like this. When I went to gather materials for alchemy, the story began.

I tilted my head while holding the controller. It was an event where you couldn't defeat the golems by attacking them.

The content was simple: just keep using the 'Mine' command to hit the golems that appeared in the mine. It was a rather absurd story where you had to hit the golems while being pummeled by them. No matter how strong I was, I could only defeat them after a certain number of 'Mine' commands, making it an extremely difficult event. I remember using the 'Paladin,' the job with the highest defense, to tackle it.

The boss, a magic golem, launched missiles and beams, making it a terribly tough battle. You had to hit it 100 times to destroy it, which was ridiculous. It was just a matter of selecting the 'Mine' command over and over. The materials I obtained were good, but I had my doubts about whether hitting golems to get ores could be called mining.

Incidentally, in the original story, there was no mining. There was just a common event where a parent was cursed, and the protagonist had to gather a rare magical flower to break the curse.

It was in the game. Because there was an 'Alchemist' job. You gather materials and create items in an alchemy furnace. It could even be called a rebirth in the world of the Fantasy Dragon World Tree Atelier. The title might not sound good, but the production company is really impressive.

The golems only appeared in the mine. I want to thank them for their dedication. In reality, golems seem to appear not just in mines. So, you can only 'Mine' them. It's a gamer's instinct to mine when faced with a rock.

"Here I go!"

'Mine'

With a 'clank,' my full-force blow hits the stone golem. It's the full force of a 9-year-old girl, a weak hit. When I swing the mace with all my might, I sometimes stumble, showing a cute pose, but it's still a 'Mine' action.

'Mine'

Clank

'Mine'

Clank

The stone golem, which should be made of hard rock, makes a metallic sound. It doesn't seem to be affected, but I believe in the power of the game.

The game mechanics within me.

It's not very cool, but I won't let anyone die. It's bad for children's education!

"Whoa!"

The gray-haired girl, with a voice like a tinkling bell, hits the mace with a 'clank.' Using her small body to the fullest, she swings the mace with all her might.

Yami and the others watch Miu's actions without stopping her, observing her fierce, beast-like demeanor.

After hitting it about ten times, cracks appear all over the stone golem's body, which has the hardness of a gem. The stone golem is about 5 meters tall, and my reach is less than 1 meter, even with the mace, it's about 2 meters. The attacks hit the golem's feet.

Despite this, cracks appear all over the stone golem's body, and small pieces of rock fall off with a 'crack.'

I grin, showing my canine teeth, and laugh at the sight. As expected, it's just like the game's effects. In this world, which follows the novel, the game mechanics often take precedence. This is because the game was created after the novel's completion, and the game settings have overwritten the original settings.

To reiterate, the production company didn't care about breaking the original. Moreover, the game had detailed settings where the original was vague, as if creating a whole new world.

That's why I thought the stone golem would crack all over.

"Wow! That hard stone golem!"

"Sure enough, it's Miu-sama!"

The instructors look surprised, and Yami's eyes shine with emotion.

I keep hitting the mace to try to destroy it. However, the speed of my swings is slow, and each hit is a full-force attack, taking time.

The cracks grow larger. I think a few more hits will destroy it. The golem is bound by the light chains and can't move.

"Roar!"

The golem, which shouldn't be able to make a sound, opens its rock face, which has cracked, and lets out a roar.

"Ugh!"

"Mana is depleted!"

The guards' mana is depleted, and the light chains dissolve. The stone golem is freed from its restraints.

"Thud!" The golem's rock feet create holes in the ground as it steps forward, glaring at me.

"I knew it would come to this!"

I didn't think I could seal and defeat it. It's a common template. The golem is sealed at the start of the event and is released at the end, leading to a battle. It's a typical scenario.

The stone golem raises its arm and charges at me with a loud noise. If it hits, Miu will become hamburger meat. I can't let that happen.

With a 'whoosh,' the punch comes at me. It's a rock mass falling in front of me. If it hits, it won't be a simple matter. A 9-year-old girl would be crushed, game over.

"But it won't go that way!"

'Run'

I select another command. With a 'whir,' the 'Magic Armor' I'm wearing 'activates.' The armor, which looks like a combination of a white priest's robe and a leotard, unfolds, and mana flows through my body.

Feeling the surging power, I leap to the side. The golem's punch hits the ground where I was, creating a large hole.

Dust and small rock fragments fly and hit me. I do a backflip to retreat and quickly get up. It's good that I practiced backflips. I've been practicing since kindergarten and am now an expert.

'Run'

This command significantly increases my speed, allowing me to escape from enemies. The 'Run' command can help you escape from any fast enemy, except for bosses.

When I secretly tested it against skeletons, I found that I was just a bit faster than the enemy. Just a bit. This is probably to prevent the enemy from flanking me. However, it also allows me to escape.

Thus, I could act just a bit faster than the stone golem. The downside is that the 'Run' command is canceled when I take an attack stance, and the 'Magic Armor' stops. It's a fatal flaw, so I can't use it for attacks, but in a situation like this, it's not much of a problem. Not much of a problem. I think it is, but not much.

The stone golem approaches me and starts throwing punches. The attack speed is fast. If I hadn't selected the 'Run' command, I wouldn't have been able to react.

But now I can see it. I'm not a new human, but as a mob girl, I can see it.

"Got it"

The stone golem attacks like a pile driver, creating large holes in the ground, but the attacks are simple. It just raises its arm and swings. Even at level 20, an adventurer can't dodge the punches, but I can see them clearly, just a bit faster.

"Hey, pitcher's scared"

I run in a zigzag pattern, taunting the golem. I'm moving so fast that even a mid-sized motorcycle couldn't catch me.

However, the 'Run' command has its drawbacks.

"Ugh"

The stone fragments from the golem's attacks hit me like bullets. The magic barrier reduces the damage, but it's still a shock that makes me gasp for breath.

The 'Run' command is set to escape while in a defensive stance, reducing damage. However, the level difference is too great, and even a glancing blow deals significant damage to me.

The stone golem approaches from behind and attacks me. The stone shrapnel that flies with the dust gradually chips away at my HP.

The fragments bounce off my helmet, and blood flows from my head. My back and other parts of my body hurt. I'll be covered in bruises, and it's a terrible monster for a girl.

Checking my status board, my HP is displayed in red as 3. I'm almost dead.

'Small Healing II'

I use a healing spell on myself. It's a slightly stronger version of the II spell. The effect is immediate; a faint light covers my body, and the bleeding stops, and the pain disappears.

However, I only have 1 MP left. I turn around and raise both hands.

'Turn Undead!'

The stone golem trembles at the intense light. Good, the 'Turn Undead' spell has a flash effect.

If I select 'Mine,' the 'Magic Armor' immediately retracts, as it's considered that I've stopped running. Recovery spells and 'Turn Undead' can be used outside of combat, so they don't violate the rules.

"Here I go!"

I raise the mace and hit the stone golem with all my might. More cracks appear in its body, and it starts to crumble.

"The finishing blow, one more time!"

I raise the mace again and attack the stone golem. Finally, it's covered in cracks, and I think it's about to fall, but it glares at me with ghostly eyes from its face.

"Whoa! Did I miscount?"

I thought I hit it 30 times, but I must have miscounted. Despite its battered state, it raises its fist to attack.

"Damn, I'm dead"

I try to block with the mace, but at my level, I can't defend against the stone golem's punch.

I immediately select the 'Run' command, but the 'Magic Armor' takes too long to deploy. I feared this, but I don't back down. It's different from when Yami was here.

'Dark Sword 1 - Gigantic Blade'

Yami raises her sword with a sharp cry. The sword is covered with bones that combine and rapidly grow into a 10-meter-long, eerie bone sword.

"Haah!"

The black-haired girl with a ponytail charges at the stone golem, her eyes glowing fiercely, and swings the giant bone sword.

With a 'crack,' the stone golem is blown away, rolling on the ground and kicking up dust.

"Nice one, Yami!"

I have friends. I believed they would help me. I give a thumbs up and grin, and Yami, who has used all her mana, sits down but still grins back at me.

I raise my mace and run to the stone golem. I take an attack stance, so the 'Magic Armor' stops.

"Got it!"

I try to hit the fallen stone golem with the mace, but it gets up and punches me. However, I've already selected 'Mine.'

The rock-like fist approaches me, but I ignore it and use the mace to 'Mine.'

The stone golem's fist and my mace collide, creating a shockwave of mana.

"Roar!"

I win. The stone golem shatters into small pieces from its fist and collapses with a final roar.

"Ouch!"

I'm also hit by the shockwave and blown away. Good thing I practiced backflips.

However, I end up being thrown to the ground, covered in injuries. I need to practice taking a fall next time.

'10 pebbles, 3 magic iron, and 1 topaz of the earth obtained!'

The results appear before my eyes.

Since it's 'Mining,' of course, there's no experience. Repeat: no experience.

"That's why I hate this event."

I tilt my head and faint.