chapter 11

It’s been a week since I, Asou Aruto, was transported to Reinbark…

Ever since I became an adventurer, I took on quests and leveled up, among other things.

During that time, I didn’t learn any new skills, but Meryl learned “Wind Cutter” and “Splash.” After that, Meryl and I both leveled up to level 16.

Even though I defeated Seira Grundt, I didn’t get any XP from it. It seems that duels with other people didn’t award any XP.

Thus, we were in the middle of a quest—not in Fielin Forest this time, but in Caine Forest, to take down the triceratops monster, “Triceratackle.”

The hard skin covering its body made it difficult to attack, but since lunging was its only form of offense, it left itself very open to being attacked.

“Wind Cutter!”

Meryl summoned a blade of wind and aimed it at the Triceratackle, but its thick skin blocked it, and no damage was dealt.

“Wind Cutter won’t work. Try stalling it with Splash or Fireball!”

“Got it!”

In this world, magical skills required no incantations or acting.

Following my instructions, Meryl attacked the Triceratackle with Fireball and Splash.

However, it didn’t seem to be damaged at all. If this keeps up, we won’t be able to defeat it…

The Triceratackle’s weapons were its momentum and its three horns…

Horns…? Right!

Pierce the enemy’s shield… with its own lance!

“Meryl, aim for the Triceratackle’s horns! Any of the three is fine!”

Following my instructions, Meryl damaged a horn using Wind Cutter.

Avoiding an attack from the Triceratackle, I also attacked the horn using my sword.

“With this…!”

The horn took damage from a Fireball from Meryl. It began to crack.

“Aruto-san!”

“This chance… there’s no escape!”

Dodging an attack from the Triceratackle, I hit the cracked horn with a Power Kick.

The horn snapped in half. While taking the broken-off tip, I leaped over the head of the Triceratackle and dove towards its back.

“Have a taste of your own horn!”

I forcefully thrust the horn into the Triceratackle’s back. With a guttural scream, it collapsed.

“We did it!”

No, don’t say that…!

Meryl’s words raised a flag, and the Triceratackle slowly began to get up.

“Jeez! Just stay down, like an adult!”

With vigor, I hit the horn impaling the Triceratackle with a Power Punch.

With the impact, the horn dug further into the Triceratackle, and this time it fell to the ground, doomed.

With that, the Triceratackle disappeared.

We got experience. We didn’t level up, but we completed the quest.

“The hunt’s over!”

Meryl runs up before me with a small fist pump.

“Nice work, Aruto-san!”

“Yeah! Thanks for protecting me, Meryl!”

After a high-five, we set out to return to Izuruli City.

But I thought I saw something in the bushes, and so I looked. I saw what seemed like a dungeon entrance in front of me.

“Seems like… the entrance to a dungeon.”

“Izuruli City shouldn’t be far from here. I don’t see any dungeons like this on the map, though.”

I took out the map, unscrolled it, and checked for the entrance to the dungeon in front of us, but it wasn’t charted.

“That means we’re the first ones to find it! Since it’s unexplored, that means there’ll be treasure inside! Let’s go in!”

Since coming to this world, I’ve learned one thing.

…Meryl is easily distracted by treasures.

“…say, didn’t you just say something troublesome?”

“…not at all.”

As if to fool me, she turned her face away.

“Well, if it turns out to be dangerous, we can just go out. Let’s go in.”

Meryl smiled at what I said, and we ventured into the dungeon.

I didn’t know at the time that this dungeon would have a large impact on my destiny…