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Pig-like heads and drum-like bellies.
Huge builds with an average body length of two meters, and weight over 200 kilograms.
The log-like arms and legs were not swelling from flabs, but muscles.
With their shields at the ready, the flock of armed orcs that charged toward us in a phalanx formation were far more organized than goblins.
「Kill aaaaagh!」
With her left hand on the scabbard at her waist and her right hand on the hilt, Saki, in a forward-bent posture as if she was crawling on the ground, charged toward them head-on.
A pale sparkle flashed from the already unlocked sheath mouth.
The shins of the orc knight who moved at the head of the phalanx formation were cut in two.
The orc knights, whose pace became out of order, let out a spray of blood and screams.
After starting it with Iai draw, Saki, ceasing her breath, activated『Flash Attack (Scud)』 and cut her way through the formation at once.
The Orcs, whose arms and legs were precisely severed by the blizzard breath that blew over along with the howl, were mowed down.
「Good boy.」
The twin sisters stroked and caressed the snow wolf from both sides as it wagged its tail triumphantly.
*Thud* Making the floor of the dungeon echo, Touma, performing a Shiko and followed by placing his right hand on the floor, was at the ready.
「Ready to deploy.」
From behind the crumbling Orcs, the Orc Lord, letting out a war cry, raised its great sword.
However, the next instant, the huge body of the Orc Lord, which was enveloped with the aura of familial strengthening (Relative Enchant), was blown away by a blast of a lump of iron.
What was left afterward was a leveling work in the name of cleanup.
Shizuka, putting the lance back on her shoulder, wiped the sweat from her forehead.
While she could indeed use『Magic Bullet』 now, it was not something on the level that could serve as a damage source for earning EXP.
As expected, although Miko was a versatile hybrid class, it could be said to be not designed for combat.
「Thank you for your hard work.」
「Hard work.」
「Thanks. As expected, just like goblins, humanoid monsters do drop equipment, huh.」
「Yeah. I think it’s going to be a good souvenir for Mikan-chan-senpai and the others.」
「
 Why are equipment dropping in droves like this?」
Otoha, holding her temples, shook her head.
Humanoid monsters, which dropped arm items that could be put into another use as they were without processing, were popular.
However, there were many cases where they possessed more wisdom than other monsters, and boasted difficulty that was not proportional to their level.
A lot of arm items dropped by monsters such as kobolds, goblins, orcs, ogres, minotaurs, lycanthropes, centaurs, and lizardmen were magic items.
In order to proceed with your dungeon conquest, you would need high-end items that didn’t not exist in this world.
And then, the present state was that the supply of magic items produced from discovered『Treasure Chest (Jackpot)』 alone was not enough to keep up with the demand.
It fell behind compared to the high-end arms discovered in『Treasure Chests』 at a low rate, but many students used the arm items dropped by monsters.
「
 No, to begin with, how come the superior kinds of Orcs are appearing on such a stratum?」
It was supposed to be only from the dungeon’s sixth stratum onward that Orcs began to appear.
It was a monster that didn’t exist in the fourth stratum, to which she had personally heard that they would dive.
Besides, the ones that usually appeard were『Orcs』, while『Orc Knights』 were treated as rare monsters.
As for『Orc Lord』, it was a boss monster that only appeared as the Floor Guardians.
Even Otoha’s party, whose depth of dungeon conquest had reached the twelfth stratum, would struggle if they were to fight an Orc Knight unit head-on, and if an Orc Lord was in the mix, it would be on the level that they ought to be prepared for returning from the death.
「Somehow, there’s one huge sword guys.」
「Orkish Claymore, it says.」
「It’s not a katana, so I don’t need it.」
「Then we can just use it for a test cut or something.」
Otoha, who was confused due to various things, unconsciously reached out her hand.
When it came to a weapon which was a drop item from a boss class monster, moreover the popular greatsword at that, there would be a lot of people who would covet it.
「Or rather, what happened to the great sword called『Shining Crusader』 that was given to you before?」
「Yeah, it was useful in a lot of ways.」
「No, I don’t get it at all. And if you have it, use it.」
「
 Actually, it broke. I have no use of a dull sword that can’t even cut a metal rod (Overgreed Gear). When I asked Mikan-senpai to repair it, she wound up letting out a cute scream.」
Based on the name, she could hear a conversation that she couldn’t bear to hear, something along destroying a magic item with another magic item.
「As expected, when it comes to some strangely fancy weapons, they won’t be able to endure Touma-kun’s muscle brain play, huh.」
「Be that as it may be, I don’t know what to say about the sumo wrestler style, though
. What’s the matter, Otoha-senpai?」
「Eh, yes. Wait a minute. I don’t know where I should begin retorting.」
◇ ◇ ◇
A book is floating on top of Natsumi’s palm, which is held out as if she’s presenting it.
The seemingly see through, holographic 3D projection has a cyber feeling to it.
On top of the open page is a miniature garden that looks like a combination of Lego blocks, depicting the schematic drawing of the dungeon in bird’s-eye view.
It’s a visualization of information obtained using『Location』, one of the basic skills of『Officer』 that enables them to check their position.
It’s a skill that has been put in the back burner, since after Natsumi became a『Guide (Path Finder)』, a superior class of『Officer』, the『Search Guide (Navigate)』 skill has been too convenient.
It seems that originally, these are data portrayed into the brain, but she’s projecting the image so that it can be seen by the other members as well.
It seems to be an application of the『Materialization (Realize)』 skill that summons monsters from cards.
「True enough, the information of the stratum is displayed, too. No, I guess since the base level has risen, the acquired displayed entries have also increased, huh.」
「In short, what does that mean?」
As Mai slyly tilts her head, Seiichi crosses his arms and tells her.
「This place, it’s the seventh stratum. I wonder since when did we get off the rails.」
Well, if it differs only by three, isn’t that no more than measurement error?
Everyone except Seiichi is like: hee~.
In fact, I don’t know where the appropriate level range is, but everyone’s level is also rising steadily, so I guess there’s no problem even if we go on as is.
We haven’t gotten any souvenirs for Mikan-senpai and the others since goblins haven’t appeared these days, so I guess it may be a good idea to do leveling while crushing the orc colonies around here.
Humanoid monsters are more fun and worth fighting.
I try opening the party member status again.
Funasaka Touma (Raijin, level 2)
Onodera Seiichi (Ninja, level 22)
Ashiya Shizuka (Miko, level 20)
Susukino Mai (Sorcery User, level 24)
Nangou Saki (Sword Master, level 21)
Kandzuka Miharu (Priest, level 12)
Kandzuka Natsumi (Guide, level 12)
Aobayama Otoha (Knight, level 18)
As expected, it feels like the wall from the second step level 20 is thick.
After heartily leveling up, Saki has finally gone and surpassed Shizuka.
By the way, Otoha-senpai’s level, which I’ve come to be able to see after forming a party and going into the dungeon with her, is not as high as I thought it would be.
If I should add while we’re at it, my feeling of being left behind is no joke.
「
 Ok. In short, our current position is on par with the second year dungeon group, right?」
Seiichi floats an evil smile on his face.
I guess he’s happy since his level is higher than Otoha-senpai, but what a small-minded man he is.
When I turn my gaze toward Otoha-senpai, who for some reason is keeping a little distance from me, she turns bright red and averts her gaze.