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New Stratum
――『Yomotsu Hirasaka』, a branch realm attached to the labyrinth of Perforation Realm, 『YGGDRASILL』――
――The『fourth』 stratum, 『uncharted』 domain――
The cost of purchasing the tattered uniforms anew was 400,000 sen for boy’s, and 600,000 sen for girl’s.
Mikan-senpai showed some reservation, but since I felt that I had some responsibility for her, I forcefully had her accept it.
I made up my mind that I would never use the Raijin style high-speed maneuver again.
I mean, the expense was too painful.
Of course, I couldn’t cover it with my card alone, so I performed a dogeza in front of Shizuka and begged her to help me in filling the missing amount.
The loan of about 800,000 sen was received through the contributions of her, Saki, as well as the twin sisters.
It was the birth of a robot that would do anything asked until he paid it back.
Yuki-chan also tried to contribute stealthily, but I had to decline since I didn’t know how to exchange koban into sen.
By the way, the Senryo box was super heavy.
I think I’ll borrow it when I do some Magistrate-sama play or something.
「Yup, as expected there are no monsters here. Looks like the chamber housing the realm gate connecting to the shallower floor is really a safety zone.」
「Hmm, if we return through this gate, will there be another huge boss appearing?」
Seiichi, done confirming his equipment, shrugs his shoulders toward Mai, who is looking up at the arch of the closed realm gate.
「I think there won’t be. There’s cooldown time for a Boss-class monster to respawn again. For a guardian of the realm gate, I suppose it’s about three to seven days.」
This is the first time we’ll be conquering the second stratum, so I guess I should carefully prepare myself too.
However, it’s not that I have some new armament or anything.
Due to an unfortunate accident, the workshop has been temporarily closed, so the boss drop armor that I requested to be customized still remains in the Item Box.
Attaching two kusarigamas onto my tactical belt, I put on my bought anew armored gloves.
Just like Seiichi’s, it is of the tough type that is reinforced with titanium plates and can also be used for striking.
For equipment equipped by someone with a class of the 『Arts User』 branching, it may be over the top.
My body armor is still one from the same recommended set, but considering that we will be facing monsters such as huge goblins, as expected I’d like to get my hand on some plate-type armor.
『Gaki Lord Metal Rod (Overgreed Gear)』 is heavy, it remains stored in the Item Storage until we come across enemies.
Items with high frequency of use have been arranged by Yuki-chan in a place that is easy to take out, so there’s no problem with it.
In analogy, it’s like shoving them into the umbrella stand at the entrance.
「It’s a new floor. No matter what kind of monster they are, I’ll cut them all down!」
Saki, with her katana at her hip, is puffing out her small tits full of energy.
After the so-called girls-only gathering was over, for some reason she was downcast as though she was about to cry, but it looks like she has returned to her normal self after a night of sleep.
Miharu and Natsumi are standing face to face with their hands clasped together, uniting their minds as if they are in a prayer.
「Let’s proceed without letting our guard down.」
Shizuka, holding her goblin spear in her right hand, exudes a calm atmosphere.
Her appearance may not not look quite like an expert, but she’s probably the most inept one in the party.
With her lips pouted, she stares reproachfully and intently at me, but it would be dangerous if she were to accidentally step out as the vanguard.
「『Location』, sir.」
「『Automatic Description (Automatism)』, sir.」
Miharu and Natsumi activate their skill of proximity coordinate identification as well as automatic mapping.
『Automatic Description (Automatism)』 is a skill that record the track of out movement on the virtual map.
We won’t get lost even if we don’t fill the grid of the graph paper.
The 『Officer』 class may not be designed for combat, but it has various little skills that are useful in a lot of ways.
「All right, let’s see how it goes.」
Seiichi, done wearing his shumag, steps forth toward the exit of the chamber.
It’s not something we’ve deliberately decided on, but in a natural manner, we form the formation for when we explore the dungeon.
Seiichi, a 『Ninja』, stands as the vanguard, in charge of enemy search and watchman.
Positioned diagonally behind him are me and Saki, on the left and right, with Mai and the rest of the rearguard class positioned in the middle of the formation.
Not just in the chambers, there are also wandering monsters that roam the corridors, so we need to be on guard against surprise attacks from behind too.
「Seiichi. I’d like to confirm the monsters in this stratum.」
「Yeah, it’s basically the same as the first stratum. Goblin and kobold… Well, we’ve never encountered any kobolds up until now, but they are supposed to be opponents weaker than goblins. It’s just, the level of the monsters itself will be higher, so I guess they would offer more resistance than the ones up until now.」
He repeats the contents of what I had heard during the preliminary meeting.
I bring up the matter to Seiichi in order to let him prepare for the real deal as well as to ease any unnecessary tension, but it looks like he properly gets the point.
「But, you see, this is an uncharted area. We don’t know what’s actually in store here, so you can’t be too careful.」
「Yaes.」
I think Mai, who is yawning, and Shizuka and the others, who are playing rock paper scissors, should listen to what he says earnestly.
◇ ◇ ◇
「Kuh, this one is bad news. It’s three times faster than a goblin.」
The orange-sized magic balls, having lost their target, exploded on the dungeon floor.
The size of the chamber was larger than the third stratum.
The black dog that rushed on Mai, who was brandishing her rod, easily evaded the magic balls, which drew a curve as they pursued it, by the time it caught sight of them.
Moreover, there wasn’t just one of them, as several of them commenced attack in waves, like hunting hounds.
Rather than intelligent, it was more of an instinctive combination.
「This… I know it’s not very efficient, but I guess I have no choice but to unleash a carpet bombardment.」
In front of Mai, who was holding out her palm, six rows and six columns of cherry-sized magic balls were arranged side by side.
「Cherry Blast!」
Rather than control and power, it was an attack that put emphasis on explosive firing speed.
In terms of destructive power, it was probably about the same as a pachinko ball that was shot out with a slingshot.
But the thirty-six magic balls, which were shot out at once, spread out in a radial pattern, mowing down and striking three black dogs flying.
The creation of mini-sized magic balls was a technique she had learned during the battle against the Gatekeeper, which turned into a battle of attrition.
However, the ability to perceive numbers and space was a skill that could be called a natural talent.
In addition to the contained magical energy, in other words SP value, that increased with each level up, their imagination and application power also had a huge effect on the excellence of 『Arts User』 classes.
「Luring them is fine and all, but I almost involuntary swung my hand there.」
「Sorry, sorry. But should anything happen, you’ll protect me, right?」
「Don’t make me say it, dummy.」
With knives in hands, Seiichi quickly finished off the black dogs, whose movements had gotten dull due to being bombed in various parts of their bodies.
The beast type monsters, which was that of a small calf in size, would probably be weighted about the same as an adult male.
They might be monsters, but as long as they assumed a shape similar to that of an existing living being, they would not be able to maintain their life activity if their heads were cut off.
「I wish, for the right hind leg, to be shackled.」
Shizuka, closing her eyes with the lance raised straight upward in front of her, glared at the four black dogs.
『Miko』’s 『Wish』 skill was an all-purpose skill that could embody all sort of image, but its effect was weak.
Especially against existences of the same rank or higher, as long as they had the will of rejection, it was easy to nullify the image.
As far as the black dogs were concerned, the restraint was merely at the level of having some invisible hands grabbing their right hind legs for an instant.
But a whirlwind of steel swept over, weaving its way through the gap in their consciousness that was certainly created.
「Hyaaa!」
Facing quadruped opponents, the point where Saki swung the tip of her katana was not the vital points of their lives, but their forelegs.
With a flash of katana that couldn’t be followed by the eyes of Miharu and Natsumi, who were huddling together behind Shizuka, the forelegs of two black dogs were chopped off.
「Shei, ha!」
The blade of the curved sword, swung out like a bird with one wing, danced along with steps that were swifter than the black dogs.
The fluttering skirt was gorgeous like that of a dancer’s, but a smell akin to burnt rubber drifted from the black lines, traces left behind by the steps.
The high speed physical maneuver, which was at the level that it would cause a blackout from cerebral ischemia to any living body, was achievable exactly because she had flesh that had undergone physical strengthening from the class change.
It was a physical strengthening at the level where, should her consciousness shift into battle state, she would be able to perceive and cut a bullet of a gun shot from a short distance.
「Shizuka nee-sama, good one!」
Even as the thought that perhaps she’d be able to naturally slaughter them even without her support crossed her mind, Shizuka replied to her with a thumbs up.