Chapter Twenty-Nine – The Need for Ranged Attackers
Dungeon City of City of Sakura- Dungeon #336 [Land of Eternal Darkness] Second Layover
“What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
As night falls, Haruka asks the difficult question while chewing on marshmallows grilled made by Yaruda 336.
I looked awkwardly at the mascot-like creatures jumping “pyon pyoko” nearby.
[What’s the matter, Kyoichiro-san? Gonna give us more work?]
“No, we’re good for now. Thank you.”
She looked a little disappointed at my reply, but soon bounced back energetically, saying, [Understood! Just let us know if you need anything!] You little rascals, unbearably cute.
“Kyoichiro~?”
“Sorry, sorry. You mean plans for tomorrow, right?”
Unable to escape, I resign myself to thinking about that embarrassing question – plans for tomorrow.
After reaching the fifth floor yesterday and defeating the tenth floor boss today, our next target should be the fifteenth floor.
…But we can’t defeat the fifteenth floor boss as we are now.
It’s not an unreasonable boss like the Death Magus on the tenth floor, and its stats aren’t particularly high.
But we can’t defeat it. Physically impossible.
Still, it would be terribly selfish and arrogant to reveal details about a boss she shouldn’t know and conclude, “It’s pointless, let’s give up.
Besides, how do you even know this information? The alarm bells would be deafening.
It’s not that I don’t trust Haruka, but revealing reincarnation is always risky. My knowledge of the game is my greatest weapon, but misusing it could backfire badly.
…Frankly, I know some seriously dangerous information that could start wars if leaked, so I want to hide “what I know” as much as possible.
Since revealing reincarnation isn’t a card I’d play lightly, I should answer as the ordinary adventurer Kyoichiro Shimizu.
“From here on, this is truly uncharted territory without any guiding information. So let’s be extra careful and consider the fifteenth floor as a scouting trip.”
“Yeah, let’s do it that way!”
Haruka’s beauty lights up happily.
She’s riding the line, but not technically wrong… though the guilt is immense.
I hide my expression by immediately stuffing my mouth with roasted marshmallows – hmm, looks like the camouflage worked.
Ahh, I’m way too easy to read. Maybe I need some kind of item to disguise my expression a bit.
Dungeon City City of Sakura- Dungeon #336 [Land of Eternal Darkness] 15th Floor
The next day, our adventure hit an unfortunate dead end at the boss of the fifteenth floor.
“This is impossible, huh?”
“Yes…”
We both sigh and look up at the ceiling of the fifteenth floor. From this distance we can’t really see the whole thing.
A bottomless ceiling – no, it should be called a sky now. A huge tree with roots reaching out to a vast, endless sky. A truly fantastic field.
A giant floating plant hovers about 300 meters above us, and on its canopy a magnificent bird rests.
Bristly, poisonous feathers and wings easily twice its size, a pair of eyes reminiscent of birds of prey, constantly staring this way.
Kamacu, the “Mystic Rainbird”.
The guardian of the fifteenth floor remains curled up in the flying giant tree, completely unmoving.
Not attacking, not even feinting.
Just glaring from the safety zone 300 meters above.
“Hey, come down here! Let’s fight and have some fun!”
“Get down here, you damn chicken! What nerve to go NEET after being a mid-boss!”
Despite our jeers and taunts, the giant bird breezily ignores them.
Damn bird, just as I thought.
There are countless bosses that use advantages against certain combat types, but neutralizing melee fighters with “height” and “distance” just rubs me the wrong way… or should, but doesn’t!
Claiming an overwhelming terrain advantage and then just lurking and glaring – it lacks boss confidence!
“Ne ne, don’t you think Bird-san has no intention of ever coming down?”
“Looks really cautious, so probably not until we collapse from screaming or sleep…”
In the game, the battle event didn’t trigger without aerial or long-range attackers that could reach that height.
“With me out of the question, even your [Hotoke no Mitama] can’t reach that high, so we’re in trouble.”
“If there was at least a foothold, it would be different…”
There’s nothing but the flying giant tree overhead. No rescue tricks.
Fly or shoot so far.
Otherwise you can’t fight.
“We’ll probably need allies.”
“Allies?”
I nod at Haruka’s parroting.
“Yes, allies. Additional party members. We need someone who can fly or attack from a distance.”
“So this adventure ends here?”
“You can stay here as long as you want. I’ll cooperate as much as I can if you have any ideas.”
“Hmmm…”
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After thinking for a while, Haruka sighed in resignation and smiled ironically.
“It’s really too bad, but let’s stop here for now. We can’t reach the bird the way we are now.”
“Got it. Then let’s go back and sort out our stuff in the middle of the fifth floor before we leave the dungeon.”
“Roger. Oh, we’ll definitely make it next time!”
“Yeah! We’ll get our revenge!”
Clenching our fists, we vow revenge and activate the [Ring of Return] to return to the center.
Sucked into the geometric magic circle emerging from the ground, we left the fifteenth floor behind.
Remember this debt, Tori-kun. I’ll repay it for sure.
City of SakuraDungeon Town – Dungeon #336 [Land of Eternal Darkness]
When we returned to City of Sakuraafter two days, we were met with immense praise and a barrage of questions.
Reaching the previously unexplored tenth floor, unlocking the second midpoint, seeing the new deepest point on the fifteenth floor, all by a rookie duo on their debut – it was incredible. We were mobbed.
Staff urgently debriefing us with tense faces.
Senior adventurers came to recruit us with predatory glances.
Our rewards also easily exceeded millions.
Honestly, as a no-name, we tasted riches and glory that ordinary people rarely experience, let alone children.
“I didn’t expect so much fuss.”
“It was more tiring than the boss fight on the fifth floor.”
“Same here.”
Sitting on the entrance bench, we share a weary laugh.
We learned today that fame is tiring in its own way.
I think I can somewhat understand how the heroes of the isekai light novels feel when they say [I didn’t want to stand out so much].
Unless you’re a total validation monster, it’s hard. I also have too many unwanted entanglements.
“We got a mountain of business cards from clans, huh?”
“And party invitations.”
Staring idly at the pile of business cards in the moonlight. Wow, even names of famous places from the original work.
“Any you want to join?”
Noticing Haruka’s intent look, I turn to look at her.
Her eyes are as clear as sapphires in the moonlight.
“It would be a lie to say that I’m not interested.”
“Yes.”
“But I have no intention of joining any clan.”
I say firmly. Going with the flow would make life easier, but I’d have to compromise on several things.
Effort, rewards, time, and most of all, ownership of that miraculous panacea that I absolutely do not want to fight over. So joining a clan is out of the question. For the same reason, I refuse party invitations.
I have to lead the conquest of Eternal Darkness myself if it is to have any meaning.
“What about you, Haruka? If you received a love call from ‘that person’, what would you do? It’s your idol, right?”
“Geez, mean question Kyoichiro.”
Embarrassed, Haruka tilted her head. Well, I understand Haruka’s feelings.
What a cool person.
“Hmm… but I would probably still refuse. I’d like to go on adventures with that person someday, but for now, I’d rather go on adventures with Kyoichiro.
So if you don’t want to join a group, I’ll stay with you.”
Hearing those words, my heart naturally warmed up.
What is this feeling? It makes me happier than any other praise we received today.
“Thank you. I want to have many adventures with Haruka too.”
“Mutual feelings.”
“In a way, yes.”
We smile at each other.
The sound of the wind through the moonlit trees.
The end of our first adventure was very “stylish”.
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