arc1 · 020-ch20

Episode 20: Rapid Advance

"Hey, hey! You definitely got my heroics on video just now, right!?"

Even if you talk to me, I can't respond, so I'll just blink the light twice for now.

"Alright, alright! I feel even more motivated than usual! Let's make this person our exclusive cameraman!"

Hey now, please consider my circumstances too. The pay is great, but I also have my commitment to Hyakka Ryouran.

"Now, now, Soraku. The other party has their own circumstances, so don't say things like that so easily."

Shinonome-san scolded him like a proper leader. I felt this during our email exchanges too, but he really is a gentle, good person. Looking at him normally, you'd never think he's the leader of Japan's strongest party. But when I filmed him chanting magic earlier, he had an incredibly dignified expression. That gap could be useful. I bet his female fans would skyrocket.

"The road ahead is still long, so let's not waste time and keep moving forward."

At the serious Kitora-san's words, everyone finally got moving, collected the Lightning Deer's magic stone, and headed to the small room where the transfer stone was.

"Don't forget to register."

I filmed the four registering at the transfer stone and moved the drone closer to it.

〈Yatsugatake Dungeon Floor 10 has been registered〉

As expected, just like last time, a mechanical voice echoed in my head. Despite being quite far from the dungeon, I wonder how that works. It's a bit puzzling, but since we're not transferring this time and continuing to the next floor, I'll set that question aside for now and have my drone follow them. By the way, are these people not going to eat lunch?

The first to appear on the eleventh floor was a Drool Tiger. Apparently, the name comes from the drool that constantly drips from its mouth. However, it's not as cute as its name suggests. About three meters in length. A feline's characteristic supple body with long, sharp claws and fangs. The appearance of a C+ rank Drool Tiger naturally put Kokushi Musou's members into combat formation.

"Grrrrr..."

Just as the information described, a large tiger monster with drool dripping from its mouth approached while growling. While capturing its slow walk on camera, I maneuvered the drone around to get behind the Drool Tiger.

Now I could film Kokushi Musou's members from the Drool Tiger's perspective. Wait, seeing Japan's strongest party from a monster's perspective is despairingly intimidating. This tiger has guts to charge at them.

Light gathered at the hands of Kokushi Musou's members as they each created their own specialized weapons. I'd missed it at first, but Shinonome-san had also created his own staff. It's probably got great stats too. I'm jealous.

"Now then, entertain me!"

As expected, Nishikyo-san would be taking the lead. He closed the distance with swift movements and readied his spear. That moment—

(Huh!? He vanished!?)

He suddenly disappeared from in front of the camera.

(To the left!?)

The Drool Tiger turned to the left, barely allowing me to read Nishikyo-san's movement. I hurriedly turned the camera to the left, but...

Bash!

Leaving only a sound, he vanished from sight again, along with the Drool Tiger.

Thinking this was bad, I immediately zoomed out the camera to search for both the man and the beast.

(To the right!)

I caught Nishikyo-san's figure at the edge of the camera and this time followed him without zooming in. Ugh, this isn't much different from a rental drone. But if I zoom in, I can't keep up with Nishikyo-san's speed. Damn it, so frustrating!

I chased Nishikyo-san at the maximum magnification I could react to.

"There! Take that! Got you!"

Both were moving at speeds unknown to me, but it seemed Nishikyo-san had the upper hand. As expected of an A-rank explorer, he was single-handedly cornering a C+ rank monster. The other members showed no signs of stepping in either. They seemed to have no doubt about Nishikyo-san's victory.

"And that's the end!"

Just as he said, Nishikyo-san's spear was swallowed into the Drool Tiger's mouth, its tip protruding from the top of its skull.

"How was that!? Did you get my gallant figure on video!?"

Leaving the slain monster's dismantling behind, Nishikyo-san immediately came to the drone to check his performance. Thank goodness this drone can't talk. I didn't have to tell him I couldn't capture it in close-up.

"That drone can't talk, you know? Didn't you hear that? Hurry up and dismantle it so we can move on."

Oh dear, the gentle-looking Kannami-san seems irritated. Nishikyo-san, who should be the strongest, joined the dismantling work looking intimidated. Perhaps the last person you want to anger in this party is Kannami-san.

Realizing that, I swore to seal away the footage of Kannami-san's current expression that I'd accidentally captured on camera.

Now then, the monsters on this eleventh floor didn't seem to be enough for Kokushi Musou either, with Nishikyo-san and Kitora-san taking turns handling them as they advanced further. It seemed there weren't any monsters in this area that required all four of them to fight.

In the end, Kokushi Musou's members conquered all the way to the fifteenth floor without taking lunch, in about eight hours straight. Finally, they were going to camp here. Leader Shinonome-san pulled a tent out of the backpack he'd been carrying.

Even with transfer stones, camping gear is essential when exploring deep floors, huh. Deeper floors take longer to conquer, so the transfer stones every ten floors might not be enough.

I was curious about what Kokushi Musou would have for dinner, but it was all onigiri, sandwiches, and solid portable rations. That makes sense—with transfer stones, they'd return to the surface once, and if they were diving so deep they couldn't return, they wouldn't bring extra baggage.

However, just Kokushi Musou's meal scene alone would probably be in demand. I should film the beautiful Kannami-san's dining scene generously. That said, she eats with such elegance. You'd never think she's this party's hidden boss.

Since I obviously can't film them sleeping, I'll let myself get some sleep too. I set a firm alarm so I wouldn't oversleep and slipped into bed.