chapter03 · 070-ep70
Episode 67: Melee Killer
【The more I think about it, the less sense it makes... How did she defeat a mist monster barehanded!?】
【I thought even the ojou-sama might be biting off too much with a solo conquest, but if she took THAT down head-on, she can probably handle anything!】
【The deep layers were way worse than I expected, but the ojou-sama was even worse...!】
【Don't get complacent! The dangerous part is the variety of special abilities and the things that kill you before you figure them out!】
【I know, but when you watch this ojou-sama...】
【Isn't the viewer count insane? What even IS four million...?】
【Whoa, it really is!?】
【Even with Mitsuki-sama's 'live commentary' leading people here from overseas, this is wild!?】
【There are a lot more English comments now, too lol】
【Of course there are four million. The whole internet is talking about her】
【Clips of her barehanded mist kill are already racking up views lmao】
¥1,000
She was already dominating the trending lists in the lower layers. Now she's adding 'deep-layer tea break,' 'mist beaten barehanded,' 'solo deep-layer conquest in a dress,' 'world-record attempt,' 'leading Darwin Award candidate' and 'most insane woman by a mile' to the list herself...
【I don't even know what to say lmao】
【Lots of Karin Party people are watching and promoting her everywhere on social media. That probably helps!】
【Still, four million concurrents is otherworldly】
【Deep-layer streams basically don't EXIST】
【The footage of her defeating the mist would normally be worth hundreds of millions. A high school girl is streaming it for free? That's newsworthy as hell】
【I can't imagine where the viewer count will end up...】
"F-four million concurrents, desu no...!?"
Karin stared wide-eyed at the number as she pushed deeper in after defeating the mist. Some time had passed since she'd entered the deep layers, and news of her barehanded mist kill had apparently brought an influx of viewers. Her fans were working with Mitsuki to promote the stream, too, knowing its popularity would directly help prove her innocence.
Still, gaining a million viewers from a single fight felt too absurd to be real. Yet the number on her screen was genuine. An immense crowd watched her conquest.
"S-so frightening, desu wa... But I'm honestly grateful! Thank you all for supporting me! I'll press on with everything I have, to live up to your faith in me!"
【Don't mention it!】
【This is all we can do, so of course we're giving it our best!】
【Ojou-sama, watch your surroundings!】
【We appreciate the thanks, but you don't have to keep checking chat!】
【She's looking straight into the floating camera in the middle of the deep layers lol】
【By the way, ojou-sama! I looked it up, and apparently high-speed heating comes from compressing the air, not friction!】
【News for the ojou-sama who was looking so smug: frictional heat is a common misconception!】
【Ojou-sama, there's a new allegation that you gave the wrong answer to your own muscle quiz!】
"Eh... ...Well! As you've all said, one mustn't let one's guard down in the deep layers. I should pay attention to my surroundings instead of the comments! I'm trembling with nerves, wondering what monster might come next!"
【You were staring at chat even DURING the fight!】
【NOW she listens to our advice lol】
【Yamada!】
【Suspicious streamer behavior right here】
【The ojou-sama is as bad at lying as ever lmao】
【She's streaming to clear one accusation and picked up another lmao】
【The collective knowledge of four million people just hit her in the face lol】
【Stop! I fell for her answer earlier, so you're hitting me too!】
【I got fooled and posted a 'gnnn' comment. Watching from down here...】
"...Ah! Perfect timing, desu wa!"
Karin was pointedly avoiding the chat displayed on the phone attached to her arm when she sensed something.
"Something's coming. I can hardly read comments at a time like this!"
She announced the encounter, clearly changing the subject. A strange creature emerged around a bend in the wide passage. It stood about two meters tall.
"Kishi, kishi, kishi...!"
【Whoa, what is that!?】
【A bug person!?】
【How gross!?】
【An insect warrior!?】
【It's carrying so many weapons!】
It was the type of monster called an insect warrior: a bipedal insectoid clad in a hard carapace like armor. Its most distinctive feature was the number of attacks it could make. Its four thick arms held greatswords and clubs acquired from who knew where. It was small for a deep-layer monster, but its aura was no weaker than any other magic creature's.
"Now then, what abilities do you have?" Karin asked.
DOHYUN!
As if answering her, the insect warrior charged at terrifying speed.
【!?】
【Whoa, it's fast!?】
【Even from the floating camera's overhead view, I can't follow it!?】
It charged faster than even the bull rush of the minotaur, reputed to be among the strongest lower-layer monsters. In an instant the insectoid closed in and lashed out with all four arms. Its explosive speed and sheer number of blows made it a giant blender that would reduce an ordinary explorer to mince in a moment.
WHOOM! DOGOOOOON! ZSHAAA!
A greatsword cut through the air; a club smashed into a dungeon wall with a roar. But—
"Not bad, but rather predictable, desu wa."
Karin read every strike coming from all sides. She dodged as if dancing, without allowing a blow to graze a single hair or frill of her dress.
【The ojou-sama is CRAZY!?】
【How does she dodge at that speed in those clothes!?】
【Nothing even touches her hair or dress!?】
【Did she rehearse a fight scene with the monster beforehand!?】
【Rehearsing with a monster lmao】
【Come to think of it, she shortcut the upper and middle layers and focused on attacking in the lower ones. Is this our first proper look at her perfect dodging today?】
【New viewers seeing Karin ojou-sama's freakish moves for the first time IN a deep-layer fight? That's a lot to take in】
【The screams of first-time viewers are delicious nourishment, desu wa!】
【Newcomers, now you understand: THIS is Karin ojou-sama】
【Still, doesn't this thing seem weak?】
【A deep-layer magic creature that just hits stuff...】
【Maybe the mist was just abnormally strong】
【There's a whole range of strength within the deep layers】
【Maybe its specialty is physical ability and, like other insect monsters, it'd be scary in a swarm?】
【You might be desensitized by the ojou-sama, but that speed and number of blows are genuinely dangerous!?】
【Though I get why it seems weak for the deep layers...】
【All it does is swing weapons. Get it, ojou-sama!】
"Now it's my turn!"
After watching and dodging for a while, Karin clenched her fist. "Hmph!"
She read its movements perfectly and struck its exposed abdomen. The moment of impact—thud. Such a light sound.
"Kishi, kishi, kishi, kishi, kishi!"
WHOOM!
The insect warrior chittered as though nothing had happened and swung a weapon back at her.
"Oops, desu wa."
Naturally Karin dodged. Chat, meanwhile, erupted in confusion.
【Eh!?】
【What was that!?】
【Did she stop her punch short!?】
【No, she landed it! And if she stopped short, the blast from her fist would still have gone through it!?】
【Even an enhanced minotaur flew across the room. Why did this thing react like it took a light jab!?】
【You have to be kidding!?】
The fist that had killed so many monsters without question had apparently done nothing. Viewers were shaken.
"Hmm. That felt strange... Let's try striking a few other places."
DODODODODOGON!
Karin drove a flurry of punches into the monster. The result was the same.
"Kishi, kishi, kishi, kishi!"
Chittering cheerfully, the insect warrior kept swinging its weapons without a care. Its carapace hadn't shattered or even cracked.
【WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?】
【What IS it!?】
【Does it nullify impacts or something!?】
【Wait, is this NOT CGI????????】
【Her fist makes people accuse the video of being fake when it DOESN'T kill a monster now!? That's funny... No, it isn't! What is that bug!?】
Repeated punches failed to hurt it. And that deep-layer monster's ability was not limited to defense.
"—KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!"
"Ah. This could be bad, desu wa."
Karin leaped far aside. The next instant—DOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!
A shockwave burst from the insect warrior's mouth, tearing into the dungeon wall. Its power was beyond all bounds. A huge crater opened, and the whole passage shook.
【WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?】
【What!? Seriously, what IS this thing!?】
【It survives her punches AND packs this much power!?】
【That looked as strong as, or stronger than, the full-power punch she used against the wyrm!?】
【No one can beat that!????】
【Who called this bug weak!?】
【No, wait, is this for real...?】
【Even for the deep layers, suddenly throwing a magic creature THIS strong at her is weird!?】
【What is going on with it!?】
【Hold on... Could this bug be—!?】
"I see. It absorbs the impact of my punches and releases it, desu wa," Karin observed calmly, in stark contrast to the panicking chat.
【Eh】
【Oh, so THAT'S it!?】
【Seriously!?】
【I wondered why it hadn't fired a shockwave at the start of the fight...】
【Still, absorbing and releasing that much force is crazy!?】
【It stores the force of multiple punches and fires them all at once at higher power...】
【What a monster!】
【Now THAT is a magic creature...】
【There's no beating this one with fists!?】
"Hmm. Let's try the weapons next."
Karin attacked again to test its traits, aiming for the four weapons it carried. But—DOGOH. The insect warrior apparently treated its weapons as part of its body, because they absorbed the impact too. Karin's fist, which had once broken a middle-layer boss's weapon while she held tea, had been completely neutralized.
【Seriously!?】
【Wow... Are the deep layers always like this...?】
¥50,000 @Mitsuki
If it absorbs the force of attacks against its weapons too, it's a very troublesome monster. It would probably absorb the impact of clashing blades as well. Mongolian Desu-Worm-chan may be sharp enough to cut through it, but either way, I recommend avoiding melee combat. The conventional strategy would be to have a heavily armored melee fighter hold it in place while a mage bombards it from a distance.
【Mitsuki-sama, could you please give that calm analysis on your OWN stream】
【She's been too excited to speak properly since the mist fight...】
【She casually dropped fifty thousand yen lmao】
【If it hits back hard, isn't it actually MORE dangerous in close combat than the mist!?】
【Can it only be hurt with magic skills...?】
【People with magic skills tend to be weak in melee, and this bug is strong there. Anyone fighting it alone would get killed】
【We really need a front line and back line, like Mitsuki-sama said!】
【No wonder they say solo conquest of the deep layers is impossible!?】
【Ojou-sama, back away and use the Elegatling gun this time!?】
"Hmm. That would probably be the better approach..."
Karin glanced at the chat's proposed strategy. At the same time, she watched the insect warrior intently.
"But I don't think it's necessary for this one."
"KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!"
DOGOOOOOOOOOOON!
The insect warrior probably wasn't responding to her words, but it fired another shockwave. The blast combined the force of several of Karin's punches. Even knowing she could dodge it perfectly, viewers recoiled from its power. But Karin noticed something else.
"You always put a little distance between us before you release a shockwave, don't you?"
DOGOGOGOGOGON!
Having evaded the shockwave, Karin struck the insectoid faster than ever. Viewers could only stare, baffled.
【Ojou-sama, what are you doing!?】
【It'll fire another huge shockwave!?】
【What's wrong!?】
【Are you looking for a spot that doesn't absorb impact!?】
【We trust your dodging, but one hit from that shockwave would finish you! Don't do anything dangerous!】
They all cried out, afraid of that attack. But—
【Wait...?】
【Huh?】
【She's been pummeling it for ages, but it hasn't fired another shockwave?】
【It looks almost panicked...】
【What's going on?】
"...! KIIIIIIH!"
After enduring a long beating, the insect warrior hurled a weapon to hold Karin off and forced its way backward. It opened its mouth wide to fire a shockwave—DOGON! Karin closed the gap instantly and punched it. The blast was interrupted.
"Gih!?" Its eyes trembled in shock.
"Just as I thought, desu wa." Karin smiled Elegantly. "You can't absorb and release impacts at the same time, can you?"
"...!?"
"Then if I punch you every time you try to release one, I can keep hitting you without a break!"
DOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGON!
"And if you're absorbing the impacts rather than nullifying them... there must be a limit to how much you can hold, isn't there?"
Karin's rush began. The monster absorbed the force of each blow, taking scarcely any damage.
"G-gih...!?"
But the panic on its face seemed to confirm Karin's theory. It could not release a shockwave, and the one-sided beating continued.
【WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?】
【She was calmly analyzing it WHILE dodging those shockwaves!?】
【And it looks like she's right!?】
【How can she stay that cool...?】
【Karin ojou-sama, you don't need a tea break to stay calm at all, do you!?】
【So the tea break was just a performance? Bob wondered】
【Does the impact absorption REALLY have a limit!?】
【Even if she's right, we don't know how much it can take! One mistake now and she'll get a shockwave packed with ALL those punches!?】
【If she takes too long, won't it get desperate!?】
"...! KIIIIIIIIIIH!"
At that very moment, as chat feared, the insect warrior shrieked. It flung every weapon it had at her to gain some distance. But—SHH!
Karin refused to let it escape. She dodged its thrown weapons and desperate attacks with minimal movement, remaining right up close.
And then—DOGGON!!
"Kah!?"
A particularly powerful uppercut connected. For the first time, the insect warrior flew high into the air as though it could no longer absorb the blow.
"Boom, desu wa!"
"GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!?"
DOPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAAAAAAN!!!!
The accumulated force, which it had been unable to release, exploded all at once inside its body. It was as if countless bombs embedded in it detonated together. The insect warrior vanished without a trace.
"Oh~. That was a nastier firework than I expected... I mean, ahem! What a pretty firework, desu wa~"
Karin looked up at the monster's scattered remains and exhaled.
"Phew. What an interesting monster! I'd love to gather materials from one and make a weapon someday! I like doing my usual Elegant streams, but showing you how I fight unfamiliar monsters like that mist and this one is fun too. It's almost like streaming a puzzle game!"
She turned to ask her viewers what they thought.
【................】
【....................】
【......】
"? W-wait, chat stopped!? Oh no! This is an important stream! Not a connection problem now! ...Ah! Or could this be the Black Tiger-sama interference my best fri—my friend warned me about!?"
Karin cried out in panic at the frozen chat. A few comments trickled through at last.
【No, um...】
【What do you mean, completely analyze a deep-layer monster you've never seen before and then overpower it through sheer force ANYWAY...!?】
【Calling that a 'pretty firework' is pretty scary in its own right...】
【She's giving a more detailed public analysis of deep-layer monster biology and how to defeat them than anything Black Tiger has...】
――――――――――――――――――――――――――
I've seen various questions in the comments. I may answer a bunch of them together in bonus installments, maybe something like 'Karin ojou-sama's Q&A chat stream' or 'Mitsuki-sama's common-sense class.' Obviously there are things I can't answer, like Karin ojou-sama's level, but it might be nice to address questions in one place as well as replying in the comments. (Just a possibility for now, though!)
By the way, this deep-layer stream arc is going to be fairly long. With only two updates a week, there'll be a bit of a wait, but I hope you'll keep enjoying it. (I'm thinking of doing consecutive updates around the book's release.)