ch121-ch140 · 124-ch124

Chapter 124: Why Did You Go All Out?

"【Presence Concealment】. I'll be right back."

I dive into the 'Right Gate' and return to Floor 20.

The Orc General had its head lopped off, so it's dead as dead can be, but the other Orc Knights don't so much as glance its way.

Something oddly mechanical about that... That's dungeon monsters for you.

Thanks to 【Presence Concealment】, they haven't noticed me either.

I'm on the opposite side from the 'Gate to Floor 19' we entered through, which puts me squarely behind the Orc Knights.

First target: the bow-wielding Orc Knight on the right.

Super mode is still running, so I blow past like the wind, lop off the magic-casting Orc Knight's head as I go by, use 【Gate】 directly behind the bow-wielding Orc Knight, and return to the warehouse.

I could have finished the bow user right then and there, but since she wants to SEE my full power, I'll come back and show Kasumi-san the attack itself.

Here I drop super mode for the moment.

And put the 'Right Gate' away too.

"Um, so...? What exactly is going on?"

The bow user had been reacting to the mage's head flying off, so I'll give it a little time.

Time for an explanation in the meantime.

"Just now, I took the General's head through the 'Gate'. I checked when I came back to Floor 20—quite dead. I stick my right hand through and 【Scouting】 gives me its position, so my attacks never miss. I've just moved the Gate behind the bow-wielding Orc Knight. In a little while, I'll do it through the 'Gate' again."

"You can slay monsters through the 'Gate'... I see. Is this how you always fight?"

"No—doing it this way probably wouldn't even grant me any EXP, so I normally cross over to the other side properly before killing. Without being noticed, of course. But you asked to see my full power, so here it is: my full power is killing monsters with no regard whatsoever for appearances."

If I killed a boss this way, the job selection screen probably wouldn't even appear.

That's why I'd never used it until now.

My sealed-away true strength, ladies and gentlemen.

Incidentally, the attack passed through the 'Right Gate' because I was holding the spear in my hand—but thrown objects don't pass through.

And that's a property not only of my 【Gate】, but of every 'Gate' in the dungeon.

(This expedition is where I first learned thrown-spears, but it looks like I can't use them through a Gate—I'd have to cross over first. Even so, it should be plenty effective. Charge it up over here, then throw... I guess.)

By the way, thanks to this thrown-things-don't-pass-through property, even 'Red Shadow''s flash bangs and mystery explosives could be carried through without a scratch.

In other words—I can use ninjutsu!

"Um, this is rather hard to say, but the full power I wished to see from you... is not quite this... I did say 'serious fight', but you needn't have gone THIS serious..."

"Why did you go all out, then... is what you'd like to say, I take it."

"It's quite all right. I only wanted to show that I can fight this way too. Once the bow user and the mage are dealt with, I'll show you a proper serious fight."

Arrows or spells flying at Kasumi-san while I'm fighting in earnest would sour the mood...

(She might get so mesmerized watching me that her reactions lag, after all. ...Kidding.)

"'A proper serious fight'... of course... Um, what I wish to see is spear-based close combat... I want to see your true strength with BOTH spear and shield super modes active, Haruki-san."

She said the whole thing, plain as day.

Did she think I'd be throwing bombs next?

You don't have to suspect me quite that far, you know?

Whoops, about time.

"Shall we give 【Gate】 and 【Scouting】 a try? One meter ahead, the bow-wielding Orc Knight has his back turned. His neck's at about this height, but..."

Super mode isn't running right now, but even so, his neck could be severed clean by aiming for the gap between helmet and armor.

"..."

Without a word, Kasumi-san stomps in—Don!—and lets a thrust fly.

"【Scouting】. ...Magnificent. That's a fatal wound."

The weapon's width kept the head attached, but the thrust ran from neck through throat, and down the orc went.

It'll be dead shortly.

"The feedback felt off, so it seems I gouged the armor as well. So 【Scouting】 is essential for knowing the enemy's exact position... Skill synergy... Is THIS the reason you took 【Scout】 as your sub-job? No—choosing a long-reach spear as well... was that part of the design from the very beginning? Everything calculated to the letter... As expected of you, Haruki."

So THAT's what it was!?

Sasa-Haru—.

"That's about the size of it. Knowing what lies beyond a 'Floor Gate' with 【Scouting】 is famous, well-known information, after all..."

Kasumi-san looks delighted, so let's just let it stand.

"I'll take out the bow user and mage on the other side and come fetch you, so please wait just a little longer."

I dive into the 'Right Gate' once more, this time targeting the Orc Knights positioned on the left.

The 'Left Gate' had been standing open this whole time, yet the Orc Knights show no sign of caring.

Do they only react to humans?

No—they should react to a 【Tamer】's animals too.

When I'm around, they clearly behave as if they can SEE the 'Gate'; but when no living thing is present... maybe they simply don't react to the inanimate...

I circle around the back of the hill, keeping out of the bow user's and mage's line of sight, and take their heads in order: bow user, then mage.

The mage did raise its voice chanting, though, and the six remaining melee-type Orc Knights down below noticed me.

"【Gate】."

I climb to the very top of the hill and shift the 'Left Gate' to the summit.

Kasumi-san can watch from up top.

I step into the newly placed 'Left Gate' and return to the warehouse.

"Everything's ready over there. In a little bit—this time for real—I'll show you my serious fight."

"Six Orc Knights remain on Floor 20, then? Would a long fight not be dangerous?"

Is it, though?

"I'd say it'll be over quite quickly?"

"If anything seems off, I am coming to your rescue at once."

She's worried about me, so I'll keep the activation as short as I can.

The skills can wait until I'm over there.

"【Scouting】. ...They've returned to their original positions. Shall we?"

I move to Floor 20 first.

Once Kasumi-san has stepped out of the 'Left Gate', I head down the slope.

"【Charge・Spear】【Charge・Spear・Agility Up】【Charge・Spear・Endurance Up】【Charge・Spear・Strength Up】【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】"

The spear-side skills go live.

I'm announcing them aloud, so the six Orc Knights turn and charge me.

Except their movements are dreadfully slow.

In this slow-motion world, I alone move at normal speed.

That is the sensation of this super mode—of the 【Charge・Spear】 stat-boost skills in use.

"【Charge・Shield・High】【Charge・Shield・Agility Up・High】【Charge・Shield・Endurance Up・High】【Charge・Shield・Strength Up・High】【Charge・Shield・Armor Enhancement・Shield・High】"

Down the slope, I layer the shield skills on top, one after another.

Voicing every single one so Kasumi-san can follow exactly what I'm using.

I'm trying to speak slowly, but from her end it might as well be a tongue twister.

The already-sluggish Orc Knights slow down further still.

And not just them—my own movements slow down too.

With every skill now active, I break into a full-power run—but each step lands slow.

Even my own body feels sluggish—that is the sensation of running spear and shield super modes at the same time.

I should be moving at full speed, yet everything feels slow.

And because it's slow, I can attend to every corner of my own body.

The first Orc Knight is already inside my spear's reach.

Slowly, like a practice swing, I swing the jumonji spear.

(Too much force...)

Slow enough to land exactly where I aim, without a hair's deviation—but the force packed into the blow is full power.

The orc's head launches skyward and just keeps climbing.

This is overkill.

(Ease up a little.)

I recall Sword Saint-chan's movements from before.

There was no force in them.

(Naturally. Move naturally.)

I swing at the next Orc Knight.

A relaxed practice swing.

The Orc Knight's movements are sluggish.

Before it can even wind up an attack, I'm inside its range and my swing is already finished.

This time the spear slides free cleanly, straight out to the side.

(Next...)

I think I'm getting a little better with each swing.

Too much force is bad.

But surely no force at all is wrong too.

(No good?)

This time I tried putting speed first, but the feedback feels off somehow.

The cut didn't land clean.

The orc's head came off all the same.

(Relax, and try again.)

Slow is fine.

This time, conscious of the CUT, I swing the spear level.

I've taken the high ground, so the orc's neck sits at exactly the right height.

This time, the severed Orc Knight's head spun in place as it came off...

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

(Two left.)

Two shield-bearers remain.

I'll finish them with thrusts.

Even as a thrust, it gives a clean slicing feedback.

This jumonji spear cuts beautifully.

(Hiramatsu-san did tell me to learn to thrust from the left side too.)

I switch my grip and step in on the opposite foot.

Slow enough that I can pull it off just like with the right...

A thrust unlike any I have ever landed.

(Over already? I wanted to test that feeling a little longer...)

I release every skill.