ch121-ch140 · 128-ch128

Chapter 128: A Sulky Kasumi-san

"From here on, I will handle the enemies in front. Haruki-san, please watch for reinforcements."

Kasumi-san said that when we reached the 'Gate to Floor 26'.

Floor 25 was the first time Kasumi-san actually joined the fighting.

While we were collecting magic stones, a Forest Ogre that happened to be nearby came strolling up.

It let out a roar, more and more of them came gathering, and in the end we cut down about ten.

Monster density is climbing, so this kind of thing will keep happening from here on.

Hence: break through head-on from now on.

That's apparently how a normal push works.

Even at HQ, Floor 25 holds the last campsite; past that, the crowds thin out, so charging in and killing everything head-on is the orthodox method.

But that's a five-person job, isn't it?

We've still got four floors to go...

"I've never come this far in Chiba myself, so please direct us which way to go."

"That way. A little ahead there's a Forest Ogre dead ahead, and another one deeper in on the right. When the first one reacts, I'll take it."

"Then let's jog forward as we fight. No need to force ourselves to pick up magic stones. When we reach the 'Gate to Floor 27', we'll harvest only the ones that chased us. And... I doubt it, but tell me if there's anyone around."

If we don't have to pick up stones, I can just cut down whatever's in front while we run.

With two of us, we might be surprisingly fast.

A strategy only possible in Chiba, where there's nobody around.

Though normally there shouldn't be a soul past Floor 25 in the Chiba Dungeon, the Kasumi-san effect has adventurers trickling in from outside.

The chance of someone being here isn't zero.

I'll stay on guard, just in case.

If anyone were, they'd be fighting—so a Forest Ogre's roar would give their position away at once.

"GOOOH!"

Contact.

I leave the Forest Ogre in front of us to Kasumi-san and run toward the one we're about to collide with next.

Kasumi-san will be fine.

She's been fighting Forest Ogres plenty of times, going back to her Double-Rank days.

She doesn't lose a one-on-one.

Let them strike first, block it.

Then a counterflash straight through the wide-open guard.

One diagonal rising slash. One hit.

Once I've confirmed she's running along our route, I square up against the enemy in front of me.

"Gooh! Gwuh!"

That roar should draw more and more of them in.

Kasumi-san's style is to let them strike first and punish the opening—but I don't let them strike.

(【Charge・Spear】【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】)

If we're not collecting stones, shattering them is fair game.

One hit to the chest.

I tried holding the jumonji spear reversed and striking with the bamboo-leaf spike on the butt end, but...

(Awkward!)

The cross blades kept catching my attention—that was hardly a full-force thrust.

Against a Forest Ogre it still gets the job done, but...

(Guess I just have to get used to it?)

I start running so Kasumi-san doesn't leave me behind.

Three ahead on our route.

If I don't take two of them, she'll end up at two-on-one...

︙

︙

We reach the 'Gate to Floor 27' and cut down every Forest Ogre that chased us.

We're collecting magic stones now, but there's a problem.

More than half of the Forest Ogres I killed have shattered stones.

I did it again...

Kasumi-san seems to be in a bad mood.

I can't read her face since her visor is down, but she hasn't said a word in a while.

"Haruki-san..."

Here it comes.

I'll be careful from now on, so please forgive me...

"Am I really that weak?"

"Huh?"

An unexpected question.

"I am asking whether I look weak to you, Haruki-san."

But her voice is quiet—it doesn't feel like anger.

When Kasumi-san is actually angry, she comes at you head-on...

What's gotten into her?

"Wha—no, of course not. You're strong, Kasumi-san. What's wrong?"

"On this floor, I fought only the ogres that came straight at me, one at a time. That was because you arranged it that way, was it not? That is why I'm asking... Do I look so weak that you can only trust me with a single monster at a time?"

I wasn't thinking about strong or weak at all...

Though it's true I was being considerate.

I thought, it'd be easier if she could fight one-on-one?—and decided that all on my own...

Anyway, I want to grovel and apologize, but is it safe to apologize?

My brain is running at full speed...

Pretend I don't know what she means?

Insist all the monsters were mine to begin with?

How about a hunting contest?

No good. I read which way they're coming from with 【Presence Detection】 and move accordingly, so I'd win the race to the kill...

This isn't about strong or weak—it's about whether I'm a scout-type or not.

Going easy on her is the worst possible move, and...

In a moment like this...

"I love you, Kasumi-san. It's not about strong or weak. I love you, so I want to protect you."

The Love-Love Strategy.

"Hmph. Trying to change the subject again. It won't work on me."

Heh heh heh—but her voice is already back to normal.

This is Kasumi-san's weakness.

"I've never been in a party before, so I don't know how to hold back. But I want to protect you, Kasumi-san."

"Protecting you is my job. That is why I will be the one to cut down the enemies."

"The way we've been moving really hasn't been right. I want to walk beside you and talk while we go. I want a dungeon date."

"The dungeon is not a place for dates!"

"Too bad. We're dating. Next floor, we walk side by side and take turns cutting them down. That works, right?"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm..."

I take the hand of Kasumi-san, now fully in 'mmm-mmm-mmm mode', and pull her into the 'Gate to Floor 27'.

We were planning on a lunch break, but plans have changed.

We're entering Dungeon Date mode.

"I'll take the first one, then."

I start walking toward the 'Gate to Floor 28'.

"No. The first is mine."

The order doesn't matter.

I just want to walk and talk.

"Gooh!"

A Forest Ogre spots us right away.

But Kasumi-san doesn't go charging in.

She waits for it to come, takes its attack on her naginata, and returns it.

"You're strong, Kasumi-san. What could you possibly be worried about?"

"Watching you fight yesterday is what did it. I grew anxious that I might not be able to keep up with you anymore."

"Gooh!"

Ah, my turn.

Yes, yes. You're in the way, you know.

【Charge・Spear】【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】, there.

First strike wins.

Shatter the stone.

"It's because we haven't been able to spar lately, isn't it? You haven't been pummeling me, so your confidence is slipping? It's fine—no one knows better than I do how strong you are."

"I have NOT been pummeling you! Besides, you don't use your skills during our spars, do you?"

"Gooh!"

"You're in the way!"

Amen.

"Which would make me the one who's weak without skills, wouldn't it..."

"Gooh!"

"Gwoh!"

"Gaoh!"

A whole crowd of them.

We stop where we stand and fight back to back.

Ei!

"How many times must I tell you to stop with those sudden lunging thrusts?"

"Hiramatsu-ryu spear arts are an aggressive school. First strike wins."

Kasumi-san doesn't just receive on her naginata—she slips around attacks and presses her own.

"There must be opening moves in your school for unsettling an opponent's stance, or creating an opening with a feint."

"I was never taught any, so the fault lies with Hiramatsu-san."

Zash, like that.

I've only learned the basic thrusting motions so far.

"There you go again! Ei! Yah!"

"Ah, you just skipped your turn and took two, didn't you?"

"It was momentum. These things happen."