ch141-ch160 · 155-ch155

Chapter 155: The Announced Surprise

"I cannot form a party with Haruki-san."

Kasumi-san's sudden announcement...

After introducing Soushi to Shiraishi-san, who'd been waiting for us, Kasumi-san said she had something important to discuss, so the two of us are in a branch meeting room now.

Soushi went on ahead to the warehouse to get ready.

"Wha— why not? ...Oh! It's a surprise, isn't it? Honestly, you startled me."

Oh, it's just a surprise. What a relief.

Though as surprises go, it flopped. She should've knocked me flat like Soushi, or made me scream like Mia-san.

"A... surprise? I suppose it might qualify as one, but it is no lie. I cannot form a party with Haruki-san."

"It's not a lie? I don't understand at all..."

"Mia-san and I talked it over yesterday. The two of us stand out far too much, in every possible sense. So the plan is to make it look as though I am not in a party with you."

Make it look?

"So in practice?"

"Deep in the dungeon, we can act together and no one will ever know. When you go to the depths, Haruki-san, I will be right there with you. But on paper—you file a party with Natsukawa-san, and I file one with Mia-san. That is the proposal."

Party registration, huh...

The system where you file with the Association in advance to avoid disputes over abandonment or loot splits.

Boss rooms take five people, so a party can register up to five members.

"I see. That's a relief. So the rest is our plans going forward?"

"That's right. Please stay by Natsukawa-san's side for a while. I will be helping Mia-san prepare her shop for opening..."

True—with Kasumi-san's special skill 【Equipment Weight Reduction】 on the job, she's worth a hundred movers.

More people means worse EXP efficiency for Soushi, but I can't exactly leave him alone either.

Nobody's better suited than me, with 【Gate】 doubling as a taxi.

Shame we'll be split up for a while, though...

"Also, I've had a report that Natsukawa-san seemed quite worn out yesterday. You went back into the dungeon afterward, didn't you? Please don't push him too hard. Above all, summer break is about to start—the most important stretch for exam students. You must apply yourself to your studies, Haruki-san. And see to it that no fatigue follows you out of the dungeon."

Is Soushi's exhaustion the armor's fault?

Back when I started, all I had was a helmet—Soushi's been in full armor from day one.

Even called light armor, mine has some real weight to it.

Leveling makes the weight easier to ignore, but that doesn't make it harmless over long stretches.

Today we'll move up to Floor 9 and probably wrap once he hits Level 10?

And the Minotaur... what to do about that?

"Understood. We'll wrap at a reasonable hour. Is that everything important?"

"No, there is more. ...Is Saturday all right for the shopping trip with your mother?"

THIS is the important one. Yeah, this qualifies.

Honestly, nothing else even comes close.

"Yes. I've told my mother the same."

"Then what about Sunday? If you would... I'd like you to spend the whole day with me..."

"Of course. Where are we going?"

The plan was always a two-day date with Kasumi-san.

I'm good either way.

Destination... maybe a beach date at the Saitama Dungeon?

"Um... that's still a secret."

"A secret? Then what should I wear?"

A secret? Is she planning a surprise?

So it's not the Saitama Dungeon?

Well, I could always just buy mine there...

If it's a surprise, Saitama would make me happiest!

"Could you wear what we bought the other day? Ah, but perhaps we should still look at clothes on Saturday. I'd like your mother's opinion as well."

Nice clothes means not the dungeon, then.

This is bad.

I was going to wear it Saturday, and now it's been reassigned to Sunday.

Which raises the question of what I wear Saturday...

Mother's been fretting plenty over what to wear herself.

Better go buy something new.

"Understood. We'll sort out meeting times and places later, Saturday included."

"Yes! I'll look into which shops to visit, too! Natsukawa-san is waiting, so let's take the rest on tonight's call. A lot of universities are already on break, so do be careful."

Oh? Kasumi-san's back to full spirits.

Is she happy her surprise preparations went well?

The "be careful" means not letting anyone see 【Gate】, presumably.

Once summer break starts, the Chiba Dungeon will fill up with students.

Summer also brings the biggest wave of new registrations—Hayashi-san must be thrilled.

It'll be fine. I feel like my handling of the 【Scout】 skills improves by the day.

My stats have climbed—I can see and hear so much farther now.

At least, unless there's a Triple-Rank out there—a Triple-Rank with a scout job, at that—who's been hiding himself from the very start...

That got awfully specific, but as long as nobody's had it out for me from the beginning, I'll be fine.

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︙

We went through the 【Gate】 from the warehouse to Floor 5, then pushed on to Floor 6.

While pressing deeper, I'm putting Soushi through one-on-many practice.

"Ngh."

His offense is stalling out.

His opponents: two spear-wielding goblins.

Two goblins weaker than hobgoblins, and he can't even close the distance.

What was it like for me back then?

Come to think of it, Kasumi-san gave me advice once.

'Above all, never let your feet stop. And it is vital to maintain your range even while moving.'

Range, huh...

Use the spear's defining trait—its reach—and strike from the very edge of your own range, outside of theirs.

Then move the instant you attack, so you don't drift into the second one's range?

"Maintaining range while moving" means building a stance that lets you attack even on the move...

'Is it difficult? Use cover. Make a wall out of your enemies. When you must, show them your back and run. Goblin legs are not fast. If it feels impossible, run.'

Ah. Soushi's squared up face-to-face with both goblins...

Time for some friendly advice, then.

"Soushi! Break off, circle to the side, and set up a one-on-one. Strike from the edge of your range, then get out immediately."

In theory, this keeps it one-on-one forever.

Soushi circles around and slashes at a goblin's hand.

Then disengages.

Good.

"Going for the legs works too. Cripple them, and the finishing blow can wait."

Hearing that, Soushi starts circling the pair, and the moment the goblins can no longer keep up with his movement, he lops off one's leg.

Now it's one-on-one.

He backs off, waits for the other goblin to chase, and brings the long-handled knife down from above.

The goblin collapses under a deep diagonal cut, and he finishes off the one whose hand and leg he maimed first.

"Save the advice for before we start, will you?"

"Everything's experience. It's precisely because you've known a stalled offense that you understand how important footwork is. Run, Soushi. I never stopped running."

Considering range, the knife's handle could stand to be a little longer.

Or maybe just make the knife bigger?

You never know about these things until you use them for real.

There's also the question of just how much Soushi can enhance.

Trial and error.

"What's even the point of fighting solo? We're a party—why not just fight together?"

"Floor 30 comes at you with a hundred ogres, you know? When that happens, even in a party you end up facing several on your own. So start practicing now."

And when Kasumi-san declares a kill contest, you'll be taking half of them yourself, you know?