ch181-ch200 · 186-ch186

Chapter 186: A Sage Learns Much from His Enemies

"Aren't those two awfully late? ...Fine, I'll push ahead one more floor."

It's past seven in the evening, and Soushi and Aikawa still aren't back.

I've reached Floor 24 and returned.

At five o'clock I was on Floor 21, but I came back to the warehouse once to see Kasumi-san off.

I could have stayed to study with her while waiting for those two, but I made the catastrophic mistake of leaving my study materials at home.

From tomorrow I must remember to bring them into the dungeon...

I also decided against pressing onward with Kasumi-san today.

Incredibly, I passed other adventurers on Floor 21.

A first, and it startled me.

Summer break at work, or the otherworlder effect?

I was hidden with 【Presence Concealment】, so they didn't notice me.

Two parties, both on their way back.

They'll return to the campsite before dark and bed down there tonight, presumably.

I didn't think any other adventurers would be left, but you can never be too careful.

Being seen with Kasumi-san right now would be bad.

I managed to send a worried Kasumi-san home and decided to stay behind alone tonight.

"We need a curfew."

That runaway brat, off gallivanting...

Well, I'm the one who sent her off to have fun.

But I have the noble mission of getting Soushi home, so I can't go back myself.

"Guess I'll push on."

I enter the 'Right Gate' I left open.

Floor 24 is pitch dark, but with two skills—【Night Vision】 and 【Darkvision】—it's the same as daytime to me.

I could push on forever.

If those two end up staying out all night, I'll probably end up at Floor 40...

(【Charge・Spear】【Charge・Spear・Magic Up】【Charge・Spear・Endurance Up】【Charge・Spear・Agility Up】【Charge・Spear・Strength Up】【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】)

Out of spite, I lop off a Forest Ogre's head.

With my body's strain in mind, I've decided to use Magic Up and Endurance Up first.

That cost 3 MP.

I've got a high-rank job and MP to spare, so a little extra consumption is no problem.

But that "fast buffing" 'Sword Saint-chan' talked about has slipped away from me...

In true-serious mode I'd have to stack the shield-side skills on top of all this.

(Truly difficult, this is.)

This jumonji spear made by Mia-san can take a head off with a thrust, so it makes things so easy.

Combined with my high-rank-job stats, the weapon enhancement alone is enough—just 【Charge・Spear】 and 【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】 would do—but then it's not practice.

How can I get all of them out faster?

That goes for Soushi's and Aikawa's skills too, I'd imagine.

Maybe if the three of us put our heads together, something will come?

The headless Forest Ogre's corpse hits the ground with a thud.

That was loud.

But it's fine.

【Presence Detection】 tells me other Forest Ogres are slowly approaching.

Then I simply head the OTHER way.

Night is on my side.

If my figure can't be caught visually, 【Presence Concealment】 means they don't notice me.

I just keep getting better and better at THIS kind of thing...

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(Oh? They're back.)

I reach Floor 25 and turn back again.

When I return to the warehouse, 【Presence Detection】 picks up a reaction.

Two people on the second floor.

Soushi's there too.

I set down my spear and shield and climb the stairs, making plenty of noise.

I have no intention of barging in unannounced and setting someone off like a firework, the way the newbie did.

"Coming in~?"

I call out properly before entering.

"Haru-kun, welcome back~. You're late. Were you fighting until just now?"

YOU two are the late ones.

What time do you think it is?

...It's only half past seven.

"Ah, were you waiting for us? Sorry. Aikawa said she wanted to see a movie, so we went and caught one. We got dinner too—what about you, Haruki?"

Come to think of it, I haven't eaten.

"Not yet, but it's late enough. I'll shower and change, so wait for me a bit."

I haven't told Mother anything, so she might have dinner made and waiting.

Better hurry home.

"Sorry. I'd always wanted to see a movie in an actual theater. And they were showing the sequel to something I'd seen on TV~. It was pretty fun."

Living the free life to the fullest—good for you.

"A movie-theater date, huh. Nice. I went on a Tokyo Tower date on Sunday."

But don't think you'll beat me at bragging!

"Oh? For real? Then we'll go to Skytree."

"Ahaha, what's that~? But it's summer break—isn't everything crowded right now?"

"If you're going anyway, why not the Saitama Dungeon? Soushi's been wanting to go."

Let me assist.

"Ehhh? The seaaa? I don't have a swimsuit!"

"Neither do I. Then we'll go to Skytree and buy swimsuits while we're at it."

Keep your dates wholesome, please.

Leaving the two of them, I head for the surface showers.

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︙

'Speeding up skill use, is it... Even I could manage maybe three at once, but all twelve, was it? That would be difficult.'

Home at last and settled, I'm on the nightly phone call with Kasumi-san.

"At the same time? Skills activating simultaneously... how does that work?"

'It's unconscious. There's a saying that an adventurer becomes first-class the moment they can use weapon enhancement without thinking, the instant they draw their weapon... In my case that's three weapon enhancements. When I use 【Deflection】, I layer 【Counter】 and 【Slash】 onto it as well, but it doesn't feel like I'm consciously chanting anything—the skills simply come out when I will them to.'

"Ah, I see. I understand for the attack skills. When I bring out 【Aiming】, the skill is already running at the aim stage. But in my case the weapon enhancements have to go through 【Charge・Spear】, so I don't understand this 'unconscious' business."

Though if MP started draining the moment I took a stance, that would be its own problem.

'I imagine it's something you learn by spending time getting your body used to it. Even so, twelve would be difficult. Let's start by practicing the six spear-side skills.'

"So it's practice or nothing... I wish there were a trick to it. I wonder how Ao-san does it?"

'Mm.'

Ah, that was bad. That was a slip.

My thoughts escaped out of my mouth.

"Um..."

'That little brat DID say something of the sort. Something about how, given an instant, she could strengthen five people... But Kinoshita Ao spent long years in the dregs as a scout-type, and that is the fruit of his struggles. It is not something acquired overnight.'

That's what I thought~

The fruit of his struggles IS being 'Japan's Number One Adventurer'—if the techniques of 'Japan's Number One Adventurer' came easily, nobody would struggle, would they~

"I'll do my best."

'Very good. And yet—to take a hint and learn even from that little brat's sneering, I bow my head at the greatness of your character, Haruki-san. "A sage learns much from his enemies," as they say.'

I'm just trying to take shortcuts; no need to be so dramatic about it...

My evaluation at home keeps dropping, but somehow everything I do raises my evaluation with Kasumi-san.

Also, 'Sword Saint-chan' isn't actually my enemy, you know?