ch201-ch220 · 205-ch205

Chapter 205: Bears Are Bad at Downhills

"One, two, three, four. Four copper. The rest are sand."

Ten in all, then.

They all came down at once again.

"It's hard to call this a coincidence. It's as if someone deliberately moved the golems toward the summit area... The dungeon itself, or perhaps an otherworlder...? It's enough to make you want to believe it. Just to confirm—this is not a surprise YOU prepared, is it, Haruki-san?"

Why would anyone do that?

Would Kasumi-san even be happy to be surprised like this?

A surprise to grant Kasumi-san's wish to fight to her heart's content?

If she'd be delighted by this situation, I'm adding it to the surprise candidates going forward.

"Not a chance. This is my first time coming up this far, too..."

Still, though—an otherworlder, huh...

Nobody knows why the dungeons appeared.

Just like dungeons appearing out of nowhere, it wouldn't be strange for an otherworlder to suddenly appear too, right?

No way a naked little blonde girl is back there doing this?

"With me, metal golems are tough unless it's one-on-one. Is it all right if I have you draw them off? I'll clear out the Sand Golems first."

Huh? Really?

Weren't you just carving up iron golems, which are harder than copper?

"Roger."

Don't really get it, but I understand: I'm taking the metal ones—the Copper Golems.

Kasumi-san stops and readies her spear.

Apparently she means to meet the descending golems head-on.

I circle around the flank, targeting the Copper Golems in the rear.

The four Copper Golems are lagging a little—metal bodies are heavy, apparently.

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

I start charging, and toss in a wink while I'm at it.

I'll split the Sand Golems from the Copper Golems with the 'Left Eye Gate'.

The lead Copper Golem, at the head of the rearmost group, slams into the 'Left Eye Gate' that appears right in front of it.

Up to here it went as predicted—or rather, as aimed—but the Copper Golems behind it, maybe because of the downhill slope, can't stop in time and crash one after another into the lead golem's back.

GASHAN, GASHAN—a chain-reaction pileup, loud as can be.

I swiftly dismiss the 'Left Eye Gate', and the whole pile topples over like falling dominoes.

A major accident, that.

"I see. Impressive as ever."

Sasa-Haru—.

Kasumi-san's murmur drifts back from behind.

No, I didn't actually aim for that, you know.

Here, I bring out the 'Left Eye Gate' once more, right over the two golems lying in a heap.

Now those two are locked in and can't move at all.

(Now THAT'S a real Lock Golem!)

It's copper.

I go on to finish the two that still can't get up.

I thrust down at the backs of the fallen ones.

A solid jolt comes back, but the point should have reached the magic stone.

MP consumed: 4.

As expected, 【Charge・Spear】 doesn't get results unless you charge it to about 10 MP.

Even so, brute-forcing it with weapon enhancement and super mode punched through the copper armor.

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

The effect ran out with that, so I charge up again.

Likewise, I drive the jumonji spear into the back of the last Copper Golem as it tries to rise.

This is putting quite a strain on the spear, I feel.

I pushed it hard against Copper Golems last time too—is it going to hold up?

I'd love a weapon built for fighting metal golems, but asking for this AND that would be pushing Mia-san too hard...

Oops—battle's not over yet.

Let me go help Kasumi-san.

"Hyah!"

Already more than half—three Sand Golems—are rolling on the ground.

She seems to be destroying their knees, toppling them, then finishing them off.

Time to reinforce.

From behind a Sand Golem heading for Kasumi-san, I aim for its knee.

Attacking a golem from behind isn't a sneak attack—it has no eyes—but for some reason its joints only move about as much as a human's, so it shouldn't be able to do anything about it.

"Mmm. Stealing my prey, are we?"

"Reinforcements. I've been looping with Soushi and the others lately, and I have... certain reflections about that... Please finish it."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. HYAH!"

Ah—don't aim for the remaining golem's legs, go straight for the magic st—

That stone's not coming out, you know.

Kasumi-san finishes the remaining Sand Golem, and the battle is over.

"Please finish the ones over there too—the Lock... er, the Copper Golems."

"You're sure I may deliver the finishing blows? No need to keep them as souvenirs?"

"For souvenirs, the materials alone should do. You're busy, and leaving golems lying around where no one is feels dangerous..."

Even immobilized, who knows what could happen.

Besides, they're a million yen apiece—plenty generous as souvenirs.

Could Kasumi-san lift one even with all limbs intact?

"True—if I stay hunkered down here, the unpacking will never finish. Let's put the power-leveling operation on hold until we've pushed deeper... Speaking of operations, that 'Gate' maneuver of yours a moment ago was masterful."

"Well, I only aimed for the one... They say bears are bad at downhills, but golems seem to be too."

Are Aikawa and Bear Ossan bad at downhills too?

I picture the two of them tumbling down a slope and smacking into the 'Left Eye Gate'.

"Bears? Their front legs are short, so they just can't run any faster than that on flat ground—they're still faster than humans, apparently... Here I go. 【Slash】!"

Seriously?

I can't outrun Bear Ossan even on a downhill?

No wait—in a race inside the dungeon, I shouldn't lose either...

Kasumi-san's spear comes down on the Copper Golem pinned by the 'Left Eye Gate'.

It cuts deep through the copper armor, but Kasumi-san looks somehow unsatisfied.

"What's wrong?"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. Just as I thought—I can't manage unless it's one-on-one. And this is WITH a skill... If I stop my feet to put out a full-power attack, the other golems will do me in. I'll do the same to this one. 【Slash】!"

I see—so THAT's what she means by "can't manage unless it's one-on-one"...

No, I thought this earlier too—if a PARTY pooled its strength and fought together...

Kasumi-san's slash cuts the Copper Golem deeper than before, but she still looks unsatisfied.