ch241-ch260 · 247-ch247
Chapter 247: The Panda's Turn
"Then, one final check. Your job priorities are settled?"
"Yes, yes! Nothing's decided, so this time I'll just write down every job that shows up and come right baaack! If a lot show up, getting them all down might take a while, so guard me until then, 'kay?"
Oh dear.
Today's the no-job pattern, is it?
What time is tomorrow's wake-up going to be?
"Then let's go. Remember—do not step in front of me on Floor 30."
"Okaaay."
She's so casual about this.
It's FLOOR 30, you know?
(Well, fine......)
The 'Right Hand Gate' is already out and Floor 30's been confirmed empty, so I go in first and wait for the two of them.
"Oho. So this is Floor 30."
A little more tension, please......
(【Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear】)
Same pattern as before—let's get this over with quickly.
No need for the magic stone this time, right?
"What'll show up, I wonder? What'll show up? Ah! Any dance jobs?"
And she's started singing.
High energy, as ever.
Soushi was the same, but getting a job really does thrill people, doesn't it.
Plus, breaking through Floor 30 puts you among the first-rate adventurers.
Though her title will probably stay Double for the time being.
"Nah, I'm good. You'll kill it the instant it spawns."
"A single thrust from behind? Truly Hiramatsu-ryu!"
That's right—and THIS is the Hiramatsu-ryu secret art: 'the Spawn-Wait Stance.'
"Ten seconds—it's coming!"
(【Charge・Spear・Endurance Up】【Charge・Spear・Magic Up】【Charge・Spear・Agility Up】【Charge・Spear・Strength Up】)
Super mode activates right on Kasumi-san's call.
I hear a gulp.
I see—she WAS scared, huh.
Was all that brightness an act to hide it?
(Three, two, one—'Aiming'!)
This time, truly, the instant it spawns.
Not even letting it jump.
The spear, sucked into the center of its back, opens a hole clean through the Ogre King.
And that was that.
The Ogre King flops over face-down—Bam.
"See, it's really not that big a dea—"
"GOH. GOOOH."
"Hiee!"
Aikawa shrinks at the Forest Ogres' roars.
She WAS scared, huh.
Well, Soushi fleeing back to the warehouse didn't help either, I suppose.
That would put anyone on their guard.
"Aikawa-san, they're coming. Check your jobs."
"Ah—right. Huh? That's FEW! Why?"
"Aikawa?"
Fewer than I expected, huh.
About three, maybe?
"O-kay. Heading back!"
A brisk OK, and she's gone.
Before the Forest Ogres arrive, Kasumi-san and I step into the 'Left Hand Gate.'
"Phew. Everyone safe?"
Soushi greets us.
Aikawa has already started writing jobs into the notebook she had ready.
A notebook with a fresh panda sticker on it, I see.
Lately, Aikawa's been dragging Soushi out panda-goods hunting every chance she gets.
Bear-san's knickknacks have all been left at home, apparently......
"This is all there was......"
She said it sadly, but that's SIX, isn't it?
I only got four, you know?
......Not that I'd ever say it.
Grrrnnn.
"【Illusionist】! More ninja than the ninja!"
"【Idol】...... Going by this lineup, general-class?"
"No spear jobs, huh...... How disappointing."
Mine, Soushi's, and Kasumi-san's reactions, in order.
"Why did Soushi get a whole bunch and I barely got any!?"
Someone's in a mood.
Soushi had a flood of derivations—from his magic job AND from 【Cooking】, both.
In Aikawa's case, the upper-rank job for what she already had probably showed up as 【Prima Dancer】, with 【Dancer】→【Idol】, 【Monk】→【Kick Striker】, and 【Partial Beast Transformation】→【Claw Striker】 each deriving on their own.
Then 【Matador】 and 【Illusionist】 from her evasion skill?
Both of those look like evasion-line jobs.
"But you got something amazing in there. An Idol, even."
"That is NOT amazing! It's general-class!"
Enough with the "it's just" this and "it's just" that.
Too bad no 【Berserker】, huh.
The strongest combination the world could aim for—【Berserker】 plus 【Beast Transformation】—goes unseen...... "it's just."
"No 【Enhanced Warrior】 either—that IS surprising. So dance is dance, categorically speaking?"
Right?
Just as she says—in the job system, dance buffs apparently aren't filed under "enhancement" but under their own "dance" category.
"Or perhaps there simply weren't enough repetitions."
She says so herself, but Aikawa sometimes uses her dance skills once a minute, you know.
"Not enough reps" doesn't really fly here......
"Come on, come on, let's go through them one at a time, 'kay? 【Matador】! A sword job! Isn't that the leading candidate?"
Soushi somehow soothes Aikawa and moves the discussion along.
"Generally, it derives from 【Light Warrior】. Though I would guess it was Aikawa-san's combination of evasion skill and sword that summoned it. Cape enhancement and evasion skills go without saying. It is famous for 【Bloodletting Sword】—massive blood along with HP flows out of the wounds it inflicts. Stat-wise, it is a job with high Agility and low Endurance among close-combat jobs."
What is that, a demon blade!?
【Light Warrior】 is a job that uses sabers and rapiers, and this is its upper tier—the matador job.
Its weapon enhancement is sword-based, so it might actually suit Aikawa.
"What do you think?"
"Hmm. It's the only real option, isn't it. Everything else is bare-handed. But even so, I'd rather be a Dancer......"
Not exactly thrilled, apparently.
"Couldn't bare-handed turn out stronger? 【Kick Striker】...... Were you even using kicks?"
"I use the skills, you know? My legs can transform now too, but I haven't used that on monsters, okay? Ah—...... I haven't used it."
What was that "ah" just now?
And why did you say it twice?