ch281-ch300 · 285-ch285
Chapter 285: The Level-29 Woman
"GOOOOH!"
I messed up.
The current time is 1 AM.
A Forest Ogre that spawned right beside the campsite laid out before the 'Gate to Floor 26' lets out a war cry.
I'd been away from the group processing Forest Ogres since dinner, and this is the first time one got its roar off.
I got carried away and strayed too far. I noticed the spawn and sprinted back, but I was too late.
'Enemy attack—!'
'Wake up, wake up.'
'Mmn, what time is it?'
'Long live the Spear King—!'
There are complaints from the people shaken awake, too.
I'm terribly sorry about this.
Ah—the spawn nearby got handled.
The level-29 person.
She's working hard, isn't she.
Then I'll take care of the ones heading for the main camp.
All the Forest Ogres nearby have been cleared, so not that many should come.
The newly spawned ones shouldn't head that way either, as long as they stay quiet......
'Ouuu, I was completely asleep...... What time is it? One? That guy's incredible. What do we do? Change grounds?'
'One moment. Sato-san, your assessment?'
'No ogres nearby. If anything comes, it'll be from over there.'
Everyone's awake now.
"Changing grounds" means moving our camp from Floor 25 to Floor 26, I take it.
Am I being left behind?
Should I go back and explain that it's fine?
'What do you mean?'
'Nothing to mean. There's no need to change grounds. Staying put right here is less of a burden on the kid.'
'The kid?'
The scout in Hondo-san's party seems to have noticed I'm the one processing the Forest Ogres.
And the "over there" Sato-san mentioned is probably the opposite side from me.
'Everyone, stay alert where you are. We are not changing grounds. Stay calm and deal with anything that comes close.'
Safe.
It seems they decided to stay put.
After that, they apparently judged no more Forest Ogres would come, and everyone but the night watch went still again.
Back to sleep, then?
︙
︙
"There were no more attacks after that? Then what about the magic stones?"
"There were none. For today's take, please negotiate directly with Hondo-san."
Kasumi-san's reply makes Robo-ko-san's shoulders slump in defeat.
Yes.
I crushed every last one.
Keeping them from roaring—that's the best way.
From today Hondo-san's party fights up front, so the magic stones will be that party's share.
The robot is resting.
Me too—it's time to sleep.
"Yawwwn."
"Someone enjoyed themselves yesterday, hmm?"
On Floor 26, as I'm yawning, Hondo-san speaks to me.
The battle has already started.
"You're not joining, Hondo-san?"
I'll play dumb.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. These are floors we used for leveling back in the day—those girls can still fight plenty."
Looking over, the clothing-shop duo has just felled a Forest Ogre with splendid teamwork.
Those two are strong enough that I'd believe it if someone called them combat-class.
"I see."
"My scout says she didn't hear so much as the sound of an ogre falling—let alone your presence. Only that ogre presences appeared and then vanished right away...... Do you have some sound-erasing skill, perhaps?"
I was just crushing magic stones from behind and gently laying the bodies down.
【Deodorizing】 is learnable by 【Scout】, I believe, but was there a 【Silencing】 skill?
Feels like an upper-job skill to me.
"I just worked very hard to make no sound."
"Oh my? Is it a secret? ......Tell me, and I might just tell you what's inside my skirt. You were curious, weren't you?"
I beg your pardon?
I really did just work hard, though?
"Hondo-san! Please join the battle!"
"Oh dear. So you could hear me. Then we shall talk again when we reach the 'Gate to Floor 30'......"
It was a whisper meant for no one else's ears—but Kasumi-san heard it anyway.
Hondo-san draws from that skirt of hers a whip—no, a jangling metal chain—and heads to the front.
There's an awful lot in there, huh......
But once we reach the 'Gate to Floor 30', I have to sleep.
I have to fight Forest Ogres all night again tonight.
︙
︙
"Right, combat-class goes first. Three at a time. Kasumi-san, are you sure you can handle the Ogre King?"
Floor 29 is cleared, and we've reached the 'Gate to Floor 30'.
The Triple-Rank parties went up front, so we made better progress than yesterday.
Soushi worked hard handling the ogres coming from behind, too.
Now it's just clearing Floor 30 in turns.
"Yes. I will go ahead, so everyone, stay together and make for the 'Gate to Floor 31'."
Kasumi-san fells the Ogre King, and Anego-san guards the participants.
【Holy Knight】 Anego-san has shield skills, so even if the Ogre King targets the participants with its jump attack, she can handle it.
Kasumi-san was already overwhelming the Ogre King back in her early 30s, so now at level 42 she won't be outdone, surely.
First the combat-class people gain their upper jobs, raising the defensive power of this base.
After that, the production-class people get theirs, one at a time.
Kasumi-san and Anego-san are on permanent duty, while the remaining two slots rotate, it seems.
Last is Sato-san, and if there's time to spare, we and Shiraishi-san pretend to take upper jobs too.
Several people have probably noticed I have an upper job already, though.
"Eh? Me first? But......"
Oh—the level-29 person goes first, apparently.
The other combat-class people voice their agreement.
Even the Ou-bou crowd isn't shouting, so it's unanimous.
She was the one guarding everyone earnestly, after all.
She has to keep guarding this place properly, or I can't sleep either.
"Haruki-san, I'm off. I'll be asking for your help again tonight, so please rest well."
"Take care. No need to worry about Kasumi-san."
"Hey, you two—quit canoodling and get moving!"
Scolded by Anego-san.
No Forest Ogres attacking, so this falls within safe limits.
︙
︙
This place again.
The space lit as if by a spotlight......
It's a dream.
I'd lain down in the space cleared in the cart Kasumi-san had been pulling, and apparently fell asleep without realizing.
And I'd meant to stay awake until the first group came back......
And of course, out of the darkness at the far end comes that thing.