ch301-ch320 · 307-ch307

Chapter 307: On to Floor 41

"Natsukiiii! Soushi, catch that one—!"

"Eeek!"

"Now, now, calm down, Mia-san. All that racket will bring skeletons."

Mia-san fuming, Aikawa fleeing.

Soushi seems to be on Aikawa's side, trying to soothe Mia-san.

"Tch. Don't I have any allies?"

"Aren't I right here—?"

I am always on Mia-san's side.

I just gave her a little surprise, that's all.

"Hm-mmm?"

"You're the biggest culprit here! What even is a 'surprise'!? Dummy! Dummy!"

That's mean!

I prepared all that just so she'd enjoy herself!

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. Haruki-san did nothing wrong! The fault is entirely mine!"

"You're BOTH at fault, you lovebirds!"

Ah—black presences.

The skeletons are here.

We're outside the fort, so the ones approaching should be goblin skeletons.

The skeletons inside the castle are humanoid, but the ones that come outside are skeletons of the monsters of that dungeon.

Floors 41 and 42: goblin skeletons.

43 and 44: orc skeletons.

45 and 46: ogre skeletons.

47 and 48: golem skeletons—you might wonder what that even means, but since golems are made of monster bones, the proper term is probably skeleton golem?

Their presence color is a point of interest.

Undead black, or golem green......?

Won't know until we look.

On Floor 49, only humanoid skeletons appear anymore.

Floor 50 is unknown.

Uncharted territory, that.

"Look, look—goblins, here they come. Let's take their weapons first, shall we?"

Aikawa spoke up before I could.

"Mia-san, behind you!"

"Tch. You lot better remember this. I'll get you back later."

Oh? Is that a surprise?

"There aren't many, so it should be fine, but I'll put up a 【Gate】 just in case. If it looks bad, please head straight for the warehouse."

"Got i...... that—does it really go to the warehouse?"

I'm being doubted.

Meanwhile, Aikawa and Soushi, who had dashed out while Mia-san and I were scuffling behind me, polished off the goblin skeletons.

We fought goblin skeletons last time too, but my impression is: goblins at Level 41.

All bones and light as they are, they might feel even weaker.

One kick from Aikawa and they fall to pieces.

"Mia-san, it had a knife."

Soushi presents the rusted knife the goblin skeleton carried to Mia-san.

"Mm. Not iron, this. Bronze, maybe. Interesting—it looks deliberately rusted to make it cut. A beautiful rust pattern. So: cuts well, no durability. This one's no good—not worth using."

Mia-san lets the rusted knife slip from her hand, and it sinks into the ground up to its base without a sound.

Then she grips the hilt of the planted knife, twists her wrist slightly, and the blade snaps off with ease.

"Get cut by that and go topside without treatment, and you'd be looking at tetanus. We fought sword-wielding goblin skeletons last time too, and the blades snapped the moment they met ours—so watch out for the fragments."

Kasumi-san, Mia-san, and I all wear full-face helmets, but Soushi's and Aikawa's helms leave the mouth open, so I'd like them to watch that part at least.

Though we probably won't fight goblin skeletons much anyway.

"Well, the real prize is the skeletons inside the fort. Let's count on their weapons. So—how do we get in? 'Blue Ocean' smashed through the castle gate. Want me to hammer it down?"

"Once we're a bit closer, I'll use the 【Gate】 to get up on the wall. Everyone waits at the warehouse for now. I'll call you when I've found a good spot on the other side."

Send everyone to the warehouse first, then use the 'Eye Gates' to get up on the wall, and from there move to a promising fighting spot inside the castle.

Then summon everyone from the warehouse with the 'Left Hand Gate'—no need to break the castle gate down at all.

I can see the fort from here, but I can't judge distances until I get closer.

If I tried to put a Gate up on the wall, I might place it where there's no footing.

The wall is about 20 meters high, so I'd probably be fine if I fell—but it's still scary, you know......

"You can do whatever you want, huh. Anything goes?"

If anything goes, I'd love to try sneaking in and opening the gate from the inside.

The longing for 'Spring Shadow the Ninja,' whom I thought I'd bid farewell to......

"Mia-san, I'm sorry, but the castle interior may be crawling with skeletons. Would you be willing to wait at the warehouse until we've cleared them?"

"I suppose that's for the best. ......But you'll call me before you actually explore the castle, right?"

Mia-san is deeply interested in the 40s floors too.

No worries—the moment we beat the humanoid skeletons inside, we'll be examining weapons.

There'll be a break there for sure.

︙

︙

"Haruki-san, there may be skeletons with bows or guns inside the castle. There is the 'Queen of the Sky' to think of as well. Please be very careful."

Having swept aside the goblin skeletons and gotten close enough to the fort—right at the "let's go in" moment......

Kasumi-san takes my hand and won't let go.

Bows aside, guns are scary.

We've never had gun-wielding monsters before, and I don't know how to fight them.

Can Endurance 220 take gunfire?

A rifle would probably punch right through armor......

The humanoid skeletons on Floor 41 apparently mirror the equipment spread of jobless adventurers.

Anyone from the SDF in the dungeon would be job-holders, and even in 'Blue Ocean''s videos, gun-wielders only show up from around Floor 45.

This floor should be fine.

A few at most, if any.

"Yes. I'll be fine. If there are guns or bows, I'll clear them out first."

Kasumi-san, with her armor enhancement, could probably bounce rifle rounds, but it would be rough on Soushi and Aikawa.

If we find any, I'll take them down first.

"Haruki-san...... Always pushing yourself like this...... I know you'll be fine, but I worry."

Close......

Her grip is tightening.

"Kasumi-san......"

"Heyyyyy! Quit flirting and get moving already!"

Scolded by Mia-san.

Kasumi-san finally lets go of my hand, so off we go.

Now then—'Left Hand Gate,' and......

"Ah! Flirting!"

Hm?

Soushi and Aikawa harmonized.

They get along well.

"What's up?"

A grating GIII-GIII-GIII sound comes from the fort.

......The castle gate is opening.

And a whole lot of them just came out!

"Behind you! Goblins coming too!"

"Moneyyy! Two million each!"

"Spears! Spears incoming! Over there, and over there too!"

We've done it now.

The flirting judgment went off, it seems.

"Huh? Huh? We're not running? P-Pyeeee—!"

The goblin skeletons came too, so I'd like to pull back for now—but everyone else is raring to go......

For now, Mia-san, please go to the warehouse.