ch41-ch60 · 051-ch51
Chapter 51: The Receptionist's Losing Flag [Watanabe Kasumi] Part 4
SIDE: Watanabe Kasumi
What is this?
I couldn't say the words out loud.
"......gh. Don't tell me...... Are all of these from Floor 19?"
All of them are.
I can't believe it.
Didn't he pick up any magic stones along the way?
No, this must be the effect of that movement-type special skill he wants to keep secret.
I should assume he's reaching Floor 19 with minimal fighting......
Otherwise, he couldn't make it to Floor 19 and back in a single day.
Still, this quantity is abnormal.
What kind of fighting style would produce these results?
Impossible. He keeps doing impossible things.
"Didn't we promise you wouldn't do anything reckless?"
I'm getting emotional.
But I can't stop myself.
"I'm not...... being reckless."
If this isn't reckless, then what is?
Before seeing inside the bag, I thought it was just a bit reckless.
But this...... this is excessive.
"Didn't you promise you wouldn't go deeper?"
"I didn't go...... any deeper than this. I didn't go to Floor 20."
How am I supposed to believe that?
He broke his promise not to do reckless things.
He might have gone to Floor 20 too.
He didn't listen to me at all, just like those other adventurers.
......What is this?
My chest hurts so much.
"Please promise me again that you won't do anything reckless. Otherwise, I can't hand over this naginata."
I want to believe him......
"Why are you doing this?"
I don't even know anymore......
"I don't want anyone to die. This is my duty as an Association employee...... no, as a person."
"Anyone...... duty...... Does that mean you do this for everyone else too?"
This feels different from before.
But I don't know how to put it into words......
"I beat you. So please, keep your promise."
I just don't want you to die.
That's the truth.
So please, promise me again.
If you do that......
"I understand...... I'll keep my promise. ......I'll definitely beat Watanabe-san and move forward."
Why.
Why did it turn out like this?
I could feel his hand grip the naginata I'm holding, trying to pull it away.
I can't let him go.
I absolutely won't let go of this naginata.
"Huh?"
In an instant, and with one hand, he took the naginata.
No way......
I was using all my strength......
He runs off.
So fast!
"Please wait. Don't go......"
Was that his special skill?
Did he use that speed to pull the naginata from my grip?
"Watanabe-san, your hand, your hand. You're bleeding."
Shiraishi-san immediately rushes over.
She must have been watching nearby.
Normally I would have noticed......
The wound doesn't look serious.
I gripped too hard and got a slight abrasion.
"The skin's just peeled off a bit. If it's just this, it'll heal quickly. [Heal]. There, show me the other hand. [Heal]. Anywhere else hurt? Let me check. [Analyze・HP]. ......Hoge!"
She made quite a sound.
Since she mentioned Kasugano-san's HP was high, she must have been surprised by mine.
([Status].)
Name: Watanabe Kasumi
Job: [Naginata User] [Long Spearman]
Lv: 31
HP: 868/868
MP: 459/465
Strength: 58
Endurance: 71
Agility: 58
Magic: 46
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"Thank you. It really is just a scrape, so I'm fine now."
He didn't use that special skill during the spar earlier.
His stats should be roughly comparable to mine.
If he uses that skill in combat too, ......I might not be able to win.
But I can win just one more time.
I've only been using Weapon Enhancement too.
Just one more time......
Will there even be a 'next time'?
He's probably going to do something reckless again today......
Did he head straight for Floor 20?
Will he come back?
Thinking that, tears started streaming down my face.
"Sniff, sniff."
"Hey, what's wrong, Watanabe-san? Did it hurt?"
"He's...... going to die......"
"Huh? Him, Kasugano-kun? Why?"
"I can't win anymore. I can't win next time. ......If that happens, he'll die."
He might clear Floor 20.
But beyond that......
He reached Floor 20 in just ten days.
Even alone, he probably wouldn't take two months to reach Floor 30.
Floor 50, which no one has ever cleared.
Floor 40, which extremely few have cleared.
Both have claimed lives.
But Floor 30 is actually where the most adventurer lives have been lost.
Many people never came back.
I can't let him go.
I have to stop him.
"What does winning or losing have to do with it? You said 'promise' earlier, right? That's from those mop matches, isn't it? What exactly are you betting on? What do you mean he'll die?"
"Sniff, sniff. I can't tell you. That was a promise too. If I had kept my promise, he would have......"
He would have kept his promise and come back.
......I want to believe that.
"What's that, what's that. Now I'm even more curious. Is this about what you told me before? That he looks just like your lover who died in the dungeon...... So this is a similar situation?"
What is she talking about?
I don't remember saying anything like that.
"Um, uh......"
"But if that's the case, you were in the wrong earlier."
"Huh?"
It's my fault?
"That whole 'I don't want anyone to die' thing. Say something like that, and of course a young boy's gonna take off running."
What's wrong with saying I don't want anyone to die?
That was my true feelings.
"Listen, Watanabe-san. What he wanted to hear just now was this: 'I don't want you to die.' That was it."
"Just me......"
I should have felt that way too......
But why those words?
"Well, he's probably just off having his youthful moment, and he'll sneak back once you've gone home. Leave the rest to your big sister here."
He might come back today.
Today......
"I'll wait until he comes back. If I'm in the wrong, I need to apologize."
"Hmm. This is serious. Sorry I didn't notice sooner. But leave everything to me. I won't let anything bad happen."
Saying that, she hugs me.
This is...... unfair.
︙
︙
After that, even though I insisted on staying until my shift ended or until he came back, I ended up being the only one sent home.
Apparently, he won't come back if I'm there.
Does he...... hate me?
That's what Shiraishi-san said, but......
I don't have an appetite.
Ah, I got a message.
From Shiraishi-san.
'He's back'
Thank goodness......
It seems he's safe.
But it's past 8 PM.
Staying out this late......
He made me worry too much.
'I'd like to talk to him a bit. Can he take a call?'
I want to hear his voice......
'He's in the shower right now though? (ಡωಡ) Grin'
Crack crack.
What is this emoticon?
She's grinning even through text, this person.
He's just using the branch shower because he got dirty in the dungeon.
Even I understand that.
'Calling now would be counterproductive, so no. You haven't eaten because you're worried, right? It's fine now, so eat your fill. Or have you found something else to worry about? (ಡωಡ) Grin'
What does she mean, something else to worry about?
Please stop with that emoticon.
Apparently, they talked at the restaurant inside the dungeon, and there was no reply after that.
Somehow, I'm getting hungry.
I feel like eating a lot.
After dinner, I'll do some practice swings and prepare for tomorrow.
Tomorrow......
Tomorrow, I'll challenge him to one last spar.
I should still be able to win just one more time.
If I win, I'll keep him from progressing for two months, until he can form a party even if alone.
'I don't want you to die.'
I'll win and tell him this honestly.
︙
︙
The next day.
I couldn't sleep well, and I couldn't focus on my morning work.
I had a light lunch and listened to Shiraishi-san tell me about yesterday in the dungeon that afternoon.
Huh? Shiraishi-san has a mop?
Did she spill something?
Ah......
"Watanabe-san, one round please."
It's him.
Kasugano-san is already here.
What should I do?
I'm not mentally prepared yet......
"Here, use this."
Shiraishi-san hands me a mop.
I see, she set this up for me.
All I have to do is win and everything will be resolved.
As expected of Shiraishi-san.
"Before we begin, I have a request. I'd like this to be our final spar. If I win this...... please keep your promise."
As long as he doesn't go deeper, that's fine.
I don't want you to die.
"I see. I was going to suggest the same thing. But if I win, I have a request."
A request?
Is he telling me not to interfere anymore?
So he really does hate me......
"......Let's hear it. Please continue."
That's fine.
As long as he doesn't die.
"If I win, please form a party with me. Let's adventure together."
"......Huh?"
Words I never expected to hear.
A party? With him? Me? Together?
My thoughts can't keep up.
What should I do? Help me, Shiraishi-san.
Ah......
I've been tricked.
She's making the same face as yesterday's emoticon.
This was all Shiraishi-san's trap.
But looking at Shiraishi-san's face calmed me down.
"I don't have your level of talent. I can't protect you. We'd just die together."
If I give in to this temptation here...... I'll just end up following his lead after this too.
And we'd just die together.
I shake off the temptation of thinking it might be okay to lose.
"Oh? Don't you have confidence you can win?"
No.
I'll definitely win.
I won't let Shiraishi-san have her way.
So please stop making that face.
"Fine. I'll win anyway. But if I win, this ends here. You absolutely must keep your promise."
"Thank you."
Thank you? Please don't say that with such a smile.
"Shall we change locations?"
"No, here please. I'm going all out today. Since there might be an accident, I want to fight in front of Shiraishi-san."
Hmph, it seems he's been charmed by Shiraishi-san.
Fine.
With Shiraishi-san here, I can use my skills without reserve.
"Understood. Let's begin. Please take your stance."
My Job [Naginata User] is a special class.
Stats other than Endurance are slightly inferior to other melee Jobs, but there's a reason for that.
The variety of attack, defense, evasion, counter, and skill types.
Especially attractive is the ability to acquire and use slashing skills, which are rare among long-weapon Jobs.
Among those slashing skills, [Slash] is the most basic of basics.
It consumes little MP, and the sharpness increases with the user's proficiency.
At my current level, I could cut through iron with this mop.
The target is simple.
His weapon, the competitive naginata.
His Job is probably [Monk].
He's never used Weapon Enhancement skills.
In that case, I can cut it in half easily.
No matter how excellent his stats are, he can't beat me bare-handed.
He's taken his stance.
I'll take the initiative.
([Weapon Enhancement・Naginata], [Weapon Enhancement・Spear])
Strictly speaking, [Naginata User] isn't a spear-type Job.
So Weapon Enhancement for naginata is separate, of course.
By stacking [Weapon Enhancement・Spear] acquired from my sub-job [Long Spearman], this mop now has strength far surpassing steel.
(This is my win. [Slash].)
My mop is drawn toward the competitive naginata he's holding......
A high-pitched clink sound.
This is not the sound of two wooden objects hitting each other.
A heavy response.
I couldn't cut through it.
Impossible.
Weapon Enhancement?
Wasn't he a [Monk]?
This is bad.
I don't have time to think.
A counterattack is coming.
([Deflection], [Counter].)
I activate two more skills.
[Deflection] does exactly what it says.
It's a skill that deflects the opponent's weapon that touches mine.
[Counter] is a counterattack skill.
When receiving an opponent's attack with a weapon, it allows an instantaneous counterattack with increased power.
This will break through Kasugano-san's defense skill.
With two Weapon Enhancements already active, he might get injured, but Shiraishi-san will do something about that.
Here it comes.
The moment I thought that, the tip of the naginata was already touching my mop.
Too fast to react......
But my skills are already activated.
[Deflection] and [Counter], I win.
"Gh!"
My skills don't activate.
My mop...... is gone.
What's left are shattered fragments.
Impossible.
Only the part I was gripping remains.
He thrust between my hands.
If it was just destroyed there, I would understand.
But the destruction extends beyond where I was gripping.
Even though I had two Weapon Enhancements stacked.
......I know.
There's only one skill that can do this.
This is a charge spear.
His Job was [Charge Spearman].
I see, a spear user......
[Aiming] struck the exact center of the mop without error, slightly delaying [Deflection]'s activation.
Among all known skills, [Charge・Spear] is said to possess the ultimate romance.
For just a moment, [Charge・Spear] was enough.
I sink to both knees involuntarily.
"I win."
Saying that, he places the competitive naginata in front of me and steps back.
"Yay!"
Shiraishi-san and I high-five......
That sight brings me back to my senses.
"Not yet. I haven't lost yet."
I know I'm saying something strange.
But I can't accept it.
If I lose, he'll go deeper.
If that happens, he'll......
I pick up the competitive naginata before me......
Take a big step forward and jump.
I raise it high.
......This won't work.
I'm a sitting duck.
I'm not activating any skills, let alone Weapon Enhancement.
He'll dodge and it's over.
Attacking an unarmed opponent by surprise......
I'm the worst.
This is my complete defeat.
He turns around and takes a stance but doesn't move.
Why?
The naginata swung down like that would hit his head......
"Kasugano-san?" "Huh? What? What? Anyway, [Heal], [Heal], no good, the blood won't stop."