ch421-ch440 · 429-ch429
Chapter 429: Dashing Through the Sky
"Nin-nin!"
First, out of the small room and out of the fortress.
Every room has skeletons inside, but run past them at full sprint and it's fine.
By the time they notice me and come out, I'm already past the door.
"【Gate】"
Once I'm outside, the rest is easy.
I look up and use the 'Eye Gates.'
Every skeleton in the fortress reacts at once—but I'm already gone from there too.
I dive straight into the 'Left Eye Gate'—and I'm in the sky.
"【Gate】! And......"
Free-falling, I open another 'Eye Gate' directly below and land on top of it.
Perched on the upper rim of a vertically-placed 'Gate'—on an edge not even a millimeter wide.
"Whoa there, whoa."
Balance is genuinely hard, but holding it for a few seconds is all I need.
Next: pick the spot for the next 'Eye Gate.'
The 'Gate to Floor 41' sits straight out from the fortress gate.
Easy to read. I like it.
"Jump—then 【Gate】!"
Super technique, unleashed!
First, the spot for the 'Right Eye Gate' has to keep the 'Gate to Floor 41' in view.
And the 'Left Eye Gate' has to go near ME.
Moreover, the 'Left Eye Gate' has to go where I'll be heading as I jump forward.
And the timing for BOTH 'Eye Gates' is after I've jumped.
You know what—this would be safer done by landing somewhere first and moving two or three jumps at a time.
Being above the skeletons is more dangerous than being among them.
But everything is practice, in the end.
Better than trying it for the first time in an emergency.
That last one was a little close, but I could tell it'd be easy enough in Ultra Mode.
In Ultra Mode, my right eye and left eye move independently.
Even I'm surprised.
Oh—the gate opens and humanoid skeletons burst out of the fortress.
But I have already bid Floor 41 farewell.
"Nin-nin. Wait—ah, this room, huh......"
The 'Gate' I came through connects into the throne room.
Right in front of me: the back of a Minotaur skeleton guarding the 'Gate to Floor 42.'
Fight it, or make for the exit as is......
While I hesitate, the Minotaur skeleton turns and hefts its great axe.
Hmm. Big windup.
(You're me!?)
Thinking how 'Sword Saint-chan'—Chiharu-san—dodged my attacks exactly like this, I strike the wide-open Minotaur skeleton square in the chest.
Luckily the dance 'Weapon Enhancement' was still up, so it's a one-hit kill.
A minute and a half so far, give or take.
I want to be out of the fortress within thirty more seconds.
(A window? A window...... There is one. But it's tiny!)
The stone fortress's windows are square holes and nothing more.
No getting through.
With 'Charge' I could punch through the wall, but I'd want a good ten seconds.
Armor could do it in five, maybe—but what I'm wearing is the 'Spring Shadow' set, sleeveless, no shoulder guards.
So, the shoes, then?
In the end I just kicked the wall down—after five seconds of dithering, so it came out the same as spearing it would have.
"【Gate】!"
The noise draws skeletons swarming in from every direction, so I flee skyward.
In that instant, my body grows heavy.
The 【Dance】 buff expired.
Two minutes, then.
"【Gate】"
Down to the ground first.
"【Gate】"
After landing, I take my time heading for the 'Gate to Floor 39.'
Missed the two-minute target—but Floor 41 is broken through as well.
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"Nin-nin. The 【Gate】 Escape Jutsu, and——now, on to Chiba...... Huh?"
The 30s floors were easy: 【Gate】 up onto the dunes. For the 20s and 10s, I hit on alternating the 'Right Eye Gate' and 'Left Eye Gate' close together—clearing them while literally racing across the sky.
Down to Floor 2, the 'Gates to the Next Floor' sometimes hide in tree shadows and I get turned around a little—but even so, I make it back to the front of the 'Gate to Floor 1' before dawn.
And there, I finally understand the words Yukiya-san shouted as I left.
"How am I supposed to get back to Chiba!?"
Train? In THIS outfit?
I am 'Ninja Spring Shadow' right now, you know.
Green from head to toe.
Spear and all......
Well, the Association keeps staff at the 'Dungeon Gate' around the clock, so depositing the weapons should cover it.
And if I call a taxi—go WHERE?
Show up at the Chiba branch like this and the license logs alone will give me away. Not happening.
For that matter, the Chiba crowd would recognize me in this outfit anyway.
"Home first, then...... get off somewhere close......"
I'm still mulling it over when the surface-connected 'Dungeon Gate' comes into view.
Oh my?
'Someone's coming!'
'Green...... Spring Shadow? He's alone.'
'Did something happen? Wake everyone!'
Oh my—a line of tents.
That would be the 'Blue Ocean' staff.
They camped here and waited for us?
Well, dungeon schedules do slip. A welcome sight, truly.
"Welcome hooome!"
Uh-oh. Mami-tan's here too.
"N-Nin-nin."
I can't talk......