ch421-ch440 · 439-ch439

Chapter 439: On to Floor 45

"From here on out, a slightly different breed of skeleton shows up—so stay sharp."

Soushi and Aikawa's levels are up to 45.

Mine and Kasumi-san's are 45 as well, so they've caught up to us—and from today it's Floor 45, so our leveling pace should even out.

Of the new dungeons, we've now cleared the jungle one in Saitama in addition to the desert one.

But the jungle dungeon has trees growing thick even inside its fortress, so visibility is poor—the 'Hand Gates' have been brought over to the Chiba branch.

Which means where we are now is Chiba's Floor 45.

"Skills, that is."

From here on, the skeletons use skills too.

This is where the real fight begins.

Up to now the worst was maybe 'Weapon Enhancement,' but from here 【Flying Slash】 and 【Javelin】 come flying at us.

Even holding a melee weapon, we have to keep the possibility of projectiles constantly in mind.

If a 【Charge Spearman】 is mixed in and we eat an MP-charged attack, instant death is on the table.

Bottom line: don't take their hits. That's the key.

"Luckily, thanks to Haruki-kun, we have MP to spare. Let's take the fortress at full power, no holding back. After that, we set up a base in one of the small rooms inside and level from there—I think that's safest."

Full power, huh......

"Haruki, let's see who kills more!"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm! Not allowed! Haruki-san duels ME!"

"When you two duel, he comes at you armor and all, doesn't he? I'd rather you went without."

From here on, the 【Samurai】-looking ones get more common, so we should be finding plenty of samurai armor.

I want to collect that too, though......

"Did you two hear that? Don't just avoid getting hurt yourself—make sure you don't hurt anyone around you either. Soushi-kun, don't push too far forward."

No powered suit for Soushi today.

Hard to dodge properly while wearing that thing.

Well, if MP is no object, full buffs put his raw power above the powered suit anyway.

Floor 44 is about the bare suit's limit.

Past that, it needs dedicated jobs or skills.

'Armor Manipulation,' exactly like that.

"What about the castle gate? If we're not luring them out like usual—do we just charge through it?"

"Haruki-kun, your call?"

Ao-san passes Yukiya-san's question straight to me.

"Let's lure them out, draw enough of them away, and then move inside with 【Gate】. That should leave the fewest enemies inside, I think."

"Got it. And ideally you'd shut the gate behind you before they return—but then it wouldn't really be leveling anymore, huh......"

If it were safety first, I could rig 'Eye Gates' in front of the castle gate and overhead and run the Flirting Strategy—but then the only level going up would be mine.

We have a goal to meet here: raising everyone's levels.

"Opening it. Don't let your guard down."

Once we're close enough to the fortress, the castle gate opens.

At this range, we're inside 'Eye Gate' territory too.

"【Gate】!"

I plant the 'Right Eye Gate' atop the castle gate.

"After you, then."

Chiharu-san goes over the fortress first.

She'll dodge every projectile they throw—handy at times like this.

Then Yukiya-san, then Ao-san.

"Not yet!"

Soushi and Aikawa try to follow, but Kasumi-san stops them.

Partly to draw plenty of skeletons over here—but the inside of the fortress needs a proper sweep first, too.

Leave that to the veterans.

Ao-san raises a hand toward us—that's our go, then.

Soushi, Aikawa, and Kasumi-san enter the 'Left Eye Gate,' and I follow last.

"Haruki-kun, let's move."

Ao-san's voice comes from the secured entrance into the building.

Hold on, hold on—every one of these skeletons is wearing armor.

What a waste—so I set up the 'Left Hand Gate' and start hurling them in, one after another.

HYAHHAH! Armoooor!

My powered suit is going to be a samurai-warrior type, after all.

I need loads of these.

The deeper the floor, the better the gear quality should get—which means the powered suit gets upgraded too, you see.

Not just leveling—parts gathering as well. What a deal.

"Haruki-san, they're coming back! Hurry!"

And as Kasumi-san shouts it—there's a strange, misshapen spear clutched in her hand, too.