arc01 · 025-ep25

Episode 25: Of Death and Gratitude

The perception-interference and presence-concealment effects are still running, so to build aggro I have to make some noise and force it to really register me.

"You trash goblin—don't get cocky with me! That puny little sword of yours doesn't do a thing!"

A lie. It did plenty. Nearly killed me, even.

Even so, I have to step forward, bluff and all.

"C'mon… take those down quick and get out of here."

I murmur it as if to the three adventurers dimly visible in the distance.

Maybe it's thrown that the human it thought it'd finished off got back up, because it looks back and forth between the three and me.

Before long, it fixes its aim on me again and presses in.

Whew… anyway, I have to keep running. Thankfully, speed is my win. Even mid-combat, the correction applies to 『movement』 and my AGI sits at double. So the best play is staying grounded and running circles around it. The air is a no-go. Trying to dodge with a jump was a mistake.

"GRAAAH!!!!"

"You're loud and you stink! Keep your mouth shut!"

The aggro's building nicely and the evasive running is going smoothly. But the tension is unreal. This body that never got tired from all that dungeon running now feels leaden, heavy as a slab of iron.

There we go—the three of them downed the slimes…!

Now they just need to hurry up and get clear————

VWOOM!

A sword flash crosses right in front of my eyes.

Close one—even a single instant of looking away can end in death.

It's closed the gap, so I try punching the area around its knee, hakkei-style, aiming to rob it of mobility if nothing else.

Dammit—no time to pool my mana, so I can't put much damage in.

Irritated, the Goblin King swats at me with the hand opposite its katana.

I throw up a guard with my arm on instinct, but it still takes a healthy chunk out of me.

【HP: 95/500】

Dammit, another failure. Arm hurts too.

Getting in close is a no-go after all.

About time, I think, so I open some distance and pull out a smoke bomb.

I confirm the three are getting farther away, then hurl the smoke bomb hard at the Goblin King's feet.

BOOM!

The instant it struck the ground, it cracked out a loud report and smoke spread in a blink.

Smoke blankets everything, and the Goblin King disappears from view. It's most likely lost track of me too.

"GOGRAAAH!!!"

I drain my last potion, heal up, and break away at full speed.

No telling how long the smoke lasts, but by the look of it, it won't be clearing anytime soon.

Those three headed toward Floor 10, so they're probably safe.

Irregular or not, it shouldn't cross between floors.

They'll ride the Floor 11 teleport circle straight back from there, so that's a relief—but that doesn't mean there's nobody else on Floor 9. I might even beat them back to the guild, so I'll sprint all out and make my report.

Ahh… dammit, everything aches…

But, well… I lived. And honestly? That's everything.

◇

Pain aside, my stamina held plenty, so I made the return trip at full throttle. Perception interference, presence concealment, the simple map, and AGI breaking 300—put to work without mercy, they got me home in under an hour.

I hurry to the reception counter and report to the male guild clerk.

"Excuse me—it's an emergency!"

"Whoa!? Y-you scared me… where did you even pop out from!"

"Ah, right, the presence concealment—no, wait, that's not the point. I've confirmed an irregular appearance on Floor 9! It's a Goblin King!"

"What!? Is that true!?"

"Yes. There were other adventurers on site—I believe the three of them escaped, so please check on them later!"

"…Understood. Emergency! An irregular has appeared on Floor 9! Subjugation-request procedures are now top priority!"

The clerk raises his voice so all the staff can hear.

"The guild will now be issuing a subjugation request to our senior adventurers. With a Goblin King as the target, we'll likely be calling on those from upper B-rank through A-rank. Fortunately, several veteran parties with solid track records make Akabane Dungeon their home, so the thing should be put down shortly. Until then, C-rank-and-below adventurers are barred from entering Floor 9—we ask for your understanding. And thank you, truly, for your report."

"It's nothing………… um, there were four people at the scene, but one of them couldn't be saved. He passed away. I couldn't do anything."

"That is………… heartbreaking, but it is not your responsibility. You did very well to return and report. Take pride in the lives that are saved by people doing exactly that."

"…Yes. Thank you."

I give a little bow and step away from the counter.

They might call me over for something else, so I decide to sit on a nearby bench and wait it out. If nothing happens after a while, I'll head home. I'm beat, honestly.

As I zoned out watching the guild counter bustle about, the three adventurers from Floor 9 seem to have returned as well.

They must be reporting at the counter, same as I did. The clerk points a finger my way, and all of them turn toward me.

"Thank you, truly! You saved us…!"

"I thought it was the end for me, but I'm so glad we didn't give up. You fought so hard to draw it away, and that's why we got out safely. I'm sorry we couldn't do anything. And I'm truly glad you made it back in one piece too. Thank you."

"It was dark back then and I couldn't see well… so you're still a kid, huh…? I'm sorry for leaving such a brutal job to you. But a man my age was clearly too weak—I couldn't have done anything either. My respects to your courage. Thank you for saving me."

"No, um… I couldn't save one of you. I'm sorry."

"…………That's nothing you should torture yourself over. What happened back there was a misfortune nobody could have changed. He and I were a temporary party. I didn't know him well. I just happened to be the one who got out. A hair's difference, and it might've been him standing here instead of me. That's all there is to it."

"At the very least, all three of us are here because of you. So please, don't apologize. We'd be happy if you'd accept our gratitude."

"…………Okay."

For the first time, the sight of death playing out before my eyes is weighing on my heart—belatedly, but heavily.

Even with the gratitude from the receptionist and the three of them, I couldn't take it cleanly.

It wasn't my fault. I know that much. But I couldn't just write it off. That's arrogance, isn't it.

Maybe this is the price of getting carried away—something like that crossed my mind.