Chapter-04 · EP-063

Episode 63: Defeat the Goblins!

"Wait, we only started exploring the second floor for the first time today, and you already want to go to the third floor?"

Hearing my words, the three looked at me as if to say, "What are you talking about?"

Then Yuno spoke up.

"Iori easily defeated the second-floor boss too, so wouldn't it be better to explore the third floor?"

She had a point. And all three seemed to have no objection to starting the third-floor exploration.

"I guess it can't be helped… Alright, let's go. You've probably heard this, but the only monsters on the third floor are goblins. This is where you'll first encounter humanoid monsters. Some people find killing goblins disturbing. If any of you feel that way, we'll stop the exploration immediately."

"Okay." "Yes." "Yeah."

Yuno, Maika, and Iori each responded to my explanation.

I was completely fine with it, but I'd heard that every year, some students at the academy couldn't handle killing humanoid creatures on this floor and ended up dropping out. No matter how skilled they were, if they were too kind-hearted, they weren't suited to be explorers.

Especially since Yuno and the others were girls, they might not be able to handle it. I decided to proceed cautiously so I could support them immediately if needed.

As we started walking, we found a goblin.

"Let me take this one."

In this party, Iori was still the lead batter.

Placing her hand on the katana at her side, Iori slowly walked towards the goblin.

The goblin noticed Iori and dashed to attack her.

But with a single flash of Iori's katana, she defeated the goblin in one hit.

"I see. It feels different from fighting reptile-type monsters. Personally, I find humanoids easier to fight."

Iori shared her impression after cutting down the goblin for the first time.

But defeating a goblin in one hit at level 2… I hadn't been able to do that until I reached level 3. I was once again reminded of Iori's strength.

"How old were you when you started learning the sword?"

I asked impulsively. It must have taken many years to become this strong. I was good at sports, but I had no martial arts training. I'd only started holding a wooden sword since entering the academy.

"How old was I when I started? Hmm… How old was I? By the time I could remember, I was already learning from my father alongside my brother."

"Since you were old enough to remember?"

"Yeah."

No way. Did that mean she had over ten years of experience? There was no way I could beat Iori. It was only natural that I couldn't.

"I see."

I nodded to myself in understanding.

For the next goblin we found, we decided to have Maika attack it with magic. The plan was that if it got close, Iori and I would deal with it.

As a result, with repeated Water Balls, she succeeded in defeating the goblin before it could approach.

"Maika's amazing too. Can you still use more magic?"

"Yeah. Probably okay!"

Maika answered with a double fist pump.

"Now, it's Yuno's turn, but…"

"I'm scared."

Iori's attack power was fine, and Maika could attack from a distance with magic. But how could Yuno fight a goblin? If she fought one-on-one normally, she'd probably get seriously hurt.

So, after thinking it over…

"Yuno! Now! Hit it with all you've got!"

The goblin I was pinning to the ground was thrashing its limbs and struggling, snorting.

I was holding its head down so it couldn't move, letting Yuno attack it.

"It's hard to hit like this!"

"Just hit it!"

"How am I supposed to do it? Aaah, Iori!"

Yuno called out to Iori for help. Hurry up, this goblin was struggling.

"Let me borrow your wooden sword."

"Okay."

Prompted by Iori, Yuno readily handed over her only weapon. Did she even want to fight?

"Like, how should I put it, watermelon splitting? I've never done it, but maybe hit it like that?"

Saying that, Iori swung the wooden sword down.

Thwack! I felt the impact of the goblin's skull breaking through the sword. Then the goblin vanished.

"Ah, sorry, I defeated it… Yuno, something like that?"

Iori, even with a wooden sword, could defeat a goblin in one hit… More importantly…

"Yuno, think you can do it next time?"

"I'll try!"

We caught the next goblin, and I pinned it down again. This time, Yuno swung the wooden sword with all her might.

Thunk! Each time the wooden sword hit, the goblin let out an unpleasant shriek. Yuno's hands trembled as it wouldn't go down, but finally, with a yell, she landed a decisive blow and defeated the goblin.

"That was scary…"

"Haa, haa… Assisting is more tiring…"

"Sorry…"

"No, that's fine. More importantly, how do you feel? Any aversion to killing goblins?"

"Yeah, I think I'm more okay than I expected. …I mean, look at them. They look totally evil."

"I see. That's good then."

All three seemed to have overcome the hurdle of killing humanoid monsters on the third floor without issue.

"So, Shirou. How many more do we need to fight to reach level 3?"

"Hmm?"

The battle maniac was motivated.

"We didn't fight much on the second floor, and this is our fourth on the third floor. With four of us including me… about 36 more?"

"I see! Then let's do our best!"

"Wait, wait! You don't encounter that many at once…"

I started to say, then remembered last week.

Last week, when I rescued a party being attacked by a group of goblins, for some reason, that room had a huge number of goblins. There were places in dungeons where monsters spawned in large numbers.

"If we go there…"

It was my fault for muttering that thought aloud.

"Alright! Then let's go there!"

The battle maniac seemed serious about reaching level 3 today.