Ch.190July’s Dungeon, and Terror (13)

I headed straight into the fortress.

“Phew…”

Going right into the heart of enemy territory. This is quite nerve-wracking.

As I entered the fortress, a massive number of baldies welcomed me. Besides the baldies, there were monsters of various races. The Master had quite a strong influence here.

They all stared at me intently.

“That guy… Arigiri Shota from Earth…”

“It’s him.”

What? They know me? Becoming popular among aliens… this was another rare experience.

In the center stood a gaunt old man wearing nothing but leather underwear. He held a long sword in his hand.

It’s awkward to say, but… he looked exactly like a Master should. Just like in the game.

In the center, Frill and Sasits were there.

Sasits was lying face down, beaten to a pulp.

“Sasits… I’m so sorry!”

Frill was crying, bound in restraints.

“………”

I roughly understood the situation.

Frill had been captured first. That’s why Sasits had fought the Master to get her back, and ultimately lost.

“Shota… I’m sorry. That guy… he’s using some strange ability.”

Sasits said, staggering.

“Ah. I know. You couldn’t use your Psychorobo, right?”

Being a veteran player, I naturally knew this.

The Master’s ability was Psychorobo Sealing. He emitted a field from his body that sealed Psychorobo abilities.

Even if Sasits’ close combat skills had improved dramatically, his main fighting power was utilizing Psychorobo. With Psychorobo sealed, Sasits’ defeat was inevitable.

“………”

However, Sasits seemed quite humiliated by his loss.

“Sasits. Hold your head high.”

I told Sasits firmly.

“What…?”

Sasits looked at me with wide eyes.

“You fought for the woman you love. You’re a good man. Your coolness was conveyed to Frill.”

I said that as I walked toward the Master.

“Right? Frill.”

I said, looking at Frill.

“Yes… Sasits is… the coolest man in the world!”

Frill shouted through her tears.

“Frill……”

Sasits’ expression softened at that.

“Hmph. Are you done with the sentimentality?”

The Master spoke in a stern tone.

“I had quite high expectations for you. I heard you were the clone under Pink Beard who eliminated the Slave, but it seems you’re just a youngster who relies on Psychorobo.”

The Master said.

Ah… that incident seemed to have become quite well-known throughout space. Well, Pink Beard was the largest warlord in the universe. The existence of an Earthling who messed with them would naturally become known.

“You… Arigiri Shota. I expect you to be different. After all, you’re the one who eliminated the Sword Hunter… Giovanni.”

The Master smiled as he raised his sword.

Swoosh-!

And the old man immediately swung his sword with fluid motion.

As the sword swayed, a field activated around him.

“M-Master… I’m being forcibly unsummoned…!!”

With that, Pinocchio faded away and disappeared.

Psychorobo couldn’t be used at all near the Master.

“Psychorobo… the technique of materializing mental power. That’s what ruined everything. Everyone relies solely on Psychorobo.”

The Master clicked his tongue.

“Back in my day, I faced enemies with nothing but a sword and my body. Kids these days have no grit. No grit at all.”

The Master suddenly started appealing to the past.

“Stop wagging your tongue and pick up your sword. I’ll finish this quickly. We’re both busy.”

I immediately drew my sword. It was a crude sword I had farmed, but it was usable. The durability was barely hanging on, but I was confident I could end this quickly.

“When an elder is speaking… sigh. Fine. I’ve mellowed out a lot. If I were younger, I would just…”

The Master continued his nagging without stopping.

In the game, he also gives a lecture about today’s youth… but facing it in person made it even more irritating.

“With or without Psychorobo, it honestly doesn’t make much difference to me.”

I said confidently.

“Hmph. Let’s see how far that bravado takes you.”

The Master gave a sinister smile.

“No… I’m serious.”

Even with the few skills I’d acquired recently, Pinocchio was inherently useless. I could do without him.

“Then here I come…!! When I cut you down, I’ll become even stronger!!”

The Master immediately took a charging stance.

“Ohhh… a duel between Arigiri Shota and Master…”

“Ah… I can’t take it. My adrenaline is already pumping. I need to go perform my duties.”

“But… if we miss this spectacle…”

The spectators around us clamored.

“Here I come!!!!”

The Master immediately charged at me with his sword.

CLANG-!!!

My sword and the Master’s sword clashed immediately.

Clang-! Clash-! CLANG-!!!

Our swords collided in succession.

“Hahaha! You’re strong!! To block this!! For an inferior mortal from Earth, you’re strong!!!”

The Master grinned as he shouted.

He seemed quite proud… but honestly, I wasn’t impressed.

‘Surprisingly weak?’

That was my impression.

“Hmmph…!”

While crossing swords, I had enough leeway to catch my breath. If he were truly strong, I wouldn’t have had such an opportunity.

Sizzle-!!

I immediately activated Blazing Stance, strengthening my legs.

The Master seemed momentarily confused by the suspicious steam coming from my legs.

WHOOSH-!!!

Right after, I kicked off the ground and moved to the Master’s side.

“What…!!”

The Master seemed surprised by my unexpected speed.

As I moved to his side, I shifted my breathing once more.

Sizzle-!!!

The Blazing Stance settled in my arms. As steam rose from my arms, my muscles bulged prominently.

The speed and power of my arms increased dramatically.

“Hyaaah!!!!”

I swung my sword with full force.

SLASH-!!!

The sword strike cleanly cut through the Master’s arm.

“What…!”

The Master’s eyes widened briefly as his severed arm flew through the air.

SPURT-!!!!!

Like a punctured pump, blood gushed out like a fountain.

“ARGHHHH!!!”

The Master immediately screamed.

“Weak. Surprisingly weak.”

That was surprising. I had quite a struggle when playing the game… I wonder why.

“You’re weaker than our master. You are.”

It was true. This guy was much weaker than Gonzaemon. When sparring with Gonzaemon, I never had the luxury of charging my breathing while exchanging sword strikes. I could barely block his attacks.

“Weaker than Kana too.”

I muttered. If it were Kana, she wouldn’t have given me the chance to move to her side in the first place.

Maybe on par with Thumbs-up Man.

‘Earthlings… are a much stronger species than I thought.’

I had to admit that. Earth was a planet teeming with monsters.

“W-what technique… I’ve never seen such a technique before…”

The Master muttered, clutching the stump of his severed arm.

“Ending your life with a technique you’ve never seen before. Isn’t that a swordsman’s romance?”

I smiled as I raised my sword.

“Hmph… it’s just a scratch. Fine! I’ll go all out now!!”

The Master smiled as he raised his sword.

No… that’s way too severe to call a scratch? Your arm is completely severed?

“Come at me!!!”

The Master immediately closed the distance with his sword raised.

It was a technique of closing to zero distance and delivering a quick, powerful strike with all his might. Yes, similar to Earth’s iaido.

But… due to his severed arm wound, he couldn’t generate speed.

Swoosh-!!

I held my sword at an angle. It was parrying, a technique I had used countless times in the Dagger Dungeon. I’d used it so much that I could roughly estimate the timing just by seeing a sword strike.

TING-!!

As sparks flew from the collision of the two blades, the Master’s sword pathetically cut through empty air.

“Ah…”

The Master groaned. He too sensed his impending defeat.

SLASH-!!

I immediately swung my sword toward the Master’s neck.

SLASH-!!

The Master staggered with his half-severed neck dangling. This sight… it’s too cruel. Although the alien species’ blood was slightly different in color from human blood, it was still quite brutal.

At least I could never show this to Umi. Umi isn’t very immune to this kind of thing.

“Hmph… it’s just a scratch on the neck…! Still…”

The Master stammered as he raised his sword.

“No… that definitely doesn’t look like just a scratch.”

I objected to his words.

Thud-!

Before the Master could respond, his head rolled onto the ground.

With that… the Master met his death.

“T-the Master has fallen!!!”

“I-impossible…!!!”

Everyone around was shocked.

“Now. Anyone who wants to die, come at me.”

I said, holding my sword.

“……!!”

They instinctively distanced themselves from me. The strongest here was the Master. They couldn’t defeat me who had beaten the Master. They rationally understood that.

That’s when it happened.

BOOM-!!!!

The fortress immediately exploded.

“Hahaha!!! This is it!!!”

Taiga laughed hysterically as he threw something incredibly high-tech looking.

I briefly wondered what it was, but its purpose was immediately revealed.

It was just a bomb.

BOOM-!!!

Bombs exploded everywhere. Monsters unfortunate enough to be caught in the explosions followed the Master to the afterlife.

BOOM-!! BOOM-!!

“These lunatics!! Run for your…ARGHH?!!!”

“Shit!!”

The monsters tried to escape from the crazy bombers somehow.

“Wow!! This is fun!!!”

Umi excitedly threw grenades like dodgeballs. Thanks to her dynamic posture, the two dodgeballs in Umi’s heart area also shook. With dodgeballs like those… I’d want to get hit on purpose and be out.

“Hyaah!!!”

Tina was also enthusiastically throwing bombs, destroying the fortress.

But…

“You crazy girls!! Take it easy!!”

I shouted loudly.

If the fortress collapses, we’ll be crushed to death too!!

“Anyway!! Sasits!! Get up!!”

I helped Sasits to his feet.

“Ugh…”

Sasits barely stood up.

“But… Frill’s restraints… we need to remove them…”

Sasits looked at Frill, whose entire body was bound by chains.

We obviously needed to find a key… but there was no time.

“Frill. Don’t move.”

I raised my sword.

“W-wait… Spiky Head?! What are you trying to…!!”

Frill twisted her body.

“Hup!!”

I immediately swung my sword.

CLANG-!!!

With that, the restraints were cleanly cut off.

“…!”

Frill belatedly understood the situation and hurriedly checked her body. She seemed relieved that there were no wounds.

“Hey!! You crazy Spiky Head!!! What if you had accidentally cut me!!!”

Frill was angry.

“So what. You didn’t get cut.”

I smiled as I helped both Sasits and Frill to their feet. The fact that she was shouting meant she was in good condition.

Anyway, I took Sasits and Frill and hurriedly left the fortress.