Ch.34The Disgustingly Huge Snowball Shot Up by an NPC. (6)

The second floor of the dungeon was populated with Wolf-Men, humanoid wolves. Level 390 monsters were stationed throughout.

Yes, they *were* stationed. Past tense.

“Haa. Haa. Haa.”

“That was seriously intense, wasn’t it?”

“J-Jack, you don’t look tired at all.”

No. I’m absolutely exhausted too.

Like on the first floor, I pulled them one by one, pinned them down while Ray finished them off with precise assassination strikes to their vital points, but even that was no joke.

If the creatures on the first floor had the strength of elementary or middle school students, these guys were all at least high school level. Some even displayed adult-level strength that was absolutely terrifying.

Even though my level went up by 10, that really says it all. And despite leveling up, I still struggled like hell to pin them down.

And then.

“That must be this dungeon’s boss.”

“Seems like it. What do you want to do? If it looks too tough, we can just head back to the guild and report?”

[Silver Wolf-Man: Level 425]

[HP: 10,000]

“…Jack, do you think we can defeat that thing together?”

“Well, if you can activate your skill and move properly, I think we can win. That’s what I think. But if you’re definitely exhausted, it’s too risky.”

After hearing my words, Ray closed her eyes and sheathed her sword.

Hmm, is she giving up? Well, there’s no need to push ourselves, good choice…

“Ten minutes. If I rest for ten minutes, I can fight at full strength for five minutes.”

“…A five-minute time limit, huh? That’s going to be tough.”

“I don’t think I can fight any longer than that with my skill activated, even if I rest more. Is that not enough?”

Ray looked at me and asked in return. Her confident assessment of her full-power capabilities and the clear five-minute limit showed none of yesterday’s anxiety about not being helpful.

Rather, with her increased intelligence and properly awakened abilities, her confidence seems to have returned. She also seems to have grown more calm in assessing situations.

Hmm, if this is actually the effect of increased intelligence, then my intelligence of 6 must be truly legendary, right?

“Five minutes. Let’s try it. If it doesn’t work, I’ll just carry you and run away.”

“Yes. In that case, please carry me princess-style.”

“I’ll consider it depending on the situation.”

“…Hehe.”

Seeing Ray make such an adorably calm remark, I can’t help but smile wryly.

This is trouble. At this rate, I might end up getting attached to her when it’s time to part ways. Even though I know for certain that story-wise, she can’t stay with us, I’ll probably feel regretful when the time comes.

We spent 10 minutes observing the gray wolf from outside its attack range.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

And so our party play began.

*

The silver sword thrusts forward rapidly, and the wolf with fur of the same color swiftly dodges. It brings down sharp claws that could horribly tear Ray’s composed face if they made contact.

But Ray ignores the attack itself and immediately follows up with a sideways slash of her sword.

Anyone would see this as trading bone for flesh—or rather, risking life just to maybe inflict some damage—a reckless attack method.

Though it appears to be a foolhardy exchange, there is not a hint of fear within Ray’s blue barrier.

Because.

“Legs!!!”

-WHACK!!

-SLASH!!

[Grrrrrrr?!!!]

There’s a man perfectly blocking the opponent’s heavy and sharp attacks.

A man with hair a cleaner gray than the beast’s fur and orange eyes. Forest Keeper Jack.

He told her that he would block the enemy’s attacks, so she should never let up on her offensive.

As blood spurts from the Wolf-Man’s waist, it glares hatefully at the man who blocked its attack while shouting “legs,” then immediately opens its jaws toward the man. But Ray doesn’t miss this opening and continues her swift sword strikes.

-Attack, attack, attack.

Thrusts at incredible speed—not fast enough that the Wolf-Man couldn’t dodge them head-on, but not weak enough to be casually avoided while maintaining its offensive.

The wolf takes three more sword strikes before closing its jaws and wildly swinging both arms to push the two away.

But the blonde swordswoman doesn’t hesitate, immediately kicks off the ground to approach, and continues the same exchange.

Three minutes pass like this.

“Hnngh!!!”

-SLASH!!!

[Gr⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯!!!]

Ray’s sharp blade cuts a long line from bottom to top across the monster’s body.

An attack that would have bisected any normal monster or human.

But the dungeon’s boss, the Silver Wolf-Man, responds to the golden-haired female’s attempt to kill it with even greater hatred.

Ignoring the male beside it, it leaps completely off the ground with the intent to kill, hurling its entire body at the woman.

The speed is too fast for Ray to dodge after having just swung her sword widely. However.

“Bad move, you son of a bitch!!”

The Wolf-Man couldn’t understand when it happened.

The male who had clearly been beside it—how was he now above its head?

It’s true that the male had been constantly interfering with its attacks until now, but that was absolutely not because the man was fast.

The monster understood through their continued exchange that it was only possible because the man had intervened during the gaps when it was dodging the woman’s attacks and looking for openings in her defense.

But this current attack wasn’t about dodging the woman’s attack—it was a charge while taking her hit head-on. For that man to have followed…

“Head!!!”

For the first time clearly announcing his target, Jack’s heel came down at tremendous speed, smashing directly between the Wolf-Man’s eyes and driving its face into the ground.

And then.

“This is the end!!!”

-SLICE!!

The moment the woman’s sharp voice rang out, the Wolf-Man’s head was completely separated from its body.

*

“Haaah! Haaah! Haaah!! I-I can’t… anymore!!!”

-THUD. CLANG!!

Seeing Ray collapse completely, eyes tightly shut and breathing roughly, Jack smiled wryly.

A level 425 dungeon champion, a boss monster.

From her perspective, not even level 200 yet, it must have felt as intimidating as a raid boss.

“You did well. You really fought well.”

“Huaaah! Massage!! Give me a massage today too!! I’m so exhausted!!! Haa! Haa! Haa!!”

“I was thinking about giving you one, but since you’re asking for it like it’s expected, I don’t want to anymore.”

“Waaah!! I shouldn’t have said anything!!”

She’s truly regretful, lying on the ground and shaking her head. Geez, why is she acting like this in front of me?

Can you stop trying to be cute?

“Well, let’s collect the magic stone and leave. Can you walk?”

“Ugh… yes.”

Just one measly magic stone as a reward for clearing the dungeon.

Realizing that the Orc Champion we killed yesterday was actually the better deal, Ray and I turned around to leave the dungeon…

“…Huh?”

“Eh? What’s wrong?”

“Didn’t you just hear something?”

“What are you—?”

-Crack…

“…You heard that, right?”

“Oh my?”

At the spot where the Silver Wolf-Man had disappeared.

The crack in the ground where its face had been smashed was growing larger, and gradually a sound like thunder began to echo throughout the dungeon.

“…Is this place collapsing?”

“N-No way. Surely that small hole couldn’t cause the whole place to collapse…?”

-CRACK!!!

“R-Ray!! Run!!!”

“I-I can’t run!! My legs have absolutely no strength left…!! Kyaah?!!”

I immediately threw Ray over my shoulder and ran like mad. Fortunately, the cracks didn’t follow us to the stairs leading to the first floor…

“Jack!! Jack!!! The stairs!! The stairs are collapsing too!!!”

“This is ridiculous?!!”

The stairs beneath my feet began to crack, and I jumped forcefully to the side.

Absurdly, the upper stairs had already begun to sink.

How is this dungeon constructed that the ground is collapsing?! No, wait! What the hell?! Do I have some passive skill that makes dungeons collapse when I clear them?!!

“Damn it!!!”

“Kyaaaa!!!!”

I kicked off the wall, leaping forward to reach the first floor, only to find that even the pillars of the first floor were collapsing.

What the hell? This dungeon was perfectly fine in the game, so why is it going crazy now?!!

“Uwaaaaaa!!!”

Screaming, I ran with all my might and practically collided with the dungeon entrance as I flew outside. Ray, who flew out with me, floated momentarily in the air before crashing face-first into the ground.

“Kuh?!”

“Puheh?!”

The dungeon entrance completely collapsed, and the ground sank.

Seriously, the entire dungeon floor collapsed because of that one hole? This is completely shoddy construction?!!

“Ugh… th-that wasn’t even princess-style, and I landed face-first on the ground…”

“…You, that’s what you’re saying right now? You should be grateful we survived…”

With a dirt-covered face and an expression like she might really cry, Ray collapsed again and spat out dirt. I stared at the bewilderingly collapsed dungeon before standing up.

“Ray. Get up, it’s dangerous here too. The ground might collapse further…”

“My back is completely shot…”

“……”

After saying that, Ray was really just reaching out her arms, demanding to be carried.

This is seriously…

“Princess-style…”

“Should I just leave you here?”

“Hiing.”

I just slung Ray over my shoulder and walked up the cliff path.

Crazy dungeon! Crazy world!! I’m never clearing a dungeon again, I swear!!

*

—Somewhere in the mountains outside the borders of the Empire and Aigram.

“Huh? Didn’t you hear something?”

“What? What sound?”

“No, just now, something like breaking…”

-CRACK!!!

“W-What?!! Th-That!!!”

“Th-The wall is collapsing?! Why, suddenly?!!”

“What’s going on?! Are we under attack?!”

“R-Run!! The wall is collapsing!!”

“D-Damn it! No!! The summoning circle!! Save the summoning circle!!!”

“Kyaaaak!!!”

“Damn it!! The summoning circle!! The demon summoning circle!!!”

-RUMBLE!!!!

“Gyaaaak!! Our grand plan!!!”

“Ten… ten years of preparation for our grand scheme…”

The cave-like dungeon where they were collapsed, and people were crushed to death. Everything they possessed was buried underground.

In the mountains between borders where no one should have been.

Miserable screams echoed through the distortion of the world, but no one in the world paid any attention.