Ch.66April, and the Dungeon (4)

“Pinocchio!! Tell a lie!!”

I immediately shouted at Pinocchio.

“A-a lie?!”

Pinocchio was flustered.

“Yes!! Hurry up!! It’s something you do all the time!!”

I shouted like that.

“M-master is handsome!!”

As Pinocchio shouted that, his nose grew longer.

No. This little shit?

Well, putting that aside, Pinocchio’s nose extended to just the right length. I could grab it like a shield handle.

Thud-!!

I immediately grabbed Pinocchio’s nose and held him up like a shield.

The so-called Pinocchio Shield!!!!

“It’s the Ungrateful Son Shield!!!”

I held up Pinocchio right away.

“Ungrateful son?! What are you saying!! Master!!!”

Pinocchio immediately got upset.

“Ah… I can feel it. Geppetto’s anger……”

I fully felt the weight of Pinocchio in my hand.

Click-!!

With Pinocchio as my shield, I took my stance.

Since I couldn’t hold my sword with both hands, I couldn’t expect to deliver heavy blows, but in exchange, I increased my defense.

Moreover… Pinocchio had a passive skill called ‘Overwhelming Presence.’ It was a cheat skill that drew aggro just by existing.

In other words, all attacks would be focused on the shield I was holding.

Screech-!! Screech-!!

The bear-shaped monsters rushed toward me.

Clang-! Clang-! Clang-!!

I raised my shield to block their attacks. The aggro effect seemed to work perfectly, as the monsters persistently struck only my shield.

“Hyaaah!!!”

While blocking attacks with my shield, I swung my sword.

Slash-!!

With a clean strike, a bear’s stomach split open, scattering stuffing everywhere.

“Geppetto’s pension!!!!!”

After blocking one wave of attacks, I swung my shield widely. Shields could also be used as weapons. It was a standard rule in fantasy.

Whoosh-!!!!

The monsters’ formation was disrupted by the shield strike.

“Hyaaaaaaah!!!!!! Geppetto’s savings!!!!!”

Taking advantage of their broken stance, I swung my sword horizontally.

Slash-!!!!!!

As the sword wind swept through, the bear dolls’ bodies were simultaneously sliced apart.

Thanks to my disruption of their formation, the monsters weren’t paying any attention to the party members behind me. When the tank does well, the party members have it easy.

“Geppetto’s!!!!! Retirement fund!!!!!”

Crash-!!!!!

I charged toward the monsters like a bulldozer with my shield raised. The monsters hit by my charge were all neutralized.

Ah….. I can feel it. The sorrow of Grandpa Geppetto who lost his peaceful retirement because of Pinocchio!!!

Grandpa, you should have stayed single for life….. why did you create this troublemaker……

“Shota!! What’s their weakness?!”

At that moment, Sasith asked me. He realized this was the optimal timing for an attack.

“Light!!! Hit them now!!!”

I shouted loudly.

“Come forth!! Pupufung!!!!!!”

Sasith immediately summoned his Psychorobo.

“Holy Judgment!!!!!”

Sasith activated his light-attribute area attack.

Flash-!!!!!!!!

As Pupufung raised his sword, arrows of light rained down from all directions.

Thwack-!!!!!!

The light arrows slaughtered all the bear dolls at once. As black steam rose from the bears’ bodies, they collapsed like puppets with cut strings.

“Great!!! Let’s keep going like this!”

I shouted loudly.

“Yeah.”

Sasith nodded with a smile.

The fact that I could actually die this time was quite terrifying. However, I felt like we could overcome it together with my companions.

‘I’ll overcome it.’

I had already overcome death once before. The first time is the hardest; the second time is easier. It was a problem that could be solved if I just kept my wits about me.

——–

Afterward, we searched the surroundings while defeating the monsters on the second floor one by one.

“Do we really need to eliminate all of them? It takes so much time.”

Umi said in a tone that suggested she found it bothersome.

“We need to hunt monsters here to level up. Gaining levels and combat experience—what’s not to like?”

I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

In RPG games, those who ignored grinding met miserable ends. The typical novice pattern was to get a game over against main quest enemies due to insufficient specs, then belatedly grinding while crying.

If grinding was inevitable, it was better to do it now. That was my principle.

“Well… we are leveling up nicely.”

Umi said, checking above her head.

The levels of our main members, Taiga and Umi, had already exceeded 20, and Sasith’s level was approaching the late 20s. It was an incredible growth rate. As expected of official party members appearing in the game.

Even I, with my slow leveling, had just reached level 10 thanks to the benefits of party play.

Level 10. This was significant. The thrill of going from single to double digits was something only gamers could appreciate.

“Let’s just quickly go up to the 10th floor and finish this soon.”

Even Taiga, who loved fighting, strangely agreed with Umi.

“We need to finish early so I can fool around with Shota.”

Taiga said with a mischievous smile.

“Right. I want to cuddle with Shota quickly too.”

Umi seemed to strongly agree with Taiga’s words.

My girlfriends were becoming increasingly lustful lately. Should I secretly slip some libido suppressants into their meals? I was seriously considering it.

“No. There are many rare pieces of equipment we can get here.”

I cut them off, trying to dissuade them.

Skipping the optimal farming spot would make things difficult later on.

“Geez…..”

Umi puffed her cheeks and looked at me with a dissatisfied expression.

“I have field command authority.”

I immediately pounded my chest with my fist as I spoke.

That’s right. Leader Sasith had ‘delegated’ it to me.

“Disobeying orders results in summary execution.”

I’ve always wanted to say that line.

“What summary execution?! Getting cocky, aren’t you?”

Taiga chuckled and immediately put me in a headlock. Taiga’s strength was considerable, but the cushioning of her chest was so amazing that it didn’t actually hurt. Rather, it felt good.

“Shota… he really likes wearing that hat of authority.”

Umi looked at me with an expression of disbelief.

——–

Anyway, I faithfully performed my role as dungeon guide.

“Here. There’s a trap.”

I immediately threw Pinocchio forward.

“Master?”

Pinocchio wore an anxious expression.

“Walk forward.”

I ordered Pinocchio.

“Y-yes…..”

Pinocchio crouched down and moved forward.

There was only one trick to disarming traps: put a meat shield in front. Then the ones in front would step on the traps and die for you.

This was quite a time-honored method. It was how the Soviet army crossed minefields in the past. They would make German prisoners walk in rows across minefields, and the mines would naturally detonate and clear themselves. As for what happened to the German prisoners… well, you can guess. Let’s pray for their souls.

However, using Pinocchio for trap disarmament wasn’t as inhumane. Even if he stepped on traps, Pinocchio wouldn’t die. With his all-attribute resistance, his body was incredibly tough.

Beep-!!

Sure enough, Pinocchio stepped on a button in the ground.

Swoosh-!!!!!

An enormous number of arrows shot out from the walls.

“Master!!! Damn it!!!”

Pinocchio’s body was pierced by countless arrows. He almost looked like a hedgehog. Well… I’ll pull them out later.

In this way, I disarmed the traps one by one. It was a vicious structure with traps every ten steps, but with Pinocchio, there was nothing to fear.

“Pinocchio. Walk.”

I commanded Pinocchio authoritatively.

“Master…. but it looks obviously dangerous…..”

“Walk.”

“Damn it…!!”

As Pinocchio took a step, an iron mace fell from the ceiling.

Crash-!!

The mace hit Pinocchio directly, and it took 30 seconds for him to regain consciousness. This guy really has a tough body.

In that manner, we broke through to the fourth floor.

As expected, there was a treasure chest in the same location as in the game.

It was a very classic treasure chest trap.

There were three treasure chests, two were duds, and one was the winner—a simple yet vicious trap.

“The leftmost chest.”

I said to Sasith.

“Okay.”

Sasith opened the left chest.

Click-!!

A sword decorated with red jewels appeared.

“It’s equipment for you, Sasith. It will be helpful.”

I said.

It was a decent piece of equipment called the ‘Ruby Sword.’ Its base attack power was low, but it had spell power amplification and maximum SP increase effects, making it a good weapon.

I was already handling all the physical attacks, and Sasith was essentially a magic dealer. It was the optimal equipment for Sasith right now.

“Hmm. Not bad.”

Sasith said, lightly swinging the sword. Though trying to appear calm, Sasith was desperately suppressing the corners of his mouth from rising. Yes, he must be happy. He finally got some powerful equipment.

“Shota!! Is there equipment I can use here too?!!”

“I want a cool weapon like that too!!”

Umi and Taiga looked at me with eyes gleaming with greed.

“Yes, yes.”

I smiled wryly and waved my hand.

This was a dungeon for spec upgrades after all. There were plenty of useful equipment pieces for each companion.

‘I’m aiming for one too.’

There was a good sword that could be obtained here. I was planning to loot a nice piece of equipment for myself as well.

And so, our party enthusiastically tackled the dungeon.

———-

At that time, outside the dungeon.

The villain organization Apocalypse was monitoring the situation outside the dungeon. Since they were annoyed by Sasith’s party preventing the erosion of the hidden world, they had undertaken the mission of spying on Sasith’s party. They planned to target Sasith’s party after gathering information. In that sense, the leader, Shoji, had a very cunning and cautious personality.

“I can’t stand it!! Boss!!! We can’t let those bastards run around!!!”

Jack, one of Apocalypse’s executives, shouted loudly.

“Jack. Didn’t I tell you? That Arigiri Shota is dangerous. Future prediction ability… it’s an overpowered ability I’ve never seen before. It’s best to avoid a direct confrontation.”

Shoji tried to calm Jack down.

“That’s 100% bullshit!!!! That guy, he disrespected us!!! I can’t stand watching that brat running around!!!”

Jack flexed his muscles in anger.

“Are you defying the leader’s orders?”

Emoto glared at Jack.

“As long as I achieve results, right? I’ll bring back the heads of everyone including Arigiri Shota!! Then there won’t be any complaints, right?”

Jack shouted with veins bulging in his neck.

“Hmm……”

Shoji seemed to be contemplating.

Soon, Shoji appeared to have reached a conclusion.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Jack. I look forward to good news.”

Shoji said with a slight smile.

“Alright!!!!”

Jack let out a resounding cheer.

Immediately after, Jack leaped high and headed into the dungeon.

‘Arigiri Shota… I’ll kill that bastard.’

Jack’s eyes gleamed with hatred.

A level 30 powerhouse, who normally wouldn’t have intervened yet, was now hunting level 10 Shota.