24th Day Morning Dungeon
No matter what, we keep fighting. No matter what happens, we keep fighting. Whatever the case, we keep fighting. Raising our levels even by one is the only thing Haru-kun wished for. We cannot do anything for him. We have not done anything for him. There is no way we can say we will not even do what he asked for.
"Haaah… haaah… fuuuu…"
"…Lamaze breathing?"
Whose baby is it!? The place where Odachi-kun and the others raised their levels, the most efficient and delicious spot, the mystery of this world: the labyrinth.
No one in this world understands why something like this exists, but Odachi-kun and the others just accept it because it is part of the standard package.
We do not need to understand it. We do not understand anything anyway. The only thing we know is that we have to get stronger. Everyone came along even though they did not want to understand, just because it was Haru-kun's wish.
"Why does this snake keep popping out all of a sudden!? What is it squirming around for!"
"There are monsters that do not trigger Presence Detection, so stay on guard at all times."
We fight while receiving guidance from Odachi-kun and the others, talk, and fight again.
"Switch the front line. Um, Triangle Plus One formation, and no Thunder Wall allowed."
"Ehhh~!"
During breaks we receive skill lectures, adjust our status, activate SP to optimize it for our own fighting style, and learn new skills. Odachi-kun and the others keep teaching us as if they have seen it all before, as if it is the most natural thing in the world, talking smoothly like water flowing over a board. Were these people really in Japan? Why do they know so much? What Haru-kun said about "those guys will get serious once they go to another world" was apparently true.
1F is goblins. Easy win.
2F is kobolds. Not even enemies.
3F is green wolves. Just annoying.
4F is… 4F has bugs… a huge water bug standing up and coming at us… It is a Letocelus, the old name.
Normally there would be a huge commotion, screams and total chaos… but we calmly take them down. It is gross… disgusting… I do not want to touch it… when you cut it, some kind of juice sprays out… but we calmly take them down. They are not strong. They are just gross. We will not die to opponents like this. This is not a fight where we die. We do not need the resolve to die. There is no way we can flinch in a fight like this. We cannot flinch. It is not allowed.
5F is orcs… and we take our frustration out on them. It really was gross…
Now we are on 6F, green snakes that slip past Presence Detection and launch surprise attacks. But it is not a problem. We are not that weak anymore. If they attack, we just take them down.
We are almost at the stairs to 7F. Today's goal is 20F. Whether it is impossible or reckless does not matter. We just aim for it. This is the only thing we can do.
It is okay. Everyone is putting on a calm face.
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It is about time to head back. We only made it to 17F. Experience-wise there is apparently not much difference between 12F and 24F, so it is fine for leveling purposes. Everyone is just taking their frustration out on the monsters and on this world.
"The praying mantises on this floor look like they will be no problem~!"
17F was bugs too. Juice sprays out, but it is better than that one. That one… only looks like a G! Do not come running at me! Do not stand up!
"All right, time is up so we head back. Switch the front line and do a sweep with two teams."
"Yess~" "Roger" "OK!" "Got it" "Which one am I?" "Right group is this way~" "Which one?" "That side?" "Over there!" "Ah~!" "Which way is right?" "Hurry, hurry" "Yeah"...
It is okay. Everyone is putting on a calm face.
Our levels will reach 50 soon. Shimazaki-san and the others have already passed 60. We should reach Odachi-kun and the others' levels in two or three days.
No one knows what we are getting stronger for, but we just keep getting stronger because we have to… This is fine, right?
It is okay. Everyone is managing to put on a calm face.
Even if the only thing you can hear from every room at night is crying.
24th Day
Yeah, I got a ton of goblins, kobolds, fish, and mushrooms.
Walking really is the way to go. This is the only thing that has any meaning. This is all there is.
I did not level up, but I did get a new skill.
It is probably pointless, but it is meaningful.
Some skill levels went up too.
It has no meaning, but it is a threat.
I thought for sure they would control the fake versions and send them at me from behind.
The muscle-brained idiots were probably too strong, so there is only one customer.
There is nothing left in the forest anymore. They just have to pass through here.
They have probably started building a combination that will not mesh, an assembly that will not fit together.
That is why I will make sure it does not assemble, make the combinations not fit, make them not mesh.
I will break it and ruin it, pulling out just one precisely placed fatal piece from the carefully stacked pile.
It should be soon. Do I need to prepare a welcome?
I did not invite them, so no welcome.
If they want to come they can come. They will come even if they do not want to.
The fish is delicious. I still have meat too.
I will not offer hospitality, but I will return the favor.
It is already late at night.
I have finished dinner and my bath.
Today was another good day.
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But
Today was the worst.
"Hey there, Tanaka-kun. You are pretty late~? I think everything is already way too late, you know? What did you come here for?"