Chapter 42.2

“You already did!”

“No, it was just a chop.”

Then Haruki rubbed Karen’s forehead.

“Ouuuu…”

Karen pulled away and looked at him with tear-filled angry eyes.

“It’s them that attacked us without provocation. You can’t take the blame for their crimes. Besides…”

Haruki lowered his back so he could look Karen straight in her eyes.

“My guard was down. I knew that it was possible that they might come, and yet I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t a good scout. And so it was my fault that you got hurt.”

“Yo-you’re wrong! I was the rear guard. If only I had seen them coming…”

“You wouldn’t have been hurt if I was stronger! Had I had the resolve, they wouldn’t have died!”

Haruki had been smoldering within for a while now.

And his emotions came pouring out from his mouth.

Ever since he had acquired the skill board, he had been trying his hardest.

Or he had believed that he was.

He was using his abilities to the fullest.

However, there had still been more that he could do.

Had he maxed out Growth Acceleration in the beginning, he might have been strong enough by now to have saved them.

That being said, he had never considered raising their skills as a way of saving them.

Haruki had no intention of pardoning them.

But saving them and pardoning them were completely different things to him.

It was an Adventurer’s ‘job’ to protect lives.

If he couldn’t save those who were right in front of him, he was like a printer that couldn’t print. He was useless.

He wasn’t an Adventurer.

He had to save people, even if they were criminals.

That was his job.

And so he wanted to save. But if he was so fixated on that, then Haruki should have considered raising their skills as an option.

Maybe he should have been more reckless.

The business of saving lives was not as simple as he had thought.

Perhaps what he had been lacking was the willingness to go one step further.

Karen could use the rare skill that was magic. And Haruki had the even rarer skill board.

With these two things, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t be the target of someone’s malice.

Even if you caused no trouble, it had a way of finding you.

Just like this time. The hatred had been one-sided.

If he couldn’t deal with that malice, then he was still too inexperienced.

He couldn’t blame anyone if they called him that.

He didn’t want to make the same mistake again.

And so he would do everything in his power to prevent it.

He would save every life that was in his reach.

Or he would become strong enough that anyone with ill-intentions towards him would think twice before facing him.

Yes, Haruki was resolved to do it.

In order for him to become stronger.

In order to gain the power to protect his friends.

“Me too. If I was stronger, you wouldn’t have been in such danger. You wouldn’t have had to suffer alone…so I…!”

Tears fell from Karen’s eyes as Haruki took her hand and squeezed it.

“Let’s get stronger then. Together.”

“…Yes.”

＊

[Hardcore Force] Traverse the Dungeon at Fullpower! 157th Floor(Purveyor)

65 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

I found him!

That masked guy that there have been rumors about.

66 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

Really?

What was he like?

Did you talk to him?

67 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

A cursed mask that floats in the air.

A plant on his back.

Tentacle hands.

68 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

What kind of monster?

69 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

He’s not a monster!

At least, he was using an IC card.

…I think.

70 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

You don’t sound so confident. Lol

So, did you talk to him?

71 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

As if I could!

That guy is dangerous!

I would have great respect for anyone who could approach him.

72 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

That bad, huh…

Maybe you have to be as strong as Masatsugu to get close.

73 Name: Anonymous Frontline Challenger

Well, that rules me out. lol

[Enjoy Force] A thread to discuss Chikaho 70(Alive!)

110 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

Latest information.

I found the taming skill.

111 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

Seriously?

Tell me more!!

112 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

I don’t know the details.

I just saw someone who was able to tame a monster.

113 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

>>112 Dumbass

Gather more information before you come here.

Well, I’ve been trying for a long time, but keep failing.

You probably need a magic item, right?

114 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

So, who is this person that succeeded?

115 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

I can’t tell you.

Because you’ll be able to identify the person.

But uh…

This guy seemed really dangerous.

116 Name: Anonymous who enjoys Chikaho

Wait, are you talking about…

The masked man?

[Definitely] A thread for monster parade reports 422(Extinct)

21 Name: Praying for a monster parade to hit normies

I heard there was a monster parade in Chikaho

22 Name: Praying for a monster parade to hit normies

Yeah, and the masked man annihilated it.

23 Name: Praying for a monster parade to hit normies

Mask? Annihilate? I thought it scattered?

Which floor was this?

I heard that it was on the 10th floor.

24 Name: Praying for a monster parade to hit normies

Huh?

No, it’s the 8th floor.

25 Name: Praying for a monster parade to hit normies

What?

…What?

＊

[The Road to becoming a Noticeable Being]

-I Found It!-

Hello, it’s Air(^o^)

I have been searching through Chikaho after accepting a quest, and today, I’ve completed it!!

Oh, I’m so happy to be alive(>_<)

And then I killed a lot of monsters after it, and leveled up a lot!

I might be able to go to the central layers soon(^ ^)

However, there are things that I feel I have to improve on as well.

This whole experience reminded me that I’m still a beginner.

Maybe I was getting a little ahead of myself(^_^;)

I have to get much, much stronger!(>_<)

But it seems that I’ll be free for about three weeks, so I’m going to level up!

I worked hard leveling up today as well!

Now, perhaps I’ve taken another step closer to a future of having a presence? Maybe?

＊

As always, his blog had three visitors.

However, after about 4 hours passed from his update, he saw that he had two new visitors, and he had 5 page views.

Furthermore, when he checked his blog the next day, he saw that he had been bookmarked again.

Now that was 4 bookmarks!

“Yeeeess!!”

Haruki was so happy that he started to dance on top of his hotel bed.

Could this mean that his presence had been strengthened!?

Haruki was so excited that he ran out into town without his mask. However, no one noticed him at all.

“Ohh…”

Apparently, the road to strengthening his presence was still very long.