CH 54

Episode 054: Encounter with Despair (Third Party Perspective)

The 21st floor of the Shushima Dungeon.

"Inoue-san, can't you find anything so far?"

"It's better to find nothing. It's better to be careful. You may not be able to handle the information we received in advance."

"Is that so."

Togari, who specializes in scouting wears light clothes and various protectors like RPG thieves like to wear, talks to Inoue, an S-rank explorer whose long white coat is his trademark.

They are currently exploring to the bottom layer as before, mapping all the layers of the Shushima dungeon.

More explorers have been mobilized than last time, and parties consisting of four or five people are conducting the exploration by dividing them into multiple groups.

To date, no particular problems have occurred.

"Is it a monster of SS-rank or higher, or something that can defeat it?"

"It's okay if it's my imagination, but I'm really worried ..."

When the one with rippling straight blonde hair as a trademark, Samejima, a detection explorer, upon hearing the conversation between them with a sense of inferiority, looks up in the air as if thinking of something and then responds.

She's a little sorry because they haven't found anything so far.

"No, not all dungeons have been elucidated. And monsters are still a threat to humankind. If any doubts remain, it's best to eliminate them."

"I'd be saved if it were as you say."

Inoue responds to Samejima and she bows at his words.

"That's right. If there is no such thing, I would definitely like to see it."

Itome opened his narrow eyes slightly and grinned.(TN:Guess it's Itome not Itogaki? 糸目 instead of 糸垣 I guess the kanji got connected wrongly previously or it's a typo this time. Or it may be a completely different person. IDK)

"Don't say that. It's best to have found nothing. Unless you want to die."

"I don't want to die, but I think it's fun to have a battle with a monster stronger than me."

"Haa. You're a fighting maniac even though you look like that."

Inoue reprimands him, but he laughs rather happily and innocently. Inoue smiles bitterly looking at his slender, insect-like appearance.

To be honest, Itome, is a battle enthusiast who preferred a deadly battle with a superior opponent. That's probably the reason he participated in this operation. Instead, Ishibashi didn't participate this time. He refused to do such a tedious exploration more than once.

"It looks like an enemy. Get ready."

""Yes.""

That being said, this is a floor where only B-rank monsters should appear. It is quite troublesome to stay vigilant.

That's why everyone's response was stale.

They didn't realize 'it' was coming.

"~ !?"

The first one who noticed was the person in charge of detection, Samejima. She tensed up at the terrifying sign.

"Something is coming!!"

It appeared in the place where the monsters were several tens of meters away. The monsters that should have existed there a moment ago are gone, and instead, a monster like a black beast appears.

Its size is so huge that the passage in the dungeon is a little cramped. And above all, its presence speaks to the mighty power of the beast.

"Unmeasurable!?"

The strength of the opponent's magical power felt by Samejima can no longer be measured. A vicious aura is rising from its whole body. It was the first experience for Samejima who can grasp even S-rank and SS-rank. At the same time, sweat drips from her whole body, and her body begins to tremble.

I can't beat that. Because she is of the detection type, she can clearly see the difference in power.

It was an opponent you should never fight.

Samejima had a vision of a shinigami's sickle hanging to her neck.

"Let's go!!"

""Yes!!""

Inoue, Itome, and Togari also felt its power, but they couldn't escape and all headed for the beast.

"Everyone, no! That is ... that monster is not something that people can defeat!"

Samejima, who is overwhelmed and unable to move, shouts to at least stop everyone as a last resistance. However, no one stopped and they attacked the black beast standing in the place where the monsters were.

"Dragon King Decapitation!!"

Inoue jumps at the monster at the fastest speed because he is the only S-rank. The giant sword at his back was wrapped in light and became even bigger, striking the beast.

-Kiiin

"What!?"

However, the attack cannot even pass through the hair of the opponent monster and is repelled. Inoue flipped and regained his balance in the air and landed properly on the ground.

"Burning Lance!!"

Itome launches huge spears of fire from the tip of his hand. The number is dozens. They all swarmed and exploded as if sucked in to the black beast.

"Did that do it!?"

Itome shouts when he sees a direct hit. However, an unscathed beast was revealed from the smoke.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ..."

The violent panting of the beast spreads in the field. The beast tilted its head and looked somewhat happy, and it's a breathing sound is familiar to someone, but noone in this place recognized it.

"Ripper!!"

Togari suddenly appears behind the black beast and swings his knife covered in a red light down to the base of its neck.

-Pakiiin

"~ !?"

However, the attack was vainly scattered in front of the opponent's defense power. Weapons just slide off.

"Tsk. That's some defensive power. My attack doesn't go through."

"My magic is not working at all, either."

"My weapon is broken ..."

Everyone glares at the beast, but Togari has a low tone of voice probably because his weapon is broken.

"Don't stop attacking, anyway!!"

"Yes!!"

"Affirmative!!"

Immediately move on to the next attack and repeat the attack over and over. However, none of their attacks could reach the black beast, and all their attacks were prevented.

The unscathed black beast just stands there and has never attacked, but none of them can recognize that fact because of the tremendous horror of its overflowing power.

"Haa .. Haa ... It can't be helped. I'll use the special one here. I didn't intend to use it in such a place. I don't know if I can do it."

"Haa ... Haa. Is it okay to say that there is a chance of winning? Haa ... Haa ..."

"Haa ... Haa ... Yes, I think it can definitely do damage even if it's an SSS-rank opponent. Haa ... Haa ... However, it takes about a minute to prepare. Haa ... Haa ... Can you buy some time in the meantime?"

"Okay. Haa ... Haa ... I'll keep it occupied for a minute. Let's go, Togari."

"Roger that!!"

You can't get the feeling of exhilaration like walking on a tightrope with an opponent who can't be reached by your attacks at all. But if they can't get away from here, they'll die.

So in order to survive, he decided to use a special magic that he had never shown to anyone. A vicious magic that will damage even the SSS-rank.

Itome closes his eyes and begins to cast the spell. Then, a circle with a complicated pattern spreads from Itome's feet, and as it grows larger, it begins to emit red-black light, and something like black lightning bursts out.

Meanwhile, Togari and Inoue desperately continued to attack the beast.

And finally when it was completed.

"Inferno Burst!!"

Itome opens his narrow eyes to the full extent and shouts.

At that moment, the circle contracts once, moves under the beast, and expands to a size that allows its body to fit within the range again.

"Inoue-san, Togari-san, please back away!!"

""Roger that!!""

Inoue and Togari back away from the beast at Itome's signal.

-Gooooooooooooooooo

At that moment, a jet-black flame that is said to not disappear until the object is burned completely erupts from under the beast.

"Uooo!?"

"Kuu!?"

Inoue and Togari receive the heat up close and distort their faces, and immediately leave the place and evacuate.

"Guuu ..."

Itome that has exhausted everything kneels on the spot.

"Haa ... Haa ... this will damage it no matter how much ..."

Itome rasies his head and opens just one eye to stare at the black flame.

However, that expectation was betrayed.

"Won."

When the black beast barks, the flame disappears as if it were sucked into one place. At the same time, the beast appears, and inhales with an unconcealed sound.

The place it was sucked into was the mouth of the beast.

"You have to be kidding ..."

Itome that saw the situation stiffened with a shocked expression.

"Tsk, that didn't work!?"

"No way!?"

Inoue and Togari also couldn't believe it, they didn't want to believe it, such feelings appeared on their faces.

"Please stop, everyone!!"

There was one person who called out to them. It was Samejima.

"That's not something people can defeat!! There's nothing we can do about it!! There's nothing we can do but pray that it'll let us go on a whim."

"..."

Whether or not Samejima's words were understood, everyone just stood there without speaking.

But something changed.

"Won."

When the black beast barked in a frightening voice, it disappeared.

"~ !?"

They thought that an attack would come, and look around the area, but there is no sign that an attack will come at all. Then they waited for a few minutes and nothing happened to them.

"Are we saved ...?"

Inoue breaks the silence.

"Maybe. I cna't feel that terrible presence nearby."

Samejima mutters after closing her eyes and searching for the magical power around her.

"We're saved ... aren't we ..."

"Itome-kun!!"

Perhaps Itome lost his tension, he collapsed on the spot, and Togari rushed to support him.

"Haa ... I didn't think we could survive ..."

"Yes, I don't know what kind of whim it was, but we're saved."

"Okay, we'll head back to report this quickly. I'll carry Itome on my back. Togari, I ask you to scout as usual. Samejima, I'm also relying on you for nearby vigilance."

""Roger that!!""

The party was reflecting on the feeling that they had survived, but they had to hurry and convey this information.

Thus they made their return.

Because of their report, the Shushima Dungeon will later be completely closed due to its risk.

"Won?"

The one in question does not know anything.