CH 112

Chapter 112.2 : Forest’s Old Tower

Or whatever it is, it enabled Yamada-san to have a powerful defense that could repel the Goma’s attack. And since he was impervious to Goma’s attack, there was no need to dodge it. He had no fear of the Goma’s attack since they couldn’t even tickle him.

He rampaged in the midst of the Gomas’s crowd, caused even more damage compared to the Totem Pole Trio.

「ORA!URYAA! KILL, KILL, KILL!」

Yamada-kun’s strong point might have been his defense, but his offensive power was just about average for a 『Warrior』. Though the Goma couldn’t hurt him, the seemingly never-ending waves of the Gomas pushed him back bit-by-bit.

Even the spirits of the Totem Pole Trio dampened seeing the never-ending waves of the Gomas, add to that was the fact that they couldn’t rely on Yamada. It’s not like his defense could last forever. It could be limited up to certain amount of damage or time and when that moment arrived, Yamada was as good as dead.

「Oioi, this is seriously impossible!」

「DIEDIEDIEEE!」

「RETREAT, IT’S TIME TO RETREA~T!」

「YOU FOOL! AS IF WE CAN ESCAPE FROM THIS PLACE!」

The battle between the Gomas and my four classmates went back and forth between offense and defense. They might be overwhelmed by Gomas’s sheer number, but the four of them were the owners of combat vocation, the likes of Gomas couldn’t kill them that easily. But if things kept going on like this, one of the Totem Pole Trio could become a victim of the situation. After all, they’re barely hanging in there.

「What should I do….」

I, who wasn’t jumping immediately to save them, am really the worst. If there really was someone who had shouted those words at me, then it would be safe for me to say that the guy was like a passerby taking a video of the accident instead of helping the victim.

It was natural to be extremely vigilant when one met one’s classmates in this dungeon. The reason being we had no idea who our enemy or ally was amongst the students of class 2-7. I’m not like Tendou-kun or Souma Yuuto who could force their way out with brute power. If the situation turned into a Higuchi-like case, another battle to the death between me and classmates[humans] might be unavoidable.

「Honestly, I didn’t want to get involved with those guys but――」

These Totem Pole Trio, the Ｄ,Ｑ,Ｎ, who always hung around Higuchi were the people I wanted to avoid at all costs. They had criminal record namely the kidnapping attempt of Takanashi Kotori.

Nor can I say that Yamada-kun, a member of the baseball team, held a good reputation in class. They were in the same baseball club, but even I, who wasn’t particularly close to him, was aware that he was obviously envious of the normal-looking yet tall Takashima-kun.

However, I’m absolutely sure that I definitely can’t get along with him.

「――But, I guess this is the perfect timing to save them.」

Because my meeting with them in this huge labyrinth wasn’t a mere coincidence as they’re also guided by their compass to this place. In short, we’re going to take the same route after this under the assumption that they’re not trying to use another route.

The strategy of helping them by appearing from the rear like a superhero seemed like a nice and good idea but … In the worst-case scenario, they could be hostile toward me. Moreover, though I’d no intention to kill or steal their prey, I didn’t know whether I could assist them while maintaining a neutral distance.

So, I’d better do my best to appeal to them with my kindness in this situation and make them feel grateful to me rather than hostile.

I don’t think they’re useful but, their combat type vocation was truly a huge help in this situation. I concluded that it was better for me to work along with them rather than soloing this round.

Moreover, seeing that they’d already formed a four-man team, I guess there’s no reason for me to worry about the “Three person per party” rule. Also, five people meant that they’d have to abandon two people in case we managed to finish this labyrinth, but getting rid of two people was even harder than getting rid of one person. Naturally, those two people would be working together to resist with everything they got.

「Yosh, let’s go, Rems.」

After finishing my plan, I sprung into action.

Speed was essential. They’re slowly getting used to fighting Gomas. Though this plan of mine might only take a bit of their much more superior number, my action would create a disturbance in those Gomas’s formation since my attack came from behind when they’re focusing on those four. In short, I would be safe as long as there’re no variables like super-powerful-boss goma or another batch of reinforcement on the battlefield.

「 Spread 『Rotten Bog』」

First, I made 『Rotten Bog』 behind the crowds of those Gomas. The bog I made was even bigger than the usual one thanks to the even ground.

All of those idiotic Gomas were single-mindedly focused on the quartet who resisted until the bitter end and failed to notice the poisonous bog right behind them. Well, it’s not like the bog made any sound or smell when created. The invocation of Curses was eerily silent and quiet.

「Let’s start from the closest one――『Blackhair Bind』」

「SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

Mine and Rem’s thread dragged the Goma’s feet in the rear-most position, dragged them into the acid bog.

「BUGEE!? GYOAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

The Goma cried like a banshee as its whole body dissolved inside the acid bog, but its comrades were too busy with the Totem Pole trio and Yamada-kun to notice the poor Goma’s wails.

The other Gomas finally noticed the abnormality after the victims of Rotten Bog increased to five.

「HAHAHHA, TOO LATE――『Spiderweb Twine』」

I had been knitting together an adhesive thread to form webs with 『Spiderweb’s Twine』 to capture a large number of enemies. Arachne Rem fired her real spiderweb, captured the Gomas who were running toward us.

「GUGAAAAAAAAAAA!」

And then, Rem the 1st bravely crossed over the acid bog. She acted swiftly and precisely killing or fatally wounded the Gomas who fell into the acid bog or got entangled in the spiderweb.

Arachne Rem and I used our threads in tandem while Rem the 1st attacked from the front. It seemed like those Gomas attributed Rem the 1st with the highest priority since they attacked her first.

But, we could easily dispose of those small fry Gomas despite their superior numbers since they had no way to attack Rem the 1st who was sliding around in the middle of the acid bog like it were a piece of cake while, at the same time, being supported by Arachne Rem and me.

If they made the best use of their superior numbers, they might be able to force their way through the acid bog and spider’s thread but … I was not their only opponent.

「Ooh, what’s happened, it seems like their numbers are less than before?」

「Oi look, someone attacking them from behind!」

「This is our chance?!」

「YOU LOT, LET’S USE THIS CHANCE AND CRUSH THEM!」

Apparently, my ambush from the rear served as a nice pincer attack.

As a result, the confusion caused by my ambush affecting those Gomas’s momentum considerably weakened their force. I mean look, their mid-rank was obviously torn between attacking their ambusher or helping their vanguard.

Or it might simply be because their commander, the macho Goma, had been KIA. Their force that was attacking with their sheer number was disorderly and visibly weakened …

Waiting for their turn to get slaughtered.

「NGIIII! VEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

When it came to the point that they’re almost annihilated, the small number of survivors scattered around while raising a loud cry.

「Oo, we won.」

「Ha~h, I thought we’re done for at that time!」

「S-So, tired … My mana is wasted too.」

「WE WOOOOOOOOOOOOON! THOSE SHITTY GOMAS WERE REALLY SMALL FRY AFTER ALL!」

Yamada’s loud victory cry aside, this was the real battlefield for me.

Now, let’s see whether I could use this chance to negotiate with them…