Visitor from Another Dimension (1)
The tower's top was where we began our descent, quite unlike the usual game or movie tropes where heroes climb from the bottom up. This place was a tower buried underground, so there was no helping it. Still, our exploration yielded one useful discovery.
“Here. It looks like this was originally the roof when the tower was first designed,” Franc said after examining the interior with her keen eye.
What the explorers had arbitrarily labeled as the first floor had apparently been the rooftop when the structure was newly built. I lacked the expertise to verify it myself, but if Franc said so, it had to be true.
Dana let out a short sigh as she surveyed the mess the vanguard team had left behind.
“They really tore the place apart. I expected it, but still.”
Not a single intact object remained on the tower’s first floor—decidedly calling it the first floor for convenience. The explorers, clueless about the artifacts’ true value, had ripped apart and smashed everything they could carry. This was the usual fate of sites touched by those barbaric otherworlders.
In truth, Dana was simply annoyed that research materials had been looted; she wasn’t particularly outraged by the desecration of ruins. As that skinny bastard had pompously declared, exploration and destruction were two sides of the same coin in the modern otherworld.
“Wandering around here any longer would be a waste of time.”
After a quick sweep of the first floor, we reached that tentative conclusion. Since the building had been designed as a tower from the start, there were unlikely to be any secret exits or hidden spaces leading deeper inside.
“The cowards too scared to descend to the next floor must have ransacked this place thoroughly. If we don’t head to areas with fewer human traces to find proper documents, we’ll end up buying missed relics with our research budget.”
“Diverting even our measly budget for that would be problematic. Fine. We’ll do as you say.”
Since Dana, our client, agreed with my opinion, we located the tower’s staircase and began our descent. Finding the tower’s historical value was important, but securing artifacts came first. Those who came for relics probably had zero interest in history anyway.
That was when we reached the second floor after descending the stairs.
“──Hold on. Stop.”
Franc raised her hand in a clear halt signal. She placed her fingers on her ring and drew forth her mana. Blue energy surged into the runes of her mithril ring, amplifying the effect of the sensory-enhancement artifact. She was using it like a radar.
Detecting enemy positions was Franc’s specialty as a former rogue. We waited quietly.
After concentrating for about a minute, Franc opened her eyes and spoke softly.
“Footsteps. Hard and irregular… It seems like creatures with split toes are approaching.”
“How many?”
“At least ten, judging by the sound.”
At those words, we fell into formation. Dana and I took the front line, Franc and Larilura the middle, and Tirsi the rear.
Clack. Clack.
A bizarre sound that could only be described that way! A monster emerged from the wide entrance of the chamber.
“──Kolororok.”
It looked exactly as the skinny guy had described! A bipedal beetle-like creature covered in fur between its carapace. Its hands were pincers that spread open like a stag beetle’s mandibles. Though the other party members didn’t say anything, their expressions showed they all felt sickened by the monster’s grotesque appearance.
Still, I felt relieved that the space where we encountered the enemy was wide open. I gripped my spear.
“Fucking hell, look at that face. Why the hell do you look like that?”
I’d said it hoping for an answer. I wondered if my translation ability might let me understand it. But the bug bastard simply displayed the cold, inorganic hostility typical of insects.
“──Kolorororororok!!!”
Thudududu!
The otherworld monster charged! At the same time, more of them poured out from the darkness beyond the lantern’s reach!
Aigoo, fuck. Those merchant guild bastards who entered earlier must have somehow avoided these things.
I gripped my long-bladed spear like a baseball bat.
“Enchant. Breath of the Golden Sun.”
The Ansuz rune engraved on the spearhead amplified the effect of Burning Hand. Golden flames roared to life along the blade.
The dark chamber and the swarm of giant carnivorous insects charging from it triggered my trauma like a switch. If not for meeting Franc and Tirsi, it was a memory I’d rather forget.
──But I was no longer the same person I had been back then.
“I’ll be your goddamn pest control.”
I thrust the spear wrapped in golden flames like a blazing banner into the gaping maw of the charging insect.
“Koroaaaaaaaak──!!”
Crunch!!
The golden flame spear shattered the furry bug’s head. Do you know the most efficient way to exterminate pests? Toothpaste and fire. The fluorine effective for disinfecting filth and actual flames dealt critical damage to these bugs that were practically living filth.
Yahweh purified Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and sulfur; I would purify this insect nest with flame and spear!
“Kolororaaaaaaaaak─!!”
Crunch! Crack!
The mithril spear, swung with the power of Beast Regression, crushed the insect monsters. Bugs whose heads exploded like moths flying into fire! I hadn’t expected to encounter insect-type monsters outside the jungles of Azteca, so I hadn’t properly researched countermeasures. But everyone knows the golden rule with bugs: smash the head and confirm the kill!
Even a half-assed supply officer could wipe out a beehive with nothing but a lighter and bug spray. There was no reason I couldn’t exterminate these things with a fire-mithril spear!
“Haa… Fuck. I had a bad feeling the moment I started talking about bugs,” Dana sighed, clenching her gauntleted fist.
I hadn’t noticed it before, but now that I could sense mana, I could tell. Mana was gathering beneath the gauntlet. Unlike Beast Regression, it didn’t show outwardly, but some kind of buff was clearly reinforcing her body.
“Kororaaaaaak!!!”
“Don’t open your mouth, it’s disgusting!!”
Crack!!
The merciless punches burst the insects’ heads! When their bodily fluids splattered onto her, Dana grimaced.
“Aaaagh!! This is so fucking gross I’m gonna die!!”
Without hiding her revulsion, Dana brawled with the monsters head-on. Her punches were fierce with irritation. Occasionally an insect’s attack landed on an unarmored spot, but Dana only looked disgusted; there was no sign she felt any pain.
I laughed while smashing a bug’s head with the butt of my spear.
“Aigoo, our Dana is still ridiculously tough as ever!”
“Fuck, don’t make me talk! I’m scared it’ll get in my mouth!”
“Hehe. Sorry about that.”
According to the skinny guy, these things weren’t venomous. Even if he’d been lying, Dana could use detox magic, and we had brought antidote potions made with magic. No need to worry.
“Ugh!!”
With flowing movements, Dana deflected a bug’s attack and smashed its neck, snapping it completely. No matter how big an insect was, once its nerves were destroyed, moving would be difficult.
Tap tap.
The fastest one in the chaotic tower battle was Franc. Now that she could use mana, she fully utilized her agility and strength. Franc threw the knife in her hand. The bugs trying to flank us from behind froze when knives embedded in their thighs.
Shukakakak!
Kneeling, Franc carved the insect’s body apart with knives in both hands. With her exceptional dexterity enhanced by power and speed, the bug was sliced into head, thorax, and abdomen in the blink of an eye.
After testing her strengthened movements in real combat, Franc frowned and retreated.
Splat!
The reason was the same as Dana’s. Even with Franc’s skill, it seemed difficult to completely avoid the spraying fluids.
“Everyone~? These guys aren’t very strong, so please step back~!”
Larilura spoke in her bright, cutesy voice as she activated Ringling Model 3.5. The marionette that had seized a bug pressed a finger capable of firing Magic Missile against its chest. Mana pumped out like a piston and blew the torso apart.
“Damn it. I’ll switch to rear support. Sorry.”
Having seen that, Dana returned to her healer role. She probably didn’t want to get showered with bug fluids from both front and back if she stayed in the fight.
Thanks to the flames, I had less worry about fluids splashing on me. I felt relieved by how unexpectedly weak the monsters were and freely displayed my spear techniques. The battle was so leisurely that random thoughts even crossed my mind.
‘Was the spear always this easy to use?’
I’d thought there would barely be space to swing it in a melee, but the spear’s power and reach prevented the bugs from closing in. Their limbs were sliced off like butter, so even the fearless insects hesitated to approach.
‘I really like this. I should’ve switched to a spear sooner.’
The spear was the optimal weapon for utilizing the sense of distance I had honed through multiple real battles. My party members supporting the front line helped tremendously too.
‘Is it because it’s made of mithril? The spear’s own power is incredible.’
After using the cheap iron swords handed out at the university, wielding a weapon made of premium materials felt on a completely different level.
Slice!
A thrust that severed both of a bug’s arms before piercing its head! Even covered in bodily fluids, its sharpness showed no sign of dulling. It felt as satisfying as switching from old, dull scissors to a brand-new pair.
‘Still, stabbing is hard to use in a melee.’
Once it penetrated, the weapon gained extra weight, making rapid thrusts difficult. I checked the battle situation and swung the spear with all my superhuman strength.
Swoosh!
Two bugs’ heads flew off at once. If the situation had been dangerous, I would have used magic, but at this level, it felt like I could treat the fight as practical training. Once we continued down to the third and fourth floors, we probably wouldn’t have this kind of leisure.
I decided to invest a bit more into practicing techniques while I had the chance.
“Korrrrrrruk!!”
Boom!!
The last one exploded after taking a direct hit from the Magic Missile cannon. Ringling 3.5 tossed aside the rag-like remains of the bug.
Dana whistled at its power.
“Your control is amazing, but the marionette itself has incredible output. Larilura, are you really from a circus troupe? Not an adventurer or some mage guild?”
“Ahaha♡! Right? It’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s all thanks to the wonderful core Senior gave me~?”
While maintaining the threads of Puppetry, Larilura flashed me a provocative smile.
“Hehe. Senior~♡? You haven’t forgotten our bet, right?”
Bet? Ah, right. I had forgotten. But saying that would be awkward, so I simply nodded.
“Current score is six for me and four for you, Senior? Hehe. The gap’s already opening up☆! As thanks for giving me the core, I could even let you have about ten of them~?”
“Oh, thanks. Then that makes it fourteen for me and six for you?”
When I casually accepted the concession, Larilura stared with her mouth slightly open, looking dumbfounded.
Hehe. You still don’t know my personality, Larilura?
“……Senior. Aren’t you supposed to act all cool and say ‘it’s fine’ in situations like this? Do you really want to win against me that badly?”
“Yeah. I do want to win.”
It was to permanently ban any mention of that proposal. She was the one who offered the concession first—what reason did I have to refuse! Of course, someone calling himself a male chauvinist pig accepting concessions from a woman might look ridiculous. The me from four years ago would definitely have said so. However, I am an otherworld male chauvinist pig, not an Earth one. The concept of an otherworld male chauvinist pig existed somewhere between gender equality and machismo. Therefore, there wasn’t a shred of shame in my statement!
“……Hu, huum~? I wonder what kind of request you want to make of me that you’re acting like this~?”
Larilura couldn’t close her gaping mouth at those words and turned her body away.
Tap tap.
Her toes tapped the floor frivolously.
“Is this part of your strategy too? I won’t lose my composure over something this trivial, you know?”
“Do whatever you want. I’m already leading by double, aren’t I?”
“Hmph. A ten-monster difference can be overturned in four or five more fights, you know? Just wait and see☆!”
“Don’t overdo it just to win the bet.”
“Yeees~♡! Safety comes first, after all.”
Larilura stuck her tongue out cutely and nodded in agreement.
Booooong.
At that moment, the corpses of the bugs we had defeated began to disappear as if being reverse-summoned. Since they were creatures summoned from another dimension, did they return to their original place upon death?
“Whew. Fuck, I guess it’s a silver lining in the midst of misfortune.”
The fluids that had splattered on her body evaporated as well, so Dana patted her chest in relief.
Having achieved an overwhelming victory in our first engagement, we continued our exploration of the second floor.