You Can Step on Me as Much as You Want!
Ian and Shiro had descended to the 1st floor of the Labyrinth. But perhaps because it was the final day, there were far more adventurers visible than goblins.
“Adventurers nearby.”
Shiro’s ears perked up, quivering faintly. The glint in her eyes as she scanned their surroundings sharpened even further.
“……Over there.”
Shiro added in a low murmur. Just as she said, her ears were specialized for scouting. And the dazed demeanor she’d shown until moments ago had vanished completely.
“Let’s steer clear.”
Ian said quietly. He wanted to avoid adventurers if at all possible. …He had no desire to relive anything like last time.
“Yes.”
Shiro nodded softly. Ian followed her lead. But—
“Adventurers… here too.”
No matter which way they turned, people were everywhere. At this rate, they wouldn’t spot a single goblin before it was over. Ian let out a short breath.
“……Should we head to the 2nd floor for now?”
He’d originally planned to sync up their teamwork against some goblins, but options were slim.
“The 2nd floor…?”
Shiro’s voice dipped ever so slightly. Her ears flattened a touch, her gaze dropping to the ground. Ian didn’t miss the shift.
“Is something… bothering you?”
He asked with utmost care, as gently as he could. Shiro hesitated before speaking.
“It’s… my sense of smell…”
Her words trailed off. Her fingertips fidgeted idly with the hem of her clothes. That alone was enough for Ian to understand.
“…Ah.”
He’d been through something similar himself. Heightened senses meant picking up everything—even the things you wished you could ignore. The 2nd floor especially was zombie territory. Rotten stench. And with her nose—
Ian paused, then spoke. “Then let’s push straight to the 3rd floor, as fast as we can.”
He’d planned to hit at least the 3rd floor this run anyway. It just meant accelerating the schedule a bit.
“Are you sure that’s okay…?”
Shiro asked tentatively. She’d called herself a 3rd-floor adventurer before. Probably out of consideration for him… Ian shrugged.
“No need to linger on the 2nd anyway.”
And—
“With our skills, the 3rd should be manageable.”
The 2nd floor felt like something he could solo now. And with a frontline tank, the 3rd ought to be a breeze.
“Yes…!”
Shiro’s face brightened faintly at his words. She nodded—small, but unmistakable. Her ears perked right back up.
The pair skirted crowds as best they could, making for the 2nd-floor portal.
“Monsters ahead.”
Fortunately, goblins still lurked in the deeper reaches of the 1st floor.
“Four of them.”
Shiro spotted them first and relayed the info. The goblins were shambling their way slowly.
“Ian-nim, stay back. I’ll handle this!”
Shiro donned her helmet and declared it. Ian stepped up anyway.
“…I can fight too.”
But Shiro blocked his path.
“It’s fine. In times like these, it’s a woman’s job to protect!”
“Another one straight from a book?”
Ian teased, half-joking to rib her.
“Yes! I read that men usually prefer strong women!”
It flew right over her head.
“Here I go!”
With a spirited shout, Shiro charged shield-first.
Thwack! The first goblin’s neck snapped clean on impact. Without pause, she thrust her sword.
Schlck— Another goblin’s throat impaled.
A flawless strike! With skills like that, the two of them could probably clear up to the 5th floor. Of course, they’d need the essential engravings for that far, but pushing that deep wasn’t the plan right now.
Ian couldn’t just spectate. He gathered mana and incanted a short aria.
“Energy Bolt!”
Splat— His spell burst the last goblin’s skull.
Shiro had already finished her final mark and was watching him.
“I could’ve handled it alone…”
She muttered under her breath. Her grip tightened on her shield. The voice lacked her earlier fire—deflated, somehow.
Ian eyed her a moment, then spoke.
“Shiro.”
“…Yes?”
“Mind showing me that book later?”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“…Yes?”
She echoed, flustered. Ian shrugged.
“Gotta see it for myself.”
A beat of silence. Then—
“…Yes. I’ll show you.”
Shiro smiled faintly. Her mood visibly lifted, compared to before.
Ian averted his gaze.
…What the hell kind of books did this girl grow up on?
With the brief skirmish done, they pressed on to the 2nd-floor portal.
“I’ll go first.”
The frontline Shiro took point. Portals were always wild cards. They could let the weak slay the strong. First in was always the tank’s duty.
“Stick right behind me.”
“Got it.”
Oddly, she always seemed so reliable in combat.
“Going in.”
Shield raised, she plunged into the portal without hesitation. Ian followed suit.
Light swallowed his vision. A short float, then—
Thud.
His feet hit solid ground. And instantly—
SKREEEEEE!!
A guttural shriek tore through his ears. Ian’s eyes snapped open. He spotted Shiro first.
…She was fine. Unharmed.
But—
“……”
Zombies packed the space around her. One, two—too many to count meaningfully. Centered on her, dark crimson husks surged from every direction.
Beyond them, scattered adventurers. Their formation in ruins. They’d pulled the aggro.
Ian’s gaze hardened.
“Ian-nim, head back to the 1st floor first!”
Shiro barked shortly. At the same moment—
Bam!
A zombie slammed into her shield. She twisted, deflecting it aside. Even as she did, her sword steadily carved through zombies closing on Ian.
Another. Thud— Another.
The horde’s pace quickened. But she parried and slashed with textbook efficiency, thinning them out.
“We need to fall back!”
Shiro’s voice boomed. Ian scanned the area. Then eyed her holding the line.
She could endure.
“…No.”
Ian raised his wand as he spoke.
“Just hold a bit longer.”
Mana surged within him. He felt the wand tremble. Steadying his breath, he shoved the boiling mana hard into it.
The instant the second gem filled completely—
“Flow. Connect. Burn all it touches—Chain Lightning!”
CRACKLE—
Lightning erupted from the wand’s tip. It wasn’t a straight shot. Alive, almost—striking the first zombie, then zap! leaping through its body.
To the second. The third. It chained like links in a whip.
Crackle—!CRACKLE—!!
Each impact sent zombies spasming. Charred flesh burst, smoke billowing.
“Grk, grrraa—!”
Screams cut short. The bolt didn’t stop. Linking, relinking—sweeping the area in seconds.
BOOM! It detonated huge, light fading.
Silence.
Over half the zombies lay smoldering. Burnt meat stench hung thick. Amid the corpses, faint sparks danced, residual heat shimmering.
Shiro stared at him, eyes wide.
“…Ian-nim?”
“Mana limits me to once per fight.”
Ian said curtly, pointing ahead.
“Not done yet.”
Stragglers remained.
“I’ll mop up!”
Shiro replied briskly, taking point. Ian watched her back, drawing his short spear and shield.
“Ah…! Ian-nim, stay back! I’ll protect you!”
Her protest came from ahead, but Ian ignored it. He lunged at the remnants.
Practice runs hadn’t hinted at this power. The thrill still tingled in his fingertips. Strength—real strength—felt tangible. This world started feeling fun again.
Once the last zombie fell—
“Hey!”
Ian called to the nearby adventurers. One swordswoman. One archer. They looked roughed up. Manageable, even if they charged. Far easier than those looters from before.
“What the hell were you doing here?!”
Ian snapped.
“S-sorry!”
The swordswoman bowed her head at once.
“We were just running…! It wasn’t on purpose—!”
Words tumbled out. Ian narrowed his eyes, sweeping the area again. Habit—checking for hidden backup.
“It’s true!”
She bowed deeper.
…Definitely the magic’s aftereffect. Her posture was excessively meek.
“If you want…!”
She snapped her head up suddenly.
“You can step on me as much as you want!”
Not the magic.
“…What?”
“Yes?”
Ian’s face stiffened. He paused, processing the scene.
Silence.
Then—
“Please, step on me!”
Clank— She shed her armor and flopped flat on the ground.
Shiro’s ears twitched. She glanced Ian’s way briefly.
“Here! Right here!”
She slapped her thigh boldly.
“Step until your anger fades!”
She pointed to her crotch.
“…Hah.”
Ian’s temple throbbed. He pressed his forehead, swallowing a sigh.
Slowly, he turned his head.
…Another fucking lunatic.
‘Why isn’t there a single normal person in this world?’
Genuine revulsion welled up. Ian hated this world all over again.