This Game Is Difficult
This game was hard. That's why the developers had sprinkled helpful clears all over the place—guys like the hearty national rice porridge crew.
I'd already met Lumen (Lijelilias), Sufle, and Relbrian. Among them, Lumen and Relbrian were friendly toward me. Sufle had become friends with Millije, and now I'd even connected with the assassin organization Griner.
That left just one guy I hadn't met yet. The freak from the magic department who swung his fists instead of spells: the fighter Meril.
'I'll probably run into him eventually while living at the academy.'
Who knew when, though. The guy was slippery as hell.
We walked toward the boss room. I gazed at the corridor, spotlessly clean without a single sign of life.
Up front marched two tiny figures cloaked in pitch-black robes and hoods, their faces utterly expressionless. Plod, plod.
I didn't need to check their stats—I knew the assassin twins' abilities inside out. Their other stats weren't that high, but their Agility had to be 19, surpassing human limits.
So why weren't they top of their year? There was a reason for that too.
They had zero aptitude for elements—in fact, it was all mismatched—but they came with a special technique called Synchronized Double Unity.
That 'Synchronized Double Unity' only activated when those two—Pin and Shal—were together: 100% critical hit chance, agility buffs, and massive bleed effects.
Put just one in without the other, and they were nothing but fast trash. Nerf the crit rate for damage dealers focused on burst, and their individual knight department rankings tanked.
"Hm..."
"Adrian, something on your mind?"
"I'll hear you out. But on one condition."
And these guys.
"We'll match us again this time."
After I'd nailed it once before, now they hid even their weapons inside those robes to mess with me. Pin was male, but their voices were identical, and no Adam's apple either. Some twin trick, no doubt.
But...
"Shal, doesn't it show if you're left-handed but on the right?"
"How...?"
How many hours do you think I've been watching you two?
"Enough games. Time to get serious—we've got a real fight ahead."
We reached the boss room door, and everyone looked up at the massive portal.
"......"
Bilrum silently gripped his shield and sword.
"D-Do you think we can do it...!"
Silbi clutched her staff tight, body trembling slightly.
Erhan's face was tense, but he kept it cool, hand on his sword hilt.
And the twins? Blank as ever, like this was just another job.
"Everyone remembers the boss intel, right?"
"Yes. The 'Weakened Sunken Ruins' Great General Knight,' wasn't it? Uses a greatsword like me."
"Good. And the strategy I gave you?"
"Got it! Bilrum tanks, Erhan counterattacks, Silbi and senpai support with magic, and 'Griner' rips the Great General's armor to expose its core!"
"What's the most important part?"
Silbi balled her fists and answered.
"Senpai has to land the killing blow to finish the Great General!"
That's right. Exactly.
* * *
The boss room door swung open, and we dove straight into battle.
The dungeon's master sat cross-legged in the center of the vast circular chamber. Spotting us, it yanked up the massive greatsword embedded in the floor.
Two blue flames ignited between the slits of its sharp helm. The giant, mecha-like armor spewed multicolored lights as it lurched to life.
Just like...
"It looks like a huge golem!"
"I-I've never seen a monster like that!"
Yeah. A massive beast based on blue and white, like some ancient robot. The Weakened Sunken Ruins' Great General had a clear concept: an artificial guardian for ancient ruins.
Grooooar!
It swung its massive greatsword with blazing eyes.
But this was just a Weekday Dungeon, made to reward players. And its name screamed "Weakened."
So.
"I'll tank it!"
We could win.
Boom!
"Nngh! Holding!"
"I'm going in!"
Bilrum blocked the huge blade with his shield alone. Erhan activated Hero Sword and charged.
Clang! Boom! Clang! Clang!
Erhan leaped off Bilrum's back, trading blows equal to the monster's. Meanwhile, Silbi's spell slammed into the Great General's nape.
Boom!
The giant staggered forward. Erhan seized the opening and swung down hard.
Crack!
Shards flew. But it was shallow.
After one solid clash, Erhan pulled back.
"Definitely... strong."
"Too much?"
"No. It's strong, so beating it... it'll make me stronger too!"
Yeah. That was his mindset.
The fight dragged on. I issued commands while pulling out my Spirit Wood Branch to cast spells myself.
Bilrum tanked attacks. Erhan stuck close for damage trades. Sneak hits from me and Silbi. And...
"Incoming!"
Water projectiles launched from the Great General's back. The two leaped into the air and sliced them all down.
"Senpai! Now!"
Erhan yelled at the top of his lungs.
I stowed the branch and drew a dagger from my pocket.
"Here we go. Everyone, rally on me."
That instant.
—Grooooar!
The Great General's eyes flared viciously again. It tossed its sword and swept with its huge arm.
Thud...
"Fall back 15 paces right."
The hand whistled past by a hair. Then came the fist.
Bilrum deflected it. Erhan vaulted off the shield and slashed fast with his greatsword.
And...
Snap!
One of the Ruin Great General's arms dangled in tatters, dropping toward the floor.
The Great General snatched up its discarded sword and rampaged with one arm.
Rampage mode.
Its eyes shifted from blue to red, unleashing every attack in its arsenal.
Which meant...
"Erhan, it's nearly out of HP. Last gasp."
Water missiles from its back, wildly erratic sword paths. And now... something else jutting from its sword arm.
Tch. Complicated patterns? Simple: kill the boss before they land.
"Time to end this."
At the same moment.
Bilrum deflected the boss's engine-roaring downward slash.
Erhan circled behind and severed an ankle.
Silbi's spell hit direct, forcing it to its knees.
Its red eyes flashed at me...
I gripped my dagger reverse and advanced silently.
Whirr...
It reached for me, but.
"Synchronized."
"Burst."
Its fingers, hand, arm—all shattered into fragments before my eyes.
Even the thick chestplate scattered to pieces.
A pitch-black straight line slashed in an instant. Everything it touched fragmented.
I walked slowly over the wreckage of its arm, facing the Great General.
Then deftly dismantled the remaining chest armor with my dagger.
Clunk.
A glowing blue orb-like sphere emerged...
—...
Crunch!
I smashed the crystal dead-on with a reverse grip.
The dagger blade snapped too—it couldn't take more.
I tossed the hilt aside and turned lightly.
With a dying engine whine, the lights in its helm faded.
Behind me, without looking back, came the crash of something massive collapsing.
Weekday Dungeon cleared!
Sunken Ruins' Great General defeated!
First clear of Water-attribute dungeon!
Reward bonus applied!
Survived the brink together.
'Silbi' and 'Bilrum' affinity +1!
Distinguished Griner assassins!
An achievement no one else has accomplished.
Assassin 'Shal' affinity +3.
Assassin 'Pin' affinity +3.
Griner assassin organization holds strong affinity for you! They will watch over you from the shadows. If an assassination request targets you, Griner will first question its legitimacy.
* * *
We split the rewards roughly. Even with the Weekday Dungeon bonus, it was junk like Rusty Longsword or Waterlogged Longbow—just some trash items.
Not for me, though. I'd snagged the Create Water spellbook.
"Now I've got all five low-tier spells."
And that wasn't all. I touched the round orb in my pocket.
Boss drop: Power source animating the Sunken Ruins' monster.
From defeating 'Weakened Sunken Ruins' Great General.'
Highly useful item. Certain future applications.
Yeah. Salenium loomed ahead.
Our fun little detour was over.
"Thanks, senpai. Got to see a real dungeon thanks to you."
As we entered Salenium, they started saying goodbyes one by one.
"Thanks, senpai! Let's team up again sometime!"
"Learned a lot."
They headed off their ways. I eyed the ones still lingering.
"You guys not going?"
"...That dagger work earlier. Saw it. Blade broke."
Shal spoke first.
"Our gift."
They pulled a small dagger from their robes and handed it over. Way sturdier than my junk shop one, blade honed razor-sharp.
"This is..."
"Token of esteem."
"Hold it, and we can find you anytime."
"Thanks. I'll treasure it."
A smile crept up unbidden. In a way, this was the item I'd aimed for.
This dagger wasn't just high-performance special gear. Its hidden ability was straight broken.
Throw the dagger, and Griner appears on the spot.
Assassin summon, in other words.
"Hahaha..."
I pocketed it, not hiding my laugh. Let 'em think it sounded like a third-rate villain's cackle.
"Too good a reward for one little adventure."
I was sure this dagger would prove useful.
Beyond even what I imagined.
Couldn't help but grin.