Chapter 324: Role (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 324: Role (4)
I ran through the sewers.
Splash, splash.
The filth that was up to my shins splashed all over the place, but my eyes were locked straight ahead. There was a man and a woman. The man was forcing the woman against a wall, a sword at her neck.
Jeez, if you're going to leave me, at least be doing well.
I tightened my grip on the hammer and shouted with all my might, the sound echoing through the passageway. "Behel–ahhh!" I decided I had to do whatever I could to draw attention to myself and get the sword away from Amelia.
Shoop!
The moment the sword pulled back, a fountain of blood erupted from Amelia's neck. I thought he was just holding it against her skin, but it seemed it was already inside. It looked like he even dug it in deeper right before pulling it out.
"...Barbarian?" the man muttered, turning toward me.
Although I was wearing an iron helmet as usual, it seemed he'd inferred my race based on my large frame and the contents of my shout. I used my keen vision to check on how Amelia was doing.
"K-Krr... ugh...!" Amelia had a hole in her neck. She used one hand to cover the bleeding and the other to barely support her staggering body. I could tell even at a glance that she wasn't doing well.
Well, as long as she hasn't died...
Worrying wouldn't help anyone. The most important thing when it came to saving someone was having good judgment and the ability to execute on it. With that in mind, I kicked off the ground once more and sprinted forward.
Splash!
The distance rapidly narrowed. As soon as we reached a radius where we could touch each other's weapons, the man's flared with a bright aura and swung at me.
Kwaang!
I blocked the aura with my hammer. At that moment, his eyes filled with confusion. I guessed he took for granted that he'd be able to slice through my weapon with his aura.
But like you'd expect from a veteran who had faced all kinds of adversity, he soon figured it out. "That's a Numbered Item."
How sharp.
Still, I decided to focus on the positives in this situation. His blabbering had created an opening.
Whip.
While engaging in a tight power struggle, I extended an arm to pull Amelia toward me. She barely had the strength to remain standing, so it was easy to drag her into my arms. Did I have everything I needed, then?
"...You're her comrade."
"Isn't that obvious?"
"That means... you are my enemy too."
Why do you keep stating the obvious?
At that moment, our brief clash of arms came to an end. Lüchenprague put more force behind his sword to shove me away. It was a very strange feeling since I hadn't been overpowered by anyone recently, but there was no need to be discouraged.
His strength is slightly superior to mine.
As I was pushed backward, I was able to shuffle back even more. Of course, the man lunged at me right after. He was much faster than me too. When it came to the most important part of close combat—stats—I was inferior to him. Not to mention the passive and active skills I'd worked hard to stock up and create good combos with were sealed. In the midst of that, my opponent was handing out auras, which were my natural enemy, like candy.
Has he no conscience?
Despite my complaints, I quickly made a decision. I was facing a truly overwhelming difference in stats. Even under normal circumstances, running away would be a challenge.
But I won't have to default to that right away.
This wasn't a huge deal. I just had to create unusual circumstances.
Kwaaang!
Yeah, for example, underwater warfare.
Shaaa!
***
In a dark sewer illuminated by flickering torchlight, there were fifteen men and women divided into two groups, glaring at each other like enemies.
"What are you talking about? Say that again, Dumbo."
"It's Durbon, not Dumbo."
"Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to. Based on the way you always laughed like an moron in front of that barbarian, you liked it, anyway."
"What...? You bastard!"
There was clear hostility on both sides of the exchange. Caught in between, Laura Rainwales held her sister's trembling hand and thought to herself that she wouldn't have followed these people if she had known this would happen.
Why are these guys like this even in a situation like this?
Laura just could not understand it. It had started off as what was clearly a minor argument. One of the adventurers, a former worker of the Melta merchant company who knew of the secret passage, was having trouble navigating through the sewers. Someone made a scathing comment. That alone was enough to sow the seed of discord.
Durbon, the man who was implicitly acting as their leader, had defended their guide. "Jeez, you're grumbling way too much for someone who's doing nothing but tagging along for free." No, he went beyond defending and threw in some threats. "And now that I think about it, this is kind of unfair. If you're going to say something like that, at least pay up. Ah, if you don't have money, you can pay with equipment."
"What?"
"Or you can go back if you want."
Those few exchanges instantly divided the group in two and led them to the present moment.
"This is my final offer. Either give up your equipment and follow us, or go back."
"Ha, do you think I'll just do as you say?"
"Stop acting high and mighty just because you're friends with the guide. The only thing we need to find our way out of the city is that guide, anyway."
"...So you insist on bloodshed."
"Um... let's calm down, everyone..." Laura opened her mouth, figuring she had to stop them somehow, but Durbon cut her off mid-sentence.
"Laura, you stay quiet. This is for the best."
"Excuse me? W-What's for the best...?"
"We're going to need a lot of money from now on if we want to find our place aboveground."
At Durbon's words, the man who stood opposite him nodded in apparent agreement, conceding the point. "Yeah, if half of us die here, the rest will be able to live more like proper human beings."
Those words made Laura realize that there was never a seed of discord to begin with. Unlike in the overworld she had only ever heard about in stories, this way of thinking was natural for people from Noark. Picking a fight over someone not being able to find the way was just an opportunity to start something. Perhaps they purposely took advantage of it.
Has he no conscience?
Despite my complaints, I quickly made a decision. I was facing a truly overwhelming difference in stats. Even under normal circumstances, running away would be a challenge.
But I won't have to default to that right away.
This wasn't a huge deal. I just had to create unusual circumstances.
Kwaaang!
Yeah, for example, underwater warfare.
Shaaa!
***
In a dark sewer illuminated by flickering torchlight, there were fifteen men and women divided into two groups, glaring at each other like enemies.
"What are you talking about? Say that again, Dumbo."
"It's Durbon, not Dumbo."
"Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to. Based on the way you always laughed like an moron in front of that barbarian, you liked it, anyway."
"What...? You bastard!"
There was clear hostility on both sides of the exchange. Caught in between, Laura Rainwales held her sister's trembling hand and thought to herself that she wouldn't have followed these people if she had known this would happen.
Why are these guys like this even in a situation like this?
Laura just could not understand it. It had started off as what was clearly a minor argument. One of the adventurers, a former worker of the Melta merchant company who knew of the secret passage, was having trouble navigating through the sewers. Someone made a scathing comment. That alone was enough to sow the seed of discord.
Durbon, the man who was implicitly acting as their leader, had defended their guide. "Jeez, you're grumbling way too much for someone who's doing nothing but tagging along for free." No, he went beyond defending and threw in some threats. "And now that I think about it, this is kind of unfair. If you're going to say something like that, at least pay up. Ah, if you don't have money, you can pay with equipment."
"What?"
"Or you can go back if you want."
Those few exchanges instantly divided the group in two and led them to the present moment.
"This is my final offer. Either give up your equipment and follow us, or go back."
"Ha, do you think I'll just do as you say?"
"Stop acting high and mighty just because you're friends with the guide. The only thing we need to find our way out of the city is that guide, anyway."
"...So you insist on bloodshed."
"Um... let's calm down, everyone..." Laura opened her mouth, figuring she had to stop them somehow, but Durbon cut her off mid-sentence.
"Laura, you stay quiet. This is for the best."
"Excuse me? W-What's for the best...?"
"We're going to need a lot of money from now on if we want to find our place aboveground."
At Durbon's words, the man who stood opposite him nodded in apparent agreement, conceding the point. "Yeah, if half of us die here, the rest will be able to live more like proper human beings."
Those words made Laura realize that there was never a seed of discord to begin with. Unlike in the overworld she had only ever heard about in stories, this way of thinking was natural for people from Noark. Picking a fight over someone not being able to find the way was just an opportunity to start something. Perhaps they purposely took advantage of it.
This is why I wanted to get Amelia out somehow...
Noark was a place where beasts resided. Laura trembled, once again disillusioned by the city she was born in. Then she put her hand on her sword belt. If this battle was unavoidable anyway, Durbon's faction, to which she belonged, had to win. That way she would be able to get out of here and live like a real person. Well, maybe not her, but at least her sister.
"Amelia, get ready."
"Okay." At Laura's whisper, her sister also touched her weapon. Somehow, someway, the sisters were also beasts that had successfully survived in this world of the fittest.
"Now then, let's get started—"
The moment their opponent took a step forward with a weapon, Durbon's group fired an arrow and the battle began. Then, several minutes into this clash, a strong current of water gushed forth from beyond the dark passageway and engulfed them.
Shaaaaaa!
***
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
As I ran away from Lüchenprague, who was charging at me with a ferocious aura covering his sword, I made exactly four strikes at exact intervals.
Crack, crack, crack, boom!
The ceiling, cracking like spiderwebs on a mirror, collapsed after the fourth.
Shaaaaaa!
Like a broken dam, a torrent of water began to pour down through the hole.
There really is water flowing above us.
To be honest, before I started swinging the hammer, I wasn't sure about that. I just thought that, given the events young Amelia had lived through, it was highly likely.
"At that time, a disagreement broke out in the group, resulting in a battle. Then, suddenly, water poured into the passage. Everyone was swept up in it and lost consciousness. And when I woke up..."
I wiped the distracting thoughts from my mind and hugged Amelia tighter. If I'd been an ordinary person, I would have already been swept away by the torrent. But both my opponent and I were far from ordinary people.
Kwaaang!
When I instinctively defended myself with the hammer, a tremendous shock jolted through the handle. Even though the water was rising and already up to our heads, my opponent had swung his sword.
Persistent bastard.
It was hard to keep my balance due to the rapid current, and I was pushed back five or six steps before I finally just closed my eyes. Vision didn't mean anything now, anyway. Whether there was a source of light or not, it was impossible to see anything in this muddy water.
Oh, is this real, live mud wrestling?
The thought randomly popped into my head, but I quickly dismissed it. I had more important things to worry about right now.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
With my dominant elbow against the wall, I quickly walked back the way I came. This left my back defenseless but I wasn't too worried. He likely made his last attack by relying on his senses to swing his sword at the spot I was last standing.
Slice!
Just then, a tingling sensation arose on my thigh. It seemed he was following after me and swinging his sword blindly.
Ugh, this asshole is unreal.
Still, it was fine, because we had arrived at our destination.
Fifty-one, fifty-two... whew, we're at the right place.
This is why I wanted to get Amelia out somehow...
Noark was a place where beasts resided. Laura trembled, once again disillusioned by the city she was born in. Then she put her hand on her sword belt. If this battle was unavoidable anyway, Durbon's faction, to which she belonged, had to win. That way she would be able to get out of here and live like a real person. Well, maybe not her, but at least her sister.
"Amelia, get ready."
"Okay." At Laura's whisper, her sister also touched her weapon. Somehow, someway, the sisters were also beasts that had successfully survived in this world of the fittest.
"Now then, let's get started—"
The moment their opponent took a step forward with a weapon, Durbon's group fired an arrow and the battle began. Then, several minutes into this clash, a strong current of water gushed forth from beyond the dark passageway and engulfed them.
Shaaaaaa!
***
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
As I ran away from Lüchenprague, who was charging at me with a ferocious aura covering his sword, I made exactly four strikes at exact intervals.
Crack, crack, crack, boom!
The ceiling, cracking like spiderwebs on a mirror, collapsed after the fourth.
Shaaaaaa!
Like a broken dam, a torrent of water began to pour down through the hole.
There really is water flowing above us.
To be honest, before I started swinging the hammer, I wasn't sure about that. I just thought that, given the events young Amelia had lived through, it was highly likely.
"At that time, a disagreement broke out in the group, resulting in a battle. Then, suddenly, water poured into the passage. Everyone was swept up in it and lost consciousness. And when I woke up..."
I wiped the distracting thoughts from my mind and hugged Amelia tighter. If I'd been an ordinary person, I would have already been swept away by the torrent. But both my opponent and I were far from ordinary people.
Kwaaang!
When I instinctively defended myself with the hammer, a tremendous shock jolted through the handle. Even though the water was rising and already up to our heads, my opponent had swung his sword.
Persistent bastard.
It was hard to keep my balance due to the rapid current, and I was pushed back five or six steps before I finally just closed my eyes. Vision didn't mean anything now, anyway. Whether there was a source of light or not, it was impossible to see anything in this muddy water.
Oh, is this real, live mud wrestling?
The thought randomly popped into my head, but I quickly dismissed it. I had more important things to worry about right now.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
With my dominant elbow against the wall, I quickly walked back the way I came. This left my back defenseless but I wasn't too worried. He likely made his last attack by relying on his senses to swing his sword at the spot I was last standing.
Slice!
Just then, a tingling sensation arose on my thigh. It seemed he was following after me and swinging his sword blindly.
Ugh, this asshole is unreal.
Still, it was fine, because we had arrived at our destination.
Fifty-one, fifty-two... whew, we're at the right place.
Walking with my eyes closed and feeling along the wall, I reached the fork in the road I had seen earlier and hid myself down one of the other routes. This was a trick I'd learned from Rotmiller. Having made maps in the past, I was able to accurately measure the length of my strides, and I had gotten much better at memorizing a route I'd taken before. There was no way this guy had that ability.
Okay, it looks like he's passed the fork in the road without realizing it even exists.
But I didn't let my guard down as I continued moving down the road.
Giantization.
I finally got a bit of reprieve once I got farther away from the guy and was able to confirm my skills were in working order again.
She still has a pulse.
Amelia was still alive, and the passive skill that gave her a cockroach-like survival rate, Source of Youth, would have activated by now. I wouldn't have to worry about the wound on her neck anymore. It may have hit something vital, but the injury itself wasn't too serious. The skin over the injury should regenerate in a minute.
The problem is oxygen...
In my case, I had no major issues with air thanks to my increased Lung Capacity stat from the Storm Gush's essence. But Amelia's situation was a bit different. Because of her neck injury, oxygen wasn't being supplied to the rest of her body properly. I didn't know how long she would last. I was pretty sure she just needed to hold out for five minutes... She told me that after the passage flooded, the source ran out and the water soon started to drain.
Ugh, whatever.
After taking a moment to think it over, I adjusted my hold on Amelia. Fumbling around her body, I finally found her nose and covered it with one hand before putting my mouth to hers. It was underwater artificial respiration, just like in the movies. I didn't know if this would really work, but I figured it was better to at least try. It wasn't like I had anything to lose, either.
Did she come to her senses? The moment our lips met, Amelia's limp body flinched. Then she started to struggle, almost like she was trying to push me away.
Squeeze.
I pulled her in closer by the waist to tell her to stay put. The resistance then faded. Was that consent, then? I couldn't be sure, but I moved to press my lips as close to hers as possible to prevent water from getting in through the gap.
Blow!
I exhaled as hard as I could.
After about five minutes of repeated underwater rescue breathing, the water level began to drop at a rapid rate. When the water pouring in from above ran out, the water below began to distribute itself evenly throughout the vast sewer system.
Surprisingly, Amelia was still conscious at this point. "L-Let me go..."
Jeez, it was a rescue operation, no need to make a big deal out of it.
When I let go of her waist, Amelia plunged into the water. Oh, right. She was short. The water was still up to my shoulders, so she had no hope of standing on her feet.
Gasp!
The moment I was about to reach out and grab her waist again, Amelia's head bobbed up to the surface on its own. She knew how to swim.
"I'm... just letting you know... but that was pointless."
"Huh?"
"Holding... my breath has... been my specialty since I was little..."
"What are you saying?"
Since she was still gasping for breath and talking at an inaudible volume, I couldn't understand her at all. It seemed she didn't want to repeat herself, though. Or, maybe she felt there was something more important for us to focus on. I couldn't be sure, but Amelia changed the subject.
"Never mind that... why are you here?" Her breathing was more stable than earlier and her voice returned to normal.
Hmm, I don't think I have to worry about her anymore.
"What do you mean 'why am I here'? What does that even mean?" I asked, uncomprehending.
Amelia frowned. "I told you to go back. Did you not see the note?"
"Ah, I did see that."
"Then... why didn't you go back...?"
Jeez, why are you scolding me so much?
Well, to be honest, I couldn't go back just because I wanted to, anyway. Remembering all the trouble she caused me with her trick earlier, I spoke curtly without really meaning to. "Because there's work left to do."
"Work...?"
"I can't go back before then."
"What? Why on earth are you so...?"
What was she mumbling about? That was the only way we could go back. I was about to say so when Giantization suddenly deactivated.
"Ugh, prick." Put simply, this meant that the bastard was within a hundred-foot radius of us. It looked like he just went straight and doubled back when he realized he lost me, and I didn't think he'd let us go all that easily. Therefore, I made a decision. "Hey, you go first."
"...What?"
"Go save your sister. I'll take care of this guy somehow." I'd send Amelia to the sisters while I stopped this guy.
Amelia frowned at my simple plan. "That's suicide. He is not an enemy you can handle—"
"Then what about your sister? Are you going to give up?"
"...If I can't change anything anyway, it's better—"
"Stop." I cut Amelia off. I didn't know when she became so weak-willed. "Trust me, Amelia. I have put some thought into that, so go and save the sisters first. Got it?"
"But—"
"Hush." No buts. I laughed a bit at her surprising reaction to my offer. Having someone worry about you wasn't a bad feeling. "Why do you think I'm going to lose in the first place?"
The ability that came with the essence of the Lord of the Fifth Floor, Nullification, was definitely a great skill. It was also unbelievably rare. The number of people in the entire history of Rafdonia who had obtained it was less than ten, and as far as anyone knew, there was only one person who possessed it now. It was no wonder people were afraid of it. With no information on it available, it would look to anyone like a completely overpowered skill. But I saw it in a very different way.
It's not a particularly difficult one to deal with.
I'd devoted all of my free time in my twenties to Dungeon and Stone. Of course I'd hunted the Lord of Silence. "Three hundred times?" Hmm, something like that.
Amelia didn't understand what I was talking about. "Three hundred times...?" she asked.
"I've taken that essence more than three hundred times," I replied.
There was no such thing as a skill without a weakness.
Walking with my eyes closed and feeling along the wall, I reached the fork in the road I had seen earlier and hid myself down one of the other routes. This was a trick I'd learned from Rotmiller. Having made maps in the past, I was able to accurately measure the length of my strides, and I had gotten much better at memorizing a route I'd taken before. There was no way this guy had that ability.
Okay, it looks like he's passed the fork in the road without realizing it even exists.
But I didn't let my guard down as I continued moving down the road.
Giantization.
I finally got a bit of reprieve once I got farther away from the guy and was able to confirm my skills were in working order again.
She still has a pulse.
Amelia was still alive, and the passive skill that gave her a cockroach-like survival rate, Source of Youth, would have activated by now. I wouldn't have to worry about the wound on her neck anymore. It may have hit something vital, but the injury itself wasn't too serious. The skin over the injury should regenerate in a minute.
The problem is oxygen...
In my case, I had no major issues with air thanks to my increased Lung Capacity stat from the Storm Gush's essence. But Amelia's situation was a bit different. Because of her neck injury, oxygen wasn't being supplied to the rest of her body properly. I didn't know how long she would last. I was pretty sure she just needed to hold out for five minutes... She told me that after the passage flooded, the source ran out and the water soon started to drain.
Ugh, whatever.
After taking a moment to think it over, I adjusted my hold on Amelia. Fumbling around her body, I finally found her nose and covered it with one hand before putting my mouth to hers. It was underwater artificial respiration, just like in the movies. I didn't know if this would really work, but I figured it was better to at least try. It wasn't like I had anything to lose, either.
Did she come to her senses? The moment our lips met, Amelia's limp body flinched. Then she started to struggle, almost like she was trying to push me away.
Squeeze.
I pulled her in closer by the waist to tell her to stay put. The resistance then faded. Was that consent, then? I couldn't be sure, but I moved to press my lips as close to hers as possible to prevent water from getting in through the gap.
Blow!
I exhaled as hard as I could.
After about five minutes of repeated underwater rescue breathing, the water level began to drop at a rapid rate. When the water pouring in from above ran out, the water below began to distribute itself evenly throughout the vast sewer system.
Surprisingly, Amelia was still conscious at this point. "L-Let me go..."
Jeez, it was a rescue operation, no need to make a big deal out of it.
When I let go of her waist, Amelia plunged into the water. Oh, right. She was short. The water was still up to my shoulders, so she had no hope of standing on her feet.
Gasp!
The moment I was about to reach out and grab her waist again, Amelia's head bobbed up to the surface on its own. She knew how to swim.
"I'm... just letting you know... but that was pointless."
"Huh?"
"Holding... my breath has... been my specialty since I was little..."
"What are you saying?"
Since she was still gasping for breath and talking at an inaudible volume, I couldn't understand her at all. It seemed she didn't want to repeat herself, though. Or, maybe she felt there was something more important for us to focus on. I couldn't be sure, but Amelia changed the subject.
"Never mind that... why are you here?" Her breathing was more stable than earlier and her voice returned to normal.
Hmm, I don't think I have to worry about her anymore.
"What do you mean 'why am I here'? What does that even mean?" I asked, uncomprehending.
Amelia frowned. "I told you to go back. Did you not see the note?"
"Ah, I did see that."
"Then... why didn't you go back...?"
Jeez, why are you scolding me so much?
Well, to be honest, I couldn't go back just because I wanted to, anyway. Remembering all the trouble she caused me with her trick earlier, I spoke curtly without really meaning to. "Because there's work left to do."
"Work...?"
"I can't go back before then."
"What? Why on earth are you so...?"
What was she mumbling about? That was the only way we could go back. I was about to say so when Giantization suddenly deactivated.
"Ugh, prick." Put simply, this meant that the bastard was within a hundred-foot radius of us. It looked like he just went straight and doubled back when he realized he lost me, and I didn't think he'd let us go all that easily. Therefore, I made a decision. "Hey, you go first."
"...What?"
"Go save your sister. I'll take care of this guy somehow." I'd send Amelia to the sisters while I stopped this guy.
Amelia frowned at my simple plan. "That's suicide. He is not an enemy you can handle—"
"Then what about your sister? Are you going to give up?"
"...If I can't change anything anyway, it's better—"
"Stop." I cut Amelia off. I didn't know when she became so weak-willed. "Trust me, Amelia. I have put some thought into that, so go and save the sisters first. Got it?"
"But—"
"Hush." No buts. I laughed a bit at her surprising reaction to my offer. Having someone worry about you wasn't a bad feeling. "Why do you think I'm going to lose in the first place?"
The ability that came with the essence of the Lord of the Fifth Floor, Nullification, was definitely a great skill. It was also unbelievably rare. The number of people in the entire history of Rafdonia who had obtained it was less than ten, and as far as anyone knew, there was only one person who possessed it now. It was no wonder people were afraid of it. With no information on it available, it would look to anyone like a completely overpowered skill. But I saw it in a very different way.
It's not a particularly difficult one to deal with.
I'd devoted all of my free time in my twenties to Dungeon and Stone. Of course I'd hunted the Lord of Silence. "Three hundred times?" Hmm, something like that.
Amelia didn't understand what I was talking about. "Three hundred times...?" she asked.
"I've taken that essence more than three hundred times," I replied.
There was no such thing as a skill without a weakness.