Chapter 193
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Living Armor
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"That's something we need to find now."
Long explanations are unnecessary—actions speak louder.
Alice blinked, following in my footsteps.
Due to our height difference, she took about three steps for every two of mine.
'This won't do.'
Leaving the girl trailing behind, I wove between the trees, scanning left and right.
Occasional monster territory markers dotted the forest.
The common ones included claw marks gouged into tree bark.
Sometimes, they'd hang the skulls of their prey outside as trophies.
Focus while traversing the woods, and you'd spot each creature's distinctive signs.
Inexperienced adventurers who wanted to live long learned to observe these without fail.
"Oh!"
-Sii.
The spirit flicked its tongue in response to my voice.
This thick, sturdy tree had such a faint presence that you wouldn't notice it without concentrating.
The marks on its surface looked like beast claws at first glance.
But that sharpness was the work of a swordsman's blade.
"Did you find it?"
I nodded in affirmation at Alice's question.
"A bit further off."
"Yes!"
Without a word of protest, I left her behind as she distanced herself and resolved to get the most out of the spirit.
"Will you help me uproot this tree?"
I could just smash it with my fist or foot and yank it out roots and all.
But I needed to return this little one to its owner pronto.
If it still wouldn't leave after our business was done, I'd have no choice but to shake it off by force.
-Shuik!
As requested, it channeled a trickle of mana, tensing its body.
Carrying it around like this, it was starting to feel endearing.
I was the type who liked reptiles on top of dogs and cats.
Letting a spirit in a form that perfectly matched my tastes perch on my head didn't feel half bad.
Pshuk! Pak!
The spirit exerted its strength, and the earth around the tree began to give way.
Chunks erupted with rough bursts, like it was shoveling with an invisible spade.
After a short wait, having given its all, the spirit flopped belly-down atop my head, limp.
"Thanks. You did great."
-Suu...
I debated just kicking it off right then.
But I'd make use of the effort it'd put in.
Confirming Alice still waiting at a distance for my signal, I shoved the tree outright.
Kkuduk—Prudduduk!
It wasn't just rocking it back and forth; I hauled upward with raw muscle too.
A few shakes, and the roots tore free, toppling it sideways.
"Yep."
Kuwung!
The ground trembled faintly, sending small forest critters and birds into a screeching panic.
There, beneath the exposed stump.
I brushed the dirt aside with my foot, revealing a grimy door with a stuck handle.
Good—no one seemed to have heard. Satisfaction welled up.
"Nice, nice~ Found it good."
No need to grab that brittle-looking ring.
I summoned aura to my fingertip, bored a hole in the door, and yanked it open like a handle.
Kkiiik—
Stone stairs descended into dingy gloom—far murkier than the sunlit blue forest above.
Darkness swallowed the depths, end unseen.
"Alice."
"Yes!"
"Wait outside? Won't take long."
"...Am I in the way?"
I shook my head at Alice, who fretted over efficiency before her own safety.
I pointed to the stairs radiating ominous vibes.
"Not that level. But the atmosphere's grim."
"If I'm not a hindrance, I want to go...! I'm an adventurer too—no need to worry about that!
Another chance to witness Platinum prowess—"
Alice's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Full of spirit. Let's go."
She harbored a firm goal in her heart. Unlike the hordes of adventurers brimming with unfocused passion, this girl stood apart.
Tak—
The entrance was so low I couldn't even stand straight at my height.
Nearly crouching, we descended the stairs. The ceiling soon rose enough to straighten up, and the air shifted like we'd entered another world.
"Eh!"
Alice sensed it too, letting out an involuntary sound before clapping a hand over her mouth.
"Sounds are fine. Just watch your step."
Unlike the low-tier dungeons open to any adventurer, this one had a wholly unique vibe from the start.
The boss here was a named monster that wouldn't respawn once hunted.
They tied into major quests.
Or linked to the protagonist or heroines, sparking power spikes or handing out artifacts—usually scripted that way.
····
The corridor appeared abruptly after the stairs—not pitch black, but lit faintly.
Floating specks like dust particles emitted dim glows, illuminating the hall.
Clank—Clank—
And there, in the corridor's center, stood an armor.
Just a glance at the joints and seams revealed it was hollow inside.
Impossible for a human—the movements alone gave it away.
No wearer could make its upper body spin freely like that. Inferring its nature was child's play.
"Living Armor?"
"Right. Sharp eye."
"...First time seeing one for real."
Even at this distance on a straight shot, it patrolled fixed intervals, oblivious to us.
The type that only reacted once you entered its range.
"Want to give it a go? Stay focused, and it'll be an easy win."
"Ah! Can I?"
Beastkin blood coursed through the small girl's veins.
Facing a new foe sparked excitement over fear, her eyes alight.
'Wonder how she'll fight.'
I'd yet to join her mid-battle. This half-breed girl's style intrigued me.
Pure magic? Or martial techniques leveraging superior physique—maybe barehanded?
Too agile when she'd gone after Tero for a simple mage.
"No traps up to there. Go ahead worry-free."
"...!"
"Living Armor's no head weak spot—overwhelm it with solid impacts anywhere visible."
"Yes!"
Excitement, not doubt, filled her.
I patted the spirited girl's back as the signal, and she launched forward.
Tak! Tak! Tak!
Her run echoed cheerily down the corridor.
Clank.
No surprise, no hostility.
The Living Armor whipped its upper body around, swinging its sword at the intruder.
Whoosh—
Alice didn't slacken, twisting her body to evade.
"Hup!"
Legs outclassed arms in power and reach—pure body arts.
Splat!
Her spinning kick caved in the armor, slamming it into the wall and scattering it.
Before the tin-can pieces could reassemble.
Her fists and feet battered the metal lumps mercilessly.
I watched in admiration as she returned after a clean finish.
"Ooh~ You can tell you've had proper training."
Alice scratched her head sheepishly, flashing an embarrassed grin.
"Father trains disciples in this style. I've been mixing in since I was little..."
"No wonder it's so systematic."
"Just that much...!"
Hard to believe we were deep in a dungeon—casual chatter killed all tension.
Pressing on down the corridor.
Unlike the start, Living Armors now came in pairs at minimum, patrolling set distances.
"Stay behind now. Traps drag time if you don't clear 'em fast."
"Ah... Yes!"
Even with spirit help, I could only draw distant ones' attention.
Unnecessary hassle, but seeing it tense its toes with a snap made me think it'd head back to its owner soon.
Traps were basic fare.
Suited to folks who could handle Living Armors.
No hesitation in my straight-line charge down the hall, traps be damned.
Alice matched my stride, legs stretching long to keep pace.
Grab incoming arrows; dodge rising spears or collapsing floors on the fly.
No time wasted, corridor breached.
Chingkang!
My air-slicing punch snapped the armor's sword like kindling, then punched a gaping hole through its torso.
"Hmm..."
Tough to fully contrast game and reality, but digging through memories, it lined up close enough.
I dusted my knuckles, dropped the stalled scrapheap, and advanced.
"Looks like that's the end."
As Alice said, the corridor's terminus appeared.
A generously sized door greeted us, unlike the cramped entrance.
And two more, stock-still unlike the rest, rigidly guarding the spot.
'Definitely untouched.'
Both hands seized their helmets, crumpling them like paper before hurling to the corner. I stood before the door.
Kwang!
One kick sent the door clattering across the floor, interior laid bare.
A vast rectangular chamber.
"Can you see? Gets dangerous now—watch from here."
This boss was beyond Alice's current level.
I had her stand guard outside the door and stepped in.
"...Tero!"
The anxious owner called out helplessly, but the spirit paid no heed.
"You tagging along?"
-Sii.
"Well... If it gets dicey, perch on my back, not head."
Its tail-wagging affirmation tugged my lips upward.
The ones I'd slain by hand before entering.
Even orcs had those bluish variants. Other monsters had special breeds too.
Goblins, kobolds—even that slime.
Especially the Slime King with its gem-encrusted crown; it popped up often in game ad banners.
Then what of superior Living Armors?
No use spelling it out.
Amid the factory-stamped uniformity of the rest.
One stood out glaringly.