Chapter 48
Chapter 48
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: What Do You Mean, Live Broadcast?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Wh-what is that...?”
The roughly twenty Hunters on site all felt it at the same time. A high-output attack that far surpassed the level of a decent A- rank attacker.
When a dungeon receives a "Very Safe" rating in its strength test, it means it's durable enough not to sustain significant damage even from the attacks of most superhumans.
Yet, this thing had sliced clean through the neck of the giant sphinx—made of the same material as the Desert Mausoleum, perhaps even tougher—in a single blow and charged forward.
As the sphinx's head rolled to a stop, the giant stone statues began to rampage. The sphinx had been much larger, its thick body and heavy paws smashing the floor in an intimidating display.
But the statue warriors were also incredibly durable and far more agile than the sphinx. The ones holding weapons like seasoned warriors immediately threw themselves at Minium.
CRASH!
A powerful leap, high enough to clear the raised ceiling several times over. The warrior statue soared into the air and brought down a mace, gripped tightly in both hands, onto Minium.
“Minium—!!”
Before the head of the mace could even touch the ground, it separated from the handle and fell. The warrior's legs, which had landed with a thud and a cloud of heavy sand, were instantly sliced to pieces from the ankles up to the waist.
SCHRRRRING...!!!
Minium slowed down by dragging its massive sword along the floor. In the blink of an eye, the warrior statue had been diced up and neutralized.
“Now's our chance—!!! Don't let up the assault—!!!”
Spurred on by Minium's incredible feat, the dazed Hunters began to regain their senses one by one. The other Hunters took on the tide of mummy dogs and mummies.
Minium lunged toward the seven remaining warrior statues.
KRRRAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!
As it charged forward, spewing immense flames from its back, it looked like a fighter jet preparing for takeoff on a runway. The shock and sound were so intense that even veteran Hunters, desensitized to loud noises, had to grimace and cover their ears.
The sheer force of the shockwave from its charge was enough to tear the nearby mummies and mummy dogs into shreds of meat.
“Oh, right! Ophelia!”
I must have lost my mind watching Ultimate Minium's 1-vs-1000 highlight reel live and unedited. I'd completely forgotten that Ophelia was severely injured.
“Are you okay?! Does it hurt a lot?!”
“I am fine. As long as you are safe, Your Highness, I can be healed at any time.”
“I see...! Okay!”
I helped Ophelia to a flat spot on the floor, gently laid her down, placed my hands on her stomach, and closed my eyes.
“Ophelia...! Please be healed...!!”
Woooooong...
I felt a considerable amount of magic power draining from my fingertips. Even with my eyes closed, I could see a bright light flashing beyond my eyelids.
When I opened my eyes again, Ophelia's body was restored to its original state, and her expression looked much better than before.
“Are you okay now!?”
“Yes, I am. Thanks to you, Your Highness.”
“Waaaaah!!”
Even the parts of her clothes that were torn or stained were perfectly mended. I'm never going to make Ophelia fight again.
“Your Highness, I am fine. Please do not cry.”
“Hic... sob...”
“There is still something you must do, Your Highness.”
“Hweh...? Me...?”
“Yes.”
Ophelia got up, lifted me into her arms, and turned my gaze toward where Minium was fighting. I'm not exaggerating—it was engaged in a battle so incredible it looked like a real S-rank Hunter.
“Your Highness, what are your thoughts?”
“Uh, uhm... Amazing...?”
Minium's combat prowess was certainly incredible. It was dodging the massive weapons they swung while carving wounds into their bodies at tremendous speed.
“That is correct. Minium's current combat power is formidable.”
“Right!”
“However, it will not be long before Minium is rendered combat-incapable.”
“Wh-why?!”
What? From what I could see, Minium was slicing through everything and would win easily. Did Ophelia see something different?
“It is because... it lacks Your Highness's 'cheering'.”
“Huh.”
For a moment, Ophelia's words left my mind reeling. Was she joking? She was always so serious, so why now? That couldn't be it. So, did she mean Minium could actually lose without my cheering?
“What do you mean, Ophelia...?”
“It is as I said. Your Highness has yet to achieve any significant results with your second skill, 'Powerless Princess'.”
“W-well, that's true, but...”
“Now is your chance to raise the skill's rank. With all your heart, shout so that Minium may be victorious in battle.”
“O-oh...!”
Ophelia probably wasn't joking. Words have power, right? And I'm like Minium's mom. When parents cheer hard, their kids can try even harder...
Ugh, I don't know!
“O-okay...! I'll give it a try...!”
I climbed down from Ophelia's arms and walked toward where Minium was fighting. There were many Hunters fighting back-to-back all around, so I couldn't go far.
CRASH!!
“Gah...!”
Something even exploded nearby, knocking me over. The intense fighting all around me made my legs give out, and I couldn't get up. Maybe it was because I'd been rolling around in the hamster ball so much, but my legs hurt a lot.
But...!
“Minium—!! You have to win—!!!!”
At that moment.
“Ugh...?! My magic power...!!”
I suddenly felt my magic power draining away, and Minium's movements in the distance changed. Its attacks became much faster and more powerful than before.
It cleaved a giant shield charging straight at it in half, then pierced through the solar plexus of the massive statue standing behind it.
KABOOOM!!
Minium's sword was sent flying by a coordinated attack from two statues, but it didn't stop fighting.
A massive wave of heat shimmered from the back of its calves. Blue flames erupted at incredible speed, working in tandem with Minium's boosters.
“H-h-holy crap!!! It's a jet kick!!!!!”
BOOM!!!!
Struck by Ultimate Minium's Hyper Ultra Super Mega Psych-Out Jet Kick, the warrior statue's chest caved in with a cry of 'Ugh, my God!' as it crashed backward, taking another statue down with it.
Ruuuumble...
Minium emerged from the thick cloud of sand and mist, swinging its sword.
“S-sob...! So cool...!!!”
The battle was nearing its end, and most of the small-fry monsters had been cut down. Normally, when so many monsters swarmed one area, the corpses would pile up so high that it would be impossible to fight properly.
But thanks to the warrior statues periodically rampaging and clearing away the bodies, the Hunters had been able to hold their ground and continue the fight.
“Minium!! Is that really you!!?!”
Clank!
“You're so awesome!!! Wow!!!”
I ran up and hugged Minium, who had become a super-giant robot knight. It was now almost twice my size, big enough to wrap its hands around my waist and lift me up effortlessly.
“Eve! That thing... is it really Minium?”
“Yes! It is!”
“That's incredible!”
Chae-rin, who had been busy helping the injured, lifting heavy debris, and rescuing the missing, came to find me after the rescue efforts were mostly complete.
“Eve, it's no exaggeration to say that everyone survived thanks to you. Really.”
“R-really...? Ehehe....”
The long battle finally came to an end. With two raid teams composed entirely of A-rank Hunters combined, healing was swift, and they were able to fend off the monsters' all-out assault.
It seemed that Team A and Team D, who had been separated from us, had also encountered warrior statues somewhere and had a tough fight.
At least five of the spiral staircases leading to the exit on the upper floor had been destroyed, and everyone was wondering what to do.
“Chae-rin, would you mind receiving an enchantment?”
“Ah, Hunter Lee Yu-na.”
Thanks to Hunter Lee Yu-na, who possessed the ultra-ultra-rare skill of enhancing another person's Awakened ability, and Chae-rin's powers, they were able to create a staircase of wooden vines leading to the upper floor, allowing everyone to get out safely.
Of course, I was able to escape cradled in Minium's arms...
“Wow, little lady! This thing is seriously amazing!”
“Heh, this is every man's dream. Is this really a summon?”
The veteran Hunters beside me were showering me with praise. How could I just leave? I had to soak up every last bit of this precious praise.
“W-welcome back! I never imagined something like this would happen...!”
“We need to have a word with you.”
The CEO of the company that handled the dungeon inspection was at the entrance, sweating profusely with a deathly pale face. The reporters were acting like rabid paparazzi, shoving their huge cameras forward and trying to cross into the restricted area.
The atmosphere among the Hunters who had been inside the dungeon was incredibly hostile. They radiated a murderous aura, as if they would kill anyone who crossed them, and walked with the heavy steps of soldiers returning from war.
“Hunter Eve! Please look over here!!”
“Hweh, me...?”
But the strange thing was, for some reason, all the reporters were pointing their cameras at me.
We had just come out, and we hadn't explained what happened inside yet. We even came out before the other raid teams, so they couldn't have received a report via radio. Besides, everyone was too busy fighting to even answer a call.
Of course, they were monitoring the situation, but that was done by the rear-guard Hunters who had more leeway to film. Since two raid teams had lost contact simultaneously, it was understandable that the mood outside was tense.
Ting.
“Huh...?”
A sudden rank-up. I did fight well during this dungeon raid, but it's too soon for word to have spread, right...?
Beep!
“Hmm? What is it, Mecha-Doggo?”
Beep-beep-beep!!
Mecha-Doggo stuck to my side, wiggling its butt excitedly. I thought it might be hurt, so I picked it up to heal it.
“W-wait... what is this...?”
As my eyes met the monitor, Mecha-Doggo displayed an Instagram screen. But it wasn't just any screen...
“A live broadcast...?”
Instagram followers. Surpassed 180,000.