その１１７ ”ダンジョン”に行こう

ものすごい突風を顔面に受けて、目から自然と涙が出ます。

恋河内百花さんが操る竜の背中で、私たちは空を駆けていました。

「うひゃああああああああああああッほおおおおおおおおおおおおおおいッ！」

歓声を上げながら眼下に視線を送っているのは、羽喰彩葉ちゃん。

「みろ、ねーちゃん！ “ゾンビ”があーんなに小さいぞ！」

"C-Colorful Leaf-chan! That place is dangerous! It's definitely unsafe!"

I desperately try to stop Ayane from heading toward the tail of the flying dragon.

We must have "Master" push themselves a little and immediately start leveling up through the dungeon.

It happened several minutes after having exchanged such a conversation.

We'll need to move a little quickly. I'll have the two of you ride on my "Sky Dragon."

It's fine, it's fine. I won't bite.

...As long as you don't accidentally kick the dragon's nerve, that is (muttering).

Of course, we're a little nervous, that's for sure.

"Saiaaaan! Please hold on tight to my back!"

"Got it, got it!"

You wouldn't know it to look at them.

On the dragon's back, already swaying wildly, with the strong wind howling all around.

Even if Caiye had enhanced her strength through skills, it would still be difficult to hold on, dangling at the irregularly swaying tip of her tail.

"Hahaha! Hya-ha-ha!"

There you go, just as I thought.

Right before my eyes, I watch Caiye getting blown away toward some distant, far-off direction.

"Wait... no way!? Hakuha-san, Hakuha-san, Hakuha-san! Sayuri-chan just now—she's flying straight into the afterlife, headfirst!"

"It's alright."

Hakuha, calmly操控ing the sky dragon, murmured with unwavering composure.

A soft whistle echoed, and one of the sky dragons flying alongside us swiftly turned around. It caught Sayuri-chan mid-air, just as she was skydiving.

"Ah! That was so much fun!"

Her excited voice sounded just like someone thoroughly enjoying a minor roller coaster ride.

Let me be clear—had you fallen, you would've died.

Even I, who have the Defense skill and am shaken by the danger, can't fathom how this girl stays so fearless.

"Ugh... honestly, that girl..."

"You're sounding just like a mother, 'Teacher'."

"Please stop."

You're saying that to me for the second time now.

My stomach aches painfully.

"Anyway, aren't we there yet?"

"Just a little longer."

The distance from Kagurazaka to Ikebukuro shouldn't be that far.

The time spent riding the flying dragon should have been just a few minutes at most.

"Look! There it is!"

The place Hanakai pointed to.

"Wait... that's... huh?"

I couldn't help but doubt my eyes.

... "Ikebukuro."

A place I'd occasionally visited for shopping, not too far from my home.

The familiar scenery had completely transformed.

Where once stood the bustling district known as "Sunshine 60 Street."

There now yawned a massive crater.

Small holes, resembling an ant nest, dotted the crater's surface.

It seemed something had penetrated from within.

"What... is that...?"

"I told you, it's a 'dungeon.' There are several such spaces within the city. This is one of them."

"Why would something like that be here?"

"If we could figure that out, we might just unravel the mystery behind the strange power that's been inside us."

In other words, we had no idea.

It didn't look like a massive hole that had always been there, exposed by ground subsidence or something similar.

At least, that's not how it appeared.

It was as if the space had been copied and pasted from some image editing software, as though something originally located elsewhere had been abruptly moved here. …That sense of unnaturalness, inherent to the place itself, emanated from the "dungeon."

"What should we do from here?"

"First, land safely somewhere. After that, level up by fighting the monsters appearing around the 'dungeon.' …Sound good?"

I nodded.

I'd mentally prepared myself, at least.

My chest was still filled with a heavy, foggy feeling, though.

▼

We landed on the rooftop of a random building and decided to finish leveling up before tackling the "dungeon."

By the way, thanks to dropping off Rinne at "Sakagura High School," my level had increased again.

My current level is 48, and I can now acquire six skills.

"……Hmm. So you've already maxed out the 'Fatal Sword' skill up to Grade V, right?"

"Yes."

"What about the others?"

"I've taken 'Attack Power' up to Grade III."

Not a bad choice... I think.

You don't know?

Yeah. In my previous life, the 'teacher' chose 'mage' instead of 'warrior,' so I don't actually know much about the skills available to the 'warrior' class.

Ah, bother

Even among the same people, do their actions differ in small ways?

"Anyway, just get the *Fatal Sword* up to X. I'll handle the rest."

Understood.

In short, the skills I acquired are《Critical Sword VI to X》and《Attack Power IV》.

"Kiss of Death V" was really powerful, you know.

At that higher level of the "Ultimate Sword," its performance must be truly remarkable.

And, well, that's the reason.

My current skills are

Wandering Warrior

Level: 48

○ Basic Skills

Swordsmanship (Advanced) Perfect Maintenance Critical Strike I–X

Natural Healing (Strong) Skin Reinforcement Bone Reinforcement

Hunger Resistance (Strong)

Skill Inspection

○ Magic Skills

Fire Magic I–V Healing Magic I–V

○ Job Skills

Attack Power IV

Defense Power V Iron Armor Aegis Shield

Magic Resistance II

Spirit Summoning I, Spirit Presence I, Fairy

○Shared Skills

Step on the Ground I

"Subjugation" "Slave Labor V"

Something like this.

I've finally cleared the requirement for the "Fatal Sword" skill, so from now on I can freely pick any skill I want.

To be honest, there are several other skills I'd like to acquire besides the "Fatal Sword."

Well, let's save that as something to look forward to for next time.

"Ah, also, I've acquired a few achievements."

"What's that?"

"Um, 'Zombie's Worst Nightmare,' 'Savior,' and 'Antidote and Rescue,' that kind of thing."

"In that case, I'd recommend 'Prototype Zombie-Defense Robot,' 'Migratory Bird's Feather,' or 'Magic Key.'"

Woo-hoo!

A walking guidebook? Banzai!

"Ah, but I'll hold off on claiming those items here. They'd just take up too much space."

"Hi there!"

...But what is it, really?

This feeling of losing the excitement that comes with opening a treasure chest.

"‘Dungeons’ are cleared starting from the shallowest floor....If you happen to meet another 'player' who’s also leveling up, greet them cheerfully."

"Huh."

That kind of sounds like a mountaineering etiquette, doesn't it.