Suterareta Yuusha no Eiyuutan

Story 3-8:『Crimson Eyes of Destruction』

The 28th Floor. The temperature was 27 ° C.

As one would expect, this area was hot. It was like summer. After walking for a long time, fighting caused our clothes to be drenched in sweat.

The feeling of it sticking to my body was unpleasant.

“… I should have brought substitute clothes.” (Daichi)

“Do you want to use my towel?” (Fuuko) [TN: Hayase will now be referred to as Fuuko in these]

Hayase took out a lovely pink sports towel from her large shoulder bag and passed it to me.

“It’s like you brought a store, Hayase.” (Daichi)

“I collected all information from『World Retrieval』that I thought was necessary and packed it into this bag. I’ve also brought male clothes.” (Fuuko)

“You bought them?” (Daichi)

“Yes! Because I want to be useful to Katsuragi-kun, I bought them on the way here!” (Fuuko)

“Is that so? Thanks, Hayase.” (Daichi)

I patted her head in gratitude. Hayase looked down with a bright red face.

“… N-no, though as a reward… please call me Fuuko.” (Fuuko)

“Fuuko.” (Daichi)

“Katsuragi-kun!” (Fuuko)

Fuuko was excited and clung to me, rubbing me with her soft cheek.

“… Fuwa~. Katsuragi-kun’s scent…” (Fuuko)

“… Fuuko-san? Since I stink of sweat, it’s better if you sto-.” (Daichi)

“It’s fine… Ah, here, your change of clothes.” (Fuuko)

“A-ah. But, Fuuko hasn’t left for me to change…” (Daichi)

“T-that’s right… I’ll take your clothes then?” (Fuuko)

“That’s no good, Hayase-san. I’ll keep them from getting dirty.” (Shuri)

Pushing Fuuko aside, Shuri was in front of me waiting for me to undress.

“No, Hamakaze-san. Because my bag is large.” (Fuuko)

“No. It’s fine, I’ll hold them.” (Shuri)

But, then Hamakaze-san wouldn’t be able to fight. It still isn’t my turn.” (Fuuko)

“Even if one of my hands is taken, be at ease and leave it to me to take out demons from the 30th Floor.” (Shuri)

““… Fufufufufu”” (Fuuko, Shuri)

“…” (Daichi)

A virtue-less war between maidens unfolded before me.

… I wonder why. My heart is dancing because two beautiful girls are scrambling to take my clothes.

“No no, it’s dangerous for you two. I’ll look after them. Hey, stand still.” (Tamaki)

From behind, Tamaki began to take off my clothes. She unbuttoned my adventurer’s clothes and took them.

How to say, this exchange… it looked like we were a married couple.

“Tamaki. Leave the rest to me.” (Daichi)

“I-I already know. Though please… try to finish before I am killed.” (Tamaki)

Tamaki had cold sweat on her brow. It was caused by the two girls’ gazes piercing her back.

“Alright… then, I’m counting on you.” (Daichi)

I followed up feeling sorry for Tamaki, and quickly took the clothes from her.

“… Nn. This is good. Let’s advance quickly. We’re close to the 30th Floor.” (Tamaki)

Tamaki was talking fast while walking briskly away from something to escape. Shuri and Fuuko were chasing her.

… Ah, my shoulders were grabbed.

“Sorry, Tamaki… it’s okay because you are the shield. You’ll surely be able to do it.” (Daichi)

“… Good luck, Tamaki… if it’s you, you can do it…” (Leadred)

Looking at Leadred, she was imitating a Buddha chant. Which reminded me of what Shuri did to her a while ago. I wonder what Shuri did to cause this…

I pitied Tamaki since Shuri and Fuuko reached her.

It was a scene that made me think of such a thing

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

The 30th Floor’s stair room.

An unexplored room that has not yet been traversed by Samejima. That guy had finished capturing all the way to here. He captured the 30th Floor, according to what Miare coaxed out of him. Everywhere except here was definitely captured. In other words, we had no information.

Overestimating our strength too much would be a third-rate negligence.

I won’t let Tamaki use her magic until it naturally recovers all the way, so Fuuko and I had no choice but to have our temperatures regulated by Shuri.

I had Leadred guard the two, and Tamaki and I entered the room ready for battle.

Of course, depending on the situation Shuri and Leadred would also come in, and Fuuko would use her『Crimson Eyes of Destruction』.

“Tamaki, are you ready?” (Daichi)

“Yeah, of course.” (Tamaki)

Tamaki had the throwing knives that she bought before between her fingers on both hands. They seem to be for offense and defense.

“Alright… let’s go!” (Daichi)

I opened the door and Tamaki threw ten knives as the first move. They curved to the left and right and went flying towards what was enshrined in the room.

With meat falling off of its body, the Bone Knight’s eyes were bloodshot. It held an ominous black katana in its right hand, and a pure white katana in its left.

“It uses dual katanas! Wind!” (Daichi)

I accelerated Tamaki’s knifes with my magic. However, the swordsman knocked them all down with both of its swords.

And then, it stood up and leapt at us in a straight line.

“Tch! Let’s go, Tamaki!” (Daichi)

“I already know!” (Tamaki)

Tamaki defended against the black katana with her knife, and tried to kick away the bone leg. However, the Bone Knight stabbed its white katana into the ground to stop the blow.

“Na-!” (Tamaki)

Reacting to the swordsman, Tamaki nearly tripped. Once again, the Bone Knight came at her with its black katana from above.

“Wind!” (Daichi)

I shifted the trajectory of the black katana slightly to the side. Tamaki used the chance to escape.

“… … …!” (Daichi)

Its sharp gaze turned to me. It looks like it changed its target to me.

The Bone Knight prepared the right side of its body, bending at the waist—and was already approaching me with the point of its sword.

“Woah!?” (Daichi)

I bent backwards to dodge. I couldn’t see how fast the Bone Knight’s momentum was.

I, who barely evaded death, forgot about regaining my balance, and as I was surrounded the Bone Knight with an earth shield on four sides around it.

“Multi-Guard, Crush!” (Daichi) [TN: Again, Kanji for Multiple Earth Walls instead of the Multiple Ice Walls that Tamaki/Fantra use]

“Ah, that’s my technique!” (Tamaki)

Ignoring Tamaki, I opened the hands that I had clenched tightly.

There was no choice for it to escape the earth shield but to leap up out of it.

“… …!” (Bone Knight)

Sure enough, the Bone Knight retreated to the sky. However, I already assumed that it would.

“Leadred! Shuri!” (Daichi)

“I got it!” (Leadred)

“Yes!” (Shuri)

The two understood what I wanted simply by my calling their names and attacked the Bone Knight who had taken to the air.

“Ogre Flame!” (Leadred)

Leadred hit it will three of her Unique Ability’s magic simultaneously. The Bone Knight skillfully repelled them using its two katanas.

“Break!” (Shuri)

Shuri’s hit pierced the Bone Knight’s chest. Furthermore, she planned to destroy it from the inside.

“Wind Blade!” (Shuri)

“… … …!?” (Bone Knight)

The wind blade overflowed from it, and that guy’s body flew apart.

“I did it!” (Shuri)

“No, not yet!” (Leadred)

Shuri was delighted while still midair, but as Leadred said the Bone Knight sneered at them with a cackle from its jaws.

“Undead…!” (Shuri)

We were aware of the threat posed by the undead tribe’s ability to revive so long as there was magic.

I’m sure that being brought into a war of attrition would affect the rest of the dungeon capture.

Though I wanted to save it for a little longer, there was no other choice. I used it.

“Everyone, get away from that guy! And, Fuuko!” (Daichi)

“Yes!” (Fuuko)

“When I seal that guy’s movement, use『Crimson Eyes of Destruction』!” (Daichi)

“I understand! I’ll show Katsuragi-kun that I am helpful!” (Fuuko)

Fuuko was fired up without hesitation. I consecutively invoke magic to stop its movements.

“Multi-Guard! Earth Chain Binding!” (Daichi)

In order to keep the Bone Knight from escaping the shield I also bound its body with earth chains.

Though that guy was tenaciously resisting the bindings.

“Do it now! Earth Chain Binding!” (Daichi)

Once again, it moved its arm to cut the bindings with its sword. Vertically and horizontally, the Bone Knight cut at the bindings that were building up.

“Now! Do it, Fuuko!!” (Daichi)

When I looked at her after giving the signal—there were many layers of magic squares in a straight line in front of her developing.

“Crimson light. Now, transform into magic bullets and destroy my enemies.” (Fuuko)

The shining red light increased its intensity. Magic was poured into the magic squares, and it started.

“『Crimson Eyes of Destruction』!” (Fuuko)

Crimson-colored rays from her eyes.

Though it started small, whenever it passed through a magic square it increased in size and became gigantic, and in the end was large enough to erase the Bone Knight.

“… …!!” (Bone Knight)

It swallowed its death throes. When the light disappeared, the Bone Knight hadn’t left behind even a single speck of dust. It’s as if it’s existence itself was annihilated.

“I… I… did it…” (Fuuko)

Because a large amount of her magic was consumed at once, Fuuko’s breath was rough.

Even with the Bone Knight missing, we didn’t see it revive.

As usual, the wall broke partially to show the way to the next floor. We pushed on.

–At least, we thought so but…

“… This is…” (Shuri)

“I thought that this would be troublesome.” (Daichi)

“It’s a lie…” (Tamaki)

“This will be troublesome won’t it…” (Leadred)

“…?” (Fuuko)

Only Fuuko, who didn’t know the strange situation, tilted her head to the side.

Conversely, the four of us that knew of its existence had four different reactions to it, though we all sighed out.

Now there were two things, one to the left of us and the other to the right.

In addition, it wasn’t the stairs, but the transfer magic squares that should only appear once you capture the bottom layer of the dungeon that appeared.