Chapter 61 - You're Dead When We Get Back

"They're dwarves."

I took out a scythe from [Inventory] while barely listening to the instructor's words. I thought nothing would happen, but our flag king caused trouble.

I need to quickly go to the last floor and steal the weapon, but what's this situation.

Dwarves.

Rank E+ monsters. They're creatures that act in groups and have a habit of digging the ground.

The proper method is to deal with them before they dig, but since that failed.

There's only one way left.

"Shin Gayeon. Go deal with those."

Where I pointed, there were 3 dwarves. They were standing as if guarding different positions.

That's these guys' habit. Most of the group enters underground tunnels and the ones left on the ground act as commanders.

They play the role of briefing the ground situation and attack locations. In other words, we just need to catch those guys.

"Yes!"

I plan to leave the blue-haired one who ran without hesitation at my order to rampage alone.

She's not someone who would lose to 3 dwarves anyway.

Now the problem is the ones that entered the ground. I'm not sure how many came out, but there should be quite a lot.

[There are 8 meow.]

That many? Should I get rid of them all with Ishia's magic. I made a hand gesture to Ishia to prepare magic.

Of course she didn't understand.

"What."

"Prepare magic. Don't need to?"

"'Magic Chant Breaking' isn't working."

Ah. Is it because of that again? This hurts no matter how many times I hear it.

"Then prepare incantation."

"Okay."

Now as I was about to get briefed on the emerging locations from Lachesis, the blonde approached from beside.

She tugs on my arm vigorously and asks.

"Seonghoon. What about me? What should I do?!"

"Don't you know it's wrong to ask that from the start?"

"That's why I'm asking!!"

I opened [Inventory] and handed something to the damn blonde bothering me when I don't have time.

Ah. Two things. The one who received the items I gave in both hands looked at me blankly. A face like she doesn't know what to do.

But there was no time. I pushed Raphael towards the instructor.

"Go eat popcorn or something!!"

[Five over there. Three here meow.]

Then magic on the five side. The remaining three are my responsibility?

I really don't want to do this. I gripped the scythe with tears in my eyes.

"Ishia. Magic over there!"

I told her the direction Lachesis indicated, and I ran to the opposite side.

[They're coming out soon meow.]

I grip the scythe. I prepared to cut immediately. Will I get a surprise attack bonus if I attack right away?

We'll know if we try.

[They're coming meow!]

Along with that sound I saw the ground splitting. A dwarf popped out.

《Kyaaaaaaah!!》

Sharp eyes and teeth appeared right in front. It took a pouncing posture spitting saliva and with sharp claws, but.

I was faster. Of course. I'm receiving Raphael's blessing right now.

Plus I was waiting knowing the location they would come out in advance. The only way to attack slower than them here is to space out.

A blue window covers my vision.

[Due to taking a specific action, correction for "Scythe Mastery" activates.]

[Correction: Beheading]

[Surprise attack successful. Correction activates.]

[Correction: Beheading (Surprise Attack)]

[Attempted beheading. Correction activates.]

[Correction: Beheading (Single Strike)]

My body moves along with the blue window. My hand and scythe drawing an arc. Perhaps thanks to the scythe's long range, it naturally reached the dwarf beside too.

Two heads fly through the air. The bodies that lost their heads lose balance and blood sprays in all directions.

I hate this. The monsters in the instant dungeon were holograms so they disappeared when killed, but these guys are real so they spurt blood.

I frowned while blocking the blood with one hand. This is life wisdom gained after many beheadings.

[There's still one more meow.]

"I know."

I immediately recovered my vision and looked around, but couldn't see it. Its small size contributed to it being hard to see originally.

[Over there!]

"Ah."

It was running towards Ishia.

Towards Ishia's defenseless back after she just fired magic and killed 5 dwarves.

Did it change targets to a nearby person after seeing its companions die?

I gripped the scythe while feeling inexplicable doubt. It's too late to run and cut. Then there's only one thing I can do.

It should be fine since I have [Correction] branches I chose recently.

Probably.

If it's dangerous Lachesis is there anyway.

[I'm not omnipotent meow.]

Don't underestimate yourself.

I grip the scythe. Arm back while holding it. I fill in lacking strength using the law of inertia.

[Due to taking a specific action, correction for "Scythe Mastery" activates.]

[Correction: Throwing]

[Attempted throwing. Correction activates.]

[Correction: Throwing (Single Strike)]

[Correction: Throwing (Boomerang)]

[Attempted throwing from outside opponent's field of vision. Correction activates.]

[Correction: Throwing (Surprise Attack)]

[Aimed for opponent's neck. Correction activates.]

[Correction: Throwing (Beheading)]

The scythe left my hand along with blue windows filling my vision. The scythe starts flying with a sound like tearing the air.

The destination is of course the dwarf's neck.

Ishia who turned at the propeller sound met eyes with the dwarf. Though she seems quite surprised, my scythe was faster than the guy doing anything.

《Kyaa─?!》

The neck flying with a final scream. I stretched out my hand towards the scythe flying this way after going right in front of Ishia.

"This is scary no matter how many times I do it. Lachesis."

[You can catch it alone meow.]

I'm scared.

[Sigh. Just keep your hand stretched out meow.]

The scythe settled in my outstretched hand. It was natural as if returning to its original place.

Ah. This was cool even to me. As I was falling into self-admiration, I heard multiple voices.

"I caught them all~"

"Th-thank you."

Yeah. It's roughly wrapped up. I rubbed my nose at my performance. Hey wasn't I pretty cool?

"Seonghoon."

"Yeah?"

Raphael who approached at some point looked up at me. Then she smiles brightly.

"I didn't do anything!!"

Good job.

Damn kid.

***

"Hmm."

The man is rubbing his chin. Though we're walking without any problems now, a melee battle occurred until just now.

Though it's an abandoned dungeon where monsters don't appear well, he had quite an interesting spectacle thanks to that.

'He understands dwarves' habits well.'

Dwarves are creatures hard to deal with for people who don't know.

Monsters that move in groups, composed of lookout commanders and ambushing combat troops from tunnels.

If it was an ordinary candidate they would have rushed at the commanders without seeing them digging tunnels.

'And then they would have been surrounded and I would have had to step in.'

But what is this man. As soon as he saw the dwarves he quickly assigned the commanders to the vanguard, and had the magician prepare magic while dealing with the ambush.

It was a method that could avoid being surrounded and confuse the attackers.

His actions afterwards were even more surprising.

As if knowing where they would come out, he gave instructions to the magician and beheaded them at once with a surprise attack.

He even threw the scythe and cut the neck without a single error for a monster that escaped.

'To have such weapon proficiency at that age.'

Plus it's a scythe. He had never seen someone using a scythe in his hero life.

So his interest was piqued. Not just the battle just now.

He seemed to be a pathfinder. A non-combat personnel guiding the path. Yet the combat he showed made him doubt his eyes.

"Hm?"

There was unexpected data written in the documents in his hand.

No magic power. Lowest physical abilities. Ranking was 1028 until recently.

It was data that didn't match at all with what he just saw.

'I see.'

So that's how it is. The man understood. How much he had worked. Rich knowledge about monsters, weapon proficiency not matching his age and recently skyrocketing ranking.

'Did he make bone-grinding efforts.'

The man understood. All circumstances told the truth. It didn't make sense otherwise. Though he wanted to punch that annoying expression earlier, he might be a decent guy.

"Ishia!! Where's your thank you?"

"I said it earlier!!"

"Tsk tsk. With sincerity. It would be good to give money too."

"I like houses!!"

"Can't you do even that for your life savior?"

"Ah~ I can't hear~ I don't know~ I'm not a maid today~ Aaah~~"

Maybe not.

***

The lowest floor of the dungeon.

We received break time after arriving in front of the core.

First I decided to enjoy the break time since it was tiring. Who came up with going back up after resting for 10 minutes.

That's harsh. They should let us rest for 30 minutes.

"It's something to rest even 10 minutes. More importantly aren't you doing that?"

"How can I do it now."

I looked around while saying that. Ishia sitting a bit apart and glancing at me.

Shin Gayeon sitting right beside me and staring intently.

And the instructor blinking his eyes like a child for some reason since earlier.

What is it.

Why am I so popular? Everyone take your attention off me.

Everyone~ Seonghoon has nothing to say~

I had no choice but to decide on a frontal breakthrough.

Well two of these are my maids.

"Maid No. 1!"

"Huh? No. I'm not a maid today?"

"Then it can't be helped. No. 4."

"Yes!!"

No. 4 this one is quite capable. She wiped off all the blood from the dwarf battle earlier. The art of creating water to wash my body and drying with magic power.

She was really useful. I just need to ignore words like 'It feels good like washing my husband' afterwards.

Anyway.

"Go get some water from the instructor. If possible negotiate break time too."

"Yes!!"

I wonder if this one has the word No? It doesn't seem like it.

Shin Gayeon jumped up, and Ishia who was listening beside also jumped up.

What is this kid doing?

"I-I'll do it."

"What are you doing? Didn't you say you're not a maid?"

"I-I just want to rest longer too?"

Is that so? That's good. I made Shin Gayeon sit again. I turned away Ishia and the instructor's gazes.

What's left is Shin Gayeon's gaze.

I looked at Raphael rolling on the ground beside. The one rolling her whole body on the ground with only dirt and stones.

"Hey."

"Yes!"

"She smells so take her and wash her."

"Huh? Wait a minute. I don't smell?"

Raphael who sniffed herself said. Even if she says things like 'I only smell like flowers─!!'

Beat Shin Gayeon with strength if you can.

"Wait!! Wait a minute!! I'm really clean!!"

I know. And I'm sorry. Think of it as an honorable death.

I waved to Raphael being dragged away and looked around.

Ishia is talking with the instructor, and Shin Gayeon is wrestling with Raphael.

No gazes. Good.

[Entering combat stance, unique magic "Magic Eye" activates.]

A blue window appears and my vision changes drastically as I show will.

I don't know the exact location. Certainly Kim Taehyun came here to rest then discovered it while fighting monsters that appeared.

By chance. A stage discovered very by chance.

But I have "Magic Eye". Being hidden means.

It means it's sealed. Sealing means it's magic.

My eyes see magic power.

There was a place fluctuating strangely. Ground not too far away.

Magic power was writhing and fluctuating there. I looked at other places just in case, but they were fine.

Only this place has a large amount of magic power fluctuating.

"Bingo."

I immediately took out a scythe from [Inventory] and thrust it in. When I stabbed lightly, mana backflows and disappears.

And what came out was a hole. A hole whose end couldn't be seen. What is this? I'm sure Kim Taehyun was transported right away?

Did it become like this because I forced it open?

"Lachesis."

[Meow?]

"What are the chances of surviving if I fall from here?"

[Nothing is more foolish than asking the obvious meow.]

....Should I give up?

While having such thoughts I turned around and something is running over.

"Seonghooooon!!"

Something blonde. Raphael who just escaped and was fluffy was running towards me.

"Wait!! Stop!!"

"Who are you saying smells!! I only smell like flowers!!"

"Okay. You smell like flowers. You only smelled like clouds!! I did it to draw attention!"

Ah. So that's it? Raphael who was running stopped. I tried to make her draw Shin Gayeon's attention while catching my breath but.

"Ah."

Raphael's foot caught on a rock. This is fine so far. But the direction she's falling is strange.

Why is she falling forward? Why is she coming my way? Why am I being pushed now?

My eyes met Raphael's who fell as if embracing me.

Wasn't my position until just now right in front of the hole?

A floating sensation envelops my body.

Looking around there's nowhere to step. I've felt this a lot somewhere.

A scene I've seen somewhere.

After about 3 seconds of silence. Raphael opened her mouth.

"This is my fault."

"I'll see you when we get back."

After that the sound I hear well.

There's one.

─Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

─Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're dead when we get back. Raphael.