The Ancient Fortress

The Ancient Fortress

Despite a bit of a fuss over Takanashi-san's 'Spirit Armor,' we regained our composure and entered the dungeon.

Round and round. The sensation of being sucked in. Immediately afterward, both feet landed on a stone-paved floor.

A broad corridor, about as wide as a two-lane road, was illuminated by torches lining the walls. The arched ceiling was roughly three meters high.

There was more than enough room to swing a sword. But what about that enormous scythe?

I turned my gaze toward Rosso-san, but a fearless smile was already on her face. In her case, she probably wore that expression even when things were going badly, so I couldn't judge by her expression.

"Rosso-san. Will that weapon be all right with this ceiling?"

"No problem. I know how to deal with it."

The dhampir ability user confidently pointed her left hand toward her own chest.

If there wasn't enough clearance, she could use her arms more compactly when striking, or bend her knees. She could also pay attention to the angle of her swings.

I'd botched that during the joining trial, so I'd practiced quite a bit since then. She likely had countermeasures of her own.

"Understood. Then, as we discussed beforehand, are you and I taking point?"

"Indeed. I have no objections."

"Okay! Then Miyucchi and I are the rear guard."

Riko-senpai's voice came from behind us.

I glanced back and saw that she had opened both fans.

Those were Riko-senpai's 'staffs.' Apparently, she was a combat-specialized, mage-type ability user.

The two of them seemed well-matched, since Rosso-san fought her opponents head-on.

"Then I'll handle navigation. I've just found markings left by the Self-Defense Forces."

Takanashi-san was examining the letters and numbers left by the Self-Defense Forces with a flashlight. She held a smartphone containing a map in her other hand.

"All right. Let's get going."

"Yes."

"Indeed."

"Got it."

We nodded at Riko-senpai's words and started walking.

All things considered, she had been to the dungeon more often than any of us. She and Takanashi-san should have joined the clan only a few days apart from me, but apparently she had been actively going exploring with the other clan members.

Apparently, her goal hadn't been strengthening her spiritual rank or making money, but learning what the other members were like. You could call it initiative, or you could call it excellent people skills.

Either way, she was reliable. Having someone with experience was a good thing.

Following Takanashi-san's navigation, we slowly proceeded along the stone corridor. Every time we stepped on a floor tile cracked here and there, our footsteps echoed.

This dungeon evoked an old castle or fortress. If this had been an ordinary space, wind would probably have entered through the small gaps in the walls.

I sensed something other than our footsteps mixing into the echoing corridor.

"Enemies."

I readied my weapon and issued a warning.

"Three. Approaching from the left side of the T-junction ahead."

"Looks like they noticed us too. They've sped up."

Riko-senpai followed my words. She was a dark elf too. Her hearing might have been as good as mine, or even better.

We each readied our weapons and took up defensive positions, bringing our feet to a stop. Perhaps because of that, our opponents' footsteps gradually grew clearer.

───Clang! Clang!

They appeared amid shrill metallic noises, the sound of multiple iron objects scraping against one another.

Steel armor was illuminated by the flickering torch flames. Knights in full plate armor pointed their weapons at us.

There was nothing beneath the armor where a body should have been. Only the backs of helmets could be seen through the slits.

Empty suits of Western armor moved with wills of their own. Each held a spear, sword, or axe, and all directed murderous intent at us.

'Living Armor'

Animated armor. The knights, all bearing matching designs, charged toward us at once.

"Just to confirm, those aren't ability users, are they?"

"No."

I answered Rosso-san's question briefly. They were humanoid, but they weren't ability users.

While Rosso-san and I spoke, Riko-senpai finished her 'chant.'

"───Let blood surge, 'Strength Upper.'"

The instant she chanted the final phrase, my body suddenly grew lighter.

The sudden change naturally felt strange, but it clicked into place so perfectly that it was almost sickening. This was definitely what enhanced magic felt like.

It was Riko-senpai's 'Enhancement Magic.'

"I'm going in."

"Let the battle begin!"

I hit top speed on my first step.

I sprinted toward the Living Armor with tremendous acceleration. They prepared to intercept me, but they were just a little too slow.

The axe-bearer and swordsman each stood at the front with a shield, while a spear-wielding knight stood behind them.

Based on their positions, I went for the axe-bearer, and it raised its shield.

Its shield caught my diagonal slash, but I didn't stop. Amid a thunderous collision, I forcibly shoved the shield backward.

Perhaps realizing it couldn't hold me off, the knight let go of the shield and raised its axe. But it was still too slow. No—was I simply faster now?

With a backhanded stroke, I slammed my sword into the side of its helmet. The helmet flew away with a sharp ringing sound.

The Living Armor collapsed, exposing the emptiness within. This monster, with nothing inside it, lost its strength once it ceased to be human-shaped.

Perhaps it operated on the same theory as a golem: 'The body expresses the name, and the name becomes power.'

The knight behind it thrust its spear at me belatedly. I slashed it aside and looked toward Rosso-san.

A moment later.

"Hnnngh!"

With a deafening roar, her enormous scythe came crashing down on the spear-wielding knight in front of her.

Even as its tip scraped the ceiling, the black-and-red blade continued ripping through the Living Armor. Its movement was less like cutting and more like clubbing.

But it was more than effective enough. The metal armor was left in a gruesome state, and fragments scattered all around.

As I weathered the resulting shock wave, I took half a step back and checked our surroundings. When I swept my gaze around, the sword-wielding Living Armor Rosso-san had dealt with was lying there split cleanly in two.

Prompted by curiosity, I briefly let my gaze crawl over the ceiling and floor.

The stone had been gouged spectacularly. It was obvious that the scythe had passed through there.

...So Rosso-san's 'way of dealing with it' had been muscle?

I was inwardly appalled, but I couldn't let my guard down. I readied my sword again and waited several seconds. Once I confirmed that all the armor had turned into black mist, I let out a small breath.

"Good work."

"Indeed, well done!"

After nodding to each other, we picked up the magic stones.

Takanashi-san and Riko-senpai, who had been behind us, jogged over.

...I did my utmost to look away from their huge and utterly massive breasts as they approached.

"Good work, you two!"

"Good work. Are you hurt?"

"No problem. Surely I would not fall behind against foes of this caliber."

"I'm fine too. Riko-senpai, thank you for the support."

"No problem!"

Riko-senpai put both hands on her hips, puffed out her chest, and struck a smug pose.

I turned my face away from her prominently displayed breasts and recalled the abilities I'd heard about beforehand.

If I remembered correctly, Riko-senpai's status, checked at city hall, was as follows.

'Inoue Riko'

Race: Dark Elf

Strength: 30

Endurance: 25

Agility: 32

Magic: 37

Her abilities were the 'Enhancement Magic' she'd just used; 'Lightning Magic,' which fired bolts of electricity; and 'Curse Poison Magic,' which cursed and poisoned its targets.

She also possessed a Unique Ability that stole her opponents' vitality and magical power, which she said was difficult to explain in detail verbally.

Though it required chanting, she was a mage with high endurance who could both attack and support the party.

Apparently, however, she had mixed feelings about her Unique Ability, describing its appearance as 'far too villainous.'

Enough of that. I returned my attention to the dungeon.

"Still, Rosson, you're amazing. Seriously, power is power."

"Indeed, indeed. Tricks are unnecessary. A truly strong person crushes the enemy beneath overwhelming power..."

Rosso-san was starting to bask in it. Well, if you could actually punch your opponent into submission, punching them was probably the better option.

"All right! Let's smash every monster we run into as we go!"

"Hahahaha! Well roared! Very well, my great scythe shall serve as their guillotine tonight...!"

"...You say 'tonight,' but it isn't night yet. Also, I don't think her weapon is a guillotine."

"Takanashi-san, that's a metaphor. A metaphor. Don't correct her..."

See? Rosso-san's eyes were darting around after that oblivious remark. Her cheeks had gone red with embarrassment, and she was trying to cover it up with a terrible whistle.

This was painful to watch. What a pitiful sight. I felt like watching it was damaging my own mental health.

Riko-senpai quietly slipped her arms around Rosso-san.

"Huh?! W-what? What are you doing!?"

"It's okay, Otaku-chan. I know you're cool..."

"Y-yes. I am cool. So, um, let go..."

"I'll be gentle with you... Otaku-chan...!"

I could tell even from beside them that Riko-senpai was tightening her arms around Rosso-san.

Oh dear, that look in her eyes...

"Send help! Young oni, save me!!"

"Riko-senpai. Let go. Break it up, break it up."

I didn't want to touch her directly, so I grabbed the cape around her shoulders and pulled her away from Rosso-san.

"Gweh! What are you doing, Otaku-kun! W-wait, are you jealous...?"

"No."

"Sorry, Otaku-kun. I can have casual physical contact with Otaku-chan, but with a guy... you know? Something might happen."

"That's not what I'm saying, you fake gyaru."

"Who're you calling fake!? It's because you act like that that I can't be an 'otaku-friendly gyaru'!"

"Can we not do this inside the dungeon?"

"Oh... so you'd like me to do it outside the dungeon? Aww, Otaku-kun, you're so bad at asking for affection!"

"Fine. Whatever."

She really wouldn't stop. Where had she left her brakes?

But sadly, being hugged by Riko-senpai was honestly a little enviable. Her eyes had looked like a predator's, though, which was terrifying.

Meanwhile, Rosso-san was backing away with the eyes of a frightened herbivore. Understandably so.

"Th-thank you, young oni... It would help if you handled her from here...!"

"Oh, Otaku-chan, you're such a shy one. I'll be equally kind to Otaku-kun and Otaku-chan, you know?"

"Help me, Mother...! The outside world really is a frightening place!"

"Riko-senpai. She really seems frightened, so please stop there."

"No, no. That's only at first. I'm sure it is. Someday, our bond—"

"If you continue, I'll tell Master."

"All right, everyone! Let's focus on exploring the dungeon! That's what we'll do!"

Sweating coldly, the fake gyaru—or rather, Riko-senpai—raised her fans.

Apparently, Master’s thunder—Grandma’s wrath—still worked. I might have to use this trick whenever she went out of control in the future.

"Otaku-kun. Were you just thinking something untoward?"

"No, not particularly."

I replied with an amiable smile. Though I supposed it was hard to tell behind my face guard.

Ignoring Riko-senpai's twitching cheek, I turned my gaze toward Takanashi-san.

"Let's go. Could you continue navigating?"

"Yes. First, we'll turn right at this T-junction."

"Got it. Are you two all right with that?"

"I have no objections. I see... reporting me to Master..."

"Okey-dokey, fish market! So don't let either Otaku-kun or Otaku-chan learn any bad habits! Forget it! It's dungeon time! Dungeon time!"

"Hahaha."

"Otaku-kun? What was that laugh?"

"Hahaha."

"Otaku-chan? No, Rosson? Tell me! What is this 'ha-ha-ha' supposed to be?"

"Let's move. I'll watch our rear."

"Yeah, that's right, Miyucchi. I believe you're my ally...! Miyucchi, my friend...!"

"No. I haven't yet determined whether you and I are friends."

"Grandma... I'm a little lonely...!"

We cut off the foolish exchange and started walking. Otherwise, it felt like it would continue forever. I hadn't actually seen it in the future, but I was certain of it.

Somehow, this was shaping up to be a very noisy exploration.