After putting together the plan for the boss battle up ahead, we move forward.
I feel like I’ve been here before, but this is an empty grassy field. There are none of the settlements the fourth floor is known for.
But it seems the way to acquire keys depends on the dungeon and floor. I’ve come across two in the beginner dungeon. Treasure chests on the first floor that appeared in place of rare monsters, and this space on the second and fourth floors.
The third floor’s mountain that’s in the center catches my attention, but it might end up being the same. Or it could have a special method like the first floor.
Looking forward to the third floor makes me think of something.
“Come to think of it, how many floors does this dungeon have?”
““Ah?””
““Eh?””
Everyone is at a loss for words.
…Oh?
“…Ah!? Come on Shouta! Seriously! Geez!! I keep complaining when you say something weird. Do you get it!?”
“Ah, yes, sorry…”
Aki’s really mad. If this wasn’t a dungeon, she might be forcing me to sit on my legs.
“Y-you didn’t tell him!?”
Asks Ayane.
“No, hum… I feel like I didn’t, but the problem comes before that!”
“…I guess so.”
Ayane is convinced.
Oh? Is this really the level of topic we’re dealing with?
“Master, you really only have eyes for what is right in front of you. Truly impressive.”
I had trouble reading Aira’s mimetic muscles at first, but I can see it clearly now. You’re trying not to laugh, aren’t you?
“Hum, Shouta, the number of floors a dungeon has and how many have been confirmed to have been conquered is written in big letters on the notice board close to the reception desk in the association. And it’s on the homepage of the association’s website.”
“E-eh…”
“It’s like he was never interested and he’s just learning that.”
“Hahaha.”
Aki is staring at me.
“Well, you know, it was a new dungeon, so I didn’t want spoilers. If I looked at that source of information, I would have seen stuff I didn’t want. And the information I really need or I’d be in danger if I didn’t have is always checked by Aki and Maki, so I can trust them to teach me…”
“So basically, the novelty has worn off, so you threw all that at us and you’ve been averting your attention from it all this time?”
“…Yes.”
In the end I do sit on my legs.
“I can’t believe it Shouta, you were that thorough in amusing yourself.”
“Also, remember when you met our mother and installed a list of the drops in this dungeon on your smartphone? What happened to that?”
“I didn’t want to see past the second floor, so I uninstalled it.”
““Ahh…””
Thanks for the big sighs.
But I want to explore for my own, and find that information by myself. Yes, I was inattentive and didn’t even know about the bulletin board and the homepage, but I had to delete that data.
“No wonder you react to common information like it’s your first time discovering it.”
“Yes. We should have known something was off.”
“That’s why he didn’t feel any danger when he faced the snake rare monster.”
“Yes, but now I know snakes are dangerous, so I’ll be careful.”
“Quiet.”
“Yes…”
“But, but, when darling learns something new, he looks really happy.”
“I guess so…”
“Yes, but…”
Oh? Ayane is covering for me.
“Yes. If master relies on us for information, we will continue to gather what is necessary, what he wishes, or tell him when danger approaches. Would that not be a good way to approach it?”
““Mumu…””
Is the tide turning?
“Well, that’s the kinda guy Shouta is.”
“Yes…”
“Hum… Verdict?”
““…Ahh.””
The sisters look at each other, and back at me.
““Not guilty.””
“Ooh.”
I’m saved.
“So, how many floors does it have?”
“Five. Meaning the next one is the final one.”
“Oh.”
I see.
Maybe we could check out the fifth floor and then conquer the third.
Then we continue walking, and smoke everyone can see wells up.
“Master.”
“Yes.”
I unsheathe my swords just in case and watch.
Once we reach a certain distance, the smoke splits into six. Five in front and one behind. And as we predicted, the monsters we faced in the last couple of days spawn.
“Enki!”
‘Goh!’
Enki takes off running, and tackles the High Orc that just spawned. It’s prioritizing getting it away from us.
Then Aki and Maki each take a Black Knight Goblin, and Aira rushes the Commander Goblin, cutting it with attacks faster than the eye can see.
It’s a powered up one with Swordsmanship Lv5, but while it uses its sword skillfully and avoids being defeated, it can’t hope to keep up with the speed of Aira’s Dual Wielding. The wounds pile up, but a healing light falls on it.
‘Gigi!’
‘Gigya!’
It’s priest goblins behind the Commander Goblin. They have Healing Magic Lv2. It takes time to heal big wounds, but small cuts are healed instantly.
They need to do something about it, or the fight is going to drag on. As I think that, I see that Aira isn’t in front of the Commander Goblin anymore, and has disappeared from their sights.
‘…Gegya?’
‘Gyagya?’
The monsters lost their prey and look around for Aira. And my sharpened senses pick up her voice.
“Deadly Blow.”
‘Guboh!?’
Aira appears from behind the Commander Goblin and pierces its throat. The one-hit kill attack turns it into smoke as it collapses.
The goblins that lost what they were supposed to help are enraged and shoot Aurora Magic at Aira.
‘Gegeh!’
“Ahh.”
Even that is dodged effortlessly, making them frantically shoot it again. But the windstorm that appears next to them turns them into smoke before they can tell what hit them.
“You can’t look away in battle.”
Aki and Maki are taking on Black Knight Goblins, leaving Ayane free, and she finished them off. This is as we planned, but I can’t help but nod along.
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Thanks for the treat.