Volume 8 - CH 10

"Clear!"

"We're clear over here!"

"Clear here too."

"Frenian, we're done."

"Oh, I see. It's good, isn't it, the fighting? The sound of swords clashing and goblins screaming. Nice sound."

"I see."

"Um, Alec-san, how was our fighting style?　If possible, could you give us some advice?"

Tread asked.

"No, it sounded good. After that you just need to make sure that you can all work together without instruction."

I told him what I had in mind.

"I see. Okay, I'll try to go without instructions, everyone, please."

"Oh, no, Tread, we're on a quest. We've got a couple of new guys, me and Frenian, so we'll need a lot of direction."

"Yes, sir."

After that, we continued on our way through the first layer of the Labyrinth of No Return while defeating the goblin hordes.

I was worried about Frenian, but he stood in the middle and didn't move, so it was easy to protect him.

Still, there are things that bother me, so I'll keep my eyes open.

"Frenian, you'd better stop closing your eyes in the middle of a battle."

"But I can concentrate my attention better this way. If you feel like I'm in danger, please call out to me."

"I got it."

"All right, next, straight ahead here, and then a right after that."

Tread said, checking the parchment with the first layer of the map on it.

As for me, with my auto-mapping skills, I'd rather have the skills without the hassle, but it's not a skill anyone can take.

"Gigin."

"Hmm?"

I heard a sound behind me, so I turned around to see that it was a back attack.

I hadn't been hit by a back attack recently, so I felt a little fresh.

Maybe my back attack prevention skill didn't work by chance, or maybe it was just probability. Or maybe, since Tread is the leader now, the party's common skill is not working?

"It's a back attack."

I'll put off the verification for now and say.

"Kkuh, I'm sorry, Alec-san, but I need you to hold them off!　Let's go!　Bleach!"

"Y-yeah!"

"Don't panic, I'll take care of it."

There were five enemies, three of which were rearguards with bows and arrows, an unpleasant composition for this mission, but they were only goblins.

【Firewall Lv5】

"""Gyaa!"""

With no chanting, I sent a wall of flames out into the middle of the enemy and wiped them out.

"Oooh!"

"Soooo, awesome, with magic ......"

"Wow!"

"Kkuhh, an intermediate level spell with no chanting, and he was pretty skilled at it ......!

"Clear!"

"That's great, Alec-san!"

Treads came running up to me, but I'll be careful.

"Hey, we're still on a quest, we're still in a dungeon. Don't break formation until we're above ground."

"Aah, excuse me."

"What the hell, I wouldn't have needed these guys if Alec-san was here."

"Frenian, I can't protect you by myself either. Even if we take a break, we'll have to take turns standing guard."

"Oh, I see. Well, why don't we take a break? I'm tired of walking."

"What, already?"

"That was fast."

Maribel and Bleach are dismayed, but it can't be helped since he's a dungeon novice. He's not used to physical labor.

"I understand. Then, let's take a break. Bleach, you take the first watch."

Tread agreed without protest, and gave the order.

"Ok."

Tread took a break at this spot, where the passage was wide and there was a fork in the road, but a little further on, there was a safe place in a dead end.

Well, I guess I'll give him some advice after the quest is over.

The visibility is good, so it's not too bad here. It's only the goblins that come out anyway.

I decided to sit down and take a break, and while I'm at it, I'll try to verify the back attack.

First, I look at the list of back attack prevention skills.

【Back Attack Reduction　Lv５】

Oh, I get it now.

It's not "prevent" or "disable," it's "reduce".

In other words, this skill only reduces the original back attack rate, so basically the probability will never go to zero.

My party has a great level of spying, so the probability is almost minuscule, and we probably won't get any encounters.

I guess that means that with this Tread's "Ice Shadows" party, there's still a pretty good chance of a back attack occurring, even with my party skills.

Or maybe I'm not the leader and the common skill won't be effective.

Either way, it looks like I'll have to be more vigilant about the rear than usual.

"What! Are you taking a break here, or are you on PK alert?　Gyahaha!"

One of the parties passing by looked at us and laughed.

"JJ, don't interfere in other parties' affairs."

"Because, you know, they're dumb.　Those guys. Only one guard at the confluence of the aisles, and he's a beginner."

"Hmph, look at them, Alec-san. They're so cheaply equipped, and they think they're full-fledged adventurers."

It's understandable that Frenian would retort to this mockery, but I think he should work on his communication skills as well.

"What did you say!?　It doesn't matter what equipment we have!"

Sure enough, the little guy over there, who seemed to have a lot of blood on his hands, got angry and came over to me.

"Don't do it, JJ, we were the ones who said the unnecessary things first. As the leader, I apologize. I'm sorry."

The knight on the other side apologized.

"Oh, no, it is I who should apologize."

"Hey, you should apologize!"

"JJ!"

"Because, you know, he's just saying, "it is I who should say it, hehe". Bake should be just fine."

"That's not going to happen. You have no idea who you're dealing with, do you? They're the Black Cat of the Wind."

"Huh?　I've heard that cute name before. I've been hearing it a lot lately."

Everyone but JJ seems to have noticed it, and some of them are holding their faces. I guess they're in an "Oops" mood.

"No, this party is 'Ice Shadows'."

Tread will have a hard time saying it, so I'll say it.

"Hmm? Alec-san, did you change the party?"

"No, I didn't. I'm just a temporary escort. Well, I guess we can both take advice as we see fit. We're in a dungeon, here."

JJ takes it as a good sign that he was giving advice, not a snide remark about the resting place, and decides to make it whole.

"I'm glad you said that. Now, if you'll excuse me. Let's go."

"Aah!　Alec!　He's a slutty bastard with a lot of slaves in his service!"

"Hey!"

Umu, Well, you're not wrong.

"JJ, you make some money, you'll be doing 'Uha-uha' too!"

I'll be dandy and incentive here.

"Damn it, watch it!　Let's go!　Bake, we're gonna make so much money, we're gonna be in 'Uha-uha' paradise too!"

"Hey, JJ, Bake's has me, so don't get him involved!"

It's a fun party.

"Tread, it's time for your shift. Time for a short break."

Said the blonde Bleach from this party.

"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry, I didn't get the right spot."

"Hmm?　What do you mean?"

"What I mean, Frenian, is this."

I explained to him about the theory of resting places.

"I see, Tread-kun, be careful there."

"No, I'm sorry."

"It's just goblins on the first layer. It's nothing to worry about."

"You're a very generous man, Alec-san."

"Fresnian is also ...... no problem. We should get going."

""" Okay """