Story 2-13:『The Confrontation』

Story 2-13:『The Confrontation』

“Finally the 70th Floor huh……” (Daichi)

I mutter with deep emotion. Because【Rigal’s Den】ended on the 60th Floor, this is the first time I’ve been this deep.

The stairs room of this floor was found easily.

Fantra’s magic flowed out. This magic wouldn’t lose to the magic of that crystal.

Feeling its extraordinary concentration, Leadred seemed to be convinced.

With her leading us, we came upon a very modern-looking door.

There were doorknobs on each side of it.

Instructing them here would be the right thing to do.

“…… Hey, Leadred.” (Daichi)

“What is it?” (Leadred)

“Fantra is a tactician right?” (Daichi)

“That is correct.” (Leadred)

“Then, what is with this door?” (Daichi)

“……. Don’t ask me.” (Leadred)

Leadred sat down and seemed worried. She seems strange.

Teaching the enemy your position. This was either really smart or really bad.

In order to not be defeated by the demon Fantra, we began planning.

“….. Though trivial, isn’t it too early? I want to quickly return to the surface.” (Tamaki)

“……. You, even though you were originally a hero…..” (Daichi)

“Shut up. I didn’t think we would do this all at once. Doesn’t Katsuragi just have an excessive amount of power? Because even if he dies he’ll just revive.” (Tamaki)

“…….. Yui-chan.” (Shuri)

“I’m fine watching Shuri-chan for Katsuragi. That way, Katsuragi is relieved.” (Tamaki)

“Yui-chan shouldn’t complain then.” (Shuri)

“That isn’t alright, though. I want Shuri-chan to be safe. I’ll celebrate when you separate from Katsuragi.” (Tamaki)

“….. I want to be with Daichi-sama always. Even if I am weak, I won’t regret it even if I die.” (Shuri)

Looking objectively, Shuri’s resolution was indeed abnormal. If I weren’t the master myself, I would also search for the reasons. Tamaki thought so too.

“…… Are you being threatened into saying that? Shuri-chan, you’ve been strange.” (Tamaki)

“I know. However, it can’t be helped. Nothing will stop me. Therefore, I’ll follow him through thick and thin. Also, didn’t I already say?” (Shuri)

Shuri pointed the dagger she was accustomed to using at Tamaki.

“I won’t forgive anyone speaking badly of Daichi-sama.” (Shuri)

Looking at her gaze, she really means it….. This is bad.

“Shuri” (Daichi)

“Leave it alone for now.” (Leadred)

I take Shuri’s hand and Leadred puts the tip of her sword on Tamaki’s neck, holding her in place.

“Don’t you think it would be bad if we were to crack over something like this now that we are a family? Don’t worry about what is said to me. If a person isn’t looked down on they can’t establish superiority over me, so it’s fine to leave it.” (Daichi)

“But, to do such a thing to Daichi-sama.” (Shuri)

“I don’t want Shuri to dirty her hands by such a foolish thing.” (Daichi)

“…………….I see……..” (Shuri)

Shuri reluctantly withdrew while saying so.

I lost interest in Tamaki. I wouldn’t care if she died while fighting, though it would be good if she survives.

If I can use her, that is good.

I use『Absolute Command』to silence her and force her to grasp the doorknob.

“Tamaki, you will begin the preemptive attack. Sound good?” (Daichi)

“………” (Tamaki)

Tamaki selfishly shook her head back and forth with a *KokuKoku*. She readied a Freezing Lance with her right hand. Leadred was on standby to her left. As the door opened, Shuri and I would both charge into the room as the door was opened. Tamaki would then launch the Freezing Lance from where she was. It was that kind of plan.

“……At worst, are you prepared to die?” (Daichi)

The three showed affirmative reactions. When they confirmed, I began the count down.

“Three, two, one—-go!” (Daichi)

With a clank, both doors were pushed and opened towards the inside. We jumped in as we confirmed they were open.

However, contrary to our expectations the room lacked a floor.

“Eh-……?” (Daichi)

“It’s a li-……!” (Shuri)

“Ba-…..!” (Leadred)

“—–!?” (Tamaki)

『Uwahhhhhh!?』(Everyone)

There was no place to land, so we shrieked while falling. We could not see the bottom in the darkness.

“Shining!” (Daichi)

I fired the light down. It extended into the deep hole and showed no signs of changing.

“Everyone, join hands!” (Daichi)

We each grabbed the hands of whoever we were next to. To avoid falling apart we form a circular shape.

After falling for some time, we finally see the end.

The ground was littered with the ice crystals we’ve seen until now like a pincushion.

“This is a lie riiiiiight!?” (Shuri)

If we continued like this we would definitely be annihilated. However, the fact that this was ice was a blessing in disguise.

One of my slaves was an expert in Fire magic.

“Leadred!” (Daichi)

Shuri and I let go of her hand and she kicks against the wall to gain some distance from us so that we would not be indirectly harmed.

She began chanting magic that would overcome this situation.

“Sovereign spirits of fire. Burn everything that blocks my path. Leave nothing behind, reduce all to ash.” (Leadred)

A scorching heat whirled around Leadred’s right arm. An incredible spiral of fire erupted from her and everything was completely burned.

“Pillar of Prominence!” (Leadred) [TN: Kanji for white-hot blazing column.]

The manifested pillar of flames ate through the ice. In an instant, the ice needles vanished.

“Berserk Tempest!” (Daichi)

To get rid of the remaining flames near us, I used the higher class magic『Berserk Tempest』.

With the danger gone, Leadred used her arm to do a forward roll to absorb the impact of the landing.

“Shield! Be pinned under Shuri!” (Daichi)

“Certainly!” (Tamaki) [TN: Oi…. she was supposed to be silenced. (?_?) ]

Mimicking Leadred, I succeed in landing. As a result of Tamaki’s protection, Shuri came out uninjured.

The shield’s use for Shuri is satisfactory.

“Sh-Shuri-chan. Are you unhurt? Are you alright?” (Tamaki)

“Y-yeah. Somehow. How about Yui-chan?” (Shuri)

“I used multiple layers of thin ice to lose momentum before landing so I’m alright. Though I’m relieved Shuri-chan isn’t hurt…..” (Tamaki)

Tamaki expressed a truly happy smile.

She was lying. No ice could prevent that sort of impact from falling that far. When she landed, I saw her grimace in pain.

Shuri was also aware of it. Therefore, she stretched her hands out to Tamaki to help her stand.

I noticed that I was envying her.

In that case, maybe I put off discarding Tamaki because I wanted to see such a moment.

I’ve also wished for a friend of the same sex. Of course, Samejima and the other classmates were impossible.

Even though Leadred was a woman she was filling that spot.

“…….. I had a feeling that helping you all would have been considerably impolite….. Was it my imagination?” (Fantra)

“It was your imagination. Though, hey. The ‘criminal who made this trap’-san makes his appearance.” (Daichi)

Just like that, with globes of light gently radiating light from the palm of his hand, the wide space brightened immediately and reflected off the crystals.

There was a man sitting with his legs crossed on a splendid throne in the interior.

Wavy golden hair. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his appearance his features were sculpted.

However, there was one flaw.

There was no splendor in his eyes. Instead, they were impure.

I felt no life from them. This fellow looked dead while being alive.

It seemed like a contradiction but I was confident. Because those eyes were familiar. Since coming to this world I’ve seen these dead eyes often.

“Welcome, heroes. I serve as this dungeon’s guardian under Messiah as her demon army’s Chief of Staff—Fantra Angas.” (Fantra)

Following his light indroduction, Fantra Angas gave a smile and a chill ran through me.

“I believe I have to kill you all now——you have my regards.” (Fantra)