CH 202

Episode 202 – Original Form

TL Note: Sponsored chapter (3/3). Thank you for your support!

After Rosalie replaced Aruna as the vanguard, we continued onwards. Unlike when we were on the rear guard together, Rosalie now had a spring in her step as if she was having fun, dancing while we rapidly proceeded along. Honestly, her change in behavior was shocking, to say the least.

“The heck is that? Was that person always like that?” (Aruna)

“No, I got the impression she was always timid and shy… It seems that the way you fought just now must have inspired her somewhat, Aruna-san.” (Lewin)

“Hm. Weird.” (Aruna)

If we’re gonna talk about who’s weird here, it’s definitely you, Aruna, I thought to myself. But I definitely wasn’t going to say that aloud.

“Is it that weird? I also saw the way you fought, and it was definitely eye-catching. You one-shotted that Ogre with your bow… If it’s you, you could probably solo clear the Dungeon, couldn’t you, Aruna-san?” (Lewin)

“The efficiency of solo clearing is low, so it’s a pain. Besides, I still want cover after all.” (Aruna)

“Well, it’s true that the efficiency is low. In the end, not having to worry about enemies behind you is a big load off your back.” (Lewin)

Exchanging words about Aruna’s fight earlier, we continued to proceed through the Dungeon while engaging in friendly conversation. Eventually, we caught sight of a group of Kobolds and Goblins in front of us.

They were the lowest class of monsters, but there were 10 of them in total, which was a bit much. I had heard that Rosalie was a former adventurer who used to challenge the Dungeon, but her strength was still unknown to me. But since she had social anxiety after all, I took a well-practiced stance and waited on standby so that I would be ready to support her at any time.

“……Hoh.” (Aruna)

“Aruna-san, what is it?” (Lewin)

“Nothing.” (Aruna)

I was a bit distracted by Aruna, who had let out a sound of genuine interest when she had looked at Rosalie, but since the battle between Rosalie and the pack of Goblins had begun, I immediately turned my attention back to her.

The pack of monsters seemed to have noticed us, and they let out a groan-like warcry as they charged forward. Rosalie was walking towards them with light steps.

Her light gait made it seem as if she was out taking a stroll, and I got worried that she got nervous again. But my worries were totally unfounded when Rosalie shortened the distance between her and the pack of monsters in one go.

Then, she drew her sword…

“[Haste], [Fear].” (Rosalie)

The moment I heard Rosalie’s voice, her light steps changed completely. She dashed towards the Goblin at the front, looking like she was about to slash down from above. But it was just a feint, and when the Goblin ducked within her reach, she hacked from left to right like a madman.

I was thinking that it was probably already dead after the first blow, but she didn’t show any signs of stopping. Rosalie kept hacking and slashing at the Goblin’s abdomen over and over again. There was blood splashing everywhere, some of it even landing near our feet in the back, as pieces of Goblin flesh went flying in all directions. There was such a massive gap between this and her usual demeanor that even though she was supposed to be an ally, I felt a chill run down my spine.

For the Goblins and Kobolds, who were experiencing such a spectacle right before their eyes, they were probably even more terrified than I was. Some of the monsters running in at the front suddenly stopped moving as if a wall had been erected in their faces, and they began to move away from Rosalie in horror.

The monsters at the back were still trying to move forward, but the monsters at the front were trying to move backward, so even though they had the advantage in numbers, the pack of monsters quickly became a complete mess. Rosalie’s attacks looked as if they didn’t even differentiate friend or foe as she mowed down the monsters. In no time at all, the pack of monsters was totally eradicated.

“….Strong. To be honest, she’s stronger than I expected. Did she do that crazy series of hacks and slashes to scare the monsters behind them…?” (Lewin)

“She used [Fear], so she definitely should’ve had that intention… But from that smile on her face, I think it was more to satisfy her own tastes.” (Aruna)

My eyes followed the direction Aruna was pointing, and I caught sight of Rosalie, who was coming in this direction with a smile on her face, her entire body dyed crimson.

Perhaps… Rosalie is even more of an insane battle junkie than Ahmed, I thought to myself secretly as I looked at her, who was smiling widely while stained from head to toe in blood.

“Good work out there, Rosalie-san. I was surprised. Even against a pack of monsters, you didn’t let anything get in your way and pounded out an overwhelming victory.” (Lewin)

“Yeah. It’s been a long time, but it was fun to get going like this again. Hey… I’d like to get a bit more used to things, so can I stay in the vanguard for a while?” (Rosalie)

“No. Get in line.” (Aruna)

“I thought so. It was worth a shot. I’ll obediently go back to the rear guard now.” (Rosalie)

“Okay. Let’s continue to go in order. We should try to finish clearing the 1st layer in one more rotation of the vanguard.” (Lewin)

“Mm, okay.” (Aruna)

Rosalie’s change in character was shocking, but I was relieved to see that her fundamental personality hadn’t changed. As long as she didn’t get social anxiety in the Dungeon, I had a good impression of her. I could tell from the fight just now that her combat strength was high, and I could count on Rosalie to be a main fighting force.

I’m glad I asked the Adventurer’s Guild to fill in, and I’ve gotta thank Tobias for giving me that useful piece of information.

After that, we all took turns fighting in the vanguard, and we succeeded in reaching the 6th layer without any difficulty. It was supposed to be a test day to gauge each other’s strengths, but we ended up arriving at the Boss Floor because we easily defeated all of the monsters in our way.

After a discussion over whether or not we should continue onwards and defeat the Boss today, we decided to return home and postpone the Boss fight until tomorrow upon my insistence. With these party members, we would probably be able to beat the Boss easily, but I still hadn’t been able to examine the information about the Boss… Besides, there was always the chance that something could happen, and there was no merit to be had in forcefully moving up the plans and challenging the Boss now.

In preparation for tomorrow’s attempt, I forced the two of them, who were grumbling unhappily, to return to the outside of the Dungeon with me.