—Raust—
After seeing the figure of me defeating the worm, Narsena finally agreed to head to the lower-layer under the condition that we would turn back immediately if the situation became dangerous.
Thanks to that, we were currently in the lower-layer, except…
「Ruaaaaaaaa!」
「GAAAAAAA!」
「GAAAAAAA!」
「GYAAAAA!」
…… Immediately after we reached the lower-layer, we were surrounded by a group of Ogres and Liches.
Whether an adventurers party is judged as a first-class party or not is depending on whether they can go to the lower-layer or not.
With that reason, it’s easy to understand why there are merely less than 10% of adventurers counted as top-class adventurers.
In short, the lower-layer of the labyrinth is too difficult.
Complex traps are installed in various place, powerful monsters with skills also appear.
But more than that, the most troublesome thing is how the monsters fight changed.
Yes, when it comes to lower-layer, the variety of monsters come together as a party of vanguard and rear guard as they attack the adventurers.
… And, the party of Ogre and Lich is a combination that is said to have a high degree of difficulty in the lower layer.
「Kh! What with a party of ogres and lich immediately after we enter the lower-layer! Onii-san!」
I could see Narsena’s face implying that we should go back to the upper layer.
That would be a natural decision.
Thinking about it normally, Ogre and Lich are not an opponent we could win against.
After all, there is even a strengthened variant of Ogre which is bigger than all the other ogres.
Against this, even top-class party would choose to run away.
… But whether we can escape is another story.
「Impossible. With lich that has magic skill, turning our back is too risky. And if we return to the upper layer as is, secondary damage may occur.」
「——— Ghh!」
Narsena, who understood the situation from my words, bit her lip while clenching her fist tight.
In the labyrinth, it’s important to know when it’s too dangerous, but retreating without a plan is also dangerous.
In other words, we have no choice but to fight the enemy in front of us.
「It’s fine, if it’s just this much, it would be over soon.」
「………Onii-san?」
But, I’m not afraid at all in front of these enemies.
There is no doubt that it’s troublesome if I’m just one person.
But now I have a very strong companion.
「Narsena, I will attract all the enemies. So watch the situation and go defeat the lich.」
「……Huh?」
That’s why, I told that to Narsena as I held a dagger and a throwing knife in my right and left hand respectively.
「Onii-san!」
And the next moment, with Narsena’s voice echoing behind me, I ran toward the Ogres…
◆ ◆ ◇
「GAAAA?」
「GAAAAAAA!」
「GYAAAAA!」
One of the three ogres who saw me running laughed as if mocking me.
And behind that smile, I understood that the ogres didn’t recognize me as an enemy.
But, that didn’t come from self-conceit.
Even I would think the same if someone as lean as me stands in front of an Ogre with a physique close to three meters, surely the person will be killed instantly, and that’s pretty much the same for everyone.
「GAAAAAAA!」
Hence why, the ogres didn’t show any vigilance to me who came closer.
As if to crush an insect, it swung its log-like arm to me who ran toward them.
「This time ogres don’t have a weapon, so it’s easy to evade its attack.」
「GA?」
Seeing me easily evaded its attack, the ogre finally noticed.
The person who they thought to be an insect, someone who they mocked, was never a weak one.
The next thing, the ogres’ face distorted from the anger as it started to recognize me as an enemy.
「I was a bit surprised there is a strengthened variant of ogre show up, but in the end, the ogre that show up in this area is not a big deal at all.」
——— Apparently, even after I received the attack from the ogre, I noticed that I seemed to still not seen the ogres as a threat at all.
「GYAAAAAAAAA!」
And then, feeling angry at my attitude, the strengthened variant of ogre raised its roar toward me.
Using the roar as a cue, the other ogres started to encircle me.
And then, a one-sided attack by the ogres was launched.
◆ ◆ ◇
The battle started by the rage of the ogres.
It was really one-sided.
After all, I was just one person.
「Haha. I can do this for a few hours if it’s only this.」
——— However, the one who laughed in the middle of battle was me.
It was true that currently I was only defending and never attacked the ogres at all.
But that’s not because I couldn’t attack.
It was to focus myself on defense.
And the result of that was none of the ogres’ attacks were connecting to me.
From the side, from the back, from the front.
From all directions, the ogres’ attacks which had attack power and speed incomparable to those of orcs were rained down upon me.
However, I avoided it all or parried them with my dagger.
As if I had eyes in all directions.
Saying it like that didn’t wrong.
After all, I was in a state where I fully recognized the movement of all the ogres.
I’m a healer who can fight, but that doesn’t mean I have a talent for fighting.
It’s not that I’m completely devoid of talent for fighting, I’m just a jack of all trade.
So I put a switch.
To attack, or to defend, only those two.
——— And so, the attacks of the ogres couldn’t touch me who had already switched to only defend.
「Hahahaha!」
I parried an attack, dodged another, while moving without end, I was laughing mockingly at the ogres.
Making it as if I was having plenty of leeways.
「GYAAAAA!」
And then, the strengthened variant of ogre lost himself in anger from my attitude.
It was leaning forward with its huge body, intending to strike me with all its body weight on its fist.
Whether some kind of skill had activated, its fist was covered in a slight red light.
「Shi-! Comi-」
That was what It was aiming for.
it knew that my posture was crumbling after dodging one of the ogres’ fist.
Seeing my behavior, a happy smile showed up on the strengthened ogre variant’s face.
Apparently, it thought that I was finally unable to dodge.
「Too bad.」
「GAA, GAAA!?」
「GYAA!?」
However, that was only the misunderstanding of the strengthened ogre variant.
I dodged the strengthened ogre variant’s fist, it grazed me a little and then hit the ogre behind me.
The ogre that was hit by the fist of the strengthened ogre variant that was covered with a skill curled into a ball while letting out a scream of anguish.
「GYA, GYAA!」
「GAAA.」
Seeing the sight, the attack from the two other ogres were also stopped.
The Ogre, monsters from the lower-layer of the labyrinth had some clear thought and was upset by the fallen brethren.
The moment I noticed the ogres were shaken, I started running.
It was to the lich I ran to.
I didn’t know whether it judged that the ogres would be fine, or if it was not aware that the fight on the other side was already decided.
However, the lich who was trying to release the magic toward Narsena didn’t notice my presence who was running toward it.
「Ruaaaaa!?」
By the time the lich aware of my presence, its semi-transparent body was already within the range of my throwing knife.
「Rhaaaaaa!」
The throwing knife I threw with full force flew in a straight line to the lich, but it was dispelled with a physical ability that was clearly far from what a human rearguard would have.
Well, that’s what I can expect from someone who has no talent or skill.
Besides, my purpose is not to defeat the lich.
「Ruaaaaaaa!」
But, the lich who didn’t know that, let out an emotional roar and started to give instruction to the ogres.
And when it started to prepare to unleash its magic to attack me……
「Narsena, it’s up to you!」
——— I shouted while smiling.
「Ruaa!?」
Immediately, in a hurry, the lich tried to turn its head.
「Haaaaaa-!」
But at that time it was already too late.
Without giving a chance for the lich to look back, Narsena’s fist was sucked into the lich body.
「Ruuuaaaaaaaaaa!」
And the next moment, along with its death cry, the lich which was said to be the worst monsters at the entrance to the lower-layer vanished.
—Raust—
After seeing the figure of me defeating the worm, Narsena finally agreed to head to the lower-layer under the condition that we would turn back immediately if the situation became dangerous.
Thanks to that, we were currently in the lower-layer, except…
「Ruaaaaaaaa!」
「GAAAAAAA!」
「GAAAAAAA!」
「GYAAAAA!」
…… Immediately after we reached the lower-layer, we were surrounded by a group of Ogres and Liches.
Whether an adventurers party is judged as a first-class party or not is depending on whether they can go to the lower-layer or not.
With that reason, it’s easy to understand why there are merely less than 10% of adventurers counted as top-class adventurers.
In short, the lower-layer of the labyrinth is too difficult.
Complex traps are installed in various place, powerful monsters with skills also appear.
But more than that, the most troublesome thing is how the monsters fight changed.
Yes, when it comes to lower-layer, the variety of monsters come together as a party of vanguard and rear guard as they attack the adventurers.
… And, the party of Ogre and Lich is a combination that is said to have a high degree of difficulty in the lower layer.
「Kh! What with a party of ogres and lich immediately after we enter the lower-layer! Onii-san!」
I could see Narsena’s face implying that we should go back to the upper layer.
That would be a natural decision.
Thinking about it normally, Ogre and Lich are not an opponent we could win against.
After all, there is even a strengthened variant of Ogre which is bigger than all the other ogres.
Against this, even top-class party would choose to run away.
… But whether we can escape is another story.
「Impossible. With lich that has magic skill, turning our back is too risky. And if we return to the upper layer as is, secondary damage may occur.」
「——— Ghh!」
Narsena, who understood the situation from my words, bit her lip while clenching her fist tight.
In the labyrinth, it’s important to know when it’s too dangerous, but retreating without a plan is also dangerous.
In other words, we have no choice but to fight the enemy in front of us.
「It’s fine, if it’s just this much, it would be over soon.」
「………Onii-san?」
But, I’m not afraid at all in front of these enemies.
There is no doubt that it’s troublesome if I’m just one person.
But now I have a very strong companion.
「Narsena, I will attract all the enemies. So watch the situation and go defeat the lich.」
「……Huh?」
That’s why, I told that to Narsena as I held a dagger and a throwing knife in my right and left hand respectively.
「Onii-san!」
And the next moment, with Narsena’s voice echoing behind me, I ran toward the Ogres…
◆ ◆ ◇
「GAAAA?」
「GAAAAAAA!」
「GYAAAAA!」
One of the three ogres who saw me running laughed as if mocking me.
And behind that smile, I understood that the ogres didn’t recognize me as an enemy.
But, that didn’t come from self-conceit.
Even I would think the same if someone as lean as me stands in front of an Ogre with a physique close to three meters, surely the person will be killed instantly, and that’s pretty much the same for everyone.
「GAAAAAAA!」
Hence why, the ogres didn’t show any vigilance to me who came closer.
As if to crush an insect, it swung its log-like arm to me who ran toward them.
「This time ogres don’t have a weapon, so it’s easy to evade its attack.」
「GA?」
Seeing me easily evaded its attack, the ogre finally noticed.
The person who they thought to be an insect, someone who they mocked, was never a weak one.
The next thing, the ogres’ face distorted from the anger as it started to recognize me as an enemy.
「I was a bit surprised there is a strengthened variant of ogre show up, but in the end, the ogre that show up in this area is not a big deal at all.」
——— Apparently, even after I received the attack from the ogre, I noticed that I seemed to still not seen the ogres as a threat at all.
「GYAAAAAAAAA!」
And then, feeling angry at my attitude, the strengthened variant of ogre raised its roar toward me.
Using the roar as a cue, the other ogres started to encircle me.
And then, a one-sided attack by the ogres was launched.
◆ ◆ ◇
The battle started by the rage of the ogres.
It was really one-sided.
After all, I was just one person.
「Haha. I can do this for a few hours if it’s only this.」
——— However, the one who laughed in the middle of battle was me.
It was true that currently I was only defending and never attacked the ogres at all.
But that’s not because I couldn’t attack.
It was to focus myself on defense.
And the result of that was none of the ogres’ attacks were connecting to me.
From the side, from the back, from the front.
From all directions, the ogres’ attacks which had attack power and speed incomparable to those of orcs were rained down upon me.
However, I avoided it all or parried them with my dagger.
As if I had eyes in all directions.
Saying it like that didn’t wrong.
After all, I was in a state where I fully recognized the movement of all the ogres.
I’m a healer who can fight, but that doesn’t mean I have a talent for fighting.
It’s not that I’m completely devoid of talent for fighting, I’m just a jack of all trade.
So I put a switch.
To attack, or to defend, only those two.
——— And so, the attacks of the ogres couldn’t touch me who had already switched to only defend.
「Hahahaha!」
I parried an attack, dodged another, while moving without end, I was laughing mockingly at the ogres.
Making it as if I was having plenty of leeways.
「GYAAAAA!」
And then, the strengthened variant of ogre lost himself in anger from my attitude.
It was leaning forward with its huge body, intending to strike me with all its body weight on its fist.
Whether some kind of skill had activated, its fist was covered in a slight red light.
「Shi-! Comi-」
That was what It was aiming for.
it knew that my posture was crumbling after dodging one of the ogres’ fist.
Seeing my behavior, a happy smile showed up on the strengthened ogre variant’s face.
Apparently, it thought that I was finally unable to dodge.
「Too bad.」
「GAA, GAAA!?」
「GYAA!?」
However, that was only the misunderstanding of the strengthened ogre variant.
I dodged the strengthened ogre variant’s fist, it grazed me a little and then hit the ogre behind me.
The ogre that was hit by the fist of the strengthened ogre variant that was covered with a skill curled into a ball while letting out a scream of anguish.
「GYA, GYAA!」
「GAAA.」
Seeing the sight, the attack from the two other ogres were also stopped.
The Ogre, monsters from the lower-layer of the labyrinth had some clear thought and was upset by the fallen brethren.
The moment I noticed the ogres were shaken, I started running.
It was to the lich I ran to.
I didn’t know whether it judged that the ogres would be fine, or if it was not aware that the fight on the other side was already decided.
However, the lich who was trying to release the magic toward Narsena didn’t notice my presence who was running toward it.
「Ruaaaaa!?」
By the time the lich aware of my presence, its semi-transparent body was already within the range of my throwing knife.
「Rhaaaaaa!」
The throwing knife I threw with full force flew in a straight line to the lich, but it was dispelled with a physical ability that was clearly far from what a human rearguard would have.
Well, that’s what I can expect from someone who has no talent or skill.
Besides, my purpose is not to defeat the lich.
「Ruaaaaaaa!」
But, the lich who didn’t know that, let out an emotional roar and started to give instruction to the ogres.
And when it started to prepare to unleash its magic to attack me……
「Narsena, it’s up to you!」
——— I shouted while smiling.
「Ruaa!?」
Immediately, in a hurry, the lich tried to turn its head.
「Haaaaaa-!」
But at that time it was already too late.
Without giving a chance for the lich to look back, Narsena’s fist was sucked into the lich body.
「Ruuuaaaaaaaaaa!」
And the next moment, along with its death cry, the lich which was said to be the worst monsters at the entrance to the lower-layer vanished.
