Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36 – DEFENSE SPECIALIZED AND UNDER THE QUICKSAND
 
 
「n〜……it doesn’t seem that it can be removed」
 
GashaGasha, Sally tried pulling the chains, but it did not seem that it would get torn off.
 
「There is a button in my hand you know?」
「There’s also in mine」
「I also have……I didn’t notice because of panicking」
 
The result of talking with the three of them, they decided to push the one Sally had.
When the button was pushed, a blue plate that is similar to status screen floated in the air.
 
【Chains of Restraint】
Cursed chains that connect three targets.
The three targets who is connected has only one destiny, and one death connects to everyone’s death.
【Indestructible】
 
「Uwa!… so severe」
 
Currently, the one who has the most danger is Sally. Not only it is a situation where she is not able to properly dodge, her HP is also low.
The same thing was shown even if someone else pushed the button.
 
「I’ll protect you for sure」
 
Maple said while readying her large shield.
 
「Un. I’m counting on you」
 
The two nodded at each other.
It was like their trust can be seen with the naked eye.
 
「I’m really out of place here. Un」
「……a temporary truce then」
「Ahh, let’s do that. Honestly, I don’t want to fight anymore……」
 
The japanese clothed girl took a breath, and introduced herself.
The girl’s name is Kasumi.
Just like how she appears, she is good at fighting using a katana.
Since it would be a waste of concentration for the fight that would be hard, she stopped speaking formally.
 
「Then… should we explore for the meantime?」
「Let’s do that!」
「Ahh, that should be good. Nothing will happen if we stay here after all. And also, the chains might get removed after clearing the dungeon」
 
The three decided to go down the stairs made of sandstone in front of them.
 
「Depending on the boss, we might be finished」
「Let’s just pray that it doesn’t have an area attack」
 
Kasumi and Sally went down the stairs while being cautious. Maple was restlessly looking around.
 
「Doesn’t it feel humid?」
「Eh? Ah〜… it might be」
「The walls also became a cave’s walls. It was made well up until earlier, but… this is uneven」
 
The place where the stairs connect was a wide space.
Rocks that can be seen in limestone caves covered the ceiling, and the droplets of water falling down from those echoed.
The ground made with rocks with blue hues, and the slimy walls don’t look very pretty.
Because even the floors were slimy, it was hard to walk on it, and it looks like they would have a hard time exploring.
 
「From how it looks, there’s no monsters?」
「I, guess so. Doesn’t seem to be any of them?」
 
They could not hear any sounds in the wide space other than the water dripping.
 
「Let’s move forward. I don’t know where the goal would be… but it looks complicated」
 
There were several forks extending from the from the space they are in right now.
And each of them has high ceilings. It has the same height with the space right now, about 10 meters.
 
「We need to be careful from surprise
attacks from above huh」
「I also think so. The probability of that is probably hih」
「Then, I’ll be ready to block alright!」
 
They chose one of the forks, and advanced deeper. After advancing for a while, the three came to a wide space again.
 
「This place too… there’s nothing」
「Does it only makes us cautious? The encounters are too low. For it to be zero……」
「It’s an exploration type dungeon, and in exchange for having only a boss monster, it would take long?」
 
Maple said what she had in mind, and the two nodded to that possibility.
 
「There’s a lot of forks too……it really does seem to take a lot of time」
 
The three walked once again.
To the right, to the left, up and down, they walked around, but they couldn’t find the boss room at all.
And, they had not encountered any monster even once.
 
「Ah〜……it’s a dead end……」
「Fuu〜……let’s turn back, huh」
「………n? Wait, the two of you!」
 
Maple stopped the two.
The place she pointed at was a small water puddle right next to the dead end’s wall.
Bubbles were appearing from there. It is something that one would miss if they were not being attentive, but Maple felt the slight difference within this cave that has no change.
That was also a coincidence, but it was a huge achievement.
 
The three approached and looked at it, and in there, one medal was shining with a silver color submerged.
When Maple picked that up, the bubbles stopped appearing. It’s probably a setting for it to be found.
 
「Uwa… I didn’t notice it at all」
「It’s also the same with me」
 
Kasumi said that it is Maple’s since she was the one who found it, and made that stance continuous from here on.
Meaning, the one who found it shall have the item.
 
「With this, there’s now the possibility that this dungeon doesn’t have a boss」
「That’s true, the possibility of that is now higher」
「What do you mean?」
「After all, if there’s a boss, they should probably place the medal there right? It was like that up until now」
「I see, now that you said it」
 
Because of that, the reason why they found a medal here, means all the same that this dungeon might be more of an exploration type.
 
「We’d need to check carefully the walls and the floor from now on huh… fuu〜…… so tiresome〜」
「I’ll also do my best to search. I want to at least bring back one after all」
 
This time for real, the three turned away from the dead end.
This cave has many dead ends, and on top of that, the scenery does not change so it is easy to get lost, making the exploration not go well as they have thought.
 
「I’m probably more good at dungeons that can be easily ended with fights〜」
「Especially in my case!」
「Ahh, I’m also better at fighting」
 
They talked while walking, and the three came to a wide space once again.
Its structure was as if it was an ant’s next.
But although that was said, there was not even one ant anywhere.
 
「Ah!! Something’s shining!」
「Is it a treasure?」
「It might be」
 
The three went to the middle of the open space.
And in there, there was ground that is shining like the milky way. It is very different from the rocks up until now. The three crouched down and observed that which extends as if to divide the room.
 
「It’s beautiful, but… it is not a gemstone. It might be similar to gold sand」
「Ahh, that’s true. But, it doesn’t seem like we can get it」
 
Kasumi tried to do something about it using her katana, but just like when she would attack an indestructible thing, it was deflected.
If there were able to mine this shining ground that is also quite wide, the three of them would surely get materials for each of them.
Since it is a huge amount.
 
「U〜n…… something like it would be able to be taken depending on the time? Just like the time in the bamboo forest」
「That possibility is high」
「Bamboo forest?」
 
Kasumi does not know about the bamboo forest, so Maple explained it.
 
「Limited to night time huh… I didn’t walk during the night so I didn’t notice」
「What’s the time right now?」
「Wait a minute……it’s five thirty. Even if we were able to get out of this cave, it’s probably already in the evening」
「If that is so, we probably need to stay for a night here huh」
「That’s quite hard huh」
 
They had not found means for escaping so it could not be helped.
The three left the space, and went exploring once again.
They walked while checking the walls or floors, but they had not seen any medal after that once.
 
「n?」
「What is it? Sally」
「Did you saw something?」
「No, right now, I felt like there was a small earthquake……」
「Really? I didn’t notice it though」
「I also didn’t. Is that true?」
「U〜n…… I might be just tired. I fought with Fake Maple today after all」
「Fake Maple? What is that?」
「Ahh, you know, that isーー」
 
Maple told her about the doppelganger boss.
Kasumi listened to that very curiously and interestingly.
 
「Well, that is… quite a hard boss fight. Exploring was all I did after all〜」
「Then, I want to hear about your explorations〜!」
「Hahaha, alright. Well, let me think… where should I start……」
 
Circumstantially, the bond between the three who was connected by chains deepened.
They had gotten along with each other, that even Sally thought of stop defeating Kasumi.
 
Six hours has already passed.
The fifth day is right around the corner.