I Became the Strongest With The Failure Frame 02

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  Mist puts her hand above her chest.

  It kind of looks like how a knight makes a vow towards a king.

  [If it’s something that I could do, then please tell me what it is.]

  Chapter 58

  Mist Barkas’ Offer

  I moved in front of Mist.

  [If it’s something you could do, you would do anything, is it?]

  Gulp…

  Mist gulped.

  She looked a bit embarrassed as she looked away from me.

  [F- For the time being… Could you please say if there’s anything you want? If you could at least say the thing you want, I might even consider listening to it—]

  [Here.]

  [Eh?]

  I held out the Dragon Eye Sakazuki towards her.

  Mist made quite a strange face.

  [U- Umm…]

  [Take it.]

  I immediately pushed the Sakazuki towards her.

  Then slowly, I release my hold towards the Sakazuki.

  [Ah…]

  Mist held the Sakazuki with her hands.

  [Hati-dono, what do you wish to exchange with this—]

  [It’s not like I want anything for that.]

  [No, t- that’s going to go against my honor! Whether it’s just carrying your baggage or cooking some food for you, I could even be you guard, please just say what ever you want!]

  What ever I want, huh…

  That’s quite the words that strongly express her persistent feelings.

  Actually, I don’t really need anything from her at all.

  No…

  Could it be that the reason that she could say these words is because she trusts me?

  [You, you must have rushed in diving into this place, right? Well. you must have not gotten some sufficient sleep. If you don’t get some sleep, you’d collapse sooner or later.]

  I turned my back towards her.

  [Goodbye then.]

  [Please wait! Even if you don’t need this, it’s too much for me to just take this for free…]

  [Hati Skoll is a revoltingly naive man. Just take it as you’ve gotten something from a kindhearted man, especially towards beauties like you.]

  [T- That’s not true…]

  [You’re looking at yourself too harshly.]

  [Excuse me. However…]

  Ah, that’s right.

  This woman could see through most lies, right?

  I spouted out a deep sigh.

  [My purpose in diving into this place is not that Dragon Eye Sakazuki.]

  [It’s not the Dragon Eye Sakazuki?]

  [Yeah.]

  I point towards the floor.

  [My purpose are the monsters in this ruins.]

  [I thought that the new floor would just end in here since you found the Dragon Eye Sakazuki in here, but…]

  [I found a document from a certain place that was left there by a great man. According to the information I got from the document, there’s a monster that roams about in this place that I really need right now. And, it’s just that it overlaps with the target of this time’s raid recruitment, so I just mixed along with the crowd in diving in here.]

  Mist puts her hand over her mouth.

  [If that were the case, you could have just exchanged it with some money… No, it’s just that—]

  [I’m not really in trouble with money right now. That’s why, I don’t really need to acquire that Dragon Eye Sakazuki.]

  There are also other reasons why I just relinquished this Sakazuki towards her.

  The marquis had been bloodshot as he’s searching for this Dragon Eye Sakazuki.

  It will be troublesome if the were to treat me warmly as if I had done some meritorious deed.

  This woman just needs some money.

  It’s just fine for me to push this onto her.

  I recall the words that were written in the “Encyclopedia on the Forbidden Arts”.

  The Great Sage’s memo.

  The altar and the humanoid dragon stone statue.

  The room that had these two things.

  If I were to follow what’s written on this note, there should have been a hidden staircase somewhere in this room.

  I bend down near the altar and investigate around for something.

  Around this area, there should have been some kind of lump around here but…

  Oh?

  There it is.

  I push down this lump and turned it counterclockwise—

  [Umm…]

  [Hmm?]

  She is still here?

  I stood up at once.

  [What is it?]

  [You’re going to the lower floors, right?]

  [Yeah… Can you keep this a secret to the Marquis? It’s too troublesome for me to explain where I heard about this information. I even gave you the Dragon Eye Sakazuki, so you could do that, right?]

  [I understand.]

  [By the way, haven’t you heard about that weird incident going about in this ruins?]

  [I’ve heard about it. However, I thought that it would be quite an opportunity for me.]

  Like I thought, that’s what she thought too huh…

  [It seems that there was that story about the Drunken Sword Group that have returned early without even entering the new floor. That story had been spreading around to the other mercenaries in the ruins and a considerable number of them have also decided to return temporarily towards the ground above.]

  It seems that the Drunken Sword Group and the others had influenced the others quite a bit.

  [Hati-dono.]

  [Hmm?]

  Mist puts her hand over her chest.

  [Can you at least allow me to escort you while you dive into the ruins?]

  […Huh?]

  [It’s fine if I would just become your baggage carrier. Besides, you were about to dive into an unknown area that should be fraught with danger. As a swordswoman, I would know that you should always give some thoughts about the things you carry in your hand. It would be one thing if your opponent haven’t seen this technique of yours… However, I think that you should still consider it since you may still suffer from mental fatigue. However, if you were to have a swordswoman like me along with you, you could significantly reduce the need to use this technique of yours. Thus, making you hold control of the times that you’d get tired of mental fatigue. Please, don’t worry. I swear that I will not be a hindrance.]

  Mist, who had approached me, looked up towards my face.

  Zuiii…

  [What do you think about that?]

  Mental fatigue huh…

  Is that how they know when their MP was about to be depleted?

  However— I don’t have any concerns regarding my MP.

  […………]

  [Ah— I- I’m sorry…]

  She just noticed that her face had drawn too close to mine after vigorously saying that, huh…

  Mist awkwardly steps back.

  [However, as expected, I can’t just receive this Dragon Eye Sakazuki without anything in exchange.]

  Mist glanced at the dragonic head that was now rolling around on the floor.

  [From what I could see, you had defeated the guardian of this place…]

  [If there’s a material you want from that, you could take that head part if you want.]

  [Tha— That’s not the case at all!]

  [What if I wanted to be alone when I go further into this ruins?]

  [I would feel like my heart wouldn’t settle down. Couldn’t you at least tell me something that I could do?]

  Her judgement must have become duller because of her lack of sleep huh…

  [Do you have to be in a rush to proceed?]

  Mist sounded a bit worried when she said that.

  [If you were to get the reward for acquiring the Dragon Eye Sakazuki, that should solve the money problem for your travels that you’re facing now… You will now be able to proceed with
your travels without having to do jobs on the way. If you were to think about it, those continuous delays while you’re doing various jobs may become a problem.]

  She doesn’t look like she’d back down from this.

  She’s quite stubborn…

  Is it just that she has quite the serious attitude when it comes to favors?

  Now then, what should I do about her?

  I think that she’d be quite a reliable partner.

  There are also some trust that has accumulated from the short acquaintanceship that we had.

  …………

  A swordswoman, huh.

  I wonder what would happen if I were to fight in the presence of others…

  I kinda want to try it out for a bit.

  This may also be a chance for me to hear some random things about this world.

  Pigimaru had read the mood and has been hiding his presence within my clothes.

  Besides…

  [Even if I had some conditions that you have to follow?]

  [Yes.]

  [Well then. Basically, you should avoid asking questions about my personal circumstances. Our relationship would purely remain as the guard and her employer.]

  [Roger that.]

  [Other than that, I don’t think that I would go back to the ground above within just a day. That’s why, if you want to go back alone, you must go by yourself. I don’t have any responsibility to follow you. If that’s fine with you— well, I’ll leave guarding me to you.]

  A relieved expression appeared on Mist’s face.

  [Thank you very much.]

  Immediately, her expression began stiffer.

  It seems that calmness had returned in her voice.

  [I will make sure that I would protect Hati-dono with all I have.]

  I was still quite worried by the deep bags under her eyes.

  If you were to look closely at her, you could see that her complexion isn’t good.

  Should I make her sleep first?

  [……………]

  I think it might be better if I make her sleep somewhere with that skill.

  Chapter 59

  The Heroes from Another World and the Golden-eyed Monsters

  Clunk~

  I operated the lump that’s hidden behind the altar just as it was written in the note.

  Thud!

  The entrance gate for this room suddenly slammed shut.

  This was also noted down in the Great Sage’s notes.

  The alter will then be split open and separated towards the left and the right.

  Showing in between the split up altar was a set of stairs that’s leading down towards the lower floors.

  Mist’s eyes widened.

  [I’ve never thought that there would be a hidden staircase here…]

  [As I said before, please don’t report anything that you will see from now on towards the Marquis. You also don’t want trouble yourself, so you should understand, right?]

  [I swear that I won’t tell anyone.]

  We descended down the stairs.

  These stairs were wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

  I held out the glowing leather bag in front of me.

  [That’s quite a strange lamp you have.]

  She shot out this commentary timidly.

  Don’t step into the other’s personal circumstances as much as possible.

  I think she’s quite concerned about the conditions I had told her before.

  [It’s a valuable rare item after all.]

  I’m not lying when I said that.

  Mist touches her forehead protector.

  Her forehead protector began to shine as it illuminated everything in our front.

  [Is that forehead protector on your head the generally-used lighting tool around this place?]

  [No, I don’t think this is quite common.]

  Then, that must be one of those so-called magic equipment huh?

  We eventually reached the foot of the stairs.

  The ruins-like pathways continued.

  The lower floors of this ruins is not spread out unlike that cave-like pathways of the Disposal Ruins.

  It’s like we’re still in a place where civilization used to exist.

  [There seems to be no monsters at the moment.]

  [Hati-dono, actually—]

  [Hmm?]

  [Ah, no… I’m sorry. It’s nothing. Please don’t worry about it.]

  There’s always something that’s happening when someone says something like “nothing” at a time like this.

  Well, whatever.

  I wonder if she’s about to ask something that would intrude my personal circumstances.

  We advanced further into the passages.

  [It seems that the path branches out here.]

  I’m pretty sure this place is not a labyrinth but…

  I guess I should keep track of the places that I go through.

  I step forward into one of the pathways.

  Pigimaru peeked out from my flank hidden under my robe.

  He tried to report something without trying to cry out.

  He felt the presence of a monster.

  [Giyuurruuaaahhh!]

  A monster emerged from a corner.

  A monster that I haven’t seen before.

  Its head kind of reminds me of a flower bud.

  There are three eyeballs attached on the flower bud.

  These eyes are all golden in color.

  It has a body that strangely looks humanoid.

  Its eeriness is different from the monsters that I fought in the upper floors.

  Zaa~!

  Mist pulled out her sword and stepped forward, hiding me behind her back.

  [Please leave it to me.]

  The monster’s bud-like head began opening up.

  Kappaaa…

  It’s as if the flower had started blooming…

  …but from this flower, several tentacles began to rush out.

  These tentacles began to swoop down towards Mist.

  Schwing! Pam! Slash!

  Mist precisely cuts down the tentacles that were rushing towards her with her sword.

  As she cuts down the swooping tentacles, she’s also moving closer towards it.

  Her footwork is also splendid.

  After just a short time, Mist had finally came close towards the monster.

  Schwingg!

  She cut down the monster in half.

  [Higgyyoooeehhh—!]

  The monster cried out before eventually falling down into silence.

  Mist shook off the blood on her sword and slowly sheathed it back into its scabbard.

  I applauded tepidly.

  [That’s splendid.]

  Mist lightly saluted in response.

  [You flatter me.]

  Fumu…

  So that’s how it’s like huh…

  So that’s how my close combat comrades would battle?

  […………]

  I think I could leave my back to her.

  At the moment, I think that just leaving the lookout to Pigimaru has its limits.

  Pigimaru’s fighting ability is too low.

  A guard, huh.

  [Well then Hati-dono, let’s go further now.]

  […Yeah.]

  This floor is a bit wider compared to the upper floors.

  On the other hand, the structure of this place seemed simpler.

  There are numerous ornaments that could be found on the walls and pillars that may serve as landmarks.

  If this is the case, I think there’s no need to worry about getting lost in this place.

  I’m talking with Mist as we walk through the pathways.

  [By the way…]

  [Yes.]

  [I want to know some things about monsters.]

  The difference between the Golden-eyed monsters towards the other monsters.

 
I wanted to know about this.

  Mist promptly answers the question.

  [These Golden-eyed monsters were commonly known for their high amount of “experience points” that they give when they die. Though, most people in this continent call this experience points as “Soul Power”.]

  It seems that Mist knows the concept of experience points.

  The Heroes from another world would absorb the soul power from the monsters they’ve killed.

  That seems to be how the locals recognized the power of the Heroes.

  [For the Heroes that came from a different world, they seem to see these Golden-eyed monsters as a— convenient prey for them to “level up” and improve their blessings. Did you know of the story about these Heroes from another world?]

  [I’ve heard of it once before.]

  I see…

  Experience points.

  Level up.

  It’s like these terms that different world Heroes would commonly use here and there were quite well-known here.

  [And also, it’s been said that you won’t be able to obtain experience points even if you kill a human being. It seems that these experience points were something that only monsters possess.]

  That four-person group that I had encountered before seems to possess a great deal of skill.

  However, my level didn’t rise even after I had killed those four.

  I didn’t even get the experience points in the first place, so leveling up is impossible.

  Well, so that’s how it is huh…

  If someone could get experience points just through murder, there may have been frequent murders everywhere just so they could level up.

  For example, they would let a hero kill a powerful warrior and just call it a “sacrifice for the greater good”.

  That way, that Hero would be able to gain lots of levels at once.

  That f*cking goddess would have done that.

  [So, these Golden-eyed monsters were a valuable source of experience points huh…]

  [That is so. There are even some times where the Heroes have rampantly hunted these Golden-eyed monsters and their numbers began to dwindle down.]

  From the perspective of these monsters, these Heroes would be nothing but slaughterers.

  [That’s also why there are a lot of these Golden-eyed monsters in the underground ruins, a place that’s hardly touched by the modern civilization.]

  [Yes, it is as you have analyzed. It is also said that about a third of the whole population of these Golden-eyed monsters have gathered into the Great Ruins and they were the ones that formed the Golden Demon Zone.]