by Chuuni Suki
After a while, Hajime and his party felt a different presence from those knights.
"Muu... ... Hajime."
"Aa, I know. Because this dungeon can reconstruct itself, it must be something like that."
"W-we are surrounded."
After falling golem knights, next was the reconstruction to come down. Hajime and his party decided to wait for the platoon to come. The knights came with shields raised and moved gallanty, as if they had become a wall. The golem knights created a two-row formation, where the knight in the back supported the defending knight in front. Perhaps they had learned that with only a single row they'd be crushed with sheer power.
"Tch, how troublesome."
While clicking his tongue, Hajime put Donner-Schlag back into their holsters. After that, he took out one weapon from "Treasure Box."
In his hands was a weapon with rectangular shape and 12 rotating barrels, the Rocket & Missile Launcher : Orkan. The rockets themselves were 30 cm in length, each of them had more destructive power than the usual grenade. Using Creation magic, the warheads were installed with stones that could generate "Lightning-clad," because these stones constantly generate static electricity, they were cobbled together with combustion powder that'd be ignited by the warhead upon contact.
Hajime was grinning while he fixed Orkan to his side.
"Yue, Shia! Cover your ears! I'll blow them up!"
"Nn."
"Ee~ what was that!?"
Shia who saw Orkan's bizarreness for the first time could only open her eyes wide. Yue was the first to thrust her index fingers into her ears.
Shia's rabbit ears 'pinh,' stood upright; unconcerned, Hajime pulled Orkan's trigger.
PASHUUU!
Along with that sound, the rocket was launched, leaving trails of sparks behind. It was aimed at the platoon of golem knights that laid in wait, then it hit.
In the next moment a roaring sound came along with a large explosion. The pressure that came from igniting a large amount of compressed combustion powder greatly shook the passage. The golem knights that were in the line of fire and received a direct hit, were violently thrown against the walls on both sides, as well as the ceiling. They were destroyed to the point that they didn't even resemble their original forms. It'd take a fair bit of time for them to be reconstructed.
Hajime and his party jumped over the wreckage of the fallen golem knights at once.
"Rabbit ears were-~, my rabbit ears were-~!!"
While Hajime and his party ran, Shia folded her rabbit ears and held them with both hands in agony with teary eyes. The Rabbitman tribe had... ... the most excellent hearing among the demi-human race after all.
"That's why I said to close your ears."
"Ee? What is it? I can't hear you."
"... ... truly, a shameless rabbit..."
Although Hajime and Yue looked at Shia with amazed expressions, Shia who was in agony couldn't noticed it.
After dealing with golem knights that had come falling once again, they ran through the passage for five minutes. Finally, they saw the end. Ahead of the passage was a huge and broad room. The road itself was broken, and they could see a square scaffold 10 meters ahead.
"Yue, Shia! Jump!"
Hearing Hajime's shout, Yue and Shia (who somehow recovered) nodded. At their backs, the golem knights kept coming down. While they tried to intercept, Hajime and his party that kept avoiding them reached the end of the passage and jumped.
The jumping power of Hajime and his party who used body strengthening far outstripped olympic athletes. Hajime and his party easily broke the world record and jumped to the square before them.
But, it was a characteristic of this Great Dungeon that nothing comes out as expected. Somehow, in front of Hajime and his party that jumped, drawing a parabolic arc, 'shii-,' the square block began to move.
"Whaat!?"
Hajime raised the shout that he had let out many times in this dungeon. Because the distance they judge was altered, they will fall at this rate. They took a peek below and saw that it was quite deep. When he prepared to shoot out the anchor, Yue's voice immediately rang out.
""Soar"!"
Using the updraft from wind magic, Hajime and his party's jump distance extended. Even though it was only for a moment, it was enough. He somehow succeeded catching the edge of the block that was still moving even now. Using the spikes on his artificial arm to secure him in place, Hajime was hanging with Yue and Shia clinging to him.
"N-nice, Yue."
"As expected of Yue-san!"
"... ... Praise me more."
While unconsciously smiling because they had avoided the fall, Hajime and Shia praised Yue. Yue who had consumed a large amount of magic power was a little tired, but showed a triumphant mood.
However, that peaceful atmosphere was disrupted by the golem knights that came flying. That's right, the golem knights were flying in the air. They probably controlled gravity so that they wouldn't fall. They approached Hajime and his party who were currently hanging, with tremendous momentum.
"kh!? Yue, Shia climb over me!"
While issuing that order Hajime took out Donner and rapidly shot at the approaching golem knights. Yue and Shia climbed up Hajime's body which was still moving along with the block. Then Hajime raised his strength to pull himself onto the block using only one arm. Immediately after, the place where Hajime was previously hanging was pierced with large swords that came hurtling with tremendous velocity. Afterwards, Hajime shoots from overhead the golem knights that were stiffened due to post-skill latency.
"Shit, these guys, I don't know if it was caused by the gravity control, but their movements and tactics became better."
"... ... Perhaps, the cause is here?"
"Ahaha, what's with common sense. Isn't everything floating (...)?"
Just as Shia said, everything in their vicinity was floating.
The place that Hajime and his party had entered was a gigantic spherical room. The diameter itself was more than two kilometers. Inside the room, blocks with all kind of shapes and sizes were floating and 'shii-,' moved irregularly. It was a space that completely ignored gravity. However, for some reason Hajime and his party still felt gravity. Perhaps, only specific materials in this room were not restricted to gravity.
Inside this room, golem knights were able to fly around freely. Their falling directions were controlled after all, as they rapidly turned around. If they were living beings, it wouldn't be weird for them to die due to the tremendous G-force. When he thought how their movements and tactics became better as they approached this space, perhaps...
"The one who controls the golems might be here, in this room, I think?"
Hearing Hajime's guess, Yue and Shia also agreed and then stiffened their expressions. No one knew why, but the surrounding golem knights did not attack them. For now, because nothing happened, they observed their surroundings. They didn't know if it was the last destination or if it continued after. However, this room was definitely close to the innermost room, proven by how the golem knights' abilities were improved, and the uniqueness of this room.
Hajime used "Farsight" to investigate the gigantic, spherical space with his eyes. And, in the next moment, Shia's unease filled voice rang out.
"Ruun!"
""!?""
Hajime and Yue, without asking what it was, instantly jumped when they heard Shia's warning. Fortunately a block just passed by several meters ahead of them, allowing them to leave the block they were previously standing on.
Immediately,
ZUuGAGAGAN!!
A meteorite-like illusion came and it crashed into the block that Hajime and his party were on just a moment ago, blasting it into fine pieces. Meteorite wasn't necessarily the wrong term for it. After all something gigantic made a scorching fall, and with its momentum it destroyed the block, and passed through.
Cold sweat flowed on Hajime's cheeks. He would have received a direct hit from that without Shia's warning. W
ith him being unable to use "Vajra," it would be an instant death. He was also unable to sense it coming. But immediately after Shia's warning, he certainly felt the presence. However, with its falling speed it would be impossible to avoid it when he sensed it coming.
"Shia, you saved us. Thanks."
"... ... nn, a big achievement."
"Ehehe, it was good that "Foresight" was activated. Although all of my magic was taken instead..."
Apparently, Shia's special magic, "Foresight," activated faster than Hajime's perception was able to sense it. "Foresight" was able to see the future as a result of Shia's assumed choice if she activated it manually, also, it could activate automatically. Just like this time, it saw through the big danger accompanied with death that affected her directly or indirectly.
In other words, if they received a direct hit, at least Shia would have died from it. With a new feeling of horror, Hajime looked at the meteor-like thing that had passed them. He peeped below from the edge of the block. And, when he thought something moved below, it suddenly flew up with tremendous momentum. It went above them in no time, and while remaining in place, 'ginh,' its eyes shone while glaring at Hajime and his party.
"Oioi, seriously."
"... ... So... ... big."
"It's got the feeling of the big boss."
Hajime and his party muttered three different impressions of it. Although Yue's remark was a little dangerous, it was still at the limit of tolerance... ... It should be.
What appeared in front of Hajime and his party was a super big golem knight that floated in mid-air. Although the armor was the same, its length should be around 20 meters. Its right hand was burning as if it was a heat knuckle, and it might be what caused the block from before to be blasted to pieces. In its left hand was a chain that made 'jhara jhara,' sounds, equipped with a flail-type Morningstar.
Hajime and his party took their stances as they saw the gigantic golem, and they could hear 'hyun hyun,' sounds from the surrounding golem knights that came flying until finally Hajime and his party were surrounded. The golem knights who stood in line, raised their large swords in front of their chests. It was as if they were saluting their king.
Hajime and his party were completely encircled and could feel their tension raised. Silence filled their surroundings, it was as if it was a critical situation. The moment they move, the game that bet their lives (slaughter) would begin. What destroyed the strained mood that was caused by such a premonition was...
... ... Was the joke-like greeting from the gigantic golem.
"Yaho~, nice to meet you~, Miledi Raisen that's loved by everyone is here~"
"""... ... Ha?"""
* * *
Chapter 48: Raisen Great Dungeon and The Last Trial
* * *
"Yaho~, nice to meet you~, Miledi Raisen that's loved by everyone is here~"
From the gigantic golem equipped with brutal equipment and full body armor and a helmet, whose sharp glint was able to make people freeze, was a random and light greeting. The words that it had said couldn't be understood, even by Hajime. His mind was somehow trying to escape the reality in front of him. Even Shia and Yue forgot that they were encircled and could only stare blankly with their mouths opened.
Because the trio stiffened, the gigantic golem let out a sullen voice. It was a woman's voice.
"You know~, because I already gave out a greeting, reply with something already. That's proper manners, you know? Geez, that's why youngsters of this generation... ... should have more common sense."
They were words filled with real irritation. Moreover, the gigantic golem was raising its burning right hand and its left hand that held on the thorned iron ball at shoulder height. It was a random and human-like gesture as if it said, "Yare yare daze", while shrugging its shoulders and shaking its head. But, Hajime and his party were the ones that were truly irritated by it. It was as if they were seeing those annoying sentences again. Although the one that called itself "Miledi Raisen" might be the one behind those words, that woman should have been dead, she was a human after all.
For the time being, Hajime observed his surroundings.
"I am sorry about that. But, Miledi Raisen should be a human and already dead, right? Moreover, I have never heard of a golem with an ego... ... that's why we are surprised, so please forgive us. After that, please explain who you are. Make it brief."
"Aree~, this person, even under this situation you're so conceited."
There was no need to observe anything at all. Rather, he let out a super straight ball. As expected, because of his unexpected reaction, the gigantic golem that called itself Miledi showed a perplexed expression. However, it immediately recovered, it replied to Hajime and his party with a voice that could simply make one imagine it as someone grinning, if it were human.
"Nn~? Miledi-san is a golem-san from the start you know~ To say I was human..."
"I have read a little about you from Oscar's notes. It's perfectly written that you're a human woman, you know? Rather, I don't want to hear any foolish talk. I already said to make it brief before. Even if you try to obstruct us, what we need to do is still the same. I will turn you into scrap and move on. That's why, before you can't make any more 'gata gata' sounds, tell us everything."
"O, oou, because it was my first conversation after a long time, no matter what you say it makes me dance with joy inside. Rather, did you just say Oscar? Don't tell me, you've conquered O-chan's dungeon?"
"Aa, if it was Oscar Orcus's dungeon we already conquered it. Rather, it was us who's supposed to do the asking. If you won't talk then we'll fight, you know? Well, it's not like we need to know anything. Our only objective is the age of Gods magic after all."
Hajime turned Donner toward the gigantic golem. Although Yue showed a clarifying face, Shia said "Uwa~, he didn't shake at all~", in half-surprise and half-amazement while looking at Hajime.
"... ... Age of Gods magic you say, then as expected, is that for god slaying? Is it to slaughter and destroy those shitty bastards? If you have captured O-chan's dungeon, then you know the situation, right?"
"I already said that it was us who's supposed to do the asking. What we want is the answer, so answer our inquiry from before."
"This fellow~ is truly conceited~, well, that's okay~, umm what was it... ... Aa, my identity. Uu~n"
"Make it brief. I don't need a long explanation like Oscar's."
"Ahaha, certainly, O-chan's speech was long~, and there was too much theory~"
The gigantic golem looked up at the ceiling into a far distance, filled with nostalgia. It was truly a golem with human-like movements. Yue gazed at the gigantic golem with her usual expressionlessness, while Shia was restless because of the surrounding golem knights.
"Un, I will say it briefly as you want. I am certainly Miledi Raisen. All the golem's wonders can be explained with age of Gods magic! If you want to know more, then magnificently try to defeat me! Well something along those lines."
"In the end, there is no explanation..."
"Hahaha, that was, before you complete the conquest, you won't receive any information, right? Without that there would be no meaning behind the dungeons, you know?"
This time, the gigantic golem, Miledi Golem, used her finger as if saying, tsk tsk tsk! Although they didn't know for sure if Miledi Raisen was inside of it, if they excluded the character then the golem had its own charm. Yue boldly muttered, "... ... its only problem is the inside", having the same impression as Hajime.