by Fujino Omori
Towards the attack of the Large Sword that was swung down, I also violently stepped onto the ground and threw myself into the air.
In order to respond to the attack from the side, I jumped forward headfirst and avoided it.
Following it, a roar could be heard from behind my head. At the same time my heart trembled, I rolled over once and stood up.
I swiftly squatted and jumped backwards.
Facing the cracks on the floor, I could not help but sweat. I made every effort to open up a distance from the Minotaur.
“VUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
The instant the strong and tenacious short legs stepped onto the ground, the distance was shortened to zero.
In front of my widening eyes, the Large Silver Sword swept over in a wide range.
My head was filled with blood red.
Being urged by the moans from the wind, I used all my strength to lower my knee and escaped the sure-kill attack in the nick of time.
With an unstoppable momentum, The Large Sword passed through where my upper body was originally at. Even a few strands of my hair were cut apart.
“VOOOO!”
“Nnnn!?”
My pure white hair fluttered in the air, the Minotaur swung his sword at me who squatted down. I seemed to bounce away as I tumbled sideways. A large sound followed.
A current of furious attacks began.
Containing immense power, the Silver Sword was swung around to wipe off the blood issued out a groan as it torn apart everything. No matter where I went, the sword attack with a wide range could chase after me. Every time the occasionally mixed punches and kicks brushed past my body, I had the feeling where my life was being cut shorter.
My breathing and heartbeat were anxious.
The continuous loop of being forced to the limits and evading, where one wrong step could lead to my death, this reality was constantly oppressing my ability to think.
The warning sounds inside my head were ringing nonstop.
It almost feels like my eardrums were about to break.
“!?……!?”
When I noticed, my entire body was covered with injuries. This was the cost of rolling on the ground in order to desperately escape the Minotaur’s continuous attacks.
There was not even the slightest margin of success. It was impossible. My body filled with injuries took the next step.
If the attacks continued??.
The originally ambiguous and endless future scenarios suddenly flickered in my mind and brought me back to reality a bit.
The next instant that flashed by my ends would be a blood road.
If I continued on like this, it will definitely be a dead end. Even if I could linger like this for a while, in the end, I will not be able to avoid death.
I have to escape.
Escape, I must escape.
I must escape to the outside, there will not be reinforcements coming!?
“Bell…sama……!”
In the corner of my gaze, a small mountain was standing motionless there.
It was Lili. She supported her wavering body and stood up and looked over here with a fuzzy vision. The bleeding had not stopped.
I cried out with an extremely urgent expression.
“Lili, run away!”
Hearing this somewhat sad cry, the petite body trembled.
At the same time I escaped the sword strike, I desperately advised her.
However, Lili did not move. She only stood there with eyes that seemed to burst into tears.
Ka, the blood surged to my head.
“Escape……Quickly escape!?”
Lili continued to cry as she shook her head. Was it because her consciousness was not stable, she seemed like a child who was throwing a tantrum and was not listening.
Why!?
If Lili was here, then I can’t escape!?
If Lili left here, then even I can escape!
Do you understand? Don’t you understand? I beg to you understand me!
“Quickly runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!
The sound of my roar flew towards Lili.
Tears continued to flow down, at the same time, Lili’s face was distorted in pain and she turned her back to me.
Running from this place, the sound of the footsteps disappeared into the depths of the path.
This way, I can also escape!
Finally, I can also escape!
E…Escape…….
(……It’s not possible, right……!?)
If I was to escape, then who would contain this guy.
If this guy leaves this room, if I let it leave, Lili will undoubtedly die.
If Lili was locked by this bull Monster as its target, Lili she, Lili will……!
“……Damn!!”
I pulled out the
Suppressing my cowardly, trembling feet, I directly faced the Minotaur.
I do not know whether I wanted to cry or whether I wanted to get angry. The feelings inside my body had already become entangled together.
One of my feet had entered the territory where I had abandoned myself. At the same time, I continued to battle against the Minotaur where there was an obvious gap in strength.
“VUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
“Tch!?”
Towards the left hook that came over, I used the
At the same time my hand was paralyzed by the impact, I dodged the incoming Large Sword. The Short Sword is unable to repel that weapon.
I rapidly retreated. It was obvious that I was being suppressed.
My eyes that were distorted to the extent where it lost its original shape exchanged gaze with the Minotaur’s fierce eyes.
“RUVUU, VVVUUU, VUVUVU!”
“Gu, nnnn!”
Maintaining the state where I had lost the defense armor, I continued to struggle in face of death. Every time the Large Sword caused the ground to tremble, pieces of stone would add more and more injuries onto the black tight shirt and my skin.
The breathing of the Minotaur was extremely heavy. Was it because it was impatient that it could not catch me?
However, my breathing was not that much better. Large drops of sweat moved passed my cheeks. My parched throat was about to reach the climax.
The aftermath of Minotaur’s strength caused the grassy terrain to rustle over and over again. The sound of the Dungeon was all created by our offense and defense.
While being overlooked by the light from the ceiling, in this vast room, two figures continued to move back and forth.
“FUUUU……VUOOOOOOOOO!”
The Minotaur let out an angry roar.
It was a cry as if telling me “Not to escape”.
Without leaving a single shred, I collected all the courage within my body and I finally noticed as I blocked with the Short Sword that in terms of speed ??
However, I could not move forward.
The sound of the destructive wind breaking apart passed close to my ears, the heat of my body was taken away. My feet were standing in fear. The fear inside my heart rapidly expanded.
Don’t move forward.
Just like that, just continued to retreat.
Just cover your head and flee, Just cover your head and flee, Just cover your head and flee, as long as you can buy time, it is enough.
As long as you can get through this moment, in that case……!
If I’m like this, it is enough, right……!?
“Ha, ah!”
Ignoring my shortness of breath, I avoided the sword.
Towards this drama, I do not know how many times I brushed past the death god. My heart was being squeezed and it was difficult to breathe. The wind pressure that was created cut my cheeks.
My entire body was trembling and at the same time, I ran away.
Aiming at the side of the Minotaur when the entire body swung down the Sword, I was cu
rrently preparing to make a detour around it. That is the dead angle of the opponent, in other words, it was the only place that was safe.
Then, the instant that I entered there, the Minotaur’s eyes flashed a sharp light.
“??“
Fu, Fu, while releasing these snorting sounds, the Minotaur turned its gaze away from the Large Sword on the ground and turned his head so that it faced my direction.
“??What!?”
With a posture that was difficult to do, it resorted to a strike from its head.
What was grown on the head that was extremely hard ?? The horn!
Using the curved horn, I was speechless as it suddenly attacked me!
“WAHHHH!?”
Knowing that there isn’t much use, but I still lifted the hand guard, the horn of the Minotaur easily pierced through.
It was lucky that I managed to avoid fatal injuries. It seems like the horn on top of its head was offset slightly during the process where it pierced through the hand guard. It only caused a shallow gash on my left arm.
The Minotaur’s horn was still in a state where it was still piercing through my hand guard.
As if I was solidly pierced through an angle, under my left arm, I was dragged above the head of the Minotaur.
“HIII”
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
I was lifted up.
Every time the Minotaur shook his head, I seemed to swing like a pendulum a few times.
In the air that was a full 2 meters away from the Dungeon’s floor, my entire body was thrown around.
The ground seemed so far. I opened my eyes and my sense of direction was completely lost!
After being violently shook, I had a feeling of vomit rising up.
The left arm that connected to my body was creaking as if the joints were about to be dislocated.
Soon, after the Minotaur had frantically thrown me around two or three times above his head, compared to me, the hand guard was the one that broke first.
The half-destroyed armor began to shatter when the connection was loosened.
At the same time the Minotaur threw me up dramatically, the left arm was finally released and I was thrown high up into the air.
“WUUUU??UWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?”
GU, I nearly approached the ceiling of the 9th floor, which was at least 10 meters tall, and soon I began to fall.
Like a parabola that depicted a hill, I continued to approach the Dungeon’s floor.
Just like that, without even making a protective posture, the distance towards the ceiling had become far away in a moment??I fell.
“GI!?”
From my back, a dramatic impact appeared.
With the spine as the starting point, screams began to move all over my body. Inside my head, my consciousness was flickering.
My hands and legs twitched awkwardly.
Without the improvement from the
“Ah……!?”
What I can see with my eyes are stars.
I leaked out a groan towards the pain that surged throughout my body, I tightly closed my eyes.
Following, passing through direct contact of the ground, the Minotaur’s footsteps came.
This is bad. Although I thought about it, but my body could not move like I imagined it to be. My throat had difficulties with breathing and was craving for oxygen.
Then, when my body could not move, I could only barely seal up my fear and flow back inside.
The teeth began to tremble. My eyes also began to shake and they gradually become moist.
I was afraid.
Sure enough, I was extremely afraid.
It was painful, it hurts, it was unbearable.
However, more than anything else.
I was afraid.
To the extent where I could not stand up again.
“Uuuuuu……!”
I could clearly hear the sounds of him approaching. The hair on my body stood up on its end. The Minotaur was leisurely approaching.
I am already half-dead like this. From my toes, fear began to gradually erode my entire body.
It feels like I was going crazy. It feels like I was about to collapse. Perhaps becoming like that would be easier.
Aside from looking at the dazzling ceiling in the Dungeon, there was nothing else I could do. The numerous lights burned my eyes and my tear glands quietly collapsed.
??I already can’t do it.
My hands and legs are already tied up by the fear inside my heart. I could only leak out a cry filled with moisture.
“………?”
The sound of the ground croaking had stopped.
The declaration of death that was approaching step by step had unnaturally stopped.
As a replacement, what rang was the sound of a breeze.
I could not help but be surprised. What happened? Towards this sudden silence, I could only raise a question.
My face twisted, my body could not move.
Lifting up my trembling body, I looked up.
Immediately,
“??“
That person was there.
“……”
Clear, golden hair. Pale blue armor. Silver Rapier.
I do not know when and where I had seen this familiar scene. The back of that female swordsman was facing this side.
My time had stopped.
“VUU, VUOOOOO……!?”
The Minotaur, it was afraid.
Being stared by her, who did not say anything, it trembled as it began to retreat.
The sound of the wind cried out quietly.
As if the girl was surrounded by the air that was dancing, the room had become quiet.
The polished and clear pressure was rolled up into a whirlpool.
??
“Found it! Aizu?!?”
“Tch, you actually got into this silly thing!”
Although I could hear footsteps arriving one after another, but my eyes and consciousness were fully fixed on that back.
Not that far in front.
Aizu-san, as if she wanted to protect me was confronting the Minotaur.
My head was in a mess. My thoughts could not keep up with the development.
What happened? What will happen?
I was attracted over and did not notice that I had sat up with my upper body. I could only stare at her back.
“…….Are you alright?”
??Alright?
It was just like that time, our first encounter.
That slim face turned slightly over to the side and said the same, unchanging words.
Dodon, my heart seemed to be throbbing as if it suffered a blow.
“……You’ve worked hard.”
??Did I work hard?
It was different than that time.
She added words of consolation.
Gunya, my heartbeat whispered.
“Right now, I’ll save you.”
??Save…me?
The sound of my heartbeat began to rampage.
The things inside my field of vision had its color restored.
The hot colors were burning.
Save me?
Rescued?
Once again?
By that person?
Just like that time?
Like the time in the past?
Save who?
??Save me.
“!!”
My head was on fire.
The fear that I had so far was completely swept away.
Just like an idiot filled with gas, I overcame my fear.
Using that unsightly bluff, using those uncontrollable feelings, I completely shattered my horrendous attitude.
Stand up.
Stand uppp.
Stand up now!
How long do you plan to sleep!
How many times will I have to be saved until you’re content about it!?
&nbs
p; I already do not want to repeat the same moments!
I had enough of my weak self, who could only be saved by that person!!
“~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!”
I threw away my trembling body aside.
If there is still time to be afraid, why not make a resolve.
How could I expose such a ugly attitude in front of the person that I longed for.
To the person that I wanted to convey my feelings more than anyone else, how could I show such an unbearable appearance.
This sort of thing, I cannot stand it, I cannot stand it, I cannot stand it!
If I don’t try to act cool now, then when should I try to act cool!
If I don’t let her see me in new light now, then when should I let her see me in new light!
If I don’t stand up now, when should I stand up!
If I don’t stretch my hands to the heights above, then when will I be able to reach it!!
My foot violently pressed onto the ground and I jumped up.
I stood up and I regrouped myself.
“!?”
“……Save me.”
I grabbed her hand.
Holding her slender hands that seemed to easily be broken, I pulled it behind me.
I, using my own will, stepped forward.
“I will not let Aizu Wallenstein come save me again!”
I screamed out from the depths of the lungs and raised my dagger.
Towards me, who once again rose up, the Minotaur stared at me with widened eyes and then, it indeed let out a grim smile.
As if it wanted to respond to my will, it pointed the blade of the Large Sword towards me.
“A showdown……!”
Go Adventure.
For these uncontrollable feelings.
Today, I will begin my first Adventure.
* * *
The boy was running.
The body that received Aizu’s dumbfounded gaze headed rapidly towards the Giant Monster that was waiting for the little Adventurer.
“Well, stealing other people’s prey in the dungeon is also a violation of rules. You got dumped, Aizu.”
“……”
From behind Aizu, who was left behind, Bate leisurely spoke.
To an Adventurer, the other side was the one who had the right of fighting first, and he used his nose to make a laughter sound.
Afterwards, following Bate and Tiona, Tione also reached the room, then later on, Riveria and Finn also arrived.
Under their gaze, Bell pulled the curtains for the beginning of his battle against the Minotaur.
After looking at Bell, who nimbly dodged the opponent’s initial attack, Bate’s mouth “Cough” became an circular mouth and exclaimed, followed by an “Eh?” as he noticed something.