Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? – Side Story 24

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S24 The Elro Great Labyrinth capture ①

The place that can’t be known where.
Huge space.
One woman was there.
The woman leaves only a part of the upper body, and most of her body blend into the space like disappearing.
It was a very pitiful appearance.
And, words are muttered mechanically from the mouth.
『Skill proficiency reached』
『Experience points has reached a certain degree』
『Skill proficiency reached』
…………
『It’s painful』

I jump nimbly.
I confirm the surroundings in a hurry.
The faint lamp that lights.
The illuminated wall is the natural rock surface, and the ground also has the hardness that can be understand even from a sleeping bag.
The Elro Great Labyrinth Upper Layer.

I recall the place where I am and the situation.
That’s right, we came to this Elro Great Labyrinth to cross the continent.
Today is the second day after we dive into the labyrinth.
Because now is midnight, the lookout was changed, and I was taking my sleep.

I wipe off the sweats.
What was the dream a while ago?

「Are you all right?」

Sensei looks into my face from the side.
The lookout is changed with one set of two people.
The present lookout is Sensei and Basgas-san.
It seems that she call out to me worrying after seeing that I had a nightmare and jumped.

「I’m all right. It’s only because my dream was a little bad」

I laugh to deceive it.
It’s actually the fact.

「That’s a bad omen」

Basgas-san joins in to my words that I’m trying to elude lightly.

「Is it an omen?」
「Yeah. Do you know it? The story of the Labyrinth’s Nightmare」
「No, I never heard of it」

The Basgas-san who usually has a loud voice, lowers his voice when the present state that the surroundings are sleeping.
It’s like talking about ghost story, a gloomy atmosphere is brought.

「I heard it before. If I’m not mistaken, it was the word that indicate the Myth rank monster that appeared suddenly in the labyrinth more than ten years ago」
「You know it」

Myth rank monster.
It’s said that those monsters are assumed to be impossible to deal by people with the Over S danger degree.

「The Nightmare is the living calamity of the Elro Great Labyrinth that’s equal to the queen. To have a nightmare like this, it might be an omen of the Nightmare’s appearance, you know?」
「But, if I’m not mistaken, wasn’t the monster subjugated?」
「It’s said so to the people」
「To the people?」
「Ah. Generally, it’s said that it slaughtered an army, and in the end, it died after receiving a direct hit of the great magic without leaving any trace, but I somehow can’t believe it. That monster won’t die so easy. I think that it’s surely alive now somewhere and it’s waiting for a prey to come」
「You say it as if you have seen the real thing」
「Yeah. To tell the truth, the first discoverer of the Nightmare is me」

Basgas-san puffed up with pride for some reason.
Well, if it’s said as amazing, it is amazing.

「At that time, there’s an incident about the abnormal generation of monsters, and I was the guide for the dispatched knight unit to investigate the cause and to cull the monsters. The cause was because the Nightmare drove out the surrounding monsters. And, we went into the Nightmare’s base nonchalantly without knowing that. I still haven’t forget about that time. When my eyes meet its eyes, I felt more dead than alive」

Did Basgas-san recall that time? Basgas-san trembled suddenly.

「You returned alive well」
「About that. The Nightmare has a strange behavior. If we don’t attack it, it will overlook us. And, it even cure wounds」
「Huh?」
「Unbelievable, right? After that, the formed subjugation unit seems to incurred its anger and was annihilated. And after that, when it came out of the Elro Great Labyrinth, the fort is destroyed, it appears in the middle of the war and starts a massacre indiscriminately. It causes outrageous major incidents. And yet, it also help people like a whim, it’s a monster that’s said that the actions can’t be understood」

What’s with that irregular monster.
Is that really a monster?

「Well, what can be certainly said about the Nightmare is that it’s terribly strong. Lad, you look like you have confidence in your skill, but I won’t say that it’s bad. Change your thoughts before it’s too late. I can somehow grasp self-conceit from Lad’s fighting appearance. Although I won’t say that having confidence in fight is bad, there’s a top on the top.」

I startled.
Certainly, now that it’s mentioned, it’s so.
After I enter the Elro Great Labyrinth, I never had a hard fight.
Although the monsters that appeared are certainly troublesome monsters if it’s seen from the world in general, in my case, they are all small fries that can’t defeat me.
If it’s said that there was self-conceit, I can only say there is.

「I’m sorry. I will be careful from now on」
「Ah. You don’t have to be careful」

Even though I apologized obediently, such thing was said.
As expected, I’m irritated with this.

「Why?」
「Lad, you’re misunderstanding it fundamentally. What I’m saying is to see everything. Not only in this labyrinth. You ignored my warning when you enter the labyrinth, and appraised the Water Dragon, right?」

It was known.
Sensei looks at me.
This is bad.
I heard from Sensei that when “Appraisal” is used on the other party, the other party will feel unpleasant, and it’s enough to be hostile with that alone.
In other words, the Water Dragon might have released its breath in anger because I appraised it at that time.

「Shun-kun, is that true?」
「Yes. I’m sorry」

Even if I deceive it here, it will only become more complicated.
I apologize obediently.

「It’s not only the Lad’s fault that the Water Dragon release its breath. The Water Dragons don’t forgive the other party who invades their territory」

I’m relieved at Basgas-san’s words.
Oh, it was not my fault.

「But, it doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t follow my warning and did a dangerous act. As a result, your comrades have experience danger. Fortunately, everyone was blown off into the cave, so it was good. However, a comrade might be left behind to fight against the Water Dragon in the sea if one step is wrong. What will you do if it becomes the situation?」

I had a feeling that I heard a sound that made my body became pale suddenly.
That’s right, what if someone is left behind in that place.
If only Katia and Sensei who are left behind in front of the Water Dragon.
There’s no means to survive.
And, there’s no means for me who has been washed away to save them.
I don’t know whether the “Kindness” skill can be used or not.
The probability that it can’t be used seems to be higher.

「Do you understand? Lad, you don’t have the thing called a little sense of danger. No matter what happens, it’s all right for you. Such groundless confidence is transparent. I admit that Lad is strong among the Humans. I will say this on top of that. There’s a top on the top. Even if it’s not so, your comrades almost died just by one of your thoughtless action. Because of my line of work, I have seen a lot of people who died thoughtlessly like that. A good life that won’t fall will fall just by a little carelessness and the loosening of the mind. Don’t you think that there’s no such ridiculous thing?」

I can’t argue back.
I might have gotten conceited before I know it.
I might have too much confidence in my strength.
The lengthened nose was just broken.

By my thoughtless action, someone of my comrades is sacrificed.
I can’t allow such a thing.

I slap my face with all my might to get fired up.
My HP decreased.
But, it’s fine like this.
From now on, I won’t be careless and self-conceited.

「Thank you for the advice」

I lower my head in the prostrating style.
Not only Basgas-san, but Sensei also seemed to be bewildered by this.

「Haan. I see. So, you will listen to an old man’s nonsense seriously」
「No, thanks to that, I woke up. Certainly, it seemed that I have been naive so far. If this goes on, it will become an irreparable situation someday」

I mean, it has already become a considerably irreparable situation.
Even in such a situation, naivety still remains.
Of course I will also be said by Katia.
The recent me is slightly strange.
I just noticed it clearly.
Here is not the peaceful Japan.
I must be more conscious of it.
If I have the sense of Japan forever, I might lose something more.
I can’t lose something any further.

「Hmm. You now have a face that was able to see to some extent」
「Thank you」
「And, this is a pure interest, but if Lad fights against the Water Dragon, can you win?」

I think a little to Basgas-san’s question.

「I think that it’s difficult」

Because it’s no use even if I put on the airs, I say the honest force analysis.

「The physical offensive ability here falls remarkably if it’s underwater. Having said that, the power of magic attack will be dropped by the Dragon species’s peculiar magic obstruction skill. There’s no way to win underwater」
「Then, if it’s the land?」
「On the land, I will say that about 50%」
「I’m surprised」

Basgas-san mutters to the condition instinctively.
Sensei turns the doubtful eyes to me.
Huh?
Did I say something strange?

And, an unpleasant feeling runs on my body.
If I trace back the cause, Basgas-san grins broadly.

「I see, you’re not necessarily bragging」

The one just now, “Appraisal”?

「Isn’t it a breach of manners?」
「Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a part of the force analysis to get out of this labyrinth safely」

Isn’t that “it’s not what you say, but how you say it”?
This person obviously peeped my status because he was interested.
Then, I will return it.

I appraise Basgas-san.
I’m surprised at the appraisal result.

『Human　LV66　Name　Basgas
Status
ＨＰ：９３３／９３３（Green）（Details）
ＭＰ：８２９／８２９（Blue）（Details）
ＳＰ：９４９／９４９（Yellow）（Details）
：９０１／９３１（Red）（Details）
Average Offensive Ability：９０３（Details）
Average Defensive Ability：８８７（Details）
Average Magic Ability：８２１（Details）
Average Resistance Ability：８２４（Details）
Average Speed Ability：９０２（Details）
Skill
「High-speed HP Recovery LV3」 「MP Recovery Speed LV9」 「MP Consumption Down LV9」 「Magic Perception LV9」 「Magic Manipulation LV8」 「Magic Combat Act LV5」 「Magic Granting LV4」 「Offensive Magic Power LV4」 「High-speed SP Recovery LV5」 「Great SP Consumption Down LV5」 「Great Enhanced Destruction LV4」 「Great Enhanced Blunt LV4」 「Enhanced Slashing LV3」 「Enhanced Piercing LV1」 「Great Enhanced Shock LV2」 「Enhanced Earth LV4」 「Enhanced Dark LV1」 「War God Spirit LV1」 「Vitality Granting LV10」 「Ability Granting LV1」 「Great Vitality Attack LV1」 「Earth Attack LV8」 「Poison Synthesis LV10」 「Medicine Synthesis LV10」 「Taijutsu Genius LV5」 「Sword Talent LV2」 「Cooperation LV10」 「Direction LV6」 「Throw LV10」 「Shoot LV10」 「3D-Maneuver LV9」 「Appraisal LV3」 「Concentration LV10」 「Thought Acceleration LV2」 「Foresight LV2」 「Parallel Will LV1」 「Record LV10」 「Accuracy LV10」 「Evasion LV10」 「Great Probability Correction LV3」 「Stealth LV10」 「Concealment LV7」 「Silent LV10」 「Odorless LV10」 「Danger Perception LV10」 「Presence Perception LV10」 「Heat Perception LV10」 「Motion Perception LV10」 「Soil Magic LV10」 「Earth Magic LV8」 「Light Magic LV4」 「Shadow Magic LV10」 「Dark Magic LV5」 「Treatment Magic LV10」 「Poison Magic LV3」 「Destruction Resistance LV9」 「Blunt Resistance LV9」 「Slash Resistance LV9」 「Pierce Resistance LV9」 「Shock Resistance LV9」 「Soil Resistance LV7」 「Dark Resistance LV7」 「Paralysis Nullity」 「Deadly Poison Nullity」 「Sleep Resistance LV8」 「Great Acid Resistance LV5」 「Great Faint Resistance LV3」 「Corrosion Resistance LV3」 「Fear Resistance LV6」 「Pain Nullity」 「Pain Alleviation LV3」 「Night Vision LV10」 「Clairvoyance LV3」 「Great Enhanced Five Senses LV7」 「Perception Range Expansion LV10」 「Destiny LV1」 「Magic Well LV9」 「Heaven Motion LV1」 「Abundant Sky LV1」 「Fortitude LV1」 「Fortress LV1」 「Mage LV9」 「Amulet LV9」 「Idaten LV1」
Skill points：５０
Title
「Assassin」 「Monster Killer」 「Guider」 「Medicine Technique User」 「Gross Feeder」 「Monster Slaughterer」 「Rescuer」 「Natural Calamity of Monster」』

What’s with this old man!?
He’s stronger than Hyrinth-san!?

「A high level “Appraisal” holder, huh? It doesn’t seem to be an appraisal stone」
「Do you have an appraisal stone?」
「Ah. It’s an excellent level 8」

Such thing like a level 8 appraisal stone is a high-class item that’s beyond the grasp of the commoner.
To have such a thing means that he’s not a commoner.
The status and the appraisal stone, this person seems to be an outrageous person.

「I understood that Lad’s status is high. If it’s that status, the upper layer will be all right」

I receive an official guarantee from Basgas-san.

「That’s if you never meet with the Remnants of the Nightmare」

However, I have an indescribable uneasiness when Basgas-san muttered the words at the end.

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