Ore Dake Kaereru Kurasu Teni - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Shaaaa!”


The Sea Green Rock Lizard intimidates us .

“I remember that Taniizumi and the others hunted this before . They were bragging about it .
“Yeah . I was there when they fought it . It’s a mamono that focuses on tail attacks . Be careful . ”
“Can it use fire and poison?”[1]
“Probably, it mainly attacks by biting or with its tail . ”
“Understood!”

I stand ready to protect myself with my onion shield like always and face the Sea Green Rock Lizard . During that time, Shigenobu and Hiyama-san move to stand close at my sides . We’re fortunate to only be facing one beast .

“Haaaaaa!”

Raising a sword… I’ll face it head-on with a shield instead!

“Shaaaa!?”

My unexpected attack works, and the Sea Green Rock Lizard stops moving for an instant .  Kashin, my shield smacks it straight in the face, woah! It’s tough!

“Teryaaaa!”
“Taaaa!”

Shigenobu and Hiyama-san land attacks on its two sides, but Shigenobu merely cuts its hide while Hiyama-san lands a blow on its internal organs .

“Shaaaaaa!”

The Sea Green Rock Lizard roars out in pain as it thrashes about with its tail .

“Ah–”

It counterattacks Hiyama-san for her severe blow by swinging the rock on its tail at her .

“Hiyama-san!”

Gatsun, I strike the top of the Sea Green Rock Lizard’s head with my obsidian sword . I continue with the flow and Hiyama-san with my onion shield as she’s sent flying away .  Gusha, the onion shield is distorts and gets blown away .

“Ow…”
“Yukinari! Everything alright!?”
“Hanebashi-kun! That…you protected me…”
“Hanebashi-kun! Are you okay!?”

Himeno-san tumbles as she rushes over to protect me . She holds her staff ready in her hands as she heals me .

“I’m okay, so just watch out for yourself!”
“I know! Sakaeda-kun! Hiyama-san! Especially Hiyama-san, fight without worry! You’re the only ones who can end this! We’re leaving this to you . ”

The Sea Green Rock Lizard is already in tatters . That doesn’t mean it can’t attack, but it’s in a tough spot . Were we reckless by using weak equipment? No, we might have explored a bit too deep .

Hiyama-san nods and takes advantage of the gap I created . She gathers strength and draws back her sword…

“Everyone, Hanebashi-kun protected us! Keep going!” 

The Sea Green Rock Lizard waves its tail around with its might . The base of its tail is struck as it does, and I get the feeling something narrowly passes by me with a thump .

Something is whirling about in the air . I look closely and discover it’s the rock that was on the tip of the Sea Green Rock Lizard’s tail . As it falls to the ground with a thud, the Sea Green Rock Lizard shrieks .

“Just the head left!”
“This time, I’ll finish it !”

Hiyama-san jumps onto the Sea Green Rock Lizard’s back, holds her sword in a backhand grip,… . and swings it at its head . A zubuu sound rings out as the blade sinks in . The Sea Green Rock Lizard screams while collapsing with a thud .  

“We won . ”
“We haven’t had any battles this long before… this was a strong enemy . ”
“Yeah . ”

Himeno-san continues my medical treatment . Little by little, my pain softens .  

“Are you okay!?”

Hiyama-san gets off the Sea Green Rock Lizard and rushes over to me .  

“I’m fine, I just fell on my butt . ”

That said, I want to hide that ever since I caught her with my shield, my arm bruised and had been feeling strange . Himeno-san is healing me, so it should disappear soon .  

“Is Hiyama-san okay as well?”
“Hanebashi-kun protected me, so I’m completely unharmed . ”
“I see, that’s good . ”
“Jeez…you’re unreasonable…”
“Good grief . ”
“If he didn’t do that, Hiyama-san might have been more seriously injured . ”
“Yeah, but…”

In the midst of that mood, the Lv up sound rings out . I’ve gone up to Lv 4 . Rather, that’s a lot of experience…was it a bit too strong of a mamono after all? 

“Ah, I went up a Lv too . ”

Hiyama-san says while looking at something else .

“Hiyama-san should have reached Lv 5, right?”
“Yes . ”
“What’d you get?”
“Eetto…clairvoyance . ”
“That sounds convenient . ”

Clairvoyance, if it’s like in games, will let her see other places . It’ effects are pretty useful .

“I’ll try using it . ”

Saying that, Hiyama-san uses her ability .

“Eetto… it seems like I can register three locations . I don’t really get it, so I’ll try registering this place as a test . ”
“Uh huh . ”


“Alright, Clairvoyance is… ahre?”

Hiyama-san walks over at a brisk pace . Did she figure something out?

“Eetto, it seems like… I can look upon registered locations . I can see myself and Hanebashi-kun . ”
“You can see locations that you’ve registered?”
“Seems like it . ”
“It might be useful when teleporting . It would be risky if there were dangerous mamono around . ”
“Ah, that’s right! That means I can check the area before we teleport . ”

Yeah, it’s a bit plain, but a useful ability! Depending on how you use it, there might be a lot of applications .

“If you use it well, we might not even need to keep a lookout . ”
“Yeah but…ultimately I think we still need someone to stay behind in order to trick the others . ”
“That’s true . ”

Our conversation rolls along pretty well .

“Well, for the time being…”

I check the damaged on the shield .

“Sorry, Shigenobu . ”

The onion shield Shigenobu painstakingly made is ruined . I can still barely use it, but doing so makes me uneasy .  

“No, don’t worry about it . Shields are for times like these when you need to protect your body . I’m relieved nothing serious happened . ”
“As long as I don’t die instantly, Himeno-san can save me . ”

Although in that case, I don’t have a clue how long I would need to be healed . I don’t intend to treat my physical health like I would in a game, but I think even if my HP gets cut in half, Himeno-san can restore me .

“Don’t say stuff like that, it’s bad luck . ”
“Yeah, Hanebashi-kun!”

Hiyama-san is extremely furious . Ah…she’s tearing up . She’s changed completely from a fierce deity into an ordinary girl .

“It would’ve been awful if you had died protecting someone else!” 
“I understand, but I’m truly glad that Hiyama-san didn’t suffer any injuries . ”
“If you understand, then absolutely don’t do anything that reckless again . ”

Himeno-san stops there . Shigenobu agrees with her while rolling the tail of the Sea Green Rock Lizard with his foot . Well, raising our levels fighting something like that might be a bit much .  

“Maybe we should turn back a bit?”
“Yeah, honestly I don’t think our Lvs are high enough to fight rock lizards . ”
“Hiyama-san was able to beat it as a Lv 4… though we’d be in danger if a group comes . ”
“Ah, it seems like a stronger mamono after all . Let’s steadily raise our Lv and then come here . ”

Is being at Lv 6 a reasonable expectation? Taniizumi and the others of the player group would have been able to win instantly . Ah…how irritating .

“Well, how about sending the body and the tail rock back?”
“Ah, with this, we’ve gathered all the materials for the equipment . Little by little, we’re getting things done . ”
“Well . For the time being, nothing to do but keep defeating enemies for more materials to raise our Lvs . ”
“Ah, I have no choice but to fight using physics to raise my Lv . ”[2]

Isn’t there a way to overcome this through cleverness? I wanted to say there is, but we currently have nothing . Thinking about what I can defeat with my ability, could I even hit a big lizard moving around all over the place?!

“Well, once I teleport back, let’s go back the way we came and resume exterminating mamono . The hunting has just begun . ”
“Yeah . By the way, I have something to say to Hanebashi-kun and Sakaeda-kun . ”

Hiyama-san puts her hands on her hips like she’s explaining something .

“What?”
“We’re already fighting together in combat like this, so I think it’s a bit too formal to keep calling other by our family names . ”

[1] 「火とか毒は？」
[2] ああ、Ｌｖを上げて物理で仕留めて行くしかない