World's Fastest Level up! - Chapter 158

"""——-tsu"""

Hearing those words from a man who called himself Cain, everyone opened their eyes in shock. Even Claire is the same.

"An existence from another world? Are you seriously saying that?"

"Of course. Well, you might have already noticed it, right? That the magical power that you and I use are different."

"… Assuming I believe that, why are you in this kind of place? There are many weird points here, including this abnormal space itself."

"Isn't that obvious? I just overwrote a part of the administrator authority when this dungeon emerged, making me reign over the dungeon as the administrator."

The words that Cain said made me feel uncomfortable, as from how he said it, it's like saying that he is—.

I guess Claire also wondered the same thing, as she asked while furrowing her eyebrows.

"You aren't the one who made this dungeon?"

"Of course. That's God's authority. Not something that the likes of us can achieve."

Administrator authority, administrator, and God. He announced some words that cannot be allowed to pass one after another. Is the God that Cain says in fact the sounds of the system? Did Cain think that the one who controls the dungeon system has a will?

In the first place, what is ‘a different world'? What is the role of the dungeons in that world? I still couldn't comprehend anything with the information I have now. Nevertheless, we are definitely getting closer to the truth of the dungeon little by little. However, there is something that had to be done before satisfying our desire for knowledge.

Previously, Cain said he overwrote a part of the administrator authority of this dungeon. Naturally, I don't know what kind of thing the administrator authority specifically is. However, there is one thing that I know. The fact that Cain, who should be stronger than me, was just watching us who were about to be killed by Ifrit without doing anything is an undeniable truth.

"I see. Although I still have many questions to ask, please do tell me just one thing"

After such a preface, Claire said.

"Why did you come to this world?"

Were such words really coming from this girl? Her voice made me wonder about that, as it was different from the sharp and freezing voice that she used toward Ifrit. Because this time, her voice sounded full of anger and hatred.

However, Cain wasn't perturbed when asked by a question with such intensity. Or rather, he raised the edge of his mouth, as if releasing all the emotions that he had suppressed until now.

"Ku, kuhahahahah! Well asked! We have only one purpose! That is to send our elites through the dungeons–"

Then, he declared.

"–Killing all humans here, and rule over this world"

*Bang*

As soon as he said those words, Cain's magic power rose, making the feeling of intimidation that can be felt from his magical power rise to the same level as Ifrit. That is undoubtedly a proof that Cain is ready for the battle–

"Shit!"

I reflexively held the Nameless. However, the enemy was faster, in the blink of an eye, more than ten blood-like red magic circles manifested around Cain.

But there is someone who was faster than him— It was Claire.

"I won't let you."

"tsu?!"

Calmly, and ruthlessly. Multiple slashes are released from the ice blade that she swung to mow the enemy down, destroying those magic circles in an instant, preventing their activation. After confirming she had successfully prevented the activations, Claire directly aimed at Cain's neck.

"Haaaaaaa!"

"Tch! Blood Wall!"

The moment he chanted, more than 10 blood walls appeared between them, diminishing the momentum of her slash in each wall, and completely stopping her sword at the last one. Then, after squinting in dissatisfaction, Claire jumped backwards as if she received a counterattack.

"…. You could stop that, huh."

"After destroying my prided blood wall that easily, what's with that objection"

"You still have some cards left, right?"

"Well, I wonder."

While both of them glared at each other, the emotion I felt beside them was— a relief.

That's something that cannot be helped. Because Cain is strong. At least, I think he is as strong as, or stronger than Ifrit. Nonetheless, I understood just by looking at the previous exchange, that Claire is overwhelmingly stronger than Cain. Even if it was an opponent that I couldn't win against, Claire will surely be able to win against him.

That's why I am relieved, thinking that I don't have to fight against that kind of strong enemy. I can just support Claire while protecting Hana and the others behind me, and everyone could be saved.

However, the real problem starts here.

Although Claire and Cain seemed to be just facing each other, they were actually in the middle of probing each other's next attack, while raising their magic power. And Claire's aura is overwhelmingly superior to that of Cain. But, looking at that, Cain laughed a little.

"I see, what a terrifying power. Even the one that you bastard used at Ifrit was just a part of it, huh. Which means, even if we keep fighting like this, I don't have a chance of winning— But, unfortunately for you, your time is up."

"My time is up? What the heck are you talking abo–tss!?"

"Wha!"

Claire and I opened our eyes in shock as we saw the phenomenon that happened shortly after that. Yes, that was something really unbelievable– No, it was something that I didn't want to believe.

A faint light enveloped Claire's body. It is a sign that the transfer magic that will return her to the surface was activated. She just defeated Ifrit, which was the dungeon boss after all. So, the activation of transfer magic itself wasn't really strange. The thing that causes us to be in disbelief starts from there.

Having lost my calm, I shouted.

"Why, is only Claire affected by the transfer magic?!"

Yes, the only one who got enveloped by the faint light was Claire. The phenomenon didn't happen to the others and me. At this rate, only Claire will return to the surface!

Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. While my head is about to burst because of the scene that I didn't understand, Cain spoke.

"Looks like it was a good idea to prepare an insurance plan in advance. I had overwritten the mechanism of the dungeon with administrator authority to make the only one who would be returned is the one person who defeated the dungeon boss— In other words, it's you bastard."

"–!"

Is that kind of thing even possible? No, remember, Rin. After the defeat of Ifrit, the sound of the system that announced the acquisition of experience points was undoubtedly heard in my head. But there isn't any announcement saying that I have captured the dungeon!

Honestly, I am astonished at Cain's power as administrator. But that astonishment disappeared in an instant.

Cain is strong, even more than Ifrit. And he has an objective, that is to kill us. In this situation, if Claire disappeared—!

"Claire!"

That's why, I reached my hand to her, as if saying, ‘don't disappear'.

"—–hiss"

Claire displayed a confused expression, while holding the ice sword tightly. But at the next moment, for some reason she widely opened her pair of blue eyes.

"…eh?"

Then, she looked at me, who is just a tiny existence in this place.

While I was wondering what she was thinking when she looked at me, Claire stabbed her ice sword deep into the ground and chanted.

"Absolute Ruler"

At that moment, a huge magic circle was activated, and an ice barrier was generated to protect everyone except me, Claire and Cain. And at last, she looked at me and quietly muttered.

"– I will entrust it to you"

After saying that, the brightness of the light suddenly increased, and when the light subsided, Claire was gone. The last hope to defeat Cain had disappeared.

Having lost its objective, my hand just stays in the air. Looking at me who was still stunned, Cain said in a sympathetic voice.

"An ice barrier that protects the inferior, huh. Only I and you bastard were excluded from there. What a stupid one, to leave the rest to this kind of weak man. Let me tell you, it's better for you not hoping for someone to save you. It's troublesome if more rescue comes after all. So, I had the gate closed when that woman came. Thus, from now on, you ants will be killed by me, without being able to do anything."

"……"

Cain glared at me with his red eyes. That alone gave me an impact that could even stop my heart. From behind, I can hear many muffled sounds, probably because of the Ice barrier. At that place where the ice protects, there are Hana and the others. Those important to me are there.

"…. I am the only one."

Thus, the lives of everyone here we entrusted to me once again. On the other hand, in front of me, stood an existence that is far stronger than Ifrit, who has been defeated earlier.

And then, I ended up challenging it again, a fight against despair, with no chance of winning.