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Chapter 69: Just why do I feel like someone, somewhere, is constantly berating me?

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

Day 30 – The Faraway Labyrinth, 51F

Floor 50 of the dungeon had a cyclop, a one-eyed giant. It was outrageously strong. The defenses erected by 29 people were broken multiple times, the frontliners swapped countless times for healing, and with the rear continuous barrage of attacks, that they repeated constantly munching on MP mushrooms to restore magic power, we were somehow able to barely defeat it. But everyone was either injured or fatigued so much that they couldn’t even stand. It was too close even for a narrow victory. We are completely spent. One Lv 50 is a threat capable of pushing us to a brink of annihilation. That is a floor master. We didn’t meet one until we reached the 50th floor. Even Oda-kun’s group don’t know what lies ahead. Are they going to show up every 10 levels? Every 25 levels? Or maybe they are waiting only on the floors 50 and 100? In the worst case, they might be on every 5th level. And what is with the level of the monster continuously growing.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Kakizaki’s group in the vanguard, we wouldn’t have been able to make it through. Their close combat ability greatly surpasses their stat numbers. They are monsters. They just reunited with everyone, but their coordination is on the level where they don’t even have to look to know what they should be doing. Haruka-kun mentioned it earlier, 「This is the world that really suits them, it just so happens that they were born in a peaceful world, so they became top athletes, but they were made for war.」, but after witnessing their overwhelming battle power with my own eyes I can’t help but agree.

And then, Shimazaki-san group’s ability to crush enemies. Before anyone noticed they already overtook Oda-kun and others, and went past level 80. And what’s even more important, after thanking and apologizing to Oda-kun and the others and reuniting with Haruka-kun they finally regained their sanity. So they no longer push themselves to needless exhaustion or injuries. Until now they were too distracted with what’s going on around them, but now they have focus. At this point, they are very versatile, capable not only of melee but also good at offense and defense, and combat magic. And their level keeps rising. They are still getting experience from Haruka-kun. Which means that Haruka-kun is fighting monsters far surpassing the levels of those that we are facing. Even at this very moment.

And Oda-kun’s group is assisting others with appropriate support. They understand skills and are good at assessing the situation. Coming to another world they really began taking things seriously. Only 9 people were added to our original group of 20 girls, but I think our battle potential more than doubled. The vanguard and the center are a lot tougher, offense and defense greatly improved, thanks to that, hit-and-run tactics and sneak attacks, towards which many girls were oriented, are finally working properly, bringing a huge difference to the flow of battle. If only, if only everyone in the class worked together, we probably would’ve been even more formidable. I’m sure of that. But we already lost 13 people. Even so, we are still a force to be reckoned with.

And yet, we still don’t understand how strong Haruka-kun is. Just what’s up with that? He is only level 12, and doesn’t level up at all. He managed to get 『Mage』somewhere, yet still remains jobless. His skills lean in the direction of an assassin or a scout, but his martial arts are of a close combat evasion fighter? And yet he can use 6 types of magic, but his main thing is cane arts? And not so long ago he was jubilant about learning to walk on the air? Just what is this? What is he trying to become? Going by his stats, he is weak, but looking at him fighting, he is strong.

He actually defeated Lv 50 Goblin Emperor on his own. We barely managed to beat Lv 50 with 29 of us.

He is probably fighting level 100 monsters on the lowest floors, and still, somehow survives.

It might be okay, but it might be not. Normally, there is no way it can end okay.

Thinking in normal terms, his situation is absolutely and utterly hopeless. But the more I think about it the more the person that fell there gets in the way of believing that the situation can develop 『normally』.

That’s because he lacks the ability to act normally.

But I’m worried. That’s precisely why I’m worried.

「This time it should be okay. It’s not like the previous time when he went seeking death.」

Yes, this time he just fell down a hole.

The matter with Pheromone Ring is concerning, but if he actually gets it we can just confiscate it.

This time there is no need for Haruka-kun to do anything excessive.

Even so………

Even with us, he kept making a mess, and even after being told off by everyone, showed no remorse.

There is no telling what he might do if there is no one watching over him. No telling at all. There is no way he won’t do something.

Since everyone was completely exhausted I made them rest, leaving the scouting to Oda-kun’s group, who managed to recover by now. And according to them, the labyrinth might be dead? Apparently, monsters from the upper floors are not respawning. In other words, if we kill them once, they won’t be coming back? Then we don’t have to worry about our rear. Since the way back is safe, we can just press forward as far as we can. Haruka-kun is waiting for us.

「Everyone seems to be tired, can I take a look below on my own?」

「No. Until your party is ready you are on standby.」

「The five of us are ready, if it’s just scouting then we can go?」

「Yeah, but you, from the rear, are out of mana, right? Just stay put.」

「Three people from the center recovered though?」

「Until a full party is ready you can’t go. Just calm down already.」

Everyone wants to go down as fast as possible. Even if it’s only a little bit faster.

In any case, we won’t be able to catch up with him unless we get stronger. We won’t even be able to fight alongside him.

I might be losing my cool. I might be too impatient.

I might be yearning for Haruka-kun.

While there is no lie in everyone’s desire to protect Haruka-kun, there also might be a certain yearning.

For Haruka-kun, who time after time beats merciless odds, who annihilates despair itself, who claims that even the impossible can be beaten if you hit it long enough. He might be the source of yearning and impatience.