Kotone's viewpoint on the forest road
Hayami Kotone was sitting by the window shivering.
When I say window, I don't mean a window in a stylish women's dormitory room, decorated with potted plants and sunlight.It's a dark, dusty, stone-brick peephole that looks like something from a medieval fortress, built in an unknown time or place and in no known world.
If you roll over on your back like you would on a bed, you'll fall a few meters below into the monster room where dungeon Shiba Inu roam.
I look down nervously at the monster house.
A day has passed since I was caught up in the dungeon hole.
Kotone was a relatively capable explorer, and that's why she managed to survive this long.
However, there was no denying that there had been some close calls.
(A battle with a real dungeon monster... and not the 1st floor monsters we usually fight in training, but 2nd floor monsters...)
The students who were dragged into the dungeon by the Dungeon Hall are merely inexperienced apprentice explorers, and only by fighting as a group can they take on dungeon monsters.
Kotone looked out over the students' dungeon camp that had been set up above the Monster House. There were dozens of students there, but some of them looked gloomy and in despair.
"It's over... we're all going to die here."
"I got eaten alive by that horrible dungeon Shiba Inu... and now I'm going to rot here with no one to find me..."
"Stop it, don't say that!"
"Isn't it true?! We wouldn't be able to last for days on our own!"
Some of the students were in a state of panic.
In fact, the students were ill-prepared for being suddenly drawn into the dungeon hall, with most of them not even carrying weapons.
Plus there will be no food or drink, so no support is expected.
It's no wonder people are in despair.
On the other hand, there were many who held out hope.
They thought to themselves, "We'll be fine. We'll definitely be saved."
It is because of them that we can have this hope.
"You two have landed in the monster room!"
The Monster Room is a terrifying labyrinth trap where if you step inside, you will be crushed by an overwhelming mass. The students look down from the window above the trap room.
Two girls walk into the monster room.
One of them is a beautiful girl with lustrous black hair. Her hair, which is usually down, is tied up in a fluffy ponytail with a string. She is wearing black hakama and is holding a sheathed sword in her left hand, which is a famous story among the first-year students.
The Ice Lady, Shibahime Shinka.
He is the strongest explorer at Hero High School, and was hailed as a sword saint even before he enrolled.
As soon as Shibahime entered the monster room, she turned the approaching Shiba Inu into particles of light with a chop of her hand. Without drawing her sword, she repeated the same movement with just her right hand as if she was making a tsukkomi at high speed, annihilating the monsters with frightening speed.
Next to him, he sees a Shiba Inu being shot and killed.
This was not a defeat with Shibahime's hand chop, but an attack using a projectile.
Clink, clink, they fall to the floor. They are coins.
The Silver Saint, Isaiah Wirth.
Her skill, "Crazy Swiss," was the ability to flick out Swiss franc coins. The projectiles, which boast far more power than bullets, were powerful enough to one-shot and kill the Shiba Inu dogs, even from the entrance to the monster room. The dogs tried to get close to Isaiah, but none of them could get closer than seven meters.
The students' expectations were raised by the spectacular annihilation battle displayed by the two beautiful princesses of their grade.
With the monster room now completely safe, the students decided to use it as a shelter.
Naturally, Shibahime became the leader of the students.
"S-Shibahime, what are we supposed to do?!"
"Can't you somehow find the exit from the dungeon?"
Confused students.
Shibahime stared with quiet eyes, folded her arms, and placed her hand on her thin chin thoughtfully.
(The students who were transported to the first floor found something like a dungeon gate. However, it was sealed away. It must be due to the influence of the dungeon hall, which means we can't expect any help from outside for a while. So━━)
"Kill the dungeon and the entrance will open."
Shibahime thought that conquering the dungeon was the only way for them to survive. By defeating the dungeon boss, the dungeon would die. It was entirely conceivable that this would cause the dungeon's functions to cease.
"Some people have found what appears to be a boss room at the back of the second floor. I think we have no choice but to go there."
"Don't be stupid! There's no way we can defeat him!?"
"Yes, so don't do anything. You're weak and in the way. You're a burden."
"That's a terrible thing to say... but it's true..."
Shibahime spoke to the students in a cold voice, then turned away.
"No matter how strong Shibahime is, we can't leave her alone, we'll follow her!"
The students split into two teams: one that would follow Shibahime and one that would wait in the safety of the monster room.
"Wirt, you know where the boss room is, right?"
"Yeah. I left a marker so just follow it and you'll get there."
"You're well prepared."
"I just happened to be diving into a pseudo dungeon."
Shibahime exchanged glances with Isaiah.
(It feels a bit strange, but I don't know why.)
"... If you're willing to fight, follow me."
With Shibahime at the head, the Shibahime dungeon assault force began moving towards the boss room.
Those unable or unwilling to fight remained in the monster room.
Isaiah was assigned to the monster room to protect those left behind.
Kotone joined the Shibahime dungeon raiding force.
(Fighting the dungeon Shiba Inu is scary. Fighting the boss is even scarier. But just wasting away and dying without doing anything is even scarier!)
Kotone headed towards the boss room with strong determination.
Just as Isaiah said, there were markers drawn on the walls leading to the boss room. They were the kind of codes shared by dungeon explorers that they had learned in class.
The boss room was easy to find.
But at the same time, something extraordinary happened.
"The boss room is... open."
Kotone couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise.
"He's coming," Shibahime muttered, and glanced over at the others.
No one could fully comprehend what it meant.
This was because she had abilities far beyond those of Shibahime.
"Come" means "so avoid."
The ceiling of the dungeon collapsed, and a giant shadow descended.
Many students, including Kotone, were unable to respond.
"That's why I told you you don't have to follow me."
Shibahime muttered in a quiet voice and drew her sword.
━━A little while later
Kotone was desperately trying to stop the blood gushing out from behind the rubble.
There was no one around. He had been blown away head on by the giant monster he had encountered earlier, been caught up in the collapse of the dungeon, and was dropped to a lower level on the same floor.
(The dungeon should be sturdy, but... now that I think about it, this dungeon is awfully dilapidated and scorched in places. Maybe something has weakened the structure itself. That's why it's more susceptible to breakage.)
"I have to somehow reunite with everyone else, otherwise Shibahime will probably be fighting that big thing..."
Kotone stands up with determination.
"Shivaa~"
"...Eh?"
A Shiba Inu appeared in front of Kotone.
There is a small Shiba Inu between two large ones, like a family.
A total of three. Three second-tier monsters.
"Th-That's not possible..."
Kotone's eyes darkened in despair and she held her breath. If she was found, it would be the end. She would lose her life.
"Shivaaah!"
"Aaaaah!"
Just as she was about to let it go, the Shiba Inu noticed Kotone and bared its fangs.
Kotone quickly activated the skill "Firebreathing."
Red flames shoot out from its mouth and engulf the Shiba Inu.
"Did I do it?"
"Shivaaah!"
"Oh no, I'm so sorry!!"
A Shiba Inu cannot be defeated by a weak flame.
Kotone cried and apologized repeatedly, becoming convinced that she was going to die.
Pop, pop.
The Shiba Inu dogs are blown away with a silly noise.
Kotone opens her glasses and watches the Shiba Inu dogs turn back into particles of light.
"picture?"
I was in a daze and couldn't comprehend what had happened.
The person who emerged from the shadows smiled gently.
For some reason, he was a male student who was shirtless and dripping with sweat like a waterfall.
He picks up the fallen iron ball and plays with it, tossing it lightly.
"What is the situation here, Hayami Kotone?"
"That might be what I should be saying..."
Kotone's opinion was surprisingly calm.