Chapter 4: Quest 2: Defeat the Ghouls [Part 1]
“Oooâ! Oooâ!”
The zombieâs voice echoed through the dungeon.
The one in front of them was a zombie carrying a backpack.
It had probably gotten separated from the knights and been killed by the undead.
“Ryuno Kesta Agata! O infinite Periolis, pierce, pierce like a hail of stones, become the stone that pierces my enemy! Manifest, Magic Bullet!”
Yuka released a magic bullet.
She aimed for its leg.
The projectile struck directly, and its knee bent at an unnatural angle with a sickening sound.
Makoto ran toward the zombie as it lost its balance.
“Ignition!”
Jet-black flames burst from his right arm as if responding to his shout.
But they flickered on and off, unstable.
He punched anyway, and the black flames ignited across the zombieâs face.
Even so, the zombie did not stop advancing.
“Ryuno Kesta Agata! O infinite Periolis, pierce, pierce like a hail of stonesâ”
Yukaâs voice rang out behind him, and Makoto dropped flat to the ground.
“Become the stone that pierces my enemy! Manifest! Magic Bullet!”
The magic bullet struck directly and shattered the zombieâs head.
Yet even without a head, it continued to approach them slowly.
“Just die already!”
Makoto delivered a vicious kick, and only then did the zombie finally collapse.
[Level up. Level 5. HP 15. Strength 12. Agility 13. Magic 14. 1 bonus point granted.]
The Divine Messengerâs voice echoed in his head.
“Alright, time to collect the loot.”
“Youâre practically a bandit.”
Ignoring Yukaâs sarcasm, he rummaged through the backpack and gathered the food.
He hoped for something more usefulâlike a weaponâbut this zombie seemed to have been assigned strictly to supplies.
“Tch, nothing good.”
“You really are a robber.”
Yuka slumped her shoulders.
“Letâs call it for today.”
“Letâs go back to that open space.”
“Yeah.”
Makoto slung the hidden backpack over his shoulder and retraced their steps.
After passing through a narrow corridor, they emerged into a wider area.
“Put up the barrier.”
“Got it.”
He handed her the noisemaker-like deviceâactually a barrier toolâand Yuka stuck its rounded tip into the ground, forming a square.
This barrier apparently concealed the presence of the living and made them invisible to the undead.
“Man, that was exhausting.”
Makoto entered the barrier and sat down.
“Take out the blanket.”
“Alright.”
He pulled it from the backpack and spread it on the ground, and Yuka sat on top of it.
“Iâm starting to feel like weâll never escape.”
“Thatâs not going to happen.”
He offered hollow reassurance.
Three days had passed since they met, and they still had not even found the passage to the ninth floor.
“If only we had paper and a pencil.”
“It wouldnât be strange if someone had a map.”
“Yeah.”
Makoto nodded and took a swig from his canteen.
It was not Yukaâs, but one taken from a zombie.
This canteen was a magic item that produced unlimited water.
It would sell for a high price back in his world, but apparently it was not rare here.
“…I want a bath.”
“You could wipe yourself down with the canteen water.”
“In front of you?”
“Hide behind some rocks.”
“Iâd rather not risk you peeking.”
“I wonât peek.”
“Sure you wonât.”
Yuka did not bother hiding her distrust.
They had shared life-and-death situations, but it had only been three days since they met.
And they were a man and a woman.
That likely explained why she never mentioned her full status or skills.
“Just so you know, I have someone I like.”
“Thatâs sudden.”
“His nameâs Koki. Heâs rich, handsome, good at studying and sports, and kind. Heâs nothing like you.”
“You led with rich.”
Her priorities were obvious.
“Money matters!”
“Yeah.”
He could not deny that.
He had suffered for money in his old world.
Maybe Yuka had too.
If hardship had twisted her personality, he almost felt a strange sense of kinship.
Hardship could polish a personâor ruin them.
“Heâs the one who rallied everyone after we came to this world.”
“Sounds impressive.”
Makoto said it sincerely.
There were outstanding people everywhere.
“So donât get any ideas.”
“You mean donât make a move on you?”
“Exactly.”
She puffed up slightly.
“I wonât.”
“Really?”
“Why would I make an enemy here?”
Makoto let out a deep sigh.
He was not confident he could defeat zombies alone.
And she probably felt the same.
They needed cooperation to survive.
“…Youâre right.”
“You donât look convinced.”
She seemed to be searching for his true intentions.
“For now, eat. Eat and sleep.”
“Donât throw it!”
He tossed her bread and dried meat.
She raised her voice, then picked up the bread from the blanket and bit into the hardened loaf.
The stress was clearly building up.
Even with food and shelter secured, life in the dungeon was one inconvenience after another.
She let out a deep sigh.
He had heard that feeding soldiers warm meals boosted morale.
Conversely, eating nothing but cold food would drag it down.
“I shouldâve brought a knife.”
“Yeah.”
She gnawed at the rock-hard jerky.
It was cut into small blocks, like extremely tough jerky.
Makoto broke the bread and scraped at it with his teeth.
It felt like eating crumbs, but it was better than nothing.
“By the way, what was that âIgnitionâ earlier?”
“A keyword to pump myself up.”
Makoto rolled up his sleeve and thought, âLight.â
Black flames burst forth.
“What if zombies notice!?”
“Sorry, sorry.”
He thought, âDisappear,â and the flames vanished.
“They donât ignite very well. Is that how spirit users are supposed to be?”
“Iâm not sure.”
Yuka tilted her head.
“You donât know?”
“At least the spirit users I know chant spells.”
“What kind of spells?”
“How would I know?”
“I thought chanting might make it easier to control.”
Makoto stared at the tattoo on his arm.
“Youâre using it pretty well already.”
“Not even close. The flames arenât stable, and I canât attack from range.”
“Youâre a martial artist. Just punch things.”
“No thanks.”
“Why?”
“Because itâs scary.”
Even if he had grown stronger, fear was still fear.
“For a guy, thatâs pathetic.”
“I just want a proper safety margin.”
Even if this world felt like a game, there was probably no save and continue.
And even if there was, pain was still pain.
“By the way, are you guys okay with this?”
“Okay with what?”
“You talk about conquering dungeons, but this is real killing. You could end up wishing you were dead. Doesnât that scare you?”
Zombies were terrifying, and pain was something he wanted to avoid.
It sounded pathetic even to him, but it felt like a normal reaction.
“What do you mean, wishing you were dead?”
“Ever heard of seppuku?”
“I know that much.”
“After stabbing a short blade into your stomach, you cut it crosswise. But even then you donât die immediately, so someone beheads you.”
“Ah⌔
Yuka let out a small sound.
“Could you keep fighting after going through something like that?”
“…I donât think so.”
Her face turned pale.
Only highly trained special forces might not lose their will after such an ordeal.
“So thatâs why I want to take the safest route possible. Got it?”
“I-I get it.”
Makoto spread the blanket and lay down.
If she thought the king was untrustworthy, why could she not grasp the reality of killing?
If this Koki had glossed over that and rallied everyone anyway, he had to admit the guy was impressive.
Though he sounded like someone who would betray or use others.
“Donât overthink it.”
“Youâre the one who made it worse!”
“I wasnât making it worse. Itâs information sharing. If you know what Iâm thinking, itâll be easier.”
“…Thatâs true.”
She pouted slightly.
“Our goal is to escape this dungeon alive.”
“I know.”
“Value your life above all else. No charging in recklessly.”
“I said I know!”
She snapped.
“Donât shout. The zombies will hear.”
“If you didnât provoke me, Iâd be quiet.”
She spoke in a restrained voice.
“Before I make you angrier, Iâll just sleep.”
Makoto pulled up his hood and closed his eyes.