Chapter 3: Quest 1: Defeat the Zombies [Part 2]
“Damn it, my feet hurt.”
“Stop complaining and walk.”
“My shoe size doesnât match because I got younger.”
Makoto lifted his foot and pointed at his leather shoes.
Since they were about a fingerâs width too big, the top of his foot throbbed painfully.
He had blisters forming.
When he checked his smartphone, it had not even been an hour since they started walking.
“Weâre going the right way, right?”
“Yeah⌠probably.”
Yuka answered without confidence.
They were trying to escape the dungeon based on her memory.
It was far from reassuring, but there was no other option.
Makoto took the lead and moved forward.
“If only I knew how to use spirit arts.”
“It canât be helped. Iâm a mage.”
“Iâm not blaming you.”
When he glanced back over his shoulder, Yuka was pouting like a sulking child.
If she acted a little more meek, he might feel more inclined to protect her.
â!
“Whatâs wrong?”
“I heard something.”
“Undead?”
“I donât know that much.”
Makoto narrowed his eyes and stared ahead.
A human silhouette appeared at the end of the corridor.
It swayed from side to side as it approached.
“Ooo⌠OooâŚ!”
Its skin was discolored, and its eyes were clouded white.
“…Zombie!”
“This is one?”
Makoto raised his fists, but Yuka stood frozen.
“Yuka?”
“What?”
“Battle prep.”
“Ohâright!”
Flustered, Yuka slammed her staff against the ground.
“Ryuno Kesta Agata! O infinite Periolis, pierce, pierce like a hail of stonesâ”
As she chanted, a glowing magic circle appeared.
“Become the stone that pierces my enemy! Manifest, Magic Bullet!”
The magic circle shone brightly, and a green light shot from her staff.
About the size of a clenched fist, it struck the zombie in the side, gouging out a large chunk.
But it did not finish it off.
Despite having its side torn open, the zombie charged toward them.
“A running-type zombie!? Yuka, one more!”
“I know!”
She struck the ground again with her staff, but no magic circle formed.
“Ooooh!”
“Itâs coming for me!?”
The zombie leapt at him with a roar.
He knew he had to dodge, but his legs froze.
Makoto was knocked down, and the zombie pinned him.
“Yuka! Magic, magic, magic!”
He shouted desperately, bracing his arms against it.
The zombie reeked of rot.
“Yuka!”
“Huh? W-What?”
Panicked, Yuka stood clutching her staff uselessly.
She might seem useless, but she was just a high school girlâa child.
“Ooooh!”
The zombie opened its mouth wide.
There was no need to think about what it intended.
It bit down on Makotoâs right arm.
“L-Let go!”
Makoto punched its face, but it showed no sign of pain.
Of course not.
It was dead.
His bones creaked under the pressure.
He gouged at its eyes and struck it with a stone, but it refused to release him.
If anything, it tightened its grip.
At this rate, he would be killed.
The moment he became conscious of death, something clicked into place.
Jet-black flames burst from his right arm, and strength surged through him.
Burned by the dark flames, the zombieâs body began to crumble.
Its biting force weakened.
“Let go!”
With all his strength, Makoto kicked it away.
The zombie rolled onto its back.
Perhaps because it was wearing a backpack, it could not get up and flailed its limbs.
“Like a turtle.”
Makoto stood and drove his fist into its face.
The impact crushed its head, scattering its contents.
The zombie convulsed once and then stopped moving.
“…So this is spirit arts.”
When he raised his right arm, the black flames flickered irregularly.
âDisappear,â he thought.
The flames vanished.
“…It hurts.”
He rolled up his sleeve.
The bite mark had turned into a deep bruise.
“Yuka, you okay?”
“Huh? Y-Yeah. Sorry I couldnât help.”
She lowered her head apologetically.
“Donât worry about it. First real fight?”
“…Not exactly, but usually the tank protects us properly.”
He swallowed the retort that rose to his lips.
Then a voice echoed in his head.
[Level up. Level 2. HP 13. Strength 10. Agility 12. Magic 13.]
“What is this, a game?”
“Thatâs the Divine Messengerâs voice. It announces when you level up.”
“Oh?”
He gasped.
The bruised area healed as if time had rewound or fast-forwarded.
And that was not all.
A tribal-like tattoo appeared from the back of his hand to his elbow.
[1 bonus point has been granted.]
“Bonus point?”
“You can spend bonus points at the church to acquire skills.”
“This really is like a game.”
“Whatâs your level?”
“Level 5. I shouldâve gotten a little experience for hitting it.”
“Hmm.”
“For now, the food problemâs solved.”
“Youâre going to steal from the corpse?”
“Yeah.”
Makoto removed the backpack straps and rolled the zombie over with his foot.
It did not move at all.
He also took its boots.
“…Even the boots.”
“Canât be helped.”
He removed his leather shoes and put on the boots.
Fortunately, they fit perfectly.
Now he could only hope they did not come with athleteâs foot.
He opened the backpack.
Inside were hard-baked bread, dried meat, a small bottle, a blanket, and even something like a noisemaker.
“Thatâs a lot for one person.”
“He was a porter.”
“A porter?”
“The knights are split into combat and support teams.”
“Luxurious.”
“They target relatively large enemies.”
“Thatâs oddly realistic.”
Unlike in games, you could not survive without food in reality.
“This is going to be rough.”
Makoto looked up at the ceiling and let out a small sigh.