Episode 64: Change and Image
After that, I tried to defeat the Pill Bugs several times, but it didn’t go well.
I also challenged earthworm-like monsters, but they were too resilient, and my Pickel was deflected.
The Armadillo monsters were even harder.
“Haa… haa… President, I’m exhausted.”
“What’s with you, so pathetic. You’re young, so buck up!”
The President sighed and caught a Pill Bug.
“Hey, Yuma. I’ll damage this one, so you finish it off.”
“Ah, yes! Understood. Please do.”
Since it was known that the person who defeated the monster last would gain a lot of Mana, Yuma gratefully accepted the proposal.
The President threw the Pill Bug at his feet and lightly crushed it with the tip of his Hexagonal Rod.
Crush
“Ah.”
The Pill Bug turned into sand and disappeared.
“Hey!! Can’t you even understand your own brute strength!?”
The President, being strangled by Aisha, could only apologize, “I’m sorry…”
◇◇◇
“However, at this rate, we won’t get anywhere. We can’t secure the Demon Ore needed for research.”
Aisha complained about the President and Yuma’s incompetence.
“Yuma’s basic physical strength is lower than expected. That’s how the young people are these days…”
The President shook his head, and Yuma felt dissatisfied, thinking, Isn’t it just that the President is too strong?
“I can’t defeat them easily with my strength.”
Aisha put her hand on her chin and pondered, then opened her mouth as if she had an idea.
“Ah! That’s right. Yuma-kun, could you Metallization?”
“Metallization?”
Yuma was perplexed by the sudden suggestion.
“Yes, if metals collide, the one with lower hardness should be damaged. There’s no one here but us, so there’s no need to worry about our secret being exposed. Let’s try it.”
“I see… Understood.”
Yuma put strength into his body and began to transform it into steel. His whole body was dyed black, and even when he banged his fists together, it didn’t hurt or itch.
“No matter how many times I see it, it’s an amazing ability.”
The President said admiringly. Yuma, feeling good, immediately caught a Pill Bug to defeat.
“By the way, Aisha-san. Does this Pill Bug have an official name?”
“No, other Dungeon monsters have official names, but the Black Dungeon has many monsters without names. No one names them. Well, I call them Pill Bug, Earthworm, and Armadillo.”
“That’s just what they are!” Yuma was dumbfounded. Since you’re naming the Dungeon, you might as well name the monsters…
While thinking about that, he looked down at the Pill Bug at his feet.
He clenched his fist and swung it down with all his might.
The sound of metal colliding with metal echoed in the dim Cave. “How’s that!?” he wondered, but the Pill Bug was scurrying away.
“Ah~ no good…”
He caught the fleeing Pill Bug and observed it. The shell was indeed damaged, but not enough to defeat it.
“Hmm, is my strength still not enough?”
Aisha was disappointed with the unsatisfactory result.
“At this rate, I can’t even confirm whether Demon Ore will drop 100%.”
Feeling somewhat sorry, Yuma looked at the damaged Pill Bug. At that moment, he had a flash of inspiration.
“That’s right. With this…”
He wiggled and changed his metallic hand. Imagining the Dagger he had seen many times, he changed the shape of his hand into a Dagger.
He placed the Pill Bug on the ground and stabbed the Dagger from above.
Thud
Yuma’s created Dagger easily pierced the Pill Bug’s shell. The bug struggled for a while, then ran out of strength and disappeared into sand.
“Oh, amazing! Yuma-kun.”
“You can do it if you try, Yuma!”
The two seemed surprised that he had defeated the Pill Bug for the first time.
Aisha gripped Yuma’s transformed right hand and observed it closely.
“I see… If the hardness is higher, slashing is more effective than striking… That makes sense.”
“Y-yes… thank you.”
“But the blade is distorted. You’re creating it with your imagination, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“If you can imagine it more accurately, you might be able to create a sharper blade.”
Saying that, Aisha grinned. She seemed quite interested in Yuma’s body.
At that moment, the President noticed something rolling at Yuma and Aisha’s feet.
“Hey, that!”
Yuma and Aisha’s gazes shifted to their feet. Among the few remaining grains of sand.
There was a small metal ball about one centimeter in size.