Time rewinds a few hours—to dusk.
KiraBoshi was seen putting her Smartphone into her pocket in front of Shirogasaki, who was trembling at the sudden Gate Crash.
“I have received permission from my teacher. I will now promptly defeat the Dungeon Boss.”
“P-Please do, KiraBoshi-san. I’m sorry for asking you this…”
While saying that, Shirogasaki was confused, thinking, “But, but…”
“Aren’t Dungeons supposed to be safe? Isn’t Gate Crash a hoax by the Labyrinth Agency? But, no, I definitely saw it happen right in front of me…”
“However, Shirogasaki-san, may I ask you for a favor as well?”
“Eh? What is it…?”
“I would like you to guide me through the Dungeon.”
KiraBoshi, seeing Shirogasaki freeze, quickly descends the stairs.
“The internal structure of the Dungeon changes depending on the location of the Gate that appears on the surface. …When it appears in a house, the structure of the house sometimes closely resembles the structure of the Dungeon. Therefore, your memories, Shirogasaki-san, can lead to hints for攻略.”
It was the first time she had heard such a thing.
But, she is a kid who fights alongside professionals. It might be true…
“If we can defeat the Boss as quickly as possible and minimize the damage, we can also suppress the damage to the surrounding area early on.”
“! Then, the reputation of the neighborhood…”
“Yes. Besides, we are “friends,” aren’t we? So, won’t you cooperate with me?”
“……Y-Yes!”
Friends. Yes, we are friends.
Come to think of it… facing a crisis at home and overcoming it with the cooperation of a friend.
It’s so… so much like a high school student, like friends!
Besides, when I think about it, the star-shaped Monster I saw this morning didn’t seem very strong.
I don’t know how troublesome a Gate Crash is, but KiraBoshi-san is here, and Shirogasaki’s Inventory also has equipment worth 10 million at market price. In that case—
“KiraBoshi-san, let’s do our best! As friends!”
“Yes. To overcome the crisis as friends, I ask for your cooperation.”
“Yes!”
Good. It’s really a coincidence, but it’s the best development.
I honestly don’t want to see Dungeons anymore, but if we can make up, that alone is worth it.
Thank you so much!
I am now about to witness the best moment of making up with a friend.
Ah. Maybe Dungeons are actually the best place to deepen friendships.
Excited, the two ran underground and lightly jumped over the gray Dungeon Gate—
“…Eh?”
A few steps ahead of the entrance, they stopped in an open small room.
—Appearing was a star-shaped existence floating like a balloon.
The same one Shirogasaki saw this morning… but its size was…
“No way… it was so small when I saw it this morning.”
What was at most a 20-centimeter pebble when she saw it this morning.
It has now grown to about 1.5 meters, about the height of Shirogasaki—
“W-Wait. Eh, it’s so big—”
“It’s small.”
“Eh?”
“When I saw it in the Dungeon before, it was over 2 meters, so this is three-quarters of that… if you think about it in terms of volume, it’s less than half. It’s consuming energy in the Dungeon’s creation and movement on the ground…? Even if the appearance and behavior patterns are the same, the stats are upper C-class level…”
KiraBoshi is squinting and observing something about the Monster.
I don’t understand it well, but it seems my friend has a plan to defeat it.
Then, all that’s left is to entrust everything to KiraBoshi-san, and Shirogasaki will just stand back.
…Huh?
But, what about the Dungeon guide—
“Well then, Shirogasaki-san. I ask for your cooperation as a friend.”
“Eh, yes. But what kind of cooperation?”
“It’s okay. You’re useful just by being here.”
Immediately after KiraBoshi lined up next to her.
Suddenly grabbed by the chest—vision blurs.
Before she could even be taken aback.
Shirogasaki’s body suddenly floated, thrown towards the floating Boss Monster—and the floating “Attack Sphere” reacted.
“――――!!!”
Scattering magnificent fireworks in mid-air.
Before she could even scream, Shirogasaki’s body was blown away like trash.
*
KiraBoshi, having witnessed the Mother Sphere’s main body battle, and fought against the Mother Sphere Splinter, has become well-versed in the opponent’s attack patterns by the third battle.
The first move of those guys is always a full-scale launch, throwing in all the floating Attack Spheres.
The best countermeasure is to use someone else as bait.
Just like the teacher once showed by throwing a mob man whose name she had forgotten.
“Teacher’s teaching, number one: Let’s make effective use of resources.”
After using Shirogasaki as bait, KiraBoshi deploys her Inventory.
Equipping Brass Knuckles, she accelerates and jumps in before the next Attack Sphere can reappear.
The Mother Sphere’s combat pattern is relatively simple.
If you don’t neglect the guidance of the Attack Sphere that launches guided attacks and the Guard Sphere that protects the Boss, it’s not impossible to take no damage.
Feinting at the Guard Spheres lined up in front like a wall, she retreats to the side.
Then, kicking with her right foot, she accelerates forward and punches the lower part of the Mother Sphere with all her might.
With a cracking sound, damage.
The armor is weak—last time, only a tiny amount of damage went through, but this time, she can punch through even over the Guard.
No.
Maybe KiraBoshi’s level has risen after the previous battle…?
In any case, she can win.
She won’t let her guard down, but she can definitely do it.
There are no exceptions for Monsters.
If you take appropriate measures for the behavior pattern and have the firepower to attack, victory is as good as certain.
But.
To achieve victory even more accurately and precisely—?
“……To”
Sensing that the Boss has reappeared the Attack Sphere, she pulls back.
This time is a waste.
The Mother Sphere begins to self-repair if you take too long.
She wants to attack all at once, but KiraBoshi, who is only good at close combat and has low firepower, is inevitably incompatible with those who can heal.
It’s not impossible to break through by force… but if there was a Tank who could at least guide the Attack Sphere….
“—Ah”
A flash of inspiration.
…With this method, maybe it’s possible?
KiraBoshi retreats to the corner of the floor and approaches it.
Lying on the ground is Shirogasaki, who is convulsing in a dying state after being hit directly by the Attack Sphere. Of course, she is alive.
She foresaw it from the beginning and threw her.
Rather, KiraBoshi would be in serious trouble if Shirogasaki died here.
Causing a Gate Crash and not contacting the Labyrinth Agency and causing casualties would be a major failure as a Hunter, and Shirogasaki is KiraBoshi’s friend in the first place.
Friends help and cooperate with each other.
So, I would like her to cooperate in Monster subjugation as a friend—
“Alright. With this…!”
Activating her Inventory, KiraBoshi takes out a shield that shines silver.
She lays the “White Shield,” which prevents explosive attacks, on the floor and lays Shirogasaki face up on top of it.
Next, she takes out the Magic Rope that Kageichi said, “It’s useful to have”—a rope that is originally used to investigate the bottom of Pitfalls or capture enemies—and fixes Shirogasaki’s body to the shield.
Finally, the key to the plan.
“Shirogasaki-san. If you don’t want to die, drink this.”
“……K-KiraBoshi-sa, it hurts… h-help… mogo!?”
Forcing the mouth of the bottle into Shirogasaki’s face, which was covered in mud and on the verge of death.
Secret plan—”Guts Potion”
Its effect is to survive for a certain period of time even if all Magical Power is lost.
At the time, KiraBoshi was complaining that she would only be writhing in a dying state…
After forcibly pouring the Medicine into the woman’s throat, KiraBoshi once again held the White Shield in both hands.
Of course, with Shirogasaki tied to it.
Without hesitation, she charges at the Attack Sphere approaching from the front.
While listening to the best screams of her friend, “Gyaaaaaaa,” the unharmed KiraBoshi approaches even closer.
Just before the Boss, just before the Guard Sphere was deployed for protection, she slams the White Shield onto the floor and sets it up.
Immediately after, retreat.
The Attack Sphere that reappeared above the Boss—
Instead of the escaped KiraBoshi, it’s right in front of the Boss.
Targeting the kind friend who took on the role of Tank, unable to move while tied to the shield, it unleashes a carpet bombing like rain.
“It hurts, it hurts, help――――――!?”
Alright, success!
As long as the effect of the Guts Potion lasts, the kind friend will take on all the Attack Spheres.
I thought friends were just annoying, but I see, you should have friends.
I was impressed that I had something to learn from Shirogasaki-san’s words, and clenched my fist again.
“Teacher’s teaching, killing two birds with one stone… no, killing three birds with one stone, maybe?”
Last time, it was reused twice, before and after death.
Smiling, Kiraboshi (she) leaped at the Boss again, as if to tell the teacher, “You know, even when someone’s on the verge of death, they can still be useful.”
–Friends might actually be a very good thing.