“Speaking of which, Kiraboshi-san, how about getting a new weapon?”
The day after the “Underwater Crystal Cave” strategy meeting, Kageichi suggested this to Kiraboshi as they met at the station after school for the sake of tomorrow’s dungeon raid, causing her face to contort.
…A weapon. A weapon, you say…?
“I was thinking that the chainsaw’s usability might be lacking against monsters.”
“That’s right. Or rather, I haven’t used it even once…”
Her weapon, the “Crimson Bloodstained Chainsaw,” is a rare weapon with special effectiveness against humans, but few monsters are humanoid.
In reality, she’s mostly been using survival knives and the borrowed flamethrower.
So, while she agrees with the idea of getting a new weapon…
“But Sensei, didn’t you say that one’s preferred weapon should be chosen based on one’s own proclivities—one’s ‘origin’?”
“Yes. However, there are cases where the compatibility with the enemy is poor.”
Kageichi mainly uses mines and bows, but he also uses greatswords and hammers against tough monsters.
Preparing such sub-weapons to broaden one’s versatility is apparently an important part of the job.
“Is there a problem?”
“N-no… But are we going to that shop again?”
Naturally, Kiraboshi was taken to the fourth floor of the weapon shop “My Weapon” with a grimace.
The number of customers was still small, only two or three… but Kiraboshi exchanged greetings with the cute ponytail-wearing shop assistant—Hako-san, while glancing at them, all of whom she could tell were powerful.
“Oh, it’s Kageichi-kun and his beloved apprentice. Good evening. What kind of opponent do you want to kill this time?”
“Um… more like browsing.”
“To find her a sub-weapon. The chainsaw suits her, but it’s hard to use against monsters.”
“That’s true. But it made a nice sound against humans, didn’t it?”
That was… only once.
She’s only laid hands on two men, no women yet.
Even so, the sensation of actually cutting was as smooth and soft as butter, and at the same time, the tactile feedback of cutting flesh resonated firmly in her hand, and surely if she were to carve up that woman, it would feel go—
That’s not it!
“I haven’t used it against monsters yet.”
“Hmph. Against monsters, huh… I’ll hear about that someday, but what kind of weapon do you want next?”
Kiraboshi thinks.
Her main weapon is the chainsaw. Her usual weapon is the survival knife. Both are close-range.
Sometimes she wants to set up mines coolly like Kageichi, or pierce enemies with a bow.
“I want to try long-range attacks. Like magic… but isn’t magic more for Cleaners?”
“That’s not true. Flashy effects aren’t necessary, but anything can become a weapon if handled correctly.”
“Then I want to try it.”
“Alright,” Hako-san said, bringing out a rod for beginners.
The Ruby Rod, which had a ruby embedded in its tip, sealed the skill to unleash flames with a swing, “Fireball.”
Finally, I too can use long-range skills…!
Or rather, now that I think about it, everything up until now has been too strange.
A High School Girl wearing upper body armor, wielding a chainsaw, stabbing a dragon’s tongue with a knife, and burning zombies with a flamethrower.
It’s not just bad for appearances, it’s the worst.
If you only heard the story, you’d think it was a horror movie instead of a dungeon exploration story…
Even though Cleaners don’t care about appearances, Kiraboshi wants to fight smartly like Kageichi sometimes!
So, she immediately headed to the practice scarecrow corner in the back of the store, and Kiraboshi put magical power into the rod and thrust it out with a “Here goes!”
“Fireball!” Unleash the flame bullet!
Along with the shout, the Ruby Rod glowed—
Bofun.
Along with the sound of an explosion, from the tip of the rod, limp~…
A trash-like flame fell to the ground with a pathetic trajectory.
” “…………” ”
“…F-Fireball!”
One more time.
But only something like a sparkler fell to the ground with a poten.
“…Why…?”
“Little lady. Want to try some other weapons?”
She borrowed a rod that released freezing magic. Water like tap water came out with a dabaa.
She even shot a weapon that fired magic bullets called a “Magic Gun,” and even tried a boomerang, but…
None of them even flew straight!
“W-why…!?”
“Kageichi-kun. This girl is a typical case. —She’s the type who can’t use anything other than weapons she’s suited for at all.”
“There are people like that. It’s a common tendency in stubborn people who can’t bend their beliefs. That’s also apparently an ‘origin’.”
“Sensei, is it okay if I cry?”
Kiraboshi’s eyes welled up with tears.
That’s why she didn’t want to come to this store. Because she’s made to realize her unpleasant side!
“…But Sensei, I can’t choose a chainsaw again. Right? If I search, there must be a good weapon for me…”
“It can’t be helped. Hako-san, the usual.”
“Okay~. Now, little lady, let’s go find your usual proclivity, shall we? I wonder what kind of erotic weapon you’ll encounter this time.”
“No――――! If I choose another weird weapon like a chainsaw, I won’t be a High School Girl anymore…!”
“It’s okay, no one cares anymore. You’re dirty enough already… Besides, did you regret choosing the chainsaw?”
…She didn’t.
Although there have been few opportunities to directly carve up people, it was precisely because she showed that shape, that terror, that she was able to shred Kamase Aneki’s spirit to pieces.
The chainsaw cuts the heart at the same time as it cuts the flesh.
It’s a fitting weapon to carve up those scumbags who have hurt people’s hearts—
Hako-san grinned like an evil witch.
So… reluctantly.
Really reluctantly, unwillingly, Kiraboshi took her hand and closed her eyes.
“What if I choose a chainsaw again…”
“I don’t think that will happen. As people’s hearts grow, the shape of the weapons they desire also changes.”
I wonder. I really wonder.
I hope so.
But, what kind of weapon do I desire now?
Please, let it be a plain weapon that suits me, this serious and hardworking High School Girl…
Praying, Kiraboshi closed her eyes.
As she was guided by Hako-san, she vaguely added magical power to her palm, let go of her reason, and blanked her mind.
“Now, Kiraboshi-chan. What kind of experiences did you have after you bought the chainsaw?”
…After coming to this store.
Really, so many things happened.
She fought monsters through Quests.
She saw the trouble with the “Numbers.”
The discussion (physical) with the Kamase Sisters, the deadly battle with the Ice Dragon. The giant beast Behemoth… and, while being beaten by Kamase Aneki, the experience of self-detonation.
Recently, she’s been troubled by Shirogasaki-san, and irritated… Really, that girl only does what she wants!
“N-no, now it’s about how to defeat monsters.”
“No, get rid of your distractions.”
“But.”
“Certainly, the purpose of you coming to the store is to defeat monsters. But, even if you only match the superficial shell, it’s meaningless… Your heart is yours alone. It’s meaningless unless you bring out what you truly desire from the bottom of your heart.”
So, release your heart.
Your proclivities.
Your origin.
Only by resonating with the malicious, cruel, and exposed madness can a weapon exert its true value.
…Even if you say that… I’m quite satisfied with the chainsaw…
Ah, but. What I enjoyed the most recently was the interaction with Kamase Imoutoya.
It was more like a one-sided beating than a fight, but it was a delightful blow.
When she looked down at that sow who had been punched in the stomach, letting out a pathetic scream of “gebo,” drooling and squatting down, something like an indescribable pleasure substance gushed out of Kiraboshi.
It would be nice to taste that feeling again.
Next time, not just the stomach. She wants to knee that impudent nose, slap her cheeks, grab her hair, beat her, beat her, beat her, and look down on her after she’s subdued to the point where she can’t resist.
Ah. If I’m going to do it, I want to beat up that Shirogasaki too. I want to dent that smug face until it’s unrecognizable.
What is she anyway, interfering with my Sensei without permission, really—
“Detection.”
A chainsaw alone isn’t enough.
Cutting is fun, but it ends when you cut, and it feels better to beat them up if you want to hurt them, and you should be able to directly taste the feeling of flesh gouging on your fist.
It was only a few blows with Imoutoya, but if I have time, I want that feeling more and more and more, much more—give it to me.
Entertain me.
…………
…………
It was Brass Knuckles.
“This girl is something. With a serious face, she’s the type who wants to do it all with her own hands… It’s so wonderful, I think I’m going to get wet.”
“Kiraboshi-san. I am now deeply moved from the bottom of my heart that I made you my apprentice. Wonderful.”
“That’s why I hate this place!!! This is wrong… this is definitely wrong… waaaaaah…”
Kiraboshi-san burst into tears, her face bright red.