Episode 72: Designated Request
“I recommended you.”
“So, a designated request, huh? Well, I did free up my schedule, so it’s fine.”
“It’s easier when you’re around, you know.”
“Damn, even though they said Fifth Rank, all I remember is the scene of you collecting luggage.”
“That’s practically all you did, after all.”
Following the previous investigation, a culling request for the Fourth Stratum and beyond came in. It seems Grams and Heath received a designated request, and they added me and Brenda, thinking it would be best to have the same members as last time. Naturally, the Young Ladies can’t be designated because of their low rank.
When I used the academy as an excuse, they said it didn’t have to be urgent, so they adjusted the schedule to suit me. At this point, I couldn’t refuse.
Just to be sure, I told Master that I would be away for a maximum of three days. Master happened to be planning to take the Young Lady to society events and said it was fine since he was planning to have her absent from school for about a week anyway.
“By the way, Tonkakke was complaining, you know? Saying you should come buy weapons once in a while.”
“Ahahaha.”
That’s because I’ve been making him create nothing but custom cooking utensils.
While making small talk like that, we steadily advanced from the First Stratum. Since Brenda and I were defeating enemies one after another, our progress was quite fast.
“You’re making this old man lose confidence.”
“Well, this is just the beginning.”
“This level is a piece of cake.”
“It’s just Treants and Ivy Serpents, after all.”
Heath-san isn’t scouting.
By the way, the Big Acid Slime is being left alone. It’s hard to defeat without magic, but it’s slow, so we just avoid it.
“Give me that fruit again.”
“That stuff isn’t free, you know.”
“Can I pay for it?”
“I don’t want to turn it into a business.”
Since it’s originally Fruno, it won’t become expensive no matter how hard I try.
Well, just one or two, I guess, I gave some to Brenda, and then I had to give some to the other members as well.
“““ Yummy yummy ”””
“You don’t have to say it out loud.”
They’re getting along well, huh?
And so, we arrived at the entrance to the Fourth Stratum.
Heath-san started talking to the investigator.
“There doesn’t seem to be any change in the types of Monsters. Swords, knives, axes, and archers have been confirmed.”
“Sorry for the delay. I’ve been waiting. I’m Harley, a Guild staff member here for the joint investigation.”
“Likewise, I’m Will, nice to meet you.”
It seems these two are coming with us. Of course, there are other Guild staff members here, but these two are the ones accompanying us.
“If you get injured, it’s best to return here for treatment. We also have anti-undead antidote prepared.”
“Come to think of it, do zombies have poison in their claws and fangs…?”
Brenda muttered something like that.
“That’s right. Well, it only causes a fever.”
“Hey, treat me properly, okay?”
“Yeah. It’s not like I’m charging you for it.”
Grams’ words were met with retorts from Heath and Harley. Grams tilted his head, but your reaction is the strange one, okay?
“Also, we have retreat fireworks prepared. The color is as per the regulations, but do you understand?”
““““ No problem ”””
Hunters also use the same colors to communicate, so we’re used to it.
“Well then, we’re going inside… It’s wide, so there are a lot of Monsters. And since they’re undead, they’ll gather here quickly. It’s easy to get into a mixed battle, so be careful.”
“No problem.”
“I’ll scatter them.”
“Well, I’ll manage somehow.”
“I’ll do my best.”
For now, I’ll be careful not to get in front of Grams.
The Fourth Stratum, unlike the forests we’ve seen so far, was filled with a landscape that resembled ruins.
The remains of the old Highgrand Principality, but even darker. They completely leveled it, though.
“I see, there are a lot of obstacles.”
“Indeed, well then.”
Since we don’t have anyone with long-range attacks today, I’m equipped with a bow and arrows. My role is to defeat the Archer Skeletons and Liches before they can spot us.
I’ve been using guns a lot lately, so this will be a good rehabilitation.
“Hmph. They keep gathering.”
“The dead gather to the living, they say.”
“What a terrible sight, and the smell is awful.”
“Indeed. It’s hard to proceed with the investigation properly.”
“Normally, it would be the Knights’ turn, but unfortunately, they haven’t returned from the north yet.”
Not all of them are gone, but the highly skilled Knights and soldiers haven’t returned from cleaning up the Black Ant in the north.
The remaining people are probably guarding the castle, so they won’t move. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so Guild-centric.
By the way, once the Knights who went to the north return, the Dungeon’s conquest will begin in earnest. Until then, it’s just investigation and culling.
“I want to go to the Dungeon Core under the guise of investigation.”
“That’s probably what the Guild wants.”
Considering future use, they want the Dungeon cleared mainly by Adventurers, not Knights. They can negotiate for lower usage fees that way.
“…I thought I had selected them carefully, but they’re still deviating.”
“Well, arrows are difficult.”
No mages were summoned for this culling. There are too many enemies, and no matter how much Magical Power a mage has, it’s not enough. Mages who run out of Magical Power tend to become a burden.
So, I, who can use a bow and arrow, am in charge of long-range attacks, and I had them prepare a large number of arrows, but when there are many, there are bound to be many arrows with bad arrowheads, bent shafts, or tattered fletching. I removed the worst ones before leaving, but when I actually shoot, I still have complaints.
“You’re complaining, but you’re shooting them with great force.”
“There are many enemies. Please collect the arrows on the way back!”
“I know!”
I’m asking Brenda, who is attacking enemies and returning, to collect the arrows from the Monsters she defeats.
Of course, only within a reasonable range.
Fortunately, my range is longer than the attack range of the Archer Skeletons and Liches, so I can defeat them with arrows before they get close enough to attack.
“Good skill.”
“It’s nice of you to praise me, but be careful.”
“I am being careful, even if it doesn’t look like it.”
Grams is defeating Armored Skeletons and Crime Zombies with his Spike Flail, but his attacks are so powerful that bones and flesh fly everywhere.
During the Black Ant incident, they got stuck in the spike part and couldn’t be removed, but this time the opponents are too soft, and he’s scattering them everywhere.
“I’ll move forward a bit.”
“Roger.”
““ Please do ””
After reducing the number of enemies to some extent, space opens up in front. It seems they are gradually expanding the range they can investigate in this way.
“They seem to see souls and stuff.”
“A scout’s nightmare.”
“It’s a pain.”
The investigator and Heath-san are hitting it off. Apparently, they’re dissatisfied with not being able to hide and sneak forward.
We continue to move forward while reducing the number of Monsters. After a while, we heard sounds of battle from behind.
“I wonder if an additional culling team has arrived? I’ll go check.”
“I’m counting on you.”
The investigator, Will, went to check behind us. It seems it was indeed a culling team.
“Well then, shall we proceed?”
“Understood.”
Perhaps because we’re on the front lines, there are many Monsters. Even so, after fighting for a while, the enemies began to thin out. Since it’s a Dungeon, additional Monsters will eventually appear, but it seems we can take a breather.
We all gathered the scattered arrows and continued to move forward little by little. And then, gradually, changes began to occur.
“It stinks.”
“It smells bad.”
“Stinky.”
“Only ‘smelly’ comes to mind…”
After clearing out a group of Armored Skeletons and Lime Zombies, we were greeted by a horde of Animal Zombies.
Monsters with the characteristics of the animals they were once, covered in rotting flesh with poison in their claws and fangs. They stink, to say the least.
“…Let’s do this.”
“““ Good luck ”””
“You guys are doing it too, you know.”
We know. But Grams, who is swinging his Spike Flail, is the main character, right?