“Aria!”
Just as I was about to leap forward to face the monsters from the “Monster Room” closing in from behind, Elena, protected by Sera, called out with a voice that sounded like she was enduring pain.
A “Monster Room” is a type of dungeon trap where, when a victim steps into an empty space, it summons a large number of monsters to attack. It’s a highly dangerous trap that’s difficult to avoid, but if there’s any saving grace, it’s that the monsters “summoned” by the dungeon are generally low-ranked. Still, “numbers” themselves are a threat. Even if each one isn’t a big deal, if ten or more monsters attack a single person, even if they’re Rank 1 or 2, it’s a threat that could cost a knight their life.
Dolton and the rest of the Rainbow Sword members are also unable to exert their full strength, as they have to defeat the enemies with a single blow while also preventing them from approaching their protected targets and supporting the knights. For better or worse, these “orthodox” Adventurers, even if they could slaughter Ogres and Trolls with a single strike, were too strong in both power and weapons to deal with a large number of weak enemies in a chaotic battle.
“What can a young girl like you do out there!” Amor, a royal who was trying to fight on the front lines, shouted as if to obstruct me. Surely, to someone like him who only believes what he sees, it’s impossible for a girl the same age as Elena to go out and fight. I could commend his spirit, but there are no decent combatants left on our side. The knights are stuck in the chaotic battle and can’t return, and although there are a few guards left, their job, including Sera, is to “die as shields for the royals” rather than to fight.
“There’s no time. Don’t get in my way.”
“Wh-!”
The monsters behind us are already closing in. I silenced the obstructing Amor with a moment of Intimidation, lightly waved to Elena and Sera, and plunged into the wave of monsters rushing towards us with my Hatchet, like cutting through a wave.
I’ll show you “my” way of fighting.
“Gogyah!”
Quickly stamping my heel, the Blade on my heel, in an axe kick, tore apart the face and skull of the Kobold leading the charge. Before I could land, I slashed the throat of a Goblin trying to slip past on the side with a Slashing Style Pendulum released from my Shadow Storage, and the Blade Scythe Style deeply slashed the medulla oblongata of a Hobgoblin.
“Gigyagyah!”
Two Goblins wielding rusty daggers attacked me there. The moment I landed, I absorbed the impact with my knee joints and thigh muscles, and using the momentum, I kicked off the ground, faster than the daggers could be swung down, simultaneously piercing the space between the eyebrows of the two Goblins with the Black Knife and Black Dagger in both hands.
“Gaaaaaaah!!”
A large High Kobold and Orc, wielding a rusty Spear and Stone Axe, thrust at me. I released the Knife and Dagger stuck in the Goblins, avoiding the Blades by leaning back, and then kicked the High Kobold’s chin from directly below with the Blade on my toe, and while leaping away, I crushed the Orc’s skull with a Ball-Shaped Pendulum swung down.
“Gigyaa!!”
Next, I simultaneously slashed the necks of the Kobold and Goblin that jumped in with a Slashing Style Pendulum, its power increased by centrifugal force. I reeled in the Knife and Dagger by winding the General-Purpose Type threads, and as I caught the Dagger in mid-air, I thrust it into the space between the eyebrows of the approaching Hobgoblin, grabbed the Knife, and spun around, slicing off the head of the High Kobold that had jumped in.
The wave of monsters that had been closing in paused slightly at the sight of the High Kobold’s severed head flying through the air, scattering black blood. But I had no intention of watching it silently. I aimed for the Goblins on the left and right ends again with the Slashing Style and Blade Scythe Style, and while slicing the necks of the two Pendulums, I pulled on the threads with all my Body Enhancement, slicing the necks of the two Kobolds and one Goblin that were in line, and plunged into the monsters.
The monsters’ faces were clearly contorted as I killed them dispassionately without stopping for even a moment. Fear hardens the body. There is no such thing as “moderate fear” on the battlefield. If you don’t overcome it or get over it, “death” awaits you immediately.
While narrowly dodging the sluggish monsters, I slashed the carotid arteries of several Goblins with the Black Knife, and pierced the brain of the High Kobold, who was stiff with astonishment, with the Dagger from under his chin.
“Gi… Gigah!!!”
Seeing that, the monsters started moving all at once, terrified by fear itself. I dodged several Spears thrust out by the monsters as if crouching down, dug my claws into the stone floor like a cat, and shot out like an arrow with the strength of my arms and kicking legs, slashing the throat of a Hobgoblin with the Blade on my heel, and thrusting my palm into the chin of the Orc directly in front of me, and reliably slashed the now-exposed throat with my Knife.
“Gaaaaaah!!”
I deflected the Hobgoblin’s Spear, which was being thrust out haphazardly, with the gauntlet on my left arm, stabbed it into a nearby Kobold, and while kicking up the arm of the High Kobold, who had attacked with sharp claws, as if doing a cartwheel, I deflected the Spear released by the Hobgoblin, and simultaneously slashed and killed the two with my Knife and Dagger.
Dodging the Blades of the approaching monsters with only the detection of my extremely focused senses, I constantly changed my position as I rotated, slicing the monsters’ necks, crushing their skulls, and tearing their carotid arteries with the Pendulum swung around by centrifugal force.
About half left…
“…What… is this…”
Amor’s hoarse voice leaked out as if muttering to himself. The Adventurer was a slender girl, no different from his niece Elena or his nephew Elvan’s fiancées. She seemed to be acquainted with Elena, but she took an attitude that could be considered disrespectful to the royals, ignored Amor’s presence as he tried to protect his nieces, and went alone against the horde of monsters.
Even a Rank 3 Royal Knight in this place wouldn’t come out unscathed if surrounded by five Hobgoblins with weapons. Moreover, there are not only Rank 1 Goblins and Kobolds here, but also Rank 2 Hobgoblins and even Rank 3 Orcs and High Kobolds, albeit lower-ranked ones. No matter how famous the girl is as a member of the Rainbow Sword, she shouldn’t be able to win… or so he thought.
But the girl used strange weapons and Martial Arts, and in the blink of an eye, she killed dozens of monsters. Every time the girl’s dancing Blade shimmered, a life was surely taken, and the monster’s blood and bloody mist dyed the girl’s “Ash”-covered hair crimson, making her look like a rose made of iron.
“…Ash-Covered Princess…”
One of the guards muttered in astonishment, and Amor couldn’t help but turn around.
“What’s that… do you know that girl!?”
Amor grabbed him, and the guard, while pulling back, nodded slightly.
“W-Well, I don’t know the details… but I believe… the “Ash-Covered” girl who destroyed several Assassin Guilds and Thieves’ Guilds was called that…”
As the guard answered as if recalling a “rumor,” one of the attendants behind him also raised his voice as if remembering something.
“I’ve heard of her too. I heard she annihilated a horde of Orcs all by herself…”
“That’s ridiculous…”
Amor muttered in disbelief at the impossible story, but the “reality” of the girl killing monsters before his eyes was rewriting that “common sense.”
“Aria…”
Seeing the unbelievable strength and growth of the girl he once made a vow with, Elena called out her name and placed her hand on her chest as if to reaffirm her “vow.”
“…………”
Clara also witnessed the girl’s impossible strength, turning her blue face as white as wax. Seeking salvation, she turned her gaze to Elvan, who held her hand and said he would “protect” her, but his eyes, while frightened, were only reflecting the girl’s figure as if “captivated,” and Clara’s fingers, holding his hand, involuntarily tightened.
Amidst the gazes of fear, interest, and trepidation, only Carla was staring at the girl fighting as if dancing with a entranced expression.
Carla had remained a mere spectator, never soiling her own hands, because she desired to witness the girl’s suffering and injury more than the joy of taking someone’s life.
Exhaling that twisted passion with a hot breath, Carla turned her fervent gaze upon the girl.
“After all, Aria looks beautiful covered in blood, no matter whose blood it is…”
“Guh…gaaah…”
With a snapping sound, I detached the thread from the broken neck, and the last High Kobold collapsed.
That’s the end of it. The dungeon’s traps have ceased, and over fifty monster corpses lay scattered around me, drenched in blood.
It seemed the others had finished their annihilation as well, as the knights who rushed back were taken aback by the sight before them, stepping back in surprise.
Among them was the young knight who had spoken to me on the ship, but even they were overwhelmed by my blood-soaked appearance, stepping back and clearing a path for me as if it were a passageway.
I waved lightly at Elena, who was among the royalty surrounded by knights. She sighed with a slightly annoyed expression, but in the end, she smiled a little as if to say she couldn’t help it.
“Aria!”
Seeing Feld and Mira rushing towards me from the end of the path I was walking, I took a step towards the high ground where they were.
I will become stronger still.
Next time, we finally arrive at the deepest part of the dungeon.
What awaits us there?
I plan to finish Part 1 by the next long weekend. I apologize for the delay in Part 2.
Until the end of Part 1, I will tentatively update every other day.
The next update is scheduled for Monday noon, followed by Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Thank you for your understanding.