The Uriboar kicked off the ground.
A straightforward, reckless charge.
It was truly a headlong rush.
(—I can see it.)
Keiichiro felt no panic.
True, he possessed no talent and held the weakest class.
Even so, he had experience delving into frontline Dungeons. He had watched the top Adventurers from the closest vantage point.
Therefore, contrary to his C-Rank title, his kinetic vision was on par with top-class Adventurers. Seeing through such a charge was easy.
“Trap Set.”
“[Slash].”
Responding to Keiichiro’s voice, the sigil [Slash] appeared on the ground. A circular crest, about one meter in diameter. This was the basic Skill of a [Trapper]: the Trap.
“Hup!”
Immediately, Keiichiro leaped sideways, kicking off a tree trunk. Executing a triangle jump, Keiichiro soared over the Uriboar’s head.
“Gghh!?”
The Uriboar, which had been attempting to tackle Keiichiro, realized it had lost its target. It braked hard with its four legs, skidding to a halt. It stopped just a few steps short of the Trap.
Traps don’t activate unless triggered. Thus, a Trap placed along an enemy’s predicted path would normally remain inert.
—Normally.
“Trap Set—[Arrow].”
This time, an Arrow materialized in Keiichiro’s palm. And then—he touched the Uriboar’s flank. The impact of his touch activated the Trap.
“Gigii!?”
Forced movement via the [Arrow]. It compelled the Uriboar to dash forward into the Trap.
Blood sprayed into the air.
A crescent-shaped slash erupted from the ground, slicing into the Uriboar. The Monster’s body crumpled. It was dead before it hit the ground, no confirmation needed.
(This [Arrow]… it could be the key to overcoming the [Trapper]’s weaknesses.)
Traps are fundamentally a passive tactic. You set them where you anticipate the enemy will appear and wait for them to fall into your snare.
But if you can force the enemy’s movement, you can actively land Traps. An active means of attack, something the [Trapper] class lacked. Keiichiro had now obtained it.
(I’m still weak.)
He accepted that fact.
(But I’ve found a way to catch up to them.)
That was enough for now. The difference in strength between him and them? So what? That wasn’t a reason to stop chasing.
“I want to get… stronger.”
“Get stronger and—”
“I want to fight alongside them again—no, this time, I’ll fight alongside them for sure.”
☆
“…Did my level go up?”
Keiichiro cracked his neck. He felt a warmth spreading from deep within his gut. This was a phenomenon that occurred when one’s level increased. He hadn’t checked, but his level had likely risen to 76.
“When was the last time I leveled up by myself?”
[Trapper]s had low physical stats, and their only means of attack was setting Traps. Because of this, when leveling up, he had always needed his Party members to help lure Monsters into his Traps.
But now, Keiichiro could manage the entire process on his own. Fighting alone, leveling up alone. It was a novel sensation.
“Whoops…” Keiichiro stopped himself. “Got a bit carried away there. Straying too far off the path isn’t wise…”
Only D-Rank Monsters inhabited this area. But if he ventured too far, the chances of encountering higher-rank Monsters were high.
—A ray of hope had finally appeared. Unconsciously, his spirits must have soared. If he let himself get carried away, he might end up attempting some reckless leveling.
Keiichiro took a deep breath to calm himself. But a smile naturally played on his lips.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun,” he murmured.
He recalled the days when he first started as an Adventurer. Everything he saw was stimulating; days spent chasing after some goal. At some point, that had turned into days merely hounded by anxiety and pressure. But now, Keiichiro was enjoying adventuring with the same pure excitement he’d felt back then.
“…Hm?”
Keiichiro glanced back. He thought he’d heard something. Parting the bushes and branches, he headed towards the source of the sound.
“This is…”
His view opened up. Before him was a sheer rock face. A valley stretched out below his feet. This was clearly a different area than where he’d just been.
“Are they… fighting?”
Faintly, he could hear metallic clangs. The sound of a weapon—likely something blunt—striking a shield. Many Monsters used weapons.
However, the number of Monsters capable of skillfully wielding a shield was limited. It was natural to assume, then, that at least one of the combatants was human.
“That Cave?”
Scanning the valley, he spotted a fissure-like Cave. Its entrance was irregularly shaped, likely formed by nature, but it was large enough for a person to pass through. The sounds of battle must have been echoing from inside, reaching Keiichiro’s ears.
(The situation… doesn’t sound good.)
The repeated sound was that of a shield blocking attacks. From the sounds alone, whoever was in there seemed to be entirely on the defensive. He didn’t know why, but he could easily imagine the person inside was being pushed into a corner.
Keiichiro took a step forward—then stopped.
(What should I do…?)
Hesitation pinned his feet to the ground.
(This area hasn’t been explored much. Worst case scenario, there could be Monsters here far stronger than the ones I just fought.)
You never knew what might happen. Danger was a constant companion. That was the world of Adventurers. Knowing when to stop in the face of danger was a valuable skill in itself.
But—
(No… this isn’t something I should be hesitating over.)
(If I run away here… there’s no way they’ll be waiting for me at the end of that path.)
Didn’t I already decide?
That I want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my strongest friends.
Then I can’t afford to stumble here.
If there’s a rock in the road, I just have to kick it aside and keep moving.
It’s as simple as that.
“Trap Set.”
An Arrow sigil appeared at his feet. Keiichiro stepped onto it. His body was instantly propelled in the direction the Arrow pointed.
“It was never a goal I could reach without being reckless anyway. So I’ll be as reckless as I damn well please.”
With newfound resolve, Keiichiro leaped forcefully into the valley below.
☆
“As expected, this is—rather difficult, isn’t it?”
Inside the dark Cave, the blonde woman murmured, readjusting her shield’s grip—her eyes fixed on the horde of Monsters spreading out before her.
Next time, the first heroine makes her appearance.