Itai no wa Iya nanode Bōgyo-Ryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu Chapter 40

Defense Specialization and Encounter

「I don’t think we’re getting out of this cave today…」

「Then we need to find a place to sleep.」

Adding finding a safe place to sleep to the goals of their exploration, the three proceeded through the passages to the right and to the left.

「I hope we’ll just happen upon an exit…」

「I guess that would be best for me too… I’m tired for today.」

Maple and Sally were exhausted. They wanted to stop their search immediately and go to sleep.

And then, when a hall came into view at the end of a passage for the umpteenth time…

「E-earthquake!?」

「This time I can feel it too!」

The ground was shaking enough for them to feel it physically.

And a sickening *Squish-squish* sound could be heard coming from the hall in front of them.

The three looked towards the hall as they prepared to fight.

From a different passageway than the one the three were in, it appeared.

Judging from the height of the ceiling, it was about five meters tall and about seven meters long.

A giant snail was dragging itself across the hall.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to notice the three and disappeared into another passage.

「…bad stuff. That thing is bad stuff.」

「It didn’t have an HP bar…」

「W-why is it bad?」

Maple cautiously asked the two who had serious looks on their faces.

「No HP bar means… it can’t be killed.」

「If we run into it, and can’t find a safe zone… we’re out.」

The bodies of the three were chained together.

They couldn’t use someone as a decoy.

「Let’s get out of here for now. Before it comes back.」

「Yep, let’s do that.」

「Then, maybe that passage?」

The three entered the hall and hurried to a passage different from the ones that the snail had emerged from and disappeared into.

「I see… so that’s why this dungeon is the way it is.」

Sally muttered.

This dungeon stretched out like an ant’s nest, with numerous dead ends and passages.

And in all places, the ceilings were high and there were no unnecessary obstacles at all.

And then, the players had their bodies chained together.

In other words, the structure made it easy for snails to move and difficult for players to escape.

「Maybe this dungeon’s difficulty changes with the time of day.」

It was just as Kasumi said.

This dungeon turned into an ominous place crawling with snails after 6 pm.

There was certainly a time when it would end, but the three could not know that time.

And as time passed, the rumbling of the ground in the dungeon grew louder and louder.

「I-I wonder if there are more than one.」

「…probably.」

Sally listened carefully and tried to find the direction of the slightest noise.

She couldn’t hear the *squish-squish* sounds in the vicinity.

Nothing seemed to be nearby.

Still, they had to be on constant alert, that was for sure.

This further strained Sally’s nerves.

And so it finally happened when they went through several forks in the road.

「…—!」

The moment they turned the corner.

There was a snail there.

「Run! We’re turning back!」

Kasumi and Sally started to run, but Maple couldn’t keep up.

「Uh—… crap!」

Before Sally could help Maple up, the snail came closer.

It shook its body and splashed out a viscous liquid.

「Damn!」

Because her great shield had swallowed the liquid, Maple was able to just barely avoid it.

「Sally, we’re running! With 【Super Acceleration】!」

「k—! Got it!」

The last resort that they discussed in case they had to escape at all costs and all else failed.

「「【Super Acceleration】!」」

The bodies of the two accelerated.

Maple’s body was pulled along.

If she were an ordinary player, she would take damage and die from this.

If that had happened, they would have been wiped out.

However, Maple was different.

It was possible for Maple to survive with no damage.

Even so, it wasn’t comfortable.

Hence, it was a last resort.

Her armor clanked loudly.

Maple quickly put away her great shield, but she was unable to do anything about the armor in time.

「What’s going on back there!?」

「All good! It’s not catching up!」

The three managed to escape somehow.

However, they wouldn’t be able to use 【Super Acceleration】 for the time being. They would have to be prepared to die if they encountered it before they could use it again.

In such a situation, they began to hear those *squish-squish* sounds before they could rest.

「…Damn… it’s coming from the other side too!」

「This way!」

They ran right and left through the forks in the road.

Maple took off her equipment and Sally was carrying her.

It was their usual style.

「I knew it! Those snails, they’re reacting to sound!」

A few moments after Maple’s armor stopped clanking, the *squish-squish* sounds that had been coming from nearby also faded away.

「How is it? Is it there?」

「…is it anywhere close?」

「Phew… we got away…」

The three leaned against the wall.

It wasn’t very safe there in the middle of the passage, but it was a lot better than sitting in a dead end.

「Somehow… we’ve got to find an exit.」

「Yup, right…」

Without further discussion, they decided on the plan of action.

The longer they stayed, the more dangerous it would be.

So they decided to hurry up and find a way out.

「There doesn’t seem to be a boss room in this dungeon, so… we should just collect medals and equipment when we find them…」

「Yes, let’s do that. There are those snails… I guess this dungeon is all about exploration.」

「You mean… this whole dungeon is like a boss room?」

「Well, sort of.」

Sally cut the conversation short and prepared to leave.

「Let’s go before they find us. The entrance was on the top, so I’m guessing… the exit is on the bottom?」

「Perhaps. I’m not totally sure, though…」

「Then let’s go down. It should be better than going up.」

Some of the pathways had a slight downward slope. As soon as they found one, they went there.

The three headed downward.

On the way, they could see a few snails in the distance.

After seeing them, Sally became convinced…

Those snails were faster than Maple.

In other words, they wouldn’t be able to escape by running normally.

If they encountered one at a corner.

There would be a time lag before Sally would be able to carry Maple on her back.

If she were to get sprayed with that mucus in that split second, they would be trapped right then and there.

However, if Maple had the great shield equipped, Sally would not be able to carry her on her back.

They needed to avoid getting close to them at all costs.

「Whew… I have to concentrate…」

Sally whipped her tired body into focus.

Sally searching for the enemy was a lifeline for the three of them.

The look of the cave began to change as they moved forward extra carefully, trying not to make a sound.

「Beautiful…」

「Yeah… it sure is.」

「A little soothing too, I’d say…」

Purple crystals glistened on the cave walls.

The crystals were all over the place, and though they couldn’t be picked, their magical light soothed the tired hearts of the three somewhat.

Furthermore.

「The ceiling… got lower?」

As Sally had said, the ceiling was lower in places. In some places it was just barely high enough for a snail to pass through.

「But… the rumbling of the ground has gotten louder, hasn’t it?」

「I suppose the terrain has become a little more favorable to us but there are more of them.」

The three continued on.

The three hoped to escape before the end of the day if possible.

Hoping that they would not hear that *squish-squish* noise, they began their search while keeping an eye out for a pincer attack.