28　Ashaspern’s Trap

 

　The Ashaspern Dungeon was basically a large cave with a lot of big gray rocks.

　After going inside, the first monster we came across was a goblin. It was a brown-skinned monster similar to a monkey, about half the size of a person. After it noticed us, it rushed towards us, leaning forward and swinging around the club it had.

“Ha! “

　The first strike was a combination of Silvia’s 【Magic Archery】, 《Soldier Archery》 and 《Fire Attribute・First Form》.

　Along with a “Bugyaa” cry, the goblin fell down after receiving that blow.

“I see…”

　Murmured Yukari behind me. I wonder if she was convinced that Magic Archery was a compound skill from Archery and Magic?

“This much is easy.”

　Said Silvia. Well, she’s correct, this is a lower-class dungeon after all.

“Easyー! “

　Repeating “Easy, easy”, Eko jumped into a group of goblins.

“Master. Is this alright? “

“That’s a fair question… well, just keep watching.”

　Over ten goblins headed towards Eko. And that little demihuman girl faced them all head on. Although any person seeing this from the side might get uneasy, she’s a 『Muscle Monk』-type Tank through and through. There’s nothing to worry about it.

　Eko thrusted into the goblins while activating 《Gold Shieldmanship》. Then, as if being hit by a speeding car, the goblins were all blown away.

　That was the knock-back effect. Then, Silvia’s arrows flew and pierced each and every one of them.

“……This is.”

“Eko is the advanced guard, and Silvia is the rearguard. So long as Eko continues to draw the attention of the monsters, Silvia can use her bow and keep firing arrows at the unprotected monsters.”

　It was one of the ways to easily clear a dungeon with two people. By simply allowing a small chance, it made it easier for the rear guard to demonstrate tremendous firepower.

　While I answered her, all twenty goblins were defeated.

　If I tried to butt in, I’d get in the way of their two-people cooperation training. Therefore, I just concentrated on potential surprise attacks and escorting Yukari.

“Let’s just hurry up and rush ahead since the experience here isn’t that great.”

　Nodding to my instruction, Silvia and Eko went deeper inside.

　Yukari just silently followed me. Seems like it’d still take some more time for her to open up to us.

———————

“Boss here.”

“Already? It hasn’t even been two hours yet.”

“This is how a lower-class type of dungeon is.”

　The boss of the Ashaspern dungeon is a monster called Goblin King. It is a huge monster with a total of 4 meters in height, but although it’s a boss, its movements are slow and he has little defenses. However, it has an entourage of ten monsters who can use magic around it, Goblin Mages, that make it a bit troublesome to pay attention to both the boss and the adds.

　Well, we have enough power so the mages should drop in a single hit, and the king in two hits. There should be no problems.

“What is the plan!? “

　Eko came asking. I’m not sure why, but this girl loves “plans” and before we face a boss, she always comes asking me for a strategy. “But this time, there’s no strategy…”

“…………! “

　……Ahh, it’s useless. She’s just there, waiting for me to say something with her eyes sparkling.

“Eh… Eko, you take the huge target in the middle, hold it using Bishop. In that time, Silvia and I will finish it.”

“Okay!　Got it! “

　Hearing a proper strategy, Eko opened her eyes in admiration and directed a smile towards me. I feel a bit guilty that she thinks so highly of me, but I’m happy when the person in question is happy.

“Silvia will do the same as usual. Yukari, you just don’t leave my side.”

“Alright.”

“Understood.”

　After finishing speaking, Eko went straight to the opening where the boss was at.

“So bigーー!! “

　Eko raised her voice in surprise.

　Certainly, the goblin king is huge. And also wide. If I had to say, that is an unhealthy kind of ‘wide’. In comparison, the goblin mages are smaller and thinner than that thing. They look like twigs in comparison. Probably they’re not even a meter in height.

“Let’s go.”

　Hearing my words, Eko was the first one to rush towards the goblin king.

　At the same time Silvia released a shot towards a goblin mage, killing it. Silvia said “Quite dull”, at the same time as she killed another one.

“……Ehhー? “

　After defending from an attack from the goblin king using 《Bishop Shieldmanship》, Eko raised such a voice. The damage suffered was only three points. Even less than that of the Limptfert Dungeon’s Armored Lizards.

“Nicely done Eko.”

　After praising Eko, I released a shot filled with 《Rook Archery》, towards a goblin that had its attention focused on her.  A non-critical 6680 hit. It’s passable.

“…………”

　Yukari’s eyes opened wide. I wonder if she’s surprised by the amount of damage?

　With a combination of 《Knight Archery》 and 《Silver Archery》I shot the second arrow that ends up killing the goblin king.

　As for the goblin mages’ mopping up, Silvia had already wiped them all out.

“It is over? “

　Eko approached me while looking around. There are no monsters’ figures left.

　…………

“………………Oh? “

　Weird.

　The team formation quest isn’t completed yet.

　If memory serves me right, the team will be formed the moment you defeat a lower-class dungeon boss and all its adds――

“――――Oh!! “

　This is bad!

　I noticed it when it was already too late.

　The 4-meter-high body of the goblin king takes some time to disappear. And one goblin mage was hiding behind it.

　That goblin mage is on the verge of death. And with a desperate look on its face, it cast some magic.

　And the timing of the activation coincided with the ‘disappearance of the corpse of the goblin king’.

　That’s the worst-case scenario!!

“Fuck! “

　The target of the goblin mage was Yukari.

　I grabbed Yukari’s hand, pulling her towards me, while at the same time shooting a 《Fire Attribute・First Form》 at the goblin mage.

　The next moment.

　The goblin mage died――……

——————

　……――But the place where we stood was a “sandy beach next to the ocean”.

 

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Cheat sheet

Stats details

＜Status Details＞

• HP　Hit Points
• MP　Magic Points
• SP　Stamina Points
• STR　Short range attack skill power, strength, physical power.
• DEX　Long range attack skill power, dexterity, hit rate.
• AGI　Quickness, avoidance rate.
• INT　Attack Magic skill power.
• LUK　Good luck, critical rate.
• VIT　Simple defense.
• MGR　Magic defense.

Types of combat skills

Named after shogi pieces (The word in bold is the one being used in this translation). From easier to acquire to harder.

1. Pawn/Soldier (Fuhyou)
2. Lance(Kyousha)
3. Knight (Keima)
4. Silver General (Ginshou)
5. Gold General (Kinshou)
6. Bishop (Kakugyou)
7. Rook (Hisha)
8. Promoted Bishop/Dragon Horse(Ryuuma)
9. Promoted Rook/Dragon King (Ryuuou).

List of Swordsmanship skills

Swordsmanship

1. 《Soldier Swordsmanship》　                  Normal attack.
2. 《Lance Swordsmanship》　                    Piercing attack.
3. 《Knight Swordsmanship》　                   Precision attack.
4. 《Silver Swordsmanship》　                     Strong single-target attack.
5. 《Gold Swordsmanship》                           Small-range attack to all directions.
6. 《Bishop Swordsmanship》                       ???
7. 《Rook Swordsmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Swordsmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Swordsmanship》　       ???

List of Shieldmanship skills

Shieldmanship

1. 《Soldier Shieldmanship》　                  Normal defense.
2. 《Lance Shieldmanship》　                    Piercing deflection.
3. 《Knight Shieldmanship》　                   Defense + knockback.
4. 《Silver Shieldmanship》　                     ???
5. 《Gold Shieldmanship》                           Ranged guided defense + knockback.
6. 《Bishop Shieldmanship》                       Reinforced defense (Temporarily boosts VIT and MGR)
7. 《Rook Shieldmanship》　                      ???
8. 《Dragon Horse Shieldmanship》　    ???
9. 《Dragon King Shieldmanship》　       ???

List of Archery skills

Archery

1. 《Soldier Archery》　                  Normal range attack.
2. 《Lance Archery》　                    Piercing range attack.
3. 《Knight Archery》　                   Precise sniping range attack.
4. 《Silver Archery》　                     Strong single-target range attack.
5. 《Gold Archery》                           Weaker range attack with added knockback.
6. 《Bishop Archery》                       Strong piercing range attack.
7. 《Rook Archery》　                      Very strong single-target range attack with scaling % damage.
8. 《Dragon Horse Archery》　    Powerful piercing range attack.
9. 《Dragon King Archery》　       Powerful on-impact range attack.

Types of Magic skills

They use the “Form” or “step” system of martial arts. From lower to higher.

1. First Form　      　      Regular attack
2. Second Form　      　 Extended range attack
3. Third Form　      　    Strong single target attack
4. Fourth Form　      　  Strong extended range attack
5. Fifth Form　      　      Extremely powerful extended range attack

• Their cast time becomes longer in this order First→Third→Second→Fourth→Fifth.

Ranking of the skills

From lower to higher, then it changes to the “Dan” system of martial arts, which means Grade.

1. 16th class
2. 15th class
3. 14th class
4. 13th class
5. 12h class
6. 11th class
7. 10th class
8. 9th class
9. 8th class
10. 7th class
11. 6th class
12. 5th class
13. 4th class
14. 3rd class
15. 2nd class
16. 1st class
17. Grade 1
18. Grade 2
19. Grade 3
20. Grade 4
21. Grade 5
22. Grade 6
23. Grade 7
24. Grade 8
25. Grade 9
26. Title

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 ToC    

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