kscans

Chapter 54 - A Towering Figure

"...Haru-san, I think something is very, very wrong here."

"What a coincidence, Sora-san. I was also thinking that something is very, very wrong."

"'Beginner area' means an area for beginners, right? It's not some other term or slang that means a beginner area with a different meaning, is it?"

"I'm not quite sure what you're saying, but I have pretty much the same thing to say."

"It was one thing when the statues started coming at us in groups of two or more along the way. It wasn't okay, I admit I cried a little because it was so tough, but it's fine."

"In the end, they ganged up on us in groups of three. If the path hadn't widened and I couldn't have unleashed my AGI, I'm confident I would've been bawling my eyes out."

"I agree. And with that―――what is that thing?"

"Right, well―――it's probably the boss."

It took a total of over five hours to clear. Even in real-world time, it was an ultra-voluminous run of over three hours―――or rather, the difficulty was just so high that the `Buried Labyrinth of Forgetfulness` demanded a long and arduous conquest.

I have a mountain of things I want to say, but my impression of this area can be summed up in one phrase―――so tough I could cry.

What was that about "a single strong enemy and a small coordinated team"? What a joke. They used teamwork too. They showed off teamwork so skillful it was as if they were laughing in the faces of our burgeoning telepathy.

Honestly, after I was able to use my legs freely, I mostly just steamrolled them by myself. By the time the enemy's three-man cells made their appearance, a stoic Sora-san had applied `Spectate Ale` to me without a moment's hesitation.

And beyond the massive 'door' that was a world apart from the so-called 'boss rooms' we'd seen so far, a circular floor spread out.

In the center of this solemn space, the being that awaited us possessed a majesty that rivaled, if not surpassed, that of the hidden raid boss, the `Bastide, Scion of Dust`.

―――Enemy Name: `Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King`.

It had the form of an armored knight, like an alpha version of the statues, but from its scale of over six meters in height to every other component, it was on a completely different level from a mere mob.

Its armor, which seemed less like something it wore and more like its actual body, was made of a majestic, shining platinum. The intricate carvings on it were like a work of art, yet it emitted such an overwhelming pressure that it was difficult to even look away.

Unlike the statues, its standing figure had a head and all four limbs intact. Its arms, each of which probably had more mass than my entire body, rested on the pommel of a greatsword whose tip was buried in the floor.

And that greatsword... what is that thing, some kind of legendary holy sword?

It was a two-handed sword that, if held by a player, would undoubtedly be categorized as a 'Legendary Weapon' or something of the sort, boasting a truly sublime majesty.

Its color was the same platinum as the armor, but its brilliance was so resplendent that it outshone even the dazzling armor. The gold and silver-blue linear decorations running down the blade were simply captivating―――

"Phew... Um, is this the final boss?"

"I know what a final boss is. It's a boss that shouldn't be in a place like this, a beginner area."

"Exactly..."

Seriously, what are we supposed to do about this? The pressure I feel just facing it is incomparable to any boss so far. The secret raid boss and the `Colored Monster` are in a different dimension, of course... but honestly, the boar, the scorpion, and the birds were nothing compared to this.

Fortunately, it didn't attack the moment we stepped into the arena, but if it activates, it will surely try to crush us... There's this, how should I put it, overwhelming weight of information.

"Wouldn't we have a better chance of winning if we had a straight-up fight with the `Dusty Worm, Great Serpent of Dust`...?"

"I-Is that really a better option...?"

Can I be honest?―――I don't think we can win this.

"Um... you mentioned that there are quite a few of those kinds of monsters in the beginner areas, like the 'White Throne' from before, and the raid boss from yesterday that I didn't see, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Um... I think, that this, is also..."

"...Yeah, probably."

The fact that even Sora has reached that conclusion seems to confirm it beyond a doubt―――this thing is likely a special monster of the same kind as the two we've encountered before.

"Why again..."

To find something like this at the end of a path with no forks... a path with no forks―――a branch?

"No, could it be this area..."

To begin with, perhaps this isn't a beginner area at all?

The way Sora and I unlocked this `Buried Labyrinth of Forgetfulness` wasn't through a proper boss kill, but by summoning a hidden boss and then choosing to escape. We did get a system log announcement that we had cleared the area, but there's no doubt it wasn't the intended path.

"A hidden branch route from a hidden raid boss...?"

No way, I think. But I can't say it's 'definitely not'.

This game already makes me shudder with how much effort they put into a mere beginner field, and as if that's not enough, they've thrown in not just one, but multiple high-level contents as hidden elements.

Perhaps this is one of them?―――There's no evidence to the contrary.

"...Um, Haru-san."

"Yes."

I'm not quite sure what kind of expression I'm making right now. All I know is that Sora-san, who was anxiously peering at my face, has a very grim look on hers.

"A-Are we, going to fight?"

Her voice, a textbook example of trembling, came out in a terribly broken manner.

"Um, I can somehow feel it... I think, probably, this is..."

"Yeah, well... we probably can't win, I guess."

Probably? No, to be honest, I think we absolutely can't win.

If you've played games for a while, you start to get a rough idea of how strong an enemy is just by looking at them. There's no doubt about it, this is not an opponent that a rookie using store-bought equipment should be challenging.

"Hmm... what should we do? Personally, I'm okay with retreating."

When I said that with a thoughtful look, Sora looked at me with a surprised expression, "Eh?" I'm aware that I've been showing a rather aggressive side of myself, so her reaction was to be expected.

"Well, when it's overwhelmingly likely to be a losing battle. If there were no death penalty, I wouldn't mind a banzai charge, though."

I should add, if I were solo. If there was some chance of victory, it would be one thing, but I'm reluctant to drag someone along into a fight against a monster that's not even a long shot.

We said it was a five-hour journey, but that was just because the enemies were so troublesome that the battle time dragged on. If I carried Sora and ran back the way we came at full speed, we should be able to get back to town in a few dozen minutes.

"..."

After staring at me for a few seconds, Sora turned her gaze back to `Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King`, who sat enthroned in the center of the arena, and pondered something for a while.

"...Is it absolutely, impossible?"

She muttered.

I couldn't read the emotion in her quiet voice, but her profile―――at least to my eyes, didn't look like she had lost her will to fight.

"..."

In that case... well, yeah―――I'm not exactly opposed to it.

"Sora, I need your support."

"Eh?"

I summoned my [White-Flawed Straight Sword] and stepped forward.

"I can't gauge the opponent's stats at all, so I'll go in alone first. With my legs boosted by your skill, I should be able to at least scout it out... I think."

Of course, if it unleashes an unblockable area-of-effect attack, then it's been nice knowing you.

There are countless other ways I could be crushed without being able to do a thing... but if that happens, it happens.

"...Are you sure?"

"It's not about being sure. If I were solo, I would have charged in without a second thought. If you're okay with it, then so am I."

The death penalty in this game is harsh. Specifically, you lose all accumulated experience after your last level up, and even after reviving, you're hit with a status debuff for eight hours of real time―――which is twelve hours in Arcadia time.

It feels merciful that you don't lose items or Luna, but for me, who is burning with endless motivation, the shackle of a long-lasting debuff is quite heavy.

For Sora, who isn't power-leveling like I am, the experience loss is not insignificant. On top of that, she can't log in all day like I can, so her time is precious too.

"So I'll leave it to you―――what's your call?"

"W-Well..."

Still, this is, at its core, entertainment. The thrill comes from having something to lose. If we can both accept the risks―――

"Let's... try it...!"

"Alright, let's do it!"

To try and fail is also part of the fun.

"You can use Observation Eye at the same time, right?"

"Yes. As long as I don't attack, it won't count as me joining the battle."

"OK, in that case, I'll do my damnest not to die... so watch its movements carefully."

`Angalta, God-Wedge Sword-King`, still hasn't moved an inch, but typically, these things activate when you get within a certain range or smack them once.

And when that happens, the door behind us will slam shut. That's part of the package. In any case, it's nice to have some time for a pre-battle briefing and to steel my resolve―――huh?

"G-Good luck!"

As I was internally laughing at my own legs, which were about to start trembling in earnest, I felt a tug on the back of my coat and received that encouragement.

...Could you refrain from such heart-wrenching actions? A man's heart is a simple thing.

"Ah, I'll do my best to avoid getting one-shotted."

This sudden cute attack is super effective against me.

To hide my embarrassment, I said that without turning back, and took a slow step towards the center of the arena.