kscans

Chapter 97 -

In the tutorial area of the Black Dungeon.

"H-hold on, time out. I can’t… anymore!"

Naoto fell to his knees, desperately pleading as he gasped for breath.

"But Naoto, monsters don’t wait for you."

"That’s right. Please stand up quickly, Naoto-san. The next enemy is coming."

From behind a translucent shield, Hayate and Rena watched Naoto.

"Hey, why are you two just watching?"

"Because this is our training. It would be meaningless if the strongest duo, Hayate-kun and Rena-chan, helped us. So, Naoto, get up."

Mei pulled Naoto up by the hand, forcing him to his feet.

"I told you, I can’t. I’m really at my limit."

Although they had taken several breaks, Naoto’s stamina was nearly depleted after being forced to fight monsters for over an hour.

"Don’t be a baby! You’re going to be in the same class as Hayate-kun, right!? You’re going to stay his best friend forever, right!?"

"Hey, why are you bringing that up now?"

"You declared it to me yesterday, didn’t you? That you would work hard so you could stand with Hayate-kun as an equal."

Naoto felt that since they would be entering dungeons together, he didn’t want to be a burden to Hayate. Until now, their relationship had been one where he simply watched the streams and shared his thoughts, but from now on, they could fight in dungeons together. He was happy that he would have more time to spend with Hayate, whom he considered his best friend.

So, in the heat of the moment, he had declared it to Mei.

"Naoto, thank you. I’m happy you feel that way."

"Naoto-san, working so hard to be Hayate’s best friend is so cool!"

"Rena-chan. Naoto is mine, you know. He might be cool, but you can’t have him."

"Okay. I get it."

As they were talking, the monster Hayate had set up appeared on the field.

"Here comes the next one."

"Do your best!!"

"Naoto, protect me again."

"You three are all sadists!! And why am I the only one being targeted!?"

"Why, you ask?"

"That’s because."

"It’s an FWO mechanic."

Naoto was a heavy warrior with a greatsword. Mei was a mage with a staff.

Heavy warriors have a passive skill that draws the attacks of enemy monsters. Because it activated automatically, he had been constantly exposed to enemy attacks.

"Ah, this might be bad…"

A monster was approaching Mei.

Even when taunt-type skills are active, if the distance to the protected target is too great, or depending on the position relative to the monster, attacks can sometimes go elsewhere.

"Dammit all!!"

Kicking off the ground hard, Naoto leaped and cleaved the monster that was about to attack Mei in two with his greatsword.

"Not bad. Thanks."

"You… you totally could have dodged that!!"

Sakino Mei is a Koga ninja. As Naoto shouted, it was easy for her to dodge an attack of this level. Although she was in the mage job, which lowered her movement speed stat in exchange for increased magic power, her base physical abilities were so high that a slight restriction on her movements was not a problem.

"That’s why this is, ‘our training’."

Mei said ‘our,’ but if she got serious, she could beat every monster to death with her staff, despite being a mage. But that would defeat the purpose.

Her goal was to train the body and mind of Naoto, who had always been the one protected, and to give him enough skill to clear high-difficulty dungeons with a safe margin. To make his dream of clearing dungeons with Hayate a reality through his own power. That was Mei’s objective.

"I’m going to start casting a spell now, so I won’t be able to move. Protect me properly."

Naoto was her master whom she should protect, but in this tutorial area, they wouldn’t die even if they took a hit from a monster. In addition, she judged that unless he pushed himself a little, he wouldn’t be able to catch up to Hayate and the others, who were already inhumanly strong. So, Mei decided to have Naoto push himself.

People learn to move their bodies most efficiently, especially when they are tired. This was a chance for him to get a feel for fighting continuously in an extreme state.

"Argh, fine! I get it, I’ll do it!!"

Naoto stood in front of Mei protectively and readied his greatsword.

"Make sure you praise me properly later."

"Okay. I’ll praise you a lot."

The two of them continued to fight against the hordes of monsters that appeared.