๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐: ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ซ’๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ
. . .This is bad.
This intruder is stronger than I expected.
Among the enemies I’ve appraised so far, the hobgoblin with the strongest status was killed instantly without a chance.
Thanks to that, I got a little DP, but I can’t be happy about it.
ใ ค
This intruder, not only their status, but their technique is amazing.
They handle the sword and shield with the sharpness of a martial arts master.
As expected, their high weapon skill level is not for nothing.
ใ ค
The higher the weapon skill level, the more freely you can handle the corresponding weapon.
And this intruder, unlike the previous three, is a middle-aged warrior.
In other words, they have years of battle experience.
ใ ค
On the other hand, the Living Armor-senpai is brand new.
Naturally, they don’t have any weapon skills.
In fact, I think inanimate monsters don’t grow, so they won’t be able to acquire skills from now on.
By the way, I, who supports with traps, am a complete amateur with almost no battle experience.
. . .This might even overturn the status difference between the Living Armor-senpai and the intruder.
Damn it.
I should have used DP to strengthen the Living Armor-senpai if I knew this would happen.
Why would such a strong person come to a mere cave?!
Moreover, at such a perfect timing!
Isn’t it strange?!
ใ ค
But even if I complain, the intruder won’t stop.
They’re getting closer and closer to the boss room.
My prayer for them to just kill the goblins and leave didn’t reach.
Reality is cruel.
ใ ค
But now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to do it.
I’ll make up my mind.
ใ ค
“Phew. . .”
ใ ค
I took a deep breath to release my tension and focused my mind for the interception.
Then, just like before, I placed the Living Armor-senpai at a point where they could ambush.
ใ ค
ใ ค
โโโ
ใ ค
ใ ค
“A door?”
ใ ค
While mapping and exploring the cave, I found something strange.
It’s an old door.
An artificial object in a cave is a bit suspicious.
It’s not something the goblins made.
They don’t have the technology to make such a thing.
In that case,
ใ ค
“Could it be. . .a dungeon?”
ใ ค
I tried saying it, but I reconsidered that the possibility is low.
I’ve been to other dungeons, but the atmosphere here is completely different.
A dungeon always has monsters, traps, and treasures.
This cave only has monsters, and the only basis for calling it a dungeon is this door.
I wouldn’t call this a dungeon, and only a very curious person would enter a dungeon with no profit.
It’s more natural to think that someone modified this place a long time ago.
ใ ค
“. . .But I’ll be cautious.”
ใ ค
There were no traces of them until I got here.
Not even a corpse.
That means they either stepped into the other side of this door or went outside the cave.
I hope it’s the latter, but the former is more likely.
In that case, I have no choice but to step in.
ใ ค
I cautiously put my hand on the door while being alert to my surroundings.
I put my hand on one side of the double doors and carefully opened it while sticking to it.
The door, as old as it looked, slowly opened with a creaking sound.
I peeked inside from the opened part.
There’s a fairly large space.
But on the other hand, that’s all there is.
Feeling a bit let down, I thought, “Well, that’s about it,” and stepped into the door.
ใ ค
โThe moment I did, the door slammed shut with a loud bang!
ใ ค
And from behind the door, a lead-colored blade was swung down at me.
ใ ค
“Wha?!”
ใ ค
I instinctively used my shield to block the attack.
It’s heavy!
Is this attacker stronger than me?!
ใ ค
Unable to bear it, I tried to regain my posture by creating distance and leaped back.
But,
ใ ค
“What?!”
ใ ค
Suddenly, the ground beneath me collapsed.
A pitfall?!
Before falling in, I managed to twist my body and avoid falling, but now an arrow flew at me from somewhere.
I instinctively blocked it with my shield.
Then, a guillotine fell silently from the ceiling.
ใ ค
“Shield Wall!”
ใ ค
I used the shield art to block it.
However, the attacker from before attacked again.
I couldn’t fully defend against the straight sword swing with my broken posture, so I did my best to avoid a direct hit.
As a result of deflecting the sword’s trajectory, the opponent’s sword deeply slashed my leg.
ใ ค
“Guh. . .!”
ใ ค
Enduring the pain, I put strength into my remaining leg, kicked the attacker away, and used the recoil to create distance.
Then, I somehow managed to stand up.
ใ ค
“You! What’s your purpose?!”
ใ ค
I spoke to the attacker, intending to buy time.
The opponent was a man clad in full armor.
And he was strong.
He was a skilled fighter with a higher status than me.
I may not be able to compete with those who fight brilliantly against the Demon Lord’s army on the battlefield, but I’ve been an adventurer for many years and have raised my Lv.
I’m not a genius, and I can’t use true equipment, but I pride myself on being a top-class adventurer.
ใ ค
For some reason, someone stronger than me is deep in this cave, and they’re even using traps to try to kill me.
I don’t understand.
And then. . .
ใ ค
“Tch! You won’t listen?!”
ใ ค
The armored man attacked again without any discussion.
He held a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left, a style oddly similar to mine.
The armored man pulled his sword straight back and launched an accurate thrust.
ใ ค
“Muun!”
ใ ค
But it was too accurate, making his aim obvious.
I skillfully used my shield to deflect the thrust.
This guy has incredible status, but his technique isn’t that great.
In that case!
ใ ค
“ใShield Bash!ใ”
ใ ค
I slammed the shield’s striking art into the armored man’s chest, breaking his posture.
He wouldn’t be able to use his shield right after an attack!
And then!
ใ ค
“ใStrike Swordใ!”
ใ ค
As if returning the favor, I unleashed my art’s thrusting technique on the armored man.
The armored man was blown away by the impact and slammed into the wall.
I’ve been a solo adventurer for 30 years.
It’s a combat technique I’ve honed to still be effective.
I won’t lose to anyone in this!
But. . .!
ใ ค
“Ha, hard. . .?!”
ใ ค
My all-out attack only managed to slightly dent his armor.
What incredible armor.
It looks like nothing more than ordinary iron.
Could that armor be true equipment?
No, rather, more importantly. . .
ใ ค
“No way. . .a monster?”
ใ ค
The moment I thought about the armored man’s true identity, another arrow flew at me from somewhere.
But this time, I easily blocked it with my shield.
It’s painful not being able to dodge with my injured leg, but I can still fight.
ใ ค
And again, the armored man charged.
This time, he came at me with a full-body tackle with his shield raised.
I rotated around my uninjured leg and deflected the force.
ใ ค
Then, we engaged in a sword fight.
The armored man’s movements were somewhat unnatural.
His movements were extremely accurate, but there was no reading or strategizing typical of a warrior, as if he was just moving according to a predetermined plan.
That’s why I, with inferior status and an injured leg, can still fight somehow.
ใ ค
As I thought.
I don’t feel any human-like qualities from his movements.
It’s as if I’m fighting a golem.
ใ ค
In that case, his true identity is. . .could it be a Living Armor?
ใ ค
I’ve never encountered one, but it’s a moving armor monster that rarely appears in dungeons.
If this guy is a Living Armor and this place is a dungeon, then the arrows flying at me, the guillotine falling from the ceiling, the suddenly closed door, the pitfall, everything can be explained.
Also, corpses don’t remain in dungeons.
This would explain why their bodies haven’t appeared.
In other words, there’s a high possibility that they were killed in this dungeon.
ใ ค
“. . .I’ll take revenge.”
๐น๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๐๐ โ ๐ธ๐๐๐l๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐e๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ “๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐” ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น
ใ ค
I made up my mind.
That unwavering determination makes me stronger.
I dodge the Living Armor’s attacks and land counterattacks with certainty.
The damage dealt by doing so is minuscule.
However, there is no other way for me to win except by accumulating this minuscule damage and defeating it.
If I were my usual self, the solo adventurer who thinks that no one would be sad even if I died, my spirit might have already been broken.
But as a senior adventurer who decided to avenge my junior at any cost, my spirit never broke.
ใ ค
I deflect the Living Armor’s sword.
I seal its shield.
I land a counterattack.
I block the arrows.
ใ ค
How long did I continue to fight like this?
The time I spent concentrating felt long, but in reality, it might have only been a few minutes.
ใ ค
At that moment, the Living Armor suddenly stopped moving.
ใ ค
It stopped while keeping a distance from me.
I want to pursue it, but I can’t with this leg.
As I cautiously watch the Living Armor with a puzzled look, a barrage of arrows, incomparable to before, suddenly came flying.
ใ ค
“Huh?!”
ใ ค
I somehow blocked them with my shield and knocked them down with my sword, but I couldn’t deal with all the arrows raining down.
Some of them definitely pierced my body, weakening me.
ใ ค
The Living Armor doesn’t move.
It seems to be leaving all the attacks to the arrows and just watching.
I can’t do anything like this!
ใ ค
As a last resort, I use my remaining leg to charge at the Living Armor, but it retreats in response.
Its movements now show a clear intelligence, unlike before.
What’s going on. . .
ใ ค
As I desperately chase the Living Armor, guillotines fall from the ceiling, spikes emerge from the floor, and hanging ceilings try to crush me.
Each time I barely avoid them, I get injured, hit by arrows, and my consciousness blurs due to blood loss.
ใ ค
Finally, the floor silently rose.
ใ ค
With my injured body, I couldn’t jump away from the spot, and my body was sent flying towards the ceiling with tremendous force.
ใ ค
I realized my own death.
In another second, I would be crushed between the ceiling and turned into a squashed tomato.
The faces of my juniors, who were determined to become heroes, came to my mind at the last moment.
They were the ones who genuinely respected someone like me.
ใ ค
“. . .I’m sorry.”
ใ ค
I couldn’t avenge you.
Regretting that, I was slammed into the dungeon ceiling, turned into a bloodstain, and left this world.
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