Chapter 32, Everyone, Strategy… Gyaaaah!?

Translator: Lizz

 

The dungeon that Ai and the others are exploring this time is a very famous place that appeared in Tokyo, and most streamers have experienced with it.

 

The dungeon is structured with named divisions: upper layer, middle layer, lower layer, and deep layer. The deeper you go underground, the stronger the monsters you encounter.

 

However, no explorer has ever fully conquered this dungeon. It’s assumed that the final floor is what’s called the deep layer, but no one has ever reached the innermost part.

 

“Maybe today we’ll make it all the way to the end— Just kidding! Everyone, make sure to follow Ai closely!”

 

“Yeah, I’ll leave it to you!”

 

Unlike Noel, who responds cheerfully, the other members give slightly strained replies.

 

It’s because they’ve started the exploration without having built much trust with Ai and Arisugawa.

 

Even so, they’re fairly skilled, and they don’t struggle against the slimes, goblins, insects, or plant-type monsters in the upper layer.

 

“Take this!”

 

Noel Arisugawa swings his prized greatsword brilliantly, cutting down the approaching goblins.

 

Then Ai joins in. As Noel lowers his sword, Ai casts a spell, standing back to back with him.

 

“Ai Thunder!”

 

Lightning strikes the monsters that are already fading, and somehow the screen makes it look like Ai finishes them off.

 

By the way, ‘Ai Thunder’ is just a regular lightning spell called Thunder, but she adds her name to make it feel special.

 

: It’s here! Ai Thunder!

: I’m tingling all over!

: Weaklings go down in one hit, as expected

: Uhoooo!

: Ai-chan is cool and cute

: Back-to-back with a handsome guy, what a scene

: This is it, this is what I came for!

: Got the first Thunder of the day

: The power is way beyond a normal Thunder

: My heart got zapped too

: Whoa!

: That’s some overkill lol

: Let’s keep this pace going!

 

(What the hell. My sword already finished them off.)

 

Arisugawa clearly feels dissatisfied with Ai’s follow-up attack. He’s heard that she uses flashy methods to finish off monsters as part of her stream’s performance, but he still can’t accept it.

 

Ai is an all-rounder who can use both physical attacks and magic, but she’s more skilled with magic.

 

She uses magic, her specialty, liberally during her streams to excite her viewers. She hates plain things more than anything else.

 

Moreover, she expects that same level of flair from her teammates.

 

“Next is the Devil Dog. Everyone, we’re going with Strategy C.”

 

“”””Roger!””””

 

All her teammates are required to memorize every strategy Ai comes up with in the group chat.

 

This time, Strategy C involves cornering the monster with weapons and magic, and then Ai finishes it off in style with a summon card.

 

The Devil Dog is a monster that appears in the upper layer, and normally there’s no need to use that much magic or cards, but it’s a choice unique to a leader who prioritizes visual impact.

 

The dog-turned-monster gets cornered without resistance, and in the end, Ai shouts “Go! Demon’s Sword!” and the summoned monster instantly defeats it.

 

At that moment, although a few unsettling comments appear in the chat, the overall mood is lively.

 

(Alright, going smoothly! At this rate, I’m aiming for a new record… gonna clear the deep layer today!)

 

Ai is totally in the zone.

 

◇

 

However, once they pass the middle layer and reach the lower layer, something clearly goes wrong within the team.

 

“Huh? What do you mean we don’t have any mana recovery items?”

 

Ai quietly corners the guy in charge of carrying supplies. They’re off-camera now, and her eyes are burning with anger.

 

“Um, well… I didn’t expect we’d use this much before reaching the lower layer.”

 

“What? You didn’t plan at all. Idiot.”

 

“I thought I reported the remaining quantity beforehand.”

 

“Wow, excuses. That’s such a buzzkill.”

 

Arisugawa watches the cornering leader with cold eyes. Including him, most of the team has already used up their summon cards. All for the sake of stream appeal.

 

“Whatever. We can still reach the deep layer easily.”

 

She says that and returns to the stream screen, flashing a cheerful smile again.

 

“Thanks for waiting! Break’s over! Now let’s head into the lower layer. …Huh?”

 

Just as the group moves slightly into the lower layer, they enter an open space where a massive shadow lumbers forward.

 

It’s a monster called a Big Troll, considered a boss in the lower layer. All members except Ai and Arisugawa freeze in place.

 

The massive club, large enough to crush a human outright, has taken down many explorers. Faced with that monster, yet the team has already lost much of their arsenal.

 

Still, they think this: the Big Troll is extremely slow, and it’s easy to pass by unnoticed.

 

They believe they can quietly slip past, but Ai and Arisugawa think differently.

 

“Finally, the boss shows up. Let’s go!”

 

“Alright! We’re coming too!”

 

Ai and Arisugawa charge straight toward the enemy.

 

“Ai Fire!”

 

The fireball flies lightly and hits the troll squarely on its backside. As it jumps and turns around, its eyes are already blazing with fury.

 

It immediately charges forward, raising its club, but Arisugawa steps in front. His stance with the greatsword is, as expected, visually striking.

 

“Hmph! Hah!”

 

He dodges the club and tries to slash the enemy with his greatsword. But the attacks don’t land well. He used to succeed thanks to support from his fellow explorers, but the current team setup isn’t working as smoothly.

 

(W-weird? It used to be pretty easy.)

 

Of course, the two backup members are also attacking at the same time. But hitting such a massive body is harder than expected, and no one can land a decisive blow.

 

“Everyone-! Strategy V7-!”

 

((((What was that again??))))

 

No one knows what she’s talking about, but Strategy V7 is executed anyway. It’s supposed to mean: after Ai unleashes her strongest magic, surround the enemy from all sides and attack. But no one except Ai remembers that.

 

“Ai Thunder!”

 

“Gyaaaah!?”

 

The lightning hits one of the backup fighters who was battling up front. Maybe even Ai herself doesn’t remember the strategy.

 

“I see it!”

 

But here, Arisugawa shows his grit. As if something awakens within him, he leaps with a flash of insight.

 

He aims straight for the Big Troll’s front, making a heroic move to slash through its center with elegance.

 

The monster sees this and grips its club with both hands, raising it like a baseball batter preparing to swing.

 

In the next moment, with a sharp crack, Noel Arisugawa is sent flying. If he hadn’t slammed into the dungeon wall, it would’ve been a guaranteed home run.

 

“Everyone, Strategy… Gyaaaah!?”

 

From that point on, the stream turns into a scene straight out of hell. The enraged troll lashes out with its club at Ai and the rest of the explorers with relentless fury.

 

Smack, smack, like someone trying to squash a cockroach with a rolled-up newspaper, the troll unleashes a brutal barrage.

 

: This is bad

: Aaaaaaaaah!

: Run awayyyyy!

: Arisugawa, what the hell are you doing, idiot!

: Ai-chan, why are you hitting your teammates?

: Eeeeeek

: W-wait, this is…

: Is this whack-a-mole or what

: We’re gonna get wiped out!

: And we’re just at the start of the lower layer

: Ruuuuuun!

: Ai-chaaaan!

: This is a total broadcast disaster

: It’s over

: Only the supply guy is doing his job

: Yikessss

: We need to report this

: Run, run!

: This is a complete defeat

: Looks like they escaped, but man, that was awful

 

After that, fortunately, no one dies, and everyone manages to escape and return.

 

However, there’s no doubt that this ends up being the worst stream in Ai’s history.