Chapter 74, Leader

Translator: Barnnn

 

Two weeks had passed since Ize’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony. Their progress in the Dungeon had brought them all the way to the staircase leading down to the forty-seventh floor.

By now, they had settled into a steady rhythm: register their current floor, push forward by one or two levels, then retreat. On their next run, they would leap ahead by five floors in one go. This strategy let them grow accustomed to earlier floors, making the deeper dives less grueling in terms of both time and effort.

 

“Are we aiming straight for the fiftieth next?” Hal asked.

“Yeah. We’ll clear the forty-seventh and keep pushing,” Fieda confirmed.

“The forty-eighth sounds like a tough one.” Ize frowned. “It’s got… Kodomo Dragons?”

“No, Komodomo Dragons,” Fieda corrected.

“Ugh, I could never get that right, even back on Earth… So, is it actually a Dragon here?”

“Not exactly. It looks like one, but it’s much weaker — at least by A-rank standards.”

“Yeah, that’s real helpful,” Hal muttered, unimpressed.

“Sooo…” Ize hummed, deep in thought. “Tough hides, then?”

“Tough everything — both swords and magic have trouble cutting through it.”

“Even magic? Fieda, what’s our plan?”

“First, we weaken it with Ize’s Cleanse. If possible, Hal, you’ll use water and wind magic to knock it off balance.”

“If we can force its head up, that should give us an opening. What about attacking inside its mouth?”

“That might work, but let’s go for the stomach first. Ize, keep its limbs restrained. Hal, you’re on mouth duty — keep it open.”

“Understood,” Ize nodded.

“No objections,” Hal added.

 

They worked through their knowledge of the floors ahead, exchanging intel on enemy weaknesses and attack patterns before finalizing their plan.

Ize was still a mid-range fighter, but she had grown far more adept at stopping enemies in their tracks without closing the distance. That, in turn, freed up Fieda — allowing him to swing his sword without worrying about her position. Their coordination had sharpened, their movements growing more fluid with each battle.

 

“The fiftieth floor’s got Cockatrice…” Hal said. “What’s the plan there?”

“That’s the chicken-looking Mystic Beast with poison attacks, right?” Ize asked for confirmation.

“Yeah. Its breath is toxic, so getting too close is dangerous.”

“What if we neutralize the poison? Would that make it safe?”

“…Can you even do that?” Fieda asked, raising a brow.

“With light magic’s detoxification properties, or dark magic’s absorption. One or both should work.”

Fieda smirked. “You really are reliable.”

 

Ize, with a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks, ducked her head. Beside her, Hal, resting his chin on his staff, narrowed his eyes in amusement.

 

“If we take away the poison, it’s just a bird at that point,” he chuckled. “Except the chicken head, Dragon wings, and snake tail.”

“That’s not ‘just a bird’ by any stretch,” Ize shot back.

“It’s all about perspective.”

“Wow, that’s some ridiculous logic.”

“Anyway, the fiftieth floor isn’t popular. Most adventurers fight as little as possible and move on. But if we can hunt it, the rewards are solid.”

“Huh… so it’s got in-demand loot? Like what?” Ize asked.

“The comb’s used in high-grade medicine. The wings aren’t actually draconic, but they’re Dragon-like enough to be useful for armor or Potions. The snake tail has a poison sac,” Fieda explained.

“So, the whole thing’s worth money. Ize, time to step up.”

“I’ll do my best!” she declared, pumping a fist.

 

They aimed to reach the fiftieth floor within two or three days, depending on their pace. Etta at the inn had already been informed of their planned absence in advance.

Most of their supplies were packed in Magic Bags, but Potions, weapons, and some food were carried in personal backpacks. Among the three, Hal had the least stamina, but having Ize carry his load would look bad, so they distributed their packs evenly — for appearances, if nothing else.

Once their preparations were complete, they turned in early, resting for the upcoming adventure.

 

◆

 

Neither Fieda nor Hal had said anything, but once they conquered the fiftieth floor, their time in Jasted would be nearing its end.

A month, perhaps less. Perhaps more. But the day they set out on their journey wasn’t far off.

Ize gazed out the window at the Dungeon walls looming in the distance when a quiet voice reached her from the side.

 

“Don’t stay up late.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“We can always come back.”

“Yeah… Let’s come back someday.”

 

Jasted was comfortable. The food was good, the Dungeon was rewarding, and life here felt full. It was the kind of place where one could easily settle down.

Yet, no matter where she looked, those walls were always there. They weren’t confining, not exactly — but they enclosed. Held everything in place. The city wasn’t stagnant, yet it felt contained, a world defined by boundaries.

She wanted to breathe in wide-open air.

She wanted to stand beneath an endless sky, to see a vast ocean stretching beyond the horizon with nothing to block her view.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the faint sound of waves echoing in her mind, dreaming of the future.

 

◆

 

“Ize, up top!”

“On it!”

“Kyoooooo!”

“Kyo-kyo-kyo!”

“Shut up already!”

“Go-ho-ho!”

“Hal, now! Forward!”

“Here goes!”

“This is the last one!”

 

Fieda’s blade cut clean through the final enemy, its body vanishing in a burst of loot.

Silence fell — eerie, unsettling after the chaos of battle.

Fieda exhaled sharply, lowering his sword.

 

“How many was that?” he asked.

“Thirty, give or take,” Hal estimated.

“Those things were so annoying… and way too loud,” Ize grumbled.

“My ears are still ringing. My head’s spinning…” Hal whined.

“Let’s heal up, just in case.”

 

With the battle over, Ize finally had a moment to cast healing magic. The lingering hum in their ears faded.

 

“All right, so… we’ve got all the Bannanan Buns we need,” she reported. “Also grabbed about thirty leaves, just in case.”

“Yeah, that’s plenty. Let’s move before more Army Apes show up,” Fieda said.

“Ugh, finally…”

“Agreed.”

 

They had been gathering fruit and leaves from the Bannanan Bun plants when the Army Apes descended upon them. True to their name, the large primates had fought like a trained unit, coordinating their attacks.

Individually, they weren’t much of a threat. The real danger came from their cries — high-pitched, piercing calls that summoned reinforcements and could disorient those who heard them for too long. If Hal hadn’t sealed over half those Mystic Beasts’ mouths with water magic, the fight could have turned ugly.

 

“Ize, put up Stealth. We’ll rest here for a bit,” Fieda instructed.

“Got it.”

“Phew… Taking on thirty with just the three of us was rough,” Hal groaned.

“Your water magic saved us. That skill’s going to be useful against Beasts with roar-based status effects too,” Fieda noted.

“Like what?”

“Ogres and Dragons, for starters.”

“Ooh, now that sounds badass.”

 

They leaned against nearby trees, catching their breath as they rehydrated. Sitting for too long during a Dungeon run could disrupt their rhythm, so they stayed on their feet for brief, efficient breaks. A quick sugar boost came in the form of Rain Drop candies, which they rolled over their tongues as they recovered.

 

Ize measured the distance to the staircase. “About an hour’s walk to the next floor.”

“No enemies nearby for now,” Fieda added, using his Overview skill to double-check their route.

“We’ve been moving for four hours already,” Hal noted. “If it takes an hour to reach the stairs, we’ll probably have to camp partway through the next floor.”

“That’s the Komodomo Dragon floor, right? That’ll be annoying…” Fieda frowned. “I’d rather get as far as possible before stopping.”

“Near the stairs would be best,” Ize added. “At least our backs would be covered.”

“Then let’s push for it,” Fieda decided. “Once we reach the stairs, we’ll take a longer break. Ize, you’ll handle the healing. Hal, you good?”

“Of course.”

“Understood.”

 

◆

 

As planned, the trio took an extended break at the staircase leading down to the forty-eighth floor. Once Ize had finished healing them, they went through a light round of warm-up exercises.

Naturally, they counted in the Japanese style.

 

“Ichi, ni, san, shi…”

“Go, roku, shichi, hachi…”

“Ni, ni, san, shi…”

“Go, roku, shichi, hachi…”

 

While Ize and Hal kept rhythm, Fieda remained silent, focused solely on his stretches.

 

“Fieda, you, count, too…”

“It’ll, be, more, fun…”

 

Still stretching, Fieda exhaled through his nose, brow furrowing for a moment before he shook his head in refusal.

With a final deep stretch and a long exhale, they were ready to go.

 

“Chanting together builds teamwork, you know,” Hal remarked.

“Does it, though?” Fieda shot back.

“It gives a sense of unity, doesn’t it? And as our leader, you should take the lead on this kind of thing.”

“Huh? Since when am I the leader?”

“Wait, you’re not?” Hal blinked.

“Who else would it be?” Ize added. “I mean, seriously, is there even another option?”

“Exactly. Two against one. Congratulations, you’re our leader now.”

“A round of applause!” Ize declared, clapping with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“You guys… take this more seriously…”

“C’mon, we do trust you to do it right, you know,” Hal said.

“Yeah, and you’re the most suitable of us three,” Ize added with an almost suspicious level of sincerity.

 

Fieda sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose like a man coming to terms with his fate. He looked like he wanted to argue but ultimately gave up. A faint pink dusted his cheeks, though he quickly turned away before they could call him out on it.

Ize smirked, muttering to herself about demand and demographic as usual — only for Hal to deliver a light chop to the head.

 

“All right, let’s get moving,” Hal said.

“Yes, let’s go, Leader Fieda,” Ize teased. “Hmm, that doesn’t roll off the tongue well. How about Le-Fie? That sounds cute.”

“Don’t shorten my name,” Fieda grumbled. Then, regaining his focus, he laid out their plan. “We push forward as far as we can today. Ideally, we reach the next staircase. If anything feels off, speak up immediately. Got it? …All right, let’s go!”

 

He met Ize and Hal’s gazes, nodding firmly before taking the first step down. The latter two followed, adjusting their eyes to the new floor.

 

“…It’s quite a bit warmer down here,” Fieda noted. “Might drain our stamina faster.”

“The ground’s sandy,” Hal muttered. “Looks tough to walk on.”

“This might take longer than expected,” Ize added, scanning the terrain.

 

The floor stretched out before them in a sprawling mix of sand, rocky outcroppings, and patches of dense forest in the distance. A fitting habitat for Komodomo Dragons. If they didn’t pace themselves, the uneven terrain would wear them down quickly — something that could be deadly if they miscalculated in battle.

 

Fieda studied the surroundings, then pointed. “Exit’s past the forest. Poor visibility in there. We’ll have to be extra cautious.”

“”Got it.””

 

With firm nods, they took their first steps onto the sandy terrain — only for the ground beneath them to shift unexpectedly.

 

[Welp, off to a promising start…]

 

Ize stumbled slightly and glanced at Hal, who simply shrugged and met her gaze with a dry smile. There was only one way forward, after all — complaining wouldn’t help. They’d just have to push through.

They turned their eyes to Fieda’s broad back ahead of them. His steps were steady, unwavering. Even on unstable ground, he walked with the same confidence as always.

As long as they followed him, they would be fine.

With that reassurance, they pressed forward, eyes on the path ahead.