Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 94
The group gathered in front of the staircase appeared, at a glance, to be composed mostly of seasoned veterans.
Some were carrying packs, others maintaining their weapons, a few keeping watch on their surroundings, and others staring at the staircase with stern expressions.
Several combatants stood ready with weapons drawn, scanning the area, clearly distinguishing this team from the other explorers I had seen up to this point.
“Excuse me—did something happen? I’d like to go down, if that’s alright.”
Since they were blocking the way to the stairs, I decided to speak up.
“Hm? I didn’t think anyone would make it here this quickly…”
“He’s still just a kid, isn’t he? Did we miss someone earlier?”
“But maybe this means we avoided the worst-case scenario.”
“Watch your mouth. We’re still waiting for the signal to enter…”
Huh? Something strange is going on. Is this a serious situation?
“Mind filling me in? For the record, I entered the dungeon a little after 8 a.m.”
“What!? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“Are you serious, kid? If that’s true, you might’ve just broken the record.”
“Maybe, but our squad leader could probably manage that pace too, right?”
“We’re actually waiting for that very squad leader to arrive right now.”
They’re not answering my actual question, though?
“Can I get a straight answer, please? I want to get moving.”
Pushing slightly, the man who seemed to be in charge and had been observing the staircase finally started to speak, looking troubled.
“The stairs are currently sealed off. Which means someone is already in combat with the floor boss below. But… lately, there have been anomalies in this artificial dungeon. Reports have been coming in that the bosses appearing every five floors are undergoing strange enhancements. It hasn’t turned into a full-blown disaster yet, but we’ve already seen fatalities. In one case, we managed to rush in right after the staircase opened and rescue someone who was nearly dead. That’s why we came here first thing in the morning—to eliminate the floor boss in advance.”
“But apparently, someone entered ahead of us this time, so now we’re prepping for the worst-case scenario. Sorry, but the path is blocked for now.”
…No kidding. Now that I think about it, I remember that old mage during the Eastern Subjugation mission mentioning something like this.
“‘Enhanced Mutations,’ huh. In a dungeon like this—normally treated as a kind of training ground and important to the country’s economy—that kind of anomaly is a huge problem.”
“Exactly. Hmm… smart kid. No wonder you made it here alone.”
“Still just a kid, so I do get a little flustered when complimented, you know.”
“Haha, fair enough. But… sorry, once the stairs open, we’re planning to rush in right away. Could you wait just a bit?”
Ughhh!!! Hogging a boss spawn point like this would be a serious etiquette violation in an online game!
But I can’t say that here. This isn’t a game—this is life and death.
Still, part of me wants to fight opponents like this. I want to use them to grow stronger.
“Let me come with you. For a certain reason, I’ve been entrusted with a ‘Top-Grade Elixir.’ And I can hold my own in a fight.”
“What nonsense. If that’s true, just hand us the elixir and stay out of the way.”
“Vice-leader, I think this guy’s just trying to leech off the dungeon’s energy from defeated monsters. Hey, kid—freeloading like that’s forbidden, you know.”
“That’s pretty rude of you.”
In a flash, I moved behind the rude guy and pressed a bottle—disguised as an elixir—against his back.
“You can tell it’s not a blade by the feel, right? Lucky for you.”
“Wha—! This brat…!”
“I’m seventeen, actually. Still a kid, maybe, but not that much of one.”
“Huh? …Well damn, sorry. My bad.”
I know Asian faces tend to look young, but come on—my height’s not that different from theirs…
“Anyway, here’s the bottle.”
I took out one of my trump cards: a high-tier potion disguised as an elixir.
‘Potion Blessed by the Great Cathedral +10’
- Fully restores health
- Cures all status effects except incapacitation
The elixir I used on that rookie trio before isn’t something I can bust out in public.
After all, its description says it can “revive the incapacitated.”
And if, in this world, “incapacitation” equals “death”…
Then that item essentially brings back the dead.
Definitely not something I want to test casually in this world.
…Though depending on the situation, I might end up using it anyway.
“This isn’t something you’d find in a regular shop. And please accept this as the extent of what I’m willing to reveal about myself.”
I also showed them the government-issued pass I’d used at the guild.
“That’s a royal-issued permit… I see, so you’re under the crown’s protection. Your strength makes sense now. Hey, apologize properly—he could’ve killed you with that bottle if he wanted.”
“S-sorry… You’re really my age? You just looked like a little kid…”
“Guess it’s just a racial thing. Not uncommon, right?”
“Yeah, you don’t see many like you. Reminds me of a merchant from the far West.”
“Probably from a similar bloodline. Anyway, I’m leaving this bottle with you.”
I handed the potion to the man I’d just threatened.
“Why me?”
“You seem like the fastest one here.”
I had activated [Observer’s Eye] earlier to scan the group.
‘Kubek Cone’
- Warrior belonging to the explorer clan “Killcrawler”
- Skilled hands; excels at disarming traps, unlocking chests
- Known for speed; ranked second-fastest in the clan
“Hah, sharp eyes on you. You’re no ordinary kid. Too bad the nation’s got its claws in you.”
“Flattering me again—stop it, seriously. So, can I come with you guys then?”
“Yeah… alright. We’re waiting for our squad leader, but if he doesn’t make it in time, we’ll dive in with the team we have. You’re quick—like our leader—so we’d appreciate the help.”
“Understood. Thanks for letting me join. I’m Shizuma.”
“Got it, Shizuma. I’m Gark, vice-leader of Killcrawler’s First Party.”
We exchanged names—though I didn’t need [Observer’s Eye] to guess who he was.
Killcrawler… The same well-known clan Duskar belongs to.
If I remember correctly, Sheele and Melt also mentioned that some of the Thirteen Knights and their candidates are in this clan.
“Pretty much a top-tier clan, huh. Makes sense you’d be maintaining dungeon security.”
“Ah, so you’ve heard of us. Then let’s do a quick strategy briefing.”
With that, Gark introduced the rest of his group.
Though I couldn’t possibly remember all their names at once, he focused on their roles in combat for now.
“Our basic party setup is: one scout-warrior hybrid, one main frontline fighter, two support members, and one rear guard defender. Depending on the team, leadership may vary, but in our case, I give the orders from the back. That said, our leader often wipes out enemies before orders are even needed.”
He showed me his massive shield and a huge weapon—less a spear, more like a giant anchor you’d drive into the ground.
He looked more like a smart, paperwork-type sub-leader, so the gear was a surprise.
“Shizuma, I’d like you to join Kubek up front. Can you handle it?”
“You mean me? Name’s Kubek. Nice to meet you, Shizuma.”
“Likewise, Kubek. So… I guess your leader’s super fast too? Is this a speed-focused team?”
“Yup. We don’t let anything slip by us. And if we do, our support team finishes it off with magic or arrows.”
“Very stable formation. Having you around as a scout makes the group super versatile.”
“You catch on quick. I like you already. Now, we don’t know what kind of boss is down there, but our tactics won’t change. We go in first to disrupt, and once the boss focuses on the support team, we rush to finish the fight. You’re using a one-handed—or maybe hand-and-a-half—sword, right? We’ll be counting on your damage output, Shizuma.”
Kubek spoke casually, without a hint of tension.
He wasn’t being careless—he was confident because the team had prepared thoroughly.
Now I understood why this clan was so respected.
And just as I was reaching that conclusion in my head—
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Suddenly, someone joined the circle we had formed around the stairs.
I hadn’t sensed their presence—hadn’t even noticed the moment they arrived…!?
The person who appeared was wearing a robe with the hood pulled down completely, and was a head shorter than me.
From the voice, I could tell they were a woman—or rather…
“…How are things?”
“I thought so. It’s been since yesterday.”
It was the same person who had shown up while we were hunting Green Gel yesterday.
I never would’ve guessed she was the squad leader… though, now that I think about it, she certainly had the strength for it. I saw it myself.
“Squad leader, do you know Shizuma?”
“Saw yesterday. Joined us?”
“No, he just happened to reach here while exploring. I explained the situation to him, and he asked to join. Just like the captain said, he’s currently in combat on the 10th floor. We plan to move in as soon as the stairs open.”
“Why was that permitted?”
“Apparently, Shizuma is backed by a nation. He even had rare potions. He said he’s willing to provide them if there are seriously wounded ahead.”
“…Shizuma, just the medicine is fine.”
This… quiet girl! I know she’s cute under that hood!
“No, I’m also acting as a reserve in case you didn’t come back. Since you’re here now, let’s go together.”
At that moment, she suddenly lunged at me with a dagger.
I… just looked at it.
“You weren’t aiming to hit me, were you? I’m coming too.”
As expected, the blade stopped just at my throat.
“Squad leader, Shizuma’s strength is real. He’s at least stronger than Kubek.”
“Hey! Gark-san, that’s harsh!”
“I see. Then fine.”
Unexpectedly, the squad leader pulled the blade away rather easily.
So… I’m allowed to go with them now?
“Rivana.”
“Huh?”
The squad leader suddenly said her name.
When I looked at her again, she pointed to herself and repeated—
“Rivana.”
“Got it, Rivana-san. I’m Shizuma. Nice to meet you.”
“The plan?”
“I’ve been briefed. Now that you’re here, Rivana-san, I suppose Kubek will focus on securing the wounded?”
“Yeah, that’s about right. As much as it annoys me, you are stronger than I am.”
“That’s the plan, then. I’m in your care, Rivana-san.”
“Mm.”
She really doesn’t talk much.
But I can tell the rest of the party holds her in high regard.
The atmosphere softened. That tense, on-edge feeling that had been hanging in the air eased, as if everyone silently agreed: “We’re going to be okay now.”
“Everyone! There’s a fluctuation in the barrier covering the stairs! We’re going in soon!”
At Gark-san’s sharp command, everyone’s expression changed.
They quickly lined up in formation, weapons ready for immediate entry.
“Shizuma. Next to me.”
“Ah, got it.”
Rivana-san tugged on my clothes and pulled me next to her at the front line.
So we’re rushing in first, drawing the enemy’s attention while the rest of the formation moves in and rescues the wounded—got it.
“Shizuma, swordsman?”
“Technically, yes. I’m also confident in my speed.”
“Then match me.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
Honestly, with her strength, she could probably handle the next floor boss on her own.
But considering there’s a real emergency happening in this Lindblum dungeon—and that she and her squad were dispatched to deal with it—we can’t afford to be careless.
“Tch! Let’s go!”
“Right!”
At that moment, the stairway to the lower level, which had been shimmering faintly, suddenly came into full view.
As if waiting for that precise moment, Rivana-san darted into the depths, and I followed close behind.
Beyond the stairs was a huge, dome-like floor covered in rocky surfaces.
I only glanced around briefly before fixing my gaze on the overwhelming presence at the center of the floor.
“…Crimson Bear. Even here, huh?”
There it was, bouncing around like a maniac, smashing craters into the ground.
But I quickly realized something was wrong.
The red splattered beneath its feet… the red flying around so carelessly… was human in origin.
It was stepping on people.
As if it were enjoying the brutality.
I sprinted forward immediately, unleashing every skill I had.
Rivana-san, who had jumped in ahead of me, slashed the beast’s leg just before it could land, causing the Crimson Bear to topple the moment it hit the ground.
“I’ll take the limbs!”
“I leave it to you.”
Immediately after the Crimson Bear fell, I made it in time and charged toward its right arm as it tried to push itself off the ground—
“Gale… Break.”
A mercenary technique I’d seen used in Silent.
It was executed with a hand-and-a-half sword. Though its strike radius was a bit narrow, the sword energy it released cleanly sliced off the creature’s distant hand.
“Nice.”
Losing its balance again, the Crimson Bear crashed to the ground and began flailing its remaining limbs in a crazed frenzy.
It thrashed and twisted, desperately resisting, its massive arms and legs swinging wildly and randomly in all directions.
But I saw it—amid the flurry of blows, inside a crater in the ground, someone’s body lay submerged in a pool of blood.
“Tch! Someone’s that close!? We didn’t expect that!”
“They’re already dead.”
…What!?
Rivana’s flat, emotionless words made my mind go blank for a second.
Then, a massive arm from the monster swept just past me, snapping me back to reality.
“Shizuma. The shoulder joint.”
“Got it.”
I refocused. If it was going to thrash around, I’d make sure it couldn’t anymore.
Dodging the wildly swinging arms, I dove under one and—aiming for the armpit, or what looked like it—I plunged my sword in, driving it deep, all the way to the hilt with the full momentum of my charge.
Then, bracing with my legs, I twisted and—
“Guh… DORYAAHH!!”
I jumped, driving the blade further through, overcoming the weight and the resistance of flesh pressing down on the blade.
I severed the tendon—the source of power behind the beast’s arm swings.
A spray of blood erupted. The left arm fell limp.
With its right palm disabled, left arm useless, and right foot severed at the tip, the monster had no path to victory left.
It stopped rampaging. As if sensing its end, it didn’t even roar.
Being a dungeon-born monster, perhaps it never had the instinct to call for help in the first place.
“Shizuma, want to do it?”
Rivana asked me out of nowhere.
She was asking if I wanted to land the finishing blow.
Maybe the one who delivers the final strike gets most of the monster’s power—something like that?
“Is that alright?”
“Yes. You inflicted the deepest wounds.”
True enough, I was the one who disabled its limbs.
But Rivana had been the one who fearlessly jumped into the fray, constantly drawing its attention to herself.
And she did it all without a single misstep.
…Wait, when did she blind both of its eyes too?
Was she purposely creating an opening for me to fight more easily the entire time…?
“…Not really revenge for the victims, but—see ya.”
I raised my sword and poured all my strength into a final downward swing toward its head.
If this were Silent, he could’ve cleaved through everything from the crown to the floor in one motion.
But for me, just severing its neck was all I could manage.
There was a brief moment of resistance, then a thud—the head dropped to the ground.
Just as blood began to gush out, the beast’s body dissolved into shimmering particles of light.
All that remained was monster blood and traces of the massacre—
A crater soaked in the victims’ blood, and bodies too damaged to even resemble the people they once were—