Chapter 37 – Running

000

“Ha!”

Empty! A sound rang out.

A body rolling on the ground again and again.

A wooden sword that floats and then falls.

Haha! I’ve told you many times! If you’re going to attack me head-on, be prepared to kill me!”

“Damn… This gorilla!”

The black-haired boy grabbed the fallen wooden sword and stood up again.

Although he was a boy whose whole body was covered with sweat.

The giant who taught him the sword did not break a single sweat.

All he could do was stand still and wield a wooden sword that looked like a toothpick to hold.

“If you cut where you just hit, you can go without pain.”

“…This is unnecessary information!”

This time the boy booms! Comes to mind

And a sword strike that strikes downward from above.

If he carried his own weight, even this man would not be able to stop it with one hand.

It was a mistake to think so.

He stretched out his arm and grabbed Cleon’s sword.

Whirik! And throws it towards the wall.

The man put his hand on his chin and talked like he was having fun.

“What is that? Are you imitating him?”

The boy turned his head as if he had been hit hard by those words.

“Quit it, quit it. His swordsmanship is not something others can imitate.”

“All, you. You only teach me a sword that I can’t copy. To cut a rock with one cut…”

The man smiled and approached the boy.

If you sit on the back of a boy who is trying to stand up, the boy will be crushed by the weight and will not be able to get up.

“Idiot! A man can cut a rock with a sword with practice.”

“Rain, get out of the way…”

The man said so and threw the wooden sword he was holding at the solid stone wall next to him.

The wooden sword, which flew while remaining level, became lodged in the wall.

“But. His swordsmanship is not like that. What he cuts down is not ‘human’ or ‘monster’, but the ‘evil’ itself that shouldn’t exist there.”

“…What does that mean?”

“The hero’s swordsmanship is inevitably different from that of ordinary people. Especially if it’s a guy with that much power.”

The man looks down at his hands.

A single swordsmanship built with the determination not to interfere with the comrades who have fought together for a long time.

Practice cutting stone with a sword.

Training to cut rocks with a sword.

Training to break the wall with a sword.

Training to pierce mountains with a sword.

At some point, the grandiose name Sword Saint came into being.

Even if he fights with only a pure sword without using magic.

The man couldn’t picture himself defeating him.

“You don’t try to be like him.”

The man said to the boy.

As always, it wasn’t fooling around, it was heartfelt advice.

The boy was silent for a while.

“Keep…Aaaaa!”

He lifts his upper body while pushing off the ground with his slender arms.

Then, the man is a bit surprised at the sensation of being lifted up, then puts on his usual evil smile.

Haha! Your body seems to have gained some strength! Now that you’re in a good mood, let’s do the next one!”

Saying that, I was about to stand up for a moment-

“It’s a big deal! They know about Luti…! ‘Lesia’-san…!”

The end came suddenly.

001

Cleon, who wields the sword innocently without using magic, recalls the past in his mind.

Although it is undesirable for an adventurer to be unable to shake off the distracting thoughts that come in during battle.

“Ha!”

If you look at Iona fighting alongside her.

Through the cracks in his disciplined and sharp swordsmanship, he could see the swordsmanship of his childhood teacher.

And the one who was infinitely helpless.

The orcs are wary of strong men named Cleon and Iona, and target the relatively weak Eustes and Tio.

Individuals who have transferred to this place from the 3rd floor, have some level of intelligence and tactics.

Obviously, if Eustes was an ordinary adventurer of the same level, he would not have survived.

It was the same with Tio.

“Is it good luck… Or bad?”

As Cleon muttered, he pulled Galatea out of the heart of the orc.

Eustes was instructed to protect his head with a greatsword and not to move from the spot.

The armor he is wearing is of the highest quality with strength similar to that of a great sword.

It was an object that could not be scratched with the ax or sword that the Orc was holding.

In addition, since it was shining brightly, it was perfect for attracting the attention of the Orcs.

[Krrrr]

The face of the approaching orc, salivating with a sound similar to that of a wild boar, was ferocious.

Eustes was overcome with swords at the sight of the monster for the first time in his life, so he covered himself with a greatsword as Cleon had said.

No matter how hard the armor was and how good the sword was, the human who caught it was just a level 1 junkie.

“Le, Leona! Do something quickly!”

“Wait! There are many of them…”

The dimensional door is still open.

Did the dungeon not feel good like Iona said?

Reduce one, and another.

If you reduce two, another two.

No matter how you look at it, the number of Orcs pouring out of the portal in this way was not normal.

If the enemies continue to be replenished, Cleon may eventually have to release the power of the magic swordsman.

‘What are you drawn to?’

Cleon calmly analyzes the situation.

When the dungeon’s condition was strange, it was usually when an item that stimulated the dungeon’s core was brought in.

For example, ancient artifacts.

Holy swords and demonic swords also fall into that category.

Aren’t those two very stimulating in a dungeon?

I’ve never seen a particularly big reaction in my dungeon explorations so far.

Then-

“Hey! Didn’t you guys bring something strange!?”

Cleon raises his voice and asks his companions.

“This, strange thing!?”

“Yes! Ancient artifacts or something!”

After saying that, Tio first raised his hand and shook his head.

“I-I don’t have one!”

“Neither do I have such a thing!”

Then, Iona denied it.

Then Eustes takes something out of his pocket with a stiff face.

“”The Ring of Convenience…!””

Iona and Cleon open their mouths at the same time.

In particular, Iona had a face that said, “Oops.”

It’s probably paired with the original that Ruba had.

“Drop it!”

“What!? Do you know how much this is!?”

Eustes rebels against Cleon’s words as if he were saying something.

However, when he receives Cleon’s glaring eyes, he quickly recoils.

“That’s what the dungeon wants! The core of the dungeon recognizes ancient objects as kin and tries to collect them!”

Then Eustes looks at the ring and the orcs alternately.

`If ​​I lose this as well as Rubera, I’m sure my father will beat me to death… !`

Fear reigns in the mind.

Eustes’ body trembled.

A situation where you can neither do this nor that.

If he showed such a gap, it was no different than telling the enemy to kill him.

In the end, the orc cuts off Eustes’s greatsword and puts it aside.

“Uh?”

Stupid sound.

Then, a rusty ax swung from above.

Just like yesterday, Eustes felt the fear of death again.

Next moment-

Chew!

There was a person who pushed away Eustes and got hurt instead.

The party’s cleric, ‘Tio’.

Fortunately, he avoided being shot in the head, but suffered a huge cut in the back.

Her red blood spurted from her and clung to her armor of Eustes or to her face.

[Krrrraaaaa!!]

Orcs who get excited at the sight of blood.

Cleon, who took a moment to figure out what happened, sees Tio lying on the ground, bleeding, and opens her eyes wide.

“Eustes!!!”

The next moment, Cleon’s roar rang throughout the dungeon.

Eustes was startled and dropped the ring of convenience he was holding in his hand to the ground.

Then, the ring disappears as if absorbed into the ground.

The dimensional door closes.

“…Kuh… Iona! Look at Tio-san’s condition!”

“Okay. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

At Cleon’s words, Iona runs to Tio and uses healing magic.

However, since her wounds were deep, she couldn’t heal her wounds with Iona’s healing magic.

“I-I…”

Eustes looks at it with a devastated state.

His face was a mixture of fear, surprise and bewilderment.

Iona looks at him for a moment, but she eventually turns her head to focus on Tio’s treatment again.

In the meantime, Cleon runs through the enemies.

Originally, he tried to hide the use of magic as well as the use of mana, but now was not the time to discuss such things.

Legs, arms. And the magic power concentrated in the field of view.

The number of orcs that can no longer be replenished due to the disappearance of the portal is 5.

Her eyes were focused on Tio, a human woman, most of whom had collapsed, bleeding.

`One sword.`

Pierce the rapier-Galatea in your hand into the neck of the nearest orc.

An orc collapsed on the spot, pouring blood from a lightly penetrated hole.

‘One cut’

Then, he looked back like water flowing and cut the upper body of the next orc diagonally.

The thin and slender demonic sword cut through the torso with all the armor.

`One body.`

Two orcs attack Cleon from both sides.

Jump up quickly into the air, step on their heads, and swing your sword twice to drop their necks.

`One `state`.`

Finally, Cleon passed by the orc, who was frightened by all his colleagues in an instant.

The next moment, the orc’s limbs were amputated and he collapsed on the spot, completely losing his life.

Eustes stares blankly at it.

This is the real power of the strong.

On par with Ruba, the strongest swordsman he had ever known, no more.

The figure of Leona returning her sword to her waist without a single drop of blood on her body.

She was strongly imprinted in Eustes’ retina.

Eventually, the corpses of the orcs disappearing into black ash.

The loot was left on the ground, but Cleon approached Eustes without paying attention to it.

“God, that’s great.”

Eustes exclaims.

And…

Poop!!

A sound rang out.

Cleon hit Eustes in the face without controlling his strength.

Eustes rolling on the ground with a strong impact.

Tears welled up at the same time as the pain that made his mind go blank.

“It could be that you didn’t know that you shouldn’t bring something like that into a dungeon. You’re a beginner and you’re not serious about it.”

“I-I sincerely…”

“But. Your judgment was slow, and your comrades were injured and even nearly killed.”

“…Kw…”

Eustes clenched his fists while looking at Tio.

“Today’s request ends here. We have to go back to the city and treat Tio.”

At Cleon’s words, Iona nodded.

“The request… Is unfinished. The goal was to clear the first floor and return.”

And, incidentally, Eustes lowered his head as if indignant.

“Stop going on adventures with thoughts like playing house. After someone dies because of you, I’m not prepared to shoulder it.”

“I…”

Eustes opens his mouth as if to make an excuse.

Cleon approaches Eustes and grabs him by the collar.

“It’s not enough. Resolution. Skills.”

After spitting out, I picked up the fallen Tio.

The bleeding has stopped, but the wound inside is still there.

It was necessary to move to the temple in haste.

Cleon goes back the way he came without turning his head once.

Iona also stood up from her seat and looked down at Eustes.

It was to follow Cleon’s footsteps.

“…Shit…”

Only the resentful voice remained and lingered in the place.

002

“Your condition will improve little by little. Let us stay overnight at the temple.”

The priest of the temple reassured Cleon and Iona with a friendly smile.

The two breathe a sigh of relief.

Thanks to her hurried return to her city, she was able to treat her before it was too late.

“…”

While waiting to hear the results of the treatment here, Eustes did not appear.

Cleon ruminates on what he said earlier.

“… The party is disbanded.”

And that was the conclusion.

“… Is that so?”

It was Iona who questioned his words.

“Anyway, Eustes was interested in me at the level of a child’s interest in a new toy. He may have completely fallen out of love with this one.”

Cleon felt ashamed for raising his voice because he was uncharacteristically excited.

I just thought it would be nice if Iona wouldn’t spread this story to others.

“But. What you said is not wrong. Adventures are dangerous, and people’s lives are important. To carry them all… Eustes is too short.”

Iona comforts Cleon, who seems to be blaming himself for ruining the mission.

Cleon looked at Iona for a while and then nodded.

“Oh… Cleon?”

A voice calling to you then.

Cleon raised his head in surprise.

Because she herself was still taking the form of female swordsman Leona.

What was there was a priest belonging to this temple for a long time.

Before Quon could do his part, he treated the wounds of Alvein and Cleon over and over again.

To Quon, he is like a teacher who taught him the secrets of the healing arts he knew.

Then she quietly tilts her head.

He was old and had a benevolent smile.

She was a blind woman who could not see in front of her eyes.

“Oh, no… I’m Leona.”

Cleon stuttered at him in embarrassment.

Iona must have noticed something about her, so I quietly looked between the two without saying a word.

“Oh. I see. I’m sorry…”

The blind cleric laughed as if he was embarrassed and continued the story.

“…Come to think of it, Cleon is no longer in this world. A wanted bounty… That kid isn’t the kind of kid who would do such a thing.”

“…”

“Albein was also taken away by the kingdom. Perhaps because of that, Quon has not been seen lately.”

A priest who brings out a name he knows as if he is worried.

Cleon turned her head away as if he had a lot to crawl on.

“Oops. Now that I’m older, there’s nothing wrong with me. Talking about this to unrelated people.”

“Oh, no… I heard the rumors.”

Then the blind cleric nods her head.

Then stutter. Moving her hand, she grabbed Cleon’s hand.

“Just in case, Kuon… I’m sorry. I can’t see, so I can’t tell you what the child looks like because I don’t know… “

“…A cute little girl with impressive green hair.”

“Oh! Do you know Quon? Then, tell Quon.”

The cleric smiled brightly as if it was all right.

“If you’ve been hurt, please come visit us at any time. All the old man can do is listen.”

Saying that, she held Cleon’s hand and waved it over and over again.

Cleon says he knows her and then lets her go and looks down at her own hand.

“…You’re a good person.”

“…”

Cleon silently affirmed.

At the same time, this and that emotion filled her head.

“…Let’s break up for today. I think you need a break too.”

Saying that, Iona stood up and put her hand on Cleon’s shoulder her.

Cleon, who nodded her head, also followed her out of her temple.

Again and again she caught her own hand.

The gentle, calloused, wrinkled feel of his hands her did not leave his hands her.

003

“…”

Eustes rubbed his swollen face with water on his head.

When he reported that he had lost the Ring of Convenience, there was a cup of water first.

Then came his father’s slap his.

But why?

There was no anger or resentment toward my father like yesterday.

Anything bigger than that.

Anger against oneself.

‘It’s not enough. Resolution too. Skill too.`

Leona’s words linger in her head over and over again.

Until you return here from the dungeon.

If she herself then threw away the ring without hesitation.

There would have been no harm to a commoner named Tiora.

She wouldn’t have been hit in the face by Leona herself.

By now, everyone should have been drinking in the guild, resolving the hard work of victory.

What could be the reason for not doing so?

All to himself

“Shit…”

A sense of wonder that I feel for the first time in my life.

Eustes was experiencing regret at a very late age.

How to release this anger.

Nobody around me taught me.

“Huh? What is it? Aren’t you a fool’s son?”

At that time, a voice was heard from the garden in the mansion where the sky was pierced.

A man’s voice grating in his own ears.

He had a bottle of wine in one hand. In his other hand, he is drinking a piece of meat as a snack.

“…Sword Saint, uncheck…!?”

Eustes couldn’t help but be astonished to see such a man.

He, too, had heard about Talchek while living in the kingdom’s capital, and he had seen his face.

However, it was the first time they had met face-to-face like this, and there was no way to know why he was in his mansion.

“Why are you so dead? Did you get kicked by a woman?”

“Shit, it’s noisy! It smells like alcohol, so don’t put your face in it!”

Eustes tried to get out of the spot by burying the worries he had just before.

“Eh… Running away. The guy is too scared.”

Until Talchek said that.

…Escape.

If you think about it. When Rubera was there, he himself always ran away.

Rubera just cut through the danger that was following her.

And the karma he accumulated like that came back to him today.

Leona looked at her with contempt.

Iona’s compassionate gaze.

And… Tio stretched out her hand as if to reassure herself.

Eustes squeezed his hand.

And she looks back at Talchek, who ignored her.

“Uncheck the Sword Saint. I have a request.”

“Please? Haha, what is it? Who do you want to cut? A rival for love?”

At Eustes’s words, Talchek spits lines that seem to make fun of him.

But soon, seeing that expression was serious, he changed his eyes.

“Teach me a sword! If it’s the sword of Sword Master Talcheck, I’ll be able to get a little stronger!”

Silence passed.

Eusthes looked at Talchek and stiffened his body as he shouted.

Talchek looked at Eustes and dropped the jerky he was holding.

“…Haha!!!”

And Talcheck made the sound of laughter ringing through the house.

Those eyes could see something like madness.

Eustes frowns at Tal Check, who laughs for a while.

“What! That attitude!”

“No, no… I’m sorry. Heck… Yes. You want to learn the sword from me?”

“Okay!”

Talchek thought, resting his chin on his chin.

This guy’s father is a human being like a lump of shit.

They judge the value of others only by their skills and numbers, look down on them, and ignore them.

She was a person who never acknowledged others and thought she had control over everything.

But this fool in front of me.

Stupid, cowardly, and incompetent.

It’s not a ‘poop lump’.

She was a human being who had a heart that she could seek teaching from others honestly.

For Talchek, what was needed to teach someone was not whether he was good or bad.

Can you see the earnest desire to learn the sword and why?

Only that criterion was absolute.

“Okay! I’ll teach you. But first. Sell that stupid armor and useless greatsword and come.”

“What!? But…”

Talcheq glared at Eustes, who was about to say, “How much is this?”

“Don’t you want to learn the sword?”

“Kuh… No. Got it.”

Then Eustes nodded his head as if he couldn’t help it.

“And there is an old smithy in the shopping district to the south of the city. A guy named ‘Bolt’ runs it for the second generation. Get an iron longsword and light armor from there.”

“Long sword and light armor!? That’s enough for our warehouse…”

“If you throw up one more time, there will be no classes.”

When Talchek’s eyes lit up once again, Eustes had no choice but to quietly follow those words.

“Damn it…”

‘… Isn’t the job quite fun? Thanks, Cleon. This is all thanks to you.`

Talcheck was smiling as if he was genuinely enjoying himself.

004

Upon returning home, Cleon shared what had happened in the city with everyone.

“Then you were in the form of a woman all day today?”

First of all, Ruti expresses her doubts there.

When Cleon glances at Luti, he turns his head with an awkward face saying ‘Ahaha’.

“Mr. T.O… Did you say that?”

When Quon asks cautiously, Cleon nods her head.

“I’ve talked to you before leaving the city. He’s a very kind person…”

I’m sorry that that happened.

It’s a face called, but it doesn’t come out of the mouth.

If he said that, Cleon would care.

But Cleon knew at least that Quon thought so.

When a strange current flows between the two… Lila sighs.

“Cleon. Come see the groceries tomorrow.”

“Did you run out of food already? Yes. Okay.”

“Huh? But it’s still in stock…”

When Quon is about to say something, Layla turns her gaze to Quon for a moment.

Quon didn’t know what to do, but she shut her mouth in those eyes.

“And. Quon went with me too.”

“…Me too?”

Quon looked back at Layla, widening her eyes.

Layla nodded and pointed to her kuon.

“Yes! I like it here because I can do my research quietly. Quon hasn’t been back to the city for days already.”

“That’s… Even if I go alone, there’s nothing I can do. If someone asks about everyone’s whereabouts…”

When Quon drops her head in concern, Lila laughs ‘huh’.

“Changeling!”

And the magic that suddenly activates.

Activated by targeting Quon and Cleon at the same time.

In their place was Quon, whose face and body had become a little plain, and Cleon, whose hair had turned golden.

“…What is this?”

“Ruti’s rain… No, it’s the result of research obtained while researching magic. First of all, it’s illusion magic, so the substance hasn’t changed. It just looks that way to others and to yourself.”

Lyla twirls her finger proudly of her, and Quon and Cleon look at each other.

“… Lila you…”

And when Ruti opens her mouth.

“That’s it! I just wanted to experiment with magic!”

Lila sighs and blows the tip of her index finger with a proud expression.

Seeing Lila like that, Quon lowered her head.

“Thank you… Lila.”

“With something like this.”

Cleon looked at Lila and Quon and quietly closed his eyes.

On one side of his heart his, a small expectation for tomorrow sprouted.