n

nCHAPTER 35 – DEFENSE SPECIALIZED AND DESERT EXPLORATION

nCompared to up until now, the scale of the forest was small.

n「Oh, we’re already out!」

n「Oh〜……it’s a desert」

nIt was a vast desert that spread in front of the two.

nThere was sand while cactus can be seen everywhere.

nThere was no appearance of players.

n「Let’s go」

n「Alright」

nThe two stepped into the desert.

n「It’s good that we don’t get thirsty」

n「That’s true, if that is so, we can’t explore after all」

nDehydration symptoms don’t exist in this game.

nJust because it’s the desert, it is not like they would receive damage from the temperature.

nBut since it is hard to walk on sand, it was difficult to say that it is easy to explore, but the two passed through the sand dunes, and moves forward slowly but surely.

n「There’s nothing〜」

n「From how it looks that is」

nBecause there are many sand dunes, there might be something if they passed through them

n「For the meantime, let’s move ahead」

n「Okay」

nThey didn’t let out Oboro and Syrup.

nFirstly, even if Syrup comes out, it couldn’t climb up through the sand dunes.

nBecause on the way, it was pushed back by the breaking sand.

nAnd looking at Oboro, seeing that it was covered with sand, Sally returned it.

nAccording to Sally, she feels bad for it.

nAnd the two who had climbed over ten sand dunes, they finally saw an oasis.

n「We finally see it!」

n「Let’s go quick!」

nIn the scenery that was full of sand, they could see that greens vibrant and shining.

nThe two went to the oasis with light steps.

n「How is it? Does it connect to a dungeon?」

n「Let’s split up and search around the corners. It’s not that big so it would finish quickly」

nThe two searched all of the corners of the oasis, but they only figured out that there was nothing.

n「Mu〜… there’s nothing」

n「Unfortunately, it seems so」

n「You want to take a little break?」

n「Let’s do that. I’m also a little bit tired」

nSally took a stretch.

nBoth Sally and Maple had already gone through a long battle today.

nThey couldn’t be blamed if they were tired.

nMaple lied down and sloppily looked around.

n「n〜……n? Sally! Someone’s coming!」

nMaple stood up and readied her large shield.

nSally also reacted to that voice, and stared at the player that was going towards them while holding her dagger.

n「Ohh… someone’s first huh. On top of that, it’s Maple…… my luck isn’t that good」

nThe person who came was a girl wearing Japanese clothes.

nShe wears a sakura-colored kimono in her upper body.

nAlso, a purple hakama.

nAnd she is equipped with on katana, so it’s easy to figure out her features with a glance.

n「That person, she’s sixth ranked in the last event」

n「Eh?! Really」

n「I’ve checked quite a bit, so I at least know that」

n「Ahh, excuse me while you’re talking, but……if it’s alright, can you let me off」

nIt looks like this girl doesn’t have the will to fight.

nAlthough it is unknown if she really feels like that.

n「……what would you do if we say no?」

n「In that case……it can’t be helped. I’ll make sure that I’d take one of you with me」

nThe girl said ‘one of you’, but her consciousness was towards Sally.

nMaple was readying her self so that she could attack or defend anytime.

n「With that, the one who remained would get all the medals so it’s quite favorable for us」

nSally whispered.

n「…………ah!」

n「Let’s do it?」

n「Let’s do it, huh?」

nThe two looked at the girl at the same time.

n「【Super Acceleration】!」

nThe girl escaped with full power.

nShe ran away without looking back as fast as she could.

n「【Super Acceleration】!」

nSally chased after her with full strength.

nShe chased after her as if to look at a prey.

n「W-Wait for me〜!」

nMaple chased after them with her full strength.

nShe chased after them with the speed of a tortoise.

n「Why do you have【Super Acceleration】……!!」

n「Did you look down on me?」

nThe two’s super acceleration ended. The place where they are was a valley surrounded by sand dunes. There’s no place to escape.

nThe girl also reluctantly drew her katana.

nIn fact, she thought that she could win if the opponent isn’t Maple.

nAfter all, she was sixth.

n「【First of the Blades・Kagerou】」

nThe girl’s appearance shook and disappeared.

nAnd, the next instant, she appeared in front of her.

nThe katana that was swung sidewards cuts through Sally’s torso.

n「Ha…?!!」

nThe girl was surprised.

nThe thing that Sally was disappeared in front of her as if she melted into air.

n「Everyone, they react like that at first you know」

nRed effects scatters from the girl’s body.

nBecause Sally doesn’t have that much attack power, the damage isn’t that big, but she slashed through her stomach while passing through her side.

nAnd, Sally once again took distance.

n「If you don’t defeat me before Maple comes, it looks bad」

nSally said to the girl.

n「Ku!……【First of the Blades・Kagerou】」

nThe girl once again approached Sally with fast speed.

nAnd, her katana slashes through her just like before.

n「That, I saw it before」

nIt was a strange sight.

nThe katana that slashes through close distance was dodged by Sally by charging while crouching making it only cut the air.

nSally continued like that and ran towards the woman’s left side with a low posture.

n「Gu……!」

nRed effects scatter from the woman’s feet.

n「I didn’t think, that you were this strong……」

n「Well, thanks」

nThe two turned around and faced each other.

nSally didn’t attack from her side.

nIt was to aim for when her opponent breaks its posture when she dodges the attacks.

nIf she receives a counterattack, it would be over.

nAlthough, her opponent doesn’t know about that though.

n「……I can only use my whole strength huh」

nThe girl who said that with a low voice changed her air.

nNo, even her appearance changed.

nHer beautiful black hair changes to a snow white, and her black eyes were dyed in scarlet.

nAround the girl, effects with sakura colors just like in her kimono shines.

n「………」

nSally also stops saying gibberish and heightens her concentration to the limit.

nThis is Sally’s best trump card.

nAn absolute power that anyone else couldn’t imitate.

n「【Last of the Blades・Oborozuki】」

nInvisible consecutive attacks had attacked Sally.

nBecause of their speed, the blade trembles, as if they disappeared.

nIt would be impossible to see those blades through vision.

n「……!!」

nThe one who whispered softly was the Japanese clothed girl.

nThe invisible consecutive attacks couldn’t catch Sally.

nShe could only follow the somewhat decided movements until the skill ends when consecutive attack skills are activated.

n“Hit”, “Hit”, she swings her blade while praying.

nSally had dodged these consecutive attacks.

nThe movement of her feet.

nThe movement of her eyes.

nThe movement of her arms.

nThe movement of her shoulders.

nThe sound of the blade cutting air.

nUsing all of that information, she predicted the movement of the blade, and dodges within skin length.

nFor her opponent, it should be weird as it can be. The attacks she did was being dodged using the least amount of movement right in front of her

nThat’s right, it was as if.

nShe could see that the blades were dodging Sally instead.

nThe twelve consecutive attacks that each have killing strength ended.

nAfter the girl had looked at Sally, she smiled pleasantly and collapsed to her back.

n「I lost. Do it with a single thought」

nThe color of her hair and eyes also returned.

nThe aura also disappeared.

n「In my part, it was quite dangerous」

n「Next time, I’ll make sure I hit you」

nAt that time, when Sally was about to swing down her dagger.

n「AHHHHHHHH!! Wait, I cant stoppppppppppp!!!」

nThe two instinctively turned towards the place where the scream was coming from, and there they saw a black object rolling down the sand dune while catching up sand.

n「Eh! Wait! Maple! W-Wait!!」

nThat’s right, that object was Maple.

nThe only thing that she could be praised for was that she had unequipped her large shield.

nAnd, it is already not a situation that she could stop even if she were told to wait.

nMaple flies to were the two was.

nShe collapsed while catching up sand big time.

nThe three of them, it took a long time for them to do something about this situation.

nAnd, within that blank instant, a change happened beneath their feet.

n「Ha?!!」

n「Ku! I can’t escape!」

n「Eh?? Eh??」

nThe three reacted in their own ways, and got devoured by quicksand with tremendous speed.

nThere was two who was able to fall on their feet after taking their balance mid air.

nOne of them was thrown into the ground while her armor echoed.

nOf course, it’s Maple.

nFortunately, it was not that high so the damage was zero.

n「W-What happened?」

n「A dungeon that reacts with the number of people… I guess〜. It suddenly responded when Maple fell after all」

nLooking at Sally who tried to hold her head to think of what to do, everyone noticed.

nTo the fact that the three’s hand were connected with a black chain.

n「「「Eh?」」」

nSally’s right hand to the Japanese clothed girl.

nSally’s left hand to Maple.

nThe only hands that were free were the girl’s right hand and Maple’s left hand.

nThe length of the change was a meter and a little bit, they shouldn’t be able to move as usual.

nAnd for the three, it took a little bit of time to understand the situation.

n