As the orc and its lackeys turned toward me, I hurled the hand axes I had prepared while running earlier.
「Gyarugi!」
「Grrllu!」
With my strength enhanced by body reinforcement, the axes flew with lethal precision, reducing two goblins’ heads to pulp.
「Next… 『Ice spears, pierce and scatter—Ice Lance!』」
I used a shortened chant to conjure two small ice lances and flung them.
They pierced the goblins’ stomachs, sending them flying.
「Gugigil!?」
「Gehyahya!?」
The impact shattered the ice lances, and blood gushed from the wounds as the goblins slumped motionless against the wall.
「Alright… now for the last one…」
「Buhiru!!」
I drew my sword and took a stance.
With the lackeys gone, only the orc remained.
「Buhoo… Buhooo…」
「Getting excited, huh…」
「Buhiru!!」
—THUD THUD THUD!
The orc charged forward, raising its club.
Taking that hit directly would be dangerous…
「But!」
「Look out!!」
「BUMOOOO!!」
—CRASH!!
「I’m taking this head-on!!」
「Buhiru!?」
I deflected the blow with my enhanced shield and immediately sliced off the orc’s arm with my sword.
I leapt backward as the orc’s severed arm flailed uselessly in the air.
「Buhyaaa… Buhyaaa…」
「I don’t want to drag this out, so let’s end it with this!」
I closed the distance in an instant, aiming for its neck.
I crouched low, then sprang upward with explosive force.
「Haaahhh!!」
My sword severed the orc’s neck midair.
With a loud thud, the massive body collapsed as the head rolled across the floor.
「Phew… Are you alri—!?」
After wiping the blood from my sword, I turned toward the person the orc had been attacking—
And met eyes with them.
「…Kaminagi-kun?」
「Huh?」
Standing there was Yamanaga Takayo, the class representative.
Beside her lay an unconscious girl I didn’t recognize.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
「Ehto… Yamanaga-san?」
「Kaminagi-kun?」
We both stood frozen for a moment—
Until the other girl suddenly began convulsing.
「Oh crap!?」
「Kana! Hey, Kana!!」
「Excuse me, Yamanaga-san!」
I shoved Yamanaga-san aside and rushed to check on the girl named Kana.
At a glance, I could tell—it was a serious injury.
「Is it just a broken arm? Yamanaga-san, how exactly was she attacked?」
「Uh, um… It was a surprise attack from behind… I wasn’t hit directly, but Kana and I were both blown away… Ow!?」
「Sorry, I need to check the wound. I’ll cut this a bit, okay?」
「Ugh… AhhhhAAAAHH!!」
I cut open the hem of her clothing and spread it apart to examine Yamanaga-san’s leg.
Her lower leg was badly deformed, with bone sticking out.
This is bad… At this rate…
Kazama-san’s condition wasn’t clear, but through her torn clothing, I could see her abdomen turning blue and what seemed like broken ribs.
Her pelvis might be fractured too.
「I guess there’s no other way… 『Before me, let the wounded be healed by my power! Restore all that is broken—Perfect Heal!』」
As I chanted the spell, light enveloped their bodies.
Yamanaga-san’s leg was healed, and Kazama-san’s entire body recovered.
「Hah… hah… Thank you, Kaminagi-kun…」
「Ah—uh… yeah, you’re welcome.」
That response left the air feeling… awkward.
「Um… this is Kazama Kana, my best friend. She’s in the class next door.」
「Ah, I see…」
(“I see”!? Come on, say something better!)
「Uh, I should gather the spoils from the hunt…」
Trying to escape the awkwardness, I headed toward the orc’s corpse.
「I’ll help too. Goblin parts are fine, right?」
「Ah, thanks…」
Amid the heavy atmosphere, I collected the orc’s nose, ears, and magic stone.
Yamanaga-san gathered the goblins’ ears.
(The air is so heavy!! What am I supposed to talk about!?)
「You’re really strong, huh…」
「W-Well… I just happened to get a strong job… But more importantly…」
「More importantly?」
「Yamanaga-san, I need you to keep quiet about what happened here.」
She gave me a puzzled look.
「Ehto… what part exactly?」
「Um, the part where I defeated the goblins and healed you two with magic…」
「Eh? So that was magic…」
「Yeah. The truth is…」
I explained that Hikari had become a 【Mage】 and was now being targeted worldwide.
Hikari had managed to go into hiding overseas, but I wasn’t so lucky.
「So yeah, if people find out I can use magic, it’ll be bad.」
「I see—wait, won’t I get captured and tortured just for knowing this!?」
「Uh… I’m not really sure…?」
「Don’t say that!? I don’t want to die again!!」
「That’s why… it’d really help if you kept quiet about this…」
「Got it! I’ll take this secret to my grave!!」
Yamanaga-san finally seemed back to her usual self. I smiled at her—just as Kazama-san, who had been unconscious, slowly opened her eyes.
「Huh… what happened to me…?」
「Kana!?」
「Wha—T-Takayo!?」
「Waaah! I’m so glad you’re okay!!」
「Wha—what’s going on!?」
By the way, I was turned away from them. Kazama-san’s clothes were pretty much destroyed, so I’d covered her with the jersey I was wearing.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
「So… let me get this straight. I passed out and was on the verge of death, and Takayo’s classmate saved me?」
「Y-Yeah… that’s right…」
「Ah, um, I’m Kaminagi Yuuki.」
「I’m Kazama Kana. Thank you for saving me, Kaminagi-kun.」
She held out her hand, and I shook it lightly.
Her complexion was still a little pale, but she seemed okay.
「So, Kaminagi-kun.」
「Yes… what is it?」
「Can I keep borrowing the jersey for a bit longer?」
「Ah… yeah, that’s fine. But… do you have a change of clothes?」
「Ah… what should I do… I don’t have any…」
「M-Me neither…」
Hmm… what to do… Oh!
「How about asking your parents to bring you some?」
「Ah—well, I live with a single parent…」
「O-Oh… sorry…」
「Nah, it’s fine. But this kinda sucks… I mean, we came all the way out here, and now it’s all a loss…」
「A loss?」
「Yeah. Like I said, my mom’s working too, but she doesn’t earn much… Our finances are pretty tight, so I was hoping to make a little extra money here…」
「I see… so that’s not really an option then… What about you, Yamanaga-san?」
I called out to Yamanaga-san, who had finally stopped crying.
「My parents are working today too. Actually, they run their own business, so they barely get any days off…」
「Huh? Then how did you two get here?」
「There’s a bus from the station, so we took that…」
「I see… so buying clothes on the way home isn’t an option either… Ah, I know.」
「「???」」
「Just wait here for a second…」
I called Tsuzuri-san on my phone. For some reason, cell signals worked inside the dungeon, so I always carried my smartphone with me.
『Heeey～ Ka～mi～na～gi～kuuun～』
「…What are you doing right now?」
『Sorry, sorry! I was wrapped up in a massage chair…』
「Ah, I see. Sorry for interrupting…」
『No, no, it’s fine, it’s fine. So, what’s up?』
After explaining the situation—while keeping the magic part under wraps—Tsuzuri-san readily agreed to help.
『Alright, I’ll head over there now～』
「Okay, thank you.」
I hung up and went back to explain the situation to the girls.
「Thank goodness… By the way, Kaminagi-kun, are you actually some kind of big shot?」
「Yeah, I mean, he healed our wounds… Ah…」
「Huh? Healed…?」
「Ah… um… Can you keep what I’m about to say a secret…?」
I explained the same story again, and Kazama-san suddenly dropped to her knees and bowed deeply.
「Thank you so much. I didn’t realize how badly I was hurt…」
「No, no, really… just covering for me is enough.」
「Got it. I swear I won’t tell anyone…」
「That’s a relief. Thank you…」
After that, the three of us started walking toward the dungeon entrance.
⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤
・Yamanaga Takayo
Yuuki and Hikari’s classmate.
A lively and cheerful class rep, though she sometimes messes up.
Her family runs a small diner.
Yuuki saved her and Kana when they were attacked by an orc in the dungeon.
・Kazama Kana
Takayo’s best friend.
Yuuki saved her and Takayo when they were attacked by an orc in the dungeon.
She suffered severe injuries but was completely healed by Yuuki’s magic.
Kana’s family struggles financially, so she entered the dungeon to earn money.
Her personality is similar to Takayo’s.
Leave a Reply