Arifureta Shokugyou De Sekai Saikyou: Irregularity

Chapter 10 - 10: So? How screwed are we?

Yukitoshi [Damnit this doesn't come off, what genre are we supposed to be in? Nobody wants to see a pair of dudes covered in white stuff...]

Shimizu-kun said annoyed as he tried to wash the white substance with weakened water magic from his cape before asking me.

Yukitoshi [You say that thing can help?]

He looked with doubt at Su-chan.

Yuuki [He's like a <Enhancer> or maybe a <Multiplier>?, with him we'll have two or so more layers of strengthening overlapped]

Just like Izana-chan and the others, Su-chan has his own strong point, in his case is <Evolution Magic>, depending on the person's affinity and skill level he can multiply the effect of strengthening and it's derivatives a few times... Though Shimizu-kun doesn't have <Evolution Magic> so the effect of his <Body Strengthening> can be double the original value at most and in my case it can go up to four times.

Yuuki [With this we won't fall for something like the trap just now that easily...]

Yukitoshi [Sounds great, but I really need to ask, why not use that from the start?]

*Splash*

He threw a water ball at me.

All right, time to get going.

Yuuki [How is your mana? Can you keep on like this?]

As a mage he shouldn't run out that easily but <Body Strengthening> is a new skill and he won't get used to it that fast, even if it looks like he can move well the risk of running out of mana is still there.

Yukitoshi [Still fine]

Yuuki [I have fifteen vials of <Ochimizu>, take ten...]

I'll make more after clearing this labyrinth...

Yukitoshi [Well~ you flatter me with your consideration~]

Yuuki [Your mana pool is bigger but my mana consumption is better, you will run out first so you will need them, I can see it with <Detect Magic>...]

In this labyrinth with pretty much no mana recovery he will need them more than me. .

Yukitoshi [...Tch, got it...]

His face changed from mocking to annoyed as he put the vials in his belt.

Yuuki [Try not to get wounded, the <Ochimizu> take time to heal physical wounds and I'm bad at recovery]

Yukitoshi [Now that you mention it you said you suċkėd at it right~?... I'm the same though]

Still with sarcasm but he wasn't smiling.

Yuuki [All right, change of plans, step by step won't work, Miledi-san is monitoring us so she knows when and witch trap to use against us... especially if we take our time...]

Yukitoshi [So~ what do you suggest~]

Yuuki [We'll run like hell dodging and scaping from as many traps as we can]

Yukitoshi [...]

Yuuki [...?]

Yukitoshi [You... Not only at recovery, you also suck at planing you know that?]

Yuuki [Yep, I'm bad at lots of things]

This is a fight between Miledi-san and us, this labyrinth is her weapon.

We prepared ourselves to face the labyrinth head on.

Yuuki [<Susanoo>]

I declared Su-chan's name like a magic spell and his small spherical body shined brighter than before, his fangs bȧrė as if ready to ȧssault his prey.

Yuuki [(<Strengthening>, <Acceleration>)]

Yukitoshi [<Body Strengthening>]

We didn't move, as if we were waiting fo a signal, both silent as if waiting for the right moment... After five seconds, maybe after ten seconds-

Yuuki [-GO!]

One step-

*Clank*

-Right into a pitfall-

Yukitoshi [THIS WHITE STUFF AGAIN!?]

-Filled with the unknown white substance...

It wasn't that deep so we got out crawling... Completely covered in that white stuff...

*Clank*

And another message.

Yuuki [..."Too bad~, how does it feel to end like that after getting all serious~?⭐"... It's what it says...]

Yukitoshi [...]

Yuuki [...]

Again the awkward silence...

I thought the "Plus" would be as in "More difficult" but I was naive...

It means "More difficult" and "More humiliating".

Shimizu-kun's shoulders started to tremble and then-

Yukitoshi [!!!!]

From the wall behind us, the ceiling, the wall in front of us with the message and half of the floor in one swing.

It was a beautiful diagonal slash for someone that has not wielded a sword properly in his life.

Yukitoshi [-Haaaaaah-... Haaaaaah-...]

His breathing became heavy, probably for mental stress more than for being physically tired.

Well, he is not the most patient person in the world...

Yukitoshi [...Fufufufu...]

Yuuki [...?]

Yukitoshi [Fufufufu... Hahahaha-... HAAAAHaHAHA HaHAHA-HAAAAHAHaHAHAHa!!!]

Shimizu-kun snapped...

Yukitoshi [HAAAaaaaaa~...]

With a long sigh he calmed down and then asked me.

Yukitoshi [...Oi retard...]

Yuuki [Hm?]

Yukitoshi [The one that manages this labyrinth, Miledi, was it? Is that guy alive?]

Yuuki [She more or less is]

Yukitoshi [Well~, is that so~... That's great isn't it~]

Yuuki [It certainly is]

Yukitoshi [I mean~, if she's alive~...]

Turning over his shoulder at me his lips twisted into a crescent moon like smile.

Yukitoshi [ThEN wE Can FUcKinG KILL HER~...]

Yuuki [...]

...Well, I guess it's to be expected...

Though it's certainly a good thing to be motivated.

Fight on Miledi-san...

#####

*Clank*

Yuuki [Duck!!]

We hit the ground before three spinning circular blades passed above us.

No time to rest, we got up and ran forward.

We decided to follow the "Plan" that I came up with, mostly because if fits with Shimizu-kun's mood right now.

Yukitoshi [SCREW THIS GODDAMN PLACE WITH IT'S GODDAMN PITFALLS AND GODDAMN WHITE STUFF!!!]

No matter what came at us, be it pitfalls, arrows, flying blades, spears, swords or a whole wall... We won't stop...

No time to rest for us nor for Miledi-san...

Yuuki [-?]

As we ran, Tsuki-chan slightly pulled my cloak, this is a signal that we decided beforehand for when certain event is about to happen.

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun! The labyrinth will change in ten seconds!]

Yukitoshi [Tch, this again...]

The walls trembled, the ceiling trembled, the floor trembled, the whole labyrinth trembled...

Every thirty minutes the labyrinth's layout change like a giant puzzle...

As expected of a "New game plus"...

Yukitoshi [Screw the "New game plus" without cheats...]

The change is not as heavy as I expected when it comes to the distance we advanced (Just a few tens of meters), it's more for preparing ingenious and complicated traps for us, the kinetic effect between traps can be really scary some times...

Yukitoshi [Every damn time this happens an annoying one is waiting in front of us...]

Like a room full of hidden buŧŧons on the floor walls and ceiling that shoot fist sized metal balls at us while we have to find out which one of the buŧŧons open the exit door.

There was also a long and slippery spinning hallway with blades and spears popping out randomly from random places...

As expected of Miledi-san...

*Clank*

Yuuki [Here it comes!!]

The ceiling moved, 'Something like a blade or a projectile' is what I thought but what came from the ceiling was a rock plate with a message-

Yuuki ["I'm not a distraction~♥️"... Eh-?]

Yukitoshi [What the-Eh!?]

Suddenly we lost our footing, the floor was still there but for some reason we slipped and fell on our backs.

Yuuki [--------------!!!!!!]

Yukitoshi [-----------------*Cough* *cough*-]

I couldn't even scream, the impact on my lungs made it hard to breathe...

Yukitoshi [*Cough* *cough*- It's a- *Cough*- A slide-!]

I tried to return to the top of the slide fast but when I tried to get back on my feet I slipped with something slimy and fell on the slide again face first.

Yukitoshi [This thing again!?]

The unknown white substance flowed from the top of the slide making it more slippery than before and forcing us to fall without being able to resist.

I was somehow able to pierce the slide with Teiko to stop before reaching the end, Shimizu-kun did the same with the pitch black sword.

Yukitoshi [...To go back up there or to go all the way down...]

Yuuki [It's Miledi-san we are taking about so probably both are no good...]

Sadly, we didn't have time to decide as we heard the sound of something heavy hitting something hard at the top of the slide...

Yuuki [...?]

And then the sound of something rolling... Something big and heavy rolling down the slide...

Yukitoshi [REALLY!!?]

Shimizu-kun screamed annoyed at the giant rock that approached us rolling faster by every second that passes.

Yuuki [We'll have to go down!]

If we don't we're done for.

Yukitoshi [No shit I'm doing what that bitch wants!!!]

Shimizu-kun looked around for anything we could do, be it escaping or maybe breaking the trap...

There's no time, we need to decide fast or-

Yukitoshi [-!! The corners!!]

Yuuki [The what?]

Yukitoshi [To the corners NOW!!]

Shimizu-kun rolled to the side and pressed his body to the corner between the wall and the slide.

Yuuki [Got it!]

I did the same just before the giant rock passed by us...

Somehow it actually worked...

Yukitoshi [Hah! Suck that you-]

*Clank*

With a familiar heavy sound the surface of the slide sank from the middle, now it looked like the lower half of a tube...

We heard the sound of something heavy hitting something hard...

Yuuki [Eh?]

The sound of something big and heavy rolling down the now half tube slide (Without corners)...

Yukitoshi [YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!]

This feels like when someone cheats inside the rules, it's not fair at all but still fair someway or another, it sounds convenient when you use it but being in the receiving end is depressing...

Well, the rules were decided by Miledi-san herself so we can't complain if she "cheats" because that's how this labyrinth works...

On the other way, the only one troubled if someone "cheats" would be her...

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun!]

Yukitoshi [Now what!?]

Yuuki [The wall!! Blast it open!!]

He looked at me and then grinned...

One swing of the one edged pitch black sword with flashy ornaments but delicate design mercilessly destroyed the rock wall in a way no different from Shea Haulia's <Drucken> ...

We used the hole to escape and ended in a different room...

Yuuki [Haah-... Haaah... We were lucky that there was a room...]

If not we would have ended up with no choice but to fall through the slide and probably back to the first area of the labyrinth...

Yuuki [I think my nose is broken...]

I guess it was when I fell on my face...

Yukitoshi [You won't die from that so shut up]

I fixed the position of my nose with my fingers, I don't need <Ochimizu> for this much...

We need to keep going, we shouldn't rest yet-

Yuuki [-!!!]

When I see the wide room, I stopped... No matter how I see it this is bad...

Yuuki [... Shimizu-kun...]

Yukitoshi [What?]

I called for Shimizu-kun that was still fixing his breathing with his hands and knees on the floor.

Yuuki [Get up slowly, try not to move too much...]

Confused he did as I said and when he looked properly at the room.

It was as big as a commercial district or a market in the city of Fuhren, though it was essentially empty...

but only "essentially", that would be because-

Yukitoshi [...Metal wires?...]

That's right, the room was full of metal wires that went from the ceiling, the floor, the wall, they were all over the place.

Maybe by coincidence we ended up in a space of 3m or so free of wires.

Yuuki [This is definitely a trap...]

Yukitoshi [Don't you say...]

The hole in the wall behind us disappeared already so we can't go back.

I looked at the wires.

They weren't thin at all, they were actually hard to not notice.

Yukitoshi [A smoke screen or a direct trap?]

I looked at the door at the other side of the room.

Do we have to touch one or more wires to open it or to reach it while avoiding all of them-

Yuuki [-!!]

I looked at the floor and noticed the rubble from the wall, I worried about a piece touching a wire but for some miracle they didn't-

*Crack*

The biggest piece of rubble suddenly split in half and one of the pieces fell on a wire...

The wire snapped without resistance and whatever was on the other end pulled it at a tremendous speed...

Yuuki [...]

Yukitoshi [...]

We didn't even had time to wonder what would happen now as a giant cube made of rock fell from the ceiling with a thunderous sound ripping apart the wires that were on it's way...

Then a second and a third one fell in succession...

Yukitoshi [Run-!!]

We ran to the door at the other side of the room.

Let's see, if I'm not wrong, the metal wires are keeping the room together, the moment one wire snap, break, rip or whatever a piece of the ceiling or the floor will lose its support and fall.

The problem is that if one piece of the ceiling falls then a lot of wires will get ripped by it...

The ceiling was obvious since the first piece of ceiling fell but there are parts of the floor that are gone even when the ceiling right on top is fine so more than probably the wires are supporting the floor too...

It seems the correct answer was to not touch the wires...

If we are not careful we can be crushed by the ceiling of fall to who knows where but if we don't hurry we'll definitely be crushed or fall...

Yukitoshi [I'll kill her- I'll fuċkɨnġ kill her- I'LL FUCKING KILL THAT BITCH!!!]

Shimizu-kun ran with all his strength as he cursed Miledi-san's existence...

I somehow get it too...

I'm not really mad at Miledi-san but my sanity points are disappearing...

I want to cry...

#####

Yuuki [J-just five-... Just five minutes-]

Yukitoshi [Just-... Just an hour...]

Yuuki [Half a day... Half a day is fine...]

Yukitoshi [A day... L-let's just rest for a day...]

We escaped safely from that room...

But we were down... Like, literally down on the floor...

Yukitoshi [I can't get up... I'll just sleep here...]

After saying that he just fell asleep (Unconscious) like that on the floor.

I'm tired too, but if I fall sleep now I don't know when I'll wake up.

The labyrinth's layout change every thirty minutes...

If we sleep now we may end up all the way back to the entrance.

That wouldn't be funny at all...

I'll really cry if that happens...

Yuuki [At least... I should stay...?]

Without me noticing Izana-chan was right in from of my face...

Izanami [...]

Yuuki [Izana-...chan...]

I looked at her circular eyes as I wondered what happened.

Suddenly I felt drowsy...

It wast incomparable to the exhaustion from before, I just couldn't resist...

Did Izana-chan do something...

I can't think straight... I want to sleep...

#####

*Poke*

Yuuki [Hmmh~]

*Poke* *poke*

Yuuki [Mnyaaa~]

*Chomp*

Yuuki [KYAAA-!!]

Suddenly I feel pain in my hand...

I look around but there's nothing out of the ordinary, only the rock walls of Miledi-san's labyrinth.

Yuuki [...Right, I fell asleep...-Eh, Su-chan?]

When I look at my left hand to confirm the reason of the sudden pain I find Su-chan still nibbling my hand...

Yuuki [Good morning]

I casually say and he let go of my hand to now rub himself against it...

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun...?]

I look around to find a... Cocoon?... A black cocoon?...

Black Cocoon [*Suuu~*... *Suuu~*...]

It's alive!!!

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun~ is morning~]

I gently shake the black cocoon (Shimizu-kun) to wake him up but there's no response...

Looks like at some point he used his cape as a blanket to cover himself completely...

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun~ wake up~]

Yukitoshi [Mnmn~ shitty hag~ so noisy~]

Yuuki [No, I'm not that old and I'm sure I'm a boy]

Yukitoshi [Hm~? What the~?]

He more or less got up rubbing his eyes and after looking at the walls and me his face changed from sleepy to clear annoyance.

Yukitoshi [...Tch, it wasn't a dream...]

Yuuki [Too bad but the nightmare is still going]

'Here...' I gave him a hand to help him get up and he just took it without getting annoyed.

Yukitoshi [Hmmmmmh~ I needed that...]

He stretched his arms, I could hear soft cracking noises from all over his body whenever he stretched...

Sleeping in the floor is bad for your health...

He made a long sigh and then looked at me with a now serious expression.

Yukitoshi [So? How screwed are we?]

I pull out sandwiches and some drinks from my <Treasure Trove> for Shimizu-kun and for me.

Yuuki [...That's a good question...]

I gave a bite to my sandwich as I thought about our situation...

How long did we sleep?

How many times did the labyrinth's layout changed in that time?

Are we all the way back to the entrance?

If so, I'll cry...

I'll drop here and cry like a little girl...

I really will...

*Poke*

Yuuki [Hm? What's wrong Su-chan?]

He floated around swinging his arms and then pointed at a wall with entrance close to us.

Yuuki [...Over there...?]

We carefully approached to the entrance and then-

Yuuki [-!!]

Yukitoshi [Hm? The hell is this?]

Shimizu-kun reacted like he normally does but I couldn't control my surprise.

In front of us was a wide room, that much is normal but the really important thing is what is inside the room.

Yukitoshi [Metal armor?... I guess is not just that...]

An army of metallic full body armor soldiers.

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun...]

Yukitoshi [Yeah, I know without you telling me, it's obvious what comes now...]

Yuuki [It's not that... That door...]

I point at the door behind the armor soldiers.

Yukitoshi [...? Oi, that door... Is it what I think it is?]

I nod.

Yuuki [Behind that door is the guardian of the labyrinth... What we came for is waiting after that room...]

Yukitoshi [Heee~ Is that soo~]

He grinned as he unsheathed the pitch black sword.

Yuuki [Wait]

Yukitoshi [Ha?]

I stopped him with my arm.

Yuuki [First there is a few things I need to tell you]

I explained him about this room and the room after this one.

'The armor soldiers are golems that will attack us the moment we enter the room'

'Even if we defeat a few of them they will get repaired and will attack us again'

'The fastest and safest method to pass this room is to somehow run pass the golems and go straight to the next room'

'In the next room is waiting the guardian of the labyrinth, Miledi-san herself to fight us'

Yukitoshi [Straight to the next room, got it]

Yuuki [Actually no, I want us to fight them...]

Yukitoshi [...And that is because...?]

I got close to him and asked him something whispering to his ear.

Yukitoshi [...Oh~ so it's about that~]

He didn't answer but made it clear that he understood my intentions.

Yuuki [So? What do you say?]

Yukitoshi [It's not about what I say you know~? This is common sense before challenging the boss room so no problem here~]

He seems motivated, maybe because we are just about to reach the goal after all that happened...

Yuuki [All right... Let's do this]

#####

Yuuki [(<Gusha no Hokori>)]

A sword came at me.

Yuuki [-!!!]

*Clash*

I parried it and the dodged a second and third sword.

More than ten golems are chasing me mindlessly...

They certainly don't have a mind though...

Yukitoshi [Gooot~ youuu~]

Shimizu-kun cut dow the golems that are too busy attacking me to defend themselves.

This has repeated for almost two hours.

Yuuki [How is it going for you?]

Yukitoshi [Just perfect!]

The golems get repaired after being destroyed so no matter how many or how many times Shimizu-kun destroys them there is always enemies to defeat.

This is just what I wanted...

Yuuki [...Come for me...]

I use <Gusha no Hokori> to attract them into attack me-

Yukitoshi [This things really won't stop-!]

And Shimizu-kun defeat them...

And then repeat again and again...

This is real combat training...

First I confirm exactly how strong is Shimizu-kun by making him defeat many enemies.

Now comes the next stage...

Yuuki [Shimizu-kun, I'll stop attracting them so now they will attack you, ready?]

Yukitoshi [Is there a need to be ready for this trash?]

He sounds confident so I take it as a yes...

We split and fight the golems on our own.

A few golems attack me.

Their attacks are not exactly repetitive but they move in a very systematic pattern so it is not that hard to read-

Yuuki [-!!]

*Clash* *clash* *clash*

But the number of enemies worries me a little.

As I parry and dodge the attacks I look at Shimizu-kun fighting a few meters away.

Yukitoshi [Hah! You are just trash as I thought!!]

He is having fun...

The golems keep falling as he swing the pitch black sword.

Maybe it was the right choice to give it to him...

Another hour passes, maybe even two hours...

*Clash*

Yuuki [...Fuuuu...]

A sword came at me, I parried it and slashed the golem's right arm off.

Yuuki [Haa-!!]

I cut off the golem's head and retreated a few steps to dodge another attack coming at me, and a sword dig the ground where I was standing just now, I buried the golem's sword deeper in the group with my foot and slashed it's body in half.

There are now three golems in front of me, only a few steps away.

I pick up the sword that I stepped on and threw it at one of the golem's piercing it's head.

Another golem jump at me with it's sword in both hands positioned at the top of it's head.

Yuuki [Fu-!!]

Before he could finish the attack, I stabbed it's wide open ċhėst impaling it, then I swing Teiko following the golem's body until I cut it's head in half.

Now for the third one-

Yukitoshi [Looks like we're done...]

Yuuki [...]

The third golem was at Shimizu-kun's feet in a pitiful state.

Looking around I noticed that there are no more golem's around.

Yuuki [...Really?]

Yukitoshi [So, did we won?]

That can't be, certainly there are no golems attacking but there are not even half of the golems we destroyed either.

They were fixed and retreated?

Yuuki [Did Miledi-san noticed?]

That's the only explanation.

Yukitoshi [Well, after five hours anyone would notice...]