Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Chapter  39   Shitty abnormality

Miyano Mizuki

“Only twenty minutes left…”

“If we can just make it through without getting caught, it’ll be easy.”

While Koosuke was battling the enemy instructor, Kudo Shun, the Miya team had gathered in the same location.

“I-Is Igami-san okay?”

“No problem?”

“…Seems fine. he was fighting against the enemy instructor and had the upper hand.”

“I see. In that case, all we have to do is escape like this.”

The Miya group spoke with an attitude that seemed relaxed yet cautious of their surroundings.

However, Abe remained silent, her gaze fixed on something. In a sense, it was typical of her, but Mizuki felt that there was something different about her demeanor.

“Something wrong, Haruka?”

“…I have a bad feeling.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the team members went on high alert, attentively surveying their surroundings, but nothing happened.

“Is there really nothing?”

“…Does this bad feeling mean that the enemy is approaching?”

“No, I think it’s something even worse.”

Haruka’s unclear words left the other three puzzled.

“Do we have the luxury to engage in casual conversation?”

However, they couldn’t dwell on the matter any longer.

“Quick! Disperse!”

In response to Mizuki’s urgent cry, the members of the Miyano team swiftly scattered from their current position.

Fortunately, they were able to evade the danger, perhaps because their opponents had held back. Otherwise, they would have been ambushed without even having the chance to give a warning.

“We finally found you.”

“Asuka-san… Well, from our perspective, we didn’t want you to find us until the last moment.”

And there appeared none other than Tenshi Asuka, the leader of the enemy team.

Asuka poised her spear, and Mizuki and the others readied their weapons.

It seemed that the final battle was about to take place. The scene was compelling enough to evoke that anticipation.

However, unexpectedly, Asuka released her stance and bowed her head.

The members of the Miya team were bewildered by this gesture, but Asuka still spoke her words.

“…Before we fight, I want to apologize for underestimating all of you. I’m truly sorry.”

Then, raising her head, Asuka repositioned her spear with a serious expression, emitting an aura of intimidation.

The Miya team was overwhelmed by the pressure emanating from Asuka, but Mizuki alone stood firm, poised with her sword.

“However, from now on, I will give it my all!”

Witnessing this, Asuka’s lips curved into a smile, and she exerted strength in her legs.

“–!!!!”

Yet, Asuka’s foot never stepped forward towards Mizuki and the others.

At that moment, just as Asuka was about to start running, a distant cry could be heard.

It was a strange, otherworldly voice that seemed impossible for a human.

“What is this!?”

“M-Monsters!? Weren’t they supposed to be exterminated!?”

This dungeon, known as the “Forest of Multi-Armed Monkeys,” is where Mizuki and her team are currently engaged in a ranking battle. Normally, they wouldn’t be concerned about the location since adventurers had already cleared out the monsters. However, the dungeon’s original purpose was for giant apes with multiple arms to inhabit, hence its name.

The enraged dungeon master, whose comrades were slain and whose territory was being tampered with by humans, had now risen to take action.

Igami Koosuke

“Well, I wonder how they’re doing over there.”

“Well, don’t you believe in your own victory?”

“It’s not about believing in victory, but rather not doubting it.”

“Haha, as expected of a ‘survivor.’ You must have great confidence in those kids’ ability to ‘survive.'”

“No, it’s not about confidence in them, it’s about confidence in myself. It’s not about words for others, it’s about self-belief.”

“Then what is it?”

“…Trust, I suppose.”

“Even though you’ve just started your role as an instructor… Oh!”

In the midst of that conversation, Kudo suddenly stopped speaking, clutching his throat. It didn’t surprise me; after all, I was the one who did it.

“To live up to that trust, a draw here wouldn’t look cool, right?”

What I did was simple. Just like I did in the Demon Hole before, I closed off his throat. Though even if I brought the water ball right up to his mouth, it would be crushed or forcefully expelled with a breath.

Normally, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but it’s different when facing a Special Class. These guys do things that defy common sense.

“Ah…!”

“You let your guard down because I said I can’t use magic, didn’t you? Sorry, but this is the ‘old model’ of a special restraining magic tool called ‘Grapenir.’ The current version is an upgraded one, but the old model still allows the use of magic even when restrained.”

While I was talking, Kudo’s mouth was moving frantically, trying to twist his body and escape. But with pure physical strength alone, he wouldn’t be able to break free from these chains.

“——Ah!”

“Well done. Sorry, but the time for restraint isn’t quite enough.”

As Kudo continued to struggle, we waited for a moment, and approximately eight minutes passed since the chains restrained us. Then, the restraints of the chains were released.

And unaware of this, Kudo continued to thrash around, losing balance. On the other hand, I knew that the restraints were undone and had prepared myself for it.

However, Special Class opponents are not so easily defeated.

Even if they had been submerged for minutes or unexpectedly lost their balance, they would still come at you. That’s the nature of a Special Class.

So…

“May light be upon thee—”

While Kudo approached me, despite his compromised posture, I activated a necklace-shaped magical device to fill the surroundings with light, engulfing everything.

However, it wasn’t enough to end it with just that against a Special Class.

Although he shouldn’t be able to see, Kudo reached out his hand, attempting to catch me.

If he were to grab me with that hand, I would be defeated.

That’s why I chose to deliberately let myself be caught.

“!?”

It seems even Kudo didn’t expect that. Despite his hand touching me, he couldn’t grab hold of me right away.

It was a momentary hesitation, not even lasting a second. But for me, it was more than enough.

The moment Kudo’s hand made contact with my clothes, the curse was triggered.

“Ugh!”

“!”

Damn it, it’s unpleasant even though I knew it would affect me too!

It was a very simple curse.

Wishing misfortune upon someone. Hoping for their illness to worsen. Praying for their injuries to become severe.

It was such a simple curse that almost anyone would inadvertently wish for, something that has existed since ancient times.

However, for Kudo, it became fatal.

After all, he was already under the influence of a Special Class curse. The combination of the original curse and the one I cast intensified its effect, causing the curse to spread throughout his entire body. He collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a word and contorting in agony.

However, as the saying goes, “What goes around comes around.” Even though I, a non-expert, used the curse, it backfired on me, albeit in a very basic manner.

But unlike Kudo, I didn’t have a pre-existing curse on me. Additionally, my curse skills weren’t strong enough to have a significant impact. At most, it would cause a higher level of fatigue or slightly intensify the pain of injuries.

The curse I cast on him has already dissipated, and in another ten minutes, he should wake up. After all, he’s a Special Class.

In any case, it’s over for him now.

Well, I’m relieved. It’s good that he was affected by the curse.

I had made preparations just in case, but honestly, I never thought I would end up using a curse like this.

“For now, let’s regroup.”

After summoning the drone that was capturing us and informing it of Kudo’s collapse, I was about to start walking towards Miyano and the others…

“But if we retreat like this… What the!?”

My steps came to a halt after taking a few steps forward.

I had a bad premonition from the direction where Miyano and the others were supposed to be in the forest.

“This feeling… Tsk! Not again, you damn scumbag!”

Clicking my tongue, recalling a sensation I had hoped never to experience again, I sprinted towards my companions.