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?

Volume 3 Chapter 31    Kana: Jellyfish extermination succeeds

“Kana!”

“Mizuki!”

And as Kana swung the newly created debris around, Mizuki appeared, releasing lightning strikes while making her way towards them.

“I had heard about it beforehand, but your fighting style is truly incredible.”

“Well, if I had to punch every single one of them, no matter how much time we had, it wouldn’t be enough.”

Standing next to Kana, Mizuki chuckled wryly as he watched her engage in reckless actions that she herself couldn’t replicate.

Although Mizuki had heard about Kana’s strategy, experiencing it firsthand was a completely different story.

It was an attack devoid of technique or strategy, like a raging storm fueled by sheer strength.

“That must be the boss over there.”

After shifting her gaze from her friend, who had come this far with her reckless approach, Mizuki took a deep breath, preparing herself even more than before.

“Did you contact Igami-san?”

“Yeah. He told us to stab it with the knife.”

“Well, as planned, I guess.”

“Yeah. Mizuki, please.”

While Kana surpasses Mizuki in raw physical strength, Mizuki outshines her in terms of speed. That’s why Kana suggested that Mizuki should be the one to stab the jellyfish in question. However, Mizuki seemed somewhat apologetic.

“It feels like I’m taking away your spotlight, even though you were the one who found it.”

She felt a tinge of jealousy towards her best friend’s achievements. If possible, she wanted to be the one in the spotlight instead of her friend. But even so, she didn’t wish to steal her friend’s moment of glory. It was a contradiction that Miyano Mizuki, the girl in question, genuinely struggled with.

“Don’t worry about it. Besides, we don’t have the luxury to dwell on such things. And if we’re talking about achievements, he’s far ahead of us…”

“Well, you’re right. I’ll go then.”

With a carefree smile as if she had no concerns, Kana proceeded forward. However, her expression dimmed for a moment.

It was because she thought about Igami, their comrade, benefactor, and the person she had feelings for, who was surpassing them in achievements and would continue to do so.

As if reading Kana’s thoughts, Mizuki furrowed her brows ever so slightly. But without hesitation, she grasped the knife Igami had given her and leaped towards the boss of the jellyfish.

“Ah…!”

“Mizuki!?”

However, just as Mizuki was about to approach the boss, an obstructing wall appeared, making it difficult to see. It blocked Mizuki’s path.

Reacting swiftly, Mizuki adjusted her posture to avoid colliding with the suddenly appearing wall. But at that moment, the boss’s tentacle thrust out, sending Mizuki flying.

However, being thrown off didn’t pose a significant threat to Mizuki. It was a light attack, and she gracefully regained her composure mid-air, landing with ease.

“I’m back.”

“A barrier?”

“Yes, a rather sturdy one too.”

After returning to Kana’s side, Mizuki explained what had happened and began discussing their next move.

“So, Kana, I’ll create an opportunity for you to shine as well.”

“I would have preferred not to have an opportunity to shine, but I guess there’s no other choice. I just need to break the barrier, right?”

Although Mizuki only mentioned an opportunity to shine, Kana understood what was being asked of her before the explanation was given.

If there was a barrier protecting the enemy, and she was being given an opportunity to shine in that situation, it could only mean one thing: she had to smash through that barrier.

“Of course. Can you do it?”

“Absolutely! So make sure you don’t miss either!”

“Naturally. Alright then, I’ll take care of the surrounding enemies. Break the barrier. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Roger, roger!”

Although Kana’s response was casual, her expression held a trace of excitement and a hint of ferocity.

“Three, two, one…”

As Mizuki counted down, her magical power surged, constructing a spell of a magnitude that rivaled, if not surpassed, that of a first-class mage.

“Yaaahhh!”

With a thunderous roar, the unleashed lightning decimated every jellyfish in the vicinity except for the boss, obliterating them.

However, despite the devastating attack, not a single crack appeared in the barrier utilized by the boss.

“Grrr, shatter already!”

Kana sprinted through the now enemy-free space, leapt with great force towards the barrier, and without slowing her momentum, struck it with a powerful punch.

It wasn’t a flurry of strikes, but a single blow. Kana poured her conviction and strength into that one strike, intending to shatter everything. She slammed her fist against the barrier.

Even the boss’s impervious barrier, which had withstood Mizuki’s thunder, cracked under Kana’s punch.

And gradually, the cracks spread, making a resounding sound akin to shattering glass, until the barrier shattered completely.

“Seiya!”

After unleashing her magic, Mizuki had already started moving before the barrier shattered.

In an instant, as the barrier crumbled, she charged towards the boss and drove her knife deep, piercing it to the hilt.

“I stabbed it! That should do it!”

Once the knife was embedded, Mizuki stepped back to a safe distance from the boss, allowing the magic infused in the knife to activate without causing unnecessary harm or killing.

For a while, the jellyfish seemed unaffected after Mizuki stabbed the knife, but suddenly, both the boss and its minions, who had gathered from a distance, began thrashing wildly and then dropped to the ground, one by one.

“It looks like we succeeded.”

“Yeah. Good job, Mizuki.”

“Kana, you too. Well done.”

As they congratulated each other, a sense of relief washed over them, and they released a heavy sigh, finally comprehending that it was over.

“But I must say, Igami-san, you’re truly remarkable.”

The jellyfish that had been so bothersome just moments ago were now nothing more than fallen candies, littering the ground. Witnessing this scene, Mizuki couldn’t help but marvel as she let out a breath of awe.

However, simultaneously, worries crept into her mind.

“Is he okay…?”

Kana, too, seemed to share the same concern, her expression twisted in worry as she softly voiced her thoughts.

“Well then, shall we head back? It seems like Kana is really anxious.”

“That’s not it! I mean… it’s not… it’s different.”