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 5 Chapter 55    Ominous premonition

“Mizuki! Protect our surroundings! I’ll handle the dragon!”

Upon hearing Asada’s urgent cry, I snapped back to reality and shook my head.

Asada shouted towards Miyano and then crushed a magical stone, enhancing her own body even further. She wielded her massive hammer and charged straight at the dragon.

There were three dragons present in this location. Perhaps due to the anomaly of this dungeon and the gate within it, the number of monsters emerging was fewer than from a regular gate. Nonetheless, considering there were other monsters around, having dragons alone was already a dire situation.

Yet, undeterred, Asada fearlessly plunged into the midst of the dragon group, while Miyano, as Asada suggested, began dealing with the monsters that had survived Abe’s earlier flames.

In that case, my focus should be on supporting them and navigating through this situation, rather than dwelling on the enemy’s words.

With that thought in mind, I switched gears and, aiming at the dragon’s face where Asada had charged, I launched a tear gas canister.

The canister struck the dragon’s head and promptly burst, shrouding its vision and obstructing its sight.

Blinded by the tear gas and in discomfort due to the stinging sensation in its eyes and nose, the dragon let out a roar. However, Asada didn’t miss the opportunity. She accelerated further, slipping into the dragon’s blind spot and closing in on its flank.

“Take off!”

Leveraging her enhanced physical abilities to the level of an elite, Asada propelled the massive dragon’s body into the air.

“One down!”

Perhaps surprised by the sight of one of their kin being launched by a human, the other two dragons looked up at the sky in unison.

But that was their moment of vulnerability.

After launching the first dragon, Asada, realizing her enhancement was still in effect, raced forward without hesitation, intent on dealing with the remaining two dragons before her strength waned.

As she slid into the second dragon’s blind spot just as she had with the first, she once again lifted her enormous hammer with the intent to strike.

However, a man who had been lingering near the dragons, still in contact with the core, interrupted her. He released a spell that struck Asada, targeting her with an attack.

This sudden disruption caught the dragons’ attention. They turned their focus toward Asada, roaring and thrashing in her direction.

Asada instinctively leaped back from her assault, and I intervened by directing a spell at one of the dragon’s hind talons, inserting sand between the claw and the flesh to cause a grinding effect.

Surprisingly, even against a creature as formidable as a dragon, this tactic seemed effective. The claws, with concentrated nerve endings, proved susceptible to manipulation, driving the dragon into a frenzy unlike before, marked by a different kind of cry.

Seeing Asada attempting to retreat, I impeded her withdrawal and guided her back into the fray. She moved forward once again.

With a powerful strike, she landed a blow on the dragon’s forelimb, shattering scales and breaking its limb. The dragon collapsed onto its side, and Asada targeted its head, preparing to strike.

Though the dragon attempted to rise, a swift spell aimed at its eyes caused it to recoil, buying us a precious moment.

If we could just hold on a bit longer…

“Right between the eyes!”

With a powerful strike, the remaining dragon’s head was smashed, leaving only one.

“Well then, let’s—ah…”

But that was as far as it went. Asada’s enhancement using the magic stone had worn off.

It was a technique that naturally only lasted for a short time. Maintaining it for two minutes was already quite impressive.

However, at that moment, the third dragon, which Asada had sent soaring into the air, crashed to the ground and, although feeble, let out a faint growl as it began to move once again.

Yet, before the third dragon could make a clear move, something descended onto its head from above. Was that… Miyano?

Observing what had fallen onto the dragon’s head, a discharge of electricity emanated from that spot. Yes, unmistakably Miyano.

Looking around, the situation was different from before we engaged the dragons.

The enemies still seemed capable of fighting, and while some of the fallen creatures were not completely lifeless, most were still far from dead.

However, the cyclops had lost a leg, the griffin had its wing incapacitated, and the other monsters seemed to perceive us as a threat but hesitated to attack directly, instead keeping their distance and watching warily.

“Heh, heh… phew—gotta finish it off, huh?”

Miyano, though catching her breath, seemed unharmed. She pulled her sword out from the dragon’s head, letting the blood spatter as she nonchalantly spoke.

“Could it be, we underestimated this…?”

The man’s voice held surprise, but I sensed a mixture of annoyance as well.

He probably hadn’t expected the dragon to be defeated so easily. Neither had I. I didn’t imagine it would go this smoothly.

Perhaps realizing the need to change the situation, the man gave some sort of command. The monsters that had been watching from a distance, enclosing us in a circle, began to gradually close in.

In addition, more gates started opening around us.

Although we were managing for now, this was getting dangerously overwhelming.

Facing this horde of enemies, Abe seemed to shift her strategy from large-scale area attacks to methodically taking down each individual to conserve energy.

Miyano, too, altered her approach, focusing on impeding enemy movements and ensuring lethal strikes rather than simply defeating them.

While this approach would save magical energy, it would slow down our ability to handle them. Given that we didn’t know how many more gates that guy could open, if we took too long, we might end up overwhelmed by even more enemies.

Sure, thinking about the long term might be necessary for a prolonged battle, but that’s only if there’s a chance to endure and find a solution. Right now, that’s not the case.

“Abe! Miyano! Unleash your full power!”

That’s why I issued the command—to settle things before the opponent could make another move.

Abe and Miyano briefly exchanged puzzled glances at the unexpected instruction. They were probably contemplating questions like what would happen after expending all their strength in a spell, or if preparing such a massive spell would leave them vulnerable to enemy attacks during the process.

But those doubts vanished in an instant as they looked at me. They nodded, Abe immediately shifting into spellcasting mode, while Miyano, after cutting down nearby foes, moved back to stand beside Abe and began preparing her magic.

With our frontline support now disrupted by their preparations, the enemy started encroaching on us. We had to deal with it somehow.

Except for Asada, I felt completely out of my element facing so many monsters. But there was no other option; I had to do what I could.

In this situation, where we were surrounded, the pieces for the man’s defense were likely dwindling. A major assault could likely crush both monsters and him. Even if it were a dragon, its aftermath might be enough to eliminate the man behind it.

So, if we were to act, it was crucial to unleash substantial firepower while targeting the man controlling the gates.

And one more thing.

While the primary reason was to ensure a formidable foe’s defeat, there was also a secondary motive, preparing for the aftermath—just in case.

For that contingency… I deliberately instructed Miyano to go all out in her attack.

After issuing the orders, I spent some time assisting Asada while obstructing the advance of those attempting to approach Miyano and the others at the rear.

Not just that, I seized the opportunity to deliver finishing blows to monsters Asada had thrown off balance or sent flying.

Still, it was clear I couldn’t hold them off indefinitely. We were gradually being pushed closer to Miyano and the others at the back, and our limits were fast approaching.

“We’re ready!”

“Anytime works for me too!”

At that moment, just as I thought, Abe and Miyano seemed to have completed their spell preparations. Their voices reached us from behind.

“Grr… Don’t let them!”

The enemies seemed to have heard those voices too, as they rallied the monsters without any hesitation.

“Go for it!”

Upon my shout, I quickly threw myself backward, distancing myself from Abe and Miyano. At the edge of my field of vision, Asada also halted her attacks and moved away from the immediate danger. Her evasion seemed far more composed than mine.

As we retreated from Abe and Miyano, spells were unleashed, engulfing the monsters that had come dangerously close to us, mere meters away, in a storm of flames and lightning.

“How did it… turn out?”

After the duo’s magic subsided, the monsters that had been in front of us vanished, leaving a conspicuous gap in the encircling ring of foes.

However, at the focal point of our gazes, despite enduring such potent magic, the Core of this dungeon glimmered defiantly, still shining with an irritating brilliance.

And further beyond, a bit away, lay a figure on the ground—the form of a person.

“Miyano.”

I called out Miyano’s name once, making eye contact with everyone. Cautiously, we approached the fallen man.

As we got closer, we saw that despite losing one leg and having both hands charred, he retained enough form to be recognizable as human. He was still breathing.

Amidst the battle with the monsters, I noticed that despite being caught in Miyano and the others’ attacks several times, he stood. It’s clear he possesses a certain degree of resilience, but how can he still remain intact, preserving his form like this?

But wait, what’s that? The tips of his limbs are sparkling… crystallizing, perhaps?

And upon closer inspection, the area emitting that shimmering light seems to be gradually expanding.

“I shall grant you… the key. Make the most of your pondering…”

Why he uttered such words remains a mystery to me.

However, the man, fixing his gaze upon us with a bewildered look, moved his lips slightly and then triggered a spell.

The magic was activated in an instant, manifesting its effects upon us before we could react.

What just happened?! As I checked my own body, I noticed a faint glow emanating from it. And it wasn’t just me; everyone else, too, was gently illuminated. Similarly, magical symbols appeared on the back of everyone’s hands.

I attempted to decipher the newly emerged symbols, but they were utterly enigmatic.

However, I had a sensation that these symbols were the “key.” It’s a kind of attraction or resonance, seemingly drawing us towards the Core. So, most likely, this is what we need to destroy the Core.

…Yet, it seems this is quite the individualistic process. Passing it on to someone else might not be feasible. …Well, there’s no other choice, I suppose.

“The purification of the world… a world without injustice…”

With those words, the man crystallized his entire body and became motionless. Simultaneously, all the gates that had been present within this dungeon closed shut.

It might seem like an anticlimactic end for a final boss battle, but considering the grueling path that led us here, it’s hard to dismiss it as merely unremarkable. Facing an onslaught of high-level monster bosses was no laughing matter.

Well, somehow we managed to pull through. I guess that’s how it goes.

However, it’s still too early to feel relieved. This isn’t a complete resolution just yet.

“Now, all that’s left is to clean up the mess around us.”

With those words, we began moving again to eliminate the monsters that remained in the vicinity.

…I hope things continue to go smoothly from here on out.