Now, we need to find somewhere to settle down. ...... Natsuki, which do you think we should head upstream or downstream?

"That's a tough one. ....... I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a little nervous about this.

A river, you know. ......

　In general, the flow of a river becomes slower the further downstream you go, and the rocks become stones and then sand.

　If you think of it as a place where you can rest your body, then Natsuki has a point when he says, "It's better to go downstream.

And if we head upstream, the cliffs will continue to get steeper and steeper, and if there is a flash flood, it could be dangerous, right?　I can't say that there aren't traps like that.

...... Yeah, that would kill me. It's a very steep stream.

　I heard a story when I went to a certain tourist spot famous for its canyons. When it rains heavily, the canyon's water level rises more than 10 meters, and the deep valley sinks below the surface.

　As the story goes, there were traces of the rising water in a position where you could look up from below.

　A ravine collects that much water.

　With that in mind, even a little rain would easily submerge the rock we were on.

　Swimming in such a river is an experience to be avoided.
　I'm not sure if it rains in the dungeon, though.
　But even if it doesn't rain, the trap is still a possible danger.

The cliff that collapsed earlier might have been a trap, too. I couldn't notice it. ......

That's right. It didn't look like a problem. ......

　It's a good idea to make sure you have a good idea of what you're doing.

　The ground was not cracked, nor was it fragile enough to collapse easily.

　However, there was no doubt that the best place to set the trap was on the ledge, which looked like it could be descended.

　Moreover, we had been able to get down safely several times, so our guard was relaxed.

　I don't want to think that we were not careful enough, but this is the reality of the situation. ...... Hmmm.

Are you heading downstream to ......?
Yes. Yes, that's the safer option, isn't it?

　Just as it's impossible to pitch a tent in the middle of a river, it's even more impossible to spend the night in a place like this.

　Natsuki and I started to move downstream, jumping over rocks.



　It was a bit nerve-wracking, but not too difficult, considering our greatly improved sense of balance and jumping ability.

　We had been moving for about an hour.
　Then, after about an hour of moving, I heard a sound that caught my attention.
　It was a heavy bass sound that seemed to resonate in my stomach.

　The sound of falling water from the waterfall had been there all along, but it was more intense, and it seemed to be getting closer and closer.

　I don't want to think about the cause of it, but I can't ignore it.

"...... Hey, Natsuki. I'm hearing some disturbing noises. Is it my imagination?

That's strange. I've been wondering about my feet for a while now, too. Is there a slight increase in the volume of water?

Is that what you think?

　The rock we're using as a stepping stone.

　In the beginning, there were many rocks with enough space for the two of us to stand on, but they became smaller and smaller, and the distance between the rocks became wider and wider.

　This doesn't mean that the number of good-looking rocks is decreasing, but that they're submerging.

"Natsuki, should we tie each other up with a rope?　I don't know if that's the right thing to do.
I don't know if it's the right idea, but it's better than getting separated. Keep the rope as short as possible.

　If the rope is too long, it may get tangled around your neck, and if it gets caught in the wrong place, you may not be able to rise to the surface and may even drown.

　On the other hand, it would also be dangerous to be separated from the others.

　We stopped on a wide rock and took out ropes to tie each other.

...!　Nao-kun!　Please hurry up!
"Geez!

　If you follow Natsuki's gaze, you'll see that there was a wall of water.
　A wall of water was approaching, pushing away the smoke.

"Oh no, oh no!

　It wasn't a situation where I could say, "There's a certain amount of leeway.

　I hurriedly pulled Natsuki into my arms and twisted the rope around our bodies.



　And when I tied it tightly with all my strength, Natsuki let out a gasp, but there was no time to talk about that.

"I'm coming!
Isolation Field!

　The only thing I could do was to use the little magic I had recovered and cast a spell that might help.

　Of course, I don't expect it to stop the muddy water.
　I just hope that it will increase my chances of survival, even if only slightly.

　Immediately after the spell was activated to create a spherical barrier, we were slammed into the water as if we were being flung away, and a moment later we were swallowed by a huge amount of water.

　　　　I'm not sure what to say.

I'm not sure what to say.　I'm not sure what to say.　...... Huh, huh. "Natsuki, are you okay?
Yes, yes. I'm okay. Koho, koho. ......!

　The muddy stream that swept us away flowed down the river at once.

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

　However, I should say that it was fortunate that the current was fast, and the water volume returned to normal in a relatively short time.

　However, the river was still flowing very fast.

　I was on the edge of my seat, but before I felt sick from the overuse of magic, I released the barrier.

　I continued to be swept away by the water while hugging Natsuki, and eventually, when the rock walls on either side of me disappeared and the sandy shore came into view, I succeeded in crawling out of the river.

Oh, I feel sick.
Thank you for your hard work. But thanks to Nao's magic, you didn't get hurt.
I guess.
I'll dry your clothes.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what's going on in your life.

It's the forest ....... I'm not going to say that I'm in a dungeon now, but .......


"Yes, sir. It looks like it came from over there.

　If you look upstream, you'll see a huge rocky mountain with a crevice in it that looks like a machete has been swung down.

　The river we were swept into was flowing out of that crevice.
　Even visually, we can see that we are a long way from there.

...... Well, let's just be glad we're alive for now.

I guess. To be honest, if it weren't for Nao's Isolation Field, it would have been quite dangerous.

"And now your magic is empty again.

　I felt as if I had been swept down the river for quite some time, but if I think about it calmly, it was only a few minutes at most.

　In addition to activating the quarantine area, which is normally used to fix the location, around the entire circumference based on your location, it consumes a large amount of magic power to maintain that state while being swept away by the river.

　The amount of time you can activate it with the magic power you recover in an hour or so is far beyond your capacity.

First, let's find a place to camp. There are many dangers near the river. But going into the forest is also a bit uncomfortable. ...... What do you think?

There's nothing nearby that responds to the [search enemy]. Except for animals.

　Some animals may attack you, but they are basically harmless.
　A year ago, they would not have been a threat, but now they are not.

　Of course, this is only true for the animals we know, and even those are dangerous if they attack you in your sleep, so it doesn't mean you don't need to deal with them.

"So, the forest. Let's find a suitable place to camp.

　I nodded at her words, and we left the riverbank and went into the forest.

　At first glance, it looked like an ordinary forest, similar to the forest we usually enter in the upper reaches of the Sahlstat.

　But I don't know how it really is, because I'm not very familiar with the vegetation of the forest.

"I'd like to rest early. ...... Is this a good place?
"Yes, I think so. I don't know if it's safe or not. We've never been here before.

　We can at least avoid places that are clearly dangerous, such as riversides and cliffs, but we don't know what kind of enemies we'll encounter in the first place.

　Walking around forever will only make you tired.


　We decided to make a break for it and set up camp at the base of a rather large tree.

　We built a fire there, took out one of the folding bunks, and sat down on it together.

"Huh~
"Huh." "......

　We both exhaled loudly, looked at each other, and relaxed our cheeks a little.

We looked at each other and relaxed a little.
I think so. I fell off a cliff and was swept into a river. ......
Just when you think you're safe, you get swept away again.

　Yeah, I'm glad you're okay.

　In retrospect, I probably should have trained a little more before coming to this level.

　If you're looking at it, you're probably not too far off the appropriate level, since you're still alive and not seriously injured. ...... Hmm.

　If you only go to places where you can fight easily, it is possible that you have not grown as an adventurer.

Nao-kun. It's a good idea to eat and rest early today. You don't mind if it's ready-made, do you?

"Yes, of course. I just want to eat something hot. I've got to swim twice today.

Yeah. That's what I want too. Let's make pork miso soup.

　It's not pork but boa meat, but that doesn't matter.

　If you warm yourself up with hot soup full of vegetables and meat, and fill your stomach with rice balls, your tense nerves will be relieved a little.

　Pork soup with rice.
　And a hot meal is still important.

"Well then, Nao, go to sleep first. I'll keep an eye out for you.

Are you sure?

I need you to recover your magic. I wish I had some kind of magic that could transfer ...... magic power.



I'm not sure what to make of that." "Oh, that can't be helped. ......

　In the event that you're looking for the best way to get the most out of your business, you're going to want to make sure that you're getting the most out of your business.

　There are potions that restore magic power, but these are not as effective as the ones we have access to and can make now.

　At the very least, the amount of recovery is completely insufficient to use magic that consumes a large amount of magic power, such as transfer magic.

So, Natsuki, take care of it.
"Yes, I'll leave it to you.

　I laid out a mattress, a blanket, and a quilt on the bed, and crawled into it.
　This is the standard style in our camp these days.
　It may ruin the atmosphere, but we prefer comfort.
　We don't dare use sleeping bags.
　You can't jump out of a sleeping bag in case of an emergency.
　But with a futon, you can jump up and down and react immediately.
　The downside is that it gets dirty, but we have 'purification', so that's not a problem.

Well, good night.
"Okay, get some rest. Restore your mind.

　I smiled and said "Thank you" to Natsuki, who cast a spell on me, and closed my eyes.