*

"Luno Cuesta Agata!　O Periolis the Imperishable, like a corridor joined together, be the path I walk!　Reveal!　Transfer (teleportation)!

　Yuka's magic was activated and Mako was enveloped in a feeling of floating.
　He closed his eyes and opened them again.
　Then it was a dungeon - near the vertical hole where he had stopped exploring.
　Makoto looked around and checked to see if his friends were there.

''Yuka, Fene, Liv, Laura, you're in the right place.
What do you mean, they're all right?

　I let out a breath of relief, and then Yuka got involved.

'I was worried it was going to turn out like, "I'm in stone,
That's impossible.

　Yuka said in a dumbfounded tone, and Mako inwardly patted her chest.
　I've never played the original game, so it's that game!　It would have been a very troublesome situation if they bit me.
　I'd be treated like a jerk, it's obvious.

"So, have you ever played the original game?
....

　Sure enough, I should say, Yuka bites down.
　She tilted her head in a cute little way.
　The gesture is cute, but not adorable.

'Why are you retreating?'
I had a bad feeling about this.

　When Makoto backed away, Yuka plunged in.

'So, do you have one?'
Nope.
....

　You f*cking idiot!　I thought he would shout at me, but he's silent.

'Why don't you shut up?'
I was afraid that if I told you, you'd say it back.

　Yuka arched her eyebrows in a difficult way.

'Of course I'll talk back.'
Nicely done.
I told you I'd talk back, so why are you saying that?
I was curious to know what you were going to say back. And if I said yes, what was I going to say?
That's exactly what I thought you'd do.
I'm sorry.

　Yuka smiled triumphantly.

'You can't read what I do.
I can't read it.
But I can read what you're doing. You're not...
I think she's a pain in the ass, you know?
....

　When I said ahead of time, Yuka stuck out her lower lip as if she was pissed off.
　You're a troublesome woman, he says.
　You are a troublesome woman--ha!　I can't go along with a trend like that.

"Don't think you've beaten me,
What are you fighting against?
I don't like it all.
You're gonna have to change.
No.

　In Yuka's case, there are probably more things that he doesn't like.
　But his willingness to fight what he doesn't like is amazing.
　I'm not going to try to imitate it just because it's awesome.

'But that would be exhausting, wouldn't it?
It's like a standing battlefield, a daily battlefield.
Do you run a prep school?
Well I didn't go to prep school.

　Yuka grunted.

'So you're thinking that your classmates might attack you with a sharpie in one hand while you're studying at school, or a housewife you crossed at the supermarket with a radish in one hand.
What's that?　I'm not sick at all!
Where's the ever-present battlefield? Since it's called the "ever-present battlefield", you should always assume that you will be fighting. You need to be prepared to deal with a man in a different coat who suddenly strips naked and starts dancing a beard dance while shouting strange noises.
You can't assume that much.

　Yuka's lips twitched in a sultry way.

'You're licking the battlefield. Soldiers assume a lot more than that.'
'Don't lie to me!　A man in a different coat - not that kind of battlefield, anyway!　You've never been to war in the first place, have you?
''Bah, geez, how many times have I almost died since I was summoned to this world!　Normally I'd be dead!

　Mako yelled back.
　It was true that he had never been in a war before, but he had almost died many times.
　In terms of experience in the shura, even a soldier can't be beaten.

''Anyway, I'm going to say a word to you like that!　Don't make enemies!
Why are you making enemies?

　Yuka said with a mysterious look on her face.
　I don't want you to have a look on your face that says the scales have fallen off your eyes there.

''When you learn martial arts, you don't just learn the techniques, you also learn the etiquette.
What do you mean?
I mean, yeah.
Just get to the point.
It means you won't have to make any unnecessary enemies if you're polite.

　I suppose there is an aspect of teaching martial arts and etiquette as a set that has survived, but I think there is also an aspect of self-defense.
　I think most people who study martial arts are bloodthirsty.
　If people with a lot of blood in their veins took a licking to each other, it would be easy to imagine a fight breaking out.
　In the present day, it is not so bad, but in the days when the obi sword was allowed, it would be a cutthroat affair.
　To avoid such a situation, the technique and etiquette were combined, I suppose.

That's good to know. If you live for forty years, you have at least one thing you can tell someone about.
I haven't been alive for 40 years.

　He's only thirty-eight years old.
　Besides, I'm being a bit of a nitwit for what it's worth.

'Well, so you need to learn some manners, too.
Courtesy.
Does it say on your face that you're a pain in the ass?
No, it's not.

　Yuka's eyes swept over to see if she was right.

'Anyway, you need to learn some manners.'
All right.
And respect me.
"I'm not afraid of you!
'You don't want to learn to be polite, but you don't want to respect me!
Yes!

　Yuka stated emphatically.
　It's refreshing to be able to say it off so far.

''My brother and Miss are always so excited.

　Fane said, scratching his tail as he bobbed.

'Are you still itching?'
It's not itchy, it's itchy.

　Fane frowned and scratched his tail hard.

'Have you been to the hospital?'
....

　When Makoto asks, Fene is silent.
　Probably, he didn't go to the hospital.

Why don't you go to--
Well, wait.

　Makoto controlled Yuka with his hand.
　When I took a leave of absence from work due to illness, I couldn't go to the hospital because I couldn't bear to.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a good deal more to say about it.
　Of course, my boss was right.
　But sometimes we need to be kind and considerate of others rather than just being right in theory, don't we?

What's up with that?

　Makoto looked at Fene and spoke softly to her.

'I don't like hospitals. All they do is take your money and you won't get better.'
I see.

　Mako stroked Fene's head gently.
　Maybe it had something to do with the death of his parents.
　It would be terrible to step in there, Zuccia.

'I know it's heartbreaking. So, I'll go with you.
Uh, I'm with my brother.

　Mako popped Fene's head with a clunk and turned her attention to Laura.

'Tell me about a good hospital.'
Of course.

　Laura nodded, just to be sure she could handle it.
　Mako sat up and stared at the vertical hole.
　The ropes were hanging down, so someone must have already gone down two levels.

'Alright, let's go down.'
Wait.
I know. You don't want me to see your pants.
d*mn right!

　Embarrassed, Yuka said, her face turning red.



　Makoto and the others formed a formation and proceeded through the two levels of the dungeon.
　The formation consists of Liv and Laura in the first row, Fene in the second row, Yuka in the third row, and Makoto in the last row.
　The structure of the second level is the same as the first.
　There are corridors connecting the large space.
　The Skeleton King dungeon and the Non-Return dungeon have the same structure.

''Nowhere in the dungeon is any different, is it?
He said the same thing on one level.

　When Makoto blurted out his thoughts, Yuka said in a dumbfounded tone.

''Was it?''
Yes.
But it's weird.
What?

　Mako touched the walls of the dungeon.

'Dungeons are built by strong undead or a bunch of weak undead, right?'
That's what they told me.

　Yuka's voice is coated with disbelief.
　It's natural to be suspicious since she was thrown into the dungeon after being given only minimal knowledge.

''Laura, are you sure that the dungeon is made by the undead?''
That's right.

　Laura replied after a short pause.

'It is said that the undead take away the power that Master Periolis controls by killing the creatures. Perhaps they use the power they take away to build dungeons.
Oh, I see.

　Mako nodded.
　Essentially, the dead creatures would be summoned to Periolis' care.
　In other words, they are placed under control.

''After all, if they are deprived of their power, they will be weakened?
"It is said that the world is doomed. It is said that guests are summoned to avert it.
I don't know if it's teleprompter, or if it's just wishful thinking.

　Yuka said, dismayed.
　I think you could choose your words a bit more, but I generally agree with you.
　Uu~, Uu~, said Fene, scratching her tail.
　It looks quite painful.
　I can't tell him, but the sight of the hair tumbling down into the dungeon reminds me of Hansel and Gretel.
　And then there's the crone mountain.
　A mother being dumped on the mountain breaks a branch so her son doesn't get lost.
　But the son, not realizing her parental love, tells her not to be unkind to him.
　By the time he realizes his parental love, it is already too late.

'I think it's time to go out into the open space,'
What?

　When Makoto muttered, Fene looked up with a panicked look on her face.
　At that moment, the muscles of her neck tingled.

''Enemies.''
I know!
Yes!

　Liv and Laura held their weapons at the ready.
　Immediately after, five skeletons, or rather, skeleton warriors, approached us.
　They were quite fast.

''Haha!''

　Fane makes a strange noise, puts the map in his pouch and takes out his slingshot.
　Normally she would have noticed it, but she's too itchy to concentrate.

'Yuka, use your magic to reduce their numbers!
I know!　Luno Cuesta Agata!　O Periolis the Imperishable, pierce me like a gravelly stone.
Earthquake strike!

　The ribs slam the pole hammer into the ground, perhaps trying to buy time to cast the spell.
　A crack runs across the ground and extends towards the Skeleton Warrior.
　There is no escape in the straight line passage.
　The Skeleton Warrior is subjected to the effects of the seismic strike - movement blockage.

'Be a conglomerate that pierces my enemy!　Reveal the magic bullet (Brit)!

　Yuka's magic bullets shattered the skull of the Skeleton Warrior in the lead, blowing the skull of the individual behind it halfway through.
　The individual whose skull was shattered was dismembered, but the one whose skull was half blown off was still alive and well.
　If it were a normal monster, it would have been rendered inoperable, but the undead are a nuisance.
　Anyway, there are only four Skeleton Warriors left.

''Hah!

　Laura rushes forward with her shield at the ready.
　The effect of the seismic strike seems to have worn off, and the Skeleton Warrior raises his sword as he steps out of the way.
　But--

Shield bash!

　Laura accelerates in an instant and blows away the Skeleton Warrior, who was raising his sword.
　The Skeleton Warrior is slammed into the ground from its back, but it seems that it was not so bad that it was incapacitated, and it immediately tries to get up.

''Shield fire!''

　He unleashes another shield shot and slams the individual with half his skull blown off against the dungeon wall.
　The Skeleton Warrior, caught between the shield and the wall, is shattered and the bones fall to the ground in pieces.
　There are three remaining Skeleton Warriors.

''Oraaaaah!''

　Liv swings the pole hammer down and crushes the Skeleton Warrior.
　No, it's close to crushing it.
　Anyway, there are two bodies left.
　The Skeleton Warrior swings his sword down.
　Laura effortlessly taunts him with her shield and swings her sword at the neck of the Skeleton Warrior, which leans forward.
　The Skeleton Warrior's skull fell to the ground and his body fell apart.

'Newcomer, I'll leave you to it!
I'm on it!

　Laura answered the ribs and confronted the last of the Skeleton Warriors.
　Mako holds her neck.
　The undead are still there, and her neck prickles.

'Huh!'

　Just as Laura jumped out while holding her shield, a ghost, or rather, a ghost mage, jumped out from near the ceiling.
　The Ghost Mage releases flames.

''Impact Reversal (Reflection)!

　Laura stops suddenly on the spot, reflecting the flames.
　The ghost mage is engulfed by the flames and disappears, and the magic stone falls with a small sound.

''Newcomer!''

　Liv shouted.
　The Skeleton Warrior plunged in, sword poised at the waist.

''Oh, look out!''

　Fane released the metal sphere with a sling shot.
　In the next moment, the metal sphere was enveloped in jet black light.
　And as it landed, jet-black flames swelled up and engulfed the Skeleton Warrior.
　The Skeleton Warrior crumbled away in a flash.

''What was that?''

　Fene let out a dumb voice, and a bobbing sound could be heard.
　The sound was generated near Fene's tail.

''Did you fart?''
I'm not here!

　Fane takes a bite out of the ribs.

"...wait.
"Gahhhhhh!

　Fene screamed as Mako grabbed her tail.

'Nah, nah, what are you doing?'
Hey, man.

　Fene shakes off Makoto's hand and Liv calls out to him with a divine look on her face.

'What is it?'
Why do you have two more tails?
"I hope you don't say anything stupid.

　As she says this, Fene twists her body to check her tail, as if she was curious.
　A silence descends and Yuka begins to count.

'One, two, three, four, five, lo--'
It's got two tails!

　Fene exclaimed and whirled around on the spot.
　Yes, Fene's tail had increased to two.
　The single tail had not been split into two, but had literally increased.
　In other words, the volume of the tail had doubled.

'Is it sick?　Are you sick?　If this is what it takes to make you sick--

　Fene stopped moving in a flash.

''............Hey I've raised the bar!

　'Let's see,' said Yuka, her eyes narrowing.

'I'm at level 23 and my second job is as a Spiritualist.
'You mean you leveled up with the extra experience?'
I don't know. But it's definitely your fault that you have two more tails.

　Yuka said, crossing her arms.