Even a normal Watadama attack can be fatal if you take a decent bite from a level 1 Watadama. However, the red Watadama was one size bigger and faster than the one we defeated. It may not be three times as fast as normal, but it's certainly more than 1.3 times as fast.



　Current Situation

　Redface activates Boomerang Dive → Budwick's party

　A special individual with a unique name - Red Face. His technique activated after a few breaths, and I saw something unbelievable.

''Aaaaahhhhh...!

　In an instant, the entire party that was fleeing was 'cleaved' by Redface.

　Red Face applied a tremendous acceleration and, like the name of a boomerang, laid waste to the fleeing party while flying around in an elliptical maneuver, laying waste to the fleeing party. It was a merciless attack, hitting each and every one of them with its full force and body, without mercy.

　Even the 'named' ones that appeared in the first labyrinth were this strong.......no matter how many lives they had, this was not enough. Or was it that they, and us, were out of luck in encountering it?

"Gahhhh........and I don't want to die......I don't know......

　Current Situation

　Budwick" uses "Scroll of Return (Return Scroll)".
　The party of "Budwick" has left the labyrinth.

　Budwick's party escapes - but the Chief remains in place. He didn't have a party, but he happened to be there.

''--I can't be beaten silently........!

　Current Situation

　Kyoka's Blink Step activates and avoids the Boomerang Dive.



　The guts to activate the skill you just learned at the last minute is impressive. However, how many skills could he activate with his level 1 magic power - the more powerful the skill, the greater the attrition should be.

''Chief, please run!　We'll do the rest...
In the rear........you run!　I can't let this thing beat me!

　I've never seen the Chief so emotional before - but I was already shooting bullets in a sling at Redface after he performed a big move.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Aricht's attack hits Redface, no damage.

Wha...

　Even the metal bullets I released with all my strength didn't make it through the blows, and they bounced back with a cracking sound.

　Redface's target switches to our party. Once it bounces, it starts to super-accelerate - and then Teresia takes it, and we manage to survive the blow. If we survive and there's no way for him to get through the attack, there's no way we can win.

(Theresia can return... but what if she takes unbearable damage before she returns... but if she dies once, speechless, and then dies again... ...)

I'm coming for you, you monster rat!

　Current Situation

　Kyouka activates Thunderbolt and hits Red Face.

　Valkyrie said that she could also use magic. Among them, the magic chosen and acquired by the Chief literally hits Redface at the speed of lightning.

(Why ... were you trying to save us?　You're the one who always looked down on me...

　Redface's target switches. Redface bounces back and tries to perform another 'boomerang dive' on the Chief.

　-- if she takes it, she will probably die instantly. The party that had just been cleaved off earlier was also that powerful, it was hard to believe that any of them were safe.

　However, she no longer had enough power left to activate the 'Blink Step'. She grabbed her spear and thrust at Redface with a prepared expression.

''Yah!

　Even if the spear strike doesn't go through, it cancels the 'boomerang dive' accumulation - but.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Kyouka's attack hits Redface for no damage.
　Red Face's attack hits Kyouka.

　The spear that Igarashi-san thrust out broke and she was blown away without even uttering a word as she was hit by Redface's body and rolled across the grassy field.

''What are you........you........''

　I heard something snap in my head. It didn't matter who I was abused so much - Redface's ridiculous strength, the party guys who got away, and the fact that I was looking at this situation with a big smile on my face, even though I wanted to help them if I found someone in distress. I'm getting angry.

''What the hell are you doing to our chief........you're going to die......!

　I'm incompetent. It's like being covered up by a demon boss at a time like this, and it's a further reminder - no matter what profession I get, I'm not going to make it.

　With Theresia's help, I might just let her die, but still, there's only one way.

　I'll use 'Support Defense 1' to surpass Redface's attack, and then I'll put the 'Support Attack 1' I'm about to acquire on it to penetrate his defenses.

　If I fail, both Theresia and I behind her will die. The enemy isn't naive enough to wait for me to rescue Rival-san.

　As a mercenary, Theresia could have left in favor of her own life.

　However, she nodded her head in the same way as before - and.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Theresa activates 'Axel Dash'.

Teresiak!

　What does that mean? For me to save Igarashi-san and buy her just enough time to escape.

　Theresia, who is not in a close combat position, approaches Redface, who is still breathing, trying to catch up with Igarashi-san, in an instant.

　A rogue's skill - and she hadn't used it until now.

　No one would throw themselves at him to protect others.

　They don't even think about what the protected party will think after they do so.

(Then.........I should just protect them, right.......!

　--not that I can only reach the person in front of me.

　All the 'party members' in my 'front' are treated as the 'vanguard'.

　I understand that now that Theresia has now moved away from me by a large distance.

　My support defense is a 'wall' that can be used against my comrades who are fighting over a wide area.

''--Tereziah, I will support........!

　Redface reacted to Theresa's sudden approach, and after a moment's pause, he unleashed a great technique - 'Boomerang Dive'.

　It destroyed Badwick's party with a single blow, but that technique--''

　By no means is it a dimensionally different power compared to Watadama's body hit that 'could destroy Buckler'...!

　Current Situation

　Red Face activates Boomerang Dive → Teresia: no damage

I could have prevented it........with Theresa's defense and my supportive defense.......!

　I was able to 'support and defend' Theresa, even though the distance between me and Theresa was wide open. And Terezia is unharmed.

　Probably the damage Terezia would have taken from a normal Watadama without 'Supportive Defense' is 1 or even 2. If you can nullify that 10x or even 5x damage, the 'Boomerang Dive' won't pass.

(If it's 10 times, Theresia's maximum strength is only 20, not only is 10 not ridiculous, it's a big number in this world... then...!

　My supportive defenses have repelled it, exposing the gaping figure of Red Face in the air.

　--The power of the 'Support Attack 1' to strike the guy is something you can only guess at.

Let's go, Theresa!　"Support"!
-Oh!

　Current Situation

　Theresa's attack hits Redface. No damage. Support damage 10

(Normal attacks don't go through... but the '10 blows' do...!

　And it doesn't end with a single blow - Theresia follows up with a slash that continues in the blink of an eye while Redface is frightened, and follows up with a slash.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Theresa's attack hits Redface. No damage. Support damage 10
　Theresa's attack hits Redface. No damage. Support damage 10
　Defeat one "Red Face".
　Arihito has been upgraded to 2nd level

　As if being cajoled in the air, after Theresia's slash, the invisible pursuit 'Support Attack 1' attacked Redface's body.

　--The demon that annihilated the senior party in an instant was defeated by us. I felt like I wanted to scream out at that realization, but this is not the time to do that.

''Theresa, I'll watch Igarashi-san, so go outside and get Rival-san!

　Theresia listens to me and runs out of the labyrinth.

　Igarashi-san's condition is not good as she is lying on the ground. Her arm is red and swollen from taking a blow, and her arm is red and swollen - her bones might be broken.

''Ugh........Ku.......''

　Igarashi-san is in severe pain. She fought for us, and in front of her, the ties of her previous life flashed through my mind.

　--I've pressed my time card. You can only report up to two hours of overtime when you're done with your work.

　--You've been absent because you caught a cold?　Then why don't you just take this energy drink and hang in there. I've got a job I can't shake without you.

　--You're lucky to have my back. It's not easy to ask for this kind of work when you're not around.

Well I'm still thinking about what you did for me. That's what's keeping me up at night if I let you get away with it.

　When I got to the level, I had kind of expected it to happen. When I flipped through the license page, the number of skill points I could assign to it had increased by 2.

　I assigned it to 'Support Recovery 1'. But in order to use this, I had to somehow get the unconscious Igarashi-san's approval to join my party.

'Igarashi-san, it's me, the rear. Help will be arriving soon, but until then I can give you first aid too. For that reason, may I ask you to join the party?

　Igarashi-san didn't respond at first and almost gave up on the idea that she was in no condition to listen, but after a while her eyes opened thinly and she nodded emphatically.

''If you do........something weird.......I'll sue you.......''

　She tried to protect us with her life, but she really doesn't have a strong core when she's trying to be stubborn in this state.

　However, I look at the red bar, which has been reduced by more than 70% after bringing her into the party, and I only think about recovering her with my new skills.



　Nervously, I manage to get a limp Igarashi-san to raise her upper body and sit behind her, supporting her body.

''..........''

　He doesn't seem to be able to speak anymore, but I can feel the air of disapproval. That's right, because the position is like being held from behind.

　If I have her lie on her side and I lie on her back side, will she become a 'rear guard' in position? I'm not even sure if I'll ever get a chance to test that, but for now, I waited for what felt like a long, long 30 seconds for her to recover 5 points of strength.