Chapter 38

CHAPTER 38 – DEFENSE SPECIALIZED AND ENCOUNTER

「I think that we can’t leave this cave today……」

「If so, we need to find a place to sleep then」

Adding a safe place to sleep in the exploration objectives, the three went through right and left through the hallways .

「I just wish that we can coincidentally find the exit〜……」

「I also think that’s for the best… I’m already tired for today」

Maple and Sally were very tired . They even want to stop exploring right away and sleep .

And, when they saw another wide room through the hallway after numerous times .

「E-Earthquake?!」

「I can also feel it now!」

The ground shook so much that they could feel it with their body .

And, *GuchoGucho*, a disgusting sound could be heard from the wide room ahead .

While preparing to fight, the three looked at the wide room .

And from a different path from the three’s path, “that” appeared .

Judging from the height of the ceiling, it has a height of more or less 5 meters, and length of more or less 7 meters .

A giant snail crawls out to the wide room .

It seems like it didn’t notice the three, it disappeared into another path .

「………this is bad . That thing’s bad」

「It didn’t have an HP Bar……」

「H-How bad is it?」

Maple cautiously asked the two who were having a serious face .

「Since it has no HP Bar……it means, it can’t be defeated」

「If we don’t find a safety area and encounter it……it’s the end」

The three’s body is connected by chains .

They can’t let anyone become a decoy .

「For the meantime, let’s leave this place . Before it returns」

「Un, let’s do that」

「Then, that way should be good?」

The three went through a different way from where they came from, and different from the way that the snail came from very quickly .

「I see……that’s why this dungeon is in this shape」

Sally whispered .

This dungeon is like an ant’s nest where there are a lot of extending paths and dead ends .

And all of the places have high ceilings, without any unneeded obstacles .

And, the players are connected by chains .

It means, it is made that it would be easy for the snail to move, and hard for the players to run away .

「Maybe, this dungeon’s difficulty would change depending on the time」

It was as Kasumi has said .

This dungeon would change into a monster’s nest where the snail lives in after 6 pm .

And the time which that would end also exists, but the three doesn’t know when .

And, as the time passes, the sound of the ground shaking becomes louder .

「I-I wonder if there’s more than one?」

「………maybe」

Sally heightened her hearings, and tried to find where the sound comes from .

She can’t hear the *GuchoGucho* sound nearby .

It seems like it isn’t anywhere near .

Even so, it is also true that they need to be continuously on guard .

And that thing, is the reason that reduces Sally’s concentration .

And when they have advanced through several branching ways, that happened .

「……!!」

The instant that they turned to the corner .

The snail was there .

「Run! We’re turning back!」

Kasumi and Sally started to run, but Maple couldn’t keep up with them .

「Oh……god!!」

Faster than Sally pulls up Maple, the snail closed in .

The snail shook its body while splashing out a liquid that was very sticky .

「Ku!!」

Thanks to the large shield devouring the liquid, Maple was barely able to avoid the liquid .

「Sally, we’re running! Use【Super Acceleration】!」

「!! I got it!」

The last resort they had decided in the case where they cannot escape by any other means .

「「【Super Acceleration!】」」

The two’s body accelerated .

Maple’s body was dragged .

A typical player would receive damage from this and die .

If so, they would all die .

However, Maple is different .

If it is Maple, she can survive receiving no damage .

But even so, it isn’t something comfortable .

That is why, it is the last resort .

*GachanGachan!*, the armor sounded .

Maple instinctively put away her shield, but she couldn’t make it on time to operate to put away her armor .

「How is it from behind?!」

「It’s alright! It isn’t able to keep up!」

The three could somehow successfully run away .

However, for a while, they can’t use【Super Acceleration】 . They would probably be ready to die when they encounter it while it is on cooldown .

And in that situation, they started to hear the *GuchoGucho* sound without any time to rest .

「……ku!… it’s also coming from a different direction!」

「Here!」

They ran through left and right of the branching paths .

Maple removed her equipments and was carried by Sally .

It was their usual style .

「As I’ve thought! That snail, it’s reacting to sounds!」

When the sound of Maple’s armor disappeared, the *GuchoGucho* sound that they could hear started to go away .

「How is it? Is it there?」

「……I think it’s not anywhere nearby, I guess?」

「Haa〜……we’ve escaped……」

The three leaned against the wall .

It cannot be said that it is said in the middle of a path, but it is many times better than sitting on a dead end .

「We should somehow… find the exit」

「Un, I guess so……」

Their goal was decided without any need to consult .

The longer they stay, the more dangerous it will be .

And for that, they need to find the exit quickly .

「It seems like this dungeon doesn’t have a boss……we should be content just finding a medal or an equipment just like Maple……」

「Ahh, let’s do that . There is that snail… this dungeon’s concept is probably exploration」

「You mean like……this whole dungeon is a boss room?」

「Well, I guess so」

Finishing their conversation, Sally prepared to depart .

「Let’s go before we’re found . The entrance is from above……so I think that the exit’s below, I guess?」

「That might be the case . It isn’t for sure though……」

「Then, let’s go down . It should be better than going up」

There were some paths that were slightly going down . They were planning on advancing through those paths as soon as they find one .

The three went deeper and deeper .

Along the way, they were able to see the appearance of the snails .

Seeing them, Sally became sure .

To the fact that those snails are faster than Maple .

Meaning, they cannot escape them by running away normally .

In the case where they meet it in a corner .

There is a time lag before Sally carries Maple .

And if they are caught by its sticky liquid in that instant, they would get caught .

However, Sally would not be able to carry Maple if she was holding her large shield .

They wished that they would not encounter it at a very close range .

「Fuu〜……I should concentrate……」

Forcing her tired body, Sally heightened her concentration .

Sally’s reconnaissance is the three’s lifeline .

And after advancing very carefully trying to not make any sound, the appearance of the cave started to change .

「How pretty……」

「Ahh…that’s true」

「I somehow feel a little at ease…」

The violet crystals in the walls were shining .

Those things here and there could not be gathered, but the three’s third heart became a little healed because of their fantastical light .

And in addition .

「The ceiling…became lower?」

As Sally has said, the ceiling became lower in some places . It was barely enough height for the snails to pass through .

「But……the sound of the ground shaking became louder」

「Just thinking that the environment changed while their numbers increased, it would be more of an advantage for us」

The three advanced .

The three wished to escape from this place today if possible .

While praying that they would not hear the *GuchoGucho* sound, they started exploring while being careful of a pincer attack .