Arifureta [Vol 1] Chapter 15 – The Monster in the Sealed Room (2/2)

“What are you saying at this point in time. I haven’t fallen far enough that I would abandon you just because a slightly stronger enemy appears.”

In order to survive, Hajime has sneak attacked, ambushed, tricked, and even used cowardly lies or bluffs. The fight against the Talon Bear was the only exception, but fundamentally, he doesn’t give a s.h.i.+t about things like fair and square ⌈10⌋. It wasn’t a generous place that would allow such leeway. He has no feelings of guilt, he has been changed by such an atmosphere.

Nonetheless, he didn’t feel like willingly falling into heterodoxy. To determine right from wrong with virtue, and obtain understanding. The one who made him remember and regain all these, was none other than Yue. That’s why, Yue must definitely be saved, abandoning her here wasn’t an option. The instant she entrusted herself to Hajime, he has made his decision and this moment, was also the turning point of whether Hajime fell into unorthodoxy.

Yue nodded as though she understood something from Hajime’s words and suddenly threw her arms around Hajime.

“Oh, Ouh? What is it?”

With the situation as it is, what are you doing all of a sudden? Hajime was somewhat shaken. The scorpion could be coming back at any moment now. Hajime’s wounds were healed, he should enter combat mode soon. However, Yue doesn’t seem to care as her hands wrapped around Hajime’s neck.

“Hajime&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; Trust me.”

Saying that, Yue kissed the scruff of Hajime’s neck.

No, it’s not a kiss. It’s a bite. Hajime felt a p.r.i.c.kling pain at the back of his neck, and then, there was an uncomfortable feeling as if energy was drained from his body. For an instant, Hajime wanted to shake her off, but recalling that Yue had called herself a vampire, he realized that she was sucking blood. “Trust me”--------Those words, seemed to wish that he would not run away even if he was scared or disgusted by the act of a vampire’s blood sucking.

Thinking that while giving a wry smile, Hajime tightly hugged and supported Yue’s clinging body. Twitch, Yue quavered for a moment before she embraced even tighter with a squeeze. Her face was buried deeper into the back of his neck. It may be just an imagination, but she somehow seem really delighted.

“Kyisha~aaaa!!”

The roar of the scorpion resounded. It appears to have recovered from the shock of the Flash Grenade. It probably grasped their current location, as the ground began to heave once again. It seems to be the scorpion’s Unique Magic, the ability to manipulate the surrounding terrain.

“But, that’s my specialty!”

Hajime placed his right hand on the ground to perform trans.m.u.tation. The rippling within a three meter radius stopped, and instead a stone wall which enclosed around Hajime and Yue was formed.

The conical needles flew from all around to attack them, but they were completely prevented by Hajime’s defensive wall. Every strike was able to chip away at the wall, but new walls would be erected in place immediately, making the needles unable to get close. Both the scale and strength of the scorpion’s offensive power were by far superior, but Hajime holds the advantage in trans.m.u.ting speed. His trans.m.u.tation radius couldn’t go beyond three meter, and neither could he create needles with enough power to fly out and attack, thus Hajime’s type of trans.m.u.tation was more suited for defense.

While Hajime was absorbed in trans.m.u.ting defense, Yue’s mouth finally parted. Licking her lips, her expression seems to be in delirious pa.s.sion. Coupled with that action, seductiveness could be felt despite her childish appearance. Somehow or another, not a speck of her previous emaciation could be felt, her white skin has recovered its tone and s.h.i.+ne, similar to that of white porcelain. Her cheeks were a dream-like rose-color. Her red pupils were faintly giving off a warm light, and those small slender hands were gently caressing Hajime’s cheeks.

“&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; Thanks for the meal. ⌈11⌋”

Saying that, Yue slowly rose and lifted an open hand toward the scorpion. At the same time, an enormous magic power that was unimaginable from such a delicate body was emitted, the light from her magic power ---- a golden color that seems to mow down the darkness. And Yue, who was shrouded in magic power the same color as her fluttering golden hair, muttered a single phrase.

“【Azure Sky】”

Instantly, a sphere of bluish-white flames approximately six or seven meter in diameter appeared above the scorpion’s head. The attack obviously haven’t landed, but the strong heat was enough to make the scorpion shriek in retreat. However, the bloodsucking princess of the abyss would not allow that. Extending her lovely finger and waving it gracefully like a baton, the sphere of bluish-white flames faithfully executed the conductor’s instructions, pursuing the escaping scorpion and&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; a direct hit.

“Gu~ugyiya~a~a~aaaa--------!?”

The scorpion raised an unprecedented scream. It was obviously a scream of anguish. At the point of impact, the entire vicinity was covered in pale blue light and nothing could be seen. As Hajime s.h.i.+elded his eyes with his arm, he could only gaze dumbfoundedly at such a grand magic. Before long, the magic’s effective duration expired and the bluish-white flames were extinguished. What remained was the appearance of the scorpion suffering in agony, the red-hot sh.e.l.l on its back has been melted and was all gooey.

While Hajime was in a dilemma over whether he should be praising Yue’s magic -- which destroyed the monster’s defense that even the three thousand degree celsius 【Incendiary Grenade】 couldn’t melt and his zero distance railgun shot barely scratched -- or commending on the scorpion’s durability, which had directly received such a high temperature attack and merely had its surface melted.

A flop sound made Hajime peel away his vision from that astounding scene back towards Yue, who was sitting on the ground while panting. It looks like she has exhausted her magic power.

“Yue, are you alright?”

“Nn&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; Highest tier&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip; Tiring”

“Haha, aren’t you impressive hm. We’re saved. Leave the rest to me and have a good rest.”

“Nn, good luck&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;”

Hajime waved his hand as he used 【Ground Shrink】 to shorten the distance in one go. The scorpion was still going strong, despite having the surface of its sh.e.l.l melted off. It raised a roar of unconcealed rage, firing its buckshot stinger at the approaching Hajime.

Hajime quickly retrieved a 【Flash Grenade】 from his pouch and tossed it high overhead. Next, as he pulled out Donner, he fired before the buckshot stinger was scattered. Then, non-electromagnetically accelerated bullets struck and exploded the falling 【Flash Grenade】.

The scorpion was already accustomed to the light. Although it was annoyed, it wasn’t shaken and searched for Hajime’s presence in the room dyed bright with light.

However, there was no sign of Hajime no matter how hard it looked. Just as the scorpion was bewildered over losing Hajime’s presence, Hajime landed on the scorpion’s back.

“Kishua?!”

The scorpion let out a startled cry. That would definitely be the case as the presence it had been searching for managed to slip through its detection net and all of a sudden, reappear on its back. Together with the flash of light, Hajime had used 【Hide Presence】 to sever his presence in order to land atop the scorpion’s back.

The scorpion’s red-hot sh.e.l.l burnt Hajime’s skin from beneath. However, without caring about such matters, the muzzle was pushed against where the surface of its sh.e.l.l has been melted thin, and the trigger, was being pulled repeatedly. The scorpion’s sh.e.l.l, having lost its original durability and receiving consecutive zero distance shots from the railgun, finally, that absolute s.h.i.+eld yielded and broke apart.

The scorpion ignored the possibility of hurting itself and try to knock Hajime off with its twin tails, but Hajime made his move first.

“Here, eat this.” ⌈12⌋

As if burying a parting gift within its body, Hajime took out a 【Grenade】 from his pouch and used his arm to stab it deeply into the hole opened by Donner. Hajime didn’t even care if his arm festered from burns.

Withdrawing with 【Ground Shrink】before the scorpion’s attack could reach, the scorpion tried to turn around for another attack at Hajime who was retreating from its back. However, that was it.

“BOOM--------!!”

Along with the sound of a m.u.f.fled explosion which echoed the vicinity, the scorpion quivered with a twitch. The scorpion, which was facing Hajime, stopped moving, and the entire area was wrapped in silence.

Eventually, the scorpion began to slant and with a rumbling sound, and collapsed onto the ground.

Hajime warily approached the unmoving scorpion, thrust Donner into its mouth and fired another two or three rounds before he was convinced that the scorpion was dead. Hajime nodded his head while muttering a “Good”. It was definitely dead! This action could be called a policy that Hajime follow these days.

Looking over his shoulder, while still expressionless, her eyes seem to be somewhat delighted as Yue sat there, watching Hajime. He couldn’t tell when this dungeon capturing is going to end, but it seems like a promising partner has appeared.

It is said that Pandora’s Box contains all the world’s Evils ⌈13⌋ and a sliver of Hope. Somehow or other, it seems like that example he made before entering this room was fairly on target ⌈14⌋. While thinking of such stuff, Hajime slowly walked over to her side.

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