Though these bugs didn’t seem to react to Atlankuas or Minotaurs, they were apparently reacting to us. But despite their best efforts, they couldn’t do anything against me, whose whole body was protected by a membrane of black flame, or Shirone, whose body was protected by defense magic.
But all that didn’t change the fact that the bug-filled room was gross.
The Minotaurs didn’t seem to mind it but it was a BIG DEAL for us.
Both Shirone and I were advancing while burning the bugs with our flames. Soon enough, we were able to finally get out of that bug-filled room.
「Fu~h. Finally passing through that gross room huh, Kuroki.」
After dealing with the barrage of bugs, we’d arrived in a spacious room as soon as we exited. Thankfully, this room wasn’t filled with small bugs like the previous one was.
But still, I can feel some presences lurking around this room.
Though there isn’t enough lighting in this room, it isn’t a big deal for me with my night vision.
「Don't let your guard down, Shirone… there's something on the ceiling.」
There were giant centipedes that spanned more than 10 meters long clinging to the ceiling of this room.「UWAAA! What in the Elios is that!!!」
A centipede then fell from the ceiling.
「WAAAH~~~~~~~~~~!!!」
「UWAAA!!」
We hurriedly dodged the falling centipede. Well it might not be able to hurt us physically, but it doesn't mean that I wasn't grossed out by its appearance.
Both Shirone and I held up our swords at the ready as we faced off against the centipede.
◆Black Haired Sage; Chiyuki
After descending down the giant staircase, we finally arrived at UG 11th floor.
「Somehow, the atmosphere here seems to be different from the previous floor…」
It’s just how Nao had said; the atmosphere here was greatly different compared to the previous floor.
The ceiling of this floor was supported by numerous pillars lined up in an orderly fashion. Somehow, this scene reminded me of Rena’s temple in the Holy Republic of Lenaria.
Additionally, there was a crest of a double-edged axe carved into the pillars. It was the Evil God Labrys’ crest, the ruler of this dungeon.
It seems that what awaits us beyond this point is the Minotaur sanctuary.
「Everyone, proceed with caution.」
「Roger, Chiyuki.」
「Understood, Chiyuki-san.」
「Okay, Chiyuki-san.」
「Yes. We'll return to the surface safely.」
Everyone nodded in response to my words.
We moved to advance through the 11th floor.
「It seems there's no one here…」
「I don't think there's any Minotaurs left after the fierce battle in the 10th floor.」
Just as Reiji said, there was a fierce battle on the 10th floor. There were numerous captured women on that floor with many Minotaur soldiers protecting that place.
Naturally, we won the battle and freed those women, but…
I recalled the scene when we’d released the captured women.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t something like a cruel scene like I’d expected. The women ate delicious food and wore nice clothes. Honestly speaking, it looked like they lived far better lives than the low-rank Minotaurs.
Seeing a scene like that made it even more difficult for us to save those women.
I mean, some of them chose to remain in this labyrinth rather than be freed.
One of them had said that there were so many good things in this labyrinth that were unobtainable in the outside world and thus refused to leave this place.
She might not have a good impression of the outside world.
But now, we were going into this dungeon to defeat the Evil God who rules over this labyrinth. I have no way of knowing what will happen to this labyrinth once we defeat the Evil God. This was why we’d put those women who’d refused to leave into a deep sleep using magic and teleported them outside.
They might complain later though.
I could already imagine the oncoming headache when I will have to deal with the complaints from those women.
PON!
Suddenly, someone patted my head.
Turning around, I found out that the culprit was Reiji.
「You seem to be worried over this matter, Chiyuki. Well don't think too much about it, I'll do something about this matter for you.」
Reiji spoke reassuringly with his usual refreshing smile.
This guy was really sharp when it came to these kinds of matters.
「Look at you, saying those irresponsible words… again. And I'm definitely not troubled at all.」 [TL : Look at you, digging your own grave]
I glared at Reiji as I retorted.
This guy was always like this. Always saying such honeyed words.
And yet, he always did keep his promises.
「I see, well I guess I've no choice if you’ve said so.」
Reiji calmly replied.
Just how many women fell for this same phrase I wonder?
But well, all is well now.
「EVERYONE, LET'S GO!!」
「「「O~h!！」」」
We advanced deeper into the labyrinth while letting out a determined shout.
◆Dark Knight; Kuroki
After defeating the giant centipede, we proceeded to go further down while following the shortcut path we heard of from the Atlankua.
As we arrived at the lower floor, we were met with swarms of Antlions.
Antlion, also known as Myrmecoleo was a demon beast with the upper half of lion and lower half on an ant and were born between a male lion and ant eggs. [TL : Google for Myrmecoleo]
The Antlions rushed at us as soon as they saw us.
They were beasts that hardly died from starvation since they were omnivores.
「HEYAAAH!!!」
Shirone kept swinging her sword, cutting down one Antlion after another.
My eyes followed her and I ended up being charmed by her graceful movements. Her movements were truly beautiful, like that of a sword dance.
Not to mention, the sight of bare thigh that sometimes peeked out from below us mini skirt. My gaze ended up locking onto that very scene.
Shirone continued to swing her sword, twisting and turning her body with every step as if she was weightless. Before long, she’d annihilated the Antlion swarm.
After finishing off the last of the Antlions, she was looking at me as she sheathed her sword.
Oh crap, she seems irritated by something.
「I feel unpleasant gaze since a while ago but…」
She was literally glaring at me.
「I… I'm definitely not peeking at all!!」
I unintentionally blurted out my thoughts.
How did you know about that!!!
「Well, it's way too obvious you know…」
「…………」
「…………」
An awkward silence dominated the place for a long minute.
「My apologies.」
I apologized obediently.
「Look into my eyes when you're apologizing, Kuroki…」
Shirone made a perplexed face as she told me so.
「My deepest apologies…」
「I wear shorts below my skirt though. Do you really enjoy it that much?」
Shirone was flipping her skirt up.
Since she put on shorts below her skirt, I couldn't see her underwear at all. Or so she thought.
「I know that already but, Shirone…」
「Is something the matter?」
「I suggest that you'll be more careful when you're jumping around, I mean… I can see… your underwear… from the gap of your shorts.」
「WHA!!!!?」
Shirone was glaring daggers at me when I told her about the weakness of her shorts.
「Wait a minute!! So you peeked at me!?」
「Nay, rather… You showed it to me you know…」
I would’ve kept my mouth shut, but at this rate, she won’t ever notice it for as long as she lives unless I pointed it out to her.
「Mu~uh!! Don't peek again, EVER!!」
Shirone was groaning as she continued to glare at me.
「Uuh, my bad then… I'll fight in the front then. That way I can't peek anymore.」
I then took the lead, walking in front of Shirone.
I mean, it's natural for a girl to hate being peeked at by someone who isn't her lover. That of course included me, her childhood friend. But then again, I just saw it by accident, that’s all.
I didn’t wish for Shirone to hate me either.
So, it was best for me to walk in the front so I won’t see that scene by accident anymore.
「Kuroki… You dummy. I know that your eyes were always locking on my butt.」
I’ve got no idea what Shirone was whispering about behind me, but I only know that her mood seems to have improved somewhat.
Thank goodness, it seems she isn’t really pissed off from that.
「That's why I said "I'm sorry"… I promise that I won't peek again.」
I apologized without turning around to look at Shirone.
Yes, I won't peek anymore. Shirone already has a boyfriend after all.
「Shall we keep going like this then?」
After advancing for a while, a new swarm of Antlions appeared behind Shirone.
「Sorry I take my words back just now, let me deal with it!!!」
Thus we advanced while slaying one Antlion after another.
◆Black Haired Sage; Chiyuki
「You went too far, Reiji-kun!! Nao-san, you go and protect Rino-san and Sahoko-san!!」
I used an explosion spell while giving the order to Reiji and Nao.
My spell blew off several minotaur soldiers at once.
After descending to the 12th floor, the Minotaur soldiers were now blocking our advance.
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