[Next]Counting changed to December 31st.

Mile's turn.  27 chapters left (Next Arc)

Cathia's Arc: 14 Chapters (This Arc and next Arc)

Taru: 5 => 4 chapters

Arge: 30 Chapters (2 Arcs)

Mira: 5 chapters

Taru Chapter 30: Blooming at the cemetery

On the way, I told Anon-san that I had mastered Alchemy Skills that were treated like garbage.

『Nevertheless, Alchemy is interesting.

The ability to a.n.a.lyze and reinforce the material…

Changing material into a strengthen gem.

People with production jobs would want it even if they must go for the throat』(Anon)

I was proudly saying to Anon-san as I heard that.

『Because it is a job to create all things and invades G.o.d's realm』 (Taru)

Doya*

Alchemy is amazing.

『Ku ku~ ku~. Taru-s.h.i.+ is really interesting』(Anon)

I looked back at Mina, she is happily singing praises.

『Isn't that right? Tens.h.i.+-sama is amazing ~no~desu』(Mina)

We let out an air that was s.h.i.+ning in the graveyard.

『*Hare Hare* (Different type of Ara Ara), such a reliable Alchemist』(Anon)

But then Anon-san told us with a serious expression.

『I usually don't go this far alone, but there's still no sign…

Can't be helped. Let's go further in.』(Anon)

Anon-san words seem to be heavy.

It seems like there will be some danger ahead.

Is the difficulty increasing?

『Yes』(Taru)

For the time being, I give a reply indicating approval.

『Tens.h.i.+-sama ……』(Mina)

However, Mina's expression is strangely bad.

Mina is probably about the age of meticulous attention to the atmosphere.

She stares at me with an uneasy expression.

『It's okay』(Taru)

I hold Mina's hand as if I eased the child.

If you hold their hands, for some reason, children become less worried. When I held on my crying childhood friend's hand, I thought it was a mature act.

『Tens.h.i.+-sama ……』(Mina)

Did she feel relieved?

Mina smiled *Ni pa~a* at me, she seemed to think of me as an angel who didn't know fear.

『*Hare Hare* It becomes hot』(Anon)

Anon-san's monologue echoed in the cemetery.

We were enjoying the graveyard walk like that, but as we went deeper into the mist, the fog became thicker, and the number of tombstones, which were spa.r.s.e, in time eventually became so large.

The tombstones are spread all around, as if they were the walls of a labyrinth.

『Taru, Mina, hold on!』(Anon)

Anon-san, who stayed at the front as the vanguard, urged us in the back to be vigilant while readying her sword.

At the direction where the Samurai Princess stares, there are two skeletons wearing tattered light armor.

They have a Round s.h.i.+eld in the left hand and a Scimitar on the right hand.

Their s.h.i.+ning eyes pointed at us and they set up a s.h.i.+eld to hide the body, it seems like they completely recognized us as targets.

Obviously, it's a different movement compared to the skeletons back then.

“Skeleton Soldier”

The name of the monster is displayed.

『My attack could only cut it half-way』(Anon)

Anon-san told me so as she slashed her Naginata into a Skeleton Soldier.

The attention (hate) of two skeleton soldiers concentrates on Anon-san.

『Mina, we are going too』(Taru)

『Yes, Tens.h.i.+-sama』(Mina)

I quickly swallowed “Extreme Candy Ball” and pulled out the Kodachi while enduring the bitterness of the caterpillar.

With the benefit of a one-minute increase in attack power, I jump at one of the Skeleton Soldier who is fighting against Anon-san as I am faster than Mina.

My aim is on his neck.

『Seya』(Taru)

The Skeleton Soldier realized my aim, rotated his upper body and parried my slash with his Scimitar.

I felt overwhelmed by that human-like movement and was wary of the pursuit.

The Skeleton Soldier pointed his Scimitar toward me. I wonder if his aim has changed to me.

『Tens.h.i.+-sama』(Mina)

Mina swung down her Mace from the side at the Skeleton Soldier.

A loud sound is heard, and the enemy sways.

The place Mina hit was the s.h.i.+eld of the Skeleton Soldier.

The skeleton seemed to have detected Mina's attack and blocked it with his s.h.i.+eld.

This Skeleton Soldier is different from the skeletons we have fought and is quite a troublesome monster.

『Kya』(Mina)

After blocking Mina's attack, the Skeleton Soldier changed his target to Mina and swung the scimitar at her.

Mina received the blow at her shoulder.

Mina: HP 70 / 110.

Mina has been fighting as a vanguard, although she has a low level of defense, she must be dressed in decent equipment. But for Mina to lose 40 HP with a single blow, there's a possibility of being killed with a single blow considering my HP and defense.

A monster with well-balanced attack and defense.

I don't have any offensive power that could break that defense.

Then, the remaining options are.

『Mina! I'll become a decoy, so try shooting magic during that time!』(Taru)

『I can't let Tens.h.i.+-sama doing such a dangerous role』(Mina)

I don't look back even though Mina denies it, and I rush into the Skeleton Soldier who is attacking Mina.

Because there is a difference in height, it's difficult to aim at his neck, so let's focus on the lower half of his body to attack.

Keep my body as low as possible and make it easy to evade my opponent's attacks.

『I… I understand! Tens.h.i.+-sama, don't die on me』(Mina)

It seemed like Mina understood, she started chanting.

The Skeleton Soldier attacked in response to my movement.

I must roll on the ground to dodge it.

After stabbing the Kodachi at his knee, I step back immediately.

To prevent the Skeleton Soldier changed target to Mina, I threw the “stone piece” from the item storage and managing the hate.

After several times of attacking and avoiding, Mina cast her magic at the Skeleton Soldier.

『”Small Light“!』(Mina)

Mina raised her hand up, and the palm was s.h.i.+nning in red.

The Skeleton Soldier was stunned by sudden magic.

He seemed to have taken a lot of damage.

Taking that chance, I rolled over to the feet of the Skeleton Soldier and stabbed his knee with my Kodachi.

White bone fragments are scattering.

The Skeleton Soldier lost his mobility due to one of his legs has collapsed.

『Mina!』(Taru)

『Yes! 』(Mina)

Mina swung down her Mace on the skull of the Skeleton Soldier.

An unpleasant sound sounds.

『Did we finish it?』(Taru)

The Skeleton Soldier‘s head is shattered on the right half, reaching his eye hole.

However, the remaining left eye is s.h.i.+ning suspiciously, and he looked straight to Mina.

He used s.h.i.+eld Bash on Mina and made her fall to the ground.

The Skeleton Soldier turned his upper body and approached Mina like a coma with one leg as an axis.

In order to cover Mina, I move right away in the direction of the Skeleton Soldier.

『Torya』(Taru)

I wasn't confident that I could block that sword attack, so I tried to make him fall down, aiming at his feet.

Without being targeted, I succeeded jumped in and cut his legs.

However, he fell over me and I was on the course the sword's movement.

『Ah』(Taru)

No.

This is inevitable.

Perhaps, I may lose all of my HP.

I glance and meet Mina's eyes.

She had a sad face as she called out to me.

I have done it now.

I've just said that I won't die.

I might have done something bad.

The moment when I had such a thought in my chest.

『Sei』(Anon)

The Samurai Princess' dignified cry echoes.

It was Anon-san's support, no, rescue.

Taking advantage of the long reach, she shook her Naginata and cut off the head of the Skeleton Soldier.

The orbit of the swung down sword was disturbed by the impact pierced on the ground.

The Skeleton Soldier is struggling to pull his sword back to attack, even though he has already lost his head.

As expected, he is undead.

He can move even when he loses his head.

『Haiya~』(Anon)

Anon-san cuts off the Skeleton Soldier‘s arms from left to right, then pierces his chest, and the Skeleton stops moving.

The Skeleton Soldier disappeared as light particles.

There are no drop items.

『Fuu~』(Anon)

Taking a deep breath, the Samurai Princess walks to use as she unsheathes.

『That's dangerous』(Anon)

『Thank you very much』(Taru)

『Tens.h.i.+-sama』(Mina)

Mina runs to me and clings to my right arm.

I was surprised at the sudden situation, but my partner was a young girl who doesn't come of age yet so I tried not to mind.

But it's a bit embarra.s.sing to be done in public.

However, when I looked at Mina's crying face, I was distracted by it and I left it as it was.

Anon-san sat down on the ground and watched us both, concealed her lip with cuffs and laughed.

『Even though you both have a good balance as PT, but you don't have enough firepower』(Anon)

I played the vanguard role with the a.s.sist of items, Mina was DPS with magic attack and blow attack.

At first glance, the balance seems to be good.

But to fulfill it, I need defenses and HP so that I can withstand enemy's attack but I don't have it.

Mina's magic attack is limited to several times and it's just initial magic. Even if she can use blow attacks, it's not recommended as she can't guard herself after that.

『As expected. It's really so.』(Taru)

Mina's expression became bad as she heard my words.

『But still, both of you are growing. Let's devote yourself to become stronger from now on』(Anon)

『Mina, we can become stronger』(Taru)

『Yes… Tens.h.i.+-sama and I will become stronger』(Mina)

『Uh, yup yup』(Taru)

『But, please don't die』(Mina)

『I… I will do better…』(Taru)

『Uu』(Mina)

『I'll do my best』(Taru)

While we exchanged words, we started moving on again.

Then, the surroundings seemed to change.

From the cemetery, the tombstones came together to form a wall-like appearance.

『I can't see the tip of the tombstone …』(Taru)

Furthermore, the size of the stone seems to grow larger and I can no longer crawl across the tombstone.

『It looks like a maze』(Taru)

It's like a labyrinth of tombstones.

『From here on is the real thing…』(Anon)

Anon-san, who moved ahead as the vanguard, suddenly stopped and looked at the back.

『Looking at that』(Anon)

I and Mina turned our faces and looked into the direction Anon-san told us.

In the place where we looked at, there is a fluttering Skeleton wandering around.

It's like a sleepwalking patient.

There's no shaking from his step, it doesn't seem to be scary, but that's wrong.

This Skeleton is so huge that the Skeletons who had attacked us earlier couldn't be compared.

Even if he doesn't reach 3 meters, he is certainly more than two meters in height.

『This is why this place was called the giant's graveyard』(Anon)

I see. Tombstones and white-boned monsters that grow larger as you go further.

『That's “Wandering Skeleton“. His movement is slow and the enemy detection range is small.

However, the attack power is high as it looks…』(Anon)

『Looks strong …』(Mina?)

『Can we win? 』(Taru?)

『We'd better not go any further』(Anon)

Anon-san looks cautious.

Her response was as expected.

I understand.

I was at a level where I could be killed with a single blow, in addition to my lack of firepower.

Mina is powerful even with her beginner-level magic, but her remaining MP can only use magic twice.

『Let's go back』(Taru)

Honestly, partying with us is impossible to go any further.

『Hara* (Oh my). It may be too late for that, I wonder (~kas.h.i.+ra)…』(Anon)

Anon-san looks up for some reason.

We also caught up and raised our face.

There was a bigger Skeleton than the “Wandering Skeleton“, his dark skeleton head looked down at us.

The empty eye-light seemed more creepy with the moonlight behind it.

A giant body that seems to exceed a gravestone of about 2 meters, this skeleton seems to be 4 meters, walks over the gravestone wall.

His right-foot steps right into our place area.

『Avoid』(Anon)

Together with Anon-san's warning, the palm feet of the giant skeleton stamped the ground.

Smoke (Dust) spread in the dry cemetery.

His movement is slow, but the feeling of oppression is amazing because of its huge body.

『”El Wight Walker“!』(Anon) (T.N: in Katakana)

Anon-san is the last person who dodges.

She tells the name of the monster as she checks our condition.

『His movement is slow, but he can walk over the wall made of tombstones here. I don't like how he has no terrain obstacles』(Anon)

『Do you mean we have to fight? 』(Taru)

『*Hare-Hare*, …we might encounter with another Wight while running away, you know.』(Anon)

As if decided, Anon-san shook her Naginata and stood in front of us.

『In order to seek color and beauty, this is an appropriate price』(Anon)

Price… Anon-san announced.

Danger.

This is probably an adventure.

Certainly, the beauty of G.o.d's art of alchemy may come with the price of materials, but there is also the beauty that can be enjoyed without it.

『No. Can you just enjoy the beauty purely?』(Taru)

Heard my voice, Anon-san glanced at me and smiled.

『Ahaha, surely for lovely young girls like you, that may be the case. But there's no beauty without affording』(Anon)

『Isn't Anon-san also beautiful?』(Taru)

『…Mine is nothing more than an Artificial one』(Anon)

Is she talking about her character?

Alchemy is fun because it's able to make anything.

Did Anon-san think that if it's made with human hands, it's no longer a beauty?

『Would you like to enjoy the beauty? 』(Taru)

『What are you going to do?』(Anon)

Anon-san wonders when I take out the item.

I hold the magic stick like a toy.

『I'll launch it beatifully』(Taru)

Take out my first creation, attack type item “Aiming Fireworks (small)” and aim at the skeleton approaching from above.

And, as I said, I laughed the tube in your hands.

『Sudon~!』(SFX)

A small fireball enters the right eye hole of the huge skeleton.

And the following tone is the explosion that s.h.i.+nes brightly.

『Paan! 』(SFX)

Spread out from the skull of the giant skeleton…

Full glory Green and red sparks in the darkness.

A gorgeous firework was launched above the tombstone.

『Waa』(Anon)

『Kya』(Mina)

Because the distance from the fireworks was too close, I can't really see the flowers.

If we stand around here while sparks are scattered, we might be caught in crackles.

The amount of light is difficult to distinguish from normal fireworks, just like a huge explosion.

『A beautiful big flower ring』(Anon)

But though.

The Samurai Princess warrior looked in awe with the expression that is hard to be called grace, she smiled like a child.

What you do isn't important.

What you think is more important.

Adventure and fun.

As long as there was this bliss, no matter what was consumed, I didn't think it was a price.