The Spearmaster and the Black Cat Chapter 117

『Helme.』 (Shuuya)

Once called, Helme appears in my field of view in her small appearance.

『Yes. How may I help you?』 (Helme)

『Helme, can you sense traps?』 (Shuuya)

『No, that's impossible. If it's heat or mana, I can sense those, but… even so, I think I can assist with the checking if I come out and touch them by hand.』 (Helme)

『I see. Nevermind then.』 (Shuuya)

『Yes, I'm very sorry that I can't be of any help to you, Your Excellency.』 (Helme)

『No, don't mind it. I will call you if there are many monsters. I will rely on you at that time.』 (Shuuya)

『Yes!』 (Helme)

Even after the telepathic communication with Helme, the spear traps continued for a while, but when the passage turned into the shape of a L, there were no further traps ahead. Instead I detected magic sources ahead.
It looks like the trap filled passage has ended.
The magic sources I sensed have sizes which are bigger than the ones until now.
I invoke .
I don't know whether Rollo possesses the skill as well, but she walks right next to me while bending her body down and folding her ears.
Walking in front, I carefully approach the place where the responses are.
The ones I found there are medium-sized goblins.
Possessing their typical green skin, they have thick bodies. They have olive brown, short hair and bushy eyebrows. There are three Daigoro-like, chin-less Gen-san like goblins. 1

“Rollo, this time you stay on standby in the rear. There are spells I haven't tested yet.”

“N, nya.”

Rollo stepped back as told and took some distance.
The medium-sized goblins wear sturdy-looking leather armor and they are holding clubs and barbarian swords with their thick arms.
Since the passage is bright, I don't know whether is effective…
It seems that they still haven't noticed us.
Though I think we have already entered the goblins' field of view.
Oh well, that's convenient.
Since they aren't aware of us, I will let them give me a headstart with my magic experiment.
I cast Advanced class: Water attribute,《Frozen Snake Arrow》 in my mind.
At that moment, countless ice arrows that have the size of a human's arm manifest in mid air and plunge forward.
Just like homing missiles, the group of ice arrows that left trails of white light in their wake pierced the heads, smashed the bellies and stabbed into the feet of the goblins.
I guess, this is the end of the goblins' lives, isn't it?
The group of ice arrows penetrated the sturdy leather armor and protectors equipped by the goblins.
At that point, I undo .
There's no particular need to hide anymore.
However, although it doesn't match up with the Extreme class' Frozen Dragoness spell, nothing less you'd expect from advanced magic.
The number of arrows and their power is incredible.
It used quite a bit of mana, but my natural recovery is high anyway.
It's possible to use this spell successively.
But, if it stays like this, I will completely turn into a wizard, won't I?
Should I add it to the occupation category on my guild card in advance?
Wizard… well, apart from the joke with the adding, I will make sure to keep it in moderation.
My main job is that of a vanguard using my Magic Halberd.

“Nyaon, nya!”

Rollo-san delivers a cat punch against the big face of a dead medium-sized goblin.

“Rollo, you are cautious just in case, aren't you? After all I have to collect the magic stones.”

“Nn, nyaon.”

I take out an Ancient Dragon Dagger from my chest belt and chop up the medium-sized goblins' corpses.
The goblins also possess weapons and armors, but I don't collect those items.
They might sell for a bit, but I don't feel any mana from them and thus judge that I won't be able to sell them for much.
However, since their body structure is close to that of people, I don't feel comfortable about prying them open.
All three goblins had magic stones near their hearts.
I obtain three green magic stones.
I wash the magic stones and my hands with water from life magic.
Alright, they became clean.
Let's try it with these magic stones at once?
I say “Open!” to activate the item box.
I press the diamond-shaped ◆ mark in the menu.
The submenu listed the ◆ mark on the left and the needed magic stones on the right.

◆： Total stored quantity of Elenium: 0

Necessary Elenium stones: 50 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +15: Release of Memory Storage

Necessary Elenium stones: 100 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +20: Release of Kaleidoscope

Necessary Elenium stones: 200 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +25: Loading Dimension Scan Function

I try to put in the magic stones I obtained just now into the big diamond-shaped ◆ mark.
Just like some time ago, characters show up below the ◆ mark.

Detecting unknown stone… magic source compatibility 83%.
Confirmed to be above 80%.
Recognize this stone as Elenium? Y / N

Ooh, it worked! Of course I select Y.
Thereupon,

Recognition as Elenium finished.
It has been added to the total stored quantity of Elenium.

I check the list on the right side.

◆： Total stored quantity of Elenium: 1

Necessary Elenium stones: 49 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +15: Release of Memory Storage

Necessary Elenium stones: 100 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +20: Release of Kaleidoscope

Necessary Elenium stones: 200 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +25: Loading Dimension Scan Function

Lucky! That makes it clear. The magic stone has been properly recognized.
49 more Elenium stones left, huh?
I think I will gather medium-sized magic stones and get the reward to strengthen my item box.
Since I have gathered more than thirty small magic stones, I will likely gather the medium magic stones right away as well.
However, I can't consider it as a coincidence that the magic stones were recognized.
Kuna said that this item box originates from a labyrinth.
I'm sure that the person, who used it before, was in this labyrinth in their past.
Though it might have been one of the aliens that have been shown by the item box…
Maybe a different adventurer obtained it as a labyrinth drop because that alien died or dropped it?
Or it was exhibited in the Underground Auction by chance.

“Nyao.”

Mmh, while pondering about the item box, I was called by Rollo.
In an instant I invoke Grasping Perception.
— I see.
Several magic sources, and a bigger number than just now, I suppose.
A group of medium-sized goblins?

“Rollo, your flame breath is off-limit, but anything besides that is alright.” (Shuuya)

Rollo rushes forwards as if saying “That's what I was waiting for.”
It's because Rebecca said “This is the first floor. That's why it's fine even if you use fire magic” at the time when she shot her spell.
This is the second floor. Although Rebecca might have just said so by chance, I decide that it's better to hold back on fire magic since I'm afraid of secondary disasters such as oxygen deprivation, gas and dust.
Well, I might be paying too much attention to it though.
Bracing myself, I summon the Magic Halberd into my right hand.
While looking at the back of Rollo who has changed into her black panther mode, I run ahead where the magic sources are.
I caught sight of several medium-sized goblins.
Four goblin shield bearers line up in front as if forming a wall.
In the rear there are four goblin archers.
Rollo extended her tentacle bone swords with a buzzing sound and stabbed at the feet of the shield bearers in front.
As usual I start the killing from the gobs possessing range weapons.
While running, I fire in succession.
I use the maximum possible limit of successive shooting, five.
The five light spears passed over the heads of the vanguard goblins while drawing a curve, passing within inches of the ceiling, and accurately pierced the bodies of the goblin archers in the rear.
The fifth light spear deviated from its course, but it doesn't change the fact that the archer gobs were skewered.
Without change, I hold the magic spear short and advance.
I designated one of the shield-bearing gob bastards as my target.
Kicking the ground with one leg, I jump slightly while swinging down the magic spear at the head of the gob.
The gob tried to defend against it by holding its shield overhead.
But— Divine Punishment! As if saying that, the red axe blade, which is at the front part of the swung Magic Halberd, crushes the gob's head alongside the shield and sunk down until halfway through its chest.
Blood wells up and spills out of the squashed chest.
While shifting my hold on the Magic Halberd in order to search for the next target, I pulled it out.
At that moment, with a great timing, the shield-bearing gob next to me falls over after losing its balance due to an attack of Rollo's tentacle bone swords.
It kissing the ground entered my sight.
I rotated the magic spear around, struck with the magic dragon gem at the butt end while aiming at the head of that awkwardly fallen gob, and crushed its head.
There are two medium-sized vanguard goblins left.
Seemingly cautious towards mine and Rollo's attacks, the goblins slowly approach while holding their kite shields in front.
The gobs had the shields in their left hand and short hatchets in their right.
They try to strike my magic spear and Rollo's tentacle bone swords with those hatchets, but in the hands of the goblins, the short hatchets lose any meaning.
The Magic Halberd is an Axe Spear – Halberd. (T/N: OMG, finally, after 117 chapters, he defines the stupid thing)
Since Rollo also handles six tentacle bone swords above having a large wide range, the gobs couldn't get close to us without entering our attack range.
Just when the gobs focussed their attention on the Magic Halberd and the tentacle bone swords, I hold up my left hand and shoot .
The chains stab both knees of the gobs with a speed they can't perceive.

“”Gyaaaaaaa!””

Having their knees pierced, the gobs scream.
As they fall to the ground obviously having lost the strength in their legs, they hold their legs and trash about on the ground while scattering blood.
Rollo's tentacles went towards the fallen gobs' to slide below their throats, accurately penetrated them, tore them up and thus delivered the final blow.
The medium-sized goblins that were in the passage have been annihilated with this.

“Rollo, I leave standing guard to you once again.” (Shuuya)

“Nn, nya.”

Rollo purrs with a throaty, quiet voice in reply.
Apparently having acknowledged my request, she was scanning both sides of the passage with her red eyes while stepping to the side after loosely bending her limbs.
She's a smart child.
Well then, let's get going with the collecting.
I take the magic stones out of the new corpses with a “Collect, collect~” feeling.
I begin the dismantling using a dagger.
… However, the degree of difficulty has risen sharply on this second floor, hasn't it?
This number and quality of monsters in the passages and not even in a room.
That's the reason why the receptionist tried to stop me.
I suppose having party members is usually indispensable.
While pondering about that, I washed my hands and the magic stones with the life magic's water after finishing the retrieval.
The collected medium magic stones amount to seven, it totals to ten so far.
I will dedicate all of those magic stones to the diamond-shaped mark of the item box.
I wonder how it turned out? I check once more.

◆： Total stored quantity of Elenium: 10

Necessary Elenium stones: 40 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +15: Release of Memory Storage

Necessary Elenium stones: 100 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +20: Release of Kaleidoscope

Necessary Elenium stones: 200 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +25: Loading Dimension Scan Function

The medium magic stones were accepted.
It looks like they aren't classified as unknown stones anymore.
There's 40 more magic stones left to go.
If I add the number of stones necessary for the guild's request, I have to obtain fifty stones.
I will head deeper into the labyrinth.
A series of Y-shaped forks continues.
Each time that happens, we were roughly greeted by medium-sized goblins that had settled down at the forking.
We advance forward while continuously defeating those goblins.
The total number of defeated goblins amounts to 25.
I supplied all of the magic stones we obtained to the item box.
15 more, and if I add the guild's share, 25.
I advance through a passage for a while, but no monsters appear…
Thereupon, an arched gate that seems to be the entrance to a room came into sight at the end the passage.
There are also magic source responses inside.
Finally a monster room, huh?
Just like in a RPG, the quality and strength of monsters is higher in a room than in the passages.

“Rollo, let's go.”

“Nya.”

We intrude without using .
The size of the room hasn't changed in particular in comparison to the rooms on the first floor.
There are arched entrances, where you could see passages, on the left side and straight ahead.
And there are three shield-bearing medium-sized goblins standing at the front side of the room.
In the central back… I see an unknown goblin.
Is that the hobgoblin mentioned in the request?
It has ash green long hair.
Though it has a hunchback, it's a slim goblin.
Holding a curved longsword, it has a swordsman-like appearance that would befit a human.
It's wearing tawny, light leather armor that protects the area around its abdomen and sandals.
For a goblin to have gladiator sandals, huh?
That looks slightly stylish.
As soon as we enter the room, the unknown goblin looks our way.
As expected, it has noticed our intrusion, hasn't it?
The monster that might be considered to be a hobgoblin slowly moves its hunchback and glares at us with its green eyes that had red circles around them.
Preparing its longsword, it opened its mouth widely— and roared.

“Gyaaoooo.”

“”Gyagyagyagya.””

“Gogyagya!”

The hobgoblin and the medium-sized goblins at front shouted at each other as if receiving instructions from the hobgoblin. A goblin wearing a round shield and two wearing a kite shield charged at us while holding their shields in front of them.
The hobgoblin seems to observe the situation from behind and waits.
The one who moved first against the charging goblins is RolloBlack Panther.
Once she seizes the feet of the round shield gob with her tentacle bone swords and makes it tumble, she immediately drags its legs to the right side and moves.
I hold the Magic Halberd in a stance of aiming at the eyes of the charging goblin.
I meet the medium-sized goblins directly from the front.
I ordinarily stab the kite shield gob that readily entered the range of my spear first with the spear point of the Magic Halberd.
The first attack was prevented by the kite shield.
However, I do a barrage of thrusts. — I thrust and thrust— and thrust.
The gob defends against the spear with the kite shield, but the spear is made out of the materials of Evil Dragon King Baldok.
There's no way for it to be able to defend time and time again against the thrusts. The kite shield becomes full of holes due to my thrust barrage.
In the end the kite shield was crushed grandly and got destroyed.
At the same time the spear penetrates the arm that held the shield.
When the goblin that wore the kite shield had its arm injured, it raised a scream and retreated to the rear in order to escape.
At that moment the other medium-sized goblin raised its barbarian sword overhead and launched a diagonal slash supposedly aiming for my collar.
— In a hurry I pull back the Magic Halberd.
As I stopped the swung barbarian sword with the top part of the spear, violet sparks scattered.
Using the recoil of the blow, I rotate the Magic Halberd in a circle.
As if to say “Here's your return present”, I struck the butt end of the magic dragon gem into the nether region of the goblin with a trajectory similar to drawing an arc.
— With a dull sound, the smelly-looking balls of the goblin are pulverized.
The magic dragon gem dug into the body of the medium-sized goblin while crushing bones and flesh up until its waist.
You might say that its genitals have completely caved-in.

“Ugyo? Oooooh—”

Goblin-san falls to the ground while raising a strange agony filled death cry… Amen.
With this it looks like the blue crystal has become smelly, doesn't it?
For caution's sake I make the hidden bladeIce Claw appear out of the magic dragon gem.
Like that I advance while using Magic Steps.
The medium-sized goblin that ran away in retreat after being injured comes into view.
I swiftly rotate my body to the front and face that guy's head.
— I unleash a kick following the technique of dropping my heel on its head.
The Evil Dragon King Baldok's greaves have tough heels as well.
The violet heels made the goblin's skull collapse as if smashing a watermelon.
I land and trample down on the goblin's head.
As if aiming for the braking of that landing, a fast slash of the hobgoblin attacks me.
It mows down with the curved longsword— the motion is quick.
In a hurry I diagonally stabbed the spear into the ground in order to block the side sweep unleashed by the hobgoblin.
The curved longsword and the Magic Halberd clash.
A hard metallic clank that makes one's ears tremble reverberates. The ice sword that grew out of the magic dragon gem at the spear's end part vibrated.
Right after unleashing a single flash, the hobgoblin apparently intended to start another attack without any pause in-between, but seeing my reaction with the magic spear, it stops its movements in the middle of them and retreats with a back step.
Its discernment is quick and its footwork is good, too.
It resembles the movement of people.
RolloBlack Panther advances towards the hobgoblin that retreated.
She stretches her six tentacle bone swords that grew out of the area around her neck towards the hobgoblin.
It looks like RolloBlack Panther has already killed the goblin holding a round shield.
There's the figure of a goblin that had its head cut off on the right side floor.
RolloBlack Panther bent the six tentacles and handled them like whips. She unleashed a barrage of strikes and thrusts with the bone swords.
It's a terrifyingly strong barrage.
The hobgoblin skillfully uses its curved longsword and barely defends against the continuous attacks while retreating.
Hee, it's properly defending. Even though it's a monster, it's quite skilled.
It seems to be worthy of being a subjugation target that rewards one with 15 gold coins after all.
In order to not hinder Rollo's attacks, I move to the flank of the hobgoblin with Magic Steps.
I precisely stab the red spear at the legs of the hobgoblin while at the same time constraining its flank. Unable to successfully cope with the sudden attack from its flank, it quickly suffered the thrust of the red spear.
The hobgoblin's movements become suddenly dull as it whimpers.
— Chance! I hurled a at it.
At the instant the fang spear that turns into one straight spiraling wind of red-violet and black seized the flank of the hobgoblin, the thin body of the goblin twisted in one go, was torn apart and got divided into top and bottom halves.
The hobgoblin's hunchback-like upper body half dances in midair. The entrails that didn't get burned scatter around from the lower body half, which exposed a part of its spinal cord, and blood gushes out vigorously.
A torrent of blood hit my face.
Perfect timing. It's a resupply of blood. I drink it while making repetitive gulping sounds.

“Nyao.”

As I'm drinking the blood, Rollo purred lightly as if telling me “Good work” and started to lick the blood flowing on the ground.

“Rollo, don't be careless. Stay on guard as there are tentatively entrances on the left and right, okay?” (Shuuya)

“Nnn, nya~o, nya.”

Since her reply is mixed with a throaty voice, it feels as if she's saying 『Can't be helped nya』, I suppose?
Though it might be something else as it's just a feeling.
I carry out the recovery of the magic stones.
A medium magic stone came out of the hobgoblin's corpse.
The corpse has been damaged, but since it will serve as proof of subjugation, let's put both corpse halves into the item box.
Though the price will likely be lowered due to the wounds, it can't be helped.
I wash the four obtained magic stones with water from life magic and also my face while I'm at it.
I offered the clean magic stones to the diamond-shaped mark of the item box.
Once I offer the remaining 11 magic stones to the item box, I will be able to get a capacity upgrade as reward.
Well then, the passages still continue.
I closed the window of the item box while turning my look to the passages ahead.
Let's head out? Thinking of advancing just like that, there are passages in front and on the left.
I choose the passage in front.
The cream-colored passage continues for a while.
Medium-sized goblins appeared in the passages.
Hobgoblins appeared in the monster rooms.
While smoothy defeating the monsters who appear in those with only Rollo and me, we suitably proceed through branches in Y-shape and T-shape.

◇◇◇◇

We defeated the medium-sized goblin that appeared in the passage just now and I'm dismantling it.
It took some time, but I was able to gather the medium magic stones.
Let's drop the magic stone into the diamond-shaped mark.
At once I chant 「Open」 and the item box boots up.
I press the diamond-shaped mark with a *button-press*.

◆： Total stored quantity of Elenium: 49

Necessary Elenium stones: 1 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +15: Release of Memory Storage

Necessary Elenium stones: 100 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +20: Release of Kaleidoscope

Necessary Elenium stones: 200 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +25: Loading Dimension Scan Function

As usual, the necessary amount of Elenium stones is displayed on the right side.
I put the last magic stone into the diamond-shaped mark that was shown on the left side.
Thereupon,

Necessary Elenium stones: Complete.
Reward: Storage +15: Release of Memory Storage

A display that the task was completed appears and immediately vanishes.
A new task that moved up to the top from below was displayed.

◆： Total stored quantity of Elenium: 50

Necessary Elenium stones: 100 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +20: Release of Kaleidoscope

Necessary Elenium stones: 200 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +25: Loading Dimension Scan Function

Necessary Big Elenium stones: 5 – incomplete
Reward: Storage +30: Release of Fold One Kareem Gun Set

The capacity expanded with this?
It's nice that a memory storage function has been added as well, but…
No, wait a sec.
The new item that was shown as addition below, Fold One Kareem Gun Set.
Is that perchance a gun?
While harboring such an expectation, I erase the window that was shown and restart the item box once again.

◆： Person-shaped mark: Storage: Memory

Item Inventory: 54/100

Intermediate Recovery Potions x 128
Intermediate Mana Recovery Potions x 103
High Recovery Potions x 40
High Mana Recovery Potions x 103
Large Platinum Coins x 12
Platinum Coins x 26
Gold Coins x 98
Silver Coins x 74
Large Copper Coins x 264
Great Wand of Moon Soul Wood x 1
Necklace of Priest x 1
Mana Amplification Medicine Potions x 3
Black Dress of Sorrow x 1
Stone of Return x 11
High Boots of Red Shark Skin x 1
Armrest of the Thunder Demon x 1
Ring of Twilight x 1
Notes of Ancient King Premos x 1
Petersen's Literary Fragment x 1
Socks of Valurda x 5
Picture Scroll of the Gods of Sebdola x 1
Dawn's Ancient Writing Stone x 3
Lont Codex x 1
Ten Heaven Wicked Statues Steertop* x 1 (T/N: No idea, the usual katakana soup … シテアトップ (shiteatoppu))
Ring of Shadow Reading x 1
Ring of Firebeast Gem x 1
Ruby x 1
Jade x 1
Magic Jewel of Wind x 1
Magic Jewel of Fire x 1
Horn of Haisercorn x 1
Cursed Sword Beet x 1
Bunch of Keys x 1
Hot Pot Cooking x 21
Bag of Selieu Powder x 1
Bag filled with Ingredients x 1
Leather Bag filled with Fresh Water x 2
Rainodal Leather Cloth x 3
Soap x 10
Leather Cloth x 11
Magic Jar x 3
First-class Slave Trader License x 1
Magically-built House x 1
Dagger of the Ancient Dragon x 35
Long Sword of the Ancient Dragon x 4
Large Scale of the Ancient Dragon x 138
Small Scale of the Ancient Dragon x 243
Whiskers of the Ancient Dragon x 10
Sword of Rendil x 1
Navy-Blue Dull Steel Hammer x 1
Unicorn's Cloth Badge x 1
Holy Flower's Transparent Water Gem x 2
Corpses x 2
Bag filled with Magic Stones x 1

Oooh, the maximum capacity has increased as promised.
It expanded from 80 to 100.
The new memory has been added as well.
I tried pushing that memory.
Once I did, a faintly green window pops up.

Zanbiss
Goblin Brandel
Bat
Goblin Soldier
Hobgoblin

The characters of monsters were displayed.
Are these the names of the monsters I defeated inside the labyrinth until now?
Or is that a display of the recorded information if you toss a magic stone into the item box in some sort of way?
Well, umm, I guess it's either of those?
I touch the Zanbiss shown in the window.
Apart from the floor, the following is displayed

※Zanbiss※

Monster: Big Rat
Weak Point: Head

A monster graphic was displayed in a small window.
Once I touch the 3-D image, it zooms in. I can also zoom out. But, although one might call it a graphic, it hasn't a 4K or Full HD resolution, but is a Braun tube framed image. Therefore it gave a somewhat cheap impression.

※Goblin Soldier※

Monster: Goblin Type
Weak Point: Head, Heart, Nether Region

Although it calls it a weak point, that's only natural for the head and the heart.

※Goblin Brandel※

Monster: Goblin Type
Weak Point: Head, Heart

At that point I closed the item box window.
Now then, it's important to enhance this item box, but I also have to complete the adventurer's guild's requests.
I resume the labyrinth exploration.
I chose the front passage of the monster room and started to walk ahead.
There are no traps, but there are immediately magic source responses.
Probably medium-sized goblins again.
Their exact name seems to be Goblin Soldier according to the information.
Just as I thought, medium-sized goblins appear walking from inside the passage.
While defeating those medium-sized goblins, I proceeded through several branching paths.
Continuing to kill goblins, I gathered 12 medium magic stones.
I won't offer these collected magic stones to the diamond-shaped mark in the item box yet.
It's the share for the magic stone collection request of the adventurer guild.
Having already collected ten stones, I guess I will aim for the additional reward.
I advance and continue slaying the goblins that appear in the passages with my spear at this pace.
It's great that the gathering of magic stones proceeds smoothly, but where are the Bat Ants necessary for the subjugation requests?
I still haven't encountered any…
Is the place to which I warped a den of goblins by chance?
That's the only thing it could be. After all I run into many goblins.
At the time when I had enough of seeing goblins…
Huh? White feces?
White excrement-like objects have been dropped alongside the wall.
There wasn't such excrement-like stuff until now…
I advance while examining the appearance of the labyrinth's passage looking for signs of change.
For some reason goblins suddenly stopped appearing.
Oh? It's a corpse.
A goblin corpse lying on the ground was visible in front.
Once I check that corpse, the head had been seemingly bitten off and alf of its skull was missing.
Did a goblin and another monster fight?

Translation Notes:

1 – Daigoro is a character appearing in a historical manga called Lone Wolf & Cub (read it up here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Wolf_and_Cub) – Gen-san refers to a gag manga called “Tales of the chinless Gen and me”, there are 32 volumes out. Google アゴなしゲンとオレ物語, it looks pretty hilarious UP

Chapter end