Chapter 12: The Clean-up Battle of the Cultivating Centre
I don’t know how much time have pa.s.sed.
Though my legs are numbed, and I felt frustrated, but I cannot wake Arisu who is sleeping soundly. And I do not have any courage to prank her who is sleeping, hence I can only stare at her sleeping face.
It was me who pushed her to the battlefield.
I use this girl who is younger and weaker than me as a shield, and hid myself in safety while battling.
I am after all a guy, to this, more or less I would feel sorry about it.
If it’s just this level of numbness in the leg, it can be considered as a sort of repayment for her……
Me who is always thinking in such a petty way, is probably a coward.
Hmm, being a coward is not bad. I will depend on my wits to survive.
I remembered the scene seen from the cliff.
A never-seen before gra.s.sland, a huge bird.
And the orcs that attacked us.
「Another world.」
I could not help but say it out.
Even if we escape from the orcs, and successfully left the school, and went down the mountain. Our homes may not be there.
So that is the reason why there is the existence of such a room.
So that is why these Skills exist.
In this world that seems like a joke, and like a game, but yet is reality, we have to survive on.
「I don’t wish to die.」
2, 3 hours ago, I had intended to kill that fellow, and as for the things in the future I could wait until then before thinking about it.
But now, I am only concerned on surviving.
Perhaps it is before I experience combat. Perhaps I have a more realistic experience towards 「Death」. Now that I know, to me, death is scarier than I expected.
Just be a coward, and then use the power of these Skills to survive on.
For this aim, I must use Arisu.
Since so, just only having numb legs, is nothing much.
While thinking, I felt that a long time has already pa.s.sed.
Arisu moved. She opened her eyes, and rubbed her eyes sleepily.
Ah—— She wiped her saliva with her hand.
Fooo—— then she gave out a cute voice, and yawned……
Then her eyes which has been directed downward, met my eyes.
「Wah!」
「Good morning.」
I revealed a pranking look. Arisu shrieked and rolled away from my thigh.
After that, she kneel and kowtow to me as an apology, saying 「Sorry, sorry」.
「After all time does not move in this room, so what is the matter.」
「B..but!」
「And your sleeping look is adorable.」
「Yo..you saw it!」
「I enjoyed it thoroughly.」
Blushing, Arisu keeping shouting 「Please forget it!」while hitting my head. And I remained sitting.
The reason why I was sitting, is because my legs are so numb that I cannot stand up.
…… After returning to the real world, will my legs no longer be numb?
It should be. Even if you get ample rest in this world, once you return to the real world you will still be as tired.
So, even if you get injured in this world, once you return to the original place, the wound will heal?
Then, if you use magic in this world?
I have many things that I want to experiment, but these have to be put aside.
We have got to return to the battlefield which we fought with the orcs.
We have to leave this time-stopped room, and return to the vicious world.
「Kazu-senpai, should I raise my Heal Skill Rank?」
Arisu had leveled to level 3. Spear Skill Rank 2, Heal Skill Rank 1.
Using the newly obtained 2 points, although it cannot be used to raise Spear Skill, but it can be used to raise Heal Skill to Rank 2. But……
「No, I feel that saving it is better.」
I said so.
「Just by raising Spear Skill Rank 1 to 2, you can easily defeat the orcs, if you raise it by 1 more Rank, to Rank 3, then you maybe able to deal with the situation of being surrounded by orcs.」
「That is all due to Kazu-senpai’s support magic.」
The effect of Support Magic is indeed good, because due to the rise in physical ability, Arisu could obtain the upper hand in fight with the orcs.
Because of this, to continue to maintain such a situation, I feel that she should raise Spear Skill as a priority. I told my thoughts to her.
「Then I will follow your words.」
Arisu agreed…… No, she agreed to follow my thinking, and sat in front of the computer.
She breathed in deeply.
「Let’s return.」
「Okay.」
We are about to return to the battlefield which is like h.e.l.l. The killings are about to begin again.
Arisu pressed the confirm b.u.t.ton.
In the next second, we are back to the lounge of the Cultivating Centre.
The Cultivating Centre is full of an odor that makes one feel like vomiting.
Arisu look another peek at the naked body of the girl who was violated by the orcs before being killed and shook her head, before turning to look at me.
I walked a few steps into the lounge, and surveyed the empty balcony at level 2.
The sounds of rushing footsteps could be heard from level 2, it could be that the orcs on level 2 have discovered that there are intruders.
There are 2 paths linking to level 2 from the lounge, situated at the left and right side of the lounge respectively.
「Arisu, if there are orcs coming from the left side, you will take care of it. I will think of ways to deal with the right side with the Puppet Golem.」
「Yes!」
It will be bad if we are surrounded by enemies. Arisu and I reached the bottom of the left and right side of the stairs respectively.
Taking a look up, we only saw 2 orcs swaying their fat bodies, on the way down the stairs. But because the stairs are too narrow, hence they can only walk in line.
Good chance. I ordered the Puppet Golem to deal with the orcs, and at the same time ran towards Arisu’s direction.
Arisu stood at the left side of the stairs, waiting for the 2 orcs to come down.
「Right side also have 2! We will deal with this side first!」
While saying so, I chanted 《Summon Puppet Golem》
The second Puppet Golem appeared behind Arisu.
「《Keen Weapon》,《Physical Up》,《Mighty Arm》」
I used magic to strengthen the Puppet Golem, and signaled to Arisu.
Current MP/ Maximum MP = 7/21
My MP is almost finished. I wished to preserve the MP left, and use them on Support Magic. The battle, can only depend on the current battle strength.
「Arisu!」
「Yes, I am attacking!」
Arisu took a step back, and stood beside the newly summoned Puppet Golem. One of the orcs could not wait and jumped down from the stairs, wielding its sword at Arisu……
The Puppet Golem took a step forward, and blocked the attack with the shield.
The puppet nearly fell over, but in the end it hung on.
Good, you did great, my puppet. Do your best. I cheered for it while clenching my sweaty fist. All I can do is only cheer.
On the other hand, the orc whose attack was blocked, lost its balance more severely than the Puppet Golem. Arisu striked at it, and the metal spearhead pierced into the orc’s belly.
The orc retreated shakily……
The Puppet Golem’s rod hitted the orc’s head.
The orc fell down, no longer moving.
The other orc seeing this, was in a rage.
It came down from the stairs, wielding its sword and rushing towards Arisu.
Arisu quickly put some distance between the orc, and hid behind the Puppet Golem.
The Puppet Golem’s shield once again blocked the orc’s attack.
Arisu lowered her body, and using the Puppet Golem’s body as an axis, and spinned anti-clockwise.
The orc could not catch her presence for a second.
This battle method was similar to just now how she dealt with the orcs in the lounge. That time she used the body of the orc she just defeated, and now she lowered herself and used the smaller Puppet Golem to block herself.
When the orc saw Arisu again, her spear has already pierced the pig-man’s throat who did not have time to protect itself.
Arisu’s moves are still as mesmerizing. She uses her brain when fighting—— not just completely relying on Skills, always taking the most appropriate actions to give her foes the fatal blow. Perhaps she has the special combat talent?
Arisu looked at me who was surprised for a second, before running to the right stairs which the 1st Puppet Golem is defending desperately. I quickly tried to catch up to Arisu.
The 2nd Puppet Golem also followed behind me.
Due to Arisu’s efforts, the other 2 orcs on the right stairs also quickly died.
I leveled up.
We are sent to the white room.
Ah, seems that after defeating these orcs, the experience was just enough for me to level up to level 4.
Then again, there is nothing much to do, because I cannot rank up Skills, nor is there a need to reorganise strategies.
Arisu and I once again confirmed our action plans in the white room.
「First send the Puppet Golem to scout the rooms on level 1. Then go to level 2, and search for the remaining orcs.」
Since we cannot predict when the enemy will a.s.sault us.
Hence the role of the bait, is done by the Puppet Golems.
Arisu is the main force. If it was a drama, then I will go up to scout first, then say to her 「It’s up to you sensei.」, then she will leave behind the words 「Leave it to me」, then stroll towards the battlefield——
Ah~ But an Arisu who will say 「Leave it to me」seems a bit irritating.
「Even if we discovered surviving students, we must also put exterminating the orcs as a priority.」
「Yes.」
「If we meet any situation that we cannot handle, then we must run away without hesitation. Understand?」
「Even if we discovered surviving students……?」
「As long as we are still alive, we can come back. If we die, then n.o.body can save them.」
「…… I understand.」
Arisu nodded unwillingly.
「Okay, then let’s go.」
I pressed the confirm b.u.t.ton.
So we returned to the lounge of the Cultivating Centre once again.
First we search every cla.s.sroom on level 1, in the end we did not see any signs of orcs.
In this period, orcs on level 2 walked down the stairs.
But, they are quickly dealt with by Arisu.
The orcs that came from level 2, amounted to 3.
「It should be okay. Let’s head up.」
I let the Puppet Golem walk in front, and carefully walked up to level 2.
It was silent around the vicinity at the level 2 balcony.
「……There shouldn’t be any orcs here.」
I walked a few steps in the corridor without any suspicions.
Just as I was about to walk past an intersection, I carelessly thought that there was nothing, and just glance there.
「Danger, Kazu-senpai.」
Hearing Arisu’s screams, I turned my head to look again.
An orc happened to show itself at the end of the corridor, and threw an axe at me at the same time.
s.h.i.t.
I could not react all of a sudden, my body was frozen. It is just like when crossing a road intersection, then seeing a car suddenly rushing out, then you will freeze on the spot.
This is a human reflex. It is said in the army, the soldiers will keep training, get the habit, and completely removing this sort of reflex that is not beneficial to survival.
Of course, I am not a soldier. If you insist, I am just a high school student who is not apt at sports.
The axe that the orc threw, is about to hit my head.
In my eyes, all of these seems like slow motion.
Suddenly, my body fell to the side. When I discovered it was actually Arisu who rushed over and push me down, I have already fallen onto the ground.
A painful groan was heard from the girl who tried to suppress the pain. I raised my head, only seeing Arisu pressing against her shoulder that is full of blood. It could be that the axe grazed it.
The orc rushed over. I quickly ordered the 2 Puppet Golems to intercept.
Arisu also immediately raised her spear, heading to support.
The orc was immediately wounded fatally.
Arisu leveled up.
In the white room.
「Why do you save me, Arisu?」
「What do you mean by why……」
Arisu had a face of confusion while looking at me.
That is true, being questioned by someone whom you saved, anyone would think 「What is wrong with this fellow」.
「In my heart, the thought of『I have got to save him』appeared, then my body automatically rushed out.」
「Because of this thought, you almost died…… No, sorry, you saved me, how could I say this. I was too much, please forget those words.」
「Yes, yes.」
I took a deep breath. Just what am I angry about? Why am I so angry with Arisu?
Perhaps it is because Arisu saved me with a selfless heart.
Defeating this orc, the clean-up battle of the Cultivating Centre should be almost done.
To her, even without me, she should be able to deal with it alone.
But yet she stepped out, and saved me. In the viewpoint of profit and loss, this is a complete loss.
But, why can she do such a self-sacrificing move?
I clearly know what is the answer.
Because her act of saving me, is not based on profit or loss or a result from logical thinking.
I had suspected her. I had thought of it before, if she is actually lying to me, and even those blur looks were all just an act. If each of her moves has an objective behind it?
It is really stupid. She had decided to save me from the start, because she is such a person.
I suddenly felt that I am very despicable. No, actually, I am a despicable, filthy and cowardly person. I had just decided that no matter what I will survive.
Even so, looking at Arisu, I……
「What is wrong?」
My sight accidentally crossed with a girl whose face was full of doubts.
A sharp pain came from my chest. Not knowing why, I silently looked away.
I quickly find an excuse, and answered Arisu who had a doubting look.
「If everything is fine then it is good.」
「……Hmm, I am fine.」
The wound on Arisu’s shoulder, can be healed with 《Heal》, but now there should not be a need to raise the Rank of Healing Magic.
Hence, Arisu raised her Spear Skill to Rank 3. With this, she does not need me even more.
It should be like this.
Arisu: Level 4 Spear Skill 2→3／Healing Magic 1 Skill Point 4→1