Chapter 33 Wings Ride the Wind
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After fighting those three “Orc Slayers,” our party completely lost its calm.
To put it simply, every Orc we met afterward also turned out to be an “Orc Slayer.”
Rare species? What a joke.
When it was just three at once, we could still manage. Tatia took the front, drew their focus, and with Ethelena’s wide-area Charm we picked them off one by one. But when the number jumped to ten, we had no choice but to throw everyone in, no matter the form.
At least the numbers worked in our favor. Both Torakuma and I leveled up, and Tatia reached level 10, gaining a new skill slot.
Logically, Physical Attack Boost would’ve made things easier, but when Tatia asked for advice, I recommended Mobility Boost instead.
I don’t use it myself—my base role is Crafter—but I know that in close combat, high movement speed decides how fast you can close the gap. With Tatia’s role as a wall, the ability to instantly step in front of allies is vital. That’s why I suggested it.
After I explained, Tatia agreed and chose Mobility Boost.
Other candidates were Unlocking and Trap Disarm. Since she always pushes forward, having her open treasure chests or disarm traps would play to her strengths. She’s naturally tough, so it would make her even more useful when trap floors show up. Besides, Ethelena doesn’t have Trap Disarm either, so there wouldn’t be overlap.
”…Tatara, can we talk?”
Ethelena called out after we cleared the enemies.
She looked troubled… and her wings seemed bigger.
”My Sex Sorcery just hit max level.”
”Funny, my first thought is finally.”
When we explored together, she had sped through to level IV, but the climb to V took much longer.
”And… I reached level 20.”
”Congrats. That means you unlocked two skill slots?”
”Yeah. But there’s more I want to discuss.”
”…’More’?”
She nodded. “A strange revelation came to me—Class Up.”
”You’re kidding.”
In the old game, Class Up was a power-up for protagonists or heroines after reaching certain levels or completing events. Players had it too, supposedly, but the conditions were unknown, and even guides were full of rumors.
Still, I don’t think she triggered it just by leveling. It feels more like mastering Sex Sorcery was part of it.
”What about your stats?”
”HP up by 20, Mana 30, Skill Power 10. Physical Attack and Defense rose by 5, Magic Attack 15, Magic Defense and Speed 20. Luck stayed the same, but Movement rose by 1… and I gained Flight.”
”…That’s absurdly strong.”
The flat stat boost alone is huge, but Movement and Flight are the real killers. Flight lets you bypass trap floors, and only other flying units can engage you in close combat. It’s one of the most powerful abilities. The downside is there are areas with Flight restrictions.
Raising Movement is normally hard. You need rare items, specific gear, or certain skills. If Ethelena’s Movement climbs too far, we’ll struggle to keep up, but the scouting potential is massive. Her improved Magic Defense and Speed also make her much harder to hit on the front line.
”So, about those skill slots…”
”Right. Three main paths.”
First, Sniping Technique and Sneak Attack. The former boosts long-range accuracy, the latter raises damage and crit rate if the target hasn’t noticed you. A strong combo for a gunner. Especially with her fixed-power Arcane Gun, it’s a lifesaver.
Second, Stealth Step and Concealment. This path would make her a true scout. Natural stealth stacked with skills would erase her footsteps, and high Concealment could let her slip past even right beside enemies. If she added Sneak Attack and the backstab bonus of Ambush, her assassin build would reach completion.
Third, Trap Disarm and Sneak Attack. A bit unfocused, but with our high Mimic Chest encounter rate, very practical.
After I laid it out, Ethelena chose Sniping Technique and Sneak Attack. She wants to keep using Lonisera, her gun.
Maybe Lonisera itself will evolve with her Class Up. In the game, heroine-exclusive weapons often required Class Up as a condition.
”Ethelena’s set, then. Torakuma, your status?”
”Hmm… still no new slots. Appraisal is out of reach for now.”
Torakuma had checked her own stats.
I’m looking forward to teaching her Appraisal, so now I just wonder how many more battles until her level climbs.
Descending the stairs, the walls turned blood-red, carved with images of death.
The 16th floor—here, our enemies change to the Ogre tribe.
Last time, we didn’t see them. But this time, we might meet a rare type—Ogre Grapple.
Unlike the usual hulking Ogres, this one stands only around 175 cm. Pale blue skin inked with tattoos, fiery red hair.
Its Speed far surpasses normal Ogres, and its Regeneration III makes it even nastier in drawn-out fights. To be honest, it’s stronger than the so-called floor boss, the High Ogre.
Ethelena took the lead as we advanced through the dungeon.
She immediately tested her new wings, the beat of flight at first loud but quickly fading to near silence. At first I thought the noise was just air displacement, but no—the near-silence came from a magical effect. If I could study it more, maybe I could adapt it for Tatia’s armor.
Her speed nearly left us behind, but after peeking around a wall she flashed a hand signal. She’d found an Ogre.
I caught up and leaned out just enough to see. A regular Ogre, only one.
”T-Tatara-dono… is that the ‘Ogre’?” Tatia asked.
”Correct. The normal type—annoyingly tough and annoyingly strong,” I answered.
”…I sense deep resentment in your tone.”
She wasn’t wrong. Back when I ran solo, Ogres were the biggest pain. Straight-on combat was suicide; only careful traps could kill them. My use of guerrilla tactics—like old Vietcong tricks—started with these stubborn bastards.
”…Tatara, you’re not planning to do the same as before, are you?”
”Of course I am. Otherwise, the burden on you and Torakuma would be too heavy.”
”…”
Torakuma paled, clearly remembering what I meant.
”Actually, I had another thought,” I added.
”…What is it?”
”A pitfall shaped like a mortar, with grater-like walls. Try to climb, and—slide right down.”
”Stop that!!”
Clutching her ears with teary eyes, Torakuma clearly pictured the scene. I only wanted useful ideas, but…
”Then maybe add spikes again, like before…”
”We can beat it head-on with me here!” Tatia protested.
”Yeah, but that would overload Torakuma.”
”Your sense of concern is broken!”
Torakuma groaned, head in hands. On a whim, I patted his head—he gave me a complicated look, but didn’t shake me off.
”…Fine. Let’s fight one straight for now. Tatia and Torakuma, you can handle it.”
The only real issue is me and Ethelena lacking raw firepower. Sooner or later, I’ll need to enhance my weapon.
”I’ll lure it,” Ethelena offered.
”When it’s twenty meters away, I’ll move up. Stay behind me then,” I told her.
”Got it. Please.”
”Leave it to me.”
The coordination between Ethelena and Tatia was smooth. Back then, they couldn’t even form a plan. Progress.
”If Tatia takes the hit, I’ll flank,” Torakuma said.
Ethelena replied, “Yohira-sama, please.”
”I’ll finish it fast. Hold it steady,” she replied.
”As a knight, I’ll stake my body.”
Their planning was sharp. I hadn’t imagined such teamwork when we first entered this dungeon.
”Tatia, if things get bad, I’ll swap in,” I added.
”Tatara-dono, you mean…”
”Once you recover, switch back. I can buy time for a potion.”
”…All right. I’ll heal and rejoin quickly. Don’t worry—I’m a knight.”
I wasn’t stealing her role, just covering her. She understood. With armor, Tatia was tougher than me anyway. I trusted her.
Seeing her tension ease, I met Ethelena’s eyes. She nodded once and floated forward.
She positioned the Ogre at the edge of Lonisera’s range and fired.
The Sneak Attack skill triggered—its scalp ripped open. The instant the Ogre turned and locked on her, Ethelena rose into the air, drawing it toward us.
She kept the distance just close enough to stay targeted, guiding it right to our position.
At twenty meters, Tatia launched forward. With all her weight, she rammed and drove her rapier deep into its gut. This wasn’t knightly swordplay; it was a brutal, efficient thrust.
The Ogre barely reacted, raising its club to smash her. She let go of her sword, crossed her arms, and took the blow, sinking her body to bleed off impact.
That moment—Torakuma struck from the side. Three quick slashes, severing the club-wielding arm.
The Ogre shrieked, and Ethelena followed up, three mana bullets tearing an eye and half its cheek.
I burst out from the opposite flank, hammer swinging for its knee. Like cutting its legs from under it, the Ogre staggered.
Tatia snatched her rapier hilt, twisting it again and again. Guts shredded, the Ogre howled louder.
Reeling back in pain, it exposed its neck—perfect. One clean strike from Torakuma severed its head.
The body crashed down, fading to nothing. Only a mana stone remained.
Less than a minute. Before, Ethelena and I had needed traps to kill even one Ogre. Now, with this party, it was easy.
”Tatia, you took a direct hit. You okay?”
”Yeah. Blocked with my arms, bled it into the ground.”
Good. Relief washed over me.
”Torakuma, thanks for the finish.”
”Ha, it was my fault I stopped at the arm. But Tatara, Ethelena—you set it up well.”
”No, we’re a team. This is normal,” Ethelena said.
”Yes… normal for a team. No…” Tatia paused, then smiled. “With this best team, it’s only natural.”
”That’s right. With this best team!” Ethelena echoed, beaming.
”Indeed. For this party, it is so,” Torakuma added with a grin.
”…Tatia, you’ve learned to say the right things,” I said, unable to stop my own smile.
Back at the start, she was nothing like this. Her growth shone.
”Heh, it’s thanks to the best comrades,” she said, radiant.
The girl who once couldn’t even hear our voices now shone with confidence.
I felt it then—I could proudly craft armor for her, gift it, and hold my head high.
We pressed on, cutting down a few more Ogres. When only the stairs remained, Ethelena raised her hand to halt us.
I peeked around the wall. A smaller figure than any Ogre stood ahead—pale skin inked with tattoos, red hair, wearing only a martial arts gi.
”So it shows itself—the rare type.”
”That’s the Ogre’s rare breed… small, but the pressure is overwhelming.”
”Not shrunk, compressed. Strength packed into that body. Its base stats are above a normal Ogre’s.”
”Like the oni of my homeland,” Torakuma muttered.
”And with that size, it’ll be fast…”
We whispered from cover, each voicing impressions. Tatia caught my eye, nodded firmly.
”I’ll focus on defense. Drop my guard for a moment and I’ll break.”
”Sorry to put you in danger, but we’ll rely on you.”
”Rely as much as you need. I’m this team’s shield. No enemy strike will reach you.”
Strong words. Maybe too heavy a burden, but if we finish the Grapple quickly, her load lightens. This fight will be against the clock.
”Sorry, I don’t think I can hit it with gunfire this time,” Ethelena admitted.
”That can’t be helped.”
”I’ll support with Sex Sorcery instead.”
”…That’s brutal.”
She smiled at my slip. If Charm worked, the Grapple would be helpless. Honestly, that might be our strongest card.
”Tatara, can you read its stats?” Torakuma asked.
”Yeah. Appraisal.”
Appraisal Result:
Ogrekin “Ogre Grapple”
HP: 200/200
Mana: 0/0
Skill Power: 40/40
Physical Attack: 40
Physical Defense: 20＋1
Magic Attack: 0
Magic Defense: 15
Speed: 40
Movement: 4
Status: None
Special Ability: Regeneration III
Equipment: Martial Arts Gi
Same Speed as me. Ethelena’s faster, but her gun’s accuracy won’t guarantee hits. I shared the info. Torakuma frowned.
”My strikes may miss. We’ll need Ethelena’s Charm.”
”Count on me!”
”It has no weapon, but will use martial arts. Tatia, beware.”
”Understood.”
We all confirmed roles. Ethelena darted out, shots grazing its shoulder and skull, but the damage was shallow. She kited it, always just out of reach, drawing it closer.
Tatia trembled with tension. I laid a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but when I told her she’d be fine, the stiffness eased.
At thirty meters, Tatia charged early. Her knight-school thrust was sharp—but the Grapple dodged easily.
It countered, but Torakuma and I closed from both sides. My hammer whistled through empty air. Her blade too missed.
The Grapple’s counterpunch came. I barely twisted away, the fist grazing my nose. Too fast—hard to read.
Its face twisted into a mad grin, gaze fixed not on Tatia but on me. Was it instinct, choosing to crush the male first?
But it underestimated this party.
The grin slackened, eyes dazed—Ethelena’s Charm had struck true. Its body slackened. We surged together.
My hammer smashed its spine, Torakuma’s blade ripped its gut, Tatia’s thrust split its throat. Any normal creature would be dead. But this was an Ogre.
”Tatia, defend!”
She snapped into guard. She covered head and chest—just in time. The Grapple’s dying strike drove its arm through her left arm instead of her heart.
A sickening crack. She gasped in pain. But then the Grapple’s body dissolved, leaving only silence.
”Tatia!”
”Heh… without your shout, Tatara-dono, my heart would be skewered.”
Sweating, clutching her arm, she still cracked a joke. I yanked out a blessed healing potion, reset the bones, braced the arm, and forced the medicine down.
”…It’s set right?”
She opened and closed her hand, no pain. The splint came off.
”Even decapitation doesn’t guarantee safety. These rare Ogres aren’t to be underestimated,” Torakuma said.
”Sorry. I didn’t think it’d be that stubborn.”
”Oh? Tatara-dono makes mistakes too?”
”…What do you take me for?”
Their faith in me felt heavy.
”Have you three fought one before?” Tatia asked.
”I have. But not directly.”
”Not me.”
”Nor me.”
Of course. This was their second dive ever.
”How did you fight it then, Tatara-dono?”
”…Dropped it into a pitfall and poured aqua regia.”
”…”
Yes, I know it’s underhanded. Don’t look at me like that.
”For this type, Tatara’s pitfall may be better,” Torakuma said.
”Careful—it’ll leap out.”
”…You’ve seen that?” Ethelena asked, half-smiling.
Yeah, back then I barely understood dungeon materials. Couldn’t dig deep enough.
”By the way… given the pattern, we’ll see more on the next floor.”
”More like from the next floor onward, all Ogres will be Grapples.”
”Spare us that.”
Of course, that jinxed it. Every enemy before the boss room was a Grapple. Rare species, huh.
”…That was brutal.”
”When Tatara’s sadistic traps look like the optimal path, something’s wrong.”
”Why did you even invent so many trap types in the first place…?”
”By the end you were just playing around, weren’t you?”
No—that was how it started, with simple pitfalls.
Then came landmines, spring-loaded side-punch traps, trampolines that launched Ogres into ceiling smashers before dropping them into pits that detonated mines. When the whole combo landed, we actually high-fived. It was that satisfying.
I even thought about selling them as farmer’s anti-beast traps, or running a trap-combination contest. Either way, my Crafting skill level rose, so I ranked it up.
”Tatara-dono, about this floor’s boss,” Torakuma asked.
”Yeah. Here it’s the Ogre boss—High Ogre. Basically just a stronger version of a normal Ogre. Honestly, its toughness is about the same as Tatia’s when she first joined.”
Which begs the question—what exactly is Tatia, if her starting toughness matches a floor boss?
”The trouble’s its Regeneration and heavy Physical Attack.”
That said, Tatia’s current defense should outclass it.
”Your firepower will cut it down easily, Torakuma.”
”Charm will also shut it down if it lands.”
”Even if not, Tatia can tank it until we grind it down.”
A brain-dead plan, maybe, but a classic. Wall up front, damage dealers behind. No mage in the party, so we all just hit it with steel—but otherwise, textbook.
”And last time, how did you deal with it?” Tatia asked.
”Dropped it into a pit and blew it up.”
”…You used traps even on the boss?”
”It was just me and Ethelena then. No firepower. We had no other choice.”
Torakuma only watched back then—she’d joined midway. For us, that was the only viable method.
”Speaking of which, Torakuma, what’s your current attack?”
”Hmm? My Physical Attack is 125.”
”…What kind of absurd damage is that?”
Even factoring weapon stats, that number was ridiculous.
”With that power, even this boss might die within a minute,” I said.
”Shall I strike while Ethelena supports?”
”My Lonisera lacks firepower, so I’ll just assist. I figured out Energy Drain suppresses regeneration abilities, so we’ll be fine even if it lasts.”
”Sometimes I feel Ethelena’s the most broken one here…” Torakuma muttered.
She wasn’t wrong. Normally, Energy Drain doesn’t counter regeneration.
”Enough chatter. Let’s move.”
Everyone nodded seriously. I opened the door.
Inside, same as before, stood a single High Ogre. This time, its weapon was a kanabō instead of an axe.
Appraisal Result:
Ogrekin High Ogre
HP: 300/300
Mana: 0/0
Skill Power: 30/30
Physical Attack: 30+20
Physical Defense: 40
Magic Attack: 0
Magic Defense: 10
Speed: 15
Movement: 2
Status: None
Special Ability: Regeneration
Equipment: Demon Iron Kanabō
Stats unchanged. Safe enough to fight head-on.
With a faint wingbeat, Ethelena rose and fired Lonisera at its face. Flesh tore, but the skull held. The High Ogre roared, swinging at her, but couldn’t reach her in flight. Infuriated, it fixated on her.
Perfect. While it was focused, Tatia drove her rapier into its belly. No damage through its defense, but its aggro shifted to her.
It swung the kanabō, but she flowed with it, turning blows aside without taking them head-on. Not relying on sheer toughness—using technique. That only enraged it further.
I darted behind with Torakuma. She struck, I prepared a pitfall.
As her katana carved deep wounds, the Ogre turned toward her—at that instant, Tatia body-checked it, sending it stumbling backward into my trap.
It fell, wedged awkwardly. Torakuma’s katana flashed, severing its neck. We all leapt back just in time—the decapitated Ogre lashed out with a final sideways swing where we’d stood.
The same last struggle we’d seen from the Grapple. This time, we’d expected it. Pitfalls had spared me before, but in truth, its power was enough to snap even Tatia’s arms if it hit. Better not to test it.
”Went down clean.”
I exhaled, watching the boss vanish.
Torakuma’s raw damage was overwhelming—nearly a hundred per swing. With Tatia walling up front, I could strike freely too. Ethelena locked enemies with Charm or drained their regeneration.
Compared to when it was just the two of us, this was night and day.
”Tatara! Boss dropped a treasure chest!”
I looked over. Ethelena was waving by a luxurious chest.
Every bounce of her chest… visual distraction. Damn, I was actually craving her touch again. Since Tatia was here, I’d avoided Ethelena’s Vitality Transfer. Now the lack was gnawing at me.
”Then, as a commemoration of clearing the 20th floor for the first time, how about letting Tatia open it?”
Saying that, I walked over to the treasure chest. Tatia looked uncertain, but with Ethelena and Torakuma nudging her forward, she ended up standing in front of it.
”Now, open it!”
Gathering her resolve, Tatia lifted the lid. Inside was a single sword.
”…No blade?”
”An Estoc. A thrust-specialized longsword.”
At my explanation, Tatia nodded, trying the Estoc out with a few stabs. Compared to the rapier I had adjusted for her, it looked far more fitting in her hands. After running through some thrusting forms, she broke into a satisfied smile.
”If possible, may I use this?”
”I can’t use it myself, so I don’t mind. What about you two?”
”I’m fine with it.”
”As am I.”
With both Ethelena and Torakuma agreeing, the Estoc became Tatia’s new weapon. She had already gotten used to longer blades, and now it seemed she’d finally found one that suited her best. Still… what kind of iron armament would she ask me to forge next?
”For now, let’s each check our skills before moving on.”
Everyone looked over their status. No big changes stood out, though I noticed Torakuma fiddling with something—probably raising Sword Aptitude.
Once that was done, we descended. The walls shifted into a bright ivory, a stark contrast to the dark, grotesque red-black of before. Tatia seemed stunned by the sudden change.
”From here, monsters switch to the Troll type. They’ve got Regeneration and Vitality Recovery, but they’re much weaker than Ogres.”
”Feels like the order’s off…”
True enough—after the high-endurance Ogres, getting what seemed like a downgrade was strange. But unlike Ogres, Trolls fought in groups. That made them more troublesome, which probably explained their placement. Not that it mattered much when Ethelena could drop them instantly with a headshot.
”So… chances are their rare type will show up too?”
”No way. A rare Troll, here…?”
Back in the game, Troll rares had ridiculously low spawn rates. Compared to normal Trolls, they were laughably weak—stats close to Goblins in some areas. What made them special was the loot: either stolen or dropped, but always rare and valuable.
Their appearance was comical—like a blue, bipedal hippo with a silly charm. Honestly, it looked almost identical to a certain copyrighted valley fairy, to the point players used to joke lawsuits were incoming.
But the thing was absurdly fast. The moment it spotted a player character, it bolted. If it got off-screen, it vanished. On top of that, its resistance to status effects was ridiculous—Charm and every other control skill just bounced off. No one ever managed to stop it in the old game.
That’s why players called it the “Lucky Fairy.” Catching or robbing it at all was considered a miracle.
And then, right after I explained all this, Ethelena peeked around a corner, and her whole mood lit up. Suspicious, I leaned over to see for myself.
There it was. A rare Troll—Fairy Valley Muumin.
…Yeah. Even the name’s a copyright disaster.
”So cute… cute! Adorable!”
Ethelena, flushed with excitement, nearly squealed. Tatia looked stunned—after all, this was the same woman who’d stayed cold even at the sight of peaceful Orcs.
”Ethelena. Steal from it.”
”Eh?”
I said it flatly, almost too sharply, and Ethelena faltered. But the fact was, that creature carried extremely rare stat-up items. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
”It’s holding items that boost our power. If we can collect them, it’ll make a huge difference.”
”Tatara, your eyes… they’re bloodshot. Terrifying.”
”For even Tatara-dono to go that far…”
Torakuma and Tatia tried to calm me, but I couldn’t care less. This was critical.
”…Okay, I’ll try.”
Ethelena, still hesitant, nodded. Her Steal skill wasn’t high, but I trusted her luck. She crept up behind the Muumin and made her move. The creature startled violently—but in Ethelena’s hand was a glowing stone.
A stat-up item. First try.
Before the Muumin could even react, Ethelena scooped it up into her arms, cuddling it with a blissful smile and rubbing her cheek against its fur.
”That damned hippo… I won’t let it live.”
”Calm yourself, Tatara. You look like a ghost out for vengeance.”
”Tatara-dono’s devotion to Ethelena-dono is beyond extreme…”
”And why not? She’s one of my dearest.”
”You’re no less extreme yourself…”
Torakuma and Tatia kept up their commentary, but I barely heard them.
After a moment, Ethelena finally let the Muumin go. The creature stared at her, hesitated, then handed her something before bowing and darting away at astonishing speed.
When I turned back, Ethelena waved, holding not one, but two stones.
”I got an extra one too!”
Two stat-boosting items at once. My brain stalled. Was this some hidden reward for Ethelena’s harmless aura? But… she literally robbed it first.
”Why’d it give her another?”
”Maybe it was thanking her… for those giant melons?”
”I’ll kill it.”
”Tatara-dono, stop! Breathe!”
I was halfway ready to chase that damned hippo, but Tatia held me back with surprising strength.
Then Ethelena, with a puzzled smile, stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around me, wings spreading wide to envelop me, and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
”It’s fine. I’m Tatara’s, and Tatara’s only.”
A mischievous glint in her eyes calmed me more than any restraint. Even through the armor, I could feel the warmth. The kiss was enough.
”…Yohira-dono, do you have anything bitter to counter this?”
”Sadly, no. This sweetness is the kind that even sugar bows to. It’s addictive.”
”…So it’s already too late.”
I vaguely heard Tatia and Torakuma trading comments, but I didn’t care. All my focus was on Ethelena.
We pushed on to the 25th floor. Thankfully, not every Troll was a Muumin… though around a third of them were.
Still, that was far more than it should’ve been.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply