Chapter 165 12th Floor Guardian Battle
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The afternoon of the 64th day of the test. Sanada Yakumo.
The moment I joined the Entry Shards¹ together, a black light erupted from the cobblestones fifty meters ahead. As the glow receded, twin rows of barracks-like buildings materialized on either side of the road.
Stretching between the barracks was a heavy wooden wall, sealing the thoroughfare. At its center sat a massive, iron-reinforced gate. It was a far cry from the flimsy barricades of the 11th floor; this was a true fortress.
As the gate appeared, so did a squad of Orcs.
In the center stood a brute much wider than the others, clad in cured leather armor and brandishing a rusted falchion. His skin was a deep, angry crimson, looking as if it were perpetually gorged with blood. He was flanked by two lieutenants carrying notched, jagged blades.
A dozen more Orcs stood a few paces ahead of them, clubs at the ready. Fifteen in total, all standing in a grim line before the gate.
The numbers were the same as the last floor, but the weapons meant the difficulty curve was spiking. Unlike the mindless grunts from before, the Blood-Red Orc let out a guttural roar the moment he appeared. On his signal, the twelve club-wielders fanned out into a wide line and charged.
They were being proactive this time. They wanted us gone.
Fortunately, we were prepared for any shift in tactics. No one flinched.
”Ice Arrow!” Sayaka shouted.
”Hah!” Sanae followed, releasing her bowstring.
Spells and arrows whistled through the air. Diagonally ahead of them, Karen dropped to one knee, leveling her magic gun. Beside her, Lucy stood ready with a fresh supply of Magic Stones², her fingers nimble and poised to reload.
Sheena kept a sharp eye on the flanks for any lurking Green Wolves, while Hanako stood restlessly beside Sanae. She braced two massive tower shields, looking almost disappointed that no one had reached her yet.
Saizou had already vanished into the tall grass for an ambush. At the very front, Rock stood his ground in the center of the road, his spiked pauldrons lowered in a heavy charger’s stance.
Remembering my slip-up from the last floor, I ignored the cluster in the center. Instead, I lobbed a series of Fireballs at the Orcs trying to flank us. The slow-moving monsters couldn’t dodge; they were either consumed by the flames or left hobbling with charred limbs.
When the pack closed to within twenty meters, Karen’s magic gun spoke.
Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip!
With Lucy’s rapid reloading, Karen maintained a punishing rate of fire. Her mana-bolts tore through the Orcs that had managed to dodge the initial volley of magic and arrows.
Saizou flickered through the periphery, burying poisoned kunai in the throats of any Orcs entering Karen’s range. He caught one straggler with his weighted chain, sweeping the beast’s legs out before finishing it with a cold, efficient slash to the jugular.
Because the gate had spawned fifty meters away, giving us more breathing room, the charging line was whittled down to just four survivors by the time they reached our position.
”Vuooon!” Rock roared, finally unleashing his charge.
He slammed into the three Orcs in the center, his spikes gore-slicked as he plowed through them like a battering ram. The final survivor was silenced by a synchronized shot from Sanae and Karen.
The initial wave was gone. We’d wiped out twelve of them without anyone but Rock even breaking a sweat in melee.
Last time, my Fireballs had scattered them, forcing us into a messy brawl. This time, our long-range coordination was flawless. I’d expected Green Wolves to jump us, but it seemed they didn’t spawn during these specific gate-guardian encounters.
That left the Blood-Red Orc and his two guards.
The leader looked like he had the strength of an Orc Lord, though he was considerably more bloated.
”He looks slow,” I muttered.
In the last fight, I’d rushed the Guardian to end it quickly, but I wasn’t going to be reckless today.
”Karen, move up. Sayaka, take the flank. Sanae, wait for my signal, then pour it on from back there. Sheena, guard Sayaka. Hanako, stay with Sanae.”
”Got it! I’ll handle the grunts!” Karen replied.
”Understood,” Sayaka said.
”On it!” Sanae added.
”Buhi…” Hanako let out a soft, dejected grunt.
Sheena pricked her ears and gave a sharp nod. I ignored Hanako’s pout – I didn’t have time to indulge her peculiar tastes right now.
We closed the distance, mana at the ready. The Blood-Red Orc just stood there, waiting. Like the guardians before him, he seemed programmed to hold his ground until we crossed a specific threshold. He was exactly like a field boss in an old-school MMO.
We stopped at the thirty-meter mark – the edge of Karen’s effective range. I raised my hand, then dropped it.
The air erupted with a coordinated volley. I poured double the usual mana into a Fire Bullet, aiming straight for the leader’s chest. The impact forced the two guards to drop their weapons and collapse to their knees.
”Buhihiiiii!”
My flame shot went slightly low, tearing through the Red Orc’s leather armor and into his gut, cooking his insides instantly. He shrieked in agony but raised his falchion and began a lumbering, pained charge. He was moving at a crawl.
Crack-crack!
Karen’s bolts slammed into his thighs. The low-grade Magic Stones didn’t have the punch to penetrate his thick hide, but the blunt force slowed him even further. Sayaka’s Ice Arrow finished the job, freezing the muscles in his knee upon impact.
I prepped another double-capacity Fire Bullet. This time, I aimed for the throat. I wanted a headshot, but his pained thrashing made the target too erratic.
Thoom!
From less than ten meters away, the fire slug slammed into the base of his neck, punching a cauterized hole straight through. The Red Orc dropped his blade, clutching at the ruin of his throat as he fell to his knees.
”Saizou!” I barked.
”Gyoi!”
Saizou blurred past me. He leapt over the dying Orc, mid-airing two kunai directly into the monster’s eyes. As the Red Orc shrieked and reached for his face, Saizou descended like an executioner.
He swung his kusarigama³ in a wide, shimmering arc. With a single, fluid flash of steel, the Orc’s massive head was lopped off. It spun through the air as a fountain of blood sprayed from the stump.
Saizou landed softly, turning his back to the falling corpse. His eyes were cold, devoid of any pride. He looked like a man who had done this a thousand times.
”Impressive,” I said, stepping forward to congratulate him.
Saizou started to drop to one knee to greet me, but he suddenly convulsed. He fell forward, clutching his chest and huddling on the ground. Then, a blinding, obsidian radiance began to bleed from his skin.
”Oh… he’s ranking up.”
It had been over twenty days since he hit D-Rank during the Goblin King fight. He’d been our silent protector in the backline ever since, racking up a massive kill count of wolves and orcs.
Unlike Rock, Saizou still had room to evolve. I’d been feeding him the finishing blows lately for just this reason. Killing a Guardian of the same rank must have been the final push he needed.
I held up a hand to stop Lucy from rushing over. The rest of the team gathered at a distance, watching the shadow-light pulse.
I leaned in, eager to see what the final evolution of a Goblin looks like.
—
Summary:
Yakumo and his party encounter the 12th-floor guardian, a Blood-Red Orc and its retinue. Using superior long-range tactics and coordination, they efficiently dismantle the Orc group. The chapter ends with the goblin Saizou defeating the boss and triggering a final evolution.
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Trivia:
- The ‘Entry Shards’ are Permit Fragments used to trigger floor boss encounters.
- Hanako’s disappointment stems from her masochistic desire to be hit by enemies.
- Yakumo specifically mentions learning from the 11th-floor battle to avoid a melee brawl.
- Saizou has been intentionally fed finishing blows to speed up his level progress.
- Rock is the only party member who doesn’t have another evolution stage remaining
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Character Insight:
Yakumo demonstrates improved leadership by assigning specific roles and ranges, while Saizou’s stoicism masks his impending physical transformation.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author references the iconic line from Lupin III’s Goemon Ishikawa XIII (‘Mata tsumaranu mono o kitte shimatta’) during Saizou’s finishing move.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Yakumo – A 25-year-old human male. He has facial scars, stab wounds, and gunshot scars from his time in a war zone. He works as a school guard.
• Sana – Black ponytail, hooded/sharp eyes, kyudo practitioner, average height.
• Sayaka – The academy’s premier beauty and a member of the swimming club. Currently classified as a Rank 1 Slave. She is seventeen years old and a virgin. E-cup. She has blue, short, boyish hair. Her best friend is Sanae.
• Sanae – She struggles with the sexual training and often shows frustration. Vice-captain of the Archery Club. Described as tall with a model-like build and sharp features. She has approximately C-cup breasts and is ranked as a 1st Rank Slave. She is Sayaka’s best friend. Black ponytail, hooded/sharp eyes, kyudo practitioner, average height.
• Karen – An international student from America who often runs to school late with bread in her mouth. Considered a ‘main target’ by the protagonist. Voice acting major, huge breasts, same height as Sana.
• Lucy – A female Kobold familiar resembling an American Eskimo Dog. Now, she evolves into a Kobold Thief. Her height increases to approximately 140cm, her limbs become sturdier/leaner, and she retains a cute face. She wags her tail when happy.
• Hanako – A female Orc tamed monster equipped with two large iron shields and a black iron helm. Large breasts, wrapped in rags with a grass skirt. Revealed to be a extreme masochist.
• Sheena – Beastman Soul-less Doll with rabbit ears and a large chest. Flawless face, approx 165cm height, F or G cup, narrow waist, large hips, and a fluffy tail longer than a rabbit’s. Now, her ego is back.
• Saizou – A newly summoned Goblin. Intelligent with a small horn on his forehead and jagged teeth. Wears ninja-style clothing (shinobifuku) and uses poison daggers/knives.
• Rock – A male Kobold summoned from a Magic Sealing Crystal. He has grey fur, round eyes, and a face resembling a Shiba Inu. He wears a leather jacket and a pilot’s cap
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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