Chapter 144 The Checkpoint Battle
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Everyone ready?” I asked.
”Ready! The Orc Magic Stones¹ are all loaded,” Karen replied, shaking her mana-gun. “Lucy’s good to go, too!”
”Woof!” Lucy barked. She crouched beside Karen, clutching a heavy knife, her tail wagging with a restless energy.
I placed the scraps of the transit passes onto the dirt road and looked at the others. Sheena gave me a sharp nod, while Sanae gripped her longbow, her eyes fixed on the path ahead.
”Physical Reinforcement² is active,” Sanae said. “I’m ready for them.”
”I’ve got five ice arrows ready to fly,” Sayaka added, the shimmering bolts hovering above her head.
Rock and Saizou moved into position, flanking the girls to intercept any Green Wolf ambushes.
”Alright. Let’s put the pass together,” I said.
The moment I joined the scraps, a pulse of black light erupted from the paper, incinerating the pass instantly.
”Look! The road!” Karen shouted.
Thirty yards ahead, the ground glowed with that same dark radiance. Out of the light, a crude wooden gate and a series of fences manifested, cutting off the path. Barracks-like buildings rose on either side of the road.
Two Orcs stood guard at the gate. A moment later, a mob of them poured out from the structures, fanning out into a battle line. There were about fifteen of them in total. Finally, a massive Orc clad in leather armor stepped forward, clutching a club as thick as a tree trunk.
It was a classic guard post encounter. They were waiting for us to make the first move.
Fine. If they won’t come to us, we’ll bring the fight to them.
”Sayaka, Sanae! Fire!” I commanded.
”Understood!” Sayaka replied.
”On it!” Sanae barked.
Sayaka’s ice arrows streaked through the air while Sanae unleashed a rapid-fire volley from her bow.
”Fireball! Fireball!”
I followed up with two massive spheres of flame, pumping double the usual Mana Capacity³ into each. Sayaka’s bolts hit their marks, and Sanae’s arrows buried themselves in Orc chests one after another. My fireballs were aimed at the big one – the Orc Leader – but he howled a command and his troops scattered. Only one of my shots connected.
Still, our opening salvo took five of them off the board.
Sayaka began manifesting a new set of ice arrows, and I conjured another fireball. The Orc Leader let out a deafening, gutteral roar. Eight Orcs charged from the grass, swinging their clubs in a frenzied rush. The Leader and the two gatekeepers stayed back, anchoring the gate.
”Wipe out the grunts first!” I yelled. “Hit them with everything you’ve got before they close the gap!”
I hurled a fireball and drew my machete, stepping into the vanguard. Behind me, the rhythmic crack-crack of Karen’s mana-gun echoed as she picked off the Orcs trying to circle our flank.
I’d made a tactical error. I shouldn’t have thrown that last fireball; it forced them to spread out too far. I clicked my tongue in frustration, ducking under a swinging club and taking an Orc’s head off with a clean swipe of my machete.
I glanced back. Lucy and Sheena were holding the line near Karen. If the Green Wolves showed up, Sheena would handle it. Trusting the rear to her, I pushed my Physical Reinforcement to the limit and sprinted straight for the gate.
”Fire Bullet! Fire Bullet!”
Two streaks of flame punched through the stomachs of the gatekeepers, dropping them to their knees. The Orc Leader roared and charged, swinging his massive club in a horizontal arc aimed at my ribs. He moved with a terrifying speed that defied his size. I barely managed to get my buckler up in time. The impact felt like a high-speed collision, throwing me back several steps and leaving me staggering.
You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. Even with Reinforcement and the Bracelet of Power⁴, I’m being out-muscled? This was the “racial difference” people talked about. I shook off the shock and reset my stance, keeping my shield high. We were ten feet apart. Behind him, I saw Sanae’s arrows finish off the wounded gatekeepers. My team had cleared the field.
The Leader realized his men were dead. His face twisted with rage, and he lunged at me again. I tossed a low-power Fire Bullet as a distraction. He didn’t flinch, swatting the spell aside with his club. The wood groaned and splintered under the heat, a long crack forming down the center.
That’s all I need.
I lowered my shoulder and tackled him, leading with my buckler. He tried to parry with the damaged club. The moment they collided, I triggered the spell.
”Impact!”⁵
The club disintegrated into splinters. The force of the blast sent the giant stumbling back, his guard completely broken. I lunged, swinging my machete in a desperate, wide arc at his throat.
The Leader tried to shield his neck with his left arm, but my blade – backed by the full weight of my reinforcement – sheared through his forearm and buried itself in his jugular. I planted a foot in his chest and shoved, ripping the blade free.
”You were a tough one,” I muttered. “Fireball.”
I incinerated the body where it fell.
I turned back to the others. The roadside was littered with corpses. Some were riddled with arrows; others were turning purple, paralyzed by Saizou’s poisoned kunai.
”Good work,” I said, catching my breath. “Is everyone okay?”
”We’re fine,” Sayaka smiled, stroking Rock’s head. “Rock kept the grunts away from us.”
”Hmph. I’m not so weak that I’d struggle with trash like that,” Sheena added, flicking blood off her rapier.
”I took down a bunch of them!” Sanae boasted.
”I turned them into Swiss cheese!” Karen added proudly.
I made a mental note to talk to Karen about the cost of magic stones later. “Swiss cheese” was expensive. But they were safe, and that was what mattered.
”The Green Wolves never showed,” I noted. “I guess sixteen Orcs and a boss is the dungeon’s limit for a six-person party.”
”Likely,” Sanae agreed. “Adding wolves to that would have been a real headache.”
”True. I wouldn’t have been able to focus on the Leader. Alright, let’s grab the stones and see what’s behind that gate.”
I gestured for Saizou and Lucy to scout ahead. The Leader’s body had vanished, leaving a pulsating black Magic Stone behind. It was the size of a golf ball – a D-Rank stone, just like the one from the Goblin King. Market value: 1,000 DP. For a fight that difficult, ten grand felt like a rip-off. His raw strength was definitely a step above mine.
I walked to the wooden gate. Sitting in the center of the path was a shimmering silver treasure chest. Silver chests usually meant high-tier gear, like my bracelet.
Let’s see what the prize is this time.
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Summary:
Yakumo and his team use collected transit pass fragments to manifest a hidden barrier station on the 11th floor. They face a reinforced squad of Orcs led by a powerful Orc Leader. Through coordinated magic and a tactical shield-bash, Yakumo defeats the boss and prepares to open a silver treasure chest.
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Trivia:
- Yakumo is technically a ‘Tester’ in this dungeon world.
- The Orc Leader is D-Rank, despite Yakumo being C-Rank.
- Karen’s mana-gun consumes Magic Stones as ammunition, which has a financial cost.
- The transit pass required joining fragments to work.
- The Green Wolves, which were expected, did not appear during this specific wave
—
Character Insight:
Yakumo shows growth in his tactical self-reflection, immediately noting when a spell (Fireball) caused a disadvantageous enemy formation. He also feels the pressure of the ‘racial difference’ in strength, realizing rank alone doesn’t guarantee dominance.
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Behind the Scenes:
The silver treasure chest reward pattern suggests a major loot drop after checkpoint/mini-boss battles.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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