Chapter 262 Gozaru’s Love ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It has been 129 days since we started this Tester life. Evening, on the 10th Floor.
Standing outside the room of the Area Guardian (the floor’s boss monster), I—Koyama Sanjuro, party leader of the Upstart Federation’s Crimson Lotus Samurai—straightened my back and called out to the group. We’d spent a good three hours resting after taking down the 9th Stratum Guardian, and it was finally time to move.
”Right then, let us be off,” I declared, my voice echoing slightly in the corridor.
”Hell yeah! Let’s wrap this up quick so I can get back and go absolutely wild with Rebecca!” Sone stood up, hoisting his Black Iron spear. He looked ready to burst, both in spirit and—judging by the obvious tent in his pants—quite literally.
”Heh. A Goblin King? That’s nothing. My Crimson Bow will put it down in a single shot. Then, it’s back home for some quality time with Rio-chan.” Nezu-chi grinned, twisting his lips as he gripped the Abyssal Tree bow we’d pulled from a treasure chest. He, too, was clearly aroused.
”My Mana Capacity is topped off,” Numata announced, rising to his feet with his sword. “I’ll sweep through with Fireball, finish this, and get back so Lady Izaira can torture me to her heart’s content.”
”Ah, yeah. Me too,” Toyama added.
”Numata… you’ve really stopped trying to hide that, haven’t you,” I said.
Numata, our magic swordsman, stood with a refreshing, sunny smile on his face.1 Toyama looked at him in total disgust, while Nakamoto just looked exhausted.
Honestly, Numata wasn’t hiding a thing anymore. If anything, he seemed to be actively spreading the wonders of being a hardcore M. During our break, I’d caught a glimpse of his body while he was wiping off sweat—it was covered in bruises and whip marks. The guy was clearly living a very, very intense life. Personally? I’ll pass on the pain, thanks.
”Still, everyone’s living such fulfilling lives, aren’t they,” I remarked. It was a huge change from when we were just holed up in our rooms, or back when the ‘Wall-Butt’ trick wasn’t even doable.
”You too, San-chan,” Sone said. “KuLulu-chan is cute, right? Karen-chan did some solid work, too.”
”Totally. A natural black-skinned Gyaru (a tanned, stylish Japanese look)? That’s the good stuff. Almost makes me want to get stepped on,” Numata agreed.
”Numata, please do not look at KuLulu-dono with those eyes,” I snapped, feeling a sudden flash of annoyance.
It is not like I have a special thing for Gyaru, really. But… well, KuLulu-dono is cute. Great body, fantastic curves. And ever since our master-servant contract, she’s been incredibly forward with her affections. Ah, stop. Do not go there, Sanjuro. My own blood was starting to rush to places it did not belong.
”Anyway! We’re all going back to our lovers in one piece. That’s an order,” I declared.
”Oh yeah! I’m gonna knock her up, get her ego back, and then get even closer!” Sone shouted.
”Heh. Rio-chan, completely obsessed with me… I like that,” Nezu-chi chuckled.
”I just want to watch the sunset on the Guild Master’s isolated island and chat with my girlfriend,” Toyama added.
”I want Lady Izaira to swear at me with the filthiest language possible!” Numata cried.
”Numata… you’ve really reached the point of no return, haven’t you,” I muttered.
This is hopeless. Everyone except the cool-headed Nakamoto is completely head-over-heels for their first-ever girlfriends.
”Focus, people! Remember the fight with that Goblin General earlier!” I shouted.
”Ugh, the one where my Crimson Bow did absolutely nothing?” Nezu-chi grumbled.
”Man, that thing was tough as nails,” Sone groaned.
”My Fireball got shut down by those Greatshields, too,” Numata complained.
At my reminder, everyone’s faces soured as they recalled the previous battle. It was incredibly tough, and it took way longer than we expected.
”You understand the stakes, right? Let us move out,” I said.
”””””Yeah!”””””
With me in the lead, we entered the Area Guardian’s chamber.
As we swung open the massive copper doors, a void of absolute darkness greeted us. Just as the intel said, we lit the torches one by one, working our way deeper into the room.
”Now! Sone! Numata!” I called.
”Leave it to me! ‘Light’!” Sone shouted.
Before the torchlight could even reach the back of the room, Sone launched his light magic overhead, bathing the entire chamber in a brilliant glow. Just as the intel warned us: the Goblin King sat upon his throne. Flanking him were two Wizards. In front of them stood a Hobgoblin, with two Soldiers and a pair of regular Goblins on either side. And behind the Hobgoblin… an Assassin.
It was exactly as everyone had described. An all-star lineup.
”That’s the spot! ‘Fireball’! ‘Fireball’!” Numata yelled, casting the spells.
”Eat this!” Nezu-chi cried, releasing his arrow.
As the room lit up, Numata and Nezu-chi did not hesitate, unleashing a Fireball and an arrow simultaneously. They targeted the Goblin Wizards—the biggest threats—ignoring the King. We could not afford to trigger him yet.
The attacks landed perfectly, taking out the Wizards and splashing enough fire to catch the nearby Soldier and the Assassin.
”Nice one! You tagged the Assassin, too! Go, go, go!” I surged forward with Beros, my Kobold General familiar, our Greatshields locked in place. The Hobgoblin roared and charged at us, leading the four remaining normal Goblins.
Numata’s second Fireball soared over our heads, hitting the burning Goblin Soldiers as they thrashed about, just as I slammed into the Hobgoblin.
”Gya-gya!” the Hobgoblin cried.
The Hobgoblin was E+ Rank; I was D-Rank. Plus, I had Physical Reinforcement (a spell that boosts strength) active. Even with the King’s buffs, the Hobgoblin could not withstand my tackle and stumbled back. Beside me, Beros intercepted the normal Goblins, allowing Sone and Toyama to move in for the kill.
”Shh!” Nakamoto lunged, his spear striking out at the stumbling Hobgoblin. It twisted its body to avoid the fatal blow, but its hand hit the floor, leaving it exposed.
”Our chance! Eat this!” I swung the Black Iron mace I’d bought at the shop with everything I had, aiming directly for the creature’s exposed head.
”Gyobe-ha!” the goblin squealed.
A perfect strike. The Hobgoblin’s skull shattered instantly.
”Nice, San-chan! I got the Assassin!” Nezu-chi shouted.
Following Nezu-chi’s shout, I glanced toward the wall. The enemy Assassin had collapsed, an arrow through its chest and its throat slit. Sasuke, our familiar—who we’d specifically power-leveled to hunt Assassins—was kneeling by the body.
Well done, Sasuke! And nice work, Nezu-chi!
”San-chan, one left!” Sone called, pinning the last normal Goblin with his spear. The Goblin King remained seated, indifferent. According to the reports, as long as we were a six-man party, the King would not move until the very last minion was dead.
”Beros! Toyama! Fall back!”
”Woof!”
”Leave the rest to you!” Toyama called.
I signaled for Beros and Toyama—both E+ Rank—to retreat. They pulled back toward the entrance, joining Nezu-chi. Beros raised his Greatshield, creating a defensive wall for the two of them. Numata, who’d been firing spells from the back, joined our frontline.
Our vanguard was now a solid D-Rank squad: me, Sone, Nakamoto, and Numata.
”Sone! Do it!”
”Got it!”
With my order, Sone drove his spear deep into the last Goblin.
At the sight of its final minion falling, the Goblin King rose from the throne, his greatsword in hand, laughing a deep, terrifying gya-gya-gya.
We closed the distance, tension tight in our chests.
Damn. The intel did not do it justice. The presence of the thing—a frame that towered over the Goblin General, clad in full-body armor and wielding a massive greatsword—was enough to make us all freeze for a second.
The King descended the stairs, step by deliberate step, wearing a disgusting grin. Stopping about five meters away, it bared its teeth and sucked in a massive breath.
The wind-up for King’s Roar!
”NOW!”
”Fireball!” Numata cried.
”Rrrraaaaaaah! Take this!” Sone roared.
”Ha! Hah!” Nakamoto lunged.
Numata triggered his spell, hitting the King square in the chest. Sone and Nakamoto followed up, aiming their spears for the gaps in the armor, while I blocked and countered with my mace. Nezu-chi’s arrow flew in from the rear.
The King cut its roar short, shielding itself with its armor and parrying our attacks with the greatsword. It was burned, sure, but it did not look slowed down. Full plate armor really was the counter to Fireball, huh?
But Sone and Nakamoto were finding their marks, slipping their spears into the joints of the King’s armor. Finally, they drove their weapons deep into the knee joint.
The King stumbled, dropping to one knee. It swung the greatsword in a desperate, wide horizontal arc, trying to force us back. I did not back down. I took the blow on my Greatshield and, as I deflected it upward, I activated my skill.
’Impact!’
’Gyugya!?’
The shockwave blasted through the shield, catching the King off guard and forcing its upper body to jerk back.
It worked! A new skill I’d picked up from the 9th Stratum Guardian, practiced during our break. It actually worked!
”Nice one, San-chan! Now, finish it!”
Sone and Nakamoto drove their spears through the exposed throat.
’Goba!’ The King coughed, spraying black blood.
”The finisher! ‘Fire Wall’!” Numata surged forward, slamming his hand down to erupt a massive pillar of flame beneath the King’s feet, swallowing it whole. As the flames died down, all that remained was a single Magic Stone.
””””We did it! We actually won!”””” Cheers erupted. Nezu-chi and the others ran over from the entrance, grins plastered on their faces.
We won. We actually won.
I remembered when we were starving, when I thought we were done for. Now, we’d cleared the 10th Floor Area Guardian. I owed all of this to Sanada-dono, Sayaka-dono, and the rest of our guild.
”Man, I am so glad we got that info from the guys who went ahead of us,” Sone said.
”Seriously. How did the Guild Master clear this place without any intel? That guy’s a monster,” Nezu-chi added.
”We would not have stood a chance,” Toyama muttered.
”True. But, well, that is Sanada-dono for you,” I said.
We’d survived without a scratch because we’d spent so much time grinding for info, thanks to the guys who’d put their lives on the line to scout it out for us. Kurokawa-dono’s group had not been much help—we could not afford to burn DP (Dungeon Points, the tower’s currency) like they did—but the intel was sound.
Seriously, that gear, those spells, those combat-ready Soul-less Dolls (mindless combat puppets)… it was all just pure, concentrated cheat-tier insanity.
”Exactly. That guy’s on another level,” Sone said.
”And Sheena-san, too. And the Princess and Karen-chan… they’ve gotten so strong,” Nezu-chi added.
”Sheena-san… ah… I wonder if she’d stab me in the ass again,” Numata mused.
”Shut it, Numata. If you get us dragged into that, I’m killing you!” Nakamoto snapped.
”Anyway, let us open the chest and get out of here,” I said, cutting off Numata and Nakamoto’s chatter as I headed toward the treasure chest waiting behind the throne.
—
Summary:
Koyama and his party, the Crimson Lotus Samurai, reach the 10th Floor Area Guardian room after a long rest. They successfully coordinate their attacks and specialized skills to defeat the Goblin King, relying heavily on information provided by earlier scouts. The victory is celebrated with relief, though the party’s underlying obsession with their romantic partners remains a central distraction.
—
Trivia:
- The party is part of a guild called the Upstart Federation.
- The protagonist, Koyama, is specifically the leader of the Crimson Lotus Samurai party.
- The party’s tactical success is largely attributed to information gathered from previous parties who scouted the dungeon floor.
- Koyama’s familiar is a Kobold General named Beros.
- The familiar Sasuke was power-leveled specifically to counter enemy Assassins.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Sanjuro – A 3rd‑year Animation Department student and the underdogs’ de facto frontliner, Sanjuro masks his fear with grand speeches and humor, leading his group through dungeon nights with reckless courage and nerdy flair.
• Koyama – Koyama Sanjuro, a 3rd-year Animation student, is the party leader and tank of the Crimson Lotus Samurai. This young man self-identifies as a samurai, using archaic speech (“degozaru”). As the underdogs’ de facto frontliner, he masks his fear with grand speeches and nerdy humor, leading his group through dungeon nights with reckless courage to fiercely protect his allies.
• Sone – A male party member who wields a Black Iron spear and is highly preoccupied with his lover, Rebecca.
• Nezu – A pragmatic 3rd-year Animation student and the group’s rear guard strategist, Nezu is a male archer wielding an Abyssal Tree bow. Cautious yet determined from endless early-morning practices, he fights for the underdogs while remaining deeply focused on his lover, Rio-chan.
• Numata – A male party member and magic swordsman of the Upstart Federation who carries a sword and openly identifies as a masochist, having recently awakened to these tendencies in his relationships with others.
• Toyama – A male party member who reacts with disgust to Numata’s masochism.
• Nakamoto – A male party member noted for being cool-headed.
• Karen – An energetic American animation major and soldier’s daughter, Karen is a busty, loyal member of Sanada’s circle who explores dungeons in Yakumo’s party. She wields defensive walls and a dual-slot rapid-fire Magic Gun, laughing hysterically at Hanako’s suggestive taunts but turning volatile if her familiar is harmed. She helps plan loot-heavy moves but is hostile to the Voice Actors Hunter Guild. Associated with the protagonist, she once forced him to read a ninja manga after pulling a silver capsule from a bronze Gacha.
• Beros – A Kobold General familiar serving as a tank for the party.
• Sasuke – A familiar focused on assassination tasks.
• Roa – Kurokawa’s 20-year-old girlfriend and partner to Jin is a tall, slender D+ Rank swordsman and former soldier. She has shoulder-length red hair, striking legs, a cursed crotch tattoo, and is completely hopeless at cooking. Once a skilled combatant, an Oblivion Potion has now left her hollow-eyed, amnesiac, and reduced to a Soul-less Doll with D+ Mana Capacity.
• Sanada – Sanada Yakumo, a scarred veteran carrying his family name, ruthlessly commands the 14th Stratum as the leader of the Nightmare Guild. A pragmatic, ego-driven strategist with a battle-torn appearance reflecting his endurance, he utilizes dimensional magic to manage his succubus-infested dungeon and a complex harem of students, familiars, and relationships with authority and precision.
• Sayaka – A seventeen-year-old Rank-1 slave, C-Rank mage, and the academy’s top beauty. Specializing in fire, ice, wind, and water elemental spells, she assists with dousing flames. As Yakumo’s devoted caretaker, she manages his gear and training within the dungeon. A refined mediator for Sanada’s group—balancing Lunaria and Sheena—she remains a supportive party manager despite his relentless demands.
• Sana – Black ponytail, hooded/sharp eyes, kyudo practitioner, average height.
• Kurokawa – A scarred, D-Rank high school student and leader of a fugitive group of betrayed outcasts, he bears Ogre Ninja burn scars. Formerly of the Road to Glory guild and hunted by White Knights, his mind is twisted by a quest for revenge regarding his soulless doll, Roa. Yet, after consuming an Oblivion Potion, he now displays absolute, tearful loyalty to the protagonist.
• Sheena – A 165cm rabbit-kin, former Soul-less Doll, and slave subordinate, this blunt, mischievous maid is Yakumo’s loyal, sharp-tongued “second wife” and tactical advisor. A rapier-wielding former Flash-Step Decapitator, she coordinates subordinate commands and records videos on her smartphone. Highly analytical in magic, history, and dungeons, she sadistically mentors Lunaria while monitoring threats.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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