Chapter 62 The 7th Floor Guardian
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We’d just pushed through our second Goblin Rush since leaving the teleportation array, and Rock and I were now pressing into the unexplored darkness to the north-northeast.
Yeah, the second one. Right after that pincer-attack rush, we got slammed by another three-wave gauntlet.
The second group came straight at us, so handling them was easy enough, but the frequency was off. We’d never been hit by back-to-back rushes like this before. I had a feeling something big was coming-and as we rounded the final corner, there it was.
”Rock, we hit the jackpot,” I said.
”Woof!” Rock barked.
A smirk tugged at my lips as I stared down the massive wooden doors. Rock was already revving himself up, tail whipping back and forth as he clattered his short spear against his shield. He was itching for a fight.
Carved into the wood was the image of a goblin dr**aped in a cowl and robes. It held a dagger in each hand. It didn’t take a genius to peg it as an assassin-type.
A speed-specialist, huh?
Magic would be a pain to land on something that fast. I reached out and shoved the doors open. As expected, the room was pitch-black.
I didn’t let my guard down. Remembering the Sword Rabbit, I kept my shield high and moved in tandem with Rock, the two of us covering each other’s flanks as we crossed the threshold.
Just like on the sixth floor, torches flared to life along the walls. But there were fewer of them this time; the light was weak, leaving the room dr**aped in a hazy, treacherous gloom.
Tch. Cheap tricks.
I clicked my tongue and surged my mana, activating Physical Reinforcement¹. My vision sharpened, my pupils dilating as my night vision kicked in. I peered through the murk toward the far end of the chamber.
There was a black gate, and standing before it was a goblin clad in midnight-dark rags, clutching twin daggers. Flanking it were eight subordinates armed with rusted blades.
”Rock, lights off,” I commanded.
I signaled him to cut his headlight. After a few quick tactical whispers, I stepped out, using Rock’s massive frame as a mobile bulwark.
The enemies shrieked as we advanced. The “Goblin Assassin”-let’s go with that-barked an order. Its lackeys fanned out in a wide arc, charging us in a broad formation.
Their spacing was much wider than the group on the sixth floor. They were clearly trying to minimize the splash damage from my Fireball.
I gave up on trying to kite them into a cluster. I’d pull them in close instead, then pick them off with Wind Cutter² from the safety of Rock’s shadow.
But then I realized-the Assassin had vanished from the frontline.
I scanned the charging mob, trying to track its movement, when suddenly-
Clang!
Sparks erupted from the side of Rock’s greatshield.
”Howl!” Rock let out a ferocious cry.
”Wind Cutter! Wind Cutter!” I roared.
Rock barely managed to tuck his neck behind his armored arm in time. I didn’t hesitate, snapping off two wind blades at the retreating blur of the Assassin.
The bastard was fast. It leaped, twisting mid-air to let my spells whistle harmlessly past.
I’ll admit, my aim was sloppy because I’d fired on instinct, but its agility was the real deal.
Heh. Now it’s getting interesting.
I felt my pulse quicken. This was a real fight.
I glanced at Rock; he wasn’t wounded, but a foul, viscous liquid was smeared across the gauntlet he’d used to block.
Poison.
Between the status-recovery potions we’d been looting and the existence of a literal assassin, I should have seen that coming.
”Rock, drink a status-recovery potion just in case!” I said, shoving a vial into his mouth.
He swallowed it in one gulp. I pulled out a second one and downed it myself as a precaution. It’d at least keep the toxins at bay while the clock was ticking.
Meanwhile, the fan-shaped formation was closing in, beginning to encircle Rock. I caught flashes of the Assassin darting through the shadows behind the fodder. It was waiting for the perfect moment to finish off the tank.
The goblins raised their rusted swords in unison.
”Rock, now!” I shouted.
At my signal, Rock slapped the switch on his LED headlight.
The goblins shrieked in agony. Receiving the intense light at point-blank range, they were blinded instantly. Even the Assassin in the back was forced to shield its eyes with its arms.
”Howl!” Rock barked.
Rock wasn’t about to waste the opening. With a thunderous roar, he charged headlong into the center of the blinded line.
I followed up, spraying Wind Cutters to cover his flanks before lunging at the goblin on the far edge. The creature was still reeling, unable to even lift its blade as my machete bit deep, cleaving through its shoulder in a single, brutal arc.
I dropped the second one just as easily. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Assassin coiled to spring at Rock.
”Wind Cutter!” I yelled.
The blade of pressurized air didn’t kill it, but it grazed the Assassin’s arm, forcing it to drop one of its poisoned daggers.
Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it?
The Assassin didn’t stick around to recover the weapon; it scrambled back into the gloom. Between my initial spell, Rock’s charge, and my follow-up, only three of the fodder goblins were still in fighting shape.
”Rock! I’ll take the Assassin!” I called out.
I bolted after my target. Rock gave a sharp bark of affirmation, holding his ground against the remaining three, absorbing their desperate strikes and occasionally piercing a lung with his short spear.
The Assassin spun around, its eyes wide with shock as it realized I’d already closed the gap.
”What’s the matter? Surprised I caught up?” I asked.
Sucks for you, buddy. Not only am I out-leveling you, but I’ve got Physical Reinforcement cranked to the max.
”Whoops. You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” I laughed.
I flicked my buckler to deflect a throwing knife the Assassin had whipped at me while trying to retreat.
Realizing it couldn’t run, the creature dug its heels in. It unleashed a flurry of knives, following them up by lunging at me with its remaining poisoned dagger. It was banking on me being occupied with the projectiles.
Naive.
I braced my shield and charged through the knives, closing the distance while firing Wind Cutters to its left and right.
I knew it would dodge a direct shot. So, I decided to take away its options.
With me barreling down the center and blades of wind sealing the exits, the Assassin panicked. It hesitated for a fraction of a second-and that was all the time I needed.
”Too slow!” I barked.
Just as it tried to leap, I slammed into it with the full weight of my charge.
The Assassin was lighter than I thought. The impact sent it sailing through the air like a ragdoll.
”Wind Cutter. Wind Cutter. Wind Cutter!” I shouted.
It was like target practice. I hammered the mid-air target with three successive gusts. Every hit drew a choked shriek until the third one finally silenced it for good.
I checked back on Rock. He’d already cleared his plate and was currently busy putting the stragglers out of their misery. He looked fine-no new scratches.
I walked over to the Assassin’s body. It was already dissolving into black particles. That was a fun change of pace-dealing with a tactical, indirect fighter instead of just a meat-wall. But a surprise-attack specialist is a terrible matchup for someone like me who spent his life hunting in the woods.
I reached down and snatched up the Magic Stone left in the dust.
”Another E-plus, same as a Goblin Soldier,” I muttered.
Interesting. One goblin has swordsmanship, another has speed and poison. The Assassin was the real threat, but it was fragile. In a straight-up brawl, it was probably weaker than a standard goblin. But with the darkness and the poison, it could easily wipe out an unprepared party.
A few of the other testers are definitely going to die here.
Maybe if Yuki and her group manage to clear the 5th floor, I’ll toss them a bone and give them the intel on this guardian. They’re too useful as information sources to let them get shanked in the dark.
”Woof!” Rock barked.
”Oh, good job, Rock. You’ve gotten strong,” I said.
As I was finishing my post-battle assessment, Rock trotted over, proudly presenting the Magic Stones he’d scavenged. I gave his shoulder a firm, appreciative pat.
Rock looked like he’d ascended to pure bliss. His tail was a blur, and he was leaking drool like a broken faucet.
Disgusting.
I didn’t say it out loud, though. I need him to stay motivated as my primary tank. I just pulled a towel from my magic pouch and gave his muzzle a rough wipe.
”Come on, Rock. Let’s go see what’s in the box,” I said.
”Woof!” Rock replied.
We turned together and headed toward the copper treasure chest sitting before the black gate.
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Summary:
The protagonist and Rock encounter the 7th-floor guardian, a Goblin Assassin, after surviving several Goblin Rushes. Using a tactical combination of night vision, physical reinforcement, and an LED headlight distraction, they neutralize the Assassin and its guards. The battle ends with the appearance of a copper treasure chest.
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Trivia:
- The protagonist drank a status-recovery potion as a preventative measure before feeling any effects.
- The Goblin Assassin dropped one of its daggers before dying, which might still be on the floor.
- Yuki and her group are still on the 5th floor while the protagonist is already on the 7th
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Character Insight:
The protagonist shows a mix of ruthlessness and strategic planning, viewing other testers as ‘valuable information sources’ rather than friends. Rock demonstrates significant growth in his role as a tank, successfully executing complex distraction maneuvers.
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Behind the Scenes:
The use of modern technology (LED headlights) to exploit fantasy game mechanics (blindness/darkness) is a recurring theme of the protagonist’s efficiency.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• 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
• Yuki – A third-year high school student and leader of the Battle Sports Club. He is a national champion in medieval-style combat using swords and spears. He has a severe sister complex. He has hawk-like eyes and a polite but determined demeanor.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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