Chapter 21 – To Fulfill a Wish

Just аs he finished allосating his Status рoints, Asutо sеnsеd а рrеsencе apрrоaсhing frоm bеlоw.

А Lizardmаn.

“Pеrfect timing.”

Не hаd wаnted to tеst his movеments after distributing his Stаtus.

Аsuto gripped his Dаggеr and waited for his oррonent.

From the deрths оf the Dungeоn, the figurе оf а Lizаrdman appеared.

In thаt instаnt, hе used <Leар> fоrward.

Hе closеd a twenty-metеr distаnce in оnе seсond.

Thе oppоnent соuldn’t react to the swift аpрrоаch. Sеizing the oреning, Аsuto lightly thrust оut his right hand.

――Stаb!!

Тhе Dаggеr slipреd unеrringly thrоugh а gap in the scales and pierced deep into the Lizardman’s chest――its heart.

Confirming the sensation, he pulled it out in one swift motion.

Blood gushed forth from the chest.

As if intending to counterattack, it tried to draw back its short spear.

But that was as far as it got.

Strength drained from the Lizardman’s body, and it collapsed to the ground.

From the enemy’s appearance to its defeat, a mere two seconds. A job well done.

“…Preparations complete.”

“Whoa, you’ve gotten crazy strong! You’re like a different person compared to when we entered the Dungeon. So, what now? Gonna take down the Boss soon?”

“No, we’re going back.”

“Ah, right, we fought quite a bit today. Better head home early and rest up.”

Listening to Amy’s words, Asuto pulled out his Dagger.

He gripped it with both hands, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyelids again, he plunged the Dagger into his own chest with all his might.

Stab. The backs of his eyelids were dyed red.

The excruciating pain made him want to scream.

But from the depths of his throat, only a hoarse, wheezing sound emerged.

“Haaah!? Wha, what are you doing!?”

“…I’m… going back. To redo… everything.”

To reject his weak, pathetic self.

To redo the mistaken path from the point of divergence.

“Redo? …! I see, so that’s why you——”

It seemed Amy had caught on to Asuto’s Skill.

To figure it out from just one word was not to be underestimated.

He tried probing Amy’s comprehension as a test, but it exceeded his expectations.

From now on, he should probably be more cautious.

Just as he grasped how clever Amy was, his consciousness began to fade.

――Next time, I absolutely will not fail.

In the darkness of his fading consciousness, Asuto solidified his strong resolve for the complete Conquest of the Dungeon.

○

(Did I really make the right choice following this person?)

Kanzaki Mao gazed at the back of the young man advancing through the Dungeon and let out a small sigh.

He was a Hunter named Yuki Asuto, who had just accepted Mao’s Request after she called out to him.

During the recent Outbreak, her mother had sustained severe injuries.

Surgery was performed, but it was only a minimal life-prolonging measure.

To save her mother, who was in a coma, a Recovery Item was needed.

And not just any, but a top-rank Item at that.

When Mao was at her wit’s end, Aim the Angel told her.

‘There’s an Item called Dreamdrop, and they say it grants wishes. If you can get your hands on this, maybe you can save your mom?’

Aim was a high-ranking being who appeared when Mao Awakened as a Hunter.

Angels were famous, and she had known about them even before becoming a Hunter.

They were said to be beings from another dimension who guide the Awakened.

They offer appropriate advice to Hunters.

They explain unfamiliar Arms and Skills along with commentary.

For Hunters, Angels held a position akin to supporters.

Hearing about the ‘Dreamdrop’ from the angel Aim, Mao was determined to obtain it by any means necessary.

The Dungeon where the drop appeared was D-Rank, and there was no way Mao, a G-Rank, could Conquer it.

So, she considered purchasing it from another Hunter. However, most of her savings had vanished due to her mother’s medical bills, and there was no money at home to buy the drop.

As a desperate measure, Mao had been recruiting a Hunter to Conquer the Dungeon with her.

She wanted to save her mother no matter what. Perhaps that feeling got through, as Yuki accepted.

But something felt off.

D-Rank Dungeons were normally Conquered by Parties.

Yet he didn’t call for comrades and entered the Dungeon with just Mao and himself.

(Could it be… he intends to assault me…?)

The worst possible future flashed through her mind, but if that were the case, entering a Dungeon would be strange.

Committing such an act there would leave him open to attack from Monsters from behind.

(Does he intend to Conquer it alone? Really…?)

At first glance, he looked like nothing more than a Beginner Hunter.

His Weapon was just an ordinary Dagger, and he wore no Armor Gear. He was only dressed in regular clothes.

It was incredibly kind of him to respond to her request.

But she couldn’t let him endanger his life.

She was hesitating, wondering whether to stop Yuki, when…

“Miss Kanzaki, please use the Buff.”

“Yes.”

“And, please step back a little.”

“Y-yes.”

As instructed, she used <Great Subjugation>.

Her body felt light, floating slightly. The Skill Activation was successful.

(Thank goodness, I managed to use it properly.)

Unaccustomed to using Skills, she had been anxious about whether she could activate it successfully, but she was relieved it went off without a hitch.

Immediately after, she stepped back about five meters.

The battle was about to begin.

She could feel its presence tingling on the nape of her neck.

(――Here it comes!)