Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Advantage of Terrain
My work began at the Nuclear Power Plant Ruins.
It was a job to transfer the 1,000 tons of treated water into another tank, and then dump that tank into a dungeon.
Anything discarded in a dungeon would eventually be absorbed and vanish.
Whether it was trash or radioactive material, it didn't matter; it would simply disappear somewhere.
This project aimed to utilize that property to clean up garbage that had been left abandoned for over 30 years.
It was a troublesome job, but the income was huge.
Money was coming in that could let me live comfortably without working for the rest of my life.
Honestly, I wouldn't have to engage in dangerous combat against monsters inside a dungeon.
Once this was finished, I could retire as an adventurer and return to my hometown in the Northern Lands.
Hareyama-san, who was working alongside me, said, "That sounds like a flag."
――And just as we were talking about that, real trouble occurred.
I heard a continuous series of popping sounds, followed by explosions.
According to the Self-Defense Forces personnel who rushed over, "It's an enemy attack!"
"Huh?! Seriously?!"
I asked back with a foolish expression.
"It's serious! It's serious!"
The other guy was a young soldier, so he replied in the same tone, but there was no time for such talk.
"Gunshots? Machine guns or something?"
"It's probably submachine guns or light machine guns... Since this is near a dungeon, we can't use radios. No information is coming in."
"I see!"
The sudden trouble had the other workers nearby shaken up.
Of course it would be――it was their first combat experience.
Ordinary people don't have such experiences.
Hareyama-san, standing next to me, had a pale face.
"Niwa-san, you're so calm..."
"Adventurers are used to hand-to-hand combat with monsters every day. Habit is scary, isn't it?"
"O-what should we do...?"
Since the workers were panicking, I made a suggestion.
I wasn't the person in charge or anything, so I couldn't give orders.
"I think you workers should take cover near the entrance of the dungeon."
"A dungeon?"
"That area is at a slightly higher position, and bullets fired from below won't hit if you lie down."
"Oh, I see..."
"Also――the enemy's target is me, so it's better to stay away from me."
"In that case, where will Niwa-san go?!"
Hareyama-san looked worried.
"Tactically――we should take the high ground. We'll climb the mountain with the Self-Defense Forces."
"A mountain?!"
Since the dungeon entrance is in a valley, it is sandwiched between mountains on both sides.
That was the plan to climb them.
"Hareyama-san, please stay with the workers at the dungeon entrance."
"W-will I go with you?!"
"No way――it's dangerous, and you have no combat experience, right?"
"Ugh... That is true, but..."
She seems to be serious by nature, but honestly, it would be a problem if she came along here.
If combat broke out, she would just get in the way, and I wouldn't be able to protect her.
As I said earlier, the enemy's target is me.
If they are with me, the danger increases.
"Um, but! Won't they shoot from below?!"
"It's fine――I've thought about it properly."
"O-okay..."
Hareyama-san went toward the dungeon with the workers.
"Hareyama-san! Be careful of monsters that might come out of the dungeon!"
"I understand!"
Since they are being washed away by the treated water, the popped monsters shouldn't have been washed away yet, but I can't guarantee new ones won't spawn.
"Well then, shall we go?"
I called out to the Self-Defense Forces soldier.
Gunshots were still audible while we were conversing.
It seemed to be getting closer gradually.
"I heard your plan is to take the high ground, but what is the specific strategy?"
"It's this."
I took out a large stone from my Item Box.
"Are you using that as a bullet shield?"
"That's right. We'll hide behind this and take the high ground."
"Understood."
"For now, let's move away from the dungeon to a place where we can communicate."
"Understood!"
The soldier saluted.
I started climbing the mountain with him.
The soldier had good stamina, and he was likely part of the Special Forces among them.
He seemed to have incredible stamina, so there was no problem.
Naturally, as a high-level adventurer, I was fine whether it was a mountain or a valley.
However, there were a lot of bamboo grass on the mountain, so I was worried about ticks.
Well, even if I got a troublesome infectious disease, I could cure it with a potion, so it should be fine.
"Hurry, hurry!"
I pushed through the bamboo grass.
"Niwa-san, are you okay?!"
He turned around to worry about me, but of course I was fine.
"Hehe, I'm a high-level adventurer."
"Oh, yes! My apologies."
"Besides, how about the communication?"
"I'll try! This is Fox 2, target secured. Send status update."
The soldier took out a radio and tried to communicate with his allies.
"This is Suna! Currently engaged with the enemy! Where is Fox's position? Send it."
It seemed connected, but they were still engaged in combat, as expected.
"This is Fox 2, moving from grid 12 to 13 with the target. Send."
"Understood! We will regroup above and then counterattack! Send."
"Understood! Over!"
"What kind of guys are the enemies?"
I asked the soldier after finishing the communication.
"Probably some foreign country..."
"So, it has to be that place, huh?"
"Other countries probably don't even have the strength to send armies anymore."
Well, their own country is in such a dire situation.
If they still had combat power, they would have to use it to maintain domestic order, or the country would collapse.
"I think they are all similar..."
"Some military faction might have acted prematurely."
One country seems to have split into three or four military factions due to the current situation, resulting in a civil war.
Furthermore, the factions split again, resembling the Warring States period of the Five Barbarians and Sixteen Kingdoms.
History repeats itself, I suppose.
They can fight over power as they please, but I wish they wouldn't cause trouble for us.
My Item Box might be a cheat, but even with that, I don't think it would turn the tide in one shot.
I really don't understand.
As I climbed the mountain with the Self-Defense Forces soldier, a sound tearing through the air passed nearby.
"Oops! They're here?"
Looking down, I saw the front rustling.
"Whoa! Special Forces!"
A voice came.
"Strong!"
"Are you safe?!"
"No problems!"
It was the password.
It was primitive, but the most reliable.
Self-Defense Forces soldiers in full camouflage gear and full equipment gathered.
About six burly soldiers holding rifles.
It seemed there were injured, but they had been evacuated to the rear.
"For now, I'll set up cover."
I took out three large rocks from my Item Box.
I placed them in a slight fan shape, so they should cover a wide area.
"Wow! This is amazing!"
"Let's draw them in sufficiently before counterattacking."
"Niwa-san, do you have a strategy?"
"Yes, I'll initiate a preemptive strike using my Item Box, so coordinate with me."
"Understood!"
While everyone hid behind the rocks, the sound of gunfire approached.
Rifles and submachine guns shouldn't be able to break these rocks.
――But then, an explosion sounded nearby.
Bamboo grass and leaves rustled all at once.
It seemed to be grenades.
"If grenades are coming, they must be close."
"Yes!"
"Then let's go!"
"Understood!"
I took out rocks from my Item Box at the highest possible position.
The rocks appearing in mid-air made the ground rumble, bounced on the ground, and started rolling downward.
I kept taking them out one by one, rolling them down the slope with vibrations that resonated in my abdomen.
"&^&^!"
Screams in a language other than Japanese came from below.
"Open fire!"
The Self-Defense Forces soldiers started firing all at once from behind the rocks.
The roar and scattered golden casettes――gunshots heard right next to the ear were very loud.
I thought my ears might go deaf.
"Oops, I should join in too."
I took out a slingshot from my Item Box and started swinging it.
I also dropped additional rocks.
It turned out useful that I had picked up many rocks inside the dungeon to make it easier to flow water.
"&^&!"
"Hahaha! We've gained the advantage of terrain!"
Hearing the screams, I leaned forward and released the slingshot string.
A large stone hit the enemy soldier in camouflage.
He rolled down below.
No matter how much bulletproof vest they wore, they couldn't stop a large stone flying at hundreds of kilometers per hour.
"Ooh!"
Voices rose from the Self-Defense Forces soldiers as well.
"I wouldn't want to get hit by that."
While the soldier said that and exchanged magazines behind the rocks, an explosion sounded below.
Even in a grenade-throwing contest, having the high ground makes us stronger.
We continued firing for a while, but gradually the noise died down, and it became quiet.
"Did we do it?"
"No, they might be playing dead."
"Shall I drop some rocks?"
"Please."
"Here, rock summon!"
A rock appeared in the air and fell to the ground, rolling down, but there was no reaction.
"...Wait."
After waiting like that for a while, the dense bamboo grass made a rustling sound.
"Something is approaching!"
I don't know, but it's incredibly fast.
The soldier aimed his rifle, and a figure in camouflage stood up, circling around our rock shield.
Black gloves, holding a large knife, with sharp eyes――clearly full of killing intent.
His gaze was as cold as ice, but deep in his eyes, it seemed like hellfire was burning.
Was it the resolve for revenge against his fallen comrades, or a burning heart to be faithful to his mission?
"All hands, bayonets!"
Everyone tried to equip their bayonets, but it was too late.
"Enemy attack!"
The captain shouted and fired a volley, but the enemy slipped through that hail of bullets with speed too fast to see and approached.
"Fast!"
The captain barely managed to hold up his rifle to block the enemy's knife.
The sharp blade cut the magazine, scattering golden bullets.
Other soldiers tried to fire at close range, but that was also dodged, and distance was created.
No matter how sharp the knife was, it seemed it couldn't cut the rifle body itself.
Could that weapon be a drop item from a dungeon?
"Probably, that guy is a high-level adventurer!"
"Adventurer?!"
At my words, the soldiers readjusted their guns, but judging by that movement, I didn't think those projectiles would work.
"Leave it to me."
Only a high-level adventurer can handle a high-level adventurer.
"B-but!"
"Never mind――they'll be wiped out!"
"U-understood..."
I took out a plabatt from my Item Box.
This was faster than the Rebar Mace.
Since I used my Item Box, the enemy must have realized the target was the old man right in front of them.
The enemy's target must clearly be me.
Proof of that was that the killing intent clearly shifted to me.
"Roar!"
The enemy charged straight at me.
As usual, incredible speed.
Was he really high-level, or did he have items or skills to increase speed?
The knife sliced through the air right in front of my eyes.
It was certainly fast, but I could clearly see its trajectory with my eyes, so there was no problem.
The enemy stepped in and launched a combo of attacks from the side, top, and bottom.
It was just like a kung fu movie.
So, did he receive that kind of training?
It was a sharp continuous attack, but all of it missed.
After dodging the enemy's attacks, it was my turn.
Exploiting the opening, I swung fully at the enemy's abdomen.
Even if he was wearing a bulletproof vest, it should deal some damage.
Since the plabatt contained iron sand, it deformed flexibly to deliver impact as if sticking to the opponent's body.
As proof of its effectiveness, the enemy held his abdomen and took distance for a moment.
We glared at each other again from the front, and I understood the enemy's attack pattern.
I don't know martial arts, but I have an Item Box.
"Yaaaah!"
The enemy let out a strange scream and charged again with his knife.
The speed was certainly incredible, and the attacks were sharp.
He was likely skilled, but his charge was in a straight line.
Relying on speed, he probably had no choice but to charge straight.
Normally, you could suppress with speed――normally.
"Summon."
I summoned rubble from my Item Box.
The location was directly in front of where the enemy was charging.
With his boasted speed, he wouldn't be able to change direction halfway.
He had no choice but to collide head-on with the suddenly appearing rubble.
"Gyah!"
The man crashed into the obstacle head-on and rolled onto the ground as if he had taken a lariat.
Rubble fell on top of him, burying him.
He was flailing around, so he was still alive.
"Finish him!"
"Fire! Fire!"
At my words, the soldiers started firing all at once.
The fallen enemy soldier reared back and convulsed repeatedly.
No matter how strong a soldier or adventurer was, they couldn't survive being turned into Swiss cheese at close range.
Soon, the blackened camouflage stopped moving.
"Cease fire!"
At the captain's signal, the firing ended, and sudden silence arrived.
Until just now, the chaotic battle was as if it were a lie, so quiet.
Perhaps because of that, my ears felt like they were ringing.
"Wait a moment."
I called out to the soldiers.
"Y-yes."
"Store."
The rocks and the enemy's body disappeared from before my eyes.
"Wow!"
"If it's stored, they're dead."
"Haa~!"
The captain shouted at the soldier who let out a big sigh.
"Who told you to rest?!"
"I-I'm sorry!"
Right, the time when combat ends is quite dangerous.
In martial arts, there is a concept called zanshin, meaning not letting your guard down until the very end, for that reason.
"Perimeter alert!"
"Understood!"
The men kept their rifles aimed, alerting the surroundings.
I picked up the large knife that had fallen.
This might be a drop item, so I want it.
And then――.
I took out the enemy's corpse from my Item Box.
Thick black gloves were equipped on the hands.
When I stored them in my Item Box――as expected, rings seemed to be worn on the fingers.
That design, which wasn't for sale, was likely a drop item.
If I tried to remove the ring normally, it would be troublesome, but with an Item Box, it's easy.
I just need to store the ring.
The ring disappeared from the corpse's finger.
The soldiers didn't seem to notice.
It's pickpocketing, but I went through trouble, so it's fine to take this much.
Besides, dealing with this body too――.
"Will you collect this corpse? If it's my Item Box, it's easy."
"...I'm sorry, but could you please do it?"
"Understood."
"Also――can I take this knife?"
"Firearms would be bad, but a knife――I think it's fine."
The captain seemed to think for a moment, but he closed his eyes, so he agreed.
He didn't seem to notice that I took the ring.
Well, I actually wanted the gun too.
Inside the Special District, gun laws don't apply anyway.
Anyway――as someone who is usually in a dungeon, I noticed the existence of what looked like drop items from the enemy's movements, but maybe it doesn't click for those who aren't adventurers.
Nearby, fragments of a magazine cut by a knife were lying on the ground.
"What is this?"
At first, I thought the magazine was cut in half by a sharp blade, but it seems that's not the case.
The iron was mushy.
Was it a knife with that kind of effect applied?
I tried sticking the knife into a fallen tree nearby.
The trunk rotted and turned to mush before my eyes.
"Eek."
I see――it's a drop item with this kind of effect.
He must have worn thick gloves so he wouldn't hurt himself.
Drop items exert their maximum effect in dungeons, just like magic.
Since this place was close to a dungeon, the effect was likely activated.
It was the enemy's trump card.
Looking at the corpse turned into Swiss cheese before my eyes――I felt nothing.
Really, I've become quite callous myself.
If you kill monsters in a dungeon every day, you stop caring about this much, I suppose.
Or perhaps the dungeon itself exerts some negative influence on the human mind?
I haven't heard of any research or talk like that, though...
"Store."
I put the corpse into my Item Box.
I also stored the rubble and rocks I used for attack and defense.
The rubble was picked up at the Nuclear Power Plant Ruins, so it might have been slightly contaminated with radiation, but since the dose wasn't that high to begin with, it should be fine.
I went down the slope with the soldiers and stored the fallen enemies.
They were in terrible shape, crushed under rocks or hit by my slingshot.
"Namu~"
I joined my hands just in case.
Well, I didn't have personal grudges, but since they targeted me, this was unavoidable.
There's a saying that only those who are ready to be shot should be shot at.
If you want to hate someone, hate your superiors who forced this mission on you.
And so, while I was collecting corpses rolling in the bamboo grass――.
"Hm? Can't store."
Before my eyes, a male enemy in camouflage was lying on the ground.
"What's wrong?!"
Noticing my abnormality, a soldier came over.
"He won't go into the Item Box, so he's alive."
"Really?!"
"Yes."
He contacted them immediately.
"Enemy survivor found!"
"I don't know how this will be handled, but we need prisoners, right?"
"Yes, it's unknown if he'll talk, but he's a valuable source of information."
People quickly gathered, a stretcher was brought in, and the enemy man was restrained and carried away somewhere.
While watching that, I collected the rocks I had rolled down the slope during the battle.
"Phew..."
I put everything into my Item Box, but what should I do now?
I was a bit at a loss when I heard a voice calling me.
"Niwa-san!"
Hareyama-san ran over waving her hand.
The workers were behind her, so they seemed to be safe.
Well, the enemy's target was me, after all.
"Are you safe?"
"Yes, we were completely ignored."
"Well, the enemy's target was me."
"The enemy?"
"They seem to have been annihilated. They are still alerting the surroundings."
"I see."
She looked anxious too.
Well, combat happening right in front of your eyes and people dying is something you can't normally imagine.
Thinking about it, us adventurers who exchange lives in dungeons are indeed quite abnormal.
"Well, what should we do now?"
"Yes――I'll go ask."
"Please."
"Oh, I have to contact the Prime Minister too."
"Isn't the Cabinet in a total mess?"
"Probably, they were monitoring the operation..."
Did they gather in front of a huge monitor like an operation headquarters and confirm the whole operation?
"I wanted to see how it looked from the outside..."
After waiting for a while, Hareyama-san returned.
"Um――due to the confusion, please wait for a while."
"Understood."
For now, transporting the injured and prisoners must be the top priority.
They will probably investigate the scene too?
I understood that――but it's boring.
"Niwa-san, is something wrong?"
"How long will it be? About an hour?"
"Well, we'll probably have to wait that long easily."
"Then, is it okay if I go to the dungeon?"
"Huh?! At a time like this?!"
"Yes, I want to check what's happening inside the dungeon by flowing the treated water."
"Oh, I see――adventurers inside dungeons are curious about that kind of thing, huh?"
"Yes."
Actually, I'm just thinking that drop items from monsters washed away by the water might be accumulating somewhere.
"Understood."
I decided to have them tell me when the Self-Defense Forces came.
Well, judging by this confusion, it would take more than an hour.
Things should be done as quickly as possible――I dashed toward the dungeon.
"Oh, right, right."
Should I try equipping the ring I stripped from that enemy man――.
If this is the item I thought it was, it should have an effect.
I took out the ring from my Item Box and tried putting it on my finger.
"Ooh!"
As I dashed, I confirmed that my speed was higher than usual.
This is an item that increases agility.
On my finger, I am already wearing a ring I picked up in a dungeon before.
Can these be equipped simultaneously?
I tried taking off the ring I equipped before.
"Hm!?"
I felt my speed drop slightly.
It seems the simultaneous equipment of items is working.
Now there are only two, but is it possible with three? Or does it reflect even if I equip more?
My interest never ends.
I came to the dungeon and entered inside.
There was no need near the entrance.
Probably, the drop items were accumulating further inside.
I didn't have time, so I advanced deeper and deeper.
Since they were washed away using treated water, it seemed the enemies hadn't spawned.
This dungeon was always going downhill, and I didn't quite understand where the floors were divided.
Probably, the lack of maintenance might be due to this structure.
A gray landscape spread within the pitch-black dungeon.
I searched for places where the flow might stagnate.
Depressed areas, or places with rocks acting like dams.
"Oh?!"
I saw something accumulating at a spot where a rock protruded from the dungeon wall.
I approached to check――.
"Got it!"
Many things, like potion bottles and weapons, were caught there.
Just a quick glance, dozens of them.
Judging by the amount of treated water poured in, it shouldn't be just this much.
They must have washed away many more monsters.
Old ones might have been absorbed into the dungeon.
The remaining ones must be newer items――that's how it goes.
I checked the surroundings and advanced deeper.
I also found other places where items were accumulating.
I collected over 100 bottles of drop items.
I was able to pick up many weapons as well.
I'll provide potions and other recovery items to my comrades.
I don't need them since I'll get a lot of money after this job and leave, but they are necessary for them who will continue as adventurers forever.
――I withdrew from the dungeon at a suitable spot, but then I had to wait for a considerable amount of time.
In the end, I couldn't move until it got dark.
I stayed overnight at the dormitory at the Nuclear Power Plant Ruins.
A two-story building with no decorations.
It was like a business hotel with private rooms; there was no bath, but a shower was attached, which was a relief.
――When I woke up in the morning, I received a message.
From Kirara.
"...Hm? What?!"
Ren seems to have disappeared from the inn.
What is it? What on earth happened?