CH.25: FOURTH FLOOR

A week has passed since then.
The small bottle which I found at that time was entrusted to the place that buys monster material.
It seems to be doing something to find out information about that unknown medicine.
The result of the examination seems to be pretty far ahead and I was told that I might be waiting a month if it’s early or more than a year.
One year is though as expected, but it seems to be bought when it’s prolonged.
The price will change at that time, but he said that it will buy at least a hundred thousand to more than a million, so I said I would sell to that price now, but now it’s an unknown medicine and I was told that it would be bought for a thousand yen.
Indeed I couldn’t afford to sell at such price.
When I ask why the price change so much, the cost of examination seems to be considerable.
It will take around a hundred thousand for one month.
Besides, there are things that aren’t worth much so the price will be lower for an unknown medicine.
By the way, I hear that the cost of examination of this medicine will be charged later.
That was about the small bottle.

The exploration of the third floor has progressed smoothly.
I also could discover the way to the fourth floor, but I couldn’t find another treasure box on the third floor.
Well, it seems that treasure chests rarely come out and what comes out in shallow floors don’t worth so much, so I was told to not be so concerned.
In shallow floors, monster materials are sold more often than treasure chests, so monsters are hunted over and over and sold to the manager of the monster material store.
It’s said that rabbit ears are brought more.
It seems that there is nothing to worry about how much is brought because I was told that a knife of rabbit ears processed is used as a weapon for newbies and it’s sold more than expected.
Thanks to that I earned a lot since the purchase price was kept around two thousand yens.
The number of rabbit ears that I brought until now exceeded one thousand.
In other words, it means that the money I earned is over two million.
This earned money was used to fund a new tractor.
We take out a loan for what it’s lacking, but it’ll be possible to repay it in a few months.
The former tractor was bought more than ten years ago.
I asked how much it’ll cost if I sell the old tractor, but it was too cheap, so I decided to have it as a spare when it broken.
Uh, the story diverted.
I haven’t gone to the fourth floor yet.
It was due to insecurity about Haku and Koku.
The two of them together were able to defeat a frog if you think normally the monsters on the fourth floor should be stronger than frogs.
Then, I think that it would be tough to these two who are struggling with a frog.
In order to solve that insecurity, I’m looking for frogs on the third floor to let Haku and Koku fight.
Thanks to that, I can’t say that they gained a lot of power but they became strong enough to beat frogs even one to one.
The rate of increase in power is about 2 or 3 rats for one frog, isn’t it?
It’s only a feeling, it might be slightly different because I didn’t verify it, but it won’t be a big mistake.
At least 20 frogs were fought in a day.
There were times when they were over 30 of them.
I had a hard time finding that many of them.
Because frogs, unlike rats, there are usually only one, at most two.
For that reason, the enemy search movement was like a running all the time.
In the past, the me before entering the dungeon, it would have been impossible to run for 10 minutes let alone 1 minute.
Now, letting aside 10 minutes even if I run for 1 hour my breath won’t be greatly disturbed.
Moreover, I was running at the same speed or higher than the world’s top marathon runner.
I’m running at such speed but I’m not at my best yet.
At my own judgment, I felt it was about 60% to 70%.
When I experience these differences, I feel the benefits of defeating monsters are amazing.
I mean, in first place it’s strange that chickens can defeat such a monstrous frog.
Normally, they would be swallowed by the frog, well, in the end, it should be, but on the contrary, they beat the frog.
It’s strange in various ways.

W-well, let’s leave it there.
I judged that they had the strength to challenge the fourth floor and went to the fourth floor.
As usual, when we arrived at the fourth floor, we found the transition formation and check if it works without problem.

Then, what kind of monster will come out on the fourth floor?

We proceed carefully on the road of the fourth floor.
As we proceed, we only encounter with monsters that we already met and new monsters didn’t come out.
However, we finally encountered a new monster.
That monster is a huge mantis.
Its size is almost the same as a person.
Is it 160 to 170 cm?
And the biggest difference from an ordinary mantis is, that! It has four sickles.
It’s like a human having four arms.
The position of two sickles is the same as ordinary mantises.
The other two were around the waist speaking in human’s terms.
Moreover, these two are turned around different from the other two and aren’t an obstacle.
Also, there wasn’t only one such mantis but four of them.
We have the same numbers, but I wonder about that?
Somehow, I feel this is disadvantageous.
Perhaps, isn’t only Pochi that can knock down a mantis directly?
I feel that the mantis is slightly stronger than me.
I feel that the mantis has the advantage and the difference in power is 6 to 4.
It isn’t an overwhelming power difference, but it’ll be a tough fight.
Even if Haku and Koku fight together it will be tough for them.
Then, isn’t it practically 3 to 4?
What to do. Draw back?
However, will these guys overlook us even if we draw back?
They’re locking us on completely.
I will try to step back a bit and wait-and-see.

“First of all, we’ll step back a bit. Slowly, okay? Listen, slowly”

Being instructed, we start to step back slowly.
We retreat one step, two steps, but there is no reaction.
And at the moment when we are going to take the third step, all the mantises came flying toward here.

Dangerous!!

The speed is not that much. Is it almost the same as a frog?
But, if it’s a thrust, it wouldn’t be a problem to dodge.
However, the mantis doesn’t only thrust.
Having a four sickles stance, the moment I avoid one, it swing another.
Pochi avoided without problem, but Haku, Koku and me didn’t do it well.
Although I was able to block the sickle that came toward me with the Tsuruginata, my posture collapses because of the considerable power.
Haku and Koku couldn’t avoid it completely and were cut.
The wound itself doesn’t seem to be so deep, but as I thought, it seems that it’s impossible for Haku and Koku to fight a mantis.
One mantis proceeds without change and a bit later stand watch.
In other words, we came to be sandwiched between the front and the back.

This is bad, too bad.
We can beat the one alone in the back if we challenge it with everyone.
However, during that time there is no guarantee that the remaining three are going to be quiet.
If we don’t do it unskillfully, we will be cut from behind.
What will I do?
What should I do?

While I’m troubled, the mantises gradually approach and shorten the distance.

Even if we stay still like this, we will just be attacked by mantises.
If that’s the case!!

I make a decision at that moment.

“Pochi!! Defeat the guy in the back!! Haku and Koku earn time with me!!”

I stand in the middle with Haku and Koku on my left and right.
Then, the battle between Pochi and the mantis begins in the back.

I decided to bet on Pochi whether we can survive.
It’ll be possible if we could bear with this until Pochi takes down the mantis.
But if we collapse earlier, we are done there.

Damn it!!
Why they are so strong up to this point!!
Moreover, this number is impossible!!
We just got down one floor!?
Anyway, I only have to earn some time from them.
I’m counting on you, Pochi.
Our fate depends on you.

Thinking that I confront a mantis.