CH.26: CRISIS

The mantises that we confront are approaching gradually.
Like this, it will take a little more time until the start of the hostilities.
I glanced at Pochi.
There, the movement of Pochi is similar to that of a blade rabbit.
However, there is a wide difference in the speed.
I can follow the movement of the rabbits with margin, but, although we’re close, the movements of Pochi are just somehow visible.
He’s moving around at a speed that makes me lose sight of him if I’m not focused.
The mantis could see that movement and defend the movement of Pochi with a sickle.
Moreover, not only that, it counterattack with another sickle.
However, the mantis’ attack misses because Pochi leaves as soon as its attack is defended.
The battle between Pochi and the mantis looks good at first glance.
But, the situation is different.
In fact, the mantis is barely defending against the attacks of Pochi.
If the timing to defend is wrong even a little, Pochi’s attack will go through the mantis.
On the other hand, the mantis’ attack is completely overlooked by Pochi.
It counterattacks with a sickle, but there is no sign of a hit.

If it’s like this, it will take time but Pochi will win.
The question is, will we hold until then?

I turn and see the mantises in front of me.
The mantises are approaching slowly.
Apparently, it seems that they’re approaching without looking down on us or without carelessness.

Damn!
If they were even a little careless, it will give us an opportunity, but I can’t see a chance.
The chance of winning is too bad.

The mantises approach slowly, but we don’t move.
Because it takes time for the mantises if they come slowly.
It’s not necessary to bother to approach on our own.
However, there is no half-hearted pressure.
The closer the mantises get, the more pressure we feel.
We endure the pressure and wait for the moment to begin.
Then, a mantis takes one step further and, in that place, moves its sickle.
The mantis’ sickle was pushed out just like a spear.
Moreover, it’s fast.

Kuh!

I succeeded to ward off the sickle somehow.

Chih!
The distances are far!!

The mantis unleashes its sickle one after another from outside of my range. It was four sickles.
Besides, the sickles are difficult to receive because of the different attacking pattern from the top and the bottom.
I avoid, receive and parry those continuous attacks.
I can handle it, but barely.
It’s not too hard, but I don’t think I can counterattack.
If I made a little mistake, a sickle will hit me.
Maybe the carbon suit is strengthened, but I don’t know if it can withstand this attack.
That means I can’t take this attack.
Nothing but, to avoid it.
Those who can’t be avoided, I receive them by parrying them.
However, when I receive it and parry it, the next attack it’s difficult to avoid.
As a result, choosing to parry is receiving it again.
This is considerable hard.
Because the mantis’ attack is quite powerful, my hands get numbed when I received it wrongly.
Also if I parry it a little wrong, it will hit my body.
I’m really risking my life defending myself.
After a while, I heard a cry “koku-” from the right.
When I looked at it with a glance, Haku blew away and hit the wall.

That’s bad!!

Though I think that, I can’t move from my spot.
If I move poorly I will get killed.
I look to Koku on the other side, but he is also being pressed hard.
I mean, it’s strange that he’s still enduring.
The mantis, which had been fighting with Haku, heads to him in order to deal the finishing blow.
It’s just a matter of time before it can get to Haku.
After that, we will be checkmate as soon as either Koku or I help him.
Then it will be just over.

Damn it!!
I’m already at my limit!!

When I was desperate and tried to interfere, something passed through the corner of my sight.
Then, when I notice, the mantis which was approaching Haku blows away.

When I thought what that was, there was Pochi.
Pochi was biting off the head of the mantis.
The bit off mantis was killed.

We’re saved!
With this, we can make it.

“Pochi!! Koku is!!”

Pochi understood with only that and head for Koku.
The battle situation was completely overturned by the support of Pochi.
There is no need to panic anymore.
I settle down and focus on the mantis in front of me.
The thing to do is the same as before.
However, I could calmly take action because my mind has leeway.
In fact, I matched the Tsuruginata with the attack of the mantis skillfully and I was able to repel them.
Doing that, I was able to make one step forward.
That, step.
That’s the range of my attack.
Although I kept protecting until now, I was able to fight back occasionally.
The battle between me and the mantis was in a state of advancing and retreating, but I succeeded in separating the mantis’ sickle skillfully.
It was already my turn from there.
We’re equaled when there were four sickles.
Because it decreased to 3, the number of attacks from the mantis naturally decreases.
That makes it easier for me to defend and increase the number of attacks.
And I succeed in cutting down a sickle again.
The number of sickles of the mantis becomes two, additionally, the number of its attacks decreases, and conversely my attack chances increase.
The mantis is more likely to receive than attack, and occasionally my attacks will hit the mantis body.
Although the mantis was persistent for a while, at last, I succeeded in my attack cleanly and cut the mantis neck.
The mantis that has the neck cut falls down slowly.
To check if the mantis is dead, I watch for a while but it doesn’t move.
Then I was able to take a break when I could finally beat him.
Having a break, I check what happened to Pochi and the others.
When I looked around in a hurry, Pochi, Haku, and Koku were gathered in one place and looking at me.
It turns out that the other mantis was defeated.
Then I was concerned about Haku.
Anyhow, Haku was blown away and hit the wall.
I approach Haku and check his body.
Although Haku’s body has traces of blood in some places, the bleeding has stopped.
I couldn’t find any abnormality in his bones when I touched him.
Apparently, he didn’t seem to have a serious injury.
I see that and breathe in relief.

“That’s good. There seem to be no major injuries”

Like that I stroke Haku’s body.
I stroke him for a while and turn to Pochi.

“Pochi, you saved us. Thanks to you we were able to survive. Thank you”

I stroke Pochi’s body with a feeling of gratitude.
Pochi rubs her body happily.
I stroke Pochi until he’s satisfied.
When Pochi is satisfied, I turn to Haku and Koku.

“Haku, Koku. You worked hard. Because of your hard work, Pochi could make in time. It’s awesome”

This time, I stroke Haku and Koku.
Haku and Koku also rub their body happily.
I stroke them for a while and when I finish, I look around.
There are three corpses of mantis in the vicinity and there is one more placed a little further away.
Three of them were killed by Pochi, if Pochi was a little late, the situation would have been reversed.

As expected, it would have been impossible to win three mantises at the same time, even if it’s Pochi. I guess he could run away.
It was a bit early to challenge this place.
Let’s try again after acquiring power for a while on the third floor.
For the time being, let’s take home only the sickles.

I separated the sickles from the mantis and collected them.
I look the sickles rapidly and they weren’t damaged that much.
Even if I take them, they are only from the one who fought with me.
I finish with the sickles and return the way we came.
I could go out of the dungeon safely without meeting a mantis when returning.
That day, I stopped diving into the dungeon.
Only the fight with the mantis was tiring.
If I fight against a monster on the third floor like this, I might have been injured, with a serious injury.
Besides, Haku didn’t have a serious injury, but the damage should have been pretty considerable.
Judging from such things, I decided to stop the capture of the dungeon.