Chapter 11: Eugene meets the Floor Boss

The 10th floor where the Floor Boss resides is very different from the areas until now. 

The area close to the stairs leading to the 11th floor is the territory of the Floor Boss. 

You can’t go up the floor unless you defeat the Floor Boss. 

The 10th floor is different from the 9th floor in that there’s no monsters around. 

There’s only docile herbivorous animals here and there. 

And they are all food for the Floor Boss. 

The Floor Boss has overwhelming power in this zone, and this is a domain that exists for the sake of not destroying the ecology of other zones. 

“GUOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!” 

A roar echoes. 

The shoulders of Sumire jump. 

We were watching the state of the 10th Floor from the entrance of the stairs. 

There was a giant shadow and several other small shadows busily moving around.

“Uwaaaaah!!” 

“S-Save me!!” 

“Regroup! Are there any who can still fight?!” 

“It is impossible, captain! Let’s retreat!” 

“No! This time for sure, this time for sure…our country must clear the 10th Floor…” 

It is the Blue Waters Federation explorers that took our turn at the Dungeon Elevator. 

Looks like they are struggling with the Floor Boss.

“Let’s get a bit closer and check how the other teams fight the Floor Boss. It will be safe as long as we don’t get close.” (Eugene)

“R-Really?!” (Sumire)

Her face is completely different from her lack of tension from before.

This should be a good experience for her. 

Sumire is trembling here, so I pulled her hand to get close to the Floor Boss. 

The area where the Blue Waters Federation’s unit is fighting against the Floor Boss has a shining white light.

This is called the Challenger Border. 

As long as you are outside of this, the Floor Boss won’t be attacking us…apparently.

That said, it is a different story if you unnecessarily provoke it or attack it though.

You would get attacked without mercy. 

Because of this, explorers who are not doing the challenge should not get inside of it. 

…As long as they don’t get wiped out, that is.

I observe the state of the challengers from just now.

From what I can see, there’s several injured within the explorers of the Federation, but it fortunately doesn’t seem like anyone’s dead. 

They are struggling here, so the safest choice would be to retreat. 

You can challenge the Floor Boss as many times as you want, so there’s no need to make it today. 

But it looks like the captain really doesn’t want to give up here.

“Guwah!” 

Another one was knocked out by the attack of the Floor Boss. 

The cloud of dust was reaching all the way here.

The Floor Boss is different from time to time. 

There’s times when it is a giant, and times when it is a dragon. 

When explorers defeat the Floor Boss, the next Floor Boss will appear the day after. 

The stairs leading to the next floor are gone in the time the Floor Boss is absent. 

Because of that, you can’t go to the next floor without defeating the Floor Boss. 

The current Floor Boss of the 10th Floor is a Troll. 

The color of that Troll is black.

(A black monster, huh…) (Souma)

Black monsters. 

They often show vicious personalities. 

Moreover, the Floor Boss this time around is unfortunately a ‘Large Size’ one. 

The Floor Bosses have size categories: Small, Medium, Large, and Super Large. 

This is a tough hurdle.

“Y-You are the student explorers from the 1st Floor, right?! Help us out!” 

The captain saw us and said this. 

(Even if you tell us that…) (Eugene)

If an outsider like me were to invade the Challenger Area, I would be hit with a penalty.

“E-Eugene-kun, is it okay to not help them out?” (Sumire)

Sumire pulled my sleeve. 

“When you enter a challenge against the Floor Boss without permission, you get penalized. This fight is being watched from the Satellite System after all.” (Eugene)

I look up at the round mechanic object floating in the air. 

That floating device is sending footage to the screens. 

The dungeon staff should be observing from the Satellite System. 

“W-What are you doing?! Are you going to abandon us?!” 

The captain shouts. 

…You don’t know the method to ask for aid either? 

The dungeon staff should have explained this.

At that moment…

“We are from the Blue Waters Federation and request aid from you!” 

A man other than the captain raised the aid request flag. 

This should be shown in the Satellite System too. 

Looks like that guy knows the explorer regulations of the Zenith Tower. 

(Now then, they have issued an official aid request, huh…) (Eugene)

It is the decision of the explorer to help out or not. 

They are a bunch of people with bad manners who insulted us at the Dungeon Elevator, but…Sumire is looking at me with half expectation and half unease.

(Can’t be helped…) (Eugene)

“I will be going, Sumire. Wait for me there.” (Eugene)

“O-Okay! Be careful.” (Sumire)

I stepped into the Territory of the Floor Boss. 

◇Sumire’s POV◇

The Troll is around 5 meters in size. 

Each time it walks, the ground shakes. 

My body trembled at the fearsome groan of the Troll. 

Eugene-kun is calm, but will it be okay…?

“Gyaaaaah!!” 

Another explorer was blown away.

Uwaah…that person’s leg is broken…

(S-Scary…) (Sumire)

Dungeon exploration is this dangerous…

It was peaceful all the way to the 9th Floor, so I didn’t get it. 

The Troll is holding a giant log in its hand as if it were a club.

That rushed onto the captain. 

W-Watch out!

“Captain!” 

“Run away!” 

“U-Uwaaaaaah.” 

The captain had his legs tangled up and couldn’t escape. 

Ah…if he gets a direct hit from that, he will die!

*Fwomp!*

The ground shook heavily from the impact of the log being swung down.

I reflexively closed my eyes…and nervously opened them.

“Old man, are you okay?” 

At that place, there’s the captain with his butt on the ground…and Eugene-kun stopping the giant log with one hand, standing there with a face as if it is the most natural thing in the world.

(E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh?!) (Sumire)

“Wow! Amazing!” (Sumire)

I unconsciously said that out loud. 

Now that I take a good look, the hand of Eugene-kun is shining white. 

There was a small magic shield in the middle of Eugene-kun’s hand and the swung down log of the Troll.

H-He blocked it with that…?

“Old man, run away already.” (Eugene)

“S-Sorry about that…” 

The captain, who was acting all high-and-mighty before, crawled his way out to escape. 

“The other people, too. Run out from the Territory of the Floor Boss!” (Eugene)

Eugene-kun shouts. 

“Y-Yes!” 

“Thank you very much!” 

“You saved us!” 

The explorers helped out the injured and ran away to the outside of the Territory. 

“Gugaaaaaaaaaaah!!” 

The giant Troll was angered at its attack being stopped. 

It raised its leg high and tried to stomp Eugene-kun! 

“Barrier Magic: [Greatshield of Light].” (Eugene)

An even bigger shield appeared on the arm of Eugene-kun.

Why is he not avoiding?! -is what I thought, but it looks like he plans on staying there until the other explorers escape. 

In other words, Eugene-kun plans on being the bait. 

The raised leg of the Troll approached Eugene-kun to stomp him.

*Pang!*

A loud sound like that of cars crashing echoed. 

“Eugene-kun!” (Sumire)

I ended up shouting his name. 

And then, I look at his state…

(Eh?) (Sumire)

What was repelled was the leg of the Troll.

Eugene-kun hasn’t budged an inch from where he is standing.

…No, his eyebrows were furrowed as if a pebble had hit him.

(E-Eeeh~…) (Sumire)

This is just crazy, Eugene-kun.

“Woah…” 

“You gotta be kidding me…” 

“Just who is that guy…?” 

The explorers that had come out from the Territory were watching this dumbfounded. 

“Gugaaaaaaaaahhh!!!!!” 

The Troll roared. 

It seems to be angered by the hindrance that is Eugene-kun.

It raised its arms and swung down its fists countless times. 

*Poom! Pam! Don! Gan! Pam!*

It punched, stomped, and slammed its giant log on Eugene-kun.

The ground quaked, the air trembled, and the sound of a storm of blows like those of explosions echoed.

Eugene-kun didn’t move a step from there, and was painfully enduring those attacks.

No…could that be called in pain?

Eugene-kun’s side-profile looked like that of someone saying ‘it might rain, but I forgot my umbrella’.

…H-He is way too nonchalant. 

The attacks of the Troll that are even shaking the ground are not reaching Eugene-kun at all. 

There’s a faint light wall between Eugene-kun and the Troll that was blocking it all. 

I-Is this…the barrier magic of Eugene-kun?

*…Huff…Huff…Huff…*

It seems the stamina of the Troll ran out. It was huffing and puffing, and had stopped attacking.

It was glaring at Eugene-kun, annoyed, while moving back.

And then, it sat close to the stairs leading to the 11th Floor.

“Fuuh.” (Eugene)

Eugene-kun let out a sigh and lightly slapped away the dust on his clothes. 

“I am done.” (Eugene)

I could tell my body was getting hot from excitement, seeing Eugene-kun smiling as he walked his way towards me.

(Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!) (Sumire)

I ended up hugging him without thinking.

◇Eugene’s POV◇

“That was amazing, Eugene-kun!” (Sumire)

“Woah.” (Eugene)

Sumire hugged me. 

I could feel the soft sensation of her body and her high temperature. 

“You were really cool out there!” (Sumire)

“R-Really?” (Eugene)

It doesn’t feel bad to be told that with those sparkling eyes. 

In the academy, rumors were spread that I enrolled in this academy from backdoor means, and I felt really constrained, so being praised in a straight manner like Sumire did makes me happy. 

It was worth the effort. 

“Uuh…” 

“Ouch ouch…” 

“Get a grip of yourself. Are there no healing potions?!” 

“We ran out of them already…” 

“How can this be…?” 

When I checked around, I heard the bitter voices of the Blue Waters Federation. 

Looks like they still haven’t been able to treat the wounded.

(You should have at least prepared enough healing potions…) (Eugene)

I was baffled by this, but I can’t just ignore them, so I approached the injured explorers. 

“Y-You saved us back there… If you have healing potions on hand, I would like you to sell some to us.” 

“[High Heal].” (Eugene)

I cut off the words of the explorer who was treating the injured, and casted healing magic.

The wounds were healed quickly. 

“T-That wound healed in an instant?!” 

“You can even use healing magic?! Moreover, an incredible one at that!” 

No…you only had a bone fracture. 

What I used just now was a normal mid tier spell.

Could it be that they don’t even have someone in their unit that can use mid tier healing magic?

I am impressed they tried to challenge the Last Dungeon with that.

“P-Please heal my other comrades as well!” 

“Got it. I will heal you in order.” (Eugene)

After that, I also healed the other explorers. 

Fortunately, their worst wounded one was also a fracture, so I managed to heal it pretty quickly. 

“Sorry for the wait. Have I finished healing everyone with this?” (Eugene)

“Good work, Eugene-kun.” (Sumire)

Aiding the other explorers was unexpected, but from what I could see in the expression of Sumire, it seems like there was something to gain here.

She managed to see a Barriermancer and Healer in action against a Floor Boss. 

I would say this is fruitful as her first exploration. 

Just when I was thinking about going back…

“Please wait!” 

““?””

Someone stood in our way. 

“P-Please help our country out!”

It was the captain prostrating before us with an attitude completely opposite of when we met him.