I'm Back, Surface

"You sure? To be honest, Hamakaze had already lost herself the moment you launched that first attack. Your Devilish Aura stripped away her mind after all."

"But she was still able to move?"

"That's because of an ability I have named Absolute Command."

"So it was that!"

Leadred appeared to already know about it.

I guess with her already knowing about my being a Hero and my Revenge of the Grudgebearer, it should go without saying she knew about my Absolute Command as well.

"Hamakaze showed that she was still able to move when I commanded her to dodge that first attack of yours. That's why I decided to fight you."

"… You're saying that that was when you came up with that trap?"

I was afraid of dying again, so I made a plan to use in the fight.

Entirely unlike the musclehead I was fighting.

"You did beat me around like a rag doll though. But well, it turned out alright. My role was just to distract you. After that, I just needed to give instructions in a way that wouldn't get your attention."

"So that shouting was…"

"Exactly. The shouting was the signal to kill you. She heard me and pierced you with her dagger and invoked her magic."

"I was tricked, then defeated admirably… I guess? Being killed like that is refreshing."

Leadred guided Hamakaze and I to the back of the room.

My mood?

As good as could be. That much should be obvious given that I'm talking about my strategy so much.

I mean, I cleared the dungeon. It was as painful as it is joyful, but seriously. I did it.

Today's an awesome day. Let's make it a holiday. Yeah, let's.

I was so happy that I could actually feel my elation.

"You seem happy, Daichi."

"You can tell?"

"Yeah, I want to be able to understand everything you think and feel, Daichi."

… You should stop with that, I'm not used to getting so much pure goodwill from anyone.

If not, my weakness at it will show up on my face. It'd get misunderstood.

Sorry for having such stupid desires.

"—Hero, this way."

The time arrived sooner than expected due to Hamakaze and I talking and feeling safe for the first time in ages.

The room was simple, lacking much of anything at all.

The only thing in the cubic room was a magic formation.

It looked as though it was constructed for the sole purpose of being used to teleport. I'm getting a bit anxious here…

"Leadred. Will this really bring us to the surface?"

"It will work so long as you fill it with mana and recite Teleport. Just make sure to do it at the same time as me. If not, the magic formation won't work and the entrance will seal itself off, followed by the dungeon's termination."

"That's a terrifying thought…"

"It's because you first have to defeat the Guardian to enter this teleportation room. It'd be like me taking everything down with me."

I guess I can understand.

I probably would have made a similar trap.

After giving hope that they'd finally be able to return to the surface, I'd dash that hope and let them fall into despair.

I want to do that to Samejima.

Seeing as how she could make a trap like this, I think we're going to get along nicely.

"Well then, are you two ready?"

"I'm ready whenever."

"Yeah, no problems here."

We joined our hands together to form a ring in the middle of the room.

Once we started to fill it with mana, a clear blue light filled the room.

Tiny, snow-like crystals formed in the air, dancing as though to bless us.

"Let's go, then. Three, two, one—"

" " " Teleport!! " " "

 

 

Blue sky, white clouds. A sun blazing brilliantly.

No smell of blood, no stale air, and no walls surrounding us.

Looking about, it was a green meadow as far as the eye could see.

A gentle breeze brushed my cheeks.

I'm back from that hell.

I'm back…!

Emotions welled up from the bottom of my heart.

Unable to endure those emotions, I shouted out with all I could.

"I'M BAAAAACK!!"

Eleven days since I came to this other world.

Four days since my classmates had forsaken me.

With seven deaths total—I cleared the dungeon Rigal Den.