I Was the Supporter of a Popular Dungeon Streamer, but the Power Harassment Was Too Much, so I Quit. I’m Useless Anyway, so It Shouldn’t Be a Problem, Right? Huh? The Views Are Dropping Like Crazy? - 51-52

Chapter 51: A Lost Cause

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Kisaragi’s available magic lineup was as follows:

■ Two-Character Spells

・Blue Flame, Presence Concealment, Far Sight, Wind Shoes

■ Three-Character Spells

・Moonlight Thunderstrike, Eightfold Bind

■ Four-Character Spells

・Radiant Shield, Ice Fenrir Cannon, Blossoming Healing Mist

She had spells for restraint, defense, healing, attack, and support. She was truly an all-rounder. We had fought together several times back in the Fenrir days, so our teamwork was already solid. Thanks to that, even though this was our first time officially working as a team, we handled the upper-floor enemies without issue and successfully located the transfer gate leading downward.

“We’re finally saying goodbye to the upper floors…”

“Let’s get the hell out of this deathtrap already.”

We passed through the transfer gate, descending to the 99th floor.

Floors 99 to 91 were wastelands. Scattered dead trees and withered grass dotted the cracked, rocky ground, giving the place a post-apocalyptic feel. We cleared it without incident in a few hours.

Next, we entered the 90th floor.

“…The snowfield area… This one’s gonna be rough.”

A blizzard raged across the snow-covered plains. The freezing temperature meant anyone without proper gear would be dead from nature’s cold bite in no time. We hadn’t originally planned to pass through here, but just in case, we had prepared winter gear in advance. Right before entering, both Kisaragi and I equipped our cold-weather coats. Our boots sank deep into the snow, leaving uneven holes as we pressed forward.

“Is your prosthetic arm okay? At this temperature, the connection point might get frostbite…”

“No issues so far. Well, this arm isn’t exactly a regular prosthetic. I doubt there’ll be any problems.”

Thunk! 

Something carried by the wind smacked into my face before falling to the ground.

“Ow! What the hell?”

A tree branch or something? That’s what I thought, but—

“Kyaaaaahhh!!”

Kisaragi screamed and fell onto her butt.

“Huh?”

I followed her gaze and looked down at what had fallen and my eyes widened in shock. It was a human arm. A man’s, rough and calloused arm. When I touched my cheek with my fingers and looked at them… They were stained red with fresh blood.

Crunch. Crunch.

From upwind, the sound of something being chewed echoed through the blizzard.

“I never knew… That humans tasted this damn good…”

That voice sounded familiar. Sure, that voice sounded a bit hoarse than before, but I was confident I knew who the owner of that voice was. 

“Iizuka…!?”

From the shadow of the blizzard, a three-eyed troll emerged. Blue skin, long arms, towering height, and three eyes. A human leg stuck out from between its teeth. The troll spat the leg out and gripped the massive axe slung over its back with its right hand. It was Iizuka’s OOPArts, Grandma. Its resemblance was there, but the axe had turned an ominous, sickly purple.

“Iizuka-san… Is that really you…?”

The troll—Iizuka—grinned wide, splitting his mouth open.

“Aaah! Aaah!!! There you are!!! I’ve been waiting for you, Hamura-kun! Kisaragi-chan!!”

His voice was unnaturally loud, so much so that the sheer force of his voice sent the blizzard scattering. Iizuka struck a nearby tree in a fit of impulse. His fist carved deep into its trunk, toppling it with ease.

“Do you have any idea how much I wanted to see you guys!?~~~ Look at me! Look at me!!! I’ve gotten this damn strong!!! Now, I could even smash Yuiga to pieces!!!!!! Hyaahahahaha! Hahahahaha!! Ahhahahaha!!! Hahaaahhahaha! Hyaaaah!!!!”

A pure embodiment of madness. He had always been an unhinged guy, but this was on another level.

“…Run…”

“Huh…?”

There was no doubt. That thing was Iizuka. But this overwhelming aura…? It was leagues more intense than that red-eyed Minotaur!! My legs trembled. Cold sweat wouldn’t stop pouring down my back. This guy was the real deal… A genuine monster. Stronger than the red-eyed Minotaur, stronger than Ul. A whole different class entirely!!!

“Run, Kisaragi!!!”

Iizuka closed the distance in an instant.

“Oraa!!”

His axe came crashing down. I caught it with my prosthetic arm. A shockwave erupted from the impact, with Iizuka and me at its center.

“Kyah!?”

The force blew away the blizzard, the snow beneath our feet, and even Kisaragi.

“Ugaaahhhhhh!!!”

My arm creaked. My legs groaned. This stupidly strong power…! I’d be crushed flat if I were to let my guard down for a second!

“What’s wrong!? What’s wrong, Hamura-kun!? I’m not even using half my strength yet!!!”

“You really think getting stronger through some twisted method like this will satisfy you!? You think you can get revenge on us like this, and that’s enough for you!?”

“I don’t give a damn about methods!!! Strength is justice! Power is justice! Feeling good is justice!!! Hyaahahahahaha!!!!!”

There was no saving him… Not anymore. He had become a lost cause.

“Uoooaaaahhh!!!”

I somehow forced his axe back and created some distance between us. Only one option remained.

Iizuka… For the first time in my life… I have to take someone’s life out of my own volition. 

“Say your prayer, Iizuka! I will put an end to your life…!”

“Prayer? What’s that? I don’t get it anymore! Hyaaaahahahahaha!!!!”

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Chapter 52: Battle in the Snowfield

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Each strike shook the earth and the surrounding air. Every time I caught his axe with my prosthetic arm, a shock ran through my entire body.

“ARGHHHH!!”

Our speed was evenly matched, but his power was overwhelmingly superior to mine!

“Guh!?”

Focusing only on Iizuka’s axe, I was caught off guard and sent flying by his extended left fist slamming into my side. I bounced three times across the snowfield before crashing back-first into the rocky wall of a snowy mountain.

“…So it’s not just your axe. You can change the size of your body too…!!”

“That’s right!! This is the true power of my OOPArts!!!”

Iizuka swelled his body to three times its original size and charged at me. Seeing that I couldn’t take it head-on, I rolled across the snowfield to evade it. Iizuka crashed into the rocky wall, leaving a massive hole in it.

His three crimson eyes glared down at me.

“Quit scurrying around, Hamura-kun!!~~~”

“Damn…!”

A bullet struck my prosthetic arm.

“Kisaragi…?”

The bullet burst, releasing a green mist that seeped into my wounds, healing them. A bullet infused with 【Blossoming Healing Mist】! I was saved thanks to Kisaragi’s help!

“Tch! Damn traitor…!”

Iizuka dug his hands into the rocky wall and tore out a massive chunk of stone. But his gaze wasn’t on me. He was focusing on Kisaragi, who was standing far away from us.

“Stop!!”

“Die already!!!”

Iizuka hurled the boulder at Kisaragi, but she calmly fired a bullet at it. The bullet burst, driving eight stakes into the rock and freezing it midair.

A bullet imbued with 【Eightfold Bind】… Nicely done, Kisaragi…! And now, he’s wide open!

“Ugh!!”

I drove my prosthetic arm into Iizuka’s side.

“You bastard…!”

“Keep your eyes on me. I’m your opponent.”

I tore a chunk of flesh from his side, and then—

“【Phantom Formation Mastery】!!”

I generated four clones.

“We’re ending this now!!”

Surrounding Iizuka from all sides, the five of us attacked simultaneously. However—

“-!?”

Iizuka leaped high into the air and swelled his body to nearly ten times its original size.

BAAAAAAM!!!

He fell spread-eagle toward me. I barely managed to dive between his open legs and dodge, but all of my clones were crushed.

“Even 【Phantom Formation Mastery】 is no use against him…! But still!!”

I landed on Iizuka’s back as he lay face-down, dashing up toward his neck.

“Tch!!”

“This ends here!”

I twisted my prosthetic arm into his nape.

“GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! THAT HURTS!!!!!!”

I’ll sever his head just like this!!

“—Just kidding!!!”

“-!?”

Iizuka’s neck regenerated in an instant. My prosthetic arm, still embedded in his flesh, was trapped by rapidly growing muscle fibers. His body shrank down to about three meters, increasing the pressure around my arm.

“No way!? The Red-Eyed Minotaur didn’t have this kind of regeneration ability!!”

“Don’t lump me in with some weak model!! Ultra-fast regeneration, a freely morphing body, and my axe! This is my true power!!! I’ve become the strongest!!!!”

Countless arms sprouted from Iizuka’s back and shoulders, reaching for me.

“Ugh…!!”

They grabbed hold of my entire body, my arms, legs, torso, even my neck.

At this rate, he’s going to strangle me to death…!

Fwoosh!!!

“!!?”

Flames engulfed Iizuka’s entire body.

I turned toward the source of the fire and saw an unfamiliar man standing there, gripping a bright red staff-like OOPArts.

“That’s enough, you monster!!”

Who is he…?

“Uooooohhh!!”

A woman wielding a greatsword leaped onto Iizuka’s head, slashing apart the arms entangling me. I wrenched my arm free, kicked off Iizuka’s neck, and landed on the ground. At the same time, the greatsword-wielding woman landed beside me.

“You okay?”

“Who are you guys…?”

Standing before me were the staff-wielding man, the greatsword-wielding woman, and another man holding a boomerang.

“We’re from the guild Beast Fang. That thing is our prey. Stay out of this!”

The boomerang-wielding man shouted.

“Don’t tell me… You guys are the missing person…!”

“Let’s go, everyone! We’re avenging our fallen comrades!!”

The three of them roared and charged at Iizuka. Iizuka looked down at them with a twisted grin on his face.

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