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? - 70-71

Chapter 70: Surrounded by Enemies

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Nonetheless…

“Things are progressing in our favor more than I expected. If we can extract information from these guys, our investigation will progress in one go.”

“—I won’t let that happen.”

A familiar white-haired man stood atop a two-story building.

“Ul…!”

“It’s been a while, Shibuki Hamura.”

Beside Ul stood a woman with a snake tattoo.

“Oh, so you’re the ‘Joker’ Ul was talking about.”

“Hebiya-san…”

“I figured you weren’t just some nobody since you were with Sae Isshiki, but this is beyond what I imagined. Who would’ve thought the Magic Soldiers could be taken down this easily.”

There were still parts of Hebiya-san’s strength I couldn’t gauge and Ul was a formidable opponent. Facing both of them at the same time would be highly difficult. Not only that, but behind them stood numerous artificial OOPArts users—not the same weaklings we had just defeated. They all wore identical armor and moved with disciplined coordination, like soldiers.

We were stuck in the underground with no chance of reinforcements… There was no way we could win this.

“…Yako, Kisaragi, we’re withdrawing.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. You and I can take them down together.”

“Just so you know, that white-haired guy is on the level of a high-ranking A-Class.”

“For real?”

“Think of him as being on the same level as your big sister and Hebiya-san is probably just as strong as him. Do you really think we can win?”

“Nope. We’re retreating.”

All three of us—me, Kisaragi, and Yako—had OOPArts, which meant our physical abilities were enhanced and we all had access to a variety of magic. We could escape. But that guy… I’d have to hold him off for a bit to ensure Kisaragi and Yako could escape safely.

“Let’s go!”

We simultaneously created distance from Ul and Hebiya-san.

“I won’t let you escape.”

Ul’s OOPArts, Skip Hand, took the form of gloves. With the palm of the gloves, he could repel anything he touched. Using that ability, Ul launched himself forward like a projectile, closing the distance in an instant.

“I knew you’d do that.”

I anticipated his movement and swung my prosthetic arm. Ul dodged my punch with a sharp tilt of his head. A melee fight broke out between us. Both of us remained wary of each other’s right hands as we exchanged rapid blows.

“You’re as irritating as ever.”

“Right back at you.”

Once I held Ul back for a while, I’d retreat too. My priority was getting Kisaragi and Yako out of their range.

“You’re running away again?”

Hebiya-san called out in a loud voice. And then—Yako stopped in her tracks.

“Yako!?”

“What did you just say…?”

That idiot…!

“I said, are you going to run away while sobbing like an idiot again? You know, just like you did last time.”

To me, Hebiya-san’s provocation was nothing more than a cheap taunt, but for Yako… It was safe to say her pride took a direct hit from it. 

“Both sisters cried their eyes out. What a pathetic sight to behold.”

“Don’t underestimate the Asahina Sisters!!”

Yako stomped the ground, shattering it beneath her feet, and leaped straight at Hebiya-san.

“You idiot!!”

“This is my chance.”

Ul tapped his own body and instantly teleported behind Yako.

“Behind you!!”

Yako’s gaze was locked onto Hebiya-san. She didn’t notice Ul closing in from behind. By the time my warning reached her, it was already too late. Ul tapped Yako’s back with his right hand.

“Huh?”

“You’re weak, aren’t you~?”

And just like that, Yako was sent flying, crashing through the second-floor window of an abandoned building.

“Yako!!”

I tried to lunge at Ul, but the moment I put strength into my legs, a yo-yo came flying toward me. I had no choice but to block it with my prosthetic arm. The yo-yo’s spinning blade of light scraped against the metal of my prosthetic arm, trying to cut through. A screeching noise, like nails on a chalkboard, echoed through the air. Realizing the yo-yo’s string couldn’t sever my arm, Hebiya-san retracted the yo-yo.

That glowing yo-yo’s string… It’s constructed from magic.

Most likely, as long as she had enough magical power, she could extend the string infinitely.

I had no idea what would happen to Yako if I ran away from here.  To save her, I had to get to the second floor of that building first, but entering there would be too dangerous. There’d be no escape route. 

“Hamura-san!”

“Kisaragi!”

Kisaragi returned.

“…I’m sorry. After assessing the situation, I determined that staying away from you was more dangerous.”

“Yeah. That was the right call.”

If Kisaragi and Yako had stuck together, they could have worked together to escape from everyone except Ul. But Kisaragi alone would have struggled. In that case, it was better for the two of us to stay together and work together.

“Surround them.”

The OOPArts users closed in.

Looks like we’ll just have to take them down one by one.

“…I guess there’s no point in holding back now.”

If I messed up, the enemy might figure out how my artificial OOPArts worked, but I had no choice. I grabbed my prosthetic arm with my left hand.

“Come forth, Kurogane!!”

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Chapter 71: Identify

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“…Huh?”

I shouted with all my might and poured all my magic into it, yet there was no response.

Kurogane is not activating!?

“Huh?~ Just now, you shouted something that sounded like a finishing move, didn’t you?”

Ul looked at me with a smirk on his face. 

“…Ugh.”

“Judging by your reaction, I guess your finishing move failed, huh? Tough luck.”

How embarrassing, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that. Kurogane wouldn’t activate. That meant I had to make do with the cards I had in hand.

“Attack!!”

At Hebiya-san’s command, the artificial OOPArts users charged at us.

“Kisaragi, get down!”

“Y-yes!!”

“【Soaring Swallow Explosion】 +【Whirlwind】…!”

I gathered flames in my right hand and wind in my left, bringing them together overhead.

“【Storm Blast】!!!”

A massive explosion of wind erupted, blowing away the attackers.

“You fused magic together…!?”

“Honestly… You really are an outlier, Joker.”

“…Hamura-san.”

From behind me, Kisaragi called out to me in a low voice.

“…Distract those two for just a little bit.”

“…Got it.”

I knew what Kisaragi was planning.

“Magic formula construction complete…”

Kurogane wasn’t my only trump card.

“【Phantom Formation Mastery】!!”

I created four clones and launched an attack on Ul with all five of us.

“Special grade magic…!”

Ul faltered on his steps. I had never shown him this move before. I never thought holding back during the Guild Duel would work to my advantage now.  Ul managed to eliminate two of the clones, but the remaining two landed punches on his stomach.

“Gah!?”

As Ul staggered, I moved in to deliver the finishing blow—only to have my path blocked by a spinning yo-yo blade.

“Tch!”

“Seriously, what the hell are you…?!”

The moment Ul and Hebiya-san’s attention shifted toward me—

Bang! Bang!!

Gunshots rang out, hitting both Ul and Hebiya-san. They barely managed to block with their OOPArts, but the binding spikes were already embedded into them.

“Oh my, oh my, this is…!”

“We got caught!”

It was Kisaragi’s restraint bullets!

Seriously, that was some top-tier work, Kisaragi!

“Now, Hamura-san! Get Yako-san!”

I sprinted up the building wall with two clones at my side.

“That one’s dangerous. Finish him here!”

The artificial OOPArts users under Hebiya-san’s command charged in. I left them to the two clones and rushed alone into the second floor of the abandoned building.

“Yako!”

She was unconscious with blood trickling from her head, but her breathing and pulse were stable. The bleeding wasn’t too severe either. I lifted Yako into my arms and dashed outside.

“-!?”

As I leaped out through the shattered window, I saw that Kisaragi had already been taken down by Ul. Kisaragi lay motionless on the ground, unconscious. Ul held something in his left hand. It was Kisaragi’s necklace, a diamond-shaped gemstone. He was inspecting Kisaragi’s necklace carefully. 

“Well, well… What an unexpected find this is…!”

That was Kisaragi’s OOPArts, but it was supposed to be a non-functional ‘scrap’ though?

“Kisaragi!!”

Right… Ul could break free of restraints instantly by repelling himself. Shit… I completely overlooked that!

“I’ll be taking her with me, Shibuki Hamura-san.”

“Wait!!”

No good. If Ul fled at full speed, tracking him would be impossible. In that case…!

(【Scout Bee】+ 【Presence Concealment】!!)

I summoned a bee-shaped familiar. But unlike a normal 【Scout Bee】 summon, this one was camouflaged with the surroundings. I gripped the familiar in my prosthetic hand and hurled it through the air.

（【Hide Bee】！！）

The 【Hide Bee】 latched onto Ul’s back.

“Bye then.”

Ul grabbed Kisaragi’s arm with his left hand and used his OOPArts to propel himself. Just like that, he vanished from the spot he had stood on. He continued bouncing away with his ability until he disappeared from my sight.

“Damn it…!!”

Ul was gone, but Hebiya-san and her group of artificial OOPArts users were still here. Fighting them while protecting an unconscious Yako would be impossible for me. I was worried about Kisaragi, but right now… I had no choice but to retreat.

“Sorry, Kisaragi. I’ll come get you soon…!”

I turned my back on them and ran.

“Don’t let him escape!!”

As expected, the artificial OOPArts users were chasing after me.

“…【Thunder Mine Sigil】.”

I placed explosive magic circles on the ground, triggering them when stepped on. The pursuers who followed too closely got caught in the blasts and were sent flying. I used 【Phantom Motion】 to confuse them, followed by【Thunder Mine Sigil】 and 【Eightfold Bind】to slow them down. I then fought off the enemies in close combat when they came at me alone or in small groups. I repeated this strategy to thin out the pursuers. picking off enemies in close combat when they came at me alone or in small groups. Eventually, no pursuers were left.  With Yako in tow, I returned to the surface. 

I lost. The moment Kisaragi was taken, I was already losing. But I did the bare minimum. I successfully used 【Hide Bee】 to share its vision and track Ul’s escape route. Ul had taken an unknown path—likely a non-registered Guild Association elevator—to return to the surface. From there, he headed east, into District 8, where a dungeon field was located. Then, he entered a certain timed labyrinth.

Right before 【Hide Bee】 ran out of energy, I caught sight of it. A pyramid-shaped labyrinth. Its distinct shape was easy to identify. That must be their hideout. 

“I found you…”

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