The Boy Who Fell to the Lowest Level of the Dungeon, Becoming the Strongest and Returns to the Surface After 10 Years~He Just Wants to Live a Quiet Life, but His Childhood Friends Who Have Risen to Prominence Won’t Leave Him Alone~ - Chapter 29: The Battle That Had Already Been Decided

“They’re my precious people.”

Just like when he returned to the surface and helped Tina.

Elta appeared before the cornered girls.

“El-kun!”

“Elta!”

“El!”

“Big brother!”

The girls raise their voices in their own ways.

They had resolved to do it themselves, but it seems they were still thinking about Elta deep down in their hearts.

Then, Elta called out to everyone.

“Stay away from here. You’ll become a target again.”

“But, that’s just!”

“Thanks to everyone, I made it in time. It’s about time I get to shine, too.”

It’s a heartfelt word from Elta.

“It’s okay, I’ll win.”

“…!”

Including Tina, the girls feel a sense of inadequacy.

However, more than that, they felt a sense of security with Elta.

In the end, it seems that the four trusted Elta and agreed.

Schuma was looking down at them from the sky.

“…Hmm.”

What she just fired is an energy projectile with increased power, aimed to definitely kill the girls.

Among the Schuma, it can be considered a class of ultimate techniques.

However, Elta countered it with just the pressure of the wind from afar.

It seems she has finally understood what the strategist Callum was saying.

“Rather, this one requires more attention.”

“Haa.”

Schuma finally breaks her expressionless face.

For the first time, she smirked.

The reason she gave the girls a chance to distance themselves was because she was interested in one-on-one with Elta.

“Interesting.”

In contrast, Elta was stretching while staring intently at Schuma.

“Umm… maybe not. Well, never mind.”

It seems like she was thinking about something, but she still doesn’t have any confidence.

In the midst of all that, Elta’s eyes changed color.

“Anyway, I’m going to defeat you.”

“Come if you dare.”

They were both ready.

They were waiting to see who would make the first move.

However, there was something they were considering, including those around them.

(“””How do he fight…???”””)

Elta doesn’t have any weapons.

It seemed that there was no way to attack the floating Schuma.

However, that turns out to be an unnecessary worry.

“I’ve hunted a lot of lizards.”

“…Tch!”

Right away, she made a move from Elta.

In a crouched position, Elta gathered strength in his legs and took off.

“Uooooooh!”

Just when they think he jumped high, he starts stepping in mid-air and ascends even higher.

Thinking about how to fight was foolish. It’s an overly brute-force solution.

However, Schuma smiled at that.

“Fuhaha, that’s more like it!”

“Whoa!”

Store fine energy in each strand of hair and release it all at once.

There are as many “diffusion rays” as there are hairs.

Just moving up will definitely hit him.

But, after all, Elta was still Elta.

“Haah! Hah!”

“…Tch!”

Not only did he advance upward with foot stomps, but he also began stepping in mid-air.

That lightness is no less than on the ground.

“””Eh…”””

Well then, anything goes.

It’s a secret that the girls thought that way.

Even more astonishing is Elta’s free-spirited movements.

(At this distance, it doesn’t hit at all…!?)

The diffused light is emitted only as much as the hair.

In numbers, approximately over one hundred thousand.

Elta skillfully dodges the massive laser traps.

Despite getting closer and closer.

“Take that!”

“…Tch!”

No matter how small the space, it seems to slip in.

That wild movement even made Schuma feel fear.

Then, for the first time, Schuma stepped back.

“Geez!”

While continuing to emit the diffused light, he moved further up.

Still, Elta kept chasing endlessly.

“Wait, wait!”

“…Tch!”

Dodging the beams of light, they are steadily closing the distance.

The speed of the “White Dragon,” which boasts the top rank even in the monster world.

(What the hell is this guy…!)

Elta, a pure human, surpasses Schuma, who is fused with an S-rank monster.

The girls watching the battle situation couldn’t hide their surprise at Elta, who was on a different level than before.

“El-kun…”

“I thought he was amazing, but…”

“How far will he go…?”

However, this is the essence of Elta.

The stronger the opponent, the better Elta’s body moves, recalling ten years of experience.

That ceiling is far away from the lowest level of the Asterla Dungeon.

Thus, having approached a certain distance, Elta clenched his fist tightly.

“I wonder if it will arrive soon.”

“…!?”

At the same time, an immense aura emanated from Elta.

That gives him the creeps.

And then, Elta disappeared without missing the brief opening in the laser trap…

“The Strongest Race Series, Part One──[Claw of the Divine Wolf].”

“Guh…!?”

He unleashed a lightning-fast attack that was impossible to follow with the eyes.

Schuma took the hit head-on as she plummeted from the sky.

Unable to hold back the momentum, she was slammed onto the ground with a thud.

“Ridiculous…”

While showing herself with the sound of rubble falling, she seems to have been caught off guard.

Schuma’s face is more bewildered than ever.

In contrast, Elta puffed out his chest and said, “How about that?”

“Finally got one!”

“…Ugh.”

However, it is nothing but a mystery to Schuma.

“Why…”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you so…!”

There are still no records of S-rank monster subjugations.

Then, she thought that if she fused it and brought it to the surface, she would surely be able to bring down the royal capital.

However, an unexpected answer comes back.

“I kind of knew it.”

“What?”

“Your attack reminds me of one of the pets I used to play with.”

“…!?”

Schuma’s spine tingled with a chill.

At the same time, she recalls the fear of the aura from earlier.

Then, unwanted thoughts start to cross her mind.

(Could it be that the master of the White Dragon is…!)

The White Dragon is an S-rank monster that serves someone and enters and exits the depths of the dungeon.

This is still unknown in this country, but its master is updated every time it fights.

If someone stronger than the current master appears, the master will move to the stronger one.

And so, in the end, the one who became the master was──Elta.

(Does he mean to say he was at the very bottom…?)

Such a truth was beyond knowing, but Schuma trembled.

Perhaps the fused white dragon also resonated with fear.

“If that’s the case, I really won’t forgive you.”

“…Ugh!”

“Anyway, I’ll finish you.”

And then, Elta crouched down and pulled back his fist.

Sensing the powerful aura that reappeared, Schuma couldn’t help but notice.

(Is this the true identity from earlier…!?)

Schuma’s special move was simply drowned out by the wind pressure.

She has a gut feeling that this is the technique that will come into play now.

“The Strongest Race Series, Part Two──[Fist of the Fierce God].”

“…Ugh!”

Usually, Elta tries not to attack on his own.

However, when it came to Schuma, who had cornered the girls, he showed no mercy.

The result is this anticlimax.

(Am I also at my limit?)

The reason for Schuma’s defeat is one.

The only thing is that she made Elta serious.

At that point, the outcome had already been decided.

(He is the real “monster.” He was too soon for me…)

Crushed by the oncoming wind pressure, Schuma stopped resisting.

──But suddenly, something stretches out from the side.

“What the hell!?”

Like a monster’s tongue, it captures Schuma and tears away the “White Dragon” part from within her.

As if she had taken away only the ability…

“Good job.”

“…!?”

From the direction where the tongue had stretched, such a voice could be heard.

“Just as I thought, it turned out like this.”

“…Huh?”

When he turned to look over there, Elta couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

There was something he was much more surprised about than having taken away the White Dragon’s abilities.

The face faintly visible from below was one he knew well.

“Yo, Elta.”

“I-is that you, C-Callum…?”

The one who took the ability from the boss of “Scar,” Schuma, is his childhood friend, Callum.

For Elta, it was a reunion that came too soon──.

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Afterword

Even Schuma, who cornered the four girls, was nothing more than an inferior opponent to Elta-kun when he got serious (；ﾟ∀ﾟ).

However, it seems the match isn’t over yet…

Finally, the last childhood friend reunion!