The Dual Swordsman Who Lost Both Arms On Stream to Save His Doomed Party Gets Exiled—Then the Heroines Go Yandere - Chapter 28: Defeat the Metal Slime and Level Up

Chapter 28: Defeat the Metal Slime and Level Up

Hayase Shima inserted a key into the elevator’s switch box and operated something.

“Alright, everyone get in.”

Once all the club members had boarded, Hayase Shima pressed the button marked B.

“””Huh?”””

Then the light for the button to the basement, which usually never responded, lit up. Sado and the others looked surprised, but Shinobu did not change her expression at all. She seemed to know some information about the basement.

“Th-There’s a space like this under the academy!?”

Ding♪ The elevator made a sound indicating it had arrived at the basement. Sado and the others had easy-to-read reactions. When the door opened, the entire underground space was a server room, and beyond it was an area partitioned off with polycarbonate panels.

There are facilities better than this at the dungeon exploration school, but it seems better not to mention that.

Led by Hayase Shima, we entered the partitioned area.

“The release itself is old, but updates are done regularly. Naturally, it’s still active now.”

【Prototech】

The manufacturer’s engraving on the interfaces like headsets and the cabinet covers… 【Prototech】 is one of the two major dungeon exploration VR simulator manufacturers alongside 【ARES Ares】.

It’s software that’s been out for over ten years since release, but since my dad supervised its development, I have strong attachment to it.

Sado put his index finger and thumb on his chin, thought for a moment, then asked Hayase Shima.

“But how do you maintain something this amazing…?”

“Hm? Well, of course with prosthetic production. It earns about 10 million a month.”

“””””Huh!?”””””

Everyone’s eye sockets looked like they had 10,000-yen bills stuck in them from the large amount Hayase Shima mentioned.

“But 9.9 million is needed to maintain the server room and the nurse’s office.”

“””””Ah, aah…”””””

However, the moment we heard the maintenance costs, including me, everyone became disheartened.

Well, it’s typical of Hayase Shima, if anything.

As I felt half impressed and half exasperated, a sound like sobbing came: uh, uh.

“Hayase-sensei… You’ve been maintaining the simulator all this time for our sake…”

When I turned toward the voice, Shinobu was overcome with emotion and spilling tears. But…

“Don’t worry, Shinobu. I also use this to vent stress when I’m frustrated. Especially when Nezha treats me coldly!”

Hayase Shima suddenly directed her gaze at me. In that instant, everyone burst out laughing.

Why do I have to be treated like the source of stress! Everyone can laugh because they don’t know what kind of relationship Hayase Shima and I have…

“Well then, I’m going to play at being a white-clothed angel. Use it freely after this.”

Hayase Shima went back to the nurse’s office after explaining the precautions to us, but everyone kept their heads bowed until the elevator door closed on her.

We, who showed overwhelming gratitude to Hayase Shima, used the dungeon VR simulator and tried the party’s coordination.

Each of us put on headsets and dived into a world modeled after the Eastern Capital Dungeon. There’s no smell, but the reproduction of layer 1 and such is so incredible it makes you hallucinate you’re really there.

“Everyone, since it’s a rare chance, how about leaving the tactical actions to Hinata-kun, who is from the dungeon exploration school?”

Just earlier Sado and the others had hyped me up, but when it comes to actual practice, it’s different. It’s no wonder if they hate being ordered around by an outsider.

I had anticipated backlash, but…

“No objections!”

“I’m looking forward to Nezha-san’s instructions.”

“Exciting!”

It ended up being just my unfounded worry. The three were rather eager to hear my instructions…

“That’s how it is. Want to see the skills of an elite, perhaps?”

“Please stop teasing already. I’ll do it seriously.”

We immediately moved to a grassland field overrun with monsters. Everyone carried their respective weapons and hid behind cover like rocks or bushes. The goal was to build their confidence with ambush battles where we have the advantage.

Monsters like flies drawn to fire in summer—that phrase came to mind as carelessly a slime bounced pyon pyon hyon over the low grass toward us.

It showed no sign of noticing us at all. But…

“Tah!”

Shinobu somersaulted out from cover and danced above the slime, stabbing a kunai into it.

“As expected of the minister!”

Everyone sent applause and praise to Shinobu.

I understood right away.

In this party’s current state, raising activity records is impossible. Certainly, Shinobu’s ability stands out compared to the three members.

I could guess Shinobu was trained among considerably strong members, but with this lineup, that confidence and skill would backfire instead.

Shinobu advances without considering the members, the hurried members chase her but can’t keep up, and as a result the party gets divided by monsters and picked off individually—that scene was easy to imagine.

“First instruction. Minister, move last.”

“Huh? Why? I properly defeated the monster, didn’t I?”

I frankly told Shinobu what I thought.

“…Now that you mention it, that’s true. Got it. I’ll endure and stay still.”

It was when Shinobu accepted my explanation and hid again.

Ton ton ton♪

Wha!?

Another bouncing monster… It’s probably a slime, I thought, but its body gleamed silver.

It was a Metallic Slime.

When it moves by bouncing, friction charges static electricity on its metallic body. That electricity discharges when someone approaches to defeat the Metallic Slime, making it a troublesome opponent that inflicts big damage.

“No way! Even in simulation, we can’t win.”

The three who saw the Metallic Slime looked terrified and backed away.

But if you just watch out for the discharge, it’s a monster that flees on its own. Not one to fear.

I sent instructions to Sado, and he threw a randomly picked tree branch at the Metallic Slime.

With a loud biribiri sound, electricity discharged, and by the time the branch fell to the ground charred black, it had all turned to ash and blown away without a trace in the wind.

“Now!!!”

At my instruction, the three jumped out from three directions at once and attacked the Metallic Slime. The enemy was clever too; attacks were dodged by inches and didn’t land easily.

“Damn! Hit!”

“Look better and aim!”

“Catch it in the air the moment it jumps.”

The three each devised ways while attacking the Metallic Slime.

“Don’t run!!!”

Just as it was down to the last hit, the Metallic Slime tried to break through the encirclement by jumping out forcefully.

This is my service!

I secretly activated 【God’s Invisible Hand Invisible Arms】, and it worked even in the simulator.

【God’s Invisible Hand】 obstructed the Metallic Slime’s path, stopping its movement.

“Tah!!!”

Ladies first, so Ise swung down her staff for a clean hit on the Metallic Slime that had lost its escape.

―――――――――――――――――――――――
Defeated the Metallic Slime!
―――――――――――――――――――――――

When the telop displayed, the three started trembling.

“No way!? We defeated a Metallic Slime by ourselves.”

“Unbelievable.”

“But since Nezha-san said what we do in the simulator is possible in the dungeon too…”

“I believed the three of you could do it.”

“””Minister!”””

Sado and the others ran to hug Shinobu from joy, but she perfectly dodged Sado and Akazawa’s hugs and embraced only Ise.

Sado and Akazawa, who dived into the bushes…

“”That’s cruel, Minister…”

With such things happening, perhaps from the confidence of defeating the Metallic Slime, in the simulator they reached layer 10, defeated the Skull Lord Skeleton Lord, and even dove further down before returning—an achievement unthinkable for beginners.

We finished the simulator training and went to the nurse’s office to report, also returning the maintenance box key to Hayase Shima.

But when I held out the key, it was pushed back.

“It’s a parting gift to you guys. Keep the key yourselves.”

“Shima-neechan, thank you…”

“No need for thanks. Instead, later I’ll give Nezha some perverted training from me.”

“Shima-neechan… Stop saying things that ruin all your good deeds…”