NOVEL NEXT WORLD The Strongest Solo Gamer with Terrible Social Skills Reincarnates as a Hated NPC in a VRMMO Chapter 132
132, 19th Floor, East Cloud
――SIDE: East Cloud Kana――
After that night, we arrived at the 19th floor of ABYSS. Our goal was to obtain the final material for the high-grade recovery medicine, “Arachne’s silk thread”.
When I heard about the material from Shoma-kun, I replied that I had hardly heard of it.……Yeah, hardly.
Arachne’s silk thread――this material was the only one we had a lead on. Not just me, but Taichi also knew about it. After all, she’s our important comrade, our family――
“You’re serious, right……?”
Shoma-kun looked stunned, questioning us in the grassland area.
“You guys are trying to save your mixed-breed friend, right? But you’re saying you’re on the 20th floor――”
“I told you, we’re treated like monsters. We can escape from the floor master’s area, which is normally impossible.”
“So you’re saying you sent us to investigate the 20th floor? Your organization is crazy, isn’t it……?”
“That’s how desperate we are. If we can smuggle out materials from the floor master’s area, think of how many of our brethren can live without starving?”
“……I understand the logic. So, don’t glare at me, Taichi. I’m just saying it’s impossible according to common sense. I don’t know your circumstances.”
But――Shoma-kun continued speaking.
“Is she really still alive? Even if she’s a mixed-breed, if she’s been left in the floor master’s area for days, her survival is hopeless, right? Even if she’s the same species as the floor master, the spider goddess Atlanaata――”
“……”
“Do you have proof that she’s still alive?”
Shoma-kun asked us sternly.
The spider goddess Atlanaata is the floor master who resides on the 20th floor. We’ve encountered her, but she’s an opponent we can’t defeat. Her venomous fangs that dissolve on contact. Her unbreakable silk threads. And most terrifying of all――the massive number of baby spiders on her back that devour explorers. The sight is traumatic.
“……If Siel is still alive and hasn’t been eaten by Atlanaata, but is instead being carried on her back――”
“That’s also an optimistic view.”
“!”
“How many days have passed since you started investigating the 20th floor? Was it before or after you entered the Academy?”
“……It was before we entered the Academy. To be more precise, it was right before. Siel was supposed to attend the Academy too, but now it’s impossible――”
“It’s a shame, but it’s not a conversation we can have. Are you clinging to that tiny hope and trying to transfer to the 20th floor? And you’re leaving me out of it――”
“But Shoma-kun, once you enter the floor master’s area, you can’t escape until you defeat the enemy. We don’t have that restriction!”
“Our goal is to rescue Siel, not defeat the floor master. If you come with us, it’ll be a hindrance.”
“It’s fine, but……does the realistic Taichi agree with my proposal? If we just want to make the high-grade recovery medicine, it’s more convenient to hunt Arachne on the 19th floor, don’t you think?”
“……I understand what you’re saying. I also think it’s ridiculous to propose a song. In fact, I’ve told you to give up many times.”
“……」
“But, you know? I didn’t feel anything about Sieur either. If it were before, I would have opposed it. But now that we’ve reached the 19th floor, I wonder if Sieur is one level above us……thinking that, I couldn’t help but want to save her……”
“……Even if your friend is safe, there’s no guarantee that you won’t be attacked again. Are you still going to go?”
Taichi and I nodded.
Shouma-kun, who saw this, smiled wearily and operated his magic crystal terminal (Portal).
“――PT information updated. Changing from a three-man cell to a solo formation……do as you please. I was originally an outsider. I don’t have the authority to stop your actions.”
“Shouma-kun――”
――After that, we didn’t have much conversation and reached the transfer stone to the 20th floor. Shouma-kun also accompanied us silently to this point.
“This is――the 20th floor’s…”
“Sieur…”
It took a long time. We finally returned――
Wait for me, Sieur.
No matter how much you’re hurt.
No matter how much you’ve lost your sanity.
As long as you’re alive and here――
I will definitely save you.
“――Let’s go, Durado?”
“Ah……let’s go, Anne――ッ！”
We operated our magic crystal terminals (Portals) and entrusted ourselves to the transfer light.
Our determination was already made――