Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy

Chapter: 651

Hey, why are you jumping in with me like this?!

Seriously, I was planning to surprise attack you from behind and drag you along, so why are you following me?!

You should be up there working, you brat!

Seeing Nevera, who seemed to be enjoying free falling with a slight smile, made me feel like my outfit was about to burst.

Nevera, who stayed in this city, was someone completely different from what I had known.

Where did that arrogant, cocky brat who loved throwing her weight around and never admitted her mistakes go? In this city, Nevera had become a noble who could care for others.

I had only watched her for a day, but it was clear that she wasn’t the opponent I had decided to destroy with gritted teeth.

So, I had decided to venture into the dungeon alone and clear it at super speed.

That was the plan until this woman insisted on following me.

[Then isn’t there no problem in the end? Just do what you initially planned.]

‘There’s a problem! It’s tough to justify my actions going forward!’

If it were some irrelevant opponent, I could just tell them, ‘I have nothing to teach you, sloppy you. Just grovel at my feet. You’d likely prefer that since there’s nothing sticking out.’ But when I need to ask for cooperation, it’s a different story!

How am I supposed to explain my actions as a veteran gamer going forward!?

Can I do something intense without a Mesugaki skill while dodging the distortion of the Mesugaki skill?

Hah! The more I think about it, the angrier I get!

Alright! It’s okay that you grabbed onto me in surprise when you saw me about to fall!

Then, as a wizard, you should’ve done something!

Shouldn’t an Apostle of Magic be able to fly or do a short-range teleport or something?

Why are you falling with me and doing nothing?!

Are you a suicide companion!? I’ve met my fair share of disgusting perverts but that’s a first! Kudos!

While I grumbled inside, I could see the ground below.

An incomplete dungeon with holes here and there.

It didn’t look much different from what I remembered.

“Hey, lackey. You know magic, right?”

Instead of answering, Nevera swung a wooden stick and drew a magic circle.

Our bodies, which were falling due to gravity, lost acceleration.

“Why didn’t you do anything when we fell? What were you trying to do with just the two of us?”

“That was an accident. I tried to do something…”

“Pfft. Transparent lie. Pathetic.”

“What should I do when suddenly my magic stops working?!”

I position myself on the ground and look around, grabbing a shield and a mace.

There wouldn’t be a need to use weapons except during a boss fight, but you never know.

[Lucy, there’s no need to worry. Just do as you please.]

‘Aren’t you being too nonchalant because it’s not your concern?!’

[I’m not completely convinced by your extraordinary conduct either. I’m just trusting and watching because it’s what you do.]

‘…Oh. Is that so?’

[Your friends will likely feel the same. They trust you simply because it’s you. It’s not really about understanding. It’s not the kind of thing you can understand in the first place.]

What’s important isn’t to justify the extraordinary conduct but to make them believe I’m trying to walk the right path.

After hearing my grandpa’s story, I took a deep breath and yanked Nevera by the collar.

My face filled her bright green eyes.

“Let me give you a heads-up to the lackey with poor comprehension. Don’t ask me anything no matter what you see. I don’t want to waste time because of a little goon like you.”

“Ha! Don’t worry! I’m an Apostle of Magic! I’ve seen all kinds of miracles, so I won’t be surprised by a little brat like you!”

Did you really say that? You promised with your own mouth that you wouldn’t be surprised no matter what happened?

So, I’m going to just run recklessly without consideration now.

Don’t worry. I won’t die, okay?

Though I might faint from surprise.

With Nevera’s waist in my grip, I leaped into the hole beside me.

In the large room being formed, a golem the size of a thumb could easily crush me with just a single finger loomed.

“Excuse me?”

As soon as the golem spotted us, it raised its hand.

A massive shadow fell over the brightly lit room from just a moment ago.

“Shouldn’t we be running away now?!”

I really wish the fairies would wake up. It would have been fun to narrate this in the third person.

“Ugh, for real! If you keep this up, I’ll—”

“Do nothing. You must be used to playing the lackey role. Just watch.”

There’s no need to time anything. This landscape was one I had seen over and over while speedrunning for the true ending.

Even now, quite some time from then, my body moved naturally, following the memories of the past.

*

The golem was so huge it could be better described as a small hill.

Its hand was the same. A finger the size of an ordinary human could create disasters merely by swinging.

And that disaster was falling toward us.

Nevera closed her eyes upon seeing the hand approaching.

I should have told her not to follow me!

I genuinely faced death, but I didn’t want it to be such a foolish death!

With her eyes shut tightly, Nevera trembled and held onto her hand.

And soon she heard a clear sound ringing in her ears.

Like the ringing of a well-maintained bell, the sound sent shivers down her spine as she opened her eyes to find a girl with a mocking smile and her shield raised above her, watching a stumbling golem fall backward.

“Ouch!”

The sharp pain reminded her that this scene was all very real.

“Shut your mouth. Don’t bite your tongue and try to act cute. Hearing that face make such sounds makes me sick.”

“W-what do I— Ahhh?!!”

Just as Nevera was about to argue, Lucy accelerated forward and jumped atop the fallen golem.

And dashed over the golem’s head, jumping through a gap in an unfinished wall.

Another fall began in the dark.

What is this?! What’s happening?! Why are you jumping down again?!

In midst of the chaos, light flew in from afar.

“Attack! We’re being attacked!”

“I have eyes, you know?”

Fire struck Lucy’s shield, creating a burst of searing heat.

Feeling a sharp sting on her skin and her heart racing, Nevera realized that the impact of the explosion had negated their fall speed. Was this planned?

—Hahaha! The cursed Apostle of the Lord and the loser are together!

Before Nevera could hide her shock, a disgusting voice that sounded like it was tearing apart a vocal cord echoed from below.

A lich. A great wizard who refused death.

Not an average fellow.

The level was high. A formidable opponent that couldn’t be defeated without full power!

“If the God of Magic is a loser, then what are you?♡ A useless piece of trash who achieves nothing and dies?♡ A fool who can’t even make a name for yourself after death?♡”

“…You little—!”

Upon seeing the lich drawing up its magic power, Nevera screamed, begging to be let down, but Lucy ignored her voice.

Gah! Why is this punk so strong?! This little brat looks like nothing but bones!

“I’ll make you regret running your mouth!”

That lunatic! Is he planning to erase this whole room?!

As immense magic power swelled, Nevera panicked, but Lucy jumped up lightly, smiling.

The magic was shot, crashing against Lucy’s shield, and both bodies were blown away as if caught in a storm.

Thinking that they might be smashing their faces against some wall, Nevera closed her eyes, but that didn’t happen.

There was no wall where they were thrown.

Another fall began.

“Lackey. Get ready.”

Lucy called out from amidst her hair soaring high in the sky.

“Do I have something to do?! You’ll do whatever you want anyway!”

“That won’t happen anymore. This sloppy dungeon is about to end.”

“…End, you say?”

After a while, when Lucy landed on the ground, she dropped the divine Nevera onto the floor.

If it were usually, she would have complained, but Nevera couldn’t say a word.

The presence standing before her was too overwhelming for her to do anything.

What is that…?

A huge body with vivid veins bulging out from its skin.

And at the ends of those veins, sharp claw-like things were protruding, each inscribed with curses.

Saliva dripped from its mouth, filled with double rows of shark teeth, and its red eyes flashed with no sign of vitality.

“A visitor arriving at such an early hour.”

Despite its voice sounding like metal scraping, the monster’s tone was surprisingly polite.

That contrast only made Nevera’s fear grow.

“This is troublesome. The store’s door isn’t opened yet.”

“Puhahaha♡ You’ve been sleeping all this time and you’re still being lazy?♡ Are you so scared to meet people outside?♡”

But the small child in front of Nevera didn’t tremble. Instead, she stepped forward with a grin.

“You should be the one to be afraid.”

“Afraid of what?♡ A hideous monster attacking me?♡ Pfft♡ Give it a try♡ You don’t have the courage. Monster♡”

As she taunted, the monster shut its mouth.

About 2 seconds later, with a clear sound, Nevera’s head flew away.

The monster’s claws failed to leave even a mark on the white shield and bounced off.

“Are you that eager to see what’s inside?♡ It’s funny how desperate you are~♡”

Objectively speaking, the girl wasn’t a reliable person.

Her appearance or way of speaking should be unsettling.

Yet strangely, Nevera found her tiny back to be incredibly dependable. It was enough for her to forget the fear that had gripped her for a moment.

“Can I smash it?”

“Use ice magic. I want to see that grotesque creature tremble.”

“Ha! Sounds fun!”

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