Jujutsushi 275.2
Chapter 275: Collapse 1
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
R1: [1-3], R2[4-5]
Part 4
No one knew what to say to Ueda, who had collapsed to the ground, quietly sobbing.
「Ueda-kun, if it’s too much, perhaps you should rest as well.」
「I’m fine. Don’t worry about me… Just continue without me.」
His reply was a stubborn display of pride.
Even if it was only a bravado, it was better this way for now. We didn’t even have the luxury to properly grieve the comrades we’d lost.
「First, we need to find somewhere to hide from those gomas.」
「Yes. Fortunately, this area is vast. We can still put some distance between ourselves and them.」
If we couldn’t secure a place to sleep, we’d just die out here without even a fight. A base of activity was absolutely essential.
Food was another concern. For now, everyone still had some preserved rations that would last us few days. Shimokawa, the aquamancer, wasn’t with us, but we had magic tools that could produce water. Drinking water wouldn’t be an issue.
「We have to find a base before our food runs out.」
「That's our current priority I guess.」
No one argued. In a situation like this, no one could recklessly demand revenge without thinking it through.
We had defeated the Yamata no Orochi and come this far. We were confident— Sure that no dungeon monster could best us. Together, we believed we could overcome anything.
Yet, in just a moment, we lost two of our number, three if you include Shimokawa.
We were powerless to save them. Losing three comrades… I could feel Ueda’s grief as if it was my own. Just yesterday, we had all been together as if it were perfectly ordinary.
And in that moment, we must have remembered: this was a dungeon, a place of constant peril where death walks beside you.
It was pure, unadulterated fear. The simple yet absolute dread that I, and my precious comrades, could all die in the next moment.
But we could not give in. We had to face the harsh reality and figure out our next move. We were still alive. And we will survive, no matter what.
「Yuuto. I want to talk about that giant govu.」
Asuna spoke. Surely, the others were thinking the same thing.
The very being who killed our comrades. The fearsome, overwhelmingly powerful Goma.
「It's Zagan.」
「Pardon?」
「He alled himself Gira Gogma Zagan.」
Presumably, he normally takes the form of a Govu, but anyone with a growth ability surpassing a Gogma was called a『Gira Gogma』.
A Gogma alone was a high-level monster capable of commanding many Goma. Someone beyond that rank would be among the very top— Or close to it.
So it makes sense that he has a personal name like 『Zagan』.
Perhaps even Goma had names, but there was no doubt that this one was special enough to call himself Zagan.
「I can’t take him down alone. He’s far stronger than a four-armed Gogma. And it’s not just sheer size and strength, he also wields his sword with real skill.」
「So if Zagan raid us again...」
「We might stand a chance If we all confront him together. But he isn’t a boss monster waiting in a boss room. If he comes, he’ll surely bring his forces with him again.」
「So we need to prepare for both Zagan and his Goma army…」
At this point, we simply couldn’t fight that way. It was a battle we could not win against such overwhelming odds.
Perhaps that first encounter was the perfect chance to isolate and finish off Zagan.
No, either way, even if we’d pressed on then, we still wouldn’t have beaten him without suffering more losses.
「We have no choice but to grow stronger. If we’re to survive, we must become stronger.」
We thought we were strong enough, but we weren’t.
If I’d had more power, none of this would have happened. We lost because we were weak, a simple, bitter truth.
「Maybe Zagan isn’t the only Gira-Gogma. If two or three more of those monsters appeared, we’d be trampled without a chance to fight back.」
「You’re right. The Goma Kingdom’s strength is still unknown. There could even be Goma stronger than Zagan. If there really is no way out of this lowest floor… then we’ll just have to grow stronger and break through.」
「…A merciless path. It will be an even harsher fight than slaying Yamata-no-Orochi.」
As Asuna said, just when we thought we’d overcome our greatest trial, an even greater one lay in wait.
But giving up wasn’t an option. We hadn’t fought our way through the dungeon this far only to die here.
「For now, our priority is escaping the Gorma. If we can’t do that, we won’t be able to search for a way out of the lowest floor, or fight to become stronger. Tomorrow we’ll likely be travelling long hours in preparation for another assault. Let’s set the watch shifts and get some rest early.」
We couldn’t come up with any plan, so, just as Class Rep had said, all we could do was rest and prepare for tomorrow.
The moment I thought, Alright, let’s just sleep for today, the exhaustion hit me all at once— and right behind it came hunger.
「Man, I’m starving.」
「Yeah, well, we haven’t eaten anything since this morning.」
When Yamada muttered about food, I couldn’t help but agree. Nakajima was right, there hadn’t been any chance to eat all the way until now.
If only the attack had come after breakfast, things might have been a little easier to bear, that was what crossed my mind at that moment.
「KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」
A scream rang out from deeper inside the cave. It was Takanashi-san’s voice.
「No way, another enemy's attack!?」
That was the spot where Futaba-san had been preparing the meal, and where Sakura had taken the sobbing Yoshizaki-san. The cave’s layout shouldn’t have allowed anything to slip in from outside… Unless it was a monster that had been hiding within.
Either way, I pulled the frayed thread of tension taut again, sprang to my feet, and dashed forward.
Please, let me make it in time, I begged inwardly as I covered the short distance in a flash.
「What happened? What’s going on!?」
Sword in hand, I rushed over.
At a glance… There was no enemy.
Takanashi-san, the one who had screamed, was clinging to Sakura. Right beside her was Yoshizaki-san, her eyes red and swollen from crying. A little further off, Futaba-san and Himeno-san stood blankly before a makeshift hearth of piled stones.
From what I could see, there was no enemy and nothing unusual at all.
「Seriously, what’s going on? Don’t tell me it was just a bug or something.」
「Brother… look closely at Himeno-san.」
「What?」
Something wrong with her? No — clearly there was. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Himeno-san alone.
Realising that, I finally turned my full attention to her—
「Wait… what the hell… are those… horns?」
「N-no! It’s not what you think, Souma-kun!」
Himeno cried out desperately, but there was no mistaking it. Two horns had begun to sprout from her forehead, horns like those of an oni.[TN: Shuten Douji from FGO?]