Jujutsushi 276.2
Chapter 276: Collapse 2
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
R1: [1-3], R2[4-6]
Part 4
「Well, whether it’s teleportation magic or warp travel, if you can move instantly, does it really matter which it is?」
「Indeed. Whichever the case may be, it seems beyond the reach of our understanding.」
Asuna and Takanashi-san were saying this while holding hands.
If we were on guard against an ambush, it was not an ideal stance for Asuna, who served as the vanguard, to be holding hands. Yet if doing so helped calm Takanashi-san—who had been shaken after seeing through Himeno-san kin's appearance—then it was for the best.
Seeing her chatting so normally again, it seemed she had finally regained her composure.
「Everyone, be careful. It looks like we’re about to enter a really big space ahead.」
Natsukawa-san, who was leading the way, gave her report, and I nodded. We shifted our formation from a single-file line to an assault-ready formation.
No one could guess what kind of monster might be nesting beyond this point.
「Okay, let's go!」
We’d been chased by the gomas since morning, lost comrades, and dealt with Himeno-san’s case; by now, every one of us was utterly worn down, body and spirit alike. If we were to face a boss-tier battle here, I couldn’t say whether we’d withstand it.
We advanced slowly and carefully, doing everything we could to avoid unnecessary combat.
「...Doesn’t look like there’s anything here.」
「Yeah. I don’t sense any monsters either.」
The wide underground cavern was quiet—too quiet. There were no roars, no sudden lunges of giant beasts, only the soft, rhythmic dripping of water echoing from afar.
When Sakura’s lux elemental cast its glow across the vast space, only rough stone walls were revealed—save for one area ahead, where a section of metallic ruin gleamed faintly in the dark.
「Hey, look, there’s something like a door on that wall of the ruins!」
「Yes, almost like a massive shutter. If we can get it open and slip inside, we might finally shake off those Gomas for good.」
「Got it! Kotori will check it out!」
「Oi, Kotori, wait! Don’t go off on your own—it’s dangerous!」
It looked as though the cave came to an end here.
If Takanashi-san could get that door open, we might all be saved. But if she couldn’t… we’d have no choice but to prepare for our last stand.
「Let’s fortify the entrance. We don’t know when the Goma will appear.」
There had been a few junctions along the tunnels, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to throw them off our trail. They were still coming, steadily closing the distance.
It wouldn’t take long before they poured in through that very passage.
「I’m counting on you, Takanashi-san…」
Our only hope now was her vocation, the power of a 『Sage』.
With a silent prayer, I fixed my eyes upon the darkened passage we had come through, readying myself for the Goma’s assault—when, at that very moment, something stirred.
RumbleRumbleRumbleRumbleRumble————
A deep rumble echoed from beneath the ground, and a violent tremor shook the earth under our feet.
「AN EARTHQUAKE!?」
「You can’t be serious, here of all places!?」
The intensity felt somewhere around a three or four on the seismic scale. The shaking was unmistakable, yet not so fierce that we couldn’t remain standing.
However, we were inside a cavern. Pebbles came clattering down from overhead, foretelling the worst that might yet come.
「Everyone run, quickly! The door’s open this way!」
When I turned around, Takanashi-san was shouting at the top of her lungs.
She had already stepped into the chamber bathed in white light, followed by non-combatant Futaba-san and Himeno-san. Right behind them was Natsukawa-san, keeping watch for any unexpected ambush.
「Hurry! Into the ruins! This place is going to collapse!」
As soon as I shouted, a huge chunk of stone crashed down beside us with a deafening boom. Even without a full collapse, the sheer force of those falling rocks was deadly—like an AoE annihilation spell had been cast.
「KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」
A sharp scream tore through the air as a fragment of falling stone hurtled toward Sakura’s head, as if guided by cruel intent. Yet at the very last instant, a radiant barrier flared into being, intercepting the deadly strike.
She was protected by her 『Oracle Field(Saint Heavenly Barrier)』. Without it, she’d have been crushed.
Yet even the strongest defence meant little if the entire ceiling came down.
「SAKURA, THIS WAY!」
「BROTHER!」
Startled, Sakura rushed toward me, and I caught her in my arms. Since I possessed movement-type martial skills, it was faster to carry her myself.
「You’re coming too, Class Rep.」
「Eh—wait a moment, I————」
「No time—move!」
I didn’t have time to wait for her answer. I slung the Class Rep over my other shoulder. With Sakura and the Class Rep each held firmly, I invoked 『Grand Walker(Long distance galloping)』 and 『Ground Shrink』 at the same time, sprinting at full speed.
Among everyone near the cave entrance, Sakura and Class Rep were the least physically capable. That’s why it made the most sense for me—the fastest—to carry them both.
Thanks to my vocation, lifting the two of them didn’t require special skills or magic.
With that strength and speed, I dashed through the collapsing cavern, weaving between the falling boulders.
「You all right, Sōuma!」
「Yeah, Sakura and Class Rep are fine.」
「Idiot, I meant you!」
「As you can see, I'm alive and kicking.」
The first to slip through the door after Natsukawa—who excelled in movement techniques—was Asuna. I’d have beaten her in a true sprint, but carrying two people slowed me down.
「Forgive me, brother. I’ve caused you such trouble.」
「I can’t exactly complain this time. Honestly, Yūuto-kun—you really saved us. Thank you.」
「Save that for later. You two, use your defensive magic to cover the othe————」
VWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!
A piercing alarm shrieked through the air, cutting my words short.
「Wh-What’s going on!?」
「Ah, oh no! The door!」
Takanashi-san’s scream told me everything I needed to know.
The once-open doorway—its giant metal shutters—had begun to move again, sliding shut from both sides.
「Can't you stop it, Takanashi-san!?」
「I-I can’t! I mean, this door literally opened on its own, without Kotori doing anything…」
Damn. I thought it had opened conveniently, but she wasn’t controlling it at all.
「Everyone, hurry up! The door’s about to close!」
At this point, all I could do was shout.
But could they make it in time———— No, that's impossible.
Ueda, Nakajima, and Yoshizaki-san were fast enough to slip through. But Yamada, the 『Heavy Warrior』, had no skill that increased speed. His strength and defence were tremendous, but lack of swiftness was the nature of his vocation.
「You can't, big brother!」
「Sakura, let go! I have to go!」
Just as I steeled myself to step forward, Sakura clutched my hand.
「Even if you go there, you won't make it. It’s already too late.」
「Let go of me. Otherwise I————」
There was no time for talking.
The massive metal door was closing with unstoppable force. A second more and—
I shook Sakura’s hand free, ready to sprint—when someone suddenly overtook me and leapt out.
「Eh」
Her stunned voice echoed behind her as she passed through the narrowing gap.
No—that’s wrong. Unlike me, she didn’t leap out on her own.
She had been shoved out.
Himeno-san was pushed outside the door.
「Eek!? Ouch—」
Thrown a great distance, she hit the ground awkwardly, unable to land properly.
Crying “Ouch, ouch,” she struggled upright—but it was already too late.
「Hah… e-eh… no way… Wait a second—」
BAM!
With a heavy crash, the metal shutter slammed shut.
I could no longer feel the tremors outside, nor hear the roaring or the alarms. And of course, neither Himeno-san nor the voices of our stranded friends could be heard.
「Asuna...」
「I… I just did what I was meant to do.」
Then why are you trembling, covered in cold sweat?
I knew the truth. No—she had made it painfully clear. No matter how logical it looked, no matter how terrifying the situation…
What she had done was a taboo.
Asuna, you…
Had abandoned your comrade again————