Otherworld Company Chapter 86: Awakening (Gatting the Hang) is Sometimes Grasped by Commonplace Triggers

Jiro Tanaka: 28 years old – Has Girlfriends

Girlfriend(s): Suela Handelberg & Memoria Tris

Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Regular Employee)

Magical Aptitude: Eight (General Class)

“What are you going to do, Senior? It’s an enemy that appears in the early stages of the game, and it appears frequently in the story, gradually evolving each time and seeming to become the last boss in the end! By the way, I don’t have any light magic in my magic skills!” (Kaido)

“You’re not so panicked yourself, are you.?” (Jiro)

Kaido, who is in a panic, holds up his twin swords and shouts out the characteristics of his opponent while half crying, confronts his opponent without letting his guard down.

The fact that I said I’m going to kill it too, I’m preparing to fight with all my magic power.

“I’m sure I can handle it if I just spend a couple of hours cutting down with physical attacks.” (Jiro)

The first time I saw it, I knew that it would not be a hopelessly strong opponent despite its appearance.

There may be some hidden abilities, but the odds of victory are realistic.

“The time for half-crying and cowering is over. It’s coming!” (Jiro)

And it seems that an impatient opponent cannot wait in front of the food, unlike a disciplined dog.

Like an unthinking beast, it will be faithful to its appetite and pounce on us.

The target is…

“As expected, it is me, huh.” (Jiro)

I, who have a large amount of magic power, am the priority target.

I had expected that, and my hunch was not wrong.

It sprang at me, opening up its ant-like, spider-like, crustacean-like legs and leaping like a grasshopper.

Its mouth is open, probably because predation is its priority.

“Haa!” (Jiro)

The feeling of stepping in and cutting was a contradictory sensation: soft and tough.

No matter how fast it moves, it is easy enough to spot and cut it because of its simplistic movements.

“Damage is going through! Kaido!” (Jiro)

“Got it!” (Kaido)

And the leg that was cut off moved around for a while, but after a few seconds, it ran out of power and stopped moving.

The cut-off leg grows back, but as expected, it may not be inexhaustible.

Kaido and I positioned ourselves flanking the monster and attacked while it was focusing on me.

“Can this guy use the ability of the one he absorbed?” (Kaido)

“It’s still better that we can see it! However, be on the lookout for invisible abilities! If you stop, it’ll eat you!” (Jiro)

A sickle passes from the side of my face and sharp claws approach next but using them as stepping platforms, I jumped up in the air and split its head vertically with a forward roll.

The head is split open vertically, but the wound is repaired immediately by a flood of something slimy.

“Oh, how promising.” (Jiro)

“I think it’s a standard practice in such a situation to use magic so powerful that it can’t be absorbed. Why are we chipping away at it with swords!” (Kaido)

“It can’t be helped, we’re on a standstill. I can’t even get out of the dungeon with this guy here. We’re lucky to not feel despair at the entrance.” (Jiro)

The dungeon gates are set so that they will not function if there is a monster within the range set for each gate.

In other words, unless we defeat or shake off the monster, we will never get out of the dungeon.

I complained and swung my Mineral Tree at it, but the damage would only be effective if I cut it down instead of wounding it.

“I hate this! I’m going to Keira’s store after I finish this job for sure! Then I’ll forget all the bad things I’ve been through! Hiyaaaah! I’m going to drink tonight!” (Kaido)

“…” (Jiro)

Kaido, who felt like he was cutting and chipping away at a pile of sand, not quite cutting through the shadow, was half-crying and then crying hard as if he were facing a Sisyphean task.

Now I ignored it and try to look innocent, I feel like I’m going to need something against this opponent who doesn’t get worn out no matter how much I cut it.

Where should I cut that will effectively work, where should I cut away to impede our opponent’s movement, and where should I cut down to delay its regeneration?

The key to finishing a job quickly is how efficiently you can work.

In the same way, the key to Jigen Ryu, which does not require twin blades to cut down an opponent with a single blow, depends on how quickly and concisely you can perform a series of movements from footwork to swinging down with maximum power.

In my subconsciousness, I refined the act of cutting by groping.

Once it realized that my damage would not have much effect, it abandoned defending and simply grew more limbs and went all out on the offensive.

The work is to simply cut it down.

I am beginning to get tired of the feeling that it is both elastic and resilient.

I can cut it down, but it is not efficient as it is.

But it is not efficient as it is now.

If only it were softer. If only his body were as soft as a konnyaku. [T/N: A jelly made from konnyaku potatoes.]

“■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!?” (Shadow)

I swung at it with this in mind with the Mineral Tree. Then, I felt no resistance, and the blade easily dug into the flesh and cut it off.

Moreover, far from being thinner than before, it was a thicker and hard arm that imitated the scythe of a mantis.

“What the?!” (Jiro)

The result was too good to be dismissed as a coincidence.

I speculated whether the opponent’s regenerating strength was low, or maybe it had become brittle from repeated attacks.

However, I can judge those two guesses as unlikely.

The fact that the monster screamed, which it had never screamed before, means that the sickle was not intended to be cut earlier.

In other words, it was neither insufficiently strong nor deteriorated.

Then, inevitably, there must have been an element that would have allowed me to cut it off.

Find that element.

“Kaido! Disrupt them! I don’t care about taking damage, just stop it from moving!” (Jiro)

“Uh, Ugh!” (Kaido)

Trial and error.

What does it take to remember that feeling?

I’m convinced that if I can pull it off, I can put an end to this battle, so I let Kaido take a shallow, unwanted delaying tactic.

I think I’m cutting the same way I did earlier, but there’s something different.

Is it the amount of force?

Is it the timing of the step?

Is it the amount of magic power?

While the opponent’s attack is leaning toward Kaido and the hate on me is decreasing, I review each and every element of my attack.

Be quick but precise.

Quickly but accurately.

I repeat the correction after each blow so that there is no intervening assumption that that one is okay.

But it is far from the feeling I had earlier.

The power of the slash remains the same.

The result is unchanged from the beginning of the battle.

It may not be something I can learn overnight, but there is no reason why I can’t do it now when I was able to do it earlier.

“I know what you’re trying to do is hard! Senior! I mean, my sword is starting to melt!” (Kaido)

“…!” (Jiro)

Finally, Kaido’s equipment comes to its limit.

It would be difficult to defeat it with Kaido’s weapon, which is now a blunt weapon.

But…

“I see, you’re not good at that.” (Jiro)

With that one word, I knew what I was missing.

People have strengths and weaknesses, and those things they are not good at, develop a sense of dislike.

Because that job is troublesome because I’m not good at that job.

Such commonplace perceptions reduce work efficiency.

It is the same with that guy.

Before cutting the first time, I wondered how strong the other person was.

There was certainly a consciousness inside me that wondered if I could cut it.

Ah, then I can’t even cut what I can’t cut.

It is the height of stupidity to worry about whether or not you can do your job.

The options given are two: do it and raise your reputation, or say you can’t do it and lower your reputation.

Then, in this case, the two choices are to cut or not to cut.

Then my choice is.

“I’m going to cut you…!” (Jiro)

“Hey, Senior!?” (Kaido)

I decided so, and my action was quick.

Just one step.

I let go of my defenses, and with the determination to end it all with this one blow, I invaded the opponent’s space with all my might.

It’s funny, isn’t it?

Why was I trying to defend and then counterattack?

In Jigen Ryu, the first move is the final move.

The first to move wins the battle.

If you go on the defensive, you will lose your advantage.

Trust in your sword and think only of getting this blade to the opponent before he does.

If your opponent has a wider spacing than you, step in to eliminate that wider spacing.

If your opponent has more attacks than you, attack faster than any of them.

And it doesn’t matter how hard he is.

“Aaa!” (Jiro)

This blade can cut through all things.

Can’t cut because it’s hard?

“Things like that don’t exist.” (Jiro)

One slash to my shoulder, two on my leg, one to my cheek.

Each of these cuts is shallow, but there is pain.

However, the result that I have cut off 10% of the opponent instead makes me forget about the pain.

The response to this blow is different from before.

My lips which had been tight earlier is now smiling happily.

“Ugh, Senior’s bloodlust switch has been flipped.” (Kaido)

Kaido is saying something, but I don’t care.

This ability to cut, of course, is indeed dangerous.

The ultimate goal is to cut down everything.

It is also the ultimate act of a person who harms others, regardless of their target.

I understand the danger of this, as I am the one who did it.

But at the same time, I understood that it was necessary to enter this realm.

If I could not do that, I would not be able to go on.

If I could not do that, I would not be able to achieve my ambition of conquering a dungeon in my short human life.

“■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!?” (Shadow)

“Now, somehow I know I can cut it. At this moment.” (Jiro)

I slowly turned around, my back to Kaido as I pushed through, grasping that feeling.

And then, I take into view the opponent who cannot admit the fact that it has taken damage.

I look at it carefully, swallowing parts of its body that I had cut off and trying to regenerate it.

I slowly move the Mineral Tree in the overhead stance.

“■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!!!” (Shadow)

“I’m going to cut you in half.” (Jiro)

I think that the opponent sees me and wants to swallow me like food, but I wonder if it now sees that I became a threat.

In response to that, my heart was silent, like the impatience from before was a lie.

Just keep calm.

“*Inhale*” (Jiro)

Breathe in.

Circulate the magic power in my body.

Eliminate unnecessary force.

Focus my gaze.

Calm down all thoughts.

“Keeiyaaa!!!” (Jiro)

With this one shout, I let it all out.

Taking a step forward with all my might.

Thinking only of bringing down a slash faster than the opponent’s attack, faster than anyone else in the room.

Forgetting the pain.

I shake off the thought that I cannot cut it.

My Mineral Tree touched the opponent’s flesh.

My arm felt something solid.

“Kaaa!” (Jiro)

I cut it in two with one slash.

The feeling at that time was accompanied by an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

My mouth must have been smiling.

“Woooow! Senior, so awesome!” (Kaido)

Thud!

Hearing Kaido’s surprised voice and the sound of my opponent, who was cut in two, crashing to the ground with the same momentum, I looked back to see if it was over.

“Is it over?” (Kaido)

“No, that’s not a good thing to say, you know?” (Jiro)

“Is that a flag?” (Kaido)

“Yes, yes, maybe there will be a second form after this.” (Jiro)

“If there is, just cut it again.” (Kaido)

“Yeah, that’s right.” (Jiro)

The creature that was active before was now gone. I can see that the fist-sized magic stone that was the core of the life-form was cut in two.

Seeing the end of the creature exposed, I realize that there is no need to fight anymore.

“You mean it is the same as a Blood?” (Jiro)

“If that is the case, it looks like we can sell it.” (Kaido)

“I’ve never seen it before, so I’m not sure if they’ll buy it… Hey, Kaido, what’s that?” (Jiro)

“Wha-what is that Senior!? Could it be its second form!?” (Kaido)

“The second form? Look at the area around his stomach.” (Jiro)

“Yes, it’s the stomach area, right? That’s just disgusting! That’s it!!!” (Kaido)

“Well, if he’s preying on creatures, it’s not surprising that it is going to eat this guy.” (Jiro)

I thought at the time that it was too good to be true.

There is no mistaking that sparkling figure.

Kaido was thrilled with the unexpected extra reward and was happy to see his store rank rise today.

I, on the other hand, was pleased with the reward for my hard work, but I was also worried about how I was going to bring this huge body back home.

For now, let’s just keep an eye out to see if the monsters we’ve defeated are still alive and secure the loot.

“Today’s harvest is good, huh?” (Jiro)

I put a cigarette in my mouth, lit it with a simple spell I had recently learned, and took a drag.

I thought it tasted the best I had ever tasted.

Jiro Tanaka: 28 years old – Has Girlfriends

Girlfriend(s): Suela Handelberg (Dark Elf) & Memoria Tris (Vampire)

Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Regular Employee)

Magical Aptitude: Eight (General Class)

Job Title: Warrior

Note for the Day

You never know what will become the trigger.

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