Chapter 23: Finally, we have become stronger in the underground dungeon! Evil Dragon Subjugation! Part 2

|Precautions|

The novel, the comic and the web novel follow different routes. It is no exaggeration to say that the novel, despite having the same base, is a completely different story.
If you know the manga or novel of this story, please understand, and enjoy it as a completely different read. Since the route is different, the ending will also be different.

“— the strongest villager in the world.”

The moment I said those words- Amanta’s fingernails grew out.

It was similar to a cat baring her claws, in other words, she entered a combat ready state.

I noticed a purple liquid dripped down from her nails, and so I let out a bitter smile.

“I see. Instead of a dragon, you’re more like a poisonous snake. But ‘Evil Dragon’ sounds more intimidating, so you’re that kind of existence, huh?”

A droplet falls onto the ground.

The grass within its radius of a few meters dried up, Amanta had let out a gleeful laugh.

“Ufufu. Hey, hey big brother? Big brother? On a beautiful rose is a sharp thorn, y’know?.”

“Rather than a rose… You look more like a carnivorous plant. If one gets too close, one could get hurt, so if I can help it, I wouldn’t want to touch you.”

Actually, she looked like a ten year old gothic lolita.

If you touched her in modern Japan, you’d have the police knocking at your door.

At this point, Amanta laughed again.

—Confirming Cordelia’s safety behind me, I gave out a happy smile.

“Hey, hey, big brother? Big brother?”

“What?”

“You know big sister? You know big sister?”

“So what?”

“— said she had a person she liked! Hey, hey, big brother? Big brother?”

“… What?”

“Could it be? Could it be? The one big sister likes is – big bro -”

Instant acceleration.

The opponent was a loli, but that’s only going by the appearance.

She was in fact a loli-baba.

In other words, as expected, she was annoying.

Unsheathing my sword from my back, I slashed down onto Amanta’s head.

“Kyahaha~! Kyahahaha~!”

Amanta laughed as though she was having fun and avoids my sword.

“Hey, hey, big brother? Big brother? Where did you get this sword? Where did you get it?”

She looked like a really clumsy kid.

First a kick towards my lower half.

I backstepped in order to dodge, but she quickly closed the distance.

Next she sent a kick towards my head- as a feint, and turned it into a kick towards my abdomen half way through.

— Brazilian kick.

Aren’t you quite capable… Blonde gothic loli.

“Goof…!”

I got hit on my flank.

My internal organs tremble due to the shock, I couldn’t joke about this.

— Skill: Indomitability activated.

Without falling, I somehow managed to return a wide swing towards Amanta.

And then, just as my sword slash was completed, Amanta elegantly showed an effortless smile.

“Hey, hey, big brother? Big brother? That sword, maybe… Is a really rare sword, right? It’s a strong sword, right? Isn’t that a sword a veteran hero should be wielding? Isn’t it?”

Amanta continued as she easily dodges the sword slashes.

“But you see, but you see? This sword seems to be a bit too much for big brother, and doesn’t seem to suit you, right? Isn’t that right?”

Her ridiculous laughter rang through the forest.

Suddenly behind me, Cordelia took a stance with her sword herself and said.

“Lute? You truly did become stronger. Well, you’ve become really strong. I understand that, and I feel you’re at a level able to fight alongside me.”

“That’s, well, thanks.”

“I respect you. After all you – to a somewhat grown hero… You are pretty much on the same level as me. How a simple villager has managed to fight his way here – Seriously, you as a person are…”

Then, Cordelia walked towards my back.

“Lute? Let’s do this together? If it’s the me right now and you right now, even if the opponent is a calamity class monster – there’s nothing we can’t do.”

When I turned around, Cordelia was laughing happily.

“Well, when I think back on it… I thought you’d deal with it on your own though. The opponent can be counted as a calamity grade monster… As expected, that would be too reck-”

At that point, I shrugged my shoulders.

“The two of us teaming up together for just an Evil Dragon? Why?”

Eh… Cordelia’s mouth opened.

“Because I watched the battle just a while ago? Saying you’ll take her down alone is reckless, rather, it’s impossible.”

I see, and I let out a smile.

“You know, Cordelia?”

“Hmm?”

After a sigh, I opened my mouth.

“ -In the encounter earlier… I wasn’t using Body Reinforcement.”

“… Heh?”

Cordelia froze.

“Like I said, I didn’t use Body reinforcement.”

Cordelia remained frozen as though she didn’t understand what I said.

“…What is it?”

“Body reinforcement is the most basic and the most powerful status enhancing skill, correct?”

“Yeah that’s true, it’s the most essential skill for a close range fighter, a swordsman not using it is like… a magician not using magic.”

“And, if you use Body reinforcement, your close combat stats double, right?”

At this point, Cordelia made an irritated expression.

“I’m sorry, I really don’t understand. That’s why… What do you mean?”

“Well, I use a lot of other reinforcement skills. But for training, I’m making it a point not to use the most basic, most obvious skill. This time, it was Body reinforcement…”

Cordelia’s face turned pale.

Well, even I know how much this diverts from common sense.

“Hey, you? Are you saying that seriously?”

“Ah, so basically, If I get serious, I’d be twice as strong as right now.”

Without reading the atmosphere, Amanta rushed towards me.

“Big brother? Big brother? Didn’t you learn not to look away in the middle of a battle? Didn’t you?”

Body reinforcement activated.

Attack power, defensive power, movement ability, all of them were doubled.

Everything around me seemed to move in slow motion.

And the attack I brought out –

— Back fist.

Two of her front teeth were crushed, and Amanta, who couldn’t react, was sent flying backwards at an alarming speed.

She crashed through a massive tree, but her momentum didn’t stop.

After crashing through ten trees, destroying a lot of nature around us and being sent twenty meters back, she finally came to a halt.

Unable to believe it, Amanta puts her fingers into her own mouth.

And then, confirming the blood that flowed without stopping, she hardened.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds and then thirty seconds.

Finally recognizing the situation, Amanta who had frozen up, let out a word.

“… Huh?”

Name: Lute Macklen
Race: Human
Occupation: Villager
Age: 12 years→ 15 yearsLevel: 100→341
ＨＰ　：４３５２/４３５２→１１１５０/１１１５０
ＭＰ　：１７８９０/１７８９０→２５６８０/２５６８０Offense: 1031→3560
Defense: 998→3540
Magic: 3408→6823
Avoidance: 1162→3982
Strengthening skills
Body Strengthening level 10 (MAX)
Dragon God’s Protection: Level 10 (MAX)
Steel Body: Level 10 (MAX)
Demon Gate Method: level 10 (MAX)
Dragon God’s Descent: Level 0→5
Saint of War: Level 0→3

Offensive Skills
Deicide: Level 0→3

Defensive Skills
Strong stomach: level 2
Psychological tolerance: level 2
Indomitability: Level 10 (MAX)

Normal Skills
Agriculture: Level 15 (Limit Breakthrough: Gift)
Swordsmanship: Level 4→10 (MAX)
Martial Arts: Level 8→10 (MAX)
Serenity: Level 0→10 (MAX)
Dragon Implantation: Level 0→10 (MAX)

Magic Skills
Magic power operation: Level 10 (MAX)
Life Magic: Level 10 (MAX)
Basic Offensive magic: Level 7 (Growth limit)
Basic Defensive magic: Level 7 (Growth limit)
Sage techniques: Level 0→5

Vocational Skills
Wrath of the Villagers (Using all the MP to perform an attack whose damage is dependant on MP used)

When using Steel body
Offense, Defense and Avoidance + 150.

When using demon gate method
Offense, Defense and Avoidance + 300

When using Dragon God’s Descent
Offense, Defense and Avoidance + 1000

When using Body Reinforcement
Offense, Defense and Avoidance x2

When using Dragon God’s Protection
Offense, Defense and Avoidance x1.5

When using Saint of War
Offense, Defense and Avoidance x1.5

Deicide
An ability that allows one to damage immortals.

Excalibur
Offense + 1200
Avoidance + 300
Giant killing attribute (3)

Dragon King’s Ring
Offense + 300
Defense + 300
Avoidance + 300

Offender’s dress
Offense + 100
Avoidance + 800