Only I can Return After the Class Transfer Translation

24. Sharpness

For some reason, Meguru-san holds out the hilt of the metal turtle blade towards me. Is she saying I can use it?

“Well, who has the highest Lv out of us all? It’s Meguru-san.”
“But the one who defeated it was Yukinari-kun.”

I try entrusting it to Meguru-san, but she refuses to yield. 

“Look, Yukinari-kun could be helpful as an attacker with it.”
“No, no.”
“Why don’t you guys just compromise?”

We stop upon hearing what Hagisawa points out. That’s when I notice Shigenobu and Minori-san staring at us in amazement. 

“How about you two share ownership of the weapon and swap as necessary? Meguru-san can have it first.”

Meguru-san gives a reluctant nod to Shigenobu’s words.

Thinking about it, Meguru-san is a girl. She might not really be all that interested in fighting. Well, even if that’s the case, I don’t really get what the point is in giving it to me…

I completely forgot about battle I saw yesterday. Yeah, next time it’s my turn to use it.1

“The remaining three will be distributed like so. As Yukinari and Meguru-san stand on the front line, they will each have one. The remaining one will be shared between me and Hagisawa.”

Shigenobu, with those words, takes out the new equipment. Alligator-hide like armor…?

Rock Lizard Hide Armor | Effect : Impact Resistance

From looking at the status, it’s stronger than the bone chestplates we’ve been using until now. Does it feel heavy due to us getting used to the lightness of the bone chestplates? The fragments of the metal turtle shell that I helped break were used for the shoulder and elbow portions. 

“As expected, this used up all the points I received. This is the limit of materials we’re able to use.”
“What about the rock from the tail of the rock lizard?”
“The obsidian? I used it for the armor.”

Ah…I see, it was broken into pieces.

“The armor made from that mamono has a mysterious feel to it.”
“Meguru-san is the MVP.”

Meguru-san gives a bashful nod.

“Little by little, our equipment is improving.”
“Defeating the mamono and using their materials to craft things like this makes it seem like we’re in a game.”
“Well…that’s why Taniizumi-kun and the others of the battle group came to their misunderstanding.”

Certainly, defeating mamono and becoming stronger is something even we’ve gotten used to. What if we get so strong, we start seeing our classmates as small fry? That said, I don’t think it’s good to insist on protecting them and confining them either.

“Well, let’s depart.”

And so, just like yesterday, we started moving. 

“So, how about trying out the new weapons on the mamono we fought yesterday?”

Like this, we start searching appropriately. It doesn’t take long before we encounter a group of Purple Myconid.

“Be careful of their spores. Let’s defeat them quickly.”

Everyone nods to my announcement. Then, with the knife in hand I approach a Purple Myconid to test out its strength… I horizontally slash at it.

“—!?”

Zu… there’s barely any resistance. I end up using too much power and fall over.

Ottotto!

I see the umbrella top of the Myconid I cut off flutter through the air. If it wasn’t a plant, this would have been a gory sight. 

“Wow!”

Shigenobu cries out. He’s as surprised as I am.

Meguru-san concludes…

“It’s excessively sharp…”

I feel like I cut it many times but… the Myconid’s movements calm down… After a while, it falls apart.

Uegh.

Taa!

Minori-san also strikes a Myconid with the crowbar. The Myconid caves in on itself and collapses with a, “gucha” as it dies.

“Amazing…”

There’s no other possible impression. The Myconid provided a bit more resistance against bone and obsidian swords, but they’ve become small fry.

“Alright. What to say, that was surprising.”
“This is all thanks to Yukinari-kun.”
“It’s thanks to Minori-san’s magical replenishment.”
“I-is that so?”
“Yeah, it’s thanks to everyone’s efforts. With this, we’ll be able to enter places with mamono that are a bit stronger.”

We agreed with Meguru-san’s words. Yeah, we’ll be able head further in than yesterday for sure.

“Then, with this, we’ll be able to defeat stronger mamono and allocate points towards armor…”
“Don’t forget to search for the non-manono materials that Hagisawa requested. Hard tree bark might be usable as armor.”

We should also consider the possibility of wood armor. The armor we’re using now, if you can call it that, is just typical armor. The onion shield has also been distorted into being unusable.

“Let’s defeat strong mamono and collect points. If the metal turtle weapon is this strong, then armor won’t be much different.” 
“That’s right, but… that’s more expensive than normal…”

How much did the swords cost? Most of Hagisawa and Shigenobu’s savings? 

“Making the blade by sharpening it is cheaper while making armor is more expensive. Right now, it’s better to scatter the fragments within armor.”

Ehh… that said, there’s no point if we don’t earn points.

“If we have this, will we be able to fight the rock lizard?”
“I’d like to think that’s enough.”
“It’s enough.”

I hope so.

Gallantly, we headed down to the difficult rocky area we retreated from upon encountering a rock lizard.2

“That said, be careful. The armor is still incomplete.”
“Isn’t it enough to deal with the rock lizard?”

We’re using armor made from the rock lizard to defeat it, so it should balance out.

“Well… just don’t get careless.”
“Of course.”

We headed to the rocky area where the rock lizard appeared while defeating mamono along the way. As before, it’s a place where the fault line’s bare rock is exposed to the surface. If this were a game, this would be the kind of place ores would be mined. That might be the reason rock lizards are here. 

SHAAA

While I’m in thought, rock lizards come into view. Their colors… khaki rock lizard.

“Wow. It’s a group.”

There’s four of them. They’re already pretty big mamono, and now there’s four of them.

“Depending on the situation, consider retreating. Meguru-san, if you’d please.”
“I know.”

We ready our weapons and look for an opportunity. If we’re not careful going in, they’ll attack with the rock on their tails, bite at us, and swipe with their claws. Well, the claw attack is slow, but the bite and tail attack are fast. As for Lv, Meguru-san is Lv 6, Minori-san and I are Lv 5, and Shigenobu is Lv 4. How much of a difference will these weapons make…?

Haa!

Meguru-san takes the lead. She gets behind the foremost khaki rock lizard and, while being careful of the other rock lizards, springs forward with her sword. It evades with the slimmest of margins, and she has to adjust her swing. The resulting strike ends up without her full strength behind it. Nonetheless, she strikes the rock lizard’s chest. A good, “zubaa” resonates within our ears.

SHA!

The khaki lizard bends back at the slashed area… its chest is half torn to shreds.

SHA!?
Otto!

Fresh blood splatters. Meguru-san tries to avoid it by jumping to the side and barely succeeds. The foremost khaki rock lizard spits out blood as its eyes roll back and it dies. 

Ugh… gross!”
“Incredible… but wasn’t that a little too much?”

The group of khaki rock lizards are as stunned as we are. In any case, it was just one hit. They fall into a state of panic upon understanding the difference in ability. 

“Shigenobu! Now’s our chance!”
“Y-yeah!”

Without letting the opportunity slip by, the two of us jump out and strike. The only thing you need to be careful of is the tail, but the head is the weak point. I don’t know how much the difference in power will be with a kitchen knife, but without hesitation, I aim at the throat and slice through. A solid response follows with a, “zubu.” Just like cutting paper with scissors. I shake away my thoughts and distance myself. 

Just in case, Shigenobu swings his kitchen knife at its tail.

Gapo…

The second rock lizard spews blood from its mouth as it drops down and dies.

While we were battling, Meguru-san vertically cut a third rock lizard in half from its head. No, the rock lizard jumped at Meguru-san and she took a defensive stance with the metal turtle blade. Wouldn’t saying it split itself in half be more accurate?


<Chapter 23
Chapter 25>

  1. 昨日の戦いを見ていたらすっかり忘れていた。うん、今度は俺が持つとしよう。
  2. なんて感じで俺達は颯爽と、強くて撤退したロックリザードが出現する岩場へと足を運んだ。