Translator: LN&WN Warrior
Editor: Starfinder
'What on earth did this girl say?'
"It is cute, right?" (Haruki)
"Haa!?" (Karen)
"The way it's feet move or the way its body wiggles." (Haruki)
"Please stop, it's impossible for me. I'll die due to goosebump!!"
'Even if you reject it that much.......'
'However, now I understand. There are some adventurers who react like this after looking at House Centipedes.'
'Adventurers who wrote about it on the wiki might've felt as disgusted as she is.'
'But, that's a problem as an adventurer.'
"Karen, would you turn away your eyes when another disgusting monster came out? House Centipedes might be fine because they don't have killing power, but the others are different. You close your eyes because it is disgusting, do you want to die?"
"Which one do you choose? An ordinary girl who turns her eyes away from disgusting things or an adventurer who looks directly at reality."
After listening to Haruki's words, Karen finally took a straight look at the House Centipede's figure.
Her face was still pale, and her lips trembled like saying "hiee!" every time the House Centipede moved.
However, the light in her eyes was getting stronger.
A dubious light could be seen, but... well, she would be okay.
As Haruki convinced, she struck dozens of House Centipedes' heads hard with the club.
She was like Haruki when he fought the House Centipede for the first time.
It took a considerable amount of time before the House Centipede died.
At first, Haruki also could not penetrate the carapace.
So, it was unavoidable that Karen as a beginner took her time to defeat the House Centipede.
When she defeated the House Centipede, she experienced the level-up sickness. Karen exhausted her power and fell on her knee.
Haruki dismantled the House Centipede while glancing on her appearance.
"Fuu......!!"
Well, was level up sickness so bad?
Karen held her mouth and groaned.
Due to his raising strength, dismantling the House Centipede became easier than before.
The carapace was pulled apart pleasantly.
'Perhaps my current dismantling time is about half.'
'It is wonderful to be able to shorten the dismantling time!'
'With this, my fighting time with monsters will be even longer.'
'Even though, I fed up of fighting Monster Rampage which is like a war.'
"Well, how many years has Karaboshi-san been an adventurer?"
"Well, it's from this year."
"What? Is it in the same period as me?"
It was probably because she acquired her license when she was just turned 18 years old this year.
It was in the same period because Haruki also acquired it this year.
"Yeah, that's right?"
"......."
She shook her head repeatedly.
It seemed to declare that she doesn't believe it.
"Did you practice martial arts before?"
"No, I was in a track and field club when I was a student, but since then there is no activity that requires me to move my body actively."
'My physical strength during my school days was deprived of my job since I join at the printing company.'
'Such a job required me to do it in a closed room.'
'Rather, my body becomes healthier because I mostly stayed in a room.'
'I sleep when I want to sleep, and I get up when I want to get up.'
"Then, why are you so strong? Even though I'm still weak......."
"Well"
Haruki unexpectedly turned his face away from those eyes which filled with respect and self-blame.
He couldn't puff up his chest with pride, because it was strength gained from magic tool rather than effort.
He couldn't directly take her gaze.
"......you can get stronger if you defeat a lot of House Centipedes."
"That's rig-", she stopped her sentence.
'But that is a fact.'
Even Haruki became strong because of it.
"The monsters are all-you-can-hunt, as my house is nearby."
'You can become strong if you defeat a lot of House Centipede.'
Karen smiled while brimming with power when she was told so.
There was a faint ominous glimmer in her eyes.
"Well, I will do my best to annihilate them completely."
"No, you don't have to work that hard, right?"
'If they are annihilated, I will lose my chance to see that valuable House Centipede-chan.'
'I feel relaxed just by looking at their feet.......'
Haruki squeezed Karen's hand thoroughly because he felt it was very precious to be able to freely reach for monsters.
Specifically, he was able to subjugate about 100 House Centipede.
'Initially, it took about 5 minutes to subjugate it, but last time, I grew to the point that I could crack its carapace in 1 minute.'
Still, it may be dangerous for her to handle it alone.'
Haruki wouldn't fall behind even in a one-on-one.
'So, this is the difference between man and woman, or the difference between weapons.'
'Surely it will be the difference between our loves to House Centipede.'
If it remains as it is, Karen may not be able to defeat the remaining 200 monsters and fight alone properly.
"I thought she could hunt at least 100 monsters."
Based on his experience, Haruki predicted she would grow considerably after 100 monsters, but.......
Apparently, the Growth Acceleration seemed to have raised Haruki's growth speed considerably.
"Haa, haa...... that...... please, a little, break......."
"Oh, yeah. Then, let's take a rest."
Karen kept her forehead wet with sweat and sat on the floor while leaning against the wall.
Because Haruki equated his physical strength with her, he completely forgot to take a break.
'From now on I have to pay attention to our difference in physical strength.......
Haruki reflected lightly and pulled out a canteen from his bag.
"But, it is amazing."
She seemed too tired to hear Haruki's muttering at this time.
As she felt feeble, she drank water from the canteen slowly.
Despite being without breaks, Karen didn't raise complaints even once.
She had enough determination.
Haruki dismantled the House Centipede he defeated.
When turning his back on Karen, Haruki secretly took out the skill board.
'As she can make efforts this far, I will help her a little.'
'First of all, I'll confirm her skill.'
"......hmm!?"
Haruki, taking out the skill board, called up Karen's skill tree and read it.