Invincible Saint ~Salaryman, the Path I Walk to Survive in This Other World~ Vol 3 Chapter 33

 

It will soon be 8 months since I began challenging the labyrinth.

My salary had increased across the board and for some reason the Pope had replaced Granhart-san as my boss. Even now I was in the progress of challenging the labyrinth.

 

“With this I feel impelled to work harder.” I finished my training and drank Object X before conducting image training for the big day tomorrow.

According to the information pa.s.sed down from the Pope by Katria-san, my opponents the next day were; the man who boasted an overwhelming amount of magical power, capable of pressuring opponents using a great sword while casting healing magic, the paladin captain; and the man with overwhelming spear handling skills, the priest knight captain.

I don’t dread getting slashed repeatedly by a great sword. Neither do I fear getting stabbed by a spear because of my many battles with countless adventurers.

Although it would hurt, as long as I avoid getting hit in the vitals I believe that I can heal immediately.

“However the outlook seems quite harsh.”

Among the priest knights and paladins that are divided into 4 groups each, only the Valkyrie Paladin Corps accepted my request to join their training, the remaining 7 Knight Corps treated me like a tumour. (TL: In other words there are 4 Paladin Corps and 4 Priest Knight Corps in total)

This was most likely due to my 3 day long volunteer service previously.

A complaint was lodged from the healer’s clinic in the Holy City, but because I now directly reported to the Pope, they could not make me take responsibility. Later, they tried to make contact with me through Granhart-san and Jordo-san, but because they found that I was likely to be inside the labyrinth, they no longer attempted to do so.

Katria-san was in charge of collecting the meals from the obachans at the dining hall so they didn’t become victims of this incident. But without any companions that would remark that bullying is bad, I was unlikely to be able to turn the situation around via charisma or frontal confrontation.

“In essence, the situation remains helpless. There were some who decided to ignore me but this is still an ill-natured world with a.s.sa.s.sinations and raids.”

I sighed deeply without hiding any resentment.

 

Should I use purification magic or 「Area High Heal」to defeat the 2 of them? Is it wise to approach them for close combat in the first place? I was preoccupied with these insecurities floating in my mind as I trained.

I realised. In this illusionary labyrinth training ground where damage can be felt, if I died here wouldn’t I experience pain similar to dying?

Not only would I turn pale looking at my dead body, I could also easily imagine the words from the Pope.

“Oh Luciel. To die here, so pathetic.”

After I resurrected, she would say those words with a straight face or maybe even with a smile. No way will I accept that.

[I would be vilified] I bitterly thought. If that happened I would lose my place in the church, even more than what I had already lost now.

 

From Katria-san’s report, it seemed like I am hated by 2 Paladin Corps and 1 Priest Knight Corps.

I seriously considered working hard to aim for 100 friends after I cleared the labyrinth. (TL: Lol first to get a girlfriend then now to get 100 friends. His bucket list for after clearing the labyrinth is increasing XD)

 

Without being able to shake off those worldly thoughts, the day before the battle that decides my fate, I avoided a sleepless night thanks to the angel’s pillow. After having a sound sleep I challenged the labyrinth.

 

“Body condition, good. Weapons, good. Armour, good. Magic bag, good. Applied magic, good. Mental image, good. Object X, good.”

As usual I checked my condition before the battle and gulped down Object X. I fired myself up and opened the door to the 40th floor boss room.

 

“As expected, it’s dark.” After muttering so, my brain froze when I saw the monster.

A strapping Specter Knight King, equipped with a set of st.u.r.dy armour, holding an stance crossing a great sword and long spear both close to 3 meters long, standing more than 50 cm taller than me, appeared. I cried out.

“Isn’t that my ideal style?”

Thus I had a chivalric duel(?) with the Spectre Knight King. (TL: Yes the question mark is in the raw. Maybe he is having a duel with the Specter Knight King to claim the right to dress in that manner?)

For long time after that, I continued battling with the Specter Knight King, but at that time I couldn’t think about such things at all.

 

Whenever the Specter Knight King swung his great sword, it was accompanied by roaring winds. If he stabbed with his spear, instead of a single stab, he could abnormally stab 3 to 5 times in a row. Undoubtedly, he was able to do so because he doesn’t have joints or muscles.

It was such a manga-like setting. More importantly, this Specter Knight King was really strong. Even so, he seemed strangely human-like.

When I attacked with purification magic and healing magic, he didn’t die and instead recovered by enveloping himself with a dark light. However, in cases when damage was done via physical attacks, he didn’t recover. I also used healing magic on myself.

“Haahaahaa, but if this continues it will be disadvantageous to me. It’s also tough without a pause b.u.t.ton … eh? Maybe this could work as a pause b.u.t.ton?”

 

I lined up 3 barrels of Object X in a corner of the room. When I stood outside that, the Specter Knight King returned back to the center and stood still.

“What kind of third-rate comedy is this? To give him such configurations, the Pope is too evil.”

I put forth my best efforts to challenge the Specter Knight King.

 

I was unclear how much time had pa.s.sed.

Half a year’s worth of food, half a year’s worth of Object X and the magic spell book I obtained in the labyrinth.

Without any of those I wouldn’t had survived.

 

With my arms slashed, my legs pierced, I experienced excruciating pain and cried out about how much this is an impossible game, but I refused to give up.

【By the holy hand, by the breath of Mother Earth, by my wish using my magical power as sustenance become the breath of an angel, restore him to the form he should originally have, I pray to the mysteries of life. Extra Heal.】

 

The spell restored my left arm that was severed together with the s.h.i.+eld held in it, as well as my leg that was chopped up and blown away. (TL: Omg he is a monster to still be able to concentrate with those wounds >.<>

I forced myself to sleep using the angel’s pillow and desperately ate to restore lost blood that can’t be recovered with magic.

Once, I couldn’t resist the temptation to cast 「Extra Heal」 on the Specter Knight King.

The Specter Knight King at that time was seriously dangerous. It was a situation like when a boss in a game has 1 HP left and breaks its limit to become 3 times stronger.

 

Since then, I was forced to only rely on frontal attacks. But because I’m a healer … such feeble attacks couldn’t reach him. My s.h.i.+eld was destroyed by him so I wasn’t holding on to a s.h.i.+eld as well.

 

Currently, a.s.signing the Specter Knight King as my second mentor, I continued confronting him as a wall for myself to overcome.

I believed that as long as I could damage him, even if he is a monster with the undying attribute, I can return him back to his magical origins.

 

I recalled what I learned from Instructor Broad over and over again, recalled about myself who continued to work hard since coming to this world because I, being a mediocre individual, could only advance one step at a time that way.

Even though he was an undead, he had overflowing chivalry like a n.o.ble protagonist from a story. Although Specter Knight King-s.h.i.+sho couldn’t speak, I wonder if he felt my growth? (TL: s.h.i.+sho = mentor/teacher/instructor. I’ll use s.h.i.+sho instead of Mentor. Sounds better and gives it a more j.a.panese feel)

I parried the great sword using my lance with magic channelled into it and kicked out with my left leg. While in a bent over posture, he sent the blunt end of his long spear towards my torso. But I had antic.i.p.ated that it would come. I rotated my body and did a backhand slash with my magic sword towards his undefended back.

 

I had seen this scene countless times. I had experienced the pain of having my body carved up countless times as well. Again and again.

 

I naturally felt tears flowing down.

I have no idea if the cause for that was because s.h.i.+sho was going to disappear from this world forever, or from the sense of achievement of defeating s.h.i.+sho, or because I could feel that I had significantly grown.

 

Channelling the largest amount of magical power I could into my short spear, I pierced towards s.h.i.+sho’s neck.

The lance released a pale light and flew towards s.h.i.+sho’s neck. s.h.i.+sho’s head flew off and his body fell backwards.

Immediately after that, s.h.i.+sho’s body burst, leaving behind not only a large magic stone, spell book, great sword and long spear, there were also weapons that can be said to had been created just for me, a one-handed sword and short spear, as well as s.h.i.+sho’s equipped helmet, gauntlets, greaves and boots. Instead of black, the armour set emitted a pale glow.

I bowed me head to Specter Knight King-s.h.i.+sho and thanked him from the bottom of my heart.

“s.h.i.+sho, thank you very much for your guidance for such a long time.”

Thus my long and arduous battle with s.h.i.+sho ended, signalled by『Guooooo』 , the sound of the door and stairs leading downwards appearing.

 

“Pipe down, let me indulge in my sentiments for a while.”

Although I had not felt proper closure, I had finally cleared the 40th floor boss room. But, for whatever reason, I could not open the door behind me.

“Seriously?”

Thus, I remained trapped and could only proceed forwards into the labyrinth.