Just one minute after we left the boss room, an unexpected sight appeared before us.
Alto, who was leading the way, frowned with a puzzled look.
“What? The exit is sealed…?”
It was a large hall waiting for us just beyond a short hallway from the boss room.
It looked like a safe area, but for some reason, the exit we should have used on our way here was closed with a heavy door.
“What in the world is going on?”
After moving to the back of the hall, Alto touched the door while tilting his head.
Right after that.
It appeared before us.
“GROOOOAAAAAAAAARHH!!!”
A roar.
Even calling it that felt too weak; an overwhelming scream suddenly echoed through the whole hall.
“Wh-What? An enemy attack!?”
“Kyaa! What is this!?”
“–! Everyone, behind us!”
While Galen and Sierra were confused, Cedric, who spotted the source first, called out.
We turned around in response to that—and lost our words.
The center of the large hall.
A monster was sitting right there in a spot that had been empty just moments ago.
Was it about four meters tall?
Its whole body was wrapped in a pitch-black mist. It had a humanoid shape, but because of the ominous mist, I could never think of it as the same living thing as a human.
If you only looked at the vibe it gave off, it was probably closer to an undead.
It held a single dagger in its right hand—no, the monster was just so big that it tricked my eye; it was actually equipped with a greatsword from our perspective.
That greatsword was also covered in pitch-black mist, and the magic aura it gave off was so destructive that words could not describe it.
I made up my mind and checked the monster’s status.
[Necro Demon]
Level: 1000
Extra Boss: [Black Abyss]
I opened my eyes wide when I saw the number written in the level section.
“Level 1000…!? ”
It was a being that greatly surpassed not only me, but also Alto and the others, who were level 300.
The monster right in front of us—the extra boss, Necro Demon—had reached that realm, which only a limited few among adventurers could ever attain.
The other four must have checked the same result.
Everyone in this place was sweating coldly at the desperate situation that had suddenly arrived.
First of all, Galen the warrior raised his voice.
“Hey, what should we do, Alto!? An extra boss at level 1000 appearing is definitely unexpected!”
Even Galen, who normally protected the team from any strong enemy with his natural defense and strong will, was terrified by this situation.
Alto, who was left to make a decision, twisted his face greatly.
“We are adventurers. If possible, I want to defeat any strong enemy we face, but—”
At that moment, the Necro Demon stepped forward just one step.
A loud noise that made you want to cover your ears echoed, and the whole large hall shook violently.
At the same time, the pitch-black mist around the Necro Demon shook greatly and that shock wave reached us.
“Wh-What!?”
Just from that, I fell to my knees right there.
The magic power was too thick. It felt like I was being reminded of the overwhelming difference in status as living beings between me and the enemy.
And although not as much as me, the same thing seemed to be happening to the others, and everyone’s faces were pale.
In the middle of that, Alto let out a frustrated voice, “Tsk.”
“…We cannot beat it; the levels are too different. But even if we try to run away, the exit for retreating is closed with a hard door and shows no sign of opening. Probably, this was a trap room from the beginning to lock in challengers and finish them off…”
After analyzing that much and closing his eyes as if hesitating—
“…Whew, can’t be helped.”
—It looked to me like the corners of Alto’s mouth went up in an unnatural way.
(Huh? What was that just now…?)
Was that just my imagination?
Before I could reach the answer, Alto looked at me with a serious face.
“Shin! Use the ‘Escape Transfer Crystal’!”
“———!”
The ones who reacted first to that instruction were not me, but Galen and the other three.
“Hey Alto, using that means no way…”
“Is that what you mean?”
“Well, I guess it is about time…”
I didn’t understand what Galen and the others were talking about.
Still, what I needed to do was clear.
“Understood! I will use the ‘Escape Transfer Crystal’!”
After answering that, I took out one magic crystal from my luggage bag.
The magical item ‘Escape Transfer Crystal’.
As the name says, it is an item to escape from a dungeon to the ground.
Alto had told me beforehand to activate this item if an emergency happened.
Following that offer, I started pouring magic power into the transfer crystal.
“Alto-san! It takes about one minute to activate.”
When I raised my voice, Alto nodded slightly.
“Got it! If it’s about that much time, I will buy some somehow! Let’s do this, everyone!”
“Yeah!” “Yeah.” “Yes.”
—From then on, a fierce battle unfolded right in front of me.
“GROO00000000RHH!!!”
With a roar that felt like it would break my eardrums, the Necro Demon swung its greatsword powerfully.
In response, Alto and the others used their skills and magic without holding back, creating a stalemate, even if only for a short time.
Seeing the four of them fighting with their lives on the line made my heart race.
(As expected, everyone is amazing…!)
Fighting an opponent far stronger than them without being afraid.
It was such a dazzling sight that it made me strongly wish I could become like that someday too.
And one minute later.
At the timing when the preparation for activation was ready, I raised my voice.
“I am ready! Please come here!”
“Th-Got it! Everyone, time it and ret—”
Dazzling light gathered on the long sword Alto held.
Then he swung down his long sword powerfully and released that light.
“—Sacred Sword!”
“Groaaaaarrr!”
The huge body of the Necro Demon stepped back slightly after taking Alto’s ultimate move.
It didn’t seem to do much damage, but it was enough to buy time at the end.
“Now!”
After seeing that, the four quickly ran over to me.
Then, Alto, who arrived last, said while turning his hand toward me.
“Shin, give the luggage over here!”
“Eh? Y-Yes!”
Why at this timing? Feeling a question, I handed the luggage bag filled with the party members’ items to Alto.
Anyway, preparations should be ready with this.
“Shin, I’m counting on you!”
“Yes! Transfer crystal—activate!”
The moment I poured the last magic power into it for good measure, the transfer crystal let out a dazzling shine.
Then a huge magic circle appeared, and a transparent barrier deployed from it wrapped around the transfer targets.
—J-u-s-t o-n-e p-e-r-s-o-n-, e-x-c-e-p-t f-o-r m-e-.—
“………………Eh?”
I didn’t understand, and my thoughts went blank in an instant.
What happened?
I activated the transfer crystal as Alto instructed.
The magic circle appeared, and the barrier was deployed safely.
Up to there was fine.
The problem was that I was still left behind on the outside.
Because of this, only I could not transfer outside the dungeon.
The cause was unknown.
I only knew that things were bad if things stayed like this.
“Everyone, this is bad! Only I am left outside the barrier—”
At that moment, when I tried to tell Alto and the others the situation and ask for their decision,
An unbelievable sight jumped into my eyes.
“Heh, hehehe…”
For some reason, Alto was holding his mouth to hold back a laugh.
No, that was wrong.
I finally noticed.
The one laughing now wasn’t just Alto.
Far from it—
” ” ” “AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!” ” ” ”
—All four of them were looking at me left behind on the outside and laughing out loud.