Witch Twins L – Hard Lesson
魔女の双子L・ハードレッスン
The story takes place just after Dark Forest Dungeon’s Lord Battle. Ace gave the twins an impromptu lesson to head to the upper floors on their own. This is Len and Ran’s perspective of the story.
Waking up after being defeated by the [GIGANTIC WIND PLATINUM DOLL] that had pushed us to unconsciousness, it was no longer in front of us. In fact, even though the scenery was somewhat the same Abandoned Town, we were no longer on the Boss Room’s gigantic hallway.
“You two finally woke?” Master was just seated near the flames. He was waiting for us to wake with his apologetic smile. No sooner, he bows his head apologetically. “It was my fault it ended that way, Sorry.”
“What?” Both Len and I could not understand why he would apologize to us, when we were the one who failed him as his apprentices. “We were just not strong enough, that’s all.” But he just shook his head denying our claim.
“This time it was definitely my fault, but don’t worry this time also I will provide you with a better lesson.” Even with my smile, his bow feels even deeper than before. When he felt that his bow was enough to portray his apology, he then looked us straight in the eye. “But first you must overcome a certain trial.”
“We will do it!” Len and I responded in chorus. We did not even hesitate. What was to come would shock us more.
“Okay…” Sensing our deepest conviction, he sheathed his blade and pointed his index finger towards the ceiling... but it felt way farther. “I want you to catch up to me on the first floor on your own.”
“Ha?” my voice was somehow pathetic. At first, I did not understand what he meant, but by the time it had registered, my face grew pale. Was I that afraid of being alone in a dungeon without master at our side?
“Your GOAL is to head towards the first-floor entrance.” He gave us instructions, which somehow was ‘easier said than done’. “Be careful, the Boss and the Mid-boss have already respawned and should be lurking at their floors.” the words only put gravity on my already worn-out body.
“What… wait…” but as soon as he finished his words, he disappears, he probably did not even hear my last words.
“Ran…” Len was as shaky as I was –no he probably was shaking more than I really was.
“Okay, first we need to see where we are.” Judging from the surroundings we are probably on the 29th floor, the giant door leading to the 30th floor boss room was very visible to us.
“Okay, then let us proceed to the 38th floor, which way was it again?” disoriented, I could only say those words.
“It should be this way Ran.” Thankfully Len was still able to tell our location, Len was still levelheaded I see. After a wry smile, we move towards the direction he had indicated, we got to the 38th floor. While on this floor, we decided to finish off as many DOLL-type monsters along the way to give us some experience while moving up.
It did not go too well though, there were times when Len would panic and miss a step. I also have those moments. That just show how we had been too dependent from the presence of our master.
While he was around, he would disrupt the DOLLs’ formation by being just there. I mean monster tend to try to attack him sensing that he was more dangerous. With that, the monsters focus will change from us to him, making it easy for us to go in hindsight and finish them off.
“Okay let’s change our usual formation.” I said, thankfully we were able to find something that suit us best by the time we had arrived the 21st floor. It was full of holes, but it was better than when we first tried it out realizing the absence of our master.
On the 20th Floor, as expected Boss monster was lurking - a FIRE IRON DOLL. While at the entrance Len wanted to say something, but he seems to have stopped himself. I guess he was still shaky about this hellish like training.
The formation we had practiced eight floors prior easily crumbled though, well that should be obvious, when we last fought the boss monster, Master acted as our decoy and made sure its attention was towards him, we would then deal with it from the sides or behind. Neither me nor Len could do what he did.
There was no way we could do something like master did. Focusing only on being a decoy and he never once attacked it, that was how strong he was.
“This is absurd! How are we supposed to defeat it!” anger and frustration could be felt from my words.
“Ran! Listen…” just when I was at my limits, Len stood beside me and looked at me with his calm yet shaken eyes. Guess he finally got the courage to speak out the words he withheld a few minutes earlier. “Ran, what was master trial really, do you remember exact his words?”
Of course, I did… he asked us to do the impossible feat of going up without his guidance and… no that was not what he said. Sensing that I finally caught up to it, Len then pointed at the entrance.
Right, while there are Boss or Mid-boss rooms sealed and stops you from going out once the battle starts, there were also Boss or Mid-boss rooms that aren’t. This happens to be latter.
…and with that…
“Len. We are leaving!”
“Oh!”
We then sped our way through the floors almost evading or running away from any monsters. There were times when we made sure that we do not encounter any monsters at all. Masking ourselves and hiding. Only fighting when it was necessary.
After few more Bells, we reached our objective.
“You’re finally here.” Master was waiting for us, this time with an encouraging smile. “First things first, what have you learned?”
“We have to choose between Fight and Flight Tactics.” Len gave our obvious learning.
Right, while it was best to defeat anything that comes your ways, our stamina, MANA, and KI were finite, we would lose the battle of attrition especially in dungeons where monsters do not get tired. Fleeing is by no means you are a coward, being able to judge our strength and the enemies’ is the first battle we must master.
“…and?” of course he would ask it. This was definitely the crux of our defeat.
“We were too dependent with your presence.” I looked him straight in the eyes as I said it. In the future, there will come a time when we have to fight alone with no back up. Being dependent that someone is always at our side is a no-no, it will only become a hindrance when that time comes.
The reason master left us was to make us into full fledge Hunters on our own, to choose between fighting to win and fighting to escape. These were his hard lessons that we finally overcome and given due.
“Good answers. You are one-step to becoming stronger. Congratulations!”