He should have taken antidotes and also healed, but a heavy pain remained deep within his stomach.
Since he continued to eat for three days and three nights and couldn’t sleep due to the pain, his eyelids were heavy.
Enough that it was tough for him to even walk.
The Demonic Beasts that appeared on his way up were eliminated by Rem and Shera.
He didn’t have the spare energy to fight them.
Having climbed up the cliff that was right before the Master Swordsman’s hermitage, Diablo lied down on the grassland. Going *Fuu*, it felt like his consciousness was going to break off.
「…………」
「Eh? Ah, you all are……!?」
It was Sasala’s voice.
Diablo brought his body up.
The time was evening──
With the facts that they had left the inn later than before, that Diablo’s body felt heavy, and that the battles were left to Rem and Shera, it had taken up more time for them to get there.
The place was shining red by the setting sun.
Countless weapons were stuck into the ground.
It was the Master Swordsman’s hermitage.
And then, maybe because she was in the middle of practice, Sasala stood there with a spear in hand. She had made a surprised face by their abrupt visit.
「For you all to come by again……What is wrong?」
Rem spoke looking shameful.
「……I, had proposed that he come here after resting a bit but……Diablo said that he needed to no matter what.」
「Sorry, Sasala-chan. He said that he wanted you to test him one more time.」
Shera also spoke for him.
Sasala tilted her head.
「Ehh? B, but, not even a week has passed, you know?」
She had predicted ten years.
Diablo stood up.
His hands trembled.
Even if he did rest, he didn’t know if it would get better. Whether it be the strange chill he had, or the pain of the poisonous snake that was raging about within his body.
He didn’t improve with neither the 《Antidote Potion》 nor the 《HP Recovery Potion》.
However, that didn’t matter.
Thinking “If I eat the Gold Fruit, wouldn’t I level up just like in the game?”, he did the absurd.
──What was the result?
He wanted to know.
Would he be able to see Sasala’s slash, or not.
Finding it to be a pain to even take a sword out from his pouch, DIablo grabbed a sword in front of him that was stuck in the ground, and drew it out.
「I will, borrow this.」
It was a long sword that was covered in rust.
He felt a faint amount of magical power from it, but it probably wouldn’t have that great of an effect.
Sasala made a bewildered looking face.
「Ah, um……You are looking very unwell but……」
「Do not mind it.」
「But, you look like you’ll collapse at any moment now……」
「It is because, your residence is this deep in the mountains. When we left the inn, I was feeling a bit better.」
「I, I am sorry.」
「If you feel guilty, then let me do it once more. If you say that you won’t no matter what, then I will be the one to start it.」
「Uuugh……I, I understand……」
Once again, Sasala was on the verge of tears.
He harbored feelings of guilt, but he didn’t have the luxury to worry about them. Just as she had said, Diablo felt like he was going to collapse at any moment now.
Sasala readied her spear.
Her atmosphere changed once again.
This time, there was an intimidating air where it felt like his skin was getting burned.
It was different from the other day.
The tip of the spear was wrapped in flames.
──To think that there would be this much of a change by the weapon equipped.
Sasala glared at him with eyes like that of a starved wolf.
「I warned you. I won’t listen to any complaints even if you die, you know?」
「That is just what I want. If you hold back on me, then I will turn you to ash with my maximum magic.」
「Fuu……」
She drew near once again.
Normally, Spear-users that fight against Magicians would charge in with the Martial Art 《Lance Charge》.
With her slowly closing the distance, there was a feeling of oppression.
──Do not be impatient.
In this other world, the effects of Gold Fruit were unknown, but in the MMORPG Cross Reverie, if he consumed that huge amount of Gold Fruit, he definitely would have leveled up.
Really?
A game was a game. Even if this place is called another world, it was reality.
Leveling up with fruit, is that even possible? His thoughts were going round and round.
Sasala got into range.
「This is a sure-hit thrust, desu.」
「Wait a……」
Involuntarily, he said that out loud.
Since she had a kind personality, maybe she complied with him.
The attack that aimed for Diablo’s shoulder, right before it hit──Its speed fell.
He just barely evaded it.
「Fuu……Ahー……Sorry. Um……It’s just that I felt like a sneeze was going to come out, you see.」
It was because he became worried just before it happened──he couldn’t say something like that.
Sasala displayed a stern expression.
She was timid, but she had a personality that was a bit too serious. It might have hindered her mood.
「Once more……desu ne. Please receive it properly.」
「Yeah, it is that sort of test after all.」
He took a deep breath.
It was no good to think about unnecessary things. He needed to concentrate.
However, the Gold Fruit was bad enough to cause him to tilt between life and death.
If he didn’t receive Sasala’s attack, then it would mean that all that suffering would become meaningless.
His heart felt like it would break.
It was unavoidable for a hikikomori.
Shouldn’t he at least challenge her after his physical condition was perfect, is the common sense that passed through his mind at this late point in time.
「O, on second thought, let’s do this some other time……」
「Here I come!」
Did she get mad from his earlier excuse? Sasala raised a loud voice that she hadn’t made up until now that was filled with fighting spirit.
She thrust at him with the spear.
Diablo opened his eyes wide.
「Dodge, Sasala!!」
The matter of the test flew out from his head. He had no hesitation.
He stuck out the sword.
Diablo fired magic, 《Flare Burst》.
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