Chapter 31: Toramaru

A Black Lion who kept waiting for me all this time.

He? was staring at me with a grim face.

It’s normally scary…

But, I don’t have to worry about being killed suddenly, so I’m a little relieved.

「You need something from me, right?」

The Lion nodded slowly.

As expected, the appraisal eye doesn’t work with him.

He may have learned a skill to make it ineffective.

『To be able to reach this floor the person in question must be a very strong individual』

「I had a bit of luck too」

『Don’t be humble, human. At least twice, you reached the fifth floor. Could it be that you are planning to capture this dungeon?』

「Up to the point where I can. I won’t overdo it」

『Even to the six floor?』

「Yeah, I’m going there」

『Then, I’ll take you for a tour. You can hop on』

Saying that the Black Lion gets on all fours.

It has a huge body, but it is possible to mount him.

I timidly comply with him.

I don’t have the courage to refuse.

「Uwaaー My field of vision expanded greatly and it feels so good this」

Although the tulips are in the way of my field of vision!

『A fresh reaction』

「Well, it’s the first time in my life that I rode on a lion 」

『I’m not Lion. I’m Toramaru』

「…Eh? A Tora… maru… a tiger?」

『That is how my friend called me』

I’m now terribly confused.

It’s a lion, but even so, he has tiger in his name.

Even though a lion and a tiger are both wild beasts, they give a completely different impression…

Should I make fun of him?

But the person himself seems to be proud of the name, and it’s still scary if I mention it and something goes bad.

「S-So, you had friends」

『……』

「Sorry, I said it in past tense」

『I don’t care』

The lion starts walking quickly.

When I look ahead, my body twist. I’m really curious about those red tulips…

『Mu… Don’t fall down』

「A monster is ahead, right」

In front, there is an ant, a monster with which I already fought and the noise of its jaws *Kachi Kachi* resounds.

『I don’t mind if you hold onto my mane』

「Then, excuse me」

I grasp Toramaru-san’s mane with both hands. I can’t believe it, it’s really fluffy and it feels really good…

Although the battle will start in a few moments, I begin to grin.

When Toramaru-san started running, my hair stood up. Even with his huge body, he can run very quickly.

And since the ant have also thrust from the front, the situation became somewhat chaotic.

The head of the ant that tried to bite Toramaru-san disappeared in a matter of a second.

Where did it go?

When I thought so, Toramaru-san tore apart the ant’s head.

『Ye~ah, it doesn’t matter how many times I eat it, it always tastes bad』

He threw away the ant’s head and continued to move forward as if nothing had happened.

「Toramaru-san is insanely strong, isn’t that right?」

『You don’t have to be courteous. You can call me Toramaru』

「Then, I won’t use the -san. I’m Noir Stalgia. You can call me Noir」

『Noir. It’s a good name. I want you to hear my story』

Ah, this has to be a request. It seems like he wanted to ask me something.

After giving my consent, I began to listen to the story of Toramaru.

『About 350 years ago, I entered this dungeon with my friend as his companion. We were able to get to the fifth floor together, but suddenly, my friend said he would go to the sixth floor alone』

「But why?」

『There are a large number of traps on the floor below this. He said that that I should remain here until he could do something about those traps as he had the skills to do so. He told me it would take him decades, no, hundreds of years to do something and come back』

I felt a little uncomfortable saying this, but I needed to ask him.

「That friend of yours is a human? And how long has been since he asked you to wait here?」

『My friend, Bachel, is an elf. I’ve been waiting for my friend at least three hundred years』

It is said that elves are long-lived people and able to live for five hundred years. That’s why I don’t think Toramaru has given up yet.

「Toramaru is very faithful. Have you never thought about going to the sixth floor?」

『I promised Bachel. That I would wait for him on the fifth floor. That’s why…』

Even if it is a dangerous place, he has been waiting all this time for his friend.

I admire his perseverance.

「I’ll go to the sixth floor and look for that person named Bachel」

『I’m on your debt』

Of course, I can’t deny the possibility of being killed by a monster.

And like my master, I may end up stuck in a trap and still survive.

「By the way, I’ve been wondering about this for a while… That tulip is?」

『It’s an indication of my health. If I lost it while being attacked, I would fall asleep』

「You will merely fall asleep, huh… You don’t need water?」

『I would be saved if you have water with you. So far I have used monster blood as nourishment』

I have placed many things in my storage skill in addition to food. I bring the bottle of water near Toramaru’s head.

『Aah, aaah… At last, I have been able to drink decent water after a long time』

「Is to your taste?」

『…It’s not bad. And if you could pat me, it would make me even happier』

「Like this?」

『Ooh, yes, yeees』

It may have been so pleasant that it lets out shouts of joy.

「Hahaha, though Toramaru looks scary at first glance, you are interesting」

『Mu, this is, embarrassing… I have the habit of losing my reasoning power when I am attacked』

「Okey, then when Toramaru fights, I’m going to have to pat here」

『It would help me if you can』

Somehow it feels like I’ll be able to get along with Toramaru.

He easily defeats all the monsters coming out and besides, he looks very reassuring.

In front of the stairs leading to the sixth floor, Toramaru lowers his position and lets me off his back.

Next, he teaches me Bachel’s physical characteristics. It seems that he looks like a man in his thirties.

『Even so, his appearance may have changed. So I don’t know what to tell you』

「Don’t worry, I have appraisal eyes. Then, I’ll go now」

『God bless you, new friend. Gaoーーー Gaoーーー』

I was sent out with a manly voice like howling, then I headed to the sixth floor.

The situation changes completely as you go down the stairs.

「So dark」

It’s not completely dark, but having no light at all anywhere, my sight got worse at once.

This is dangerous.

Although I have a flash skill, is the kind that blinds others, so it’s unsuitable to search around.

What should I do?

『Night Eye』 200 LP

By using that skill, it became easy to see around. It seems that this is corridor, so I have to move carefully of the enemies hiding.

「…There is something there」

I put myself on guard.

Since I detected a person’s shadow in front leaking a low *Uu Uu* groan.