Looking back, it was a simple story. This dungeon was supposed to be cleared by A.A. alone, so as long as we pushed A.A. forward, most obstacles were easily overcome. Even vague questions like "the brave one" or "the resilient one" were resolved when we put A.A. in front, and the golems silently opened the doors.
It felt like paying a toll and passing through a highway gate.
A.A. seemed to enjoy being the key to opening doors, and Erina was puffing her chest out with pride, as if saying, "Look how amazing our A.A. is." Her attitude gave me a strange, unpleasant feeling.
Maybe I'll take another shot at her this time. When the opportunity arises.
We breezed through several gates and reached the 7th floor in no time. With no tension at all, we felt more like we were on a stroll than exploring a dungeon. Erina openly yawned, and Karin shot her a glare before looking away. As a knight of the kingdom, she couldn't scold a princess from a neighboring country, but I wished Karin would just punch Erina's gut. I'd back her up.
Honestly, I couldn't scold Erina either, because I was just as bored. I expected the dungeon to be challenging, but it turned into a free pass, which was anticlimactic. I thought it would be a bizarre place with all sorts of adjustments to mess with us, but instead, it became oddly easy.
"Whoa," A.A. exclaimed as she stepped onto the 7th floor. The rest of us—me, Karin, and Erina—flitched in surprise.
Standing before us was the largest golem we'd ever seen. Its head nearly touched the high ceiling, and its body filled the room. A tiny head sat atop a body so densely packed it couldn't move. As we approached, its head glowed, and it spoke:
"Hero destined to defeat the Demon King, come forward."
"Of course...!"
It was A.A. again. Without thinking, I led her forward, and she walked lightly. Out of curiosity, I checked the golem's stats:
**Name:** Mega Golem
**Race:** Mega Golem (Transformed)
**Level:** 78
**Strength:** 250
**Agility:** 40
**Intelligence:** 0
**Luck:** 0
**Traits:**
- Sturdy Body: Reduces physical damage by 80%.
Seeing the stats, cold sweat ran down my spine. Was this even in the game? With its level and damage reduction, it seemed unbeatable. While I panicked, the golem scanned A.A. and spoke:
"You are worthy to open the door."
The golem's body split in two, revealing a door. Both A.A. and I hesitated, eyeing the door warily. The golem's body looked so threatening and solid that passing through felt like risking being crushed.
After a moment's hesitation, A.A. stepped forward. We followed. Thankfully, the golem didn't move as we passed. Only after we were through did it shift its massive body to close the entrance. Damn, now how do we get out?
"The door's closed?" Erina asked, her voice trembling with fear. Karin remained nonchalant.
"There's probably a way out. If it wanted to kill us, it would've crushed us as we passed."
"Don't say such horrible things!"
"It's the truth. There's bound to be a way out."
"But what if there isn't? What about A.A.?"
"If you're aware you're the hero's companion, show some composure. The hero is A.A., not you."
"Th-That's...!"
Karin's tone was firm and cold as she called out Erina. Erina looked to A.A., but even she seemed unable to defend her this time, smiling awkwardly instead. Honestly, the dungeon had been boring, but it wasn't as dire as Erina was making it out to be. We hadn't even checked what was on the lower floors yet.
If A.A. had sided with Erina, I'd have backed Karin and torn that brat apart. But A.A.'s character was impeccable. If she lived in modern times, she'd be a doctor or lawyer, but fate made her a hero.
Erina puffed her cheeks, looking sulky and anxious. She hadn't done anything noteworthy in this party, so her anxiety was understandable. She seemed worried about losing A.A.'s favor by acting poorly. A.A., however, seemed oblivious.
At the end of a long staircase, a bright light flickered. It was time to face the Holy Sword. In the game, it was just a white glow, but now I'd see its true design.
Likely the final floor, we saw a radiant light pulsating in the center of the room. Like a giant orb, it emitted a sacred, noble aura. A.A. turned to me:
"Priest."
Right. Only men could wield the Holy Sword. I had no idea why, but it was a rule. Since A.A. was now a woman, she couldn't. I cautiously stepped toward the sword. As I approached, the light flickered and intensified, radiating pressure.
Even though I wasn't undead, my body tingled, and the pressure was overwhelming. A.A. and the others grimaced, feeling the same. I had to get the sword quickly.
In the game, "drawing the Holy Sword" was a single sentence, but in reality, it was agonizing and oppressive. I kept moving toward the sword, its waves growing more intense, as if rejecting me. Ignoring the light, I reached out and groped through it.
Inside the intense glow, I felt a hard hilt. It was firmly rooted, unyielding to casual pulls. As I gripped it, the radiating light calmed, shrinking into a large incandescent bulb shape.
The oppressive aura vanished, leaving silence. Erina slumped to the ground, exhaling in relief. Karin watched, barely catching her breath. A.A. asked:
"Priest, are you okay?"
"Yeah... I'm fine."
I felt nothing. The pressure I'd felt moments ago was gone, like a dream. Gripping the hilt tightly, I pulled the sword from the ground. Light flared once more before settling, revealing the sword's form.
"That's...?"
"A sword I've never seen before."
"It's strangely shaped."
It was a katana.
Damn, right, this is a Japanese game. I awkwardly swung the katana around. The grip was good, but it wasn't for me. Someone like me, untrained in swordsmanship, would do better with a mace. I'd hand it over to the king immediately. Checking its stats:
**Ancient Holy Sword**
An ancient weapon only men can wield. Its user and purpose are unknown, but it's called the Holy Sword.
**Traits:**
- **Just Reward:** Instantly kills anyone stabbed in the back, provided the wound is over 10 cm deep and the target is human.
- **Fair Duel:** Generates deadly poison. Activate by shouting "Duel." The poison is colorless and odorless. Victims die from unexplained fever 30 minutes after contact. Only affects humans. Activates if the wielder is in mortal danger.
- **Unwavering Loyalty:** Deals 4x damage when attacking one's master, superior, friend, lover, family, or subordinate.
Looking at the effects, my mind changed. This sword is mine. The effects were perfect, and too dangerous for anyone else. But is this really the Holy Sword? A weapon that kills your own people from behind?
It had no effects against demons or monsters. In the original, the Holy Sword simply boosted the hero's stats. Why did this monstrosity appear? Confused, I examined the sword, and A.A. asked:
"Priest, how does it feel? Do you feel stronger?"
"No. I guess I'm not hero material."
"I see. That's a shame."
A.A. looked genuinely disappointed. I was speechless. I'd pulled out a murder weapon, not a Holy Sword. I warily strapped the sword to my side—no scabbard, but the blade was sharp, so I had to be careful.
"Now, how do we get out?" A.A. asked. The golem guarding the upper floor showed no sign of opening the door. I drew my mace and asked:
"Should we smash it?"
"No, let's wait a bit."
"Agreed. We've spent enough time clearing the dungeon. Let's rest and think here."
Karin agreed with A.A. Erina, unusually, brightened at the idea:
"Good. Let's rest in this chamber. I used my sylph to scout earlier and found small rooms between the spaces here. After resting, we can explore them and head back down... What do you think, A.A.?"
"Sounds good."
"Then let's do that."
"Agreed."
We returned to the chamber where the Holy Sword had been. Only now did I notice the small rooms branching off the main chamber. Time to rest. And think.