Giant blue dragon sword swung by the giant frog, creating a resounding sound as it descended from above.
Large and small coins danced in the air. Gold, silver, and copper coins scattered around. Crystal balls were shattered, and coral was slammed against the walls, causing fragments to scatter and glisten in the light.
'(*＞∇＜)ﾉ Kyaa! Sparkling and shining!!'
"You're saying such carefree things...!"
While facing the scene unfolding before me, I cursed at the white spider, who was making light-hearted remarks, while continuing to defend myself. I was forced to defend, constantly on the defensive.
How much time had passed since we intruded into "Kaeru Taishō no Ma (Room of General Frog)"? Surely not more than a hundred count. Yet, I was already gasping for breath, fully occupied with dodging the youkai's spear strikes. The youkai's techniques with the blue dragon sword, despite being a monster, were top-notch. Top-notch martial arts, top-notch spear technique—they were undoubtedly superior to me.
The difference in strength was overwhelming. Yet, the reason the battle continued, in a sense, was due to the balance of power being equalized by several factors.
One of the reasons was the difference in physique and physical structure. Despite the youkai's skill and strength, its massive body inadvertently created blind spots and delayed movements. The weapon, the large blue dragon sword, made it difficult for the youkai to perform intricate movements. The frog's body, designed for quadrupedal locomotion both in water and on land, was inherently less efficient in bipedal combat compared to humans.
The second reason was the use of terrain and tricks. For instance...
"Like this...!!"
Instinctively, I hid behind a luxurious marble phoenix statue that dominated the treasure vault. I used it as a shield. Immediately after, the youkai's sword struck it mercilessly, and it exploded into pieces. It was a marble statue that might have been worth several hundred ryōs.
'(. >д<) What a waste!!'
"Ah, you've got to be kidding me!"
Amidst a very rare agreement, I kicked the pile of copper coins at my feet toward the frog's face. In response, the frog's tongue shot out with bullet-like speed, trying to catch me. I evaded it with a quick twist of my body and ran away at full speed.
'You're so tricky, aren't you?'
But then, the youkai frog leaps at me in a frog-like leap. It closes the distance with the speed of a cannonball.
'Σ(; ﾟДﾟ) Papa, it's coming!!?'
"As expected...!!"
In a split second before being crushed from behind, I used my spiritually enhanced leg strength to leap sideways. And then...!!
'Huh!? Grrr!!?'
The youkai frog, with its jumping resembling a bullet, collided with the protruding treasure spear. It hit the belly with full force, and the frog screams.
'(｀･∀･´) Is it done!?'
"Stop setting flags, damn it!?"
I interjected with a desperate voice against the irritating remarks of the white spider. Predictably, the frog got back up, rubbing its belly in apparent pain, but there was not a single scratch on its body. It seemed that the mucus and fat had managed to protect it from harm.
'Ugh, are you done? A mere human is persistently struggling!!'
"Thank you for your compliment...!"
Second reason, the advantage of terrain... I sounded so grand declaring that, but look at the situation now. In the limited selection of curse tools and weaponry at my disposal, it seemed I was struggling to make the best use of the surrounding props.
And a third reason why there is barely a semblance of a battle going on was...
'Hissss!!'
A menacing hiss, more reminiscent of a snake than a frog, reverberated in the room. The sharp gaze of the frog youkai froze Sakuama's servant leader and the others who were about to encircle it with their weapons. Intimidated, they involuntarily halted their movements.
'Are you trying to catch me off guard? Foolish! Do you think you can see through my concealed movements?!'
The frog youkai's scornful taunts echoed. Utilizing this precious time, I quickly regulated my breathing and adjusted my stance.
Although their presence only served as a distraction, the mere presence of my companions seemed to be a constraint.
"I see, indeed, that's how it is. ...Hey, how about this? I give you something valuable, and you'll let us go. Let's make it a win-win situation for both of us, okay?"
'Win-win, you say? What a foolish notion!! I won't be fooled like that idiot!! I came here to wipe out that fool!'
"That's too bad, then."
'(*´･ω･) Looks like it's a job, huh?'
I didn't expect much from the frog's response, but it did provide valuable information.
It seemed that being the gatekeeper was the frog youkai's mission, role, and purpose. The monster facing me seemed to faithfully protect that duty. Negotiating with intelligence in mind didn't seem possible; it appeared that compromise was out of the question.
(...In the setting, the three-legged frog collapsed on top of the treasure mountain, using it as a decoy to escape through a hidden passage, wasn't it?)
I didn't know to what extent the assumed changes to the article were reflected in reality. But from 'Mayoiga's perspective, it might be due to a growing sense of crisis that we were repeatedly passing through rooms.
Perhaps they noticed that we might escape outside, checking for exits, and decided to change it by finding a foolish minion here? That's a possibility, too. It's quite diligent work.
"Thanks to that, we're having a hard time...!!"
I turned my attention back to my companions and launched a sudden attack with my short spear towards the intimidating frog. Strengthening my legs with spiritual power, I rushed forward. Of course, the sprinting speed achieved through my leg strength, surpassing that of an Olympic athlete, was two or even three steps below what the frog youkai had shown just now.
Naturally, the big frog responded by raising the blue dragon sword to fend me off.
"...!!?"
'Nhh! Splendid!!'
In an instant, I deflected the trajectory of the blue dragon sword's edge with my short spear as the upper half of the frog's body was torn apart. However, the decent-quality short spear was reduced to nothing due to its mass. But it didn't matter. I continued forward and threw the now-worthless spear directly at the frog's eye at close range. The frog had a short neck. To dodge, it had to move not only its neck but its whole body. I seized the opening created there.
"Haah!!"
'(・`ω・´) Take this single blow from a young heart!!'
With my left hand, I unleashed my Teguruma. The youkai spider's thread that easily cut through even iron armor... well, to be precise, it wasn't actually your thread, was it? ... I tried to sever the frog's body with it, but...!!
"Dammit!! I had a bad feeling about this!!"
The thread slipped in front of the frog's mucous, never showcasing its sharpness.
'Σ(; ﾟДﾟ) No way!?'
(Indeed, amphibians are resistant to slashing attacks, but this is the first time I've encountered such resistance...!!)
Unlike the idiotic spider who exaggeratedly showed astonishment, it wasn't as if I hadn't expected it, but I was still disappointed. Suppressing such emotions, I immediately withdrew my left hand and retracted Teguruma. Just then, the blue dragon sword was swung down, seemingly to split my head.
"Sh*t!!"
Holding Teguruma's body in my right hand, I extended the thread to catch the blow of the Blue Dragon Sword. The spider thread penetrated almost a third of the one-shaku long blade. The point where the blade and the thread met produced sparks as they collided. The weight was overwhelming, and my arm felt like it might break. My waist bent, and the blade was literally right in front of my eyes. Even though the thread was biting into the Blue Dragon Blade, or rather because of it, the blade was creeping closer and closer.
Wait, if I cut the blade now, my head will be smashed at the same time, won't it?
"Yun-shoku (允職)!!"
'Nnh?!'
The one who broke the stalemate between me and the giant frog was Sakuama's servant leader. It seemed he aimed at the frog, which couldn't move. He lunged at the frog's protruding belly with his sword.
'How naive!!'
The giant frog grabbed the raised sword with one hand. With a twist, the sword easily bent like candy. In a state of shock, the leader was blown away with a punch.
...Soundlessly approaching behind were Hidden Group member and Asakuma's servant. However, it seemed the giant frog had already sensed their presence.
'Humph!!'
"Huh!?"
"Kuh...!!?"
The giant toad expelled steam from its back. It was the vaporized secretion of its own poison. The poison frog's venom.
"Ggh...!!?"
Unable to bear it any longer, Asakuma's servant withdrew. The black part of his clothing's left arm was rotting away. It was probably affecting his skin as well. He groaned in pain from his burning arm.
The Hidden Group members was more skilled and managed to protect themselves from most of the poison with their Coats in the nick of time. However, it turned out to be a trap. It was a desperate measure.
"No! Get out of there!! Run!!"
"Huh?..."
My warning came too late. The frog, who had twisted its head around, widened its mouth. Its tongue struck through the partially melted Coat, kicked Hidden Group's neck like a soccer ball, and sent him flying. His head rotated as he fell into a pile of gold coins. It was undoubtedly an instant death.
"D*mn it...!!"
And when the giant toad turned back, it smirked and opened its gaping mouth. This position made it impossible to move...!!
'...!!'
"What?!"
'( ; ﾟДﾟ)?'
It was a moment when I prepared for my death. But just then, the giant frog noticed something and widened its eyes. Instead of ignoring me, it jumped towards somewhere else...
