Replica

Seven days into the new year, I'm back to map-making.

Today, with the help of Merle and Mira, I have come to the inner areas of the 3rd Underground Floor.

I can't deny that our group's strength has lowered since Regal left.

However, we've got some powerful weapons in hand.

[Is this really alright?]

Merle swung a toy in her hand with a worried look on her face.

Product name: Murasame Replica

Description: A lottery toy product. Even though it's a plastic toy, its sharpness isn't to be outdone by the Legendary Demonic Sword. It can be used 10 times, and disappears after 10 uses.

Price: 100 rims

A lottery toy has been added to the store's product line.

It was part of a string fishing lottery, where one pulls a string within a bundle of strings, and a toy is attached to the end of a string.

The pull-string lottery was attached to a wide variety of products, about 50 or so.

Well, not all of the products you could draw from it have magical effects.

Some are just stuffed toys, others are retro toys such as bamboo dragonflies.

On the other hand, there are products like this.

If I were to rank the products from 1 to 7, with 1 being the best and 7 the worst, Murasame Replica is a Rank 2 item.

For Merle, who has bad luck in lotteries, she won a pretty good prize.

[However, can a sword as light as this really cut something?]

It's understandable for Merle to be concerned.

Murasame Replica looks just like a plastic sword sold at festivals.

The blade is about 50 cm long, but can it really be used in an actual battle?

Because it's an item brought out by my Dagashi Shop, I want to believe in this product, but I myself really feel uneasy about it.

[This sounds wasteful, but why don't you give it a try once?]

[That certainly would be for the best huh... If I feel worried with this thing in my hand, I won't be able to properly move my body.]

The number of times she could use it would decrease, but I wanted to reduce the risk since lives depended on it.

[Then, I'll give it a try on the vines over there.]

Merle stopped to look at a plant vine hanging from the ceiling.

It was as thick as my arm and would be tough to cut with a single slash.

[Alright...]

Merle faced the vine and unsheathed the Murasame Replica.

[Uwehh!?]

Merle, letting out a cry, stumbled on her steps.

At the same time, the previously inorganic white blade was enveloped in a shimmering red light.

[Are you alright, Merle?]

[Unnn, the sword absorbed my mana, making me wobble a little. It sucks up a lot more mana than I thought...]

Toy it may be, a Demon Sword will still be a Demon Sword huh.

Merle's eyes, which had been distracted earlier, turned serious.

[I guess using it here would be wasteful huh? Let's stop with the trial...]

[Don't think that's possible anymore. Once I imbued mana on it, it seems I can't put it back into its sheath until I cut something.]

It seems that the only relief in this situation was the fact that she wouldn't need to go as far as drawing blood.

[Alright. Then, bring out your best strike.]

[Unnn. However, I'm gonna try slashing that way.]

Merle pointed to a stone pillar sticking out of the ground.

The height is about 2 meters, with thickness about the same as my torso.

[I feel like I can cut it...]

The bloodshot-eyed Merle licked the edge of her lips.

Her current state lost her usual cheerfulness, instead holding this ghastliness that sends shivers down other people's spines.

Merle, readying herself with a gedan stance, runs up to the stone pillar.

""

As the pointed edge, which was scraping against the ground, was swung diagonally upward, the thick stone pillar was smoothly sliced with a clean cross-section.

[Amazing...]

Mira is trembling, not only her voice, but also her whole body.

Thereupon, the sword was put back into its sheath.

[Merle...]

[Well, this is one scary sword.]

Merle turned around, her expression returning back to usual.

The power of the Demonic Sword seems to have completely hidden itself.

That's good...

[Are you alright?]

[What is alright? I'm just as usual.]

Merle looked at us with a blank expression on her face.

[That's great if that's the case...]

[It's just, I feel like that trial feels kinda wasted. With this sword, I think I can defeat even pretty strong monsters. Now, I can only use it nine more times. Tsk, what a shame!]

Unnn, Merle really is just as usual.

It seems that the Murasame Replica has no adverse effects on her body and mind.

That's a relief.

[Come on, let's continue our search!]

With those words, Merle started to vigorously walk forward.

Merle, who was walking in front of the ground, turned around and hushed us, putting a finger in front of her lips.

Seems like she had spotted something ahead.

Mira held a cocoa cigar to her mouth while hiding behind a rock, and Mira and I followed suit.

(What's the matter?)

(There are three Leprases up ahead.)

Peeking out from behind the rock, I saw three men about 150cm tall.

They weren't tall, but their muscles were tremendous.

Their arms, pecs, and other muscles seemed to be more than twice my size.

They were all wearing black leather masks and holding war hammers in their hands.

If I were hit with one of those things, it would shatter my bones.

(Are those humans?)

(No, they're not. They're also monsters created from the fog.)

That was close.

If I met them without knowing about them, I would have called out and greeted them hello.

(What should we do? Surprise attack?)

(That's well and good, but Leprases are pretty tough. We'd usually use a trap against a Lepras.)

(A trap?)

(We set up a magic trap and lure them with a silver coin. However, Leprases are quick, so I'd say the chances of success are 50-50? Worst case scenario though, they'll just take the silver coin.)

If it's a silver coin, that would be 10000 rims huh.

That's a pretty painful loss for a rookie.

(However, the Lepras is a big catch when properly subjugated, each of them dropping 2000 rims. There's no way one would normally pass up on them. Besides, if too many gather, they could become a troublesome enemy.)

(Unnn, Lepras enjoy capturing and torturing humans. I've even heard people saying they would rather be killed than captured by them.)

Well, that sounds terrifying.

I guess it really would be better to set up a trap and catch them.

(Does it have to be a silver coin to lure them in though? I think a large copper coin would be fine.)

Even if they take it away, the loss will only be 1000 rims.

(That won't do. The more the coin is worth, the more successful the trap will be.)

I'd normally be happy just by spotting a penny on the ground, but we aren't sure what the monsters think.

(That's right, let's use this.)

I came up with a good plan.