Published: December 6th 2024, 9:00:35 am
The case of Pochi's disappearance.
On a calm, uneventful evening as I was heading home, an incident occurred.
The theme song of a certain muscular hero suddenly blared—our very own muscle-brain hero's personalized ringtone. It’s rare for him to call, which could only mean trouble. As much as I wanted to ignore it, I couldn't.
“Hello, this is Rosarin.”
“My Lord… forgive me…”
“Oneechan! Pochi rolled into a hole!”
“Oneechan! Pochi got separated!”
“… What?”
I had no idea what was happening. Geraldin-san’s explanation skills were as bad as ever, so I turned to the twin angels of my family for clarification.
Apparently, at the Ruins of Cord (the Final Dungeon), Geraldin-san had been body-slammed by a monster, causing Pochi to fall into a hole. This is no time for puns about "lonely Pochi!" My attempt to contact him via communication magic tools failed. Pochi likely didn’t have one, and even if he did, magic doesn’t work inside that dungeon, meaning teleportation was also impossible.
“If he’s still inside the dungeon, he probably can’t receive calls either. Geraldin-san, keep searching for Pochi! Lucius and Lucille, come back! Geraldin-san will move faster alone! I’ll join the search as soon as I organize reinforcements!”
“I’ll go ahead and scout!”
Dirk, ever-reliable, dashed off to begin the search.
“Thank you!”
It was now a race against time.
I hurried to the Adventurers’ Guild and issued a request for help. Luckily, the Free Wind and the Protectors of Amethyst were available, and I specifically requested their assistance. My elder brother, Rinka, Milfi, and Cidar-kun also joined the search effort.
Pochi had the “Wolfanea Boy No. 6” survival suit with him. If he used it, his survival chances would skyrocket, but there was no guarantee he even had it. To make matters worse, Geraldin-san had dragged him along with zero preparation, so it was highly likely Pochi had no food or weapons.
And the worst part—the spot where he went missing. The Ruins of Cord is the final dungeon, teeming with incredibly strong enemies. It’s precisely because of this that Geraldin-san got body-slammed and dropped Pochi in the first place.
As I progressed through the maze, slaying monster after monster, I shouted desperately:
“Pochi! Pochi, where are you!?”
Please, be safe! I called out frantically while the spirits and magical beasts helped with the search.
“Pochi! Pochi!! Answer me!!”
I yelled at the top of my lungs.
“Rosarin-chan, shouting aimlessly won’t help.”
“Rinka…?”
Rinka appeared, wearing a bowtie, short pants, glasses, and a short haircut. For some reason, she looked even shorter and scruffier than usual.
“Baby-faced! With a fujoshi’s mind! I am Detective Rinka!!”
“Please, save the jokes for later.”
My clawed hand lashed out. What’s with this idiot pulling nonsense at such a critical moment?!
“Ouch, ouch! Truce! Listen! Shouting won’t help! The hole Geraldin-san lost Pochi in connects from the 10th to the 11th floor! Judging by the time elapsed, Pochi is likely on the 10th or 11th floor, or possibly the 12th if he’s taken refuge!”
“Say that from the start!”
Using communication magic tools resistant to magic interference, I relayed this update to everyone searching.
Then, we received an eyewitness report from an adventurer in the dungeon, though it was baffling.
“This is Dirk. Rosarin, do you read me?”
“Dirk? What’s the update?”
“… You haven’t found Pochi yet, have you?”
“No.”
Dirk sounded hesitant.
“Um… Valkyrie is with you, right?”
“Yes.”
Our Valkyrie was in Asura Mode right now, taking out enemies.
“Well… someone on the 12th floor reported being rescued by a child who introduced himself as ‘Wolfanea Boy No. 6’, wearing a sleek bodysuit, and a dignified beauty who called herself ‘Rosariiin’.”
“… What the heck is going on!?”
“Well… Rosarin is certainly a beauty, but the one shouting ‘Rosariiin’ would be Valkyrie…”
It’s highly likely Wolfanea Boy No. 6 is Pochi, but I have a terrible feeling about his companion.
Pochi, what on earth is happening with you!? Though confused, I pressed on with the search, determined to find him safe and sound.
And in doing so, I experienced firsthand the truth of the saying: “Genius strikes when you least expect it.”
----------
When genius strikes when you least expect it.
Pochi’s Point of View
Now, let’s hear from Pochi, our lonely little protagonist.
Separated from Jend’s father and the others, I was doing my best to move stealthily, but at this rate, I’d end up as monster food. Thankfully, my species’ keen sense of smell was a blessing. Despite the darkness and poor visibility, I could detect enemies by their scent and avoid them before they noticed me.
Still, if I encountered one directly, that would be the end. Think! What can I do to survive? Desperately brainstorming, I remembered something I’d left tucked away in my pouch—the “Wolfanea Boy No. 6” suit.
“Whoa, this is amazing…”
The Wolfanea Boy No. 6 suit. I’d only ever used it for mundane tasks like picking up trash, but now I could see clearly even in the dark. Running felt faster than ever.
Thanks to the improved visibility, I managed to find a hidden room by sheer luck. Someone had apparently stayed here recently, and to my great fortune, the monster-repelling barrier was still intact. I decided to check my belongings.
Since I often holed up in my workshop, I had a fair amount of food and water. If I rationed it, I could last about a week.
But the real issue was weapons. A pair of gloves or a pen wouldn’t cut it. I had a fruit knife, but that was better than nothing, I guess.
(That’s not true! A pen is mightier than a sword!)
“… What?”
I froze. Did I just hear voices? Was I starting to hallucinate? The phrase “a pen is mightier than a sword” might be poetic, but it didn’t apply here. In terms of physical attack power, the sword would win, no question. Sure, there might be scenarios where strategy made the pen superior, but in this case, it was useless.
(Don’t give up! As Kaasama always says, “it’s game over if you quit trying!”)
“That’s… not what ‘a pen is mightier than a sword’ means! No matter how much effort I put in, a pen can’t win in a direct physical fight against a sword…”
At that moment, I noticed something glowing and floating nearby. Had I been pushed to the point of seeing hallucinations now?
“Wait, you’re not even a pen—you’re a brush!”
I couldn’t help but retort. Honestly, a brush had even less offensive capability than a pen.
(You’re right. Teehee!)
Also, it didn’t even have a tongue.
(Correct, I am a brush.)
“(...…)”
“A TALKING BRUSH?! And it’s glowing like Aldin!”
Note: As a child, I used to call him by name without honorifics, and it stuck outside formal settings.
(Haha! Master, we’ve spoken before, haven’t we?)
“… Well, now that you mention it. You’re the brush Rosarin Oneechan gave me, right?”
(Indeed. My name is Tsuyoshi, short for “The Brush is Mightier than the Sword.”)
“But you’re not even a pen…”
(I am Tsuyoshi.)
This brush was as incomprehensible as Jend’s father.
(Yes, Tsuyoshi, at your service.)
“Wait, are you responding to my thoughts?”
(I am Tsuyoshi, your personal brush. Reading your thoughts is a simple matter. Haven’t I always produced the colors you desired?)
“Oh…”
Now that I think about it, Tsuyoshi (tentative name) was a convenient tool that always painted in the exact colors I wanted, even though I never understood how it worked. Rosarin Oneechan had given it to me as a weapon, though its purpose was unclear.
(Glad you remember me!)
“Yeah, but… why start talking now?”
(It’s because your bond with me has grown, thanks to your magic power and the Wolfanea Boy suit. Also, I wanted to help you in your time of need.)
“Um, thanks?”
Why is everything Rosarin Oneechan makes so eccentric? Even Tsuyoshi (tentative name) was more expressive than Nex.
(Now, Master! It’s time to use Tsuyoshi’s power!)
Excited, Tsuyoshi pushed closer. Use it… how?
I painted a rock on an extra sheet I had and used it as camouflage. Thanks to Tsuyoshi, it blended in so well that it looked like an actual rock. A monster passed by without noticing me.
(Amazing, right? Tsuyoshi is amazing, right?!)
“… Yeah.”
It seemed I was the only one who could hear Tsuyoshi’s voice. Despite all its noise, the monsters didn’t notice.
“...!!”
I quickly threw the sheet over myself again. The monster walked past without stopping. I waited, using my sense of smell to confirm it was gone, then moved.
As I continued this pattern, I caught the scent of blood. I knew I shouldn’t go, but… could I really ignore it?
Could I live with myself, knowing I’d done nothing—like the adults who had always ignored me? Even if it was a stranger, could I abandon them?
No. I couldn’t.
I ran toward the smell of blood.
And Tsuyoshi (tentative name) responded to my determination.
(Master, I feel your fiery resolve! Now is the time to unleash Tsuyoshi’s true power! Paint the strongest being in existence!)
I grabbed Tsuyoshi and painted. The strongest thing I could imagine. To my surprise, Tsuyoshi’s paint floated mid-air, allowing me to draw freely.
When the painting was complete, I shouted:
“Wings of creation, take flight!!”
The image came to life, roaring fiercely.
“ROSARIIIIIIIIN!!”
As I watched what I’d created, one thought crossed my mind:
“Dirk-san is going to kill me.”