Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Pedestrian's Trap
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Kayla looked at the pedestrian and declared confidently.
“About ten years ago? It was just briefly when I was little. After that, I awakened my mana and got scouted.”
She said that, then winked at the survivor auntie from an angle the pedestrian couldn’t see.
“Right, Auntie?”
It was a very sly wink.
The survivor auntie, who had been about to say something, stopped at the wink and swallowed dryly.
“H-Haha… Yeah, that’s right. It’s already been ten years. Time flies.”
“Tell me about it.”
The pedestrian looked back and forth between them and nodded as if convinced.
“Hmm, so that’s how it is. You’re lucky. Mana awakening doesn’t happen to just anyone… Must’ve done a lot of good deeds.”
“Well, I haven’t lived a bad life.”
I swallowed a sigh of relief inwardly while listening to the conversation.
‘She pulled it off.’
Kayla’s quick thinking had saved us. Otherwise, we might’ve drawn suspicion right from the start.
We hadn’t figured out this guy’s intentions or gotten any info yet, so that would’ve been trouble.
At least we’d gotten past it safely, so we could avoid similar suspicions for a while.
“Shall we keep going?”
Just as we were about to set off again.
“Wait, what about Auntie? Are we taking her?”
Kayla stopped us.
Now that she mentioned it, it was worth considering.
“It’s definitely risky.”
We didn’t know what lay ahead, so dragging a survivor around was dangerous.
But we couldn’t just send her alone to the temporary shelter either.
Luckily, I didn’t have to think long.
“Here’s the plan. Kayla, you take her to the temporary shelter first.”
“And then?”
“When another survivor turns up, Barundel heads to the shelter. Kayla swaps with him and rejoins us.”
“So we build up the survivors bit by bit?”
“Sounds good to me. Missing one person won’t hinder our fighting.”
“Hmm, got it. Let’s do that. You okay with it, Auntie?”
“Y-Yeah… I’d be grateful as long as someone’s protecting me.”
“Let’s go, then.”
With the decision made, Kayla left the building with the survivor.
We resumed the search only after she was gone.
After that, it was more of the same.
Dealing with demon grunts, entering buildings, searching for survivors…
It was a shame we didn’t find any more after the auntie, but anyway.
After about three hours, we were nearing the final destination.
“Just a bit further.”
The pedestrian said there’d be a temporary shelter set up by survivors there, but I had my doubts.
“Hup!”
From what I could see, the odds were low.
The closer we got, the more frequently demons appeared.
Even.
Gruk, grrrk!
Kekekekekegek!
Demons like basilisks and imps were showing up—more variety.
“Hamburger!”
Boom!
“Yoo Han! Behind us too!”
“Got it!”
Zap zap zap!
The situation was starting to wear on us.
Hiding our true strength and fighting as a trio wasn’t helping.
‘Stability’s gonna be tough like this.’
We needed to minimize risks.
Time for a change in approach.
“From here on, we’ll lure the demons and fight. Matching numbers will make it way better than now.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll handle bait duty, top-rank boy.”
Thompson thumped his chest, signaling he could be trusted.
I agreed—he was the best for it.
“Pull back if it gets too hairy, old man.”
“Don’t worry. Escaping’s my specialty.”
Fortunately, the strategy worked well.
Tap tap tap tap!
“Now!”
Slash—!
Zap zap zap!
Thud.
The demons chasing Thompson fell to our ambush, throats slit and chests pierced.
Swaaa—.
They turned to gray dust, converted to experience.
Hunting was slower, but stability was up.
“This should do it.”
After another thirty minutes or so.
“Phew… We’re finally here.”
We stopped in front of a ruined building.
This was the pedestrian’s so-called final destination.
But.
“You sure you’ve got the right place?”
It didn’t match the description at all.
Far from a shelter, the building looked ready to collapse.
No way anyone could hold out here.
“No, this is it. I heard the shelter’s underground.”
“Underground?”
“Yeah, this way.”
The pedestrian entered without a care and stopped somewhere, tapping the floor.
There was a square groove there.
That must lead to the underground shelter.
“Hup!”
Rumble rumble rumble!
Without explanation, he yanked up the grooved floor panel. A hidden passage appeared below.
It looked less like something man-made and more like a natural formation…
“Go ahead. I’ll follow.”
He nodded toward the passage like it was nothing.
That’s when I sensed something off.
‘What’s this feeling?’
I couldn’t pinpoint it, but the situation felt extremely unnatural.
What was it?
I didn’t have to wonder long.
‘He’s suddenly proactive.’
He’d always hung back during searches and fights, claiming he couldn’t fight.
Now he was entering first, lifting panels…
Acting way too eager, like he wanted us inside.
Something was definitely up.
‘…What to do.’
One thing bothered me: my heart wasn’t racing.
If he meant harm and it was dangerous, it should’ve pounded.
Only one explanation.
‘It’s not dangerous?’
If so, no need to agonize.
No danger, no problem.
It was even a chance to uncover his intentions and tricks.
I decided, moving to the front for precautions.
“I’ll go first.”
If trouble hit, I could react fastest.
With that thought, I entered the passage.
“Huh?”
Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!
The world spun wildly, strange noises and jolts overwhelming me.
Then the air shifted.
No—the space I was in changed.
From the dim passage to a vast area with massive stone walls on both sides.
Seeing them, I realized.
‘Dungeon!’
This was a dungeon from [Devil Fantasy].
That passage had been the entrance.
***
Flash—!
Thompson, right behind Yoo Han, jumped back in shock.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“W-What the hell!”
Barundel was just as stunned.
“What is this…!”
The cause was simple.
Yoo Han had vanished into the passage.
Thud!
“You bastard…! What did you do to our top-rank guy!”
Enraged, Thompson grabbed the pedestrian’s collar, veins bulging on his forehead.
Barundel pressed his double-headed axe to the man’s throat.
He looked ready to decapitate him any second.
“Better spill it honestly.”
In this tense standoff, anything could happen.
That’s when the pedestrian spoke.
“Puhuhu…”
He laughed creepily instead of answering.
Thompson and Barundel hesitated inwardly.
‘Kill him?’
‘Slice him?’
But neither acted on the impulse.
They knew rash moves could backfire.
The standoff held briefly.
The pedestrian spoke again.
“You should follow quick. Or else… your leader might be gone for good.”
“…What? You bastard!”
Thompson was about to swing, unable to hold back.
Thud.
Barundel grabbed his fist, stopping him.
“Dwarf! Why? We gotta beat this punk senseless…”
“…Thompson, he’s right.”
“…You know something?”
Barundel nodded gravely at the question.
“I heard about it once. This world has things called ‘dungeons.’ This matches exactly what I heard.”
“…Dungeons? What’s that?”
“Simple terms: another dimension’s space. Weird phenomena happen inside, filled with monsters not from this world. And the key part…”
Barundel swallowed dryly before continuing.
“If you don’t escape within the time limit, the dungeon seals shut.”
“…Seals? Then what?”
“You wander inside forever. Like a lost ship in space.”
“This psycho…!”
Thompson’s pupils trembled.
He looked like a lost kid.
His dream-giver was in danger—it was understandable.
But no time to calm down.
“No time. We gotta go in and find a way out with Yoo Han.”
Hesitate, and he might really be lost forever.
Thompson, grasping the situation, sighed deeply.
“Fuu… So we’ll meet Yoo Han inside?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
That sealed his resolve.
Slam!
Thompson shoved the pedestrian hard.
The man crumpled to the floor. Thompson cracked his knuckles, glaring viciously.
“Hey, beanpole. Wait here. I’ll be back soon.”
With that, Thompson stepped forward.
No hesitation.
Flash!
He vanished into the passage.
“…Better run far. He’ll be out quick.”
Barundel warned, then followed.
Flash!
The two threats gone, the building fell silent.
The pedestrian on the floor stood with a blank face.
He brushed dust off his pants leisurely, then grinned.
“…Come out or not, doesn’t matter. You’re not my target anyway. Haha!”
At that moment.
Swaaaaa!
Ominous demonic energy poured from him in all directions.
“Been a while since I’ve feasted.”
Having such tasty hearts right in front of him—it’d been ages.