Chapter 94
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: 9th Floor - Lv. ? [Gatling Cat](2)
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Trdongt's mind sank into calm stillness.
The old orc was somewhat shocked by the newly revealed truth.
But it wasn't a huge shock.
Moments later, the tales of Exiles and the Labyrinth became just one of the countless surprises that had dotted his life.
What did it matter, one way or another?
The elderly orc possessed the experience and wisdom to brush it off with ease.
Maybe it was because he was an orc. Orcs were a race that always focused on the present. They only pondered the future when it came knocking.
Their lives were far removed from worry.
Yet even so, he couldn't help but question the goddess.
It stemmed from curiosity as well.
"Goddess of Chaos, how many times have you beheld me?"
"Very many times. So many that I can no longer remember them all."
'I see.'
How had the Trdongts of those countless worlds lived? Same name, same personality, but different ages.
Sometimes they served different gods, and their disciple's cult would have differed too.
But he was always with his disciple.
The Labyrinth had decreed it so.
'Then that settles it.'
"You truly cherish your disciple."
'That child is another me. Born and raised in human society, yet never treated as a human.'
"Pity?"
'No. Well, actually, yes, it is. No matter how I excuse it, it's pity in the end. I wanted that child to become human.'
The goddess fell silent.
Trdongt continued.
'I was an orc, so I shed my humanity to become a true orc. But that child can never become an orc. Humans remain humans forever. They might pretend to be orcs, but they'd live in lifelong solitude. Especially after I'm gone.'
It was a long-pondered thought.
Trdongt had been raised human-like. He'd learned to think and live like one.
But he was an orc.
Yet at the same time, human.
A learned human.
An orc with humanity was lonely in the Greenskin lands.
So he didn't want the Saintess to end up that way.
A human with orc traits? What a cruel joke.
And he'd seized the chance.
The goddess chuckled.
"Rejoice. Among all the Trdongts I've seen, you seem the wisest."
'Heh heh heh, is that so?'
Trdongt opened his eyes.
He saw the interior of the living tree house he'd crafted himself.
And the Exiles who'd suddenly become his comrades.
The suspicious man who could accomplish anything.
The human girl who fawned over him with sweet talk, only to get a knuckle on the forehead.
The middle-aged man whose life lately seemed blissfully happy.
The giant deep in prayer.
And the little vampire, mentally exhausted and asleep.
His gaze lingered on the little vampire.
'Goddess of Chaos, can an NPC like me become an Exile?'
"No."
'But can I still journey with them as a comrade?'
"Yes."
'Not bad.'
"The kingdom has no shortage of NPCs who arrive and settle that way. Touring other servers—continents with similar yet divergent histories—might not be a bad pastime either."
'A fine diversion for my old age.'
Trdongt rose to his feet.
The goddess pondered alone from her throne.
Well, if the famous named NPC Trdongt reached the kingdom, it'd cause quite a stir.
But that was for her high priest and great warrior to handle.
Still, she had a favor to ask this old shaman now.
The shaman gladly accepted.
I asked Barbaroi.
"How'd you raise the kid!"
[The East was a harsh land.]
"Did a Dragonkin show up or something?"
[How...?]
The Barbaroi Clan lived up to its name, hailing from lands far east of the continent's main stage.
Usually, they wedged themselves between established clans to survive, but not this Run.
They'd become a fallen clan, ultimately subjugated by the Night Crow.
Many variables, but in most cases, something in the East with greater power drove out the Barbaroi.
Unable to preserve their full strength, they'd fled in haste and lost to rival clans.
Time to get used to the 'luck' trailing the Girl.
The worst assumption that still feels plausible is usually correct.
Dragonkin.
"Must've been brutal. Blood shortages, and no spare resources for non-combatants, right?"
[Yes.]
The kid was a genius mage by birth.
But her talents suited 'pure elemental magic,' common only in the continent's center.
Martial mages came from the East too. That's not a common magic style centrally.
The East favored magic combat forms over pure mages.
The kid wouldn't grow beyond her early teens appearance, so that direction was a shame. Would she even hit 150 cm?
Even the Girl, just over 160 cm, felt short; no helping magic combat.
So she'd been sidelined as non-combat.
"Alright, alright, I'll raise her right. So, wanna soothe the kid a bit?"
Had to coax her through Barbaroi with lines like 'He's a real dad~'. She looked early teens, was in her twenties actually, but mentally even younger.
Thought she'd been abused, but nah, just lived brutally hard.
Still stuck to Barbaroi like glue.
Undead already dead, starving again? If Dragonkin took over, it fit.
The kid was still timid, watchful, but calmer now. Recognized Clan Master Barbaroi as allied with me.
From her view, I was the sketchiest stranger uncle imaginable.
Still, future her had a sharp edge.
That was her true nature.
For now, stuck her back with the Girl.
Girl hearts understood best by girls.
The Girl seemed immersed in mommy play. Good—her affection bombardment on me dispersed a bit.
The old man watched me.
"Got something to say?"
"Nah, just... You seem pretty anxious yourself."
"Huh?"
The old man nodded to himself and spoke.
"You know Greenskins feel anxiety too, right?"
"Y... yeah."
"Ever been an orc?"
"Yes."
"Then you get it. Or rather, you know me too well already."
"Honestly, yes."
The old man fetched his axe and started sharpening it. His eyes were there, but his focus was on me.
"Even orc warriors' dumb heads sometimes glimpse the future. And without fail, they plunge into anxiety."
Like puberty. So thoughtless usually, one thinky moment breaks them.
"Know the best way to wipe those thoughts?"
"Pair 'em up."
"Orcs are simple. Give 'em leave, a month of wild honeymoon bliss, and they're dumb again. Kids too—no more fears."
War maniacs. Offspring triggers breeding instinct, reins off.
Straight-line charge now.
"Why bring that up?"
"You remind me of an orc warrior."
"What...?"
The old man cut in.
"Old shamans develop an eye for it. You're too unanxious. Always brimming with certainty and confidence."
"I'm just that good."
"Nah, impossible. You're acting."
"Hm."
What was this old man driving at?
"Try fretting sometimes. Hm?"
His eyes gestured to the Girl playing with the kid.
Now I got it.
"Why do all the elders I meet this Run play matchmaker...?"
"Dunno what others said, but this is from managing warriors. Love? No clue. I'm not human."
Dead serious. Worth hearing.
Even injected life has real wisdom from it.
"Everyone needs a pillar, right? You don't have one. Lots lean on you, though. Hear the kid earlier?"
"Adapts fast. No doubts—believes her feelings started in the Labyrinth, so real."
"That's innate toughness. Honest to self. Can't fake it. Leaning on each other ain't bad, eh?"
The old man stopped there, chuckling that it might be meddlesome.
Then fully focused on weapon maintenance.
Knowing self harder than others.
He'd never met future kid.
Didn't know how things rolled.
Pure insight, maybe.
Ah, so that's how he accepted her?
On 3F, when my mentality cracked once, Provence's poise calmed me.
No shakes since.
But doesn't mean it looks that way.
Truth is, I'm unsure. Where's the real me?
97 years gamer always. Or just acting gamer?
Original outside 'me' eroded by time long ago.
Too immersed in Labyrinth.
Sigh. Romance, huh.
'This satisfactory?'
"Thanks."
'You treasure your great warrior dearly.'
"High priest too. Anyway, better than me saying it direct."
'What if he notices it was your bidding?'
He's that capable. Sharp mind.
"Doubt it. Gets dumb around that Girl lately."
'Like an orc warrior?'
"Or troll-like."
Trdongt chuckled. Reminded him of the war god he'd betrayed.
The Girl headed to the little mage with the kid in tow.
The little mage had grown a bit more in the interim.
A few days ago, their heights were near identical; now hers was clearly taller.
Infuriating to be fully overtaken, eye levels mismatched. But treated as big sis still.
So she'd endure.
"I always grow fast."
"Ugh, lucky."
Envy unavoidable.
"Not really. Shrinks each reset—hard to adapt."
Her awkward movements from first sight made sense now.
Body grows quick, reset to start creates huge gap.
"And honestly..."
Reason she always picked mage early, despite disadvantages.
Reason for high Intelligence too.
Int includes mental fortitude bonus.
Scaredy little mage always dumped into Int first each Run, ignored others.
"Only way to endure."
Now leveled enough for mental stability.
But early, no bonus...
Just spamming Int to not die.
Born that way.
"Better to die forever than reset to 1F."
"Settling's the goal, right? That dream comes true then."
"But 100 years, sis."
"So?"
"We'll age and die."
Ah.
The Girl realized belatedly.
Humans don't usually last 100 years.
Not starting as babies, definitely.
Low Runs: settle, live to old age safe, open eyes... reset.
"Eek, horrifying."
"Right? Scary."
The little mage glanced at Uncle.
"Still wanna settle. Party needs a mage, no?"
The Girl pondered.
Physical age: mine higher.
Middle schooler?
First sight: half-head shorter.
Tiny, cute.
Thought outside Uncle's guard range.
Now...
Hmm.
Quick scan. Maturity check...
Completely lost.
Girl looked younger than age; little mage older than hers. Good way.
Side by side, who'd look sis? Obvious.
"No way! Mine!"
Scream burst at conclusion.
Little mage blinked confused, then grinned knowingly.
"Sheesh, sis. I don't touch others' stuff."
Grrr, this temptress.
Girl bit handkerchief.
Uncle's gift.
"So, who's the vet?"
"Seducing Barbaroi? Ranker level?"
"Nah, unheard even in kingdom."
Orc leader said grimly, as if recalling.
"Saw that shaman duking it out at the door?"
"Orc shaman? Heard of 'em."
"Dunno details, but looked like Trdongt."
"...[Betrayed Saintess]?"
Exiles with rumors fell silent.
"Mainstream already? Why's Trdongt here?"
"Barbaroi too."
Worth hesitating.
They held Healing Spring. Ignored stairs.
Maybe not found yet.
Escape now, then.
Orc leader disagreed.
"I'd not left Mjolnir if so."
"Fine, let's try."
Saw that shady cat used by vets post-kingdom, more senior than them.
Can't carry past floors anyway.
Descending now too lossy vs prior. Cut sunk costs basic, but.
Labyrinth lives plural.
"Still 9F, whatever."
"Power's legit."
Soon folks who survive gunfire.
Vampires usually tank shots fine.
But this cat, Labyrinth irrationality incarnate, might kill.
Group ditched encirclement.
Strike first, sweep.
Coaxed cat to cabin sight.
Gun-like, so dwarf leader sniped. Orcs right behind.
Not guarding—wary of dwarf leader.
Pull tail: cat mewls.
Meeeooow.
3-second barrage.
Barracks collapsed whole.
Cat stopped bored-like, licked paw.
"Why's it doing this?"
"Reload! Reload! Scratch chin, head!"
Satisfied cat, reassume pose.
Where to aim now?
"Those under rubble. Confirm kills."
Ground craters. Cabin gone. Pockmarks only.
Silent. Too silent.
As if empty from start.
"Whoa, insane. Gatling Cat?"
"Oof... We almost died, huh?"
"Yeah. Felt off leaving Mjolnir so easy."
I told party, already evacuated to corner.
"Build new house. Super dangerous weapon—better I go solo."
"Sun's up, you okay?"
"Fed lots of blood. Short sun no die. Clouds heavy anyway."