Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: ?
Chapter Title: Levi's Pursuit
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Tracked the dungeon all the way here, have you?
"Dungeon"—the cosmic bug accidentally discovered by the first civilization in their quest for infinite power.
Dozens of dimensions twisted together, forming a "cosmic cancer," Levi had explained to me.
"Our civilization, as the universe's very first, possessed extraordinarily advanced technology."
"So, this city we're in now... it's like the world you lived in, with status windows and all?"
"Yes. In truth, it was far more advanced than this—an even greater 'Night City.' But when the entire planet nearly collapsed from the dungeon labyrinth outbreak, this was the best we could salvage."
A city where machines handle everything even without people around... and this is supposed to be scraps?
If Earth were the benchmark, this felt like 22nd-century tech... no, maybe even 30th-century.
Anyway, I'd save the awe for later.
"So, to sum up, the world you lived in was destroyed by dungeons?"
"Sadly... yes."
Dungeons threatening humanity weren't some fluke unique to our world.
These dungeons were cosmic entities that latched onto planets teeming with life, devouring every last bit of it by spawning monsters until extinction.
No one knew when, where, or how they appeared.
"To think the dungeon itself is one massive living organism..."
"We still don't know when it first emerged or why it wanders from world to world, wiping out all life."
But.
"As the sole survivor of the universe's first civilization, I've been pursuing this cosmic entity known as the dungeon for roughly ten billion years."
"...!"
"My physical body crumbled long ago, and what you see now is just a fragment of data. But being without form lets me roam the cosmos freely."
Advanced science is indistinguishable from magic.
As if to prove it, Levi explained that right before her body was destroyed in a monster attack, she'd separated her consciousness and uploaded it into this database limbo between life and death.
"Our civilization's tech allowed effortless travel between galaxies. That's how I used this data space to track the dungeon's energy via radio waves."
"I... I see..."
...Even so, none of that 21st-century brain of mine could wrap around the theory.
Connecting galaxies with radio waves? Some guy in America dreaming of Mars would lose his mind over tech like that.
"From my universe to this one, I've watched countless worlds fall to dungeons."
"...!"
"Worlds of long-eared tree-dwellers, cave realms of hammer-wielding dwarves, and so many more... all crumbled under the dungeon's monsters."
As a survivor of the first civilization destroyed by dungeons, Levi had relentlessly pursued her mortal enemy.
But with only her mind intact, all she could do was observe. Planets fell one by one as she wavered, the dungeons drifting through space for fresh prey after devouring all life.
She'd even considered giving up after witnessing so many worlds follow her own fate across eons.
Until this latest planet she discovered.
"You... stopped the dungeon from surfacing?"
A primitive civilization by any measure.
Yet they wielded stone axes, wooden spears, and some unknown energy to hunt the monsters emerging from the dungeon.
That is, until she found our inverted world's Earth.
"Over ninety percent of the worlds I've observed couldn't even conquer the dungeon's upper floors."
"The upper floors? You mean up to layer nine?"
"Yes. No matter how advanced the civilization, entering a dungeon portal forces you to rely solely on your own power as a living being."
True—no records existed of anyone bringing tanks, fighters, or carriers into a dungeon.
Size issues aside, hauling them deep enough to be useful was pure inefficiency.
"So worlds hit by dungeons usually focused solely on defense."
No thought of venturing inside to conquer.
Just endless defense against spawning monsters until they hit their limit and perished.
That was the standard playbook for Earths across the worlds Levi had seen.
"But this one was different."
"...!"
"They envy and hate their own kin to grow stronger, blinded by dungeon treasures as they plunge deeper, no matter the body count."
The epitome of human evil.
That's us humans.
Levi found our species fascinating—even three of us form a group.
"No civilization has advanced warfare this far before."
"Really?"
"Yes! Even those with multiple races warring due to friction... I've never seen a single-race world like Earth where they slaughter their own. First time for me."
...Not exactly a compliment, is it?
Levi's eyes sparkled with wonder, her ample chest jiggling.
But as a human, I couldn't exactly bask in the praise.
My own dire straits were thanks to exactly those kinds of people.
"That's why I decided to pin my hopes on this world again."
"...Because you love watching the women here fight like crazy?"
"Yes! Few civilizations even develop the 'hunter' concept, and none have endured over ten thousand years post-outbreak like this one. Revolutionary!"
Well, thanks to those humans, her ten-billion-year grind might finally pay off.
I gave her a congratulatory clap.
"C-Congratulations?"
"Thank you, Player."
"So, awakening hunter powers in me was for conquering dungeons like this?"
"Exactly. Female Submission Hunter. Our civilization's ultimate tech has one 'fatal flaw': only men can wield it. But you're a godsend."
A highly intelligent lifeform with immense power + passionate about dungeon conquests + found in such a world, packing an SSS-grade cock from the start.
"...All three conditions perfectly met. This planet is the ultimate turning point for conquering the dungeon."
"......"
Just call me a real man and move on.
Maybe most cosmic civilizations are inverted worlds like this. Seems like everyone's packing down there.
"...? Why so quiet, Player?"
"Huh? Oh, just... In my previous life, there were tons of guys like me. Figured you'd prefer a world like that."
"Hmm... Hold on. Simulation initiating."
True to her electronic existence, she computed like an android.
"Simulation complete."
Her eyes lit up at my offhand remark, crunching the numbers in seconds.
"Results show your previous world requires no observation."
"Oh? Yeah?"
"Yes. No dungeon outbreak yet, and while their Earth resembles yours, humans are far too frail."
"Right, no hunter class or anything."
"Precisely. Estimated time to extinction upon dungeon appearance: roughly 104 hours, 31 minutes, 28 seconds."
She even calculated that?
"Note: Dungeons tend to target worlds similar to ones they've already destroyed."
"Meaning..."
"Yes—if this Earth falls, your original one could be next."
Somehow, I'd ended up bearing the fate of both worlds?
The thought crossed my mind.
"So, all your questions answered?"
I'd learned the truth of my powers and all sorts of unexpected knowledge.
I nodded at Levi's satisfied query.
"Yeah. Thanks to you."
"Glad to hear it."
Her world seemed like our inverted Earth—women holding all the power—just from how she spoke.
Yet had I ever had such a normal chat with a woman since reincarnating? Levi was remarkably composed.
"Levi, thanks again. Really."
"Pardon?"
"This is the first time I've had a normal conversation with a woman."
Even in an inverted world, sane women like Levi exist.
Our Earth must be the nut house even among inverted worlds.
As I chuckled at the thought—
"Sigh. All the women I've met just wanna fuck me senseless."
"Fuck? Ah, you mean 'sex'?"
"Uh? Yeah... I guess that's one way to put it...?"
Levi casually dropped "sex" like morning greetings.
I was stunned.
"Do you dislike sex, Player?"
"Wh-what?"
Such a sudden question?
No flirtation—just genuine curiosity.
I answered anyway.
"No, it's not that I hate sex..."
"I see. If you want some, just say the word anytime."
"...Why?"
"Why? So I can have sex with you, obviously."
"......Huh?"
Her bombshell declaration hit without warning.