Pride
The green portal swallowed Raven and Yuri whole. A moment later, the portal began to shrink, growing smaller and smaller until it vanished without a sound. Layer transition portals weren’t fixed in one place; they randomly shifted locations at set intervals.
Once the portal’s faint glow disappeared, deep shadows from the dense forest canopy settled over the clearing, leaving only a profound, tranquil silence.
Swish.
A gentle breeze swept through, brushing aside the quiet. It caressed the trembling, outstretched hand of the female Berserker Monkey that had been reaching desperately toward the spot where he had stood, as if offering a final comfort to its fur.
“U-kiii….”
Through tear-filled, blurring vision, the tiny fingers stretched out, quivering. Ah… my mate has left me behind—
Beep.
“….”
The demon who had been observing Raven through the Berserker Monkey’s eyes quietly severed the synchronization with an expression that said he had seen something he shouldn’t have. Like frantically clicking a remote to change TV channels, the link to the grotesque monkey was cut in an instant at the demon’s urgent will.
“…Haa.”
A small sigh escaped as the flood of overwhelming emotions finally receded. That single breath scattering weakly through the vast cavern carried a great many meanings.
Thanks to the dignity engraved into his very origin, it didn’t show on the surface, but his mind had taken quite a serious blow.
“…Next time, I should only synchronize with the vision.”
He had gone for full synchronization out of greed to observe “it” more vividly, never dreaming he would end up feeling those raw emotions so clearly.
“Huu….”
Wearing the face of someone who had just finished watching a mediocre B-movie and was lost in its subtle aftertaste, he lifted his head and stared blankly into empty space.
Thump.Thump.Thump.Thump.
A massive heart hanging from the high ceiling sent its pulses beating against his pale skin. The urgent rhythm transmitted directly into the circular hole piercing his chest. The dungeon’s main core, beating in place of his own empty heart, was pounding far faster than usual, as if terrified.
The corner of his mouth twisted slightly as he stared at it in silence.
“…Not bad, Plague Doctor.”
No.
“Should I call you… the Demon of Terror?”
The ominous crow mask that had, after so long, given him a taste of fear again. Just thinking of it made strength flow unconsciously into his hand.
Crack.
As he slowly clenched his fist, a small fissure spread across the off-white marble throne.
Thump.Thump.
The dungeon core soon returned to its normal rhythm, as though it had shaken off its fear.
Having calmed the trembling of his origin caused by terror, he swept back his pale platinum hair with one hand and let out a hollow laugh, as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Ha. To think something would stir my emotions again. The last time was her rage, and I thought it would be the final time.”
How dare.
“A mere incomplete blood clot that has barely begun to bloom… trying to reach this king?”
“To me, Lucifer Narcissus…?”
Bang…!
The moment his pale fist slammed down on the throne, a golden ripple spread through the darkness.
Thump…!
The origin pulsed with quiet fury. Overflowing arrogance and soaring pride surged forth.
Shaa.
Brilliant light returned to the platinum hair that had lost its luster, and unyielding authority filled his golden eyes. Above the three pairs of black horns crowning his head like a royal circlet, two layers of off-white halos rose. A pair of sacred wings materialized behind the throne, driving back the darkness.
In that instant—
“Haha, hahahahaha!!!”
A maddened laugh rang out.
Kiiiiing.
Countless black lines rained down onto the floor. An overwhelming power pressed down on the world according to his will, ensuring no being could ever look down on him again.
And then, for a single moment—
Tick.
The light that had illuminated the surroundings vanished, and darkness descended. The red glow emitted by the dungeon core touched the gloom, softly lighting the cavern.
“Haa….”
The sound of stalactites cracking as they fell from the ceiling mixed with hot, heavy breathing. Lucifer, who had instantly suppressed the rampage of his origin, slowly opened the eyes he had closed to calm his inner self.
Two golden lights pierced through the shadows. Beneath them lay a pure white smile brimming with arrogance. Finally, sharp fangs parted, and an imposing voice echoed quietly through the cavern.
“…Very well, Terror. I acknowledge you.”
That you are quite a dangerous being. That you may be a seed of a king capable of reaching even the tip of Lucifer’s toes.
Therefore—
“I want to see it.”
The sight of you lowering your head, kneeling before this king, and submitting with true sincerity…!
Originally, he had planned to crush the insolent hero like before, using overwhelming force to force him to his knees. But—
My mind has changed.
Rather than lightly trampling and snapping off a young sprout that dared reach for the sky without knowing its place, he would place a mere insect that gnawed on small stones and leaves upon his palm and observe it slowly. He would personally wait and see whether, after overcoming arduous and painful trials, it could safely grow and reach the heavens.
The great demon who ruled over pride made up his mind.
Tap tap tap.
At the same time as his decision, the demon tapped the air, recalling the monsters of the Black Zone and Red Zone he had been gathering on the 20th floor of the Green Zone back to their original territories.
“Consider yourself lucky, Terror.”
Originally, today you should have lost your contractor and your body, experiencing your first true loss. But by this king’s mercy, that thin and feeble life of yours continues unbroken. Therefore, you should bow your head in gratitude for this king’s change of heart and benevolence.
Bow.
A rare sight— a head of bright red hair entered his field of vision. It was Hans, lowering his head in thanks.
“Haa… Thank you for flying slowly, Mr. Raven. Thanks to you, we reached the 20th floor quite comfortably.”
“I’m glad it was comfortable. Unlike those humans over there.”
“Nyaha, nyahaa…. Uhaaa…! That was fun, nyang! Adventurer! Let’s fly together again next time, nyang! Flying with the adventurer is way more thrilling and fun than flying with the crow, nyang!”
Sion stuck out her tongue like a cat finished playing with its owner, panting heavily with an extremely excited expression as she gave the contractor a thumbs-up. However, while Sion was perfectly fine, the contractor’s condition was an absolute no.
“Yeees… Uuuuugh….”
“A-adventurer? Are you okay, nyang!?”
“No…. Uuugh!”
His complexion looked even paler than Hans’s already quite pale face. Watching the contractor dry-heaving as if ready to vomit everything inside at any moment, I let out a small sigh.
Sigh, Yuri, Yuri. That’s why I told you to fly quietly.
I had predicted this would happen the moment she started doing acrobatic spins while dangling Sion from a tentacle. It was probably Sion, crazy for thrills, who asked for it. Our contractor is too kind for her own good. She really does go out of her way to suffer.
“Adventurer! Water, drink some water, nyang!”
Sion urgently held out a sloshing leather pouch to the contractor, who was in terrible shape.
“Ah, thank you, Miss Sion….”
For some reason, the contractor gave Sion a slightly guilty smile before tucking one side of her hair behind her ear and beginning to drink the water in a very prim, noble-lady-like manner.
Gulp…?
Her delicate throat bobbed once, then stopped dead.
And then—
“Ueeh….”
“…?”
“…Nyang?”
The clear liquid that refused to go down her throat leaked out between her slightly parted lips, trickling down her pure white chin and along her slender neck.
“Oh….”
The entire party, including me, tilted their heads at the contractor who now looked like a kitten that had been fed baby food it didn’t like.
“….”
After spitting the water out through her nose and mouth, the contractor suddenly fell silent.
“…Smack… smack smack.”
She or he smacked her lips a few times with a blank expression, then asked Sion in a calm voice.
“Umm… Miss Sion?”
“What is it, nyang?”
“Did you put ‘holy water’ in the water again?”
Holy water. It referred to “sacred and holy water” used for purification, blessings, and sometimes to exorcise evil spirits. And in this world, holy water was synonymous with “salt water.” Moreover, it was the kind made with Bastion’s rock salt that was so horribly salty that even a tiny amount would make your tongue sting. It was a precious substance so potent that if a demon so much as touched it, they would cry uncontrollably and be forcibly returned to the demon world.
“That’s right, nyang!”
“Ah.”
At Sion’s pure and innocent affirmation, blue veins subtly rose on the contractor’s forehead and fist. But Sion, apparently not noticing, began reciting the benefits and effects of holy water like an employee at a cat nutritional supplement shopping mall.
“Holy water is great for stamina recovery and mental stability, nyang! That’s why this body always mixes a little holy water into drinking water, nyang!”
“…Ooh. Mixing holy water into water… That’s a method I never would have imagined.”
“Mr. Hans, you should try it later too, nyang! The taste is a bit hard to get used to at first, but once you drink it for a while it’s fine, nyang!”
“I see…! I’ll definitely try it later!”
“….”
The contractor stared at Sion’s gray head, clenching and unclenching her fist several times before letting out a small sigh and shaking her head.
A tiny smile lingered on her lips.
“What a shame.”
“Nyang? Crow, what’s suddenly a shame, nyang?”
“Knowing would hurt you.”
“Unyang! What are you doing all of a sudden, nyang!”
I gave the clueless cat a light flick on the forehead, then turned to the contractor.
“Heh heh.”
The contractor let out a low laugh while watching Sion clutch her head and scream.
“Come here, contractor.”
“Mmmph….”
As I gently wiped the moisture from the corner of her or his mouth with the back of my hand, the contractor’s lips moved slightly, forming silent words. Reconstructing the totality of that language, it said this:
Thank you, Mr. Raven.
Seeing that, I chuckled softly and answered in a whisper that only she or he could hear.
Don’t mention it.