Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Buster Call
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Balrak appeared atop the massive ironclad ship.
Everyone on the deck panicked at the sight of him in his black armor.
Elessa and Blunt, who had been dealing with the hooks latching onto the hull, immediately recognized the newcomer.
"Ba-Balrak?!"
"No way... Is that thing the master of this place?!"
"My God..."
The moment the master of the abyss's pit showed up, the very air seemed to change.
And with dozens of ghost ships in tow, everyone now realized what was happening out at sea.
"Looks like they came to shove the Beginning Island aside..."
"Damn it all... That's why I said quit pulling aggro!"
Blunt and the captain cursed the empty-headed nobles and merchants.
Not only that, but undead were climbing aboard the ironclad, hooking onto the sides nonstop.
It was a hopeless situation where no matter what they did, the ship was doomed to be captured.
But the men of the sea and the dwarves were different.
"Blunt!! Let's grab a drink later!!"
"We'll hold 'em off here—head to the lowest deck!"
"The captain's going!! Us too—let's roll!!"
""""Waaaaah!!!!""""
If they were going to die anyway, shouldn't they at least kick and scream on the way out?
The captain, crew, and dwarves charged at Balrak with weapons drawn.
Blunt caught on to their intent and, while his comrades bought time, led the students away and sent a special signal toward the escape pod.
Beep!
Bzzzt!
By the time they arrived, the escape pod would be fully prepped for launch.
However, Blunt planned to tell the students where it was and then peel off midway.
"Just take the stairs down and run straight ahead!"
"B-Blunt, where are you going?!"
"I built this ship—where do you think? Don't worry about me, go!"
In the end, Blunt did split off midway.
But the students successfully reached the escape pod.
And sure enough, the signal had gone through perfectly—the pod was ready and waiting.
"Hey, kids! Where's everyone else?!"
"Th-they all charged at the dungeon's master, and Blunt suddenly bolted off somewhere around the middle!"
"What?! The dungeon's master showed up?!"
"G-get on board, all of you, now!"
The escape pod looked like some kind of round cylinder.
No time to explain what it was right now.
As the dwarves guided the students to the upper hatch—
KABOOOOM!
The ceiling suddenly shattered, and something crashed down.
Amid the debris, a figure in black armor emerged.
"Where do you think you're going!!"
Balrak spotted the fleeing students and dwarves and hurled a massive iron slab at them.
Any damage to the pod, and their way off this battlefield was gone.
"""Shield!!"""
KRRRRRUMBLE!
Led by Crane, the magic academy students barely blocked the slab, while Elessa and the knight academy students charged forward with weapons raised.
But the skill gap was too vast—Elessa, the linchpin of their formation, had her sword shatter after just three exchanges and retired from the fight.
CRASH!!!
"Gah?!"
"E-Elessa!"
As Balrak lunged at the fallen Elessa, and everyone thought it was over—
KABOOOOM!
This time, the side wall exploded inward as a massive something body-slammed into Balrak.
In the chaos, everyone spotted a familiar dwarf at the center of what looked like a bony ironclad golem.
""""B-Blunt?!""""
"What are you standing around for!! Get out of here!!!"
It was none other than the dwarves' chief engineer.
Blunt had deployed the rideable golem he'd been tinkering with inside the ship.
With Blunt now piloting a golem dozens of times stronger than any living being, the students rescued the downed Elessa.
Amid the screeching of crumpling steel and thunderous impacts, the students and dwarves swiftly boarded the escape pod.
Soon after, the pod submerged into the sea...
"Huh, a massive exoskeleton pieced together from antiques."
"You mad monster bastard."
Now, only Blunt and Balrak remained on the lowest deck.
***********
Balrak hadn't expected a fight with a dwarf, and he found it quite intriguing.
An exoskeleton, no less!
Crude design, prototype vibes, but it was putting out solid performance.
"As expected of dwarves. To think you'd whip up a ship like this and gear like that in such a short time."
"...Thanks, I guess."
While Balrak admired it, Blunt quickly checked the rideable golem's status.
'Th-the last hit smashed everything to hell?!'
One more clash in this near-scrap heap of a golem, and he'd be crushed along with it.
He sensed his end was near.
But Balrak nodded at Blunt's nonchalant attitude.
"If everyone who challenges me showed your kind of resolve, that'd be ideal. Shame most don't."
"Bet they were crying and begging, huh?"
"Pretty much."
"Heh heh heh... Warriors worse than us engineers? Unbelievable. Anyway... those kids who just escaped—mind letting 'em slide since they saw me like this...?"
"I'll think about it later."
Seeing Balrak gear up to chase the submerged pod, Blunt thought fast.
His sharp mind recalled that Balrak loved a good fight.
He slammed the bright red button inside the golem.
Screeeeech!!
WHOOOOSH!!!
"Overclock!"
"You know your stuff... Doesn't matter, though—the parts came from this dungeon anyway. Alright then... time to die."
"Yeah! Come on!"
The golem's frame glowed cherry-red as it spewed massive steam.
The berserk golem closed in instantly and swung a fist.
To Balrak's eyes, it was laughably slow and painfully predictable.
But he didn't dodge.
He tossed his sword aside and swung his own fist instead.
KABOOOOM!!
The golem's fist carrying Blunt collided head-on with Balrak's.
The entire ship rocked from the impact.
Unsatisfied, they unleashed their other fists.
A barrage that warped the massive vessel ensued.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
The air in the room grew scorching from the golem's heat and steam.
The clashes were so fierce, space itself seemed to twist.
But the outcome was painfully clear.
CRUNCH!!
BOOOOM!
The golem's arm shattered under Balrak's fist, metal shards flying amid sparks.
A follow-up kick slammed it into the wall.
"Huff... huff..."
Blunt panted raggedly, confirming the golem wouldn't move.
The heat made breathing impossible, and his flesh sizzled in agony.
Warning lights flashed rainbow colors inside the golem, just like his own burning body.
Undead were even pouring in through the shattered ceiling—everyone else inside the ship must be dead.
Yet in this moment, he laughed.
As Balrak approached for the kill, Blunt steeled himself.
"This is my final choice!!!"
BOOM!
Sensing the end, he smashed a button with his fist. The golem warped even redder.
And then.
KABOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The golem turned blinding red and self-destructed.
The massive blast shot up from the bottom, piercing the entire hull.
Equipment, armaments, fuel, ammo—all engulfed in flames, triggering chain explosions.
Thus, one engineer met his end with his masterpieces.
************
Blunt's self-destruct split the ironclad in two, sending it to the depths.
It wiped out all undead inside.
But—
KABOOM!!
A black-armored figure rocketed into the sky.
Balrak landed on a nearby ghost ship, drawing Devi and the undead around him.
"Lord Balrak!"
"Any injuries?"
"Just a bit startled—nothing to worry about."
"I-is that so."
Even the undead had been shocked by the blast.
Seeing Balrak unscathed, they sighed in relief over their needless concern.
"But what happened? A huge explosion from the ship's bottom out of nowhere..."
"One man steeled his resolve and met his end."
The undead didn't quite get it.
But Balrak admired Blunt's final moments.
Who could've guessed he'd sacrifice himself to the last?
Balrak had meant to pursue the escapees right away.
He'd gauged the top first-year students' pitiful skills anyway.
And he respected the man's desperate stand enough to let them go.
Besides, didn't he have more pressing matters?
"How'd the other ghost ships that went ahead fare?"
"They've reached the island and are standing by with landing parties."
"And the undead we lost?"
"Reviving inside the hull—ready to ship out immediately."
"Perfect... Just perfect! Turn the bow toward the Beginning Island—now!"
""""Yes, sir!""""
At Balrak's command, the ghost ships raced for the island.
They soon arrived to find tourists milling about in confusion—the outbound portal was sealed.
No matter what they did, portholes opened along countless ghost ship hulls.
Clank! Clank! Clank!!
"Cannons loaded!! Ready to fire!!!"
"Targets locked!"
"Landing craft ready!!"
Preparations for plunder and bombardment complete.
Balrak raised one arm high from the prow.
Suddenly, all sound vanished.
Then his arm dropped, and his voice boomed across the entire island.
"Buster Call—commence!"
"Fire!!!"
"Broadside—away!!!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
KABOOM!
BOOM!
Shells rained down on the island from the ghost ships.
Mid-barrage, waiting landing craft hit the beaches, undead swarming inland.
"Gyaaaaah!"
"My lord!!"
"Nooooooo!!"
Merchants died as undead stripped their goods.
Every illegal structure on the island was pulverized.
Tourists and sea explorers either perished in the shelling
or faced the undead tide.
Nobles' escorts banded together for a desperate stand, but—
KABOOM!!
"Huh?!"
"Well now, looks like you really were just here for vacation."
Balrak's landing shattered their formation.
He and the landing undead rampaged through the bombardment.
Overwhelming force reduced the island to ashes.
***********
Balrak had crossed paths with all the students he wanted to fight this time.
Before returning to his boss room, now that his goal was met,
he bid farewell to the undead amid the island's ruins.
"Shame we met like this, but let's meet again under better circumstances."
"We look forward to seeing you too, Lord Balrak!"
"Get going!!"
"We'll ensure nothing like this happens next time!"
Amid their cheers, Balrak returned to his boss room and reflected on those he'd met.
Students of every stripe and race.
Merchants and tourists.
And that dwarf with his exoskeleton!
Life couldn't be more satisfying—he had to nod in approval.
But he couldn't stop here.
Plus, hadn't he trashed the sea section of this mini-dungeon?
A mountain of work ahead, but he moved on with a cheerful heart.