Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Dungeon's Doorstep Prosperity
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In the fourth room, the Jump Map, the Rabbit Party tumbled off the platforms countless times but pressed on amid endless praise.
They also spotted a boxy device nearby, aside from the structures leading upward.
But this device!
[Big Resolve Box.]
[If you want to give up here, step inside and press the button.]
[You'll meet a painless end.]
"""Like hell we will!!!"""
Even after seeing Balak's considerate message—basically telling them to man up and get out if it was too much—their resolve only burned fiercer.
They did show tremendous patience and grit, eventually.
Among the Lowell Party, whose members were far weaker than the Rabbit Party, Priest Martin fell over ten times, triggering the room's instant-death mechanic!
Pewwwwwng!!
"Priest Martiiiin!"
"Th-that's the laser cannon from the Iron Labyrinth, isn't it?!"
"...At least it'll be painless."
After ten-plus falls, the protective barrier vanished instantly.
Then a ridiculously powerful laser cannon—worth a fortune—fired, sniping the falling victim and ejecting them from the dungeon.
What happened next?
The entire Lowell crew got booted out of the dungeon.
The Rabbit Party, however? They nailed it!
They broke through!
"Haa... haa..."
"Whew, eight of us made it. Four failed."
"Damn it, 133 is right! Standing at 134 alone!"
"If you know four days means three is three days, why's your common sense so off at your age?!"
"Why'd that guy answer like that in the O/X quiz..."
"That was close. That was exactly the tenth time."
"Anyway... whoa~ Check out how high we climbed."
"How many km up is this?"
"Higher than anywhere else. Looking down now... kinda tickles the chest."
"Kukukuku, is this why people climb mountains?"
And so, basking in the thrill of reaching the summit, the Rabbit Party gazed down.
Vast fields and countless structures.
Traps, O/X quiz devices, moving floors, maze walls and doors galore.
Everything looked tiny, rewarding all their hardships.
A portal to the next room shimmered in the center.
"This next one's Balak's room, right?"
"Hope so."
"Afraid not, from what I recall."
"Hagen?"
"Back when the young ones brought info, one room never showed up."
"That room with thousands of mana bullets pouring down?"
"Yeah... so..."
"But the Divine Warrior passed that room to challenge the owner. If the next one's that room, we just beat it once more."
"Good thing we know the intel on it."
"Alright, everyone ready?"
"Let's go!"
With their stamina somewhat restored, the Rabbit Party stepped into the next-room portal.
As expected, it was the mana-bullet barrage room.
But Balak had tweaked the settings since then, cranking the bullets' speed dozens of times higher.
Bangbangbangbang!
"Keuk?!"
"Damn! Way faster than we heard!"
"Move quick!"
At first, the Rabbit Party dodged the mana bullets and pushed forward.
But in the latter half of the fifth room, they were left speechless.
"""Whoa......"""
They'd heard the details, but seeing the utter chaos firsthand was another level.
Thousands of colorful mana bullets dazzling the eyes—they couldn't help but praise it.
In the end, three of the eight dropped out here, and they finally reached Balak.
"Purple skies and dreamlike forests? Nah, blue skies with pink petals..."
"Doesn't match the stories, but this aura screams boss room."
"We the last ones standing?"
"Yeah."
"Let's see. Me, Rolang, Lionel, Hagen... Huh? Humir, how'd a big lug like you squeeze through?"
"Geron, lots happened."
"You didn't tank everything, did you?! Potions are tapped out..."
"No choice. Gotta push."
"Still, solid crew left. Catch our breath—Balak's waiting. Let's go."
The knight captains exchanged glances, nodded, and sought the room's master.
**********************
In a vast forest under a ceiling of blue sky, pink peach petals danced leisurely on the wind.
As the knight captains advanced through the serene beauty, they spotted Balak beneath the largest tree. Rolang stepped forward.
"Second time... impressive."
"Yeah, back for another shot, Balak."
"Rolang, why not challenge properly back then instead of trash-talking?"
"Tell me about it. Honored you remember my name, though? Sorry for the provocation—mind if I ask something?"
"Shoot."
"What's your race?"
Rolang probed Balak's origins, the hottest topic outside.
But Balak just shook his head.
"Won't know till you smash my helm."
"Figured as much."
"Talking like this after reaching here is pretty funny, huh."
"Yeah, we're here to fight. So, the final trial now?"
"Nah, not for you lot."
As Balak finished, swords, axes, spears, chains, hammers, and more flew from the woods, orbiting him.
"Your skills so far? Making you take that trial would insult you."
"Heh, high praise?"
"From a true powerhouse."
"Looks like our path here wasn't wasted."
Thus, six warriors—Balak included—gripped their weapons, tension mounting.
As silence stilled even the breeze.
Balak hefted his massive twin axes and stomped—the peach petals on the ground swirled up.
Boom!!
Earthquake vibrations rippled out; the knights scattered without hesitation, encircling Balak perfectly.
Honed tactics and battle experience from hundreds of spars—they tightened the noose, launching a five-way assault.
A flawless wheel tactic to any eye.
But Balak blocked it all with his huge two-hander, then hurled his weapon, punching a hole in their formation.
"First attack's mine. Lionel, left flank harass. Rolang, breach prep."
"Got it."
"Careful."
If the encirclement broke fully, the knights were done—so strongest Humir lunged to pin Balak, others supporting.
But Balak shoved Humir out with a sky-flung spear, then slammed a hammer down with his other hand.
Kwaaaang!!
Quake-like shock sealed the knights' movements.
In the gap, Balak closed on Humir, yanking a halberd from his back and tensing every muscle.
"That technique?!"
"Better with spear than sword, turns out."
Paaaaang!!
Balak fired an arranged version of Rolang's stolen secret art, 'Heart Piercer'. Humir vanished in blue light before registering it.
"Humir!!"
"Formation...!"
"Damn! Rush in!"
Five-on-one wheel vs. four-on-one were worlds apart, so they all charged to lock Balak down.
But as time passed with no fatigue from Balak, they realized their strategy sucked.
"Finally get it? Fools."
"Keuk?!"
Balak had swung heavy weapons hundreds of times nonstop without tiring—the knights' blunder was bringing outside tactics here.
Soon, the tiring ones were the knights, paying dearly.
Kwajik!!
Balak swung his halberd; Hagen's plate crumpled, sending him flying. Chains whipped like a lash, shattering formation.
But the knights countered fast—Hagen endured the pain and rejoined the charge.
"Hahaha!! This is the fight I craved!"
Spotting Lionel sheathing, Balak chucked a weapon to force a draw.
When Rolang reached back for his sword, a long-reach spear pressed him.
Hagen charging his blade with mana? Hammer to the ground, stance broken.
Geron got no openings for his arsenal either.
Barely enduring the iron storm, they panicked at Balak leaping airborne.
"Going serious now."
"No way?!"
"Weapons around him!"
Phase two: orbiting weapons attacked like living things.
Whoooong!!
Clang!!
Boom!!!
Numbers made their strategy pointless against Balak.
It felt like they were wheeling against a horde, plus Balak's strikes—wounds mounted, stamina drained.
Finally—
"Kuh, cough... Lionel, just us two left?"
"Huu, looks like, Rolang."
The other knights were torn apart by iron beasts.
The last two, gravely wounded, straightened without a grimace.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Even now, no surrender—you're true heroes."
"Expected this endgame."
"But there's a next time."
"Yeah, a next round's a true blessing. For you, for me."
"...Balak, this feel unfair to you?"
"Me? Heh, unfair how?"
"We respawn endlessly. You don't."
"Hahaha!! That's your gripe?"
Balak raised a hand skyward mid-sentence.
All his weapons soared, multiplying endlessly.
"You think endless fights toward perfect death is a curse?"
""...!""
"For a warrior like me, this is paradise."
As Balak said, this was his paradise.
One he'd built himself.
And one perfected technique filled the sky.
"So ditch those worries and challenge me forever! Heroes!"
"Kukukuku, getting that makes me half-mad too!"
"Yeah. Knights who die in bed are cowards."
"Exactly! Till next time, heroes!"
Balak slashed his hand down at the weary knights—weapons rained like a storm.
Iron flowers bloomed across the sky, blanketing the earth.
*******************
Some time after the Rabbit Party's third try ended.
Outside, full winter gripped the world; beautiful white trash fell thick, freezing everything.
But!
"Balak!! We're here!"
"Hahaha! Back again!"
"Fewer this time, but it'll be different!"
"No more talk needed! Come, heroes!"
As the Rabbit Party challenged Balak endlessly, Dungeon Floor 1 stayed hot-blooded, unlike the chill outside.
And the loot they hauled out shook the world.
"Th-this is the TS Potion?"
"Save the Saint with it?!"
"Dungeon-surface elixir effects..."
"Revolutionary!! This core is pure genius!"
"Weapon quality?!"
Thus, flames roared amid ice—a contradictory blaze.
No one hated it.
Dungeon Floor 1 boomed like never before.
Episode 6: Rabbit Party END.