Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Etching Names onto the Unbreakable Wall
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Balak felt puzzled by the fact that demons were wandering outside.
According to his master’s words, all the demons who survived the Great War should have migrated to the demon realm.
So why were they outside?
But impatience was utterly useless.
Balak decided to trust and wait for Anima to bring back information.
On top of that, the Rabbit Commanders who had been planning to stay longer to meet Kairell, who creaked along like a marionette,
had to change their plans now that Anima was scouting outside.
“Ugh, hurry up and come back already!!!”
“Uh………”
For a power broker with the wealth to command an entire knight order, personal safety was always paramount.
He no longer cared about the gains the Rabbit Commanders brought from the dungeon.
He threw a tantrum, demanding they return quickly.
Of course, the Rabbit Commanders were a bit taken aback by their lord’s unsightly display.
But knowing Anima’s prowess all too well, they let it slide.
Instead, the one thing they were most curious about right now
was Kairell’s presence.
“How did this one end up here?”
“Hahaha… w-well, you see…”
“Kairell, you don’t need to hide who you are here.”
“Branch Manager…”
Being half-vampire, Kairell had always kept her identity hidden.
But Ferguson encouraged her from the side.
Soon after, she revealed the truth.
“I’m half human, half vampire.”
“V-Vampire?!”
Upon hearing Kairell’s identity—!
“A werewolf’s already working here, so I suppose this isn’t so surprising.”
“Indeed.”
The Rabbit Commanders weren’t all that shocked.
Balak had already radically remodeled the Abyss Pit.
So what if a half-vampire was added to the mix?
Everyone just shrugged it off.
As the mood shifted to general acceptance, Kairell was utterly dumbfounded.
“It feels like all the worries I’ve carried my whole life just… vanished…”
“I felt the same at first. Anyway, Kairell, you get it, right?”
“Pfft, yeah, I get it all too well.”
Kairell was simply thrilled at the chance to finally reveal who she was without shame.
“So, Ferguson, does that mean Sky Island’s reopened now that this one’s working here?”
“A lot more has been added. For instance, didn’t you notice that strange device at the dungeon entrance?”
“There was something, but we couldn’t check it out…”
“You must’ve been in a real rush.”
“The emperor issued a decree to investigate this situation.”
“Plus, the gods sent down an oracle saying not to attack that doll, so they were hounding us even more.”
“The gods said not to attack Anima?”
Ferguson found it deeply strange that the gods had issued such an oracle.
But having received all sorts of lessons from Balak, Ferguson promptly let it go.
“Well… the gods have their reasons, I suppose.”
“Branch Manager, aren’t you being a bit too nonchalant?”
“Worrying about things we can’t possibly know is a waste of time. One of Brother Balak’s bits of advice. And the outside world has nothing to do with us anymore.”
“True enough.”
“Wish we could be as carefree as you lot.”
“Hahaha… Heroes have their duties, after all. Oh, and there’s a new hire at the shop, just like Kairell.”
“At the shop too?”
Someone new at the shop?
What on earth did that mean?
Soon, Ferguson led the Rabbit Commanders into the shop to introduce Ophelia.
A stunning beauty with blue hair and purple eyes greeted them.
“Mr. Ferguson. What brings you here?”
Whether the Rabbit Commanders were left speechless by Ophelia’s beauty or not, Ferguson spoke up.
“I brought these folks to give them a rundown. More importantly, Ophelia, how’s the shop treating you?”
“This unit has completed its adjustment period.”
“Uh, no, Ferguson. Who the hell is this…?”
“Apologies, but please correct your form of address. This unit already has a husband.”
“A husband?!”
A husband, yet she was in this dangerous dungeon…?
The Rabbit Commanders were stunned by this shocking revelation.
But at Ferguson’s cough, they snapped back to their senses.
“Ahem! To start, Ophelia here is a doll.”
“A d-doll?”
“You don’t mean like that combat doll out front of the rest area, do you?”
“But she seems so human.”
“Thanks to support from Father’s friend, this unit’s appearance is highly human-like.”
“I see… Wait, what?”
“…Father?”
Just who was this ‘Father’ that Ophelia referred to?
Ferguson, standing right there, had just used an honorific, so he was out.
That left…
“S-Surely not.”
“No way, right?”
“You’re thinking what we’re thinking.”
“Then she’s your brother’s daughter-in-law?!”
“Damn!! What the hell have I been doing all this time!”
“Sigh… If I had a daughter-in-law like that, I could die without regrets.”
The Rabbit Commanders were green with envy at the sight of such an ideal daughter-in-law.
But then a question occurred to them.
Normally, ‘daughter-in-law’ implied marriage to Balak’s son.
So who the heck was that son—
“Mr. Anima, who went outside the dungeon.”
“……?”
What nonsense was that?
But another blow landed on the Rabbit Commanders.
“Also, you heroes have already met this unit’s son.”
“A s-son?!”
“Well, you know that color-shifting doll you fought before reaching the dungeon rest area? That one was made by loading in this unit and Mr. Anima’s internal data.”
“It’s their fully grown son, essentially.”
Seeing Ophelia proudly boast about her son, the Rabbit Commanders’ minds exploded into cosmic voids.
What the hell had happened in just three days!!
Sadly, they’d never know the full story.
They were simply old men endlessly jealous of Balak.
*****************
Unable to visit for years to come, the Rabbit Commanders emptied their coin pouches.
“But why the TS Potions…?”
“They’re for the lord.”
“My lord told me to buy some too.”
“Huh? Oh, no. From your perspective, those are one-use elixirs, right.”
“Without these, we could’ve gotten low-grade spirit pills for our kids…”
“Exactly. By any chance…”
“This unit detects heroes seeking a discount. Denied.”
The Rabbit Commanders wanted a deal since it might be their last visit.
But would that work on Ophelia, who lacked any human sentiment?
They paid full price.
“Damn…”
“I get that you heroes are disappointed, but this is unavoidable.”
“Mr. Ferguson is correct. If you wish to apply discounts to items, you must now obtain coupons.”
“Coupons…? What’re those?”
“Didn’t I tell you heroes to hunt golden spirits before the dungeon closed?”
“Now that you mention it.”
“Don’t tell me… catching that golden-glowing spirit gives a discount coupon!”
“It’s probabilistic, but yes, they definitely drop.”
Damn! Should’ve gone to Sky Island first!
Regretting their choices, the Rabbit Commanders returned to Ferguson’s shop with heavy hearts.
“Branch Manager, did you properly introduce Ophelia to the heroes?”
“Yes, Kairell.”
“But the heroes…”
“Sigh… just bring out the strong stuff from the old days.”
“Being knight captains is our sin…”
Chased by time, the Rabbit Commanders drowned their sorrows in strong liquor.
The conversation naturally turned to Balak,
and to the new addition to his patterns: ‘Heart Piercer.’
“Hard to say, but dying to that punk Rolang’s technique just sours the mood.”
“Especially since he uses a spear for it—no counterplay.”
“Keheheh… Jealous? Just taunt like me.”
“You think we’re all shameless monkeys like you, Rolang?”
“Act your age, damn it.”
As the saying goes, it takes all kinds—even among the captains, not everyone had Rolang’s cheeky personality.
But dying to Rolang’s moves every damn time was infuriating!
And deeply enviable.
“Didn’t expect him to remix my technique like that.”
“Normally, altering the original demotes it to a knockoff, but who knew it’d get stronger?”
“And the variations are insane.”
“Yeah, yeah, praise my technique all you want—feels good.”
“Shut it, Rolang.”
Listening to their bickering, Ferguson dropped a bombshell.
“How about I just talk to Brother Balak for you?”
“Hm?”
“That work?”
“He’s researching techniques anyway.”
“Even at that strength, he’s still honing new moves?”
“Damn… a true role model for all warriors.”
“The incident last time was from your brother’s training, after all… Oh ho.”
Afterward, Ferguson promised to pass along the Rabbit Commanders’ techniques for Balak to use.
“You heroes have thrown countless techniques at this place in your challenges. Brother Balak’s probably watched them all.”
“So he’s watching us right now?”
“No idea. But he knows all your techniques, minus the names.”
“Is that so…?”
Hearing Ferguson’s proposal, the Rabbit Commanders fell deep into thought.
But Rolang piped up at the sight.
“A chance to link your techniques into an unbreakable chain across generations—and you’d pass it up?”
“Urgh…”
“…Especially since they’d evolve further. Too tempting.”
Every warrior wants to leave even a faint mark proving they lived in this world.
But this wouldn’t fade—it’d echo eternally.
Soon, the Rabbit Commanders steeled their resolve.
“Ferguson, we’re counting on you.”
“We’ll share our technique names.”
“Have your brother use them to crush the next generations.”
“Understood.”
Thus, the knight captains etched their names onto the unbreakable wall, armed with all the know-how from their dungeon challenges, ready to face Balak.
“To think this is the last time—such a shame.”
“Indeed, Balak.”
“And I heard from my brother about your offer. You’re truly okay with me using your techniques?”
“Balak, you’re strong enough without ours.”
“Won’t make much difference.”
“But heroes, the will passed down from your distant ancestors could vanish.”
“It’s already a twisted will.”
“One that lost its way long ago.”
“…I see.”
Having passed through dozens of hands,
the originals were now unrecognizable—worn, torn, and degraded beyond repair.
“So polish our techniques well.”
“Hahaha!! Never thought I’d get homework like this! But I swear to forge them into weapons stronger than any other!”
“What an honor.”
“We’ve said our piece. We’re ready.”
“Indeed. What more is there for warriors to say!”
The warriors drew their weapons and clashed.
The knight captains faded away, satisfied.