Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: The Warrior, Satisfied with Completed Training
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This time, getting Karian's help to create a clone of the Sword Saint was the right choice.
Seeing everyone fighting so hard against that clone fills me with pride!
I also handed over the Sword Saint's data to Karian.
"Balak, is that really okay?!"
"What's the problem?"
I think about it every time, but dungeon merchants try way too hard to live honestly.
And since the dungeon merchants make chimeras from the data of those who enter my dungeon.
They'll be drooling over the Sword Saint's data.
"Honestly, since you seemed to like the Sword Saint so much, I thought you'd forbid us from using his information."
"It's true that I like him. But think about it—those who enter my dungeon are challengers, as we politely call them... but at their core, they're 'enemies.'"
Public and private matters must be kept strictly separate.
The Sword Saint may be an 'enemy' who suits my tastes perfectly.
But that doesn't put him above my relationship with the 'allies' who are dungeon merchants.
"Then why provide a shop and bank for enemies...?"
"Those were essential to motivate people to enter my dungeon. Without them, this place would just be a hidden gem that only a few know about."
Why is Karian staring at me so intently all of a sudden?
Soon, Karian showed me various beings enjoying the full course of Insanity Land.
*Ding!*
'Aaaahhh!'
'Nooooo!'
'Pippy?'
'Stay away!! Don't come near meeeee!!!'
*Snap!*
"Is this what you call a hidden gem?"
*Ahem!*
Yeah! A hidden gem's menu could just be one killer tonkatsu!
And after eating it all, you get shiny elixirs and gear!!
"I think Father is amazing for stimulating the primal desires of intelligent beings and making them choose that hardship themselves."
"Ophilia! Did you fight well against the Sword Saint clone?"
"Yes. Especially this upgraded body—it's perfect."
Karian didn't just come and make the Sword Saint clone this time; he also upgraded Ophilia.
Of course, we couldn't touch the internal data, so it wasn't a full upgrade like Anima's.
We gave her something similar but cheaper.
"So, Ophilia, were you able to adapt well to the time acceleration sensation?"
"Not as well as my husband or son, but I can use it fine."
"Still, be careful using it long-term. Your internal database won't hold up forever."
"Thank you for the advice. Even so, the main body's combat ability has increased by 154 times compared to before."
154 times?
Well... time is the most powerful force, so it makes sense.
"But Father, how do you keep up with my acceleration?"
"That's surprising to me too."
"Just do well, and it works."
Honestly, I've seen Anima accelerate so much in the past.
And I copied it after seeing the Sword Saint speed up with his old sword's power.
So, I can easily keep up with Ophilia's level of acceleration.
While we were chatting, Damfir and the clone's sparring ended.
The result!
"Ughhhh..."
"Got crushed."
"Kairel sis was going to lose without doing anything anyway, right?"
"I think even that much from Kairel is impressive."
Damfir is the weakest in my dungeon.
To walk the ninja path, she needs to become an all-rounder, so it'll take a ton of time to get strong.
Soon, we approached the dejected Damfir.
"Damfir, you okay?"
"I'm a bug... a bug..."
"Kairel sis has entered gloomy mode again. Father, start the treatment?"
"Tch, we'll look away."
Ophilia whispered into the ear of the pillbug Damfir.
"Sis, want me to touch your boobs?"
"Huh?"
Hearing that magic spell, Damfir returned to normal.
**********
Regaining her senses, Damfir clung to Ophilia and vented her frustration.
"Ugh! Ophilia, so much has happened to me!"
"Yes, yes, I get it, sis."
"I stuffed myself with those tasteless elixirs! And trained like crazy!!"
"It's not even a month yet."
"B-but!!"
There's only one reason Damfir feels so wronged right now.
"You're just insanely strong now!!!"
"Indeed, the worst flaw of current intelligent beings."
"Well... Ophilia is a doll."
Ophilia got stronger with a snap.
But she had to pour in tremendous effort, so it feels unfair!
But!!
"That's what being a ninja is."
"Huh...?"
"Ninjas without bloodline perks, talent perks, or fancy eyes—what kind of treatment do they get?! You'll feel exactly that now!"
When other ninjas shone with their bloodlines, what happened to that young bowl-cut ninja kid!
Even his master, a true hard worker, ended up disabled!
Sure, that master was acknowledged by the world's strongest.
But spending the rest of life in a wheelchair!!
Ah... this is the fate of talentless hard workers.
A truly hyper-realistic horror manga.
"But Damfir, unlike those failed ninjas, you have tremendous bloodline and talent! And we have your back!"
"L-Leader!"
"So eat this."
"Huh?"
*Thud!*
When I brought over the elixir bundle, Damfir's face turned pale.
"You didn't eat today's elixirs."
"Eek?!"
"Ophilia, grab Damfir so she can't run."
"Got it, Father."
*Squeeze!*
"W-wait!! Leader!!! Ophilia!! Graaaah!"
"Abilities fully blocked. So, Kairel sis, now say ahh~."
"It's elixirs fed in the arms of a cool beauty with an expressionless face. Damfir, where else can you get this luxury?"
"Ughhh!! Eeeeek!!!"
After that, I kindly shoved the elixirs into Damfir's mouth.
Once she finished them, Damfir burst into white flames.
"Really takes me back, Ferguson bro."
"Yeah."
"Damfir will adapt in a month or two like you guys."
I say it again—this isn't some evil habit like with musical instruments!
It's an unavoidable measure for Damfir to survive in this dungeon!
Anyway, maybe Damfir ate the elixirs too fast?
She's lost her mind and regressed to infancy.
"Hehe... Mama..."
"Sshhh... rest easy now, Kairel sis."
"Bro, Kairel's doing that on purpose to stay in Ophilia's arms, right?"
"She wouldn't if she were sane."
Ophilia always teases Damfir with that, so I believe she isn't.
For now, I left Damfir with my daughter-in-law, and the second son's sparring restarted.
*Boom!!*
"Now Ferguson bro is handling explosions smoothly."
"He's gotten incomparable to the start."
Ferguson, moving like our dungeon dolls with time acceleration, tore through the air with a sharp kick.
The clone blocked it quickly, but an explosion happened just before his toe touched the sword.
With a massive roar, flames spread, pushing the clone back.
In midair, Ferguson's other foot exploded, using the propulsion to catch up instantly.
"Oh ho, using that technique just like I said."
"Balak, what's that technique?"
"In some Eastern place, heroes move during massive fires. It's the move of the most famous one in that hero group."
That being ignites its feet for fast movement.
Some can even fly in the sky like that.
Perfect for Ferguson since he focuses on kicks.
"...Big bro. Ninjas, Sword Saint's yin-yang whatever. What the heck is the East?"
"A land of true mystery, little bro."
Ah... this feeling.
This is Orientalism!
Viewing the East as exotic, mystical, romantic—distorted like that.
"Even I think the East is intriguing."
"Hm? Skeleton merchant, been to the East?"
"Honestly, no. But their magic system is so unique, I looked into it before."
Eastern magic is unique?
Then I heard Karian's explanation.
"D-do the Four Guardian Beasts really exist?!"
"You're the surprising one for knowing that, Balak. Anyway, they say the Four Guardian Beasts taught 'shamanism' to all beings on that continent."
"Shamanism... you mean spells?"
"It's just similar in name—not like Orek's spirit-based magic at all."
"Skeleton merchant, do they use talismans or something?"
"Yep, Eastern magic like that exists."
Fantasy recycles ideas everywhere.
Total idea drought.
"Anyway, it has yin-yang arts, five elements arts, etc., and it's hard to say which is superior to our magic."
"Hard to rank... So even as a Western mage, you acknowledge Eastern magic?"
"It's just 'respect.' Different ways of using magic, that's all."
"Ooh... a true great mage."
"If all mages had Karian's mindset, the world would be better."
"You're praising me too much...?"
Factions usually deny others.
Acknowledging them undermines their own legitimacy and authority.
But showing respect like that!
Karian, with his open mind, is a role model for mages.
He said he's learning magic from someone called the branch chief.
Master and disciple are alike, so the branch chief must be open-minded too!
Now I'm really looking forward to the party where I can meet that branch chief.
And now, the supreme training—the third one—is truly complete!