The Curse (2)
The exploration of the second basement floor in the Catacomb dungeon was progressing steadily.
"... Do I really have to wear that weird mask?"
"Why? Don't I look cool?"
"It's not cool at all."
"Hmph."
As soon as they reached the room where the middle boss—the butcher—had been, Alan slipped the clown mask he had worn the day before over his face. For some reason, wearing it made him feel like he had turned into an absolute badass.
But the moment the mask settled into place, Kanisia tackled him.
'Pretend to be a mistake and get her pregnant.'
The constant, petty tackles were impossible to ignore. Yet he showed nothing of his annoyance.
As I mentioned before, Kanisia was essential for the Catacomb run. If she left the party, Abraham—the main tank—would follow her out. Exploring without the main dealer and main tank was impossible.
"Really going to wear the mask and keep going?"
"Yeah. It feels cool, like a villain."
"What? Villain?"
"Yeah. And yesterday when I fought the butcher one-on-one, I was wearing this mask. Fighting with it... I guess I concentrate better than usual? It feels like my focus is sharpening."
"Really? Let me borrow it for a second."
"Here."
Kanisia checked the mask's information after taking it. As expected, the only effect was a 10% chance of [Cognitive Impairment] activating—nothing else.
"No special effects... but if it helps in battle, I have to use it. Here."
"Then let's go down."
Alan flipped the clown mask back into place and descended the stairs leading to the second basement floor. The stairs that had appeared the previous day when he killed the butcher were now visible.
Screeech—?
Just like on the first visit, the moment they stepped onto the second floor, meaningless wandering monsters appeared.
But there was one key difference: unlike the first-floor monsters, these ones carried real weapons and fought like actual people.
That made sense—the first floor was for commoners, the second for masters. When a master died, their weapons and armor from life were buried with them. The dungeon's magic brought them back wearing exactly what they had used in life.
Their numbers were fewer than on the first floor, but their combat power was far higher. The zombies' innate high defense made them extremely tough opponents.
The only mercy was that they couldn't use skills or traits from their living days.
Screeech screeech—!
The monsters spotted the group and charged with wet, gurgling sounds. Their speed was noticeably faster than the first-floor ones.
"Abraham!"
"Don't worry, Alan! Haaaa!"
Abraham roared, shield raised, and charged past Alan. He collided with the monster at the front.
"Krum!"
Screeech—! Screeech screeech—!
Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!
Surprisingly, even with Abraham's high strength pushing him back, the monster only staggered two or three steps. Then it kept swinging its rusty sword at Abraham's shield.
"Let's go, guys!"
"Haa!"
While Abraham held the line, Alan and the others positioned themselves to support him. Kanisia on Abraham's right, Alan and Aquaril on the left, and Oralisa at the back.
"Oralisa, I'll just shoot arrows quietly!"
From behind, Oralisa shouted and began firing at the approaching monsters. She had activated her third skill—[Artillery Mode (Lv.10/Rare)]. Magic arrows flew nonstop.
This skill locked movement and other abilities, but it was the right choice. High-defense zombies wouldn't take meaningful damage from anything else.
Even if I had been Oralisa, I would have used only Artillery Mode.
"Aquaril."
"Yes, Master."
"Want to bet who kills more?"
"What?"
"Then let's start!"
"Master?"
"Alan! Where are you going?!"
Leaving Aquaril bewildered, Alan rushed forward. Kanisia's shouts were ignored.
In this formation, Alan's role was to hold the left line, support Abraham, and block enemies from reaching Oralisa. Basically a sub-tanker.
But the desire to kill monsters was impossible to suppress. With so many delicious targets, why be a tanker?
'Voodooist.'
A rusty axe rested in the hand of the zombie charging at him.
Screeech screeech—!
It swung the axe with a gurgle. As a Voodooist, it probably had high strength stats. Alan had high strength too, but there was no reason to duel with swords.
'Kill it!'
He wanted to kill the monster, not fight.
Swipe—
Alan twisted his body to the axe swing's timing. The rusty blade grazed past him. At the same time, he swung his sword.
Crack—!
The blade stabbed into the monster's neck. He had meant to cut the head, but the neck bone was too tough and wouldn't sever in one go.
"You bastard?!"
It had actually endured his attack? This couldn't be tolerated.
Screeech—!
Alan gripped the sword with both hands and shoved with all his strength. The monster's neck bone cracked under the blade.
Swoosh—!
The head fell. Then the notification appeared: [Voodooist Zombie (★★★★★)] defeated.
He waved his hand to dismiss the annoying window.
Screeech screeech screeech—!
The next monster was [Spearman Zombie (★★★★★)]. It had long hair and was shorter, probably because it had been female in life.
'Female... spearman... damn Kanisia!'
The sight of a female spearman class brought Kanisia to mind—the arrogant pink-haired girl who constantly contradicted him.
"I'll kill you, hehehe!"
Alan laughed and swung his sword. He parried the spear she swung. When he kicked her stomach, she staggered back.
He couldn't give her space against the spear. Alan rolled his feet and closed the distance.
'Wind Arrows!'
Puff puff puff puff—!
From close range, he unleashed the Wind Arrows skill. Five consecutive hits severed the monster's left arm.
Then he rolled, passed by its side, turned, and swung again. Swoosh—! This time its leg was cut off.
Screeech screeech—!
The remaining one-legged monster staggered, lost balance, and collapsed forward. The one with its back to Alan flailed on the ground.
"Kuhuhu... hehehe!"
The only common point between Kanisia and the spearman zombie was being female and a spearman class holder. Everything else differed—hair color, body type. Most importantly, Kanisia was alive, the zombie was dead.
"You damn girl. Why do you always contradict me? Huh?"
But right now, the spearman zombie looked exactly like Kanisia to him.
He climbed on top, grabbed her nape, and punched her half-rotten head.
Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!
"Why! My! Words! Do you contradict! You damn girl! You should just obey!"
Her head collapsed under the full-power punches. The flailing one-armed and one-legged zombie twitched.
Her head was crushed, rotten brains soaking the floor. But his fists didn't stop.
And then.
Thwack—!
"....."
An arrow flew and scratched the clown mask Alan wore. It stuck into the body of the zombie approaching from behind.
"Master, be careful!, I mean, please be careful!"
"....."
The shooter was none other than Oralisa.
"Huh, huhuhu. That idiot girl dares..."
To shoot at him?
He knew she hadn't aimed at him but at the approaching zombie. Still, if that was the case, she should have hit properly. Not when he was in the mood.
"Anyway, Oralisa is just a useless bitch who can't do anything but support."
Oralisa was a pathetic girl who could only do the meat toilet role.
"Tsk."
Alan clicked his tongue and stood up. The zombie under him, head crushed, no longer looked like Kanisia.
[Gigaesingwan (★★★★★★)] has cast [Lust Release] on [Alan Han (Gibung-i)].
[Status abnormality, [Lust Release] has been applied.]
[Consuming 1,000 gems to use [Molt (Mythic)] will immediately release the status abnormality.]
[Do you wish to use [Molt (Mythic)]?]
"You bastard notification window, why can't it not appear? It pops up at the worst times."
He waved his hand to dismiss the window and rushed the [Warrior Zombie (★★★★★)] with an arrow in its abdomen.
*****
Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!
"Why! My! Words! Do you contradict! You damn girl! You should just obey!"
"....."
'Why is Master like this?'
Aquaril stared at Alan with strange eyes as he struck the zombie's head with inexplicable rage. Today's master was nothing like his usual self.
Normally Alan stressed the importance of maintaining formation. If it collapsed, even the strongest master and fairy couldn't fully use their power.
So to minimize ally damage and prevent sacrifices, the formation had to be held no matter what.
But today Alan was the first to break formation. He charged the monsters mindlessly.
And the most decisive difference from usual Alan.
"Anyway, Oralisa is just a useless bitch who can't do anything but support."
".....!"
Aquaril's eyes widened at the master's muttering. It was vulgar language the usual master would never use.
If Aquaril had kept the formation, she wouldn't have heard it. But she had stayed close to help him.
"Tsk."
"Ma, master..."
Aquaril stared blankly at the back of the master turning away with a click of the tongue.
*****
"Oralisa."
"....."
"Oralisa?"
"... E, eh? Called? Why?"
"... What? Did you decide to use honorifics with me, Oralisa?"
"Uh, uuh? Ah, Aquaz? Sorry! I mistaken!"
"....."
Aquaril bit her lip at Oralisa's appearance that seemed to have lost something, unlike usual.
Her eyes were red as if crying. Plus, she kept stumbling when walking, as if something was uncomfortable.
Aquaril could guess why Oralisa was reacting this way.
'Master...'
After the battle ended, the master took only Oralisa upstairs. About twenty minutes later they returned, and Oralisa was in this state now.
She must have heard an unimaginable vulgar outburst from upstairs.
If it had been the usual master, she wouldn't have. But... Aquaril thought she could understand hearing the master's private muttering during the battle.
Otherwise, it was impossible for the representative of the meat toilet role, Oralisa, to become like this.
"Are you... okay?"
"Eh, th, that's... uh, uwaa! I'm fine!"
"....."
Although she said she's fine with her mouth, Oralisa's face was anything but fine. How could a teary-eyed face be fine?
'Why... are you like this, Master?'
Even if Alan had changed, Aquaril would follow him until death. Fairies are like that. But she would be a little, no, very sad about the master's changed appearance.
Aquaril turned her head to look at her master.
"You damn thing. Boring. I might as well go to the middle boss room alone."
Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!
Why so regretful, Alan was stabbing the corpse that couldn't move with his sword.
'... This won't do.'
Something was wrong.
If he just stayed like this, the clock would move in a twisted state. A twisted clock would soon break.
"Oralisa."
"Uh?"
"Today's night watch will be me and Master."
"Eh, eh? Ah, no, it's fine."
"I'll take the night watch with Master."
"... Yeah."
Even if the master abandoned her, Aquaril decided to prevent the master from going wrong.