Chapter 46: The Dungeon (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: The Dungeon (2)
I don’t know how this world ends.
And that’s despite having seen every ending for both Hero’s Party and A Knight’s Illicit Tale, which share the same world.
In A Knight’s Illicit Tale, the protagonist’s efforts amounted to little more than holding back the forces of the Four Heavenly Kings. He never managed to defeat them and ultimately met his end.
It was inevitable.
He wasn't a hero, just a very strong knight.
He didn't have the right to see the world's end.
Then what about Cloud, the hero chosen by the goddess?
Whether the Demon King dies and peace blossoms across the continent...
Or the hero dies and the continent falls to ruin...
Doesn't Cloud have the right to see the world's end?
If you asked me that, I would nod.
Cloud was qualified.
It’s just that even that qualification was stolen from him by the other heroes.
As you progress through the game, either Gis or Lorian dies depending on the player's choices. Cloud then crosses into the Demon Realm through a portal with the surviving hero...
-You're just going to get in the way from here on out. So just die now. I was getting tired of messing with you anyway, so this works out.
-One hero is enough to save the world. It would be unpleasant to have a name like yours associated with mine.
No matter who he went with, he was murdered.
It was a fixed event, something the player couldn't change.
Didn't I mention it before?
I lost even with cheats.
That was simply the game's ending.
An ending where he was robbed of the women he loved, his life, and his right to be a hero.
In a way, you could say it was a fitting ending for an NTR game.
When I saw it, my only reaction was something along the lines of, "The fuck?"
Naturally, I never bothered to find out what happened to the world after that. The game was over, and I couldn't care less what happened to its world after the credits rolled.
But now, I am Cloud.
This continent has become the world I live in, so I have no choice but to care.
Alright, let's think.
How strong is this world's Demon King?
It's impossible to gauge his strength based on the Four Heavenly Kings.
The game's narrative explains that the Four Heavenly Kings you fight are significantly weakened because they appeared on the continent, which is under the goddess Iries's domain.
...The more I think about it, the less I understand. What the hell were those bastards Gis and Lorian thinking?
What gave them the balls to go after the Demon King alone?
Well... I suppose I can understand it.
Towards the end of the game, both Gis and Lorian become incredibly powerful for their own reasons. There was no one on the entire continent who could match them, so it's understandable they'd grow arrogant.
If they really got strong enough to take down the Demon King, that would be for the best, but...
I have to consider the alternative.
I sighed and looked at Eri, Neria, and Ophelia, who were sprawled out on the floor.
Perhaps it was the backlash from force-marching from the 1st to the 15th floor in a single day. The three of them had been lying on the ground for a while now, showing no signs of moving.
They're definitely better than adventurers.
From their basic physical abilities and skills to their teamwork and coordination.
They were superior to adventurers in every way.
It was clear they hadn't been chosen as the hero's companions for nothing.
That wasn't to say there were no shortcomings.
Others might not see them, but from my perspective, there were a few things that left something to be desired.
They lack grit.
As a hero's party, you can't expect to only fight battles you can win.
More often than not, you'll face enemies that seem utterly unbeatable.
And against such foes, you have to endure with sheer mental fortitude. If you see an opening, you have to grab it, even if it means biting and clawing your way to victory.
But they don't have that.
They're also too fixated on their designated roles.
In a game, that wouldn't be a problem.
The tanker is on the verge of death, making the fight difficult?
You could just choose the 'flee' option or save and reload.
But this is reality.
Fleeing is possible, but there are no saves or reloads.
What happens when one person is rendered unable to fight, leaving a gap in the party's roles?
Someone with free hands has to fill that gap.
It doesn't matter if they're a clumsy substitute.
What's important is that they can fill the void, even for a moment.
If they can just fix these issues, this party could become quite formidable.
I crossed my arms and sank into thought.
I never originally planned on having them as companions...
I'd assumed they'd be getting railed by Gis or Lorian, just like in the game.
So, I was planning to build a party around Sheila, Katarina, and Leslie, adding a few other decent members.
But it turned out the three of them weren't getting pleasured; they were just getting beaten. And somehow, I ended up bringing them with me.
If that's the case, there's no need to look for anyone else besides Sheila, Katarina, and Leslie.
It's more efficient to spend that time pushing my current party members hard.
Hmm... Still, I should probably hear them out, right?
Separate from the fact that the pink-haired slut killed the barbarian and tried to kill me, she hadn't wanted to venture deeper into the dungeon.
Lost in a wave of nostalgia, I had dismissed her opposition, and I paid the price for it.
I get all sentimental whenever I think about having companions.
If it weren't for that, I could have handled the situation more flexibly.
I entertained the thought for a moment before pushing it out of my mind.
It's in the past.
I just have to make sure I don't make the same mistake again.
I walked over to the women, who were lying on the floor, doing little more than breathing.
"...I can't move another inch. Seriously."
Eri spoke with a desperate expression before I could even say anything.
I nodded to reassure her.
"Don't worry. I have no intention of moving any further today. Rest as much as you want."
Only then did the three women let out a sigh of relief.
I smiled and asked them.
"So, how was it today?"
"I seriously thought I was going to die," Eri answered immediately.
"Honestly, it was grueling..." Neria said, glancing at me cautiously.
"..."
Ophelia, seemingly too exhausted to even speak, simply clasped her hands and nodded in agreement with the other two.
"But we succeeded, just like I said, right? We reached the 15th floor from the 1st in a single day, and no one was seriously injured."
None of the three women argued with that.
It was the truth.
They might have felt like they were dying from exhaustion, but they were never in danger of dying to a monster.
"I don't lie about things like this. I don't claim I can do the impossible, nor do I irresponsibly say there's no danger when someone could die."
Three pairs of eyes turned to me.
Their gazes seemed to ask what I was leading up to.
I let out a small laugh.
"I'll be honest. The journey ahead will be even harder than this."
"...Even harder than this?"
Eri was horrified. Neria and Ophelia also looked slightly sickened.
"Yeah. But the rewards will be as great as the hardship. You'll be able to get much stronger. Strong enough to be worthy of the name 'Hero's Party'."
"...What if we say we can't do it?"
"Then we'll descend the dungeon slowly, just as you wish. I'll make a plan so that you're always moving in peak condition, greatly reducing the danger and hardship. With your skills, you should be able to reach the 30th floor without much difficulty that way."
The expressions on the three women's faces softened.
They exchanged glances, came to a silent agreement, and nodded.
Eri spoke for the group.
"Let's go with the second option, then. Today was already tough; I don't think I can handle anything harder than this."
"I see..."
A bitter smile escaped me.
What could I do? It's what they wanted.
"Alright. Get a good night's sleep. You must be exhausted."
I was about to turn away, having accepted their decision.
"Cloud... what's with that look on your face? Are you disappointed that we chose the easier path?"
Neria's words stopped me in my tracks.
It seemed there was a misunderstanding.
"If that's the case, I'm sorry. But..."
"No, it's not that. Why would I be disappointed in you? It's only natural for people to seek an easier path when things get tough."
The women's expressions brightened, if only slightly.
I continued.
"It's just... I'm a little sad that our journey together will end in this dungeon."
It had been a while since I'd formed a proper party, and now it looked like it was going to be disbanded.
To form a new one, I'd have to wait until the Behemoth appeared...
What a shame.
"...Cloud? What do you mean? What do you mean it ends in this dungeon?"
Neria's face was rigid as she asked. And she wasn't the only one. Eri and Ophelia wore similar expressions.
Right, this must seem a bit sudden.
I should explain it carefully so they don't panic.
I scratched my cheek and spoke awkwardly.
"Well... I'm a hero, right? I'm going to face things much harder than this in the future. If you're complaining that something of this level is too hard... I was thinking it might be difficult for us to travel together."
Even after my explanation, their expressions didn't improve.
Ah, I forgot something.
"Don't worry. I know your situation. I'll ask Frillite to make sure Gis and Lorian don't retaliate against you. If you sell the treasure we get from this dungeon, you should be able to live quite comfortably."
Safety, food, and shelter guaranteed.
As a bonus, I even reminded them of their reason for needing to clear the dungeon with me.
Alright, this should be enough for them to understand...
"I'll do it."
"Huh?"
"The hard path you mentioned, Cloud. I'll take that path."
Neria said in a trembling voice.
What's this? Why the sudden change of heart?
"Are you sure? It's going to be incredibly tough, honestly. And you can't quit halfway through."
"I'm fine with it. It doesn't matter how hard it is. Just... don't say it's the end..."
Neria bit her lip hard, her face contorted.
Her sudden change in attitude honestly baffled me.
I looked at the other two in turn.
"Do you two agree with Neria? This isn't something she can decide on her own..."
"I'll do it."
"I'll do it."
Eri and Ophelia spoke, their voices filled with resolve.
...Are they that scared of retaliation from Gis and Lorian?
I started to feel a little sorry for them.
Just how much had they suffered these past few months to refuse my offer, even when I said I'd ask Frillite for help?
"...You're the ones who chose this, you hear? I don't want to hear any complaints."
Not that I had any intention of making it easier for them.