Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: 10. Mine Dungeon (2)
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After a short break, the group formed up in two lines once more and pressed on.
The moment they realized this place had already been fully taken over, the air grew even more tense and murderous. It felt like some monster might be lurking in the unseen darkness somewhere, just waiting to pounce on them...
But excessive tension could become a liability in itself. So Allen periodically glanced back at his mercenaries, tossing out light jokes to ease things up.
"Everyone holding up okay? Don't want your balls or tits falling off from exhaustion. Give 'em a check."
A small chuckle would ripple through, loosening their rigid postures a bit. Since he couldn't fight directly, this was his way of managing morale. A [Confusion] debuff could spell disaster otherwise. Especially for Dmitris—he needed extra watching.
The group trudged on for a while before reaching the second cavern. The dank mine air mixed with a foul stench, creating a bizarre smell. It was like every breath was polluting their lungs... Not that they could hold their breath forever, so they swallowed the nauseating air whole. The mercenaries spat phlegm onto the floor more often because of it.
Having already clashed with monsters in the previous cavern, their steps were even more cautious now. Fortunately, nothing jumped out this time. Viola confirmed the area was clear and called for another break.
The mercenaries, already looking drained, plopped down with heavy thuds and barely spoke. Spending time in a sunless tunnel felt worlds apart from other missions. Allen was feeling it acutely himself.
...This shit really sucks...
He could see why the status ailment penalties hit harder on this op than others. They'd barely started, and the misery was already creeping in thick.
But if even the leader slumped over, what kind of example was that? For the sake of that promised pink paradise... no, the future ahead, Allen forced some energy into his voice. The random lewd thoughts popping up out of nowhere? Blame this damn body's quirks...
"Break's over—!"
This rest was short too. "Ah, you fucking balls..." Thick curses bubbled up here and there, laced with laments about their sorry lot.
"They dug this fucker deep as hell. Shit, at this rate, we could burrow straight into the underworld alive."
"Heh, can't blame it all on the monsters, though. This is some next-level bullshit."
Everyone let out low chuckles. Allen nodded along—he hadn't expected it to go this deep either.
And finally, the third cavern appeared. Before even entering, Viola shot up her hand. The followers halted like a wave crashing to a stop.
The mercenaries stifled even their breaths. Their pounding heartbeats felt louder by comparison.
Viola's eyes flicked to several spots in the darkness. Her monster-sharp senses had picked up three beasts. Probably the same species, which explained why they were huddled peacefully in one space.
She turned back, jabbing her fingers at three spots in quick succession, then silently directed her people into the cavern.
With a rough glance, she divided them into thirds and positioned them accordingly. These were seasoned mercenaries—no need for words; they got the gist from her eyes alone.
As she confirmed combat readiness and prepared her next order, a guttural screech—grraaaah—erupted, and a monster charged.
Fuck—
"Incoming, get ready—!"
Allen bellowed the alert to his crew. But these weren't greenhorns; they snapped into formation without panic.
Then, beyond the dim light, the monsters appeared—and lunged at the mercenaries in a flash.
—!!
A brutal body slam. Several mercs right in front of Allen's unit flew back, smashing into walls and floor. Not fatal, but the impact sidelined them for now.
They looked like lizards. Allen recognized them instantly.
The classic dungeon pest with insane breeding rates: Allogras—
Not the strongest compared to others, but their numbers and agility made them a pain. And if things got dicey, they'd bolt without a second thought—letting them escape just meant headaches and zero XP. No XP here, sure, but it'd piss him off just the same.
Recognizing the infamous buggers, a few leaders barked orders for counterattacks timed to their charges. Allen did the same.
"Don't chase—counter when they come at you—!"
The one that had reeled back after its body slam charged again with a rumbling drdrdr toward the mercs. Axes seemed better than swords or clubs here, so veteran Kallisman and Cabrioldi took the front line. They absorbed the impact with round shields, then hacked deep into its flesh with their axes.
"Ngh, fuck...!"
The waiting mercs swarmed in, slashing at its fore and hind legs first to lock down its movement. Then they pummeled its thrashing body until it was mush.
"Huuuuh, fuckiiiing hell—!"
Allen glanced around after turning one into paste; the others had finished theirs around the same time. With the fight over, he ordered Dmitris to treat the wounded and approached Viola.
The leaders gathered before her as she wiped goo from her blade with a rag, reporting casualties. No deaths or total invalids—lucky break.
"Got it. Longer break this time. Next passage has a hole leading to the dungeon proper. ...But stay sharp. Monsters could hit anytime. Clear?"
"Yes, Leader."
"Dismissed."
Allen returned to his crew, already slumped on the ground. With the extended rest, he called for chow time. Dried meat was the menu, nothing fancy.
"Fuck, this shit's hard as rocks. Gonna chip a tooth. And salty as hell."
Superstitious Nora grumbled while gnawing on the flavorless jerky. Dmitris forced down two bites before giving up—it clearly wasn't to his taste.
Surprisingly, the redhead mage followed orders without a peep of complaint, chowing down steadily. Allen thought, Yeah, she's got real potential. If she grew like this, she could lead the unit as vice-leader while he was away.
The longer break let them rotate short naps. Even brief sleep seemed to revive them a bit.
Soon Viola called break's end. The mercs groaned, hauling their heavy asses up.
This had all been just a teaser. Now came the real monster den. Everyone knew it—the tension ratcheted up.
The cavern split into several paths; the guide led them to one. Freshly dug, it was noticeably narrower than before.
After advancing a ways down it, a pitch-black maw like hell's gullet appeared. The entrance matched the passage width. Probably not originally that big—worn wider by constant monster traffic.
Viola deliberately halted before the dungeon mouth. No words of caution or hype, but the pause itself was a silent warning.
The group eased into the dungeon. The passage sat about child-height above the floor below. Luckily a gentle slope, so no need to jump.
Allen descended with Kallisman's escort. The sheer scale of the monster lair blew his mind. If the entry tunnel was this huge, how big was the whole thing?
...Fucking massive...
No doubt an ancient nest. Allen's first thought: Cleaning this out's gonna be a nightmare. The others wore the same doomed expressions.
And right away, a fork: front or back path.
For smooth ops, Viola split the group into two teams of six units each. Fifty-ish heads could handle most crises solo anyway.
The split happened. Allen's Mercenary Corps stuck with Viola's for the front path.
"Six days. Meet back at that last cavern exactly six days from now."
The two groups flipped identical one-day sand timers in sync. Five more flips after this, and it'd mark the end of day six.
"Good luck."
"See you in six days."
The groups headed down opposite paths.
Frail believer Dmitris clasped his hands tight, praying fervently.
Please, no disasters—
And this time,
Allen felt the same.