Chapter 77: Trash-Talking Is an Excellent Provocation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77: Trash-Talking Is an Excellent Provocation
The dungeon exploration proceeded smoothly without a hitch.
Before we knew it, we were passing the 30th floor.
Our teamwork grew more solid by the day. In terms of pure efficiency, Mirei’s party couldn’t even begin to compare.
That was because Mirei’s party followed a style of simply charging in, relying solely on their individual capabilities. Mirei would rush in the moment she spotted an enemy, and Resin would stir up the entire area with wide-range magic, drawing in even more monsters. Since they didn’t pay much attention to their surroundings, my role back then had been to fill those gaps between the party members.
In contrast, Rune’s party stayed disciplined under my command, each member fulfilling their role perfectly. Rune held the front line firmly as a tank, while Narupa delivered what looked like minor tricks but were actually lethal blows in the directions Diane pointed out. I personally handled anything that looked dangerous or tried to exploit a gap.
“It’s different from before… it feels… much more solid.”
Even Diane couldn’t help but marvel, so that said it all.
Every day before going to sleep and every morning while preparing for the crawl, Narupa would give us a briefing on the current situation.
“Officially, the Dakuren Dungeon is only recorded up to the 35th floor.”
“So we’re right around there.”
“Exactly, Rune. That’s why the Ranger’s role is crucial from here on out. If you’re going to betray us, say so now.”
“I—I won’t betray you!”
Diane jumped and protested, but Narupa and Rune’s gazes remained icy.
“Did you hear that, Rune? She says she won’t betray us.”
“As if we’d believe someone who already betrayed our man once before.”
“I’m reflecting on my actions… I really, really won’t do it again!”
I already knew this, but my women were subtly bullying Diane in their own ways. If she showed signs of genuine distress, they would stop immediately. However, Narupa chose to remain cold even if she stayed silent, and Rune openly told me that if it had been any other member of Mirei’s party, she would have beaten them to a pulp already, so I should just let her keep at it.
The problem was that her words weren’t an empty threat.
While she wasn’t as extreme as Narupa, whose entire world revolved around me, Rune was also merciless toward anyone outside her circle of “her people.”
Even before entering the dungeon, the Old Man and Rune would frequently tell me: if the Kingdom, the Duchy, or any other world-scale organization touched me, Hus would declare independence. Rune said she would immediately hold a coronation as the Great Lord, proclaim me her husband, and wouldn’t hesitate to go to war with the support of world opinion.
In any case, since the war had only recently ended and post-war reconstruction was still ongoing, no nation had the capacity to wage another war. Their only option would be to use public opinion and justification to lure people to Hus and try to starve the opposition out.
If that’s how it would go between humans, then with the Demons involved, no one could touch Hus. Because I was in Hus, and if any country faced a crisis, they would have to beg me for salvation.
“Look forward to it, Alto. See how your wives get revenge on the bitches who hurt you.”
Rune would laugh coldly, and Narupa would rest her chin on her hand, lost in thought about how to ruin them. That had become the pattern of our conversations lately.
The more they did that, the more Diane shrank. I saw her wiping her eyes several times a day.
Even that was a source of stress for me, so I decided to keep her out of my sight entirely.
You know why, right?
That girl only acted like this because she found out I was Bertrand. It wasn’t an apology to Alto. I just wished she wouldn’t show her face in front of me. I just hated that the situation didn’t allow for that.
“Alto, I have a question about Barion.”
While we were reorganizing, Narupa asked about the Four Heavenly Kings.
“I understand why she’s a battle maniac who seeks strength, but then what about what Eris said at the Adventurer Guild?”
“What did she say?”
“You know, about the commander-class monsters heading to the deep floors.”
“I’m curious too. What does that have to do with anything?”
Rune chimed in as well, but the answer was actually so pathetic it was almost embarrassing to say.
“I told you she only likes fights she can win, right?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s it. She summons monsters under her influence that seem somewhat strong and duels them.”
“Is that some kind of training?”
My Narupa is a mage, yet she has such an innocent side.
“No, she just wants to savor the feeling of victory.”
So that was it. Since she was obsessed only with battles she could win, she played around with commander-class monsters that she could defeat safely but weren’t too easy.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Rune grumbled in disappointment.
“That’s just cowardly.”
Rumble.
Hmm? Did the dungeon just vibrate a little?
“It’s totally cowardly. It’s not like she’s trying to get stronger by fighting opponents who are equal or stronger; she’s just bullying the weak.”
“Demons are usually like that. Vulcanus is the outlier.”
“Are the other Heavenly Kings like that too?”
“Not much different. Every single one of them uses their traits in the most underhanded ways.”
Rumble, rumble.
See? The dungeon vibrated again.
Narupa also looked up at the ceiling.
“But why is she called ‘Barion of Solitude’?”
“There’s a good meaning and a bad meaning. Which do you want to hear first?”
“The good one.”
Rune looked expectant, as if she had developed a taste for these stories. She was wondering what kind of twist there might be.
“In a good sense, she likes fighting alone.”
“To fully savor the feeling of victory?”
“Exactly. Rune, you’re quick on the uptake.”
“Hehe!”
Her eyes narrowing into cute crescents was adorable.
“And the bad meaning?”
“In a bad sense…”
Actually, Janks used to tease her relentlessly about this back in the Bertrand Unit.
“If the fight starts going south, she runs away alone. Especially in large-scale skirmishes. She’s quick to read the room, so if the tide of battle turned, she’d desert immediately.”
“That’s seriously cowardly and mean. And you said she doesn’t care about the means or methods when she fights alone, right?”
“Yeah. She uses poison, takes hostages, and even abuses space-time skills.”
“Wait, space-time?”
Narupa’s eyes widened.
“She can manipulate space-time?”
“She was so weak she could only manage things like teleportation.”
“That alone is incredible!”
“It was interesting, but…”
“But? You said you fought her yourself, right?”
“I just chased her and caught her.”
“……”
Narupa stared at me in silence for a moment, then walked over to Rune and put an arm around her shoulder.
“Yeah, he’s our husband, Alto Bertrand. No doubt about it.”
“Were you doubting him?”
“I’m just realizing all over again exactly how strong he was.”
“Ah, I agree.”
Just then, Diane raised her hand.
“Th-then… Barion of Solitude is… weak enough for Alto to handle easily…?”
I didn’t like that it was Diane asking, but to reassure my women, I nodded.
“If you actually get to know her, she’s the weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings. That’s why the dungeon is in this sorry state.”
“Isn’t that a bit harsh for one of the Four Heavenly Kings?”
“So what? It’s the truth.”
“I think I’m starting to get a sense of what Alto’s personality was like during the Final War.”
“That’s why the Old Geezer hates me.”
“Ahahaha!”
But Rune and Narupa’s laughter didn’t last long.
RUMBLEEEEEEE!
“What is it?”
“Rune, Alto! Get to me!”
Suddenly, the interior of the dungeon began to vibrate violently. It was as if an earthquake had struck.
I urgently shouted to the women.
“Everyone, keep your balance! Get into formation just in case!”
As soon as everyone took their positions with military precision, Diane screamed.
“Alto, monsters from all directions…!”
Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, and even Chimeras. A variety of monsters were surrounding us.
“Can’t be helped.”
Narupa ground her teeth as she retied her ponytail.
“I’m going for a large-scale area attack. I need time.”
“Leave it to me, Narupa!”
“I-I’ll go around striking their ankles and joints!”
With that, Diane was the first to spring forward. The moment the Ranger, having easily taken the rear, plunged her dagger into the back of a goblin’s head, a gray light flashed and it vanished.
Flash!
“Huh?”
“Rune, in front of you!”
An Orc was charging toward a bewildered Rune.
“Not on my watch!”
She confidently blocked the Orc’s axe with her shield, and then—
Flash!
“Rune!”
“Alto, stay calm! It’s space-time magic! If you touch a monster, you get forcibly teleported!”
“Dammit! If they were teleported onto a trap…!”
“Oh my, Alto.”
Even though Rune had been teleported away, Narupa remained remarkably calm.
“I am the daughter of Bisharen and a Magic Tower valedictorian. If that level of danger or impact is detected, the Magitech Return Stones I gave you earlier are set to trigger.”
“I see!”
“So trust me and deal with this flexibly… Huh?”
Tap.
What was that sound?
It was nothing much. Just the sound of a stone, thrown weakly by a goblin, hitting Narupa’s back.
Flash!
“Narupa!!”
In the end, I was left alone.
I had been overconfident and ended up alone!
“You bastards, I’m going to kill you all!”
According to Narupa, I didn’t need to worry about injuries or death, but the fact that we had been played stung. This was the result of forgetting that this was a dungeon and that our goal was a dungeon clear.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.
Suddenly, the sound of clapping echoed.
I gripped Roar and Howling in a reverse grip, my eyes bloodshot as I glared ahead.
“Who’s there? Show yourself.”
Then, the space between the monsters wavered like a heat haze, and a figure took shape.
A woman with a slender build, damp seaweed-like hair, and long claws on both hands.
“Hellooo~ Alto~.”
Her voice was equally wavering and sluggish.
“Isn’t this a bit much? I was waiting politely, and all you did was talk behind my back…”
“Shut up.”
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
As I swung Roar and Howling, all the monsters in the vicinity exploded. Every single one of them was turned into shreds of meat, leaving only me and that thing.
“Hi…?”
“I won’t say it twice.”
Pulling my waist back as I had when I went to slaughter Yobeste, I issued a very kind warning.
“Where did you send my women?”
“Uh, ex-excuse me? I have no intention of being hostile—”
I told you I wouldn’t say it twice.
“Starting now.”
Tensing every muscle, I lunged forward.
“It’s time for the hunt.”
It’s your turn.
Bloodhound.