Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Phantom
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"Hmm."
After reaching 90% pollution reduction, I'd thoroughly tested the [Quick Movement] function among the rewards. Now all that was left were the 5,000 points...
'Points are never enough, no matter how many you have.'
I checked the remaining point balance in the [Shop] category. Adding the freshly acquired 5,000 points to what I'd earned from the [Decompose] function and such, plus the points from hunting treants and the drops every time pollution decreased, I had roughly 9,000 points in total.
The cheapest white bread aside, a decent amount of food to properly fill someone up would cost around 30 to 50 points. Meals weren't necessary in the game, but in reality, you had to eat...
Rio and I eating three meals a day—no, even if just two—would drain at least 100 points daily at minimum. Those points might seem like a lot now, but they'd vanish in no time once I started spending. At least Erzsebet didn't need separate meals, which was a relief. And that wasn't all—there were even more places I wanted to spend points.
Do you wish to register the target as an employee?
"...Tch..."
I stared at the message floating above Dryad's roots, which had clung to me when I'd suddenly vanished to test [Quick Movement]. If I agreed to that system prompt, I could probably register Dryad as an employee just like Erzsebet or Rio. The problem was...
'Erzsebet cost 10,000 points... Dryad's probably around the same.'
And unlike Erzsebet, registering Dryad as an [Employee] would mean paying her a salary too, so I couldn't just register her on a whim.
'Kinda disappointing. If she were an [Employee], I'd get points even when she cleans the garden.'
Erzsebet sucking up all the blood from the room where she'd been sleeping had played a huge role in dropping the pollution to 90%. That alone had reduced it by nearly 5%. Meaning there'd been that much blood... But when I checked later, no reward points came for the pollution drop from her absorbing the blood.
In other words, no points for me unless I cleaned it myself or had an [Employee] do it.
This massive garden was too much for me alone, so I'd probably keep relying on Dryad's help going forward. In that case, wouldn't registering her as an [Employee] be the smart move? Considering the garden's size, I could probably recoup the hiring cost eventually.
"Isn't there some way to farm points in bulk..."
If humans came charging in again... No, what was I even thinking? That could never happen again. For now, I'd just have to keep cleaning diligently.
"Is this the place?"
"From the intel we've gathered, yeah, this seems to be it."
Phantom, who had led all his demon followers to Delron, had squeezed info out of the local humans about the newly appeared dungeon.
"B-But boss, is this really okay...? Word is, all the 1-star heroes who challenged this dungeon got wiped out..."
"Hmph. Mere 1-star heroes."
One subordinate voiced his concern after hearing the rumors during their intel gathering, but Phantom just snorted derisively. Only small-fry demons feared 1-star heroes. Sure, "hero" sounded impressive, but 1-stars were a dime a dozen—you could find them in any city.
The real heroes started at 2-stars. Those chosen by two or more holy relics had physical abilities surpassing regular demons, and combining the mighty powers of multiple relics produced abilities beyond imagination.
"I've hunted so many 1-star heroes they were underfoot."
These days, Phantom hid comfortably among humans using "Illusion" dark magic, but before gaining that power, he'd lived on the run from them. Back then, he'd dreamed of becoming a dungeon master to escape that hunted life.
And during those days on the lam, he'd already hunted plenty of 1-star heroes who came after him.
"Demons who've survived without joining a dungeon are all nobodies anyway. Even if one of those weaklings gets chosen by a dungeon core... their base is feeble, so their power will be too."
Of course, he was different. He'd deliberately avoided joining dungeons, dreaming instead of becoming a dungeon master himself.
"We're going in."
"Yes, sir!"
Dismissing his subordinates' worries, Phantom led his demon followers into the dungeon's depths.
"The inside is cleaner than I expected?"
"...Not 'than expected'—it's ridiculously clean. What the hell?"
The demons were a bit taken aback after passing through the foreboding entrance. Dungeons were supposed to intimidate intruders with corpses strewn from the entryway, blood everywhere, or at least guards at the gate, right?
But what greeted them in this so-called dungeon was an excessively pristine corridor.
"Heh. It's a brand-new dungeon, so maybe it can't command any underlings yet? No gatekeepers at all, though..."
Unlike his subordinates, who sensed something off, Phantom sneered. Just as he'd predicted—this fledgling dungeon didn't even have basic minions. No gatekeepers, which every dungeon should have!
Seeing it as a gift from the heavens... no, from the Demon God himself, Phantom urged his group deeper inside.
-Crunch. Crunch...
As they trudged through the clean corridor with their dirt-caked feet, leaving tracks behind, a wide space that looked like a prayer hall came into view.
"...Blood smell."
"No blood in sight... Where's it coming from?"
"Heard humans invaded—maybe they buried bodies under here?"
"But why's no one showing up?"
No signs of life emanated from the blood-scented room, so they chatted casually without a hint of tension as they pressed on.
-Click!
"Hm? What sound was th—Gahk!"
"Pancho!"
Just as their guard was dropping, the corridor tiles gave way, unleashing a hail of arrows. The lead demon was pierced and dropped dead in an instant, sending the rest into panicked retreat.
"Don't wuss out, you idiots!"
Phantom bellowed at his men to quell the chaos. He'd been mildly surprised by the lack of guards, but traps popping up in dungeons was par for the course—they were extremely common.
"Why do you think I told you to bring all those shields?! Raise 'em!"
"Yes, boss!"
"Mustal! Weren't you the trap guy in that other dungeon before you got kicked out?"
"Y-Yes!"
"You take point and check for traps. Everyone else, shields up and advance. Got it?"
He'd fantasized about conquering dungeons and becoming a master countless times. He'd prepared for scenarios like this. The demons, spooked by losing a comrade so suddenly, followed Phantom's orders: shields raised, creeping forward slowly.
-Boom!
"Argh! My shield...!"
"Gah! Spears from the floor...!"
Of course, shields didn't block everything. The powerful traps shredded them like paper, and those springing from below were hard to fend off with shields alone.
Mustal, the trap scout? Died first while trying to spot them.
"B-Boss... Casualties are too high. Shouldn't we pull back and regroup...?"
After three subordinates died to traps and nearly ten more suffered injuries large and small, one terrified demon cautiously suggested retreat to Phantom.
"...Pull back?"
"W-We could go grab more shields... Or catch some humans to throw ahead. We can break through trap zones like this easy with meat shields."
"Y-Yeah! Let's snag some humans, boss."
As one or two proposed retreat, other frightened demons eyed Phantom and chimed in agreement. Subtly, they assumed he'd listen. Phantom, wielder of illusion dark magic, had united them while they hid from humans, letting them disguise and lurk among humans as a reliable leader.
Such a leader would surely heed their input to some degree...
"...Go back?"
"Y-Yeah, boss. Grab some humans and shove 'em in..."
Did they think the boss was going along? One subordinate perked up at Phantom's words, but what he faced were Phantom's pupils boiling like molten lava.
"My dream is right in front of me... and you want me to give up?"
"N-Not give up, just a temporary retreat..."
"What if other demons show up? Or humans?"
The retreating demon sensed something off—Phantom's demeanor wasn't his usual self. The reliable leader who'd rallied hiding demons with illusion magic had vanished, replaced by a greed-filled demon.
"Why do you think I've been sheltering parasites like you all this time...?"
"B-Boss...?"
Phantom grabbed the collar of the lead retreat advocate and hurled him deep into the passage.
"Gaaah! B-Boss...!"
-Crunch!
Of all places, a ceiling-collapse trap was there. The demon let out a brief death cry before being crushed. The others fell silent.
"You vermin who've leeched off my power to hide... You've finally got a use. Get in there."
With dungeon mastery within reach, Phantom shed his facade. Greed bared, he decided to cull these useless hangers-on now.
No cowards in my dungeon.