Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Raiding Party (3)
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-Pssshhh...
Even for superhumans who had surpassed human limits, it was an enormous explosion capable of inflicting serious damage. As the thick fog from the blast cleared, the conditions of the heroes caught in it came into view.
"Is everyone okay? What's the damage report?"
"Lo, Lord Fallen...!"
Just before the explosion erupted, Fallen had swiftly thrown as many heroes as possible behind him and taken the full brunt of the shock with his own body. Steam billowed from his entire form as he surveyed the aftermath.
"Cough... We're fine. If Lord Fallen hadn't absorbed most of the impact..."
"The mages and priests are the real problem."
The heroes, at least, had sturdy bodies granted by their Holy Relics, so while they were injured, they could endure the explosion's aftershocks to some degree. The issue was the priests and mages, whose physiques were merely at the level of ordinary humans.
"M-Mommy..."
"God... grant me your blessing..."
"......"
Amid the shattered remains of the undead directly hit by the blast, the raiding party's members appeared in their pitiful states.
Those near Fallen up front had fared better, as he shielded them with his body and deflected some of the shock with a burst of air pressure. But it had been impossible for him to save everyone in the rear in that split second.
-Crunch...
Gazing at them with a heavy heart, Fallen clenched his fist, and an ominous sound echoed from it.
"Grrr...!"
"These golems...!"
"They survived that explosion too?!"
Even in the midst of the massive blast, the Iron Golem had curled up and used its [Robot Vacuum Cleaner] to block as much shock as possible, protecting its core. Now, it swung its fist toward Fallen, who stood there with a grim expression.
-BOOM!!!
But Fallen, maintaining his somber look, thrust his fist sideways. An impact exploded forth—far beyond anything from its previous swings—ripping the Iron Golem's body to shreds.
The [Robot Vacuum Cleaner] had initially cushioned the blow to the core, but it couldn't withstand the massive shock penetrating deep inside. The core shattered, and the golem's body crumbled.
"...This is my fault."
"No, Lord Fallen. Cough. No one could have predicted this."
The undead summoning that showed no signs of preparation. The bizarre phenomenon of unstable, massive mana flows suddenly appearing in their midst. The golems with their freakish durability, followed by that necromancer who appeared and vanished like a ghost...
"No, anything can happen in a dungeon. I should have been more cautious."
Despite all these events defying common sense, Fallen blamed himself for failing to predict them properly and allowing casualties.
"First, tend to the wounded. How many priests are left?"
"Only four remain."
"Sigh... Prioritize treating those who can't move. Mages and anyone with protective Holy Relics, form groups of three and move out. The enemy is crossing through space somehow. If you sense anything, deploy barriers first—don't hesitate to burn mana."
"Cough. Understood... Cough! Cough! Gah...!"
"...Adjutant? What's wrong!"
Piece, whose complexion had looked poor for a while, collapsed mid-cough while receiving Fallen's orders.
"Lord Fallen! The toxin levels in the air have thickened!"
"Tch. Corpse poison? That necromancer...! Change of priorities. Priests, start purification. Those without poison resistance, circulate mana to expel it from your bodies."
"Got it."
"And we're retreating."
"Pardon?"
For the first time, the raiding party members questioned Fallen's command as he issued it decisively. Though some were injured by the unforeseen explosion, nearly 30 remained. With potions from supplies and the priests' aid, they could recover fully.
In their judgment, they could still press on, but Fallen was firm.
"No. Playing the pride card needlessly in a dungeon will doom us. We're not far from the entrance, so withdraw as soon as purification finishes. Also, collect some of the destroyed golem's core fragments and body parts. We need to analyze them."
"But, Lord Fallen..."
"Now!"
"Yes, sir!"
Some newcomers to dungeon raids hesitated, but Fallen pushed his decision through.
People praised past heroes' dungeon conquests, but how many sacrifices lay behind those feats?
Fallen himself had conquered the dungeon once called the "Demon Realm" by repeatedly challenging with large forces and retreating, until success. Retreat was a natural option from the start.
'The goal of this first expedition was to identify this dungeon's "unique traits."'
Dungeon conquests rarely succeeded in one go. Admit failure on the first try, retreat, analyze intel, plan accordingly, and challenge again. That's the right way. So...
"That won't do."
"...!!! Get down!"
"Pardon? Agh!"
Once more, Fallen's beast-like senses reacted. The white-haired woman appeared in midair and lunged toward the priests. Fallen intercepted her, blocking the demon woman's ambush on a priest preparing purification from the rear.
-BAM!
"What a beastly man."
"You're... the demon from the reports. The one who manipulates blood, right?"
Erzsebet swiftly retreated after her failed ambush, and nearby heroes closed in to support Fallen.
"Lord Fallen! We'll back you up!"
"Stay back! Their target is the priests! Protect them, not me!"
"The priests...? Yes, sir!"
Judging from Erzsebet's behavior upon arrival—targeting the priests—Fallen deflected the blood spears flying at him barehanded while swinging his fist.
"Tougher body than even the golems. The taste of blood from scum like you must be exquisite."
"Hmph! You won't draw a single drop from me!"
While Fallen bought time, the priests invoked purification miracles with divine power, easing the expressions of the fallen raiders.
"Phew... I'm gonna live... Cough."
"...W-What? The purification worked perfectly... Gah!"
But even after purification, the situation barely improved.
The fallen members' complexions improved slightly, but they all complained of breathing difficulties and collapsed one by one. They tried expelling toxins with mana, but the priests' purification had worked— no toxins were detected in their bodies.
Of course. This wasn't toxin effects; it was simple oxygen deprivation.
"Tch...!"
Aside from Fallen, whose superhuman physique let him hold out an hour without breathing, everyone suffered from oxygen lack. He issued an order while blocking Erzsebet alone.
"Everyone! Grab the wounded and retreat! I'll hold this demon!"
"But, sir!"
"Forgot who I am?"
"...Tch. Understood!"
Those with superhuman bodies enduring the lack rallied at Fallen's command and began retreating. Erzsebet tried to block them, but the moment she turned her back, Fallen unleashed a merciless punch loaded with overwhelming destructive power.
-SPLAT!!!
Erzsebet's form turned to a puddle of blood, but Fallen didn't let his guard down, glaring at the pool on the ground.
-Squelch...
"Unbelievable. I even deployed a blood membrane for protection, and you burst my body right open..."
Regenerating effortlessly, Erzsebet furrowed her brow. This man was different from any human she'd faced.
Beast-like senses. An invincible body unscathed by any attack. And martial arts treating that body as a weapon.
"Tch. This blood won't cut it."
Realizing he was no ordinary foe, Erzsebet set aside her [High-Pressure Cleaner] momentarily and began drawing blood directly from her own body.
'I only just started drinking blood again recently...'
All the blood she'd received from the Bloodthirsty Eyes and Red Demon Tribe would be consumed today.
"Will Lord Fallen be okay?"
"He'll be fine. Lord Fallen has a truly invincible body. Us staying would just be a burden."
While Fallen held off Erzsebet, the raiders carrying their fallen comrades suppressed worries about him. Even if they all ganged up, they doubted they could scratch him, so the thought of him losing didn't cross their minds.
"Damn it..."
They vented frustration at their own powerlessness.
They were elites handpicked by Fallen from the capital. Sure, compared to Chris—who directly absorbed the Light's teachings and wielded cheat-like Holy Relics—they were a few grades lower, but they were still no slouches.
The fact that even they had to flee so helplessly filled them with rage.
"This disaster happened due to lack of intel. Once we retreat, prepare thoroughly, and come back, it'll be different next time."
With Fallen absent, Piece temporarily took command, soothing them as he led the increasingly delirious raiders from oxygen deprivation onward.
...Delirious.
-Hee hee hee...
"...?"
Leading the raiders, Piece suddenly felt as if he'd heard a seductive woman's laughter.
"Tch. You monster bitch..."
"Who's calling who a monster here?"
After the raiders departed, Fallen and Erzsebet—who had been fiercely trading blows—glared at each other, each deeming the other a monster.
One side took no wounds no matter the attacks; the other regenerated infinitely despite her body being torn apart repeatedly.
'Blood consumption is heavy.'
Though Erzsebet maintained a leisurely demeanor throughout, inwardly it was different. Her regeneration ultimately consumed 'blood.' And it couldn't be done with the cheap blood from the staff her master provided.
Reluctantly burning through blood from the Red Demon Tribe and Bloodthirsty Eyes, she clicked her tongue in regret.
'If only I hadn't lost my power.'
The power vacuum alongside her memory loss. She couldn't recall exactly what she was before, but... she felt certain that with her full strength, she could rip apart a man like this with ease.
Well, even so...
"Hm. Arrived?"
During their ongoing clash, having lured Fallen as far as possible to the 'place' her master mentioned, Erzsebet took a step back.
"...Hmph!"
Rather than exploiting the opening, Fallen chose retreat. He knew this demon woman was luring him somewhere, but to keep her from slipping away to the retreating raiders—whom she'd repeatedly ignored—he'd knowingly followed her lead.
'A trap.'
It might even be that targeting the priests initially was bait, but Fallen was confident no trap could harm his body.
'I was stalling too.'
By now, the raiders should've escaped the dungeon. No need to fall for an obvious trap; he could just withdraw himself. Then, using intel on their bizarre spatial movement, undead and golem appearances, and this blood-manipulating demon from direct combat...
With all that, devise a perfect conquest plan and return—this dungeon would fall that day. So for now, retreat...
"Well done, Erzsebet."
"Master. After all this trouble, you'll really give me some blood, right?"
"Why do you keep wanting my blood..."
'...!!!'
But as Fallen tried to slip away quickly, that man appeared from empty air in his view.
The necromancer who had suddenly shown up earlier and summoned hordes of undead. The being this formidable demon—who'd fought him moments ago—called 'master.'
That guy was...!
"Dungeon Master...!"
"Nah, just the janitor."
"...??"