Chapter 2
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Dungeon Master
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“What kind of key is this?”
I set aside the new anime release and examined the key.
What could it unlock? I pondered for a long time, but no answer came to mind.
Was it for a padlock or a box? Or maybe a door? I couldn’t tell.
One thing was certain—it wasn’t an ordinary item. The gem wasn’t just precisely cut like typical jewelry. If it were fake, they wouldn’t have put this much effort into it.
Moreover, the gem’s luster was incredibly radiant, drawing me in without realizing it.
“Ugh. No idea. Let’s just try fitting it wherever it might go.”
I pulled out every box in the house and tested the key on them. But for some reason, none of them fit.
“So what is it? A door key? Nah, no way. It’s not like we have a secret room in our house.”
Muttering to myself, I tried it on the door to my room. No dice, as expected. I remembered the room key being much shorter. There’s no way this massive key could...
“Huh?”
That’s when it happened. A brilliant light burst from the golden key, and it smoothly slid into the hole. Without thinking, I turned it. With a click, the door opened on its own.
“W-What the?”
What appeared before me wasn’t the living room. It was a cave with jagged stone walls and floor, and a ceiling dripping with stalactites heavy with moisture.
Startled, I stepped back, but the sensation underfoot felt off.
The rough texture of stone.
“No way?”
I turned around and was dumbfounded. My room had vanished completely. It was as if I’d been teleported to an entirely different place.
Yet, despite the pitch-black cave with no light entering, it wasn’t as dark as expected.
“The key...”
A soft golden glow emanated from the key. That was the reason I could make out my surroundings in this lightless cave.
Looking closer, the light stretched in a specific direction.
“Is it telling me to go this way?”
With the mindset of someone adrift on a vast ocean, I followed the light. Right now, it was my compass and North Star.
The key had brought me here, so it should show me the way out too. Otherwise, things would get really grim. Just like this dark cave.
Step by step.
The damp floor echoed as I walked for a while. How far had I gone? A massive iron door appeared.
There was a keyhole at eye level. The golden key’s light was being sucked into it.
“It wants me to open this? But that door looks pretty heavy. Can I even manage it?”
No need to worry about the weight. The moment I turned the key, the door swung open on its own. Just like with my room door earlier.
Unsure what might be inside, I proceeded cautiously. Scenes from horror movies kept flashing in my mind, making me scared.
“Darkness is my friend. Fear is my strength.”
Reciting Kage Gatsu’s famous line filled me with courage. Yeah. I’m the legendary ninja Kage Gatsu. Darkness holds no fear for me.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
No fear my ass! It’s freaking terrifying. My teeth are chattering. Kage Gatsu’s just an anime character. I’m just a regular high school senior who loves anime.
Hiss—
After a short passage, a vast cavern opened up. It was brighter than expected, which calmed my pounding heart a bit.
In the center was a huge crystal that looked just like the crystal tower (phylon) from some game.
Light poured from the crystal too, growing stronger the closer the key’s light got to it.
‘What is this?’
Drawn by something, I approached the crystal. It hovered in midair, about 50 cm off the ground.
It was roughly 1 meter in size, meticulously cut like a gem. Yeah, just like the gem on the key’s handle.
I held the key upside down so the gem faced up, then brought it close to the crystal for comparison.
‘They definitely look alike.’
On a whim, I pressed the key against the crystal.
The instant the gem touched the crystal, an immense light filled the cavern. It was so bright I thought an explosion had gone off.
Thinking something was wrong, I squeezed my eyes shut.
‘...What?’
Thankfully, no explosion. The light just illuminated the surroundings like fluorescent bulbs, harmless.
I cautiously peeked with half-open eyes. Shockingly, a translucent window floated before me. It resembled a game status window perfectly.
[Cha In-hyeok. Lv 1. (00.0%)] [Mana 1]
[Strength 6, Agility 5, Vitality 4, Intelligence 20]
[Demon King's Descendant: Can subjugate demons, monsters, half-human half-demons, and undead. Grows stronger with more subordinates. Racial trait grants resistance to dark magic.]
[Half-Human Half-Demon: As a half-demon, level-up EXP requirements are doubled. Mana is half that of a normal demon. However, damage from holy magic is also halved.]
[Demon King's Castle Lord: One with the Demon King's Castle. Grows stronger as the castle expands; weakens if the castle takes damage. Can use subordinates' skills via mana.]
[*Warning: Losing the Demon King's Castle or its collapse will result in fatal damage leading to death.]
“No way, did I awaken? But Demon King? What’s that? Like a job class?”
At that moment, the crystal’s light turned red and flashed. Like police sirens. A warning alarm blared simultaneously.
[Danger! Danger! Intruder detected! Repel the intruder!]
“I-Intruder?”
[Dungeon defense system admin rights transferred to Master.]
“Dungeon?”
I knew next to nothing about dungeons.
Just that gates led to otherworldly dungeons, and since firearms explode passing through gates, hunters armed with swords, spears, and other cold weapons.
[Current mana owned by Master: 1. Can control 1 1★ monster.]
“Master? Control a monster?”
So the Demon King thing wasn’t just a simple class? Anxiety surged.
Especially that last warning: ‘Losing the Demon King's Castle or its collapse will result in fatal damage leading to death.’
[No monsters currently owned. Master must intercept directly.]
“...What do you expect me to do?”
[Intruder has reached the throne room. Prepare for combat.]
Fuck. I’m screwed. Whatever this was, I was definitely screwed.
Click-clack! Click-clack!
Someone approached from the dark passage. My heart pounded in time with the clicking high heels.
The dungeon crystal’s light caught the intruder’s legs.
Black leather boots and purple-tinged leather pants.
The skin-tight material revealed long, slender legs at a glance.
My heart raced more as the intruder drew closer.
From fear? Partly, but it was also thrilling somehow.
The gradually revealing figure... The outfit looked familiar.
‘No way, Shinobi Yukie?’
Yukie was a character from Kage Gatsu. Basically a villain, but sometimes teamed up with the protagonist as an anti-hero.
A tsundere—prickly yet occasionally emotional—character who was quite popular. And my favorite, for the record.
“Ah!”
Sure enough, a red scarf like Yukie’s signature wrapped around her neck.
Her face was an exact match for the animated Yukie, as if she’d jumped straight out of the screen.
If Yukie had a real-life model, this woman would be it.
As I marveled, her red lips parted, and a sharp voice echoed through the cavern.
“Master.”
“Ooh! That voice—Hanazawa Rie’s!? Awesome!”
Perfect cosplay and looks. I thought that was enough, but no. A character’s true essence was the voice.
“Hm?”
My shout made Yukie halt, her face shocked and confused.
I felt kinda bad. But I couldn’t help it. Perfect Yukie cosplay with Rie’s voice! An irresistible combo.
“Hehe. Hold me, Master.”
Yukie quickly shook off her surprise, smiling softly as she approached. But I couldn’t smile back.
“Gah!! No! That’s not it!”
“Huh?”
I tore at my hair and backed away.
This couldn’t be! It was a sin. With such perfect looks, outfit, and voice! How could she be so oblivious!
“W-Why, Master?”
“You! Did you even analyze the character properly?”
“Character... What?”
She still looked clueless about her mistake. It pissed me off. A blemish on such perfect cosplay—unacceptable.
“Yukie would have a contemptuous look! Snarky tone! Smirks and arrogance! You think matching the outfit, looks, and voice makes you the character? No way, right? Please say no!”
“N-No... I mean, no.”
“Ooh! As expected! Then do it right.”
“W-What do you mean?”
“Obviously, act the part!”
“Huh?”
Yukie’s face twisted in confusion, irritation, and disgust.
“Yes! That’s it!”
This was it. The expression I wanted.
* * *
‘What kinda psycho is this guy?’
The succubus was speechless at the bizarre demand she’d never encountered before. She’d met all sorts of perverts, but this one took the cake.
Seriously! Her favorite person was a drawing... Even with her mental magic expertise, perfectly replicating a 2D character wasn’t easy.
And this jerk wanted her to match not just looks and voice, but speech patterns too.
‘Should I really drain this puny human’s essence for this crap? No. Hang in there a bit more. Kill him, take the dungeon, and I can become Succubus Queen.’
But every time this weakling nitpicked her words and tone, her fist clenched involuntarily.
Her forehead veins were probably bulging.
Still, the succubus summoned superhuman patience and complied.
“Long time no see, Kage Gatsu. Shadow of Oshu.”
She had to swallow a gag midway. It was cringey as hell.
But this human misinterpreted her pause, brazenly delivering the next line.
“What brings you here, Yukie?”
“...I have a favor to ask.”
“The crimson witch of Owari asking me for a favor? Hilarious.”
“Urk!”
“Are you alright?”
“...Fine. Just... a minor injury.”
“Looks like you tangled with a tough opponent.”
What a tough bastard. How does he say that stuff so casually?
Gnawing her lip, the succubus pressed on. He was clearly an inexperienced virgin. Once she got to real skinship, he’d fold.
“Ahh!”
Pretending to collapse from injury, she lured him closer.
“Yukie!”
As expected, the human walked right into the trap.
‘Yeah. Come a little closer. Just a bit more.’
That’s when it happened. The approaching human froze, drew a long sword from behind, and aimed it at her throat.
“Did you think this sloppy acting could fool me?”
“What?”
“Whatever scheme you’re plotting, I won’t go down easy. Yukie.”
“N-No, what are you...”
The succubus gritted her teeth in fury.
‘When the hell does this roleplay end?’