Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Becoming the Dungeon Master! #2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
—Fwoooosh!
The Demon Breath erupted from my mouth like a flamethrower, setting the mother kobold's head ablaze.
"Greeeeaaargh!!"
A horrific scream.
But she didn't die right away. Just because her face was on fire didn't mean instant death. The mother kobold, now a ghostly rider in flames, thrashed wildly instead, rampaging in agony.
—Gurgle, gurgle.
Her torso pierced by the spear. The violent movements caused blood to gush out from the wound.
I fell back a bit with my minions.
The flames were fierce.
"Kyurayaaak! Gyugyuryaaaak!"
"...Fuck."
Seeing her writhe like that made me want to end it quickly out of pity. But I couldn't. Getting too close risked the fire spreading if she lunged.
How much time passed?
—Tssst.
The raging flames finally died out. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air. The mother kobold lay sprawled, exhausted.
"Go to a good place."
I immediately drew my hand axe.
—Kwachik!
I severed her neck, putting an end to her suffering.
"Hoo."
We won.
In packs like this, the mother is usually the strongest. The boss. Kill the boss, and it's over. Victory is ours.
Thinking that sent a shiver through me.
—Thrill.
A rush of intense euphoria and joy surged in...!
"Uwooooooh!!!"
A blazing roar!
My burning chest ignited my vocal cords! My roar was scorching and passionate!
"Kerurruk! Kerrrung!"
"Grurruk! Grurruk!"
My proud minions joined in with their cheers!
They did great! Buril! Imsoong! Everyone performed their roles perfectly!
Perfect teamwork led us to victory! We'd claimed the kobolds' den without a single casualty!
"Heh heh heh, you all did amazing! We won! This is our dungeon now!"
"Keruk!"
My heart pounded.
Now I had to fix it up and make it a proper dungeon of my own. Fuck that shitty beet cave—now we'd live in a real burrow!
No time to waste to make it happen!
Couldn't just sit around.
—Shove.
I shoved the corpse aside.
"Let's head deeper!"
"Gruk!"
We went inside.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After reaching the end and rounding the corner.
"What's this?"
"Keruk?"
We spotted the kobold remnants.
"Gyuuu."
"Gyuuu."
"Kyurung."
Baby kobolds smaller than Imsoong.
"Baby kobolds, huh."
The three huddled in the corner, rubbing against each other with frightened whimpers.
"Scared, are you?"
They trembled like they were terrified. Even as babies, they knew enough to sense their impending doom.
"Keruk keruk!"
"Grurruk!"
Buril and Imsoong drooled and fidgeted at the sight. To these wild ones, the young of prey were nothing more than soft, sweet treats.
Prime spoils and rations.
"Hold up. We're not eating these. Leave 'em be for now."
"Ke, keruk?!"
My mana was zilch right now. Used Domination on the kobold earlier and Breath on the mother—tank's empty.
So, rest a day... then try Domination on these pups. They seemed so helpless and scared; it'd probably work great.
They were babies anyway, barely mobile. Keep 'em contained for a day and test tomorrow.
Kobolds were definitely useful.
Raise these as dungeon engineers.
Gonna need lots of goblins for soldiers ahead. Imps for DPS, kobolds for digging—tons of both.
"Buril. Make sure these don't escape. No eating, or you're in trouble."
"Keruk..."
Buril smacked his lips regretfully. Not under Domination yet, so they looked like cake to him.
Makes sense. Imsoong tried to attack at first too.
To eat it.
"Heh heh, sorry. Hey, we found the food stores, right? Let's chow on those today."
"Keruk keruk!"
All that action left me starving. Pull from the stores and feast.
"Ahh!"
Anyway!
We took the kobolds' den!
"Dungeon acquired, fuck yeah!"
I'm so fucking pumped right now!
Finally, my own dungeon!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ That day, we took it easy.
Hauled the dead kobolds to the food storage, ate, then crashed for rest. Ceiling's low here, but way flatter and comfier than the beet cave.
Feels like my mana recovery's faster too.
The peace of mind from it being my dungeon. The comfort. Gotta be boosting regen.
Slept like a rock and woke refreshed. Less chilly than the beet cave was a win... fuck, but this low ceiling's gonna take getting used to.
"And shit, takes forever to get out."
Not that long, but unlike rolling out of the beet cave, this burrow meant hunching all the way to the entrance.
Gotta widen the entrance and paths first.
"Anyway. Buril. Imsoong. Up and at 'em."
"Keruk...?"
"Gruk?"
My cute minions stirred slowly.
"Gyuuu..."
"Kyuuu."
The baby kobolds slept in a rock-ringed pen. I grabbed one.
"Gyuu?!"
"Buril. Imsoong. Each grab one and let's head out."
Too cramped inside.
Do it outside.
"Keruk keruk."
We headed out with my crew.
"Whoa. This is seriously nice."
Looking back at the entrance felt like winning the lottery with a sweet ride. Total satisfaction.
"Keruk keruk."
"Alright, Buril. Line up those runt pups nice."
"Keruk."
Buril arranged the baby kobolds neatly.
"Gyuuu..."
Smaller than Imsoong, they could barely move. Just huddling in fear.
—Hummm.
I gathered my mana.
"Monster Domination!"
I injected it into the pup's back like a shot.
"Guut?!"
The limp pup convulsed briefly, then stood slowly.
"Gyusat?"
"Oh! It worked!"
The reaction said success!
"Yosh! Domination chain deploy!"
I dumped all remaining mana into the other two!
"Gyuuu...!"
"Gyusat."
And done!
"Acquired three baby kobolds!"
Three more minions!
"Keruk!"
"Grurruk!"
Buril and Imsoong clocked the new additions right away. They bounced around me excitedly.
"Gyuu gyuu."
"Gyusat."
The fresh baby kobold minions lined up before me. Definitely smaller than Imsoong.
Buril came up to my waist.
Imsoong to my thigh.
These reached my knee. Grown, they'd be bigger than imps but smaller than goblins.
"Keruk... keruk keruk."
Buril started chattering at the newbies.
"Gyuu?"
"Keruk?"
Of course, the rookies didn't get it.
"Alright, you lot. Look here."
"Gyusat?"
"You guys sound like 'gyusat' all the time, so from now on, you're Gyu-il, Gyu-i, and Gyu-sam in order. You're Gyu-il. You Gyu-i. Last one's Gyu-sam. Got it? Nod if you do."
"Gyusat?"
I stared them down, imprinting the names. They nodded.
"Good!"
These pups were mine now! Sure, I killed their family and mom, but Domination overrode that! Ants steal other pupae and raise 'em too!
"First Squad of the Qlus Demon King Army! Face forward and roar!"
—Kraaaaa!
I let out a mighty cheer.
"Kerurruk!"
"Gruk!"
"Gyu, gyuuu!"
"Gyusat sat!"
They howled in unison!
"Hahahahaha!"
Satisfaction welled up! Five minions now!
Damn!
Got a killer house, five underlings—this was damn near perfect!
"Just need a wife by my side and it'd be ideal... Anyway. Today's task: dungeon repairs. Food's stacked in storage—focus till it's gone. Got it?"
"Keruk!"
Buril answered for the squad.
I'd mapped the whole layout already.
A decent-depth burrow.
One bathroom inside. One food store. One big shared room. Three rooms total, plus corridors.
Now resize everything for my height. Narrow tunnels are defensible, but I gotta live comfortably.
Bigger dungeon means traps at the entrance.
Dig pits, stake sharpened branches—boom, traps. Planning stage, but soon.
"Let's get to it!"
"Keruk!"
Buril and Imsoong started widening the entrance. Scratching with hands, scraping with thick branches.
"Hey, Gyu-il. You three help out. Widen the area around there."
"Gyuuu? Gyusat."
The Gyu-ils nodded and crawled in, gnawing the walls with their buck teeth for construction.
"Hell yeah! Look at these kids work!"
Child labor's illegal, but they're monsters!
In my Demon King army, age don't matter—pull your weight!
"You chose the Qlus Demon King Army! Tough it out with grit and evil!"
—Swipe.
I drew my hand axe and joined in!
"High mountains, deep valleys! Silent! Mountain and river!"
Feels good!
Demon King life!