Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Big-Boobed Pixies #1
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"Roll call, assemble!"
The moment I shouted with full force, the dungeon monsters burst out toward the entrance.
"Keruk!"
"Kyusat!"
The cute dungeon buddies filed out one after another. After confirming they'd all left, I was the last one to exit the dungeon.
>—Thud!
The trained monsters were already like a proper army. I climbed up to the platform, looking over the ones assembled by race.
"Did you all sleep well last night, kids?"
"Keruk!"
"Kyusasat!"
Looks like they slept great.
"Alright, we'll skip the national anthem recitation... obviously! Skip all that other bullshit too! Morning roll call starts now!"
We don't need cheers, anthems, or oaths of service!
"Demon King Army calisthenics! Leg exercises, begin!"
But calisthenics? We need those!
"One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight!"
I barked the commands while demonstrating the moves.
"Keruk! Keruk! Kek! Kek!"
"Kyusat! Sat! Kyusat! Kyusatsat!"
"Keureuk! Keureuk!"
The monster troops clumsily followed my movements, shouting with spirit. You gotta loosen up in the morning to avoid injuries.
"Two! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Imsoong, where the hell you flying off to?!"
"Keureuk!"
Looking them over, all that training paid off. Except for this one asshole, everyone was trembling like they might soar into the sky, but following commands put them in the top class already.
But Imsoong here was seriously trying to take off like a goddamn plane.
Anyway, after finishing the simple exercises, I relayed today's announcements and assigned duties.
"Gyuil!"
The veteran kobold Gyuil stepped forward at my call.
"Kyusatsat."
The kobold platoon had grown quite a bit. Original members: Gyuil, Gyui, and Gyusam. Now with six more recruits, totaling nine.
Seeing them lined up in three ranks made my chest swell with pride.
"Gyuil. You guys keep expanding the dungeon today. Just dig like yesterday. You gotta keep 'em in line, got it?"
"Kyusatsat!"
Gyuil replied confidently.
Good. Reliable.
Gyuil had received my demonic power injections multiple times, so he was bigger than other adult kobolds. Seemed smarter too—he understood words better.
"You cute little rat bastard. Alright, I trust you."
"Kyusat!"
I patted his head, and he wiggled his ratty snout happily.
"Dismissed. Imsoong! Front and center!"
"Keureuk!"
Imsoong bounced right over.
"Imsoong, you little shit. You good?"
"Keureuk!"
"Yeah. Me too."
We had seven imps now. Imsoong as platoon leader, six under him. Size differences were huge—Imsoong got the most demonic power infusions, so he was the biggest.
"Imsoong, word is you're fucking up your kids bad."
"Keureuk?!"
"Nah? For real? Shithead, investigate and it'll come out."
"Keureuk! Keureureuk!"
Imsoong frantically waved his hands in denial.
"You little... Fine. Big bro believes you. Don't beat 'em too hard. Go easy."
"Keureuk."
"Alright, Imsoong. You and yours are doing anti-tank training with me today. After, grab shovels and help Gyuil with construction. Once you're fed, bring 'em to me."
"Keureureuk!"
>—Thud!
Imsoong saluted like a soldier, then bounced back to his spot.
"That ADHD fucker."
Last up: Buril.
"Buril!"
"Keruk!"
"Fuck, you adorable little shit."
Goblin platoon totaled twelve now. Original eight phalanx plus four recruits. We were just kidnapping more goblins from outside to replace them.
Marines call this "gimbye"? Or some shit.
Anyway.
"Anyway, Buril. Morning's free training. You lead combat drills with the kids. You got this?"
"Keruk!"
"That's right! Buril's the best! C'mon, Buril! Hands!"
>—Thud!
"Keruk!"
I held out my hand; he gripped my wrist tight. I gripped his back.
>—Spin!
I spun him three full rounds!
"Hahaha!"
"Kerururung!"
I set Buril down. He's smart—handles shit on his own. Fine leaving goblin combat training to him.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Then.
"Mama, what about me?"
Sharan, who'd been sitting by the platform, came up and asked.
"Heh heh, Sharan's on bed-making duty in the inner chamber, right? Keep at it."
"Yes, Mama."
Good.
Who else? Ah.
"Muturi."
"Grak."
"Muturi, you keep making leather today. Got it?"
"Grak."
Muturi nodded quietly. Honestly, things were still awkward with him. He worked without complaint, no issues, but something felt off. Bluntly, Muturi was a plant.
"Morning roll call over! Eat up and start the day's work!"
And so the dungeon's day began.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Alright! Gyuil! Start construction!"
"Kyusat!"
Gyuil echoed the order, and his kobolds grabbed wooden shovels, filing into the dungeon depths. Damn, they looked cute like this.
"Adorable little rat shits. Buril! Begin training! Breaks on you!"
"Keruk!"
Buril's got it handled.
"Mama, I'm off to make the bed."
"Yeah, yeah. Our Sharan's so pretty."
"Mama's handsome too."
"Heh heh, yeah!"
I planted a kiss on Sharan's forehead. She headed inside.
"And."
Over there, Muturi had already started. Bucket of water ready, tools laid out, scraping fat off hides stretched on wooden frames with a wooden knife.
Quiet, but works well.
"Keureuk!"
Soon Imsoong arrived with his crew.
"Yeah. Follow big bro now."
Time for anti-tank training. Gathered imps for this. Their fireballs looked like shit solo, but en masse? Threatening as hell.
>—Shuffle shuffle.
Imsoong and the kids goofed around as they followed. Training ground was the yard next to the dungeon—perfect for fire play.
"Here. Line up single file next to Imsoong, kids!"
"Keureuk!"
Imsoong assisted my orders.
"Keureureuk!"
"Keureuk?!"
Imsoong spotted a slacker, flicked his forehead. The punk yelped, clutched his head, and shaped up quick.
"This fucker's got some seniority now."
Compared to Buril? Laughable noob. But does his job.
Line formed up.
"Good. You kids can throw fire, right?"
"Keureuk!"
"Training to throw 'em all at once. Everyone, face front."
I grabbed a rock.
And.
>—Whoosh!
Threw it forward. It hit the dirt wall and dropped.
"Like this. When I signal, chuck 'em there all at once. Got it?"
"Keureuk!"
"Imsoong, you understand?"
"Keureureuk!"
They could only fire twice max. Had to make it count.
"Ready... fire!"
"Keureureuk!"
>—Fwoosh!
>—Fwoosh!
>—Fwoosh!
Fireballs ignited in their hands.
"Good."
They could ready simultaneously.
Now.
"Throw!"
"Keureuk!"
>—Fling!
>—Fling!
>—Fling!
They hurled in unison.
"Yes! That's it!"
Simultaneous fire was key. First phase cleared.
But.
>—Plop plop plop.
Fireballs floated like slow moths. Imsoong's was faster, but still too damn sluggish.
>—Fizzle.
They disintegrated after a few meters.
"Figures. Gotta use this up close."
Purely defensive.
"Keureuk?"
Imsoong tilted his head as I pondered.
"Yeah, good job. One more round!"
"Keureuk!"
Restarted training. Decent enough—they got the simultaneous concept. But speed was the issue.
>—Plop plop plop.
Imsoong's was fastest.
Gotta infuse my demonic power to upgrade 'em. Imsoong's tier 2 now. Need all at tier 3 minimum for offensive use.
"Resources short as fuuuuck!"
Daily demonic power recharge was limited.
Always so goddamn tight.
Black magic practice ate it up, growing the kids too.
How to get more demonic power?
"Fuck, two rounds done already. Good enough. Imsoong, short break. Then shovels to help Gyuil."
"Keureureuk."
Training over, back to dungeon front.
And.
>—Shing.
Drew the longsword left at the entrance.
"Cheat-ass gear."
Chainmail, pants, belt, gauntlets, boots. All top-tier. Plus this blade—prime steel.
Gear advantage.
With this, fights get easier. Stone Age dude with iron? OP.
"But the engravings are trouble."
Engravings.
If that human warrior was nobility or rich kid as suspected... humans might send scouts to this jungle.
If they spot me geared like this? Fucked. "That monster killed my kid!" They'd swarm. No escaping—evidence. Might send an army, not scouts.
To avoid? Don't meet humans, or kill every one I meet.
"Sigh."
Shit situation either way.
This might force contact with humans. If they raid the dungeon, won't end like hobgoblin or barghest.
"Paint the sword black maybe."
Blacken hilt and crossguard? Anyway, assumed stance sword pointed.
New weapon meant practice. Black magic could wait—this was more useful now.
"..."
More than that.
Excitement.
No man holds a real steel sword without getting hyped.
"Here goes! Hah!"
Swing!
>—Whoosh!
The wind-whipping sound was insane! This was wielding a true steel blade!
"Hah! Tsah! Chaaah! Chah! Red spots! All chah!"
>—Whoosh!
>—Swoosh!
No swordsmanship knowledge, never done kendo, but swinging wildly was fun. Kid me with sticks or brooms, same shit.
Nostalgic fun.
"Whew."
But.
"Harder than it looks."
Swinging nonstop, breath ragged quick. Sword maybe 1.5kg, but heavy on stamina.
"Tricky to handle."
What to say.
Worlds apart from wooden sticks. Double-edged—fuck up, slice my leg or shoulder.
"Hah!"
Kept swinging anyway. No clue now, but repetition might teach feel.
As I practiced.
"Mama!"
"Huff. Huff... Huh? Sharan."
"Lunchtime! Eat up!"
"Already? Yeah! Let's eat!"
Eat then resume.
Packed gear, announced lunch. They sensed mealtimes like ghosts—everyone out quick, prepping.
Today's menu: smoked meat and fruit.
Dig in tasty.
"Kids, good work this morning. Stuff yourselves for the afternoon!"
"Keruk!"
"Keureureuk!"
I took first bite; lunch began. Groups ate on their own.
"Kerurung!"
"Yeah, Buril! You little shit!"
Buril brought bone-cleaned meat. Such a good boy.
"Keureuk!"
"Kyusatsat!"
Seeing that, Imsoong and Gyuil offered peeled fruit. Fruit?
"Agh, you shits. Why? Can't spare meat? Heh heh."
"Keureuk?"
"Kyusat?"
Hit the mark—they scratched heads, played dumb. Cute bastards.
"Mama, but is Lumika okay?"
"Yeah."
She hadn't gathered full lake power yet. Despite events, few more days solo there.
"No choice. Eat then check?"
"Yeah. Lumika alone must be lonely."
"Gotta go daily."
After food, sure.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Thus passed ordinary days building combat power.
One day.
"Shaa? Mama!"
"What!"
"Something's coming!"
"Shit!"
>—Shing!
Drew sword, headed direction Sharan pointed, assessed. Armed goblins followed.
"Mama, there!"
"No! That's!"
Intruder was...
>—Plop plop plop!
A fairy!
"One fairy? No problem! Kids, prep rocks!"
As we readied combat.
"Shaa? Mama? Wait. Fairy's saying something."
"What?"
Fairy talking?
Here to chat?
"Sharan, what're they saying?"
"Shaa... Go talk?"
Scanned surroundings.
"Yeah. Talk. Careful."
"Yes, Mama."
>—Rustle.
Sharan approached the fairy.
Fairy came to talk? Then it hit me.
Pixies during satyr-lizardman war. They sent a letter.
"Mama."
Sharan returned.
"Sharan? What?"
"Shaa. Shaa shaa? Mama? They—shaa shaa—want to meet."
"Shaa shaa?"
"Those. Big-titted bitches from satyr-lizardman fight."
"Ah. The pixies."
Pixies indeed.
"Sent a herald to meet?"
Tiny... but royal-titted females want to meet me.
This.
Might make 'em mine like Lumika.