Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Intruder's Pursuit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 7
30 minutes ago.
Charmahr, an adventurer and also a slave hunter, was searching deep in the great primeval forest of the Calhail region.
Clank...
The chain gripped in his hand extended to the neck of a demon boy barely tall enough to reach his waist.
"You shouldn't be happy just because you bought it cheap? Can't you do it right?"
"Water... some water... for days now...."
"Shut your mouth. I've been striking out all month and I'm already pissed off."
"......"
In this era, the life of a demon survivor was worth less than a fly. Ever since Solomon's reign, humans had become the rulers dominating all races on this land.
All humans had long accepted this as a given.
Because they were human, they deserved to enjoy it.
"...Found it."
"What?"
"Found it. The dungeon."
"Is that for real? Not like last time when you mistook a rabbit hole?"
"Come... here... closer."
Charmahr approached the pit in front of him without even listening to the demon boy finish.
Sure enough, through a crack in the split rock, a pit leading underground somewhere came into view. It was in a spot you wouldn't notice without paying close attention.
Both the young demon and Charmahr were certain this pit led to a dungeon.
One because demons were more sensitive to mana than humans, and the other because he had often explored new dungeons and sold the rights to capable adventurers.
That's why he could tell.
Mana typical of a very ordinary, low-level dungeon was leaking out through this pit.
"Heh heh heh... Perfect. Now to gather the scattered guys and...."
Charmahr had companions, but with the dungeon search dragging on, he'd grown impatient and split off to act alone for a bit.
That created a small opening for him.
Fwoosh-!
The sensation of his body floating up.
Someone had shoved him hard from behind.
Naturally, it was the young demon.
"Die! Human!"
"You little shit...."
Clang!
As Charmahr tumbled into the pit, he yanked hard on the chain.
It was a botched pull from the desperate situation, his strength control failing.
Crack...
The demon's neck snapped instantly, and its body fell into Charmahr's arms as he plummeted.
"Goddamn it!"
Ruthlessly, Charmahr used the young demon's corpse to cushion his fall.
Crunch!
Crack-crack-crack!
Rumble...
The impacts bouncing off the pit walls mangled the corpse's bones and flesh, but fortunately—or unfortunately—Charmahr wasn't badly hurt.
He'd worried he might die like this, but the landing was successful.
Charmahr dusted himself off as he stood, venting his frustration.
Fwoosh-!
"You fucking demon scum!"
Crunch!
Craaack!
"Gahk... ptoo!"
He trampled the demon corpse that had put him in danger, then spat on it.
"Hoo... Demons can't be trusted, kid or adult."
Huuup...
"Hey! Can you hear me?"
Hear me...
The voice echoed, but from down here, it would just sound like wind to those above.
And even that faint noise wouldn't be noticeable unless they were right nearby.
"...Gotta find another entrance."
[Charmahr activates Stealth.]
[Hides your body from hostile targets.]
[You tire easily while maintaining Stealth.]
He had decent skills for a low-rank adventurer, so he wasn't too scared.
Moving in Stealth was a bit tiring, but with this ability, crossing a dungeon solo wasn't impossible, making the penalty bearable.
Slink...
His form blurred into the space and seeped away.
Charmahr's ability was low-tier even among low-tiers, but it was enough not to get caught in a dungeon like this.
For over 20 minutes, no monsters detected his presence.
Even the spacing of the deployed monsters and the surroundings weren't that threatening.
'Tch, bottom-tier? Total bust. Looks abandoned for a while... Might only scrape pocket change.'
At this point, he thought dropping Stealth and moving freely would save time.
'Just hold out a bit longer, find the exit and....'
That's when it happened.
A faint light leaked from beyond the long-stretching passage.
'...Light. Not a total bust.'
Gulp...
He nocked an arrow and advanced.
Sticking to the passage's inner wall minimized his presence.
- Keegeek...
- Keeeek...
'...Goblins? Got tense for nothing?'
Goblins were bottom-tier monsters; Charmahr could take them solo easily.
'Still, if they scream, it'll be annoying... One shot.'
[Charmahr uses Rapid Shot.]
[Fires an additional arrow at 80% of your combat power on shot.]
[Additional projectile accuracy reduced by 10%.]
Twang-!
A clear ring as the arrow launched.
Screeeee-!
Thuk-!
'One down.'
Right between the eyes.
Screeeee-!
'...Damn!'
The arrow left the string but flew to an unintended spot.
Fweee-!
'Misfire?'
It hit the chest, not the head.
But the goblin didn't get back up.
'No need to panic.'
Siii...
Charmahr smirked in satisfaction and stepped forward, then froze.
'Wait... could be a trap....'
Stepping from darkness into light exposure was obviously risky.
He stood still, nocked another arrow, and waited.
Good call.
After a bit, two figures appeared from afar.
'...Humans? No, demons!'
Black hair.
That was enough.
Outnumbered, he decided to drop one first, then think.
Look for an opening...
Twitch!
But an unexpected situation unfolded.
The goblin he'd thought dead regained its senses and grabbed the demon's wrist. Then it turned its head toward Charmahr.
'You bastard!'
Reflexive shot.
Thwang-!
Screeeee-!
Position exposed, the demon dodged purely on reflexes.
"Tch...."
Charmahr was about to despair at the worsening situation when he noticed the demons were the flustered ones from the clash.
'This demon's a newbie!'
Plus, both the man and woman were stunning beauties.
'But that woman has horn-like things on her head... decoration?'
His slave hunter instincts overrode his adventurer judgment.
He realized those two would fetch the highest price in this dungeon.
However.
Thwaaaang-!
"Eeeh?!"
He felt his body vanishing somewhere.
'Not this... dungeon curse!'
[The Curse of the Rotten Roots activates.]
[Teleports to the dungeon entrance.]
Boom!
"Graaaah!"
He'd encountered curses a few times while scouting to gauge dungeon value.
That's why he could identify this familiar unpleasant sensation as a curse.
"...No guests allowed, huh."
Charmahr muttered, rubbing his waist where a minor scrape from the bad landing stung.
"Just... the two of them?"
Siii...
A hunter shouldn't flee after spotting prey with his own eyes.
He hadn't seen them clearly, but they were definitely high-value.
Charmahr got his chance.
This was the pit he'd fallen into.
Likely a natural fissure in the dungeon.
"Come this far and hunt for another exit? Hmm...."
No matter how he thought, by the time he gathered his scattered companions and broke through, those demons—especially the beautiful woman without major flaws—would be gone.
The illusion of fortune already in hand slipping away gripped him.
Demons traded for good prices, especially flawless beauties like her.
If he monopolized the ones here solo, he'd have enough to live off forever.
Top-grade demons weren't wasted on dungeon scouting.
The answer was set.
"Keh heh heh... Now we're talking. No escaping now."
To grasp big money, take big risks.
Tsss...
Fwoosh-!
Charmahr lit his torch.
From now on, his rule wasn't reconnaissance.
It was invasion.
No Stealth to avoid rear threats.
He'd already memorized the path to that lit area.
- Keeeeek-!
A Root Worm charged at the fire.
Usually fed on root vegetables but devoured meat too.
Shaped like a giant mealworm the size of a large dog.
Hard to fatally wound with arrows.
Charmahr swiftly drew his straight sword from his pouch.
He lacked close-combat skills, but his swordsmanship was better than flailing.
Whoosh-!
Splurt-!
The Root Worm split in half.
Definitely a good sword.
Even with his mediocre skills, it cleanly bisected the worm.
"Paid a fortune for it... Worth every coin. Heh...."
He checked the corpse with the torch for parasites, then slowly advanced.
Longest 20 minutes.
No, freely moving now, 15 minutes to that spot.
"Don't think about running. You two are Charmahr's property anyway."
* * *
'...That's probably what he's thinking as he invades.'
Earlier, the unexpected encounter flustered me a bit, but calming down and viewing it coldly, it wasn't worth the fuss.
"What about the guy?"
The guy I meant was the still-breathing Goblin Brawler.
"He's holding on for now. But without proper measures...."
That could wait until after expelling the intruder—rely on the Garden of Regeneration. No need for prayers.
Right now, I had to focus on what needed doing. That was the way to save everyone.
"Lord Faust, do you have a sharp plan?"
"That's...."
Boom-!
Then Phenex burst in, flinging open the heart chamber door.
Boom-!
"My lord!"
"Phenex, this is Lord Faust's heart chamber. Unless you're an intruder, such rudeness... Restrain your frivolity!"
"...Oh, got it. But!"
She tilted her head at me.
"The dungeon curse definitely triggered? No one hurt?"
"Lord Faust isn't one to be wounded by some unknown thug."
"Aha!"
...No, we almost got hurt.
It was dangerous, really.
'Anyway, conclusion: dodged the arrow, bounced the guy back out his entry hole.'
One reason the Curse of the Rotten Roots was great early-game: expelling intruders gave hints on unexplored invasion zones.
'So there's a hole there. Not far, so block it after stopping him.'
Two birds with one stone, but the problem wasn't over.
No, it was unfolding in real time.
"Shall Phenex step up?"
I sat on the throne, chin propped, staring at the guy impassively.
"Eek...."
Yeah, if you went out, you'd crush some nameless adventurer in seconds.
'If not for Dungeon Defense active.'
As long as the adventurer breathed, Dungeon Defense stayed locked. Phenex's damn guaranteed-loss passive persisted.
'If he breaks through... next is me in lethargy state.'
Lucifer and I were paper dolls now. The moment the adventurer hit the heart chamber, game over.
Games let retries; this was reality.
Death was probably the closest outcome.
'So, keep the adventurer from reaching the heart chamber.'
Thud thud!
Phenex stomped her feet.
"But! Only Phenex can fight right now! So Phenex will fight...."
"Why do you think that?"
She flinched at my retort.
"...Huh?"
"Why assume you're the only one who can fight?"
Phenex's face turned odd.
...Easy to read.
The face pondering the question hard.
"Hmm...."
She thought deeply, hit a wall, and yelled.
"Goblins alone won't work! It'll die!"
"Goblins?"
Ah.
So that's how she saw it.
"Can't waste resources. Won't send out the remaining goblins."
"Then... then what are you gonna do!"
"......"
"Phenex's not dumb! I get it all!"
Thud...
Phenex's eyes widened at the sudden dungeon vibration.
Rumble...
That should do it—things were going to plan.
"About time."
"T-Time?"
"Look here."
When Dungeon Defense started, the heart chamber displayed the dungeon map.
Whoooosh...
Dungeon Defense: deploy fitting troops to fitting terrain to repel invaders.
Main content of Remegaton, kicking off after fully clearing the tutorial-like Zone 1 invasion.
'At a time when invasion isn't fully cleared yet, this intruder attack is unusual....'
But if a freak raid hit an incomplete dungeon... fun stuff only possible then happened.
"Here...."
"His entry hole is here. Path to heart chamber would roughly be... like this."
Near-straight from entry to heart, but with some twists adding a zone.
I had no memory of clearing all these zones. I'd barely cleared two.
'Meaning...'
From the hole to heart chamber, a temporary zone of unexplored areas was recognized as Faust's territory.
"He's crossing here!?"
"Yeah."
"...But why this?"
Still clueless?
Whatever.
Slink...
"Then he's...."
My finger slid along, stopping at one unexplored spot.
"Forced to pass through here."
"Uh...."
"Lord Faust, this is...."
Yeah.
Now they get it.
"He'll stop... no...."
If played right, chance to erase the intruder—and this dungeon's headache—in one go.
"He'll be stopped."