102
Chapter 102
Ailee pointed at Chunja and spoke.
She said that the slave Chunja was both a Monster Slayer and a Magic Tool Restorer.
She wasn't just a Human with the Magic Tool Restoration skill, but someone who held a state-certified Restorer License.
In other words, she was a Human who restored Magic Tools professionally.
This was a stroke of Great Luck.
I didn't care about the other Humans, but Chunja coming to our Dungeon was like a blessing tumbling right into our laps.
We were planning to look for a Magic Tool Restorer eventually anyway.
After all, we had a mountain of broken and worn-out Magic Tools stored in the Basement.
All hail the Luck Domain.
The Humans finding their way into our Dungeon.
And on top of that, the fact that Chunja, a Magic Tool Restorer, was captured alive instead of dying with the rest of the eight was also a form of luck.
As long as Chunja wasn't lying, she was far too valuable a talent to be left to rot doing Dismantling work in a Labor Camp like this.
"Gom-gom, gom-gom-gom."
I immediately gave an order to one of the Butler Fake Dolls.
I told him to go up to the 2nd Floor and bring back a White Mana Stone.
Once he brought the White Mana Stone, I planned to create another new space on the 1st Floor.
A personal Workshop just for Chunja, a Magic Tool Restoration Room.
I needed to make at least that much of an investment for a capable slave.
Ah. I would definitely have her under constant surveillance, of course.
A slave was still a slave, after all.
"Bear Baby, by the way, were these Dolls made from the Humans who died earlier?"
Ailee asked after belatedly noticing the Butler Fake Dolls.
I nodded in affirmation.
"I'm pretty sure they weren't wearing these clothes when they were corpses, but now they're dressed in outfits similar to yours, Bear Baby."
"Gom-gom, gom-gom."
"I see. Thankfully, I don't recognize a single face."
So she hadn't checked the faces of the corpses before.
Seeing how she said it was a relief, it seemed she didn't want any Humans she knew to die.
Just in case, I should tell everyone to capture invading Humans alive if possible.
The chances were slim, but an Intruder might just turn out to be an acquaintance of Ailee's.
Of course, I wouldn't demand they capture them no matter what.
I planned to order that they could kill without hesitation if capturing them proved to be too difficult.
"■□■□■■...."
"□■■ ■□□......."
The slaves were terrified once again upon seeing the Butler Fake Dolls.
Perhaps thinking that this would be their own future, they looked like they were on the verge of tears.
Now, now, grown adults shouldn't cry.
***
"Greetings."
Not long after, the Butler Fake Doll returned with the White Mana Stone.
He was a truly prompt fellow.
Receiving the Mana Stone, I immediately created a new space next to the Labor Camp without delay.
"Bear Baby, shouldn't you have verified it first before making a Workshop?"
"Gom?"
"Chunja did say out of her own mouth that she was a Magic Tool Restorer, but we don't know for sure if she was telling the truth yet."
"Gom-gom-gom, gom-gom-gom-gom."
I'm just going to trust her for now.
She isn't a pathological liar, so would she really lie about something like this?
If she's caught in a lie, her head will fly right off.
There was a very low chance it was a lie, but if so, I could just neatly punish her and use this Workshop for something else.
"Gom-gom, gom-gom."
"Chunja. He says to wait in the Workshop because we'll bring the Magic Tools."
Chunja gave a small nod.
Then she moved to the Magic Tool Restoration Room next to the Labor Camp, which I was pointing at with my Cane.
Afterward.
We stopped by the Basement and gathered the Magic Tools in storage.
We didn't take all of them.
For now, we just brought back a few experimental Magic Tools to entrust for restoration.
Ailee naturally took charge of selecting the Magic Tools.
"It's a good thing we didn't discard the Magic Tools."
Saying so, Ailee carefully set the Magic Tools we brought down on the Restoration Room's workbench.
Now then, Chunja.
Let's see you try and fix them!
It's time to see if you can truly do Magic Tool Restoration!
Just know that if you can't fix them, your head will go flying!
Chunja slowly looked over the Magic Tools placed on the workbench.
Then, she gulped and slowly picked one up.
"...■■■□ ■□■□□□."
"Is that so? I mean, right?"
"■□■ ■□□ ■■□■."
"Got it."
When Chunja said something, Ailee nodded her head.
Soon, Ailee looked at me and provided Interpretation.
"She says that out of the Magic Tools we brought, that one seems the easiest to restore. It'll probably take about a day."
"Gom-gom-gom?"
A day?
What takes so long?
Was Chunja actually lying, and is she just trying to stall for time now?
Just as that suspicion began to sprout, Ailee added more.
"Magic Tools aren't something you can fix in a flash. Even for a skilled Restorer, Magic Tool Restoration takes a few days on average. If it's a highly advanced Magic Tool, it can sometimes take months."
Aha.
So it was a time-consuming task from the start.
My doubts vanished completely.
If Ailee said so, it must be true.
But if it takes a few days on average, Humans must only entrust the restoration of precious Magic Tools.
They would probably just throw away cheap Magic Tools and buy new ones.
Because it takes a long time, and since a Restorer is supposedly rare, the restoration cost would be expensive.
Though it's free for us.
"Depending on the Magic Tool's condition, there are cases where it can be restored in a few hours, but it seems there aren't any like that among what we brought today."
"Gom-gom."
Got it, gom.
Then let's come back tomorrow.
You make sure to work hard on the restoration, Chunja!
***
Slave Chunja.
Her hands, which had been trembling in fear, had somehow calmed down.
Under the surveillance of the Jailer Dolls.
Chunja took a deep breath, continuing her Magic Tool Restoration work as she thought to herself.
Perhaps it was a relief that they came under protection in this Dungeon.
Perhaps becoming slaves was a stroke of luck for them.
She wasn't just forcing herself to think positively.
She had judged the situation rationally enough, and that was the conclusion she reached at the end.
Chunja had already realized that they would never survive on this Continent with just their own strength.
Because the monsters inhabiting this Continent were at a level that Humans could never handle.
Even if they hadn't entered this Dungeon.
They were destined to become a meal for other monsters sooner or later anyway.
This current situation was much better than a future like that.
The current situation was also practically the worst, but among all the possible futures that could unfold, she figured this path led to the brightest one.
Although seemingly harmless on the outside,
It was actually the worst Teddy Bear in history that had killed an Astral Slayer.
Being under the protection of such a monster was the only path to survival currently visible.
Therefore, she had to get on the good side of the Teddy Bear assumed to be the Dungeon Master as much as possible.
She had to prove somehow that she was useful.
Fortunately, Chunja's ability was helpful to the Teddy Bear.
Whether it had extorted them from Humans or not, the Teddy Bear possessed Magic Tools, and Chunja was a Magic Tool Restorer.
Even if she eventually restored all the Magic Tools, she wasn't worried.
Because the durability of Magic Tools wasn't infinite.
As long as the Teddy Bear needed Magic Tools or didn't lose interest, Chunja could stay under the Teddy Bear's protection for the rest of her life. As for her two friends, she just had to ask to spare them by proving their abilities as much as possible.
She didn't even think about escaping this place.
Leaving the Dungeon would mean certain death, and even if they luckily left this Continent, there was no hope.
Not long ago, Chunja had seen it.
The sight of several monsters hijacking the ship the Humans had sailed on to explore this Continent.
That meant the monsters had crossed over into the Humans' territory.
Wherever they went, outside of this Continent was all Human territory.
There was no way it would end with just those monsters.
It was clear that more monsters would cross over into Human territories from now on.
By hijacking Human ships, swimming, or using Flight.
By any means, they would escape this Continent and invade the lands where Humans lived.
In other words.
It meant that even if they luckily returned home, it wouldn't be safe at all.
Chunja only now realized it.
The fact that the Barrier surrounding this Continent was no different from a Barrier that had been protecting the Humans.
Chunja had a hunch.
That an apocalypse would soon come to the other continents.
That humanity would perish before long.
Because the disappearance of the Barrier meant the disappearance of the device protecting Humans from this Continent.
An era turned upside down due to the Annihilation of the Barrier.
There was only one way for the Human race to survive in this era.
To find a specific monster group favorable to Humans and somehow maintain a friendly relationship, or willingly enter under their rule.
Just as they had done until now.
If they turned all the monsters into enemies, humanity would inevitably be destroyed.
***
The Unknown Continent.
A small Island Nation on the sea not far from there.
"Huh? Was there a ship scheduled to come in today?"
"No. Not that I know of, sir."
A massive ship was slowly approaching the Port.
The Coast Guard immediately checked the ship with a Telescope.
"Huh? Isn't that the ship that went on an expedition to the Unknown Continent?"
"You're right. That's definitely the ship sent from our country."
"Why did it return so soon?"
While the guards were feeling bewildered.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
A middle-aged man walked past them with a Cigarette in his mouth.
"Everyone stand by. I'll go check it out."
He was the Coast Guard Captain.
And he was a man possessing the qualifications of a Special Grade Ebony Slayer.
Splash-
The man placed the soles of his feet against the surface of the sea.
He soon began to slowly approach the ship, walking naturally on top of the water.
It was then.
Whoosh-!
Something shot up into the sky from the ship's deck.
Soon after, a star-shaped object plummeted from the sky at a terrifying Speed.
Slam-!!!
The star scored a direct hit on the Coast Guard Captain's body.
"Wh-what the?!"
"Something fell! The captain got hit!"
"Captain! Are you alright?!"
The spot where the Coast Guard Captain had been standing just a moment ago.
Shredded pieces of the Coast Guard Captain's flesh were floating on the surface of the sea.
And among those pieces of flesh.
A star-shaped monster was looking at the island with a bright smile.
"Wh-what is that giant, colorful starfish?!"
"The captain......."
Soon after, more objects shot up into the sky from the ship approaching the island.
They were all star-shaped monsters.
They landed near the star-shaped monster that had touched down first.
[Rainbow Star lv.60]
┗Pw.600
┗Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Star]
┗Rank - Legendary
[Black Star lv.57]
┗Pw.570
┗Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Star]
┗Rank - Legendary
.
.
.
.
.
.
[Double Star lv.61]
┗Pw.610
┗Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Star]
┗Rank - Legendary
"Uheehee! This place will be occupied by us Star Tribe Mutants from now on!"
"Uheeheehee!"
"Uheeheeheeheehee!"
"We're going to start anew here, just us!"
"Uheehee! But what does occupy mean?"
"Uheehee! But what does occupy mean?"
The monster invasion of the peaceful Island Nation had begun.