82
Chapter 82
About half a month had passed since we expanded the Dungeon.
During that time, we conserved our remaining Natural Mana Stones while fine-tuning the Dungeon's details, went outside to hunt, educated the Little Yellow Dragon, or simply spent our time playing around.
And among those, playing around without a single thought took up the most significant chunk of our time.
You just have to enjoy life first.
What's the point of struggling so hard to get stronger?
We were basically killing time with these complacent thoughts.
This was a crisis.
Our mental state was completely rotten.
Holed up inside a cozy Dungeon, we had become far too lazy.
You never knew when a powerful monster might attack the Dungeon.
The others were the same.
Without a single sense of danger, they emptied their brains and spent their days eating, playing, and sleeping.
"Hehehe! I'm going to roll around all day today!"
"I'm gonna roll around too!"
"Ooh, ooooh!"
"...!"
The Fox, Little Yellow Dragon, Tosuni, and the Puppeteer Doll were rolling around on the fluffy floor.
Somehow, it felt like they had all gotten stupider than before.
Not just their Actions, but their faces actually looked dumber.
Did they catch some idiot virus from the Fox?
"Zzz, zzz."
"Roooar... I'm sleepy... I should hug my younger sibling and take a nap...."
Ailee and Jjokkomi had been sleeping a lot more.
They slept at night, and they just kept sleeping during the day.
It was a laziness brought about by the Dungeon being far too safe.
Of course.
It wasn't as if we hadn't grown during this time.
[Star Fox lv.33]
┗Pw.330
┗Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Star]
┗Grade - Legendary
The Fox hadn't grown, but
everyone else except the Fox had managed to Level Up.
[Devoted Rabbit Doll lv.30]
┗Pw.90
┗Rnk.Superior
[Domain: Moon]
┗Grade - Legendary
[Puppeteer Doll lv.29]
┗Pw.87
┗Rnk.Superior
[Domain: Doll]
┗Grade - Normal
[Servant Vampire lv.30]
┗Pw.90
┗Rnk.Superior
[Domain: Speed]
┗Grade - Uncommon
[Inferno Bear lv.26]
┗Pw.104
┗Rnk.Rare
[Little Yellow Dragon lv.13]
┗Pw.130
┗Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Gold]
┗Grade - Epic
In addition to this,
I had naturally grown as well.
[Golden Teddy Bear lv.26]
┗Pw.104 (+17)
┗Rnk.Rare (Limit Breakthrough Impossible)
[Consumption Mana: 20,850/22,210]
[Domain: Luck]
┗Grade - Divine
┗Assimilation Rate - 2.05%
[Skill]
[Helper lv.3], [Evolution lv.4], [Action lv.3], [Teddy Bear Camouflage lv.2], [Bloodsucking Enhancement lv.2], [Flame Manipulation lv.4], [Synthesis lv.2], [Rolling lv.3], [Gourmet lv.2], [Dragon Mimicry lv.4]
I hadn't used Synthesis yet.
I didn't have a clue what to combine to make a good skill.
So I put it on hold for now.
If I wasn't careful, the skills used in Synthesis might stop growing, just like Spicy-Sweet Fist which was basically bound to Flame Manipulation, and since Synthesis had a cooldown time, I had to use it carefully.
I took in the information for Ailee and Tosuni once again.
Those two had currently reached Level 30.
Level 30 was the level where the Superior rank could undergo a Limit Breakthrough.
For reference, Ailee and Tosuni were both entities capable of a Limit Breakthrough.
They themselves instinctively knew that they could undergo a Limit Breakthrough.
However, they were currently holding off on the Limit Breakthrough.
They informed us that they felt ready for a Limit Breakthrough, and then the Fox wagged her tail and asked them to hold off for a while.
The Fox said she could help with the Limit Breakthrough using her Buff skill.
She said it wouldn't evolve them into a better species.
It was simply to help ensure they didn't fail the Limit Breakthrough.
It was a useless Buff to me.
With the help of Helper, I didn't fail Limit Breakthroughs.
However, it was a helpful Buff for Ailee and Tosuni.
Since they didn't have the aid of Helper like I did.
So, we decided to wait until they could fully receive the Fox's Buff.
We couldn't feel at ease just by continuously stacking my Luck Buff, after all.
You never know what the future holds.
It isn't good to unconditionally believe that luck will happen.
Therefore, it was right to proceed with a more secure safety measure in place.
If they ended up failing for no reason, their levels would be randomly deducted.
If they dropped, when would they ever level up again?
Especially since Level 30 was much harder to reach.
Anyway.
The ceiling I was looking up at right now.
Floating right below it were the stars from the Fox's Buff skill.
There were currently eight stars.
I heard that once there were ten stars, they could then proceed with the Limit Breakthrough.
But why hasn't the number increased since yesterday?
I escaped from Jjokkomi, who was hugging me, and went over to the Fox lying sprawled on the floor to give her a rap on the head.
Bear!
Wake up!
"Ehh?! Why, why did you hit me...."
The Fox, who didn't even hurt, pretended to be in pain as she got up.
She rubbed her forehead, checking my reaction before asking.
"Don't tell me, did you notice I was peeing a little bit and letting it dry...?"
......I didn't know that.
You were doing something that gross right here?
As soon as the other guys lying next to her heard that, they hurriedly fled as if she was filthy.
I gave another rap on the head to the Fox, who had guiltily confessed on her own.
You punk, pee in a proper place next time!
It's not like you have incontinence!
"Sob... I'm sorry, I'll go somewhere else to pee from now on...."
As long as you reflect on it, that's fine.
Anyway, when are you going to shoot out the Buff stars again?
I pointed at the stars floating on the ceiling with my hand.
"Huh? Just wait a bit longer for that. Didn't I tell you I can't shoot them consecutively? I need to rest properly before I can shoot again."
It seemed she still needed more rest.
Then I guess I just have to wait.
It's not like it's particularly urgent anyway.
Anyway.
Since I was already up, I figured I should start doing something productive.
Since we couldn't stay lazy like this forever.
***
I made a request to the Fox using body language.
It was a request to go to the Natural Mana Stone habitat along with the Fake Dolls assigned to transport the Natural Mana Stones.
It was probably about time to harvest the Mana Stones.
Surely they would have grown back by now after more than 15 days had passed?
It would just be a shame if they hadn't, I guess.
The reason for sending the Fox is simple.
The Fake Dolls assigned to transport this time didn't know the way to the Natural Mana Stone habitat.
So, the Fox had to accompany them and show them the way the first time.
In other words, the Fox was the guide.
Of course, it's only for this time.
From next time, I plan to have them go to the habitat and collect the Mana Stones on their own.
Showing them the way once is more than enough.
"Hehe, it's been a while since I've had a long outing!"
After the Fox returns from this mission, she'll probably be able to put more star Buffs on the ceiling.
It seemed her star Buff didn't require physical rest, but simply had a cooldown for the skill.
"Baby Fox, have a safe trip."
"Mama! You have to come back fast!"
"I'm off! Wait for me, everyone! And don't pee just anywhere!"
"...?"
"Ooh?"
"Rooar? Is she talking to herself?"
"Hehehe! Let's go!"
Sent off by us at the entrance of the 1st floor, the Fox led the Fake Dolls and left the Dungeon.
Ah, for reference.
Among the transport Fake Dolls heading to the habitat.
There was a Fake Doll tasked with being the leader of the transport Fake Dolls.
His title was roughly Transport Captain, and he was newly summoned this time.
Because a Fake Doll disappears from the Encyclopedia once summoned and cannot be summoned again, I couldn't summon more Werewolf Fake Dolls or Old Man Fake Dolls.
And one surprising fact.
The Transport Captain was stronger than the Werewolf Fake Doll.
I ended up using all the Natural Mana Stones I had been saving so carefully to summon him this time, and a very reliable guy was born.
A Transport Captain should be at least that much, definitely.
Transporting Natural Mana Stones is a very important mission, after all.
─[Picture of a monster with a chicken's head and wings, and a Human's body]
◎ Storm Chickenman
◎ Rare
This was the information recorded in the Doll Encyclopedia before summoning the Transport Captain.
And it was the guy I had been keeping my eye on for a while.
Of course, it was unexpected that he was summoned stronger than the Elite grade Werewolf Fake Doll.
Even though his Mana requirement was high compared to other Rare grades, I still thought he'd be slightly below the Werewolf Fake Doll.
That didn't mean he was stronger than the Old Man Fake Doll, however.
Who would dare compare to the Old Man Fake Doll inside the Dungeon?
The Old Man Fake Doll is basically a supreme ruler inside the Dungeon.
***
Swish, swish.
The Fox walked majestically, swaying her tail from side to side.
"Everyone, follow me!!!"
The Fox, walking at the forefront leading numerous Fake Dolls, shouted.
The Fake Dolls showed no reaction.
They merely followed silently behind the Fox.
"Answer me!"
The Fox turned around.
And puffed up her cheeks.
Even so, the Fake Dolls didn't answer.
"Eeeek! Are you ignoring the captain's words!!!"
The Fox stomped her feet and threw a tantrum.
Just then, an invisible lightbulb popped up above the Fox's head.
She belatedly remembered the reason why they weren't answering.
"Ah. Come to think of it, you guys can't speak... Sorry for getting mad."
Scratch, scratch, hehe.
The Fox scratched her head in embarrassment and turned back around.
That was when they had been traveling for about an hour leading the Fake Dolls.
"Hweeeek?! What is that!!!"
The Fox stopped, startled out of her wits.
The Fake Dolls also stopped in their tracks all at once.
In front of the Fox and the Fake Dolls.
A black fog was slowly approaching them.
It wasn't an ordinary fog.
It was a monster strictly classified as a living creature, closer to a biological being than the Doll Tribe.
[Remnant of Nightmare lv.37]
┗Pw.370
┗Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Chaos]
┗Grade - Mythical
A black fog approaching silently.
The Fox instinctively felt threatened and stepped back.
Then, the back of her head bumped against the leg of the Transport Captain standing behind her.
"Ouch."
The Fox looked up at the Transport Captain.
"Wh-what are you doing! That's a super dangerous guy, we have to run!"
Nod.
The Transport Captain nodded his head.
Soon, he took a stance to run away.
The other Fake Dolls simultaneously took the exact same pose as the Transport Captain.
The Fake Dolls would run if the Fox told them to run.
Because currently, the Fox's command was effectively the command of their master, the Teddy Bear.
"Hurry up and run! I'll hold that guy back!"
However, they did not listen to this command.
It was because the Fox's command and the Teddy Bear's command conflicted.
Protect the Fox with your lives, no matter what happens.
That was the command the Teddy Bear had left before they departed the Dungeon.
And for the Fake Dolls, the command left by the Teddy Bear took priority over the command the Fox just gave.
Therefore, they could not follow the command to abandon the Fox and run away.
If the Fox ran away first, they could follow her and run, but...
"Eeeeeek! You guys really don't listen to orders! Did you forget how to move because you're scared?!"
The Fox no longer stepped back.
Because she considered herself the captain currently leading the Fake Dolls.
A captain couldn't show the disgraceful sight of running away before her subordinates.
"It can't be helped! I will protect my subordinates who are frozen stiff with fear! Bring it on, you dirty fog guy!!!"
Eventually, as the Fox tried to fight the Remnant of Nightmare, the Fake Dolls began to move in unison again.
It was a movement to grab the Fox and run away.
Protect the Fox.
The Fake Dolls recalled the Teddy Bear's command.
And they concluded that in order to protect the Fox, they had to evacuate her from that black fog.
There was one Fake Doll who moved even faster than the others.
It was the Fake Doll standing closest to the Fox.
The nickname the Teddy Bear had secretly given him was Chickenhead Human Fake Doll.
His species name before becoming a Doll was Storm Chickenman.
Currently the leader of the transport Fake Dolls, the Transport Captain.
He alone made a different judgment.
"I can't hold it... A little pee came out...."
Protect the Fox.
Recalling the Teddy Bear's command, he silently stepped forward.
Passing the Fox, he slowly approached the black fog.
"Huh?"
The Fox's expression, which had been set in a determined glare at the black fog, relaxed.
The Transport Captain stopped, turning his back to the Fox.
"M-move out of the way! I'm the captain, so I'll take him down...!"
To keep the Fox safe, that guy had to be eliminated right here and now.
Having reached that conclusion, the Transport Captain spread his wings.
Flap.
Flap, flap.
The Transport Captain flapped his wings.
Faster and faster, even faster.
Then, a storm began to rage in the surrounding area.
"Hweeeeek!?"
The Speed of the Transport Captain's flapping continued to increase.
The flapping, which had become so fast that only afterimages could be seen, continuously added power to the storm.
Before long.
The slowly approaching Remnant of Nightmare was swept up in the Squall created by the Transport Captain and was annihilated.
In the place where the black fog had disappeared.
Only a single Mana Stone glowing with a dark light was left lying on the floor.