Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Ally (2)
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A helper had entered the dungeon.
Though I'd been whining in the gallery that no intruders were coming.
But that didn't mean the lackeys of our Blessed Brothers were asking me to draw attention to myself.
While the intruders were milling around near the entrance...
I posted on the gallery.
Title: Newbie Gets Totally Fucked.
Newbie Gets Totally Fucked
This is seriously fucked...
lolololololololololololololololol
Finally, Newbie's dungeon gets what's coming to it...
Orange★ was the first to comment.
Bro?
This seems like a really serious situation. Not exactly laughing matter...
If it's a Blessed One, fine, but their helper is total bullshit...
Blessed Ones can train helpers like us underlings too, roughly speaking. They can't create underlings directly like we can, but if you slot them into a decent party, they level up together, and the Blessed One can buff their traits and stats personally.
System-wise, it's efficient to raise helpers, so they always drag around three of them. This guy's Sinclair's party member. He even came to my dungeon a while back.
Sinclair. I'd heard of him.
According to Restia, he was a Blessed One staying in the South Kingdom.
Got a harsh lesson from Big Bro Orange★ and his mentality shattered, so he was on break.
That fucker's ability is dead simple.
What is it??
HP drops, he gets stronger. Dies? Revives once... Yeah, whatever. You're not gonna beat his ass anyway, so just worry about the revival part.
???? Dude, magic and swordsmanship I get, but dying and reviving? What the hell...
That's the power those Blessed One fuckers have. Think of their lackeys as the same breed as our underlings. You'll see plenty with retarded traits if you watch long enough.
Fuck.
I thought it was just magic and aura.
They have these abilities too?
Big Bro, doesn't that mean I'm totally screwed?? If that guy scouts the info and goes back for Sinclair, won't Dreamland just get –wiped–??
Could be.
But why are you laughing...
Low chance of that happening.
Eh?
Guy's name is Max, right?
Short version: He rushed ahead, triggered a trap, and killed one of Sinclair's favorite party members.
The rest barely escaped half-dead, and from what the gallery says, he's caused accidents in other dungeons too. Pretty hated.
Coming alone? My guess: cut loose.
Not 100% UFC, but who knows?
Blessed Ones cut party members loose sometimes too. Maybe he's enjoying his last days and diving a newborn dungeon for one last score.
He could approach Sinclair with 'newborn dungeon intel,' sure. But low chance Dreamland hits Sinclair's ears right now.
Blessed Ones don't usually leave their precious pets alone.
All that time and effort invested? Wasteful. Him entering solo means he's mostly given up. That's how I'd see it.
Plus, no intruders for two months? 'Newborn dungeon' is catnip. Probably stumbled on it by chance or he's hoarding the info.
And the guy's a total meathead lol
.
.
.
.
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"Hm..."
After dealing with Yuben last time, no one had come in, so I thought I could just bury it quietly.
But things got more annoying than expected.
For now, relief that I'm not tangled with a Blessed One yet.
That aside.
Watching these guys poke at the elevator, they seem no joke.
Connected to Yuben?
I'd meant to ask him last time anyway.
About how far Dreamland info had spread.
These guys already had the info.
And were judging based on it.
"The elevator's totally barren..."
Hopefully not too many know.
Good thing I blocked Yuben's wave successfully; no further leaks.
I propped both legs on the desk.
Just hit level 80.
At 80, I can handle info leaks somehow.
Too much right now, though.
Only possible if none escape alive.
"Hmmm... How to make rumors spread that I repelled intruders well."
Escape scroll.
Others, who knows.
But that Max guy probably has one.
I stroked the squishy slime while staring at the monitor.
For now, just watch.
Dungeon Exploration Day 1
Max looked at Yuben's strategy guide.
'This shit's real?'
Definitely a bizarre place.
He'd toured many dungeons with Sinclair.
Never seen one this weird.
Dungeons are basically kill underlings, smash traps.
Combat inevitable.
But.
Dreamland before him...
Was more blood and riddles than sweat and heat.
"The unlit corridor was bizarre. Magic detection completely impossible for the first time. If I'd probed deeper... Ugh, terrifying just thinking about it."
"Met the bugman, and it really just stood there, no reaction, like you said. Super weird and scary."
Now he got why Yuben's guide downplayed combat.
Why even normies could clear.
Should've brought slaves?
Dungeons are consistent.
So future underlings and traps likely similar.
Combat not key.
Fresh take for Max.
Max's party:
"Still wanna probe that unlit corridor again. Intriguing. Not magic, but if not magic, what?"
3rd-circle mage Denrid, burning with curiosity.
Dungeons need mages.
Magic's useful.
Intro from an acquaintance.
Chatty and affectionate for a mage.
"First time I felt like I couldn't hunt the monster."
Luca, monster hunter, grimacing at the bugman.
Met at tavern yesterday.
Teamed with other hunters to slay an ogre; good rep around here.
"......"
Quiet, handy slum knife-fighter Jack.
Great assassin; killed a knight once.
Met during Sinclair party days; strong fighter.
"Hoo."
And Max, former Blessed One ally.
Including himself, all top in their fields.
Lacked compared to Sinclair's crew, but personally satisfying.
'Kinda wasteful.'
Solid ad-hoc party.
Until Dreamland's true nature.
Slaves would've let him hog the magistones.
No.
Distribute at end based on contribution anyway.
"Everyone got escape scrolls, right?"
"How could we afford those?"
"Newborn dungeon anyway. And we've got Max, Sinclair's party member. What's to worry?"
Silent Jack spoke.
"Why us instead of Sinclair?"
Not just Jack.
Everyone wondered why famous Sinclair ally ditched his crew for them.
"Personal reasons."
"Got it."
Jack dropped it as Max soured.
"Magistones split fair. Even quarter, friendly-like."
"Question. Why four of us? We're not a Blessed One party."
"More efficient. Bigger groups split pay more, fight more."
Denrid nodded, convinced.
"Now, find the password."
"I'll go in the mechanism. Y'all might freak at bugman face. Quiet Jack might scream like a shy girl."
"Won't happen, but thanks, Luca."
Luca, who'd faced bugman before.
Stepped up boldly, fearless of mechanism now.
"Oh, last question. No unlit corridor?"
"Yeah. Next zone's not via unlit corridor, but elevator buttons in order..."
"Boring talk ends. Try 10, 9, 1?"
"Roger."
Luca boarded elevator.
"Hear me? Yes. Confirmed."
Denrid with comm magic.
Luca proceeded with his guidance.
Smooth so far.
The two zones behind elevator nagged, but...
Teamwork solid; probably fine?
Max closed eyes.
'Grab magistones, rub it in Sinclair's face.'
Reason for tackling: magistones for luxury, but mostly revenge on Sinclair.
All he'd done for that party.
Call me incompetent?
Dare discard me?
Sinclair, arrogant prick thinking himself right.
Make him regret.
People err.
Wasn't my fault anyway.
Others failed to match my tempo.
Hang Dungeon Master's head, claim magistones as trophy: proves me right, him wrong.
At least Max thought so.
'Sell stones, vent grudge, live easy rest of days.'
Dungeon Exploration Day 2.
"Luca!? Luca!? Scared us with that scream. You made it to next zone safe."
Party learned way to next zone.
Thanks to Luca's zeal.
She dove in hard, almost too much.
"Buttons 2,5,3 confirmed. Anything else odd?"
But oddly, Luca reached wide cavern, Zone 2, not straight passage behind elevator.
"Hold on."
Denrid, in comm with her, spotted something weird.
Detection magic revealed; he reported to party in panicked voice.
"Suddenly, weird structures appeared in Zone 2..."
Long corridor, many rooms off it.
Tons of floors and stairs too.
Empty Zone 2 turned building-like.
Max stroked chin.
Map showed Zone 2 square, huge volume; hidden stuff.
'Zone 1 probably same; structures pop up.'
Zone 2 likely has transfer device too.
No generous DM gives Zone 1 free pass.
"Time we go too."
Then.
Denrid raised hand, halting party.
"Wait. Luca, calm down, explain slow. Eight-armed faceless girl appeared, demanded all your gear?"
Things going south.
"Max. Luca met underling. Says no dangerous items at school... Luca, Luca!? You okay!? O-oh, right arm broken..."
Denrid's face said serious.
Max paused, frowning.
Not in strategy guide.
What happened?
"Do what underling says, Luca. Just obey."
Denrid urgently; silence fell on party after.
"Luca?"
"All gear confiscated. Left at 'staff room.' And right arm broken..."
Gear confiscation.
Max fiddled with escape scroll in pocket.
Press on?
Or retreat?
Crossroads reached.