I’ve lost count of how many times I have been teleported since my first dungeon exploration. But I clearly remembered the first time it had ever happened. It was when the Time-Space Rabbit had sent me straight to the fiftieth floor of the Nether-Class Dungeon. Of course, I’d been unconscious back then, so I had no memory of the teleportation itself.
Now, though…
I’d gotten used to it.
Even while being transported through space, my mind stayed perfectly clear, giving me a few precious moments to think about what I needed to do next.
“The instant I arrive… Hell Gate. The instant I arrive… Hell Gate…”
Like a mantra, I kept repeating the Nether King’s advice to myself. By my own reckoning, I’d reach my destination in about five seconds.
Ever since this whole ordeal began, I barely had a chance to catch my breath. Aside from that brief meal in the Gourmet Room, I’d been thrown from one crisis into the next without a moment’s rest.
I could feel the exhaustion starting to pile up—both physically and mentally.
So this time… I am going to follow the old man’s advice without hesitation. I’d end this fight as quickly as possible. Then I’d defeat the Hero, reunite with everyone and finally throw Satsuki the welcome-back celebration she deserved while we all took a well-earned break.
“…I can see it!”
The high-speed flight through that endless void—a place that felt like outer space, or perhaps the gap between dimensions—was almost over. The point where all the light converged just ahead of me was the exit.
My stomach is in perfect condition. I am ready to let it loose at any moment.
At last… I am about to arrive on the forty-eighth floor of the Nether-Class Dungeon where the Hero awaited.
“The instant I arrive… HELL GATE!!”
I shouted the words one final time.
The teleportation completed, and I arrived at my destination—
“Super Thunderstrike—Giga Thunder!”
“GYAAAAAAAHHHH!!”
Before I could even tell whether I had fully materialized or was still in transit, my consciousness was thrown into chaos.
A searing bolt of agony pierced straight through my skull. My entire body convulsed, went numb, and shook uncontrollably. For one terrifying instant, it felt as though every drop of moisture inside me had been vaporized.
The voice I’d barely managed to hear activating that skill…
There was no mistaking it. It was him. The Hero had been thinking the exact same thing. End the battle with his strongest attack the very instant it began. He had anticipated where I would appear and prepared his ambush in advance.
Compared to that… my plan—to teleport in and then activate Hell Gate—had been far too naïve.
“Super Thunderstrike—Giga Thunder!”
“GUWAAAAAAAHHHH!!”
The Hero didn’t give me a single moment to recover. His second ultimate attack slammed straight into me. For an instant, my consciousness nearly blacked out.
This is bad!
My stats might be absurdly high, but even they weren’t enough to let me tank a move like this over and over.
I wanted to dodge…
I wanted to counterattack…
But the instant that lightning hit, my entire body was paralyzed. No matter how ridiculously high my Agility was, I couldn’t evade while every muscle refused to obey me.
Still… a technique this powerful… even for the Hero, the MP cost had to be enormous.
Surely…
Surely he’d have to stop after this—
“Super Thunderstrike—Giga Thunder!”
“GAAAHHHH!!”
Nope! I’m so screwed!!
One more hit…
One more of those and I’m dead!
I’m doomed!!
Please!
I’m begging you!
Let that crackling lightning attack end here!!
“Super Giga…”
“NOOOOOOO!!!”
He just kept firing them off one after another…
With that same cold, expressionless face, like a machine carrying out its programming.
Does this guy not even have an MP limit?!
I’m gonna die!
I’M SERIOUSLY GONNA—
…
Huh?
Why am I suddenly looking at a flower meadow?
There’s even a river flowing nearby.
…Oh?
Isn’t that Lune over there?
Whoa!
And Otin-san is there too!
Huh?
No way…
Even Gorue-chan is running around happily playing.
Heh…everyone looks so happy… Hmmm…. So peaceful.
…
Can I…
Can I join you guys too…?
“Thunder—”
Hah! No, no, no, no!
Don’t you dare!
That was close… I’d already been halfway to the afterlife just now.
It’s not over yet!
| > …Retribution! > Use Retribution! > It’s a magic attack! You should be able to reflect it! |
Through my fading consciousness, I caught a glimpse of the viewers’ comments.
If I couldn’t dodge the attack anyway…
Then my only hope was my reflection skill—
Retribution.
It didn’t matter if I ended up coughing up blood—or throwing up my guts. I just had to force every last ounce of strength from the pit of my stomach…
And scream!
“…Giga Thun—”
“RETRIBUTION!!”
“KAAAAAANG!!”
It all happened within 0.0000… something seconds. The fact that I was still conscious at all meant only one thing.
My Retribution had overpowered his Super Thunderstrike—Giga Thunder.
A rainbow-colored barrier sprang up around me. With a shrill metallic crack, the shimmering wall reflected the Hero’s fourth thunderbolt flawlessly.
When I looked up, the man who had been relentlessly bombarding me with ultimate attacks was gone.
Nothing remained where he had stood…
Except for the shadow he had left upon the ground.
“Heh… heh…”
“…Looks like I didn’t even have to… use Hell Gate…”
Even so… I’d taken a devastating beating.
My voice came out hoarse, and my knees gave way beneath me.
| > It might not be over yet! > Use a potion! Now! > There’s no guarantee that was the real Hero! > Don’t let your guard down! |
The viewers were absolutely right.
The AI Hero had already told me there were multiple copies of the Hero. The one I’d just defeated could have been another fake while the real one waited for the perfect moment to strike me down in my weakened state.
I had to heal. Immediately.
And I couldn’t stop watching my surroundings for even a second.
“Item… B—”
“Choosing to heal first is the correct decision.”
A familiar voice cut in.
“But…”
“Gah!!”
The instant I reached for a potion from my Item Box, the Hero suddenly appeared right in front of me. His kick buried itself deep into my stomach, launching me through the air.
“Ghk…”
I slammed into the jagged stone wall of the Nether-Class Dungeon.
But somehow… I am still conscious.
Thank goodness it wasn’t lightning—
No!
This wasn’t the time to be relieved!
He’d attack again!
Get up!
Take your stance!
Prepare your counterattack!
The plan hadn’t changed.
Now…
Now was the moment to unleash my ultimate trump card—Hell Gate.
Come forth…
Spirits of rotten flesh raging within my bowels…
Be unleashed—
Be unleashed…
…Huh?
“…I can’t fart.”
Wait.
Did getting struck by all that lightning somehow make it go away?!
I spent all that time preparing… and now I didn’t even feel the slightest urge!
T-this is bad…
I can’t use Hell Gate…
『 Fool. Your fart is not the activation condition for Hell Gate. Simply will it into existence.』
The Nether King’s raspy voice echoed inside my head, calmly teaching me how to actually use the skill.
…So…
I’d been using it wrong this whole time.
…That’s actually kind of embarrassing.
Wait! Now is not the time to be embarrassed!
While I was having that realization, the Hero had gathered an absolutely terrifying amount of energy.
Lightning crackled wildly around him.
If that attack landed, I’d be finished!
It felt like far more power than Retribution could possibly reflect.
Screw it…
“This one pierces through defenses! It’s now over! Extreme Thunderstrike—Tera Thunder!!”
“Come forth… HELL GATE!!”
Two ultimate techniques erupted at the exact same instant. The forty-eighth floor of the Nether-Class Dungeon shook beneath their overwhelming power.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com
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