Meanwhile, one of the bandits was still completely relaxed.
Normally, you’d expect bandits to overwhelm their targets quickly and steal everything without any small talks. But maybe these guys specialize in robbing unconscious people and doesn’t have much strength.
The bandits had no idea what I was thinking and, unbelievably, approached Sue without even drawing a weapon.
“Well then, girly, hand over all your money.”
Whoosh—CRACK!
“Bubeee!!”
“““Ah!”””
Thud—slam!
Oh dear.
Sue was already furious over those “flat chest” comments, and yet here you are, grinning like an idiot while walking up to her. Her silent right straight punch smashed into his face, and the bandit went sliding across the floor, crashing into the wall.
Well, this outcome was obvious.
“Damn it, don’t mess with me, you bitch!”
“You wanna die!?”
“You damn flat-chested girl!”
Wham! Boom! Clang!
““Gueeh…””
“Buku-…”
The remaining three rushed at Sue—but they were all mercilessly beaten down.
The one who threw out another insult got a knee straight to the crotch.
Why don’t these guys ever learn?
“Well, let’s tie them up for now. Given how weak they are, they really must specialize in robbing people while they’re unconscious.”
With Sue still silently radiating a dark aura behind me, I busied myself tying up the bandits. Honestly, these guys are weak enough that even Fran and Horn could’ve taken them down in one hit.
“Sue-oneechan, are you okay?”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine. I was just handing out justice to some idiots who said some idiotic things.”
“That’s right! Shiro’s flat too, but she’s still growing!”
“Shiro-chan, what a lovely thing to say. Exactly—we’re still in our growth phase.”
Sue responded to Shiro’s words with proud confidence.
True, they’re still young, and they’re active too, so there’s definitely a chance they’ll grow in the future.
…Though, it’s just a chance.
“Shun-san. You weren’t just thinking something unnecessary, were you?”
“N-not at all! I wasn’t thinking anything!”
Damn it, why can Sue read my mind?
Note to self: don’t even think questionable thoughts around her right now. Her intuition is way too sharp.
“Stomp stomp, stomp stomp!”
Meanwhile, Fran and Horn, who had been rudely awakened by all the noise, were now stomping on the robbers who got knocked out by Sue’s crotch kicks.
Yeah… they’re both in a really bad mood.
Once this whole mess is over, I’d better get them back to sleep right away.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
At the heart of Edo lay the towering Edou Castle, perched atop a small hill that overlooked the city below. Surrounded by deep moats and featuring its iconic central keep—the tenshukaku—the castle exuded both grandeur and unshakable authority.
We disembarked from the airship onto a bridge spanning the moat. On the other side of the bridge was an impressive castle gate with guards strictly checking who enter and exit.
“Hmm, a suspicious group of foreigners huh. This is Edou Castle—the residence of the Shogun himself. This is not a sightseeing spot. Entry is strictly prohibited without permission.”
Naturally, we weren’t allowed in just by asking nicely. That’s when the old samurai stepped forward.
“Hn? C-could you be… No… It is you, Sir!”
“Indeed. I am Yagyu Genzo, former sword instructor to the shogunate.”
“Y-Yagyū Shinnen-ryū…!”
Apparently, the old man’s name is Genzo—and judging by the startled expressions on the guards’ faces, that name carried serious weight.
“Please wait just a moment!”
Before long, a more senior-looking guard came rushing out. His eyes were wide in disbelief.
“Yagyū-dono! It’s been a long time! Has it been ten years already? But… your limbs…”
It seemed they knew each other.
“It’s been a long time. I’ve come today to deliver an urgent report to the Shogun. I’ve detailed everything in this letter—please see that it’s delivered promptly.”
With those words, Genzo handed over a sealed document.
“…Would it be alright if we confirmed its contents first?”
“I have no objections.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse me…”
Given it was something for the Shogun himself, it was only natural they’d want to verify it. Genzo, of course, understood that, and nodded without resistance.
After reading the letter, the senior guard froze for a brief moment, then snapped to attention.
“W-we will arrange an audience at once! However, it may take some time to prepare. Please wait in the office in the meantime.”
And just like that, we were ushered past the gate and into the castle. Thanks to the old man being here, we are able to get through smoothly. If it had just been Karen showing up, things would’ve gone very differently.
We ended up waiting a while, but during that time we were treated with utmost hospitality. We are offered tea and sweets. Judging by the guards’ reactions, it was safe to say that being the sword instructor to the Shogunate was a position of serious prestige.
“Ojiichan, you used to be a really important person huh.”
“Hah, that was a long time ago.”
Karen beamed with pride while Genzo gave a modest chuckle.
“Master founded the Yagyū Shinnen-ryū style in just a single generation. Even though Master came from a small village, he rose all the way to become the Shogun’s sword instructor. Even now, applicants flock to the village hoping to study under Master. Most of them get turned away though. Of course, I was accepted right away!”
Karen puffed her chest as she talked about it with pride.
Genzo, however, simply snorted.
“I figured a reckless fool like you would die a dog’s death if I left you alone, so I decided to give you some guidance out of pity.”
“Was it pity?! I thought you saw promise in me and recognized my potential!”
As they bickered, a man dressed in formal attire approached us.
“Yagyu-dono, preparations for your audience with the Shogun is done. Please follow me.”
We were led down the hallway.
Along the way there are various doors with complex locks and staircases with tricks, including some large-scale mechanisms that make entire rooms rotate or float in the air. It was clear this entire path was designed to disorient intruders—or prevent anyone from memorizing the route.
They said Edou had been at peace for generations, and politically stable too… but clearly, they weren’t letting their guard down.
Eventually, we arrived at an enormous chamber, about a hundred meters from end to end. The floors were covered with soft, woven mats called tatami, and the sliding doors on either side bore exquisite paintings. At the far end, raised slightly above the rest of the room, sat a figure we could only assume as the Shogun.
A bamboo screen—called a sudare—hung in front of him, hiding his appearance from view.
“It has been some time, Yagyu Genzo. And for the rest of you, this must be our first meeting. I am Tokuyama Ietaka, the thirty-sixth Shogun.”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Then, in the middle of the night, when everything had gone completely quiet—
Poke poke.
Poke poke.
“Hn? Ao? Did something happen?”
Suddenly, Ao poked me in the cheek to wake me up. For a second, I thought Horn was crying in her sleep. Then, Ao pointed towards the door with one of her tentacles.
Multiple footsteps echoed from the hallway. Looks like the uninvited guests have arrived.
As I sat up, Ao is also in the middle of waking up Sue.
“Ao, sorry, but can you go to the soldiers?”
When I asked Ao, who had finished waking Sue, she gave a wiggle of her tentacles full of determination and went outside.
Ao is really amazing—she opened the window by herself and slipped right out.
“Hey, hey. Someone’s here, wake up.”
“Mmm… mmm…”
Shiro managed to wake up somehow, but Fran and Horn wouldn’t budge no matter what Sue did.
Looks like these two are out until morning. That’s what I was thinking—when something else happened in the hallway.
Click click click…. clack.
Oh no, they’re using a key to unlock the door.
Someone lent these guys the master key.
Bang, bang.
“Damn it, the door won’t open.”
“Is something blocking it?”
“Don’t make too much noise—they’ll wake up.”
“Relax. Thanks to the sleeping drugs, they’ll be out till morning.”
Thankfully I put the desk in front of the door. From the conversation, it’s clear now—these guys are the bandits. They even know about the sleeping drugs, so they’re definitely connected to that shady guy at the front desk.
“Muu… so noisy…”
Because of the bandits making noise, Fran and Horn groggily sat up. Being forcefully woken up, both of them looked seriously grumpy.
Clang, bang.
Meanwhile, the bandits were forcing the door open and pushing the desk we had set up out of the way with brute strength. Eventually, the door opened just wide enough for one person to slip through.
“I can’t believe they barricaded it. Oh? And they’re awake too.”
“As expected of adventurers. You guys are on high alert huh.”
“Still, you got kids with you. You don’t want any trouble, right?”
“If you quietly hand over all your money, this doesn’t have to get too painful.”
Four bandits in total barged into the room. They were surprised seeing that we are awake, but when they saw the children—Fran and Horn—they assumed we wouldn’t put up much of a fight.
And then, they looked at Sue and said something incredibly stupid.
“Whoa, that chick’s pretty hot. Her boob is a shame though.”
“Yeah, I prefer ‘em a bit more stacked.”
“Says the guy who’s always going on about big boobs.”
“Come on, all men love big boobs. Flat-chest lovers are a rare breed.”
Uh-oh.
Normally, Sue doesn’t care too much about her figure—but them saying all that to her face, of course she’s going to be furious.
The bandits hadn’t noticed it yet but there’s an overwhelming fury radiating from Sue.
In other words—these guys will end up all bark and no bite.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
There was only one dragon head left. Perhaps realizing it would be defeated if things continued this way, it used its huge body to escape. It shrank its remaining head as much as possible to protect it with its body, dragging all seven heads along as it fled.
Of course, there was no way we would just let it get away.
“Thousand shots of light arrows!”
The countless arrows of light I fired pierced its last neck one after another.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The monster let out a loud roar and finally ran out of strength. It was a more powerful monster than expected, but we were able to subdue it safely.
“B-but what in the world… I can’t believe that the Yamata no Orochi was subdued so easily…”
The samurai old man still looked at the scene in disbelief.
“Well, in any case, I owe you my gratitude. If things had continued as they were, not only would our village have been destroyed, but it would have become a national disaster.”
The old man said this while gazing at the corpse of the huge mythical monster.
By the way, mythical monsters may eventually be resurrected. Although many difficult conditions must be met, mythical monsters are also born in this world through the unique evolution of other monsters. In other words, the one we subdued earlier must be a different entity from the Yamata no Orochi who was defeated by the hero Susanoo no Mikoto.
Additionally, mythical monsters of the same species cannot exist at the same time. Of course, there are also mythical monsters that seem to have lived since ancient times up to the present day.
“I have to report this to the shogunate… Karen, write a letter to the General and take it with you.”
“Eeh? I’ll be the one writing the letter to the General…?”
“There’s no one else. You see, I’m not in good shape. It’s hard for me to entrust this to someone so naive, but I have no choice.”
“You don’t trust me that much, do you…?”
It seemed he intended to report to the head of this country that the Yamata no Orochi had appeared and been subdued.
Right. This old man once served as a swordsmanship teacher for the shogun, and his letter would probably be read.
“I was the instructor under the previous shogun. However, I also met the current shogun when he was still a child.”
“Actually, why don’t you come with us, Ojiichan? Honestly, I feel like Samurai-oneechan might be overwhelmed by the responsibility.”
If she didn’t handle it well, she might be turned away.
“Who do you think I am?! I can deliver a letter to the Shogun! I’ll just go to Edo Castle, ask where the Shogun is, go there, and hand it over!”
“……Yeah, looks like that’s not going to work after all.”
“Right…”
Karen spoke proudly, puffing out her chest, but both the old man and I sighed at the same time. Naturally, if she tried to hand it over directly, she’d be captured instantly.
“But I’m so weak… Maybe it would be better to leave it in the care of you foreigners…”
“Well, it’s okay, Ojiichan. I think you’re saying that because traveling on foot is difficult, but it’ll be fine—we have a very convenient vehicle.”
Just like when we came to this village, we’d take an airship.
“Then let’s head there right away. And just in case, we should bring that corpse.”
“Eh?”
I threw the monster’s corpse into my subspace.
“I-iit disappeeeeeared!?”
★★★
Once aboard the magic airship, the samurai-ojiichan started frolicking like a child.
“What a surprise! They’ve even made karakuri that can fly! That didn’t exist when I was in the city!”
“This isn’t a karakuri. It’s powered by magic, so it’s more like a magical tool.”
“Ooh~. I can see the village and the rice fields from up here!”
He is not listening at all.
Well, ordinary people don’t know the difference between magic tools and karakuri.
Eventually, the airship arrived at Edou’s central city, “Edo.” Further in the center was the General’s residence—Edo Castle.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
The letter to the soldiers was finished, but if we carelessly go outside, it’ll look suspicious. So, I decided to leave it to Ao.
Ao, with a “Leave it to me” kind of attitude, put the letter into her item box and waved her tentacles.
“Do your best, Ao!”
““Good luck!””
Ao responded to Shiro and the others’ cheers by waving her tentacles and then went out through the window. If it’s Ao, she’ll definitely deliver my letter to the soldiers.
Now then, as for us, it’s time to prepare for bed—but since we don’t know what might happen tonight, we’ll sleep in our adventure clothes so we can take action right away.
“Make sure to pack all your valuables in your bags too.”
“““Understood”””
We hardly ever need to take out our valuables, but just in case, I reminded Shiro and the others. I also packed all my belongings into my item box. As an added measure, I placed a desk in front of the door. With this, even if something happens, we should be able to buy ourselves some time.
Knock knock.
“Oh, Ao’s back!”
““Welcome back!””
Just as we finished preparing for bed, Ao tapped on the window with her tentacle. Shiro and the others opened the window and welcomed her back.
“Ao said she delivered the letter properly.”
“As expected of Ao.”
When Shiro asked Ao about her task, Ao gave a proud little shake of tentacles as if saying, “Of course, I did it well.”
Apparently, Ao was able to meet the soldier at the wall in the evening.
“And also, she said there were some suspicious people among the soldiers, so she reported it.”
“Hmm…. Maybe someone’s been bribed? Otherwise, a place like this inn would’ve been raided already.”
“That’s true. It’s way too obvious, yet nothing’s being done till now. It’s definitely suspicious.”
I had more or less suspected the extra information from Ao as well. With things being so flashy, complaints from the guests should’ve been pouring in, but a certain soldier must’ve been covering it up.
Sighing deeply, we all slipped into bed.
“Tonight, I’m sleeping with Oniichan!”
“Then I’ll sleep with Sue-oneechan.”
Fran chimed in.
“I’ll sleep with Sue-oneechan too.”
Horn added.
“Alright, alright. Now, let’s all get to sleep, okay?”
Even without sleeping pills, a day of traveling wears you out, so Shiro and the others fell asleep almost immediately after getting into bed.
I hope nothing would happen after this—but that chances were probably close to zero.
Thinking about that, I too drifted off to sleep.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
The boss layer of the Alvis Dungeon has returned to its original darkness with the disappearance of the Guardian. The unsealed “Anti-Titan Ballista” is pointing at the empty space.
We continued on, guided by Safi.
Eventually, I found a wall that is glowing faintly.
“Here goes.”
I took a deep breath and placed my hand over the vast wall.
“Wake up.”
The palace of the dwarves began to awaken. The earthen walls, once protected by the seal covering the dungeon, crumbled away bit by bit.
What emerged was a massive gate.
For over a thousand years—ever since the seal had been cast upon the world—soil and stone must have buried this grand entrance.
Looking up, it must be at least eight meters tall. As for the width, even if all of us walked through side by side, there is still plenty of room to spare. The carved decorations still retained traces of gold and silver in places, unmistakably marking this as a true palace.
“So big…”
I couldn’t help but mutter.
Without a doubt, this was the largest one I’d ever unsealed. Well, aside from when I used the Gjallarhorn, that is.
By the way, any unexplored area opened with Alarm is sealed off again by the Raven Warriors after the investigation. They use magic to manipulate the soil and stone, disguising it so well that it just looks like an ordinary wall.
But this time.…. I had a feeling that even the Raven Warriors are going to have a tough time.
Speaking of big things—
“…Eh?”
Something just as big—no, even bigger—than this one… I could feel its presence nearby.
Could it be that something massive is still hidden so close?
I could sense it clearly, but… I had no idea where it is. This was a first.
Safi brushed dust from her green hair.
“…..Originally, there should’ve been a grand staircase descending straight here from the first floor’s main gate.”
That maybe it. I concentrated on the door in front of us too.
Everyone brushed off the dirt that fell on the fireproof cloak and hood.
“Cough. Cough. It’s probably covered in dirt. There might be many other mechanisms still dormant in the dungeon, like that ballista.”
The massive gate began to open slowly.
It seemed the doors were designed to swing inward. Each one was as large as a giant bed. But the motion stopped midway. The right door remained still, while the left opened just enough to let two or three of us pass through at a time.
A bitterly cold wind whistled through the gap, blowing toward us.
『I’ll go first.』
Solana spoke from the gold coin.
『This space is filled with magical energy left behind by that boss. This is the lowest level, but—even if it’s just a little—I can help you, Rion. 』
I touched the gold coin, and the Goddess awakened. A doll-sized Solana floated through the gap in the large door as if to guide us.
“Let’s go, Solana, everyone.”
The unexplored area of the mine dungeon was dark. I could tell it was covered in ice because my breath turned white. But even though Solana is ahead and is emitting light for us, I couldn’t grasp the full extent of the space.
In other words, that’s all there is to it—it’s a big space.
“Felix-san, can you light it with magic?”
“Wait.”
In the darkness, Safi’s eyes shone like those of a squirrel or a cat—an animal-like gleam. It’s moments like this that really remind me—black dwarves are different from humans.
“Y-Yeah…”
I’ll keep it to myself, but… I was a little scared.
Safi moves in the dim light without hesitation. It seems that she is examining the wall near the main door.
“The lighting…… Mm, it’s working.”
Solana approached, she lit up the hammer that Safi had taken out.
“I’ll re-engrave the runes. Abundant Light!”
Safi struck the crystal by the wall. In an instant, a dazzling light was born. The ceiling glows white, and the surrounding ice reflected it. The light, like a snowy morning, burned our eyes for a moment.
My eyes gradually got used to it.
Then I was speechless at the sight before me.
『That settles it. 』
『Yeah……』
The gods, Thor and Uru, were conversing. I had no idea what they were talking about. But it was kind of ominous. I didn’t want to know.
“This is…….”
Safi muttered and bowed down.
“No way…”
Safi muttered as she collapsed to her knees.
“T-this has to be a lie!”
What had been frozen in ice was a scene of negotiation.
A golem—or perhaps a dwarf—was kneeling, offering up a massive weapon. The one receiving it was the Titan Vanguard—the very same figure we had seen in the boss chamber.
What was preserved in that vast, seemingly endless hall was a secret transaction: dwarves handing weapons to a titan, a truth even the gods themselves didn’t know. The ice seal had captured that moment with such vivid, chilling detail—so real that it was almost cruel.
『Kuku, I think it’s a reasonable decision. 』
Loki’s voice came. It was a terrifying laughter.
『Dwarfs have physical bodies just like monsters. So in principle, it is possible for them to succumb to monster-like behavior. Perhaps in exchange for supplying weapons, they chose to join the camp of the titans and escape the flames of the end. 』
“No, no. That’s not true!”
Safi’s face turned pale, and her dark eyes were wide open.
“W-we… we take pride in our weapons, in our tools! To knowingly supply tools that would bring harm to people, to our comrades—that’s unthinkable!”
At last, the reality of the scene began to sink in.
Mia-san, Felix-san, even the Raven Warriors—everyone stood in stunned silence, overwhelmed by what lay before us.
“…And if we’re talking about betrayal, aren’t you one to speak? I’ve heard the stories—Loki, God of mischief.”
『In my case, those were just rumors spreading. 』
As if he would not forgive insults, Safi stood alone in the hall.
“Let’s go further in.”
I shouted.
In this way, I drove the word “betrayal” out of my mind. I told myself that nothing had been decided yet.
“The king …… maybe the king of the dwarves is there, right?”
We went straight through the hall.
In this space, the ice seal had melted considerably. Where there are titans and dwarfs, ice still remains like pillars. However, the deeper we went, the less the ice became, and we could see the hall so much that it seemed hazy at the end.
The red carpet stretched straight out, and at the end of it was a fine chair—a throne.
“Your Majesty!”
Safi rushed over.
A winged person was crouching, clinging to the throne. Frost-like ice still clung to his body. But he hadn’t turned to stone, and most importantly, the light of the Alarm still dwelt within him.
“The seal is already about to be broken……”
The doll-sized Solana approached the person.
Loki’s voice echoed in my head.
『I thought ashes wouldn’t affect gods… but unlike gods, dwarves are merely demigods. Since they have physical bodies just like monsters, the ashes may have affected them, thus loosening the seal… though it doesn’t seem to be complete. Could that be why Safi woke up…? 』
Solana turned back to me.
“Rion!”
“Yes!”
The sealing ice was already melting—at this point, I should be able to use Alarm without needing the horn.
Please… let this be the time he finally wakes up from this nightmare.
“Wake up!”
As the dwarf king was enveloped in light, the ice covering his body shattered completely. With a jolt, the king’s body twitched, then he staggered forward and clung to the throne.
He was about the same height as Safi—only reaching up to my chest.
“T-this is…?”
“Your Majesty!”
Safi gained momentum and supported the king’s body. Solana became the size of a normal girl and held her hand.
“Rion, you too.”
“Uh, yes!”
Skill, 『Sun’s Divine Protection』was used. Executing 【White Flame】 ―――――――――――――――――――― 【White Flame】…… Recovery. With the protection of the sun, curses are also dispelled.
The white flames from me and the goddess enveloped the dwarf king. His complexion got better in no time.
“Uuh-, Y-your Majesty……!”
Safi’s eyes moistened.
“Here is….”
The dwarf king opened his eyes. He looked like a beautiful young boy. But the thin wings on his back, the pointed ears, the white hair—everything about him felt completely different from us, and even from Safi.
Most striking of all were his eyes—clear blue, yet so deep it felt like I could be pulled into them.
“Your Majesty, do you recognize me? I’m Safi. One of the Ten blacksmiths of Álfheim.”
The dwarf king’s eyes widened.
“S-Safi? ……Why are you ……?”
“Your Majesty, what is going on? The titans…. then our people offering weapons….”
The king looked around. Then he noticed me and Solana holding his hands. He frowned.
“Gods……?”
I felt like the “white flame” that enveloped my small body shook. Solana frowned.
“This is….…”
Safi, still exited, continued,
“It’s now 1,000 years in the future. Our city of Alfheim was attacked by the titans, but the gods sealed them away, and the place remained asleep like this for hundreds of years! What happened back then… without my knowledge?”
Safi’s eyes were moist.
“Tell me, did Alfheim start selling weapons, tools, and technology to the titans?”
The dwarf king looked at Solana, me, and Safi in turn.
And when he saw the sealed ice scattered around him, he seemed to have guessed various circumstances.
He slowly closed his eyes. Then his legs began to turn to stone.
“Y-Your Majesty!?”
Safi screamed.
“Dwarf King, what are you doing!”
Solana raised her voice. It was the Goddess’ scolding voice.
“……You are letting your magic flow somewhere, aren’t you? No matter how much new magic you poured in, it won’t help! King, don’t you want to be saved?”
“Safi”, the dwarf king, who’s turning to stone, finally spoke.
“Are you staying?”
“……Huh?”
“In that case, I want you to take over our final task. If you believe me now, but……”
The king turned his gaze to the back.
“Beyond this chamber, further down… there’s a path leading to the back gate. At the end of it lies a prison—where the leader of the Flame Titans is being held.”
“P-prison?”
“If you wish to leave this place, there is another path. Be blessed, Safi of the Black Dwarves…”
The king’s small body began to turn to stone. Even when I tried to unseal him again—there was no response.
I took out the horn.
“Fufu… so they sealed a soul inside a tool….. I see. So there were gods who did the same thing as us.”
When the Dwarf King completely turned to stone, a thunderous sound arose from directly below. It was a scream. A sign of anger and hatred crawled up from the depths of the earth.
“Flamebone Surtr….…”
Solana’s voice trembled.
We stood frozen in the shaking, unexplored area.
“The dwarf king told us to go… down below…”
“Hey.”
Mia-san reached out and steadied Safi’s swaying shoulders. Even someone as experienced as her didn’t seem to know what to do—or where to go next.
Of course, neither did I.
『Rion, fall back.』
Thor gave the order.
“But-”
『These guys clearly betrayed us. Don’t follow his words, it could be a trap…… from the very beginning…. 』
When he said from the very beginning, a chill ran down my spine.
Did he mean… even the voice we heard through the Water Mirror of Yggdrasil was part of the trap?
Such a possibility……
“Rion, you……!”
Safi’s voice tightened my heart.
Go or go back.
Move forward or stop.
For adventurers, it was the ultimate choice in a dungeon.
But this time… wasn’t Alvis’ fate at stake?
“Rion, calm down.”
Only Solana didn’t rush me.
Using Alarm, I can see a faint light in the back. If what the Dwarf King said was true, then one of the passages that could be broken by the seal led underground, and the other to the surface.
Believe in the dwarf, go down and fight?
Or believe in the Gods and flee outside?
I had to make a decision.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
A massive body, nearly eight meters tall, is wreathed in flames. The original boss of the dungeon, “Titan Vanguard”, has been changed to “Flame Titan”. Its disheveled hair had turned into fire, the red glow in its eyes intensified, and its already thick, enormous frame became even more imposing with the searing heat.
There came a heatwave and roar that shook the space. The Flame Titan was rejoicing in regaining its true power. Or perhaps it had found a god and was enjoying the chance to resume the battle.
The mouth that stretched unnaturally wide across its face made me think so.
“……I knew it’s gonna be a giant-type guardian.”
Mia-san lightly swung her chain-axe, the chains clinking. From beneath her hood, her lips curled into a sly grin.
“I see. The ‘Titan Vanguard’ in Alvis Dungeon is not just a giant type. Its true identity is the flame titan who was stripped of the fire with a seal.”
I swallowed hard. So it’s true—there really is a Flame Titan in the Alvis Dungeon. The idea that their king, Flamebone Surtr, lies deeper underground suddenly feels a lot more convincing.
“There’s no need to panic. If the king is there, then of course his subordinates would be as well.”
Felix-san readied his staff, his sharp eyes turning toward us.
“Just as planned.”
At Felix-san’s signal, everyone dispersed. The enemy slams his fist into the ground. A tornado of flames swirled and the entire room shook. If that hit you, both the burns and the impact would be fatal. But in terms of the sheer, instinctive fear it stirred, yesterday’s “Incarnation of Rage” was far more terrifying.
“Wake up.”
At my voice, the wind spirit Sylph and the flame spirit Salamander jumped out. The wind blade cuts through the enemy’s shoulder. The scale-shaped barrier that nullifies the flame protected us from the heat wave.
“Guo-oh!”
Holding down its slashed shoulder, the titan groaned. The wind blade cannot fire repeatedly. But it’s powerful enough.
『It doesn’t measure up to yesterday’s incarnation.』
Nodding at Solana’s analysis, I activated Blessing of the Sun. As golden flames wrapped around my body, my senses were instantly heightened.
“Vuooooo!”
A vast battlefield.
The enemy leapt low and landed right in front of me. The ground shook, and the roar echoed through the space. But rather than feeling scared, the feeling of “wanting to confront it” comes first.
“Get out of the way!”
Because I can’t afford to stop!
I burst forward, diving in close to its feet. Looking up at a foot the size of a table, I slipped around behind it and slashed lightly at its leg. The Salamander spirit protected me from the flames surrounding its body.
The enemy raised its fist—likely preparing to unleash fire. But before it could, Felix-san swung his staff, and a chunk of ice pierced into the titan’s hand.
“Gaaah!”
The titan’s right fist froze solid, extinguishing the flames that had cloaked it. Mia-san stepped in front of me and activated the Axe Warrior skill—Immovable and Mighty Strength.
“Haa!”
Earlier, Mia-san had blocked the shockwave from the flaming tornado with her axe. The Crimson Axe gleamed, its magical rune letters repelling the force of the spell. The frozen right hand of the titan shattered completely.
As the titan collapsed to its knees, Mia-san, Felix-san, and I closed in to surround it.
“Ooh…”
The enemy should be a powered-up boss. But we’re overwhelming it—thanks to the god’s skill, the dwarf’s runes, and the coordination of our party.
Maybe… just maybe, we really are becoming a true party.
I raised my voice to my companions.
“We’re almost there!”
“Yeah!”
The Flame Titan crouched down, clutching its lost right hand.
A low growl escaped its mouth.
“Grrr…! OOOOAAAHHHH!!”
The entire space is shaking, and the Blessing of the Hunting God also detects that the enemy is gaining enormous magical power.
Mia-san stepped back.
“No way……”
I also have a bad feeling. Felix-san’s eyes widened.
“Magical power is contracting in the center of the body? This reaction…”
Felix-san shouted.
“It’s going to self-destruct!”
If it explodes in such a closed place, we will definitely be annihilated!
“Finish it right away!”
In response to Felix-san, I tried to kick the ground. However, suddenly, my Alarm skill conveyed something unusual. The light that can be unsealed is on the wall very closely.
“Anti-Titan ballista” can be unsealed.
“Ba-ballista……?”
The image of the giant bow from the passage we came through flashed through my mind.
No time to hesitate. Now’s the time to act!
“Wake up!”
As I activated my power, the entire wall lit up.
What burst forth was a massive mechanism. It’s a ballista—a relic resembling an enormous crossbow. The huge bow, as wide as a full-grown adult, was set horizontally. Loaded in it was a massive bolt, more like a spear than an arrow.
Its tip gleamed sharply. Then, as if moving on its own, it aimed straight at the titan—and fired the massive bolt.
“Gugaaaaa!”
The spear pierced deep into the titan’s chest. The death cry of the monster was painful to the ears.
“O-one hit?”
“What an incredible blow……”
The Raven Warriors also stood there in a daze. The flame on the titan gradually weakened and then it fell to the ground.
“Ooou……!”
The keeper of the dungeon stretches out a resentful hand to us. The fire covering its body had already been extinguished, and it had returned to the original “Titan Vanguard” form. Its head turned to ash, and the remaining right hand crumbled away in pieces.
Aside from the lingering warmth in the air, the boss chamber had returned to what it was just moments ago.
“That’s….”
Safi, her green hair swaying, poked her head out from the backpack.
“…Just like the golems—that’s a defensive mechanism of the dungeon. Something hidden and had been sealed away…”
I wonder if it’s a trap from a long time ago.
Mia-san took off her hood and bent her mouth as she wiped her sweat.
“This is near the throne room, right? Did they really have to set traps this far out?”
“I-I mean, it’s true the battle wasn’t exactly going in their favor, but still…”
Safi leapt out of the backpack. Her dark, wide eyes stared towards the back wall.
“I think we’ll understand once we get there!”
Without hesitation, Safi marched across the vast chamber.
“The throne should be in that direction, deep in this area!”
We hurried after her.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
After spending some time in a needlessly luxurious room, I heard the shady man’s voice.
Here we looked at each other. Our strategy is to cherish life.
We headed to the cafeteria on the first floor.
“You are free to get more bread, so please let me know.”
““Y-yes……””
What was served in the dining room was a one-plate sumptuous dish.
After the suspicious smiling man left the table, Sue and I exchanged glances. Even if we don’t have a good nose like Shiro or Fran, we can tell right away.
“It smells like medicine. There’s a faint scent of it.”
“That’s right. Normal people might not be able to tell, but as adventurers, we can tell right away.”
There is definitely something in the dish.
Shiro and Fran are already frowning and looking disgusted. Horn also seemed to notice something. Above all, the fact that the three of them are not happy at all even though it looks sumptous is proof that there’s something on this dish.
Alright, let me secretly activate the appraisal magic.
Whoa, seriously?
“It’s laced with sleeping pills.”
“So, it’s safe to say that that suspicious man is involved in the robbery.”
Sue and I leaned in close and whispered to each other. This inn is pretty insane in many ways.
However, we can’t have dinner at this rate, so I made a move.
“I’m sorry, the children are tired and sleepy. Can I bring our meal to our room?”
“Oh dear, they certainly don’t seem to be in good spirits. Shall I bring it to your room?”
“No, no, it’s okay. I’ll just bring some for myself and my girlfriend. I’ll feed the kids something later.”
“(Grin) Okay, okay.”
Hey, why are you grinning again?
Does he think that children don’t need sleeping pills? With that in mind, Sue and I returned to the room with plates in our hands.
“Ha, I’m tired. Why am I so tired when I just went to the cafeteria?”
“Well, it can’t be helped. I don’t think they’d sneak in drugs in the food.”
“““Haguhaguhagu”””
Sue and I sat limp on the sofa and looked at the sleeping pills on the table. Next to me and Sue, there are Shiro and the others eating the sandwiches I made.
Perhaps they are quite hungry so they are gobbling up the sandwich. Ao is eating a sandwich with them. By the way, Sue and I have already finished eating our sandwich.
“Sigh…. Well, there’s no other option. Let’s contact the soldiers.”
“You’re right. It’s better than nothing.”
Sue resigned as she sighed along with me.
I prepared a piece of paper and started writing a letter.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Anje, who had moved to the left of the eight-headed dragon, was also facing off against two of its heads. She stood her ground, confronting the heads that sprang toward her without taking any evasive action.
“Haa!”
Anje swung her leg with all her might, kicking the dragon under its chin. At the same time, a pile of soil erupted from the ground with tremendous force, striking almost the same spot. The dragon’s head jerked violently as it received the simultaneous kick and magic attack.
“All three of you easily damaged the dragon I struggled so much with… Just three people—well, with a wolf monster in the mix…”
“Uh-, um.”
“Master!?”
The old man woke up.
“…..Karen? I’m alive? What happened to the dragon…? Eh!? It multiplieeed!?”
He was so shocked to see that the number of heads was clearly greater than before he lost consciousness.
“Uhm, Master, what you fought was just one of the eight heads of a huge dragon.”
“Whaaat!? C-could it really be the Yamata no Orochi?!”
“Yamata no Orochi…?”
“It’s a mythical eight-headed dragon! A monster said to have been defeated by the ancient hero Susanoo-no-Mikoto long before the founding of the country of Edo! I’ve heard that the country of Yamato, which supposedly existed back then, was destroyed by this single monster… I can’t let this continue! I must tell the shogunate right away— O-ouch, it hurts!”
The old man hurriedly tried to get up but collapsed again due to severe pain.
“C-calm down, Master. As you can see, they’re already fighting it.”
“Huh? …..W-what’s going on with those guys!?”
While Karen and the old man were arguing, the battle with the eight-headed dragon continued. As I soared through the sky, I looked down at the scene below.
“Alright then. I’ll take you out one by one. Fiery Meteor!”
A huge rock, burning like a meteorite, appeared and crashed into one of the dragon’s necks at breakneck speed.
BOOOOOOOON!
There was a thunderous roar as the dragon’s head was crushed under the massive boulder. A large crater formed in the ground, and the red-hot black debris inside was made of trees that had been caught in the blast and instantly charred.
『As expected of my Master. You finished it off in one blow. Okay, I can’t lose either.』
While admiring me, Lill bit into one of the dragon’s necks. The neck, already punctured several times and is already in tatters, finally gave in. Unable to withstand the Fenris’ powerful bite force, it was torn off with the sound of bones shattering.
“Next up is you! Blast-Thrusting Flash Spear!”
BAAAAAAN!
A lightning strike pierced through the dragon’s entire neck. The light vanished from its eyes, and it collapsed, smoke billowing from the gaps in its scales.
“Mm, Master and Lill are amazing. I can’t lose!”
A fierce wind enveloped Fana’s body. She turned into a gust of wind and slashed with all her might at the neck of the dragon she is facing.
Slaaash!
Fresh blood spurted from the dragon’s neck as its scales were completely sliced apart. Fana kept going, flashing and chasing it. As gusts of wind battered the dragon from all sides, blood continued to gush from its wounds.
Finally, it lost strength and crashed into the ground.
“Infinite Freezing!”
Piki Piki Piki!!
My magic completely froze another neck solid.
“Linlin, Warhammer Mode.”
『Understood.』
“Alright, se-no!”
I slammed Lindwurm—now in warhammer form—into the frozen neck. The ice cracked instantly, the break widening until the entire neck shattered into pieces.
“I can’t lose either! Haaaaaaaaa!”
Full of fighting spirit, Anje charged at another neck. Her fists—each one powerful enough to split the earth—pounded the dragon’s neck over and over.
ZUDODOOOON!
Scales and bones shattered under her relentless assault, and the dragon’s head dropped to the ground.
It still tried to move, but Anje approached and delivered the final blow.
Including the one Karen had killed, we had now destroyed seven heads.
Only one remained.
“Hoh~ Running away, huh?”
The giant body desperately tried to move away from us. Apparently, it realized it couldn’t win and decided to flee.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“It’s so luxurious that it is completely out of place.”
“That’s true……”
A luxurious building, completely out of place among the surrounding buildings, towers before us. This is an inn of a level I’ve never seen in either the Southern or Eastern Margravate.
At this point, everyone agrees that this inn is fishy.
“I wonder what will turn up.”
“I don’t think anything strange will come out of the entrance.”
Having made up our minds, we head inside the high-end inn. It feels like we’re entering a forest and were about to defeat monsters.
Dingling.
“Yes, welcome. For five, is it?”
“““““……”””””
When we entered the inn and saw the man at the counter, I was surprised for the second time. He is wearing a not so fashionable suit with fancy glasses, which made him look like a typical fraudster.
Unintentionally, we all froze at the sight of him.
“Uhm, Sir?”
“O-oh, yes. We would like a room for two adults and three children.”
“With pleasure. But can you pay in advance?”
“Yes. I understand. Please take care of us.”
“(Grin) Thank you.”
Oops, when I paid for the accommodation in advance, the man at the counter couldn’t help but grin. No matter how I look at it, this man is quite suspicious.
Sue, Shiro, and the others also seem pretty suspicious of him.
“Then I’ll lead you to your room.”
“Yes please.”
Then, the man at the counter led us to a room.
Shiro and the others, who usually reply cheerfully, didn’t reply today, and I was the only one who replied to him.
“Your room will be here. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
“Yes, I understand.”
We were guided to a very luxurious room. Sue and I continued to smile amiably until the man closed the door to the room and left.
Thud.
“Whew, I’m kind of very tired.”
“Mm. But there’s still a possibility that someone is listening, so let’s speak in a low voice.”
“““Got it~”””
After the footsteps faded away, we started talking in low voices. There doesn’t seem to be any suspicious magic tools in the room, but we still have to be careful.
Sue is also signaling Shiro and the others to be quiet as she put a finger on her lips.
“First of all, this inn itself is suspicious.”
“Yes. The number of employees is too small for the size of this inn.”
“That man smelled strange.”
“Bad guy, bad guy!”
“He’s definitely suspicious.”
It was the moment when everyone agreed. The fact that Shiro and the others are silent is also evidence that this inn is suspicious.
Also, Fran.
Keep your voice a little quieter.
“For now, let’s wait and see. If we can determine that something is suspicious, let’s report it to the soldiers’ station.”
“That’s a good idea. Let’s wait and see.”
Hmm, so what will come out of this rather suspicious inn?
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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