EP.46 Dungeon (2) [R-18 Chapters Available~!]

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I don't know the ending of this world.

Even though I have watched the endings of both 'The Hero's Party' and 'The Tale Of A Knight's Affair' that share the same worldview.

The main character in 'The Tale Of A Knight's Affair' was only able to block the forces of one of the Four Heavenly Kings. He doesn't even defeat the Heavenly King, and dies.

It's bound to be so.

Because he wasn't a Hero, he was just a very strong knight.

He didn't have the fate to see the future of the world.

Then, what about Cloud, the Hero chosen by the Goddess?

Whether the Demon King dies and peace returns to the continent.

Or, the Heroes die and the continent perishes.

Doesn't Cloud deserve to know the fate of the world?

If you ask me, I will nod my head.

Cloud deserves it.

However, even that qualification was taken away by another Hero.

As the game progresses, either Gis or Lorian, one of them dies depending on the player's choice. Cloud crosses the portal with the surviving Hero and goes to the Demon Realm…

– You're just a hindrance anyway. So just die. I'm starting to get tired of making fun of you, let's end this in good faith, heh.

– I am the only Hero who will save the world. I'd be offended if your name gets stuck next to mine.

Whoever you go with, you will get killed.

Since this is an unavoidable event, the player cannot do anything.

Didn't I say it before?

I used cheats, yet I still lost.

So, this was the sh!tty ending of this game.

The ending where the woman you love, your life, and your qualifications as a Hero are all taken away from you.

In a sense, it can be seen as a befitting ending for an NTR game.

Recalling the ending, I always ended up with a 'Dafuq?' sentiment stuck in my throat.

For me, it was natural to wonder what will the end result of the game be like, yet I wasn't able to even have a glimpse. The game was already over and done, and it was not for me to know what the world would be like and what bullsh!t will ensue.

But now I am Cloud.

This continent has become the world I live in, so I can't help but pay attention.

Well, let's think about it.

How strong is the Demon King of this world?

It is impossible to get a rough estimate from the fighting power shown by the Four Heavenly Kings.

In the game it was said that the Four Heavenly Kings who Heroes fought were in a weakened state because they appeared on the continent, the domain of Goddess Iris.

'…The more I think about it, the more I don't understand. What were Gis and Lorian even thinking?'

Why did they have to fight the Demon King alone?

Well… I still can't understand.

Gis and Lorian in the second half were in a very strong state for various reasons. Even throughout the entire continent, they had no equal opponent left, it was quite a prideful achievement in itself.

'If it's possible to subjugate the Demon King with that level of strength, that would be the best outcome…'

If not, it raises many questions.

I sighed and looked at Eri, Neria, and Ophelia who were lying on the floor.

Maybe the speedy raid from the 1st floor to the 15th floor exhausted them entirely? The three of them have been lying still on the floor for quite some time, showing no signs of movement.

'They're definitely better than adventurers.'

From basic physical abilities to skills to the ability to cooperate with each other.

They were superior to the adventurers in every way.

It wasn't for nothing that they were assigned as Hero's companions.

That was not to say that there were no regrets.

There were a few things that they themselves didn't notice, but I felt it was quite a pity.

'Regrettably, they are lacking in determination.'

As long as you're a member of the Hero's party, you can't always fight to win.

Rather, it is often the case where you face an enemy you are not able to defeat.

And when dealing with such enemies, you have to endure and persist with a strong mental fortitude. If you see a chance, bite 'em and chew them up, leaving no bones.

But in them, I don't see that.

'They also have a subconscious habit of choosing to back out.'

If it was the game, it wouldn't be a problem.

The tank fell into a wounded state, making the battle difficult?

You just need to select the 'Escape' button, save or reload.

But this is the stark reality.

Even if it is possible to escape, there is no save or reload option.

What happens when one member falls into a state where he/she is unable to continue fighting; leaving a vacancy in the co-ordination?

The member who's hands are free has to fill that void.

It doesn't matter if it ultimately fails.

It's important to have the mentality to fill that void even for a moment.

If I can fix these issues, this party can become quite useful.

I crossed my arms and fell into thought.

'At first, I had no intention of accepting them as teammates…'

Just like in the game, they either went to Gis or Lorian. I didn't even try to stop them, because I knew they were going anyway.

So I thought I'd rather recruit decent teammates like Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie.

However, be it fate's mockery, these three's situation got worse, and somehow or other I brought them back to my party.

That way, there is no need to look for anyone other than Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie.

Because recruiting too many party members can also leave behind a possibility of complicating the situations.

'Um… it is still a question mark whether they will join my party.'

After handling the savage Pink Woman who tried to kill me, I didn't further explore the dungeon.

In the midst of old nostalgia, I punished her lightly by my standards, but she paid the price.

'I sure do get emotional reminiscing the old days.'

If it wasn't for that, I would have been able to react more flexibly.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I erased it.

That has already passed.

Now what I have to make sure is not to make another mistake.

I approached them, while they rested on the floor, breathing softly.

"…I can't move any more. Really."

Before I could say anything, Eri said with a desperate expression on her face.

I nodded to reassure her.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of going any further today. You are free to rest."

Only then the three women sighed in relief.

I smiled and asked them.

"How was it today?"

"I really thought I was going to die."

Eri answered immediately.

"Honestly, it was really hard…"

Neria looked into my eyes and said.

"…"

Ophelia didn't even have the energy to speak, so she put her hands together and nodded her head readily, indicating that she agreed with the two of them.

"But, we were successful, right? We came from the 1st to the 15th floor in one day, and no one was seriously injured."

None of the three women put a word to it.

Because it was correct.

Although they were so exhausted that it nearly felt like dying, the danger was not big.

"I don't lie in such cases. I don't irresponsibly promise things I can't do, so don't worry."

Three pairs of eyes turned to me.

They were asking what the hell was I trying to say. Yeah, it's understandable.

I laughed bitterly.

""

"I'll be honest. The journey ahead will be more difficult than it is now."

"…more than now?"

Eri was astonished. Neria and Ophelia suddenly looked more exhausted.

"Yes. In fact, the results will be as great as the hard work. You will be stronger than you are now. Truly worthy of the name of the Hero's Party."

"…can we say no?"

"There's another way. We can go down the dungeon slowly as you guys want. Should only move when we are in our best shape, and make a complicated plan to greatly reduce the risk and suffering. If we choose this route, we will be able to reach the 30th floor without suffering much difficulty."

The three women's expressions got better.

They looked into each other's eyes, silently made a decision, and then nodded their heads in sync.

Eri came forward as their representative.

"Then let's do the second one. It was so hard today, I can't stand anything more difficult than this."

"Yeah…"

A bitter laugh came out.

""

I can't help it. The choice is their's.

"All right. Get a good night's sleep. We have much to do tomorrow."

Finished with my words, just when I was about to turn my back.

"Cloud… what happened? What's with the look on your face? Have we disappointed you because we chose the easy way?"

Neria stopped my footsteps.

There seems to be some misunderstanding.

"I'm sorry if that's the case. However…"

"No, it's not like that. Why would it disappoint me? It is only natural for people to find an easier way when they are having a hard time."

The faces of the three women slightly but surely, brightened.

I kept talking.

"It's just… it's a pity that the trip with you guys ends in this dungeon."

It's been a while since I had a real party-like party, but it seems this one's also going to disband soon.

To organize a new party, I have to wait until the Behemoth appears…

It's really sad sometimes.

"…Cloud? What are you saying? It ends with this dungeon?"

Neria's expression hardened when she asked that question. It was not just Neria. Eri and Ophelia had a similar expression to her.

Yes, it must have been a little sudden.

I have to explain it to them so they don't get confused.

I scratched my cheek and said bluntly.

"Um… you know, I'm a Hero, right? In the future, there will be many more difficult situations than this, so I thought it would be difficult for us to go together because it'd only increase your suffering."

Although the explanation was given, the faces of the three women did not improve.

Oh, I forgot!

"Don't worry. I'm not oblivious to your situation either. I'll ask Frillite to make sure you guys don't face retaliation either by Gis or Lorian. If you sell the treasures obtained from this dungeon, you will be able to eat and live well."

Guaranteed food, clothing and shelter.

As an added bonus, I reminded them of the reason to clear the dungeon together.

Well, that's enough for them to understand…

"Let's go with the other way."

"Yes?"

"The hard route you spoke of. I will go that way."

Neria replied in a trembling tone.

What, why did she suddenly change her words?

"Are you really sure? Honestly, it's going to be really hard. It will be impossible to stop halfway at that time."

"I'm sure. No matter how hard it is.. so… don't just say it's over…"

Neria was biting onto her lips and making a distorted expression.

I was frankly embarrassed by her sudden change of attitude.

I took turns looking at the other two.

"Do you also agree with Neria? You can make your own free…"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

Eri and Ophelia raised their voices with determination.

'…they really want a revenge on Gis and Lorian so much?'

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

At the same time, I felt a little sorry for them.

How much had they endured in the past few months?

"…are you sure of your choice? I'll pay no heed to your complaints later. None."

Because then, I won't be able to slow myself down.

You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.

p(a)treon.com/Daoist02