Chapter 275

A few hours ago.

As soon as I entered the base camp, Verdandi came to me and filled me in on the events of the previous day.

"Last night, the enemy's legion commander sought me out."

It was Salome, the Unholy Legion Commander, who had approached Verdandi.

And she had made an offer.

The offer was to spare all of Verdandi's comrades if she handed me over, the human commander on our side.

She said she pretended to accept the offer for the time being, but now she didn't know what to do next and had come to inform me immediately.

"I see."

Listening intently to Verdandi's story, I asked her, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Hm?"

"Why not keep it a secret and just hand me over? Then you could save your comrades and even..."

I hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"You could have eliminated me, the human commander who is also an enemy to the elves, just like the Succubus Queen suggested."

"..."

Verdandi, who had been silent, slowly opened her mouth.

"True, on the surface world, we might be enemies. I came here to save my homeland, which was defeated in a war against humans. It would be a lie to say I don't have some resentment towards humans."

"But then, why?"

"However, Ash."

Verdandi gave me a faint smile as she looked me in the eyes.

"You are a good person."

"..."

"And you're someone who knows the meaning of righteousness. In this hellish dungeon, and on the front lines fending off monsters on the surface, you're someone who still harbors humanity that should have been abandoned long ago."

All I had given this elf was a mere dagger.

A few sunflower seeds. And an empty promise to save her comrades.

"You have the potential to go far. I can sense it."

Verdandi already trusted me.

Whether that was due to the harsh environment of the dungeon below this lake or because she genuinely had a good eye for people, I couldn't tell.

"Blinded by past grudges and throwing away greater possibilities is something only fools do. A true leader should look beyond that."

"..."

"I have to find the Holy Grail in this dungeon. And ultimately, I have to save my kin on the surface and reclaim my homeland."

Verdandi slowly bowed her head toward me.

"I have a gut feeling that you'll be essential for all that lies ahead, Ash."

"..."

"I will never deceive or betray you. I want to walk this path beside you."

"Even if in the worst-case scenario, you lose all your comrades?"

"I've spent over 100 years in this hellish place. The reason my comrades and I were able to survive without going insane is one."

Verdandi spoke softly.

"Never lose our humanity. Don't become monsters. Never forget our sense of duty. That's what we've vowed."

"..."

"It's better to die a noble death as a warrior than to survive by betraying one's benefactor. My comrades would think the same."

Gazing deeply into Verdandi's resolute eyes, I slowly opened my mouth.

"I have a way. A way to easily save your comrades and also take down the enemy commander in one fell swoop."

Verdandi's eyes widened in shock.

"What exactly is your plan?"

"We go with what the Succubus Queen suggested. You hand myself over, and get your comrades back."

"What?! But then you would fall under the spell of that Succubus..."

"Don't worry about it."

I grinned, a smirk settling at the corners of my mouth.

"I've got an ace up my sleeve."

***

Present time.

In the chamber of Succubus Queen Salome.

Thwack!

My right straight landed on Salome's jaw, sending her tumbling backward.

'Hmm, clean hit! That one connected well!'

Although I had never formally studied martial arts, my brief experience with [Lucky Strike] in the battlefield had honed my instincts.

My punch couldn't have been cleaner! Ah, how refreshing.

"Ah, ahhh?!"

Salome, sprawled disgracefully on the floor, clutched her reddened jaw and her eyes teared up.

"What? What? What the hell is this...?"

"You're a bit slow on the uptake, Succubus."

I walked toward Salome.

"Today's your unlucky day."

Not sure if she even had a family to set up a memorial for her, but still!

"Heh, hah?! Don't come any closer!"

Salome blinked her red eyes and extended her hands once more.

"Now, 'Sleep'! Sleep very deeply!"

Whoosh!

A pink mist swept over me once again.

"..."

Unfazed, I kept moving forward, ears ringing. 

It felt like a gust of wind mixed with a dreadful floral scent. If I had a mask, I'd want to wear it, but I could manage without.

"How? How the hell are you resisting my mind control?!"

A panicked Salome scrambled backward, shouting.

"Except for the Great King, my hypnosis should affect every being in this lake... How?!"

"Sorry, trade secret."

I casually advanced another step toward her.

Salome's face turned pale as she stumbled back until her back hit the wall, letting out a weird noise.

I smirked. You're asking how I resisted your mind-control skill?

The answer is simple.

It's thanks to my passive skill, [Unyielding Commander].

[Unyielding Commander Lv.3]

- A skill born from an unyielding spirit that never gives up in any situation.

- Provides immunity to mental status effects to all allies within a 20m radius.

Immunity to mental status effects. I simply don't get affected.

I've thought it was an overpowered skill since I first got it. 

Early on, it was nearly useless as there weren't enemies that used mental status effects. But from mid-game on, it became incredibly useful.

It came true.

With this passive skill, I become a hard counter against all enemies that rely on mental attacks.

And the Unholy Legion, especially the upper-echelon like the succubi and incubi, only have mental status attacks as their arsenal.

Their own combat capabilities are pathetic. Instead, they rely on mind control and hypnosis to turn our heroes against each other, causing team kills. They're quite the detestable bunch.

In my 742 games, I had run into these bastards about 200 times. They could be considered one of the biggest obstacles in the mid-game.

But what? Oh my God! An EX-grade skill!

The first passive skill I received was so overpowered.

'Showing its usefulness only at Stage 11 is a bit late, but still.'

Thank you, Director! For adding such a cheat skill!

"Now, then..."

Standing in a place where there was no longer room to retreat, I rolled up my sleeves in front of a trembling Salome.

"Shall we enjoy some enlightening discipline?"

At that, Salome covered her body with her arms and let out a shriek.

"Y-you're going to hit me?!"

"Yeah, I'm going to hit you."

"No, wait, you've already hit me! No one has ever hit me, not even my father!"

"Stop saying lines that would only appear in an old-school shoujo manga. I'm going to hit you anyway."

The main body of this creature has laughably low stamina.

Even my weak physical strength was more than enough to beat her senseless.

And while I'm at it, I can glean some valuable information. How rewarding is this?

"Hold on a second! Look at this first!"

As I raised my fist, Salome quickly reached out to stop me.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, she lowered the shoulder of her worn-out monk robe, revealing a bit of her skin.

And then,

"O-oooh!"

She took a rigid posture like a wooden doll and made that noise.

"...?"

"U-uh, oooh..."

With her face turning red, Salome kept repeating that rigid motion and strange sound.

Not understanding the situation, I finally asked.

"...What are you doing right now?"

"T-this is seduction."

"Seduction?"

"Yes, sedu—"

"..."

"...Ooo?"

After a brief silence,

I reached out with my hands filled with anger and grabbed Salome by the collar. I couldn't help but shout at the startled Salome.

"Stop talking nonsense! Are you even a succubus? What kind of seduction is this?!"

"Eeeeeek?!"

"You're a disgrace to succubi, you brat! If you're going to do it, do it right!"

Succubi are supposed to be a fantasy, a fantasy! You ruined it all!

"B-but! I've never actually seduced anyone in person!"

"Huh?"

"Everyone just falls into a lewd dream! Who resists mind control?"

"..."

"I'll give you a nice dream! You can have a great time with your ideal partner! Just trust me! Everyone's super happy, so just let me mind-control you once, okay?"

My ideal partner?

Suddenly, the face of Serenade flashed through my mind...

'Gasp.'

No, no. That's just Ash's first love coming to mind first.

Don't get caught up in this creature's tricks. Ahem.

Noticing my momentary hesitation, an enthusiastic Salome continued to shout.

"Not just lewd dreams, okay? I can make you dream of anything! Your unfulfilled dreams! People you wanted to meet! From endless delicacies to unreachable wishes! Everything! You can achieve it all!"

"..."

Wishes?

Unreachable...wishes...

- Brother!

Suddenly, text appeared before my eyes.

The unforgettable brief chat lingered in my mind.

- 'RetroAddict, you have a wish you want to fulfill, don't you? Not something like money, but a more precious wish.'

- 'That wish, I'll grant it for you.'

- 'As long as you hold it in your heart, that dream is not a failure.'

I also remembered the promise I initially made with that self-proclaimed Director.

Yes, a wish.

I was here to fulfill that.

"I can do anything! Seriously, I'm the Succubus Queen! In terms of dream powers, I'm the strongest in this world! I don't know how you resisted my mind control, but if you just lower your mental barriers for a moment, I'll—"

"Shut up, monster."

My voice was menacing as I cut off Salome's words.

"You think I came here just to find self-satisfaction through some trivial dream?"

"What? What?"

"I came here to conquer."

My grip on Salome's collar tightened.

"I'm here to fight with my life on the line and achieve my wish."

Salome looked up at me, her red eyes blinking blankly.

"It doesn't matter whether you offer me a sweet daydream or a horrible nightmare."

Again, I clenched my fist and raised it.

"I'll achieve my wish through my efforts, in my reality."

Protecting people and killing monsters—there was no room for trivial dreams on this path toward clearing the game.

"Indulge in your dreams all you want, monster."

"..."

Salome, who had been staring at me as if mesmerized, finally spoke slowly.

"Ash, you really are—"

Ignoring her, I swung my fist down.

The plan was to deplete her stamina to a critical state first, then interrogate this monster for information.

Just then—

Thwack!

Someone suddenly intervened, blocking my punch.