Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Defeat
Finally, we arrived at Floor 10 of the dungeon.
It was beneath a deep fissure in the ground.
Without Tetsuo and Shazam, reaching this far might have been impossible.
Still, could adventurers ever reach this far?
Waiting to greet us was a dragon with a golden body and three heads.
Since we didn't know the enemy's combat power at all, Tetsuo and I took it down, but――.
Just as I thought we could somehow defeat the enemies of this floor too.
From the white mist, something like a lump of malice approached.
My back began to bubble, and I couldn't help but shout.
"Everyone, run!!"
"Darling?!"
The Princess thought something was wrong, but she seemed to understand the meaning of my shout immediately.
"Daisuke-san!"
"Yes, it's that one."
The malice and terror that rose from the bottom of the ground when we were sent to Floor 9.
There is no doubt it is that one.
"Darling! What on earth is coming?! Daisuke-san!"
Iroha and Sana also seemed to notice the abnormality.
At the very moment we tried to escape――the white mist seemed to explode with rage, filling everything with dazzling light.
The pure white light snatched away our vision in an instant, melting the contours of the world.
Suddenly, it was blocked by a black wall.
It was Shazam's giant hand covering us, but――.
With a flash, the wall was blown away, and I saw the Princesses getting caught in it――.
I thought I saw them, but their figures were already gone.
"Princesses!!"
As I reached out toward the place where they had been, another flash struck me.
"Daisuke-san! Holy Shield [Protection]!"
Standing in front of me was Sana.
"Sana! Stop, let's run."
At the same time her defensive magic chant ended, a semi-transparent wall appeared before my eyes.
That magic barrier, tinged with a faint pale blue light, was fixed firmly in space, but that silence was broken in an instant.
From within the white mist, a surging torrent of light rushed forward with a roaring sound.
That light, undulating like waves, was sharp as a blade and contained a scorching pressure and heat.
The moment it hit the defensive wall, the light burst with a cracking sound, and the entire magic barrier groaned and shook.
Cracks ran across the surface in the blink of an eye, splitting into fine lines like a spiderweb.
The glow of magic weakened as if being scraped away, and the transparent wall turned cloudy like frosted glass.
From the edges of the magic, smoke-like magical vapor rose, signaling that it was near its limit.
"Sana!"
"I-I don't want to!"
Another black wall covered us in front of us again.
It was Shazam's hand, but it was blown away in an instant, and at the same time, Sana's defensive magic reached its limit.
In the next moment, a torrent of scorching heat attacked my entire body.
My equipment melted instantly and stuck to my skin.
My vision turned white, the moisture in my eyeballs evaporated at once――my vision went dark in an instant.
Only the afterimage of light burned onto the back of my eyelids remained.
"Sanaaa!"
I didn't even know what happened to her, who should have been right in front of my eyes.
When I realized the smell of burning flesh was my own, my brain finally understood reality.
Pain like my whole body was being grilled on an iron plate rushed in with a time lag.
Unable to endure the sensation of nerves being burned, I let out a scream that felt like my throat was tearing apart.
After screaming, if I tried to inhale, I would burn from within.
Burning from both inside and out, I collapsed right there.
Suddenly, the world went quiet.
The pain of being burned disappeared, but I couldn't hear any sound at all.
I didn't even know if my heart was beating.
All five senses were gone――it was as if only my brain was floating alone in the darkness.
Is this what it means to be dead?
Or is it because I'm high-level that I can't die easily?
Do dead adventurers float around in this state?
No, it doesn't matter anymore.
I had no way to know what happened to the Princesses anymore.
My vision was already in darkness, and even the last scene burned onto the back of my eyelids was now nothing more than a remnant of a distant memory.
Screams, footsteps, cries for help――they couldn't reach me. My ears were burned, my eardrums had burned away, and the world was simply silent.
A feeling of blaming myself for not being able to protect them rose from deep within my chest.
Regret and sadness seemed to overflow from the inside.
I wanted to cry.
Those "eyes" holding those "tears" might have already disappeared from this face.
Still, the emotions were alive.
The pain, the frustration, the fear――even if my body was burned and organs lost, only my heart was still left here.
Without eyes, without voice, just within the scorched body, imagining their fate, this is the hell called regret.
In the endless dark of numbness, I stopped thinking.
------◇◇◇------
"Daisuke!"
Suddenly, my senses returned.
"Whoa!!"
Thinking I was sleeping, I jumped up and frantically checked my whole body.
The skin, which had been scorched to a mush, was somehow fine.
"Daisuke, calm down!"
Tetsuo was next to me.
"Haa... Haa... What... what happened..."
To this incomprehensible and inexplicable event, I curled my body up.
Had I been sleeping?
Could it all have been a dream?――No, that couldn't be it……
"For now, calm down."
"...Where is this?"
I held my head and glanced sideways.
"It's the tent at the Dungeon Hot Spring..."
"...I don't get it...!"
I jumped up.
"What about the Princesses?!"
"They're fine! They are safe, so calm down!"
"Safe...?"
I tried saying the word, but the moment I spoke it, even my own voice sounded like someone else's.
What on earth is going on?
A scene that refuses understanding is happening.
Common sense and logic are blown away, and reality is just twisting.
My heart beats like a drum, and my thoughts can't catch up.
Cold sweat flows from my forehead, and the edges of my vision flicker.
My head feels like it's being squeezed and hurts.
I can tell my brain can't understand this situation and is refusing to process it.
Reality bends like a noodle, and suddenly the ground rushes at me, and I hold it back with my hands.
"...I don't get it..."
Holding my head with trembling hands, supporting my knees as if they were about to collapse, I couldn't look away from this incomprehensible phenomenon, and I just squatted right there.
For now, my body was fine.
My equipment and body should have been torn to shreds by the enemy's attack.
"Are you okay?"
"...Listen to me――we went to Floor 10 and fought a golden dragon."
"I know. That is a fact."
"...Fact? ...Fact?! What about the Princesses?!"
I lunged at Tetsuo.
"I said they're fine! Calm down!"
"Is it true?"
"It's for real..."
I squatted down again.
He says that was a fact, but my body is fine.
The Princesses are safe too……
"What is going on..."
"I understand you're confused, but I'll explain now."
"...What does that mean?"
"Do you know about Return by Death?"
"...Return by Death?"
I stared at Tetsuo's face.
He doesn't look like he's joking……
"Yes."
"Like in manga or anime, where you return to a save point even after dying..."
"Yes, that's it. It's one of the miracles I received from God."
"Is it true?"
"It's for real, for real."
Tetsuo himself isn't dead, but since we were all wiped out, it seems we returned to the save point for a moment――that is what it is.
"In that case, everyone must be in a panic..."
"No, only us returned."
It seems if you enter his black hole, you can return together.
Was that sensation of losing the five senses inside Shazam?
"Doesn't anyone else have that memory besides Tetsuo and me?"
"That's how it is."
If we proceed like this, we'll end up in the same situation at Floor 10.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into this."
Tetsuo sat cross-legged and bowed his head.
"No, we were the ones who asked for your help――was that enemy your target?"
"I couldn't know until we encountered it, but that must be it."
"You fought such an enemy?"
"Well, yes."
I heard the Apostle was tough, but not this much.
Speaking of which, he said before that he had died many times…… he said there was no resurrection in this other world.
Tetsuo also disliked talking about how he came back to life, but was he using this……?
"He said he had died many times, so is this it..."
"Well... It's an experience you don't really want to tell others about, right?"
Indeed, that is true.
"That aside... I don't think adventurers can win against that no matter how hard they struggle..."
"It would be impossible to face it head-on. If Daisuke wants to give up, I don't mind. I'll do the Zombie Attack alone, haha."
"For real..."
"Well, Daisuke should persuade the young ladies and keep them from getting close to there."
Will the Princesses agree to be persuaded?
If I tell them it's impossible, I feel like they'll push in even more……
I don't want to see such a scene again.
Tetsuo seems to have the ability of Return by Death, but normally, if you die, it's over.
"...As an old man, I can't let young girls go through such a thing."
"Well, yes."
"If that's the case――then I really have to do it."
"You're going to do it?"
"Yes."
"I see."
He patted my shoulder firmly.
"I have one question."
"What is it?"
"When you enter the black hole, do your five senses disappear?"
"Yes, for some people, it's quite tough. I'm used to it..."
So that's it after all.
Suddenly, a black thing appeared behind Tetsuo and took the shape of a woman――Shazam.
As she approached me, she lifted her large breasts and pressed them toward me.
"Hey, what's this?"
"She says to rub her breasts and cheer up."
"Haha... I'm fine――thank you."
Stepping out of the tent where the dampness was seeping in, there was the Dungeon Hot Spring.
It really seemed I had returned by death.
I quietly opened the entrance to the tent where the Princesses were sleeping.
Four of them were sleeping soundly.
Although Iroha was lying with her legs wide open, scratching her belly.
Seeing that figure, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Normally, it would be "I'm glad it was a dream," but no, this is reality.
If we go to Floor 10 like this, the same tragedy awaits.
Returning to the tent, it was time for everyone to wake up.
It seems the time we returned by death was close to morning.
"Right, I need to prepare breakfast."
"Then the detailed plan will be after we go back up."
Nodding at Tetsuo's serious gaze, I said:
"Yes."
"Understood."
Going outside to prepare breakfast, Kaorulko woke up as usual.
"Good morning."
She is the same as always.
After seeing that scene, I couldn't help but hug her.
"D-Daisuke-san! What's wrong?!"
"No, I'm sorry..."
"No, that's not it――Daisuke-san, you don't seem energetic..."
"No..."
I was so overwhelmed I hugged her, but I don't know how to answer.
I can't possibly tell the truth, and how do I even explain Return by Death?
While I was troubled by what I had done, I was suddenly body-checked.
"Daisuke-san!"
"Guh!"
It was Sana who body-checked me.
Her eyes staring at me.
She stood in front of me without caring for her own life and endured the enemy's attack.
I couldn't help but feel my eyes sting.
"Sana, I'm sorry――thank you."
"Daisuke-san! What's wrong?!"
"That's right! It's strange!"
Sana and Kaorulko cornered me, but I can't explain.
"No, I'm sorry, it's nothing."
"There's no way that's true?!"
Sana's hits are tough.
Then Iroha came over.
"What's this~! Morning already~! Let me in too~!"
She came at just the right time.
"Hahaha!"
To bluff, I lifted Iroha onto my head.
"Wah! What's going on?!"
"Here I go!!"
I spun her large body horizontally on my head.
"I'm spinning you more than usual~"
"Ahahaha! What's this~ Darling!"
I managed to bluff successfully.
Thanks to Iroha.
After that, I almost hugged the Princess who woke up, but I restrained myself.
Otherwise, I'd be interrogated again.
Speaking of which――what happened to the Harpies that time?
They might have been caught up in it after all.
I did a terrible thing.
I know the location, but I can't take them there this time.
------◇◇◇------
――From then on, we attacked the dungeon as usual and returned to the surface to resupply.
In my memory, that scene where everyone was wiped out in an instant is stuck, but they are acting as usual.
They don't even dream of going through such a thing in the future.
The dungeon clearing is going well, and everyone is in high spirits.
As an old man, I must protect the smiles of these girls.
Gathering supplies, they immediately say they want to attack again.
This is the same as before, but I said I wasn't in the best condition and decided to take a short break.
Of course, it was a lie.
Saying I was going for a walk, I went outside and met Tetsuo.
Item Box is convenient in situations like this.
Even leaving home empty-handed, all equipment is stored inside.
"Alright, let's go."
"Yosh!"
Tetsuo pumped himself up.
Entering the dungeon, I equipped myself and rode on Tetsuo's Shazam.
This takes us straight to Floor 9 of the dungeon.
Riding on a black carpet, we glide through the darkness.
I glanced sideways.
It's a bit lonely that the usual noisy girls aren't here.
"It's a bit lonely without the usual noisy ones, huh, haha."
Tetsuo seemed to think the same.
"Is that big one the main body of Shazam?"
"If only I could charge a bit more magic... I took some damage in that battle..."
"I couldn't tell much with the white mist, but what was the enemy's true identity?"
"Probably, that is the enemy's boss――the Evil God."
"Evil God? If it's an Evil God, isn't it a god?"
"Well, yes. If they say it themselves, maybe our God is the Evil God, haha!"
Believers probably think the god they believe in is justice.
"Can humans really win against something like that?"
The thing we encountered didn't seem like something we could fight at all.
"It's fine, I actually defeated it."
"For real?"
"Well, it becomes something like a Zombie Attack using my Return by Death..."
"So that's how it is after all?"
"It's fine. I have a plan."
He raised his index finger with a serious face.
"What is it?"
"First, eliminate the enemy's Saintess."
Saintess? Like Sana……
"What happens then?"
"Saintesses and Apostles are like fragments of the god. If you eliminate them, their power drops significantly."
"Hmm? Probably... that woman, right? You saw her at Floor 10 too, Tetsuo?"
The woman of the Labyrinth Cult we encountered many times inside the dungeon.
"Yes, that one."
"Probably... she seemed to be able to move freely within this dungeon."
Turning adventurers into monsters.
It seems impossible without power close to the administrator of this place.
"Given high-level authority, she can be in such a place――well, that's not wrong."
"I see..."
"And there were angels too."
"Angels? What are angels?"
"They are the vanguard for the Saintess. The small one next to her was one."
Ren?
Did she become completely an enemy?
Should I strike her down……?
No, choosing between the Princess, Sana, and Ren――there is no need to think about it.
"..."
I hesitate.
"Judging from Sana-chan's reaction, was that small one an acquaintance?"
"Yes. For a short time, we were in the same guild."
"I see――it will be tough, but if you don't do it, you'll be done, right?"
"I know. I know, but..."
It's not something you can easily cut off.
"Well――how do I lure that woman out..."
"Either way, I need to level up a bit more."
The levels I gained from deep clearing were all lost due to Return by Death.
The memories remain, but levels seem to have reset to the save point.
"Kill dragons on Floor 9 and Floor 10."
"That's the fastest way, isn't it?"
That woman hated the dungeon monsters being killed.
If we kill dragons non-stop, won't she come out baited?
It's a pity for the dungeon monsters caught up in it.
"Alright! Decided!"
Riding Shazam through the darkness, we rushed ahead.
We headed straight for the depths, passing over the heads of many adventurers.
"When do you think the young ladies will notice?"
"They might chase us immediately once we don't return for dinner."
"I'm loved, haha!"
"They might hate me, but there are things a man must do."
"Well, that's how it is."
Even if the Princesses chase us, without Shazam, it's on foot from Floor 4 onwards.
They can't advance easily.
Passing Floor 4, arriving at Floor 5.
"Gya!" "Daisuke!"
The Harpies were flying parallel to the black carpet we were riding on.
"You don't have to accompany us this time!"
"We've cleared the depths quite a bit and have grasped the map."
Although we lost experience points due to Return by Death, for some reason, the memories remain.
"Gyask!" "Daisuke!"
The Harpies came riding on Shazam.
"Haa, it can't be helped. If it gets dangerous, run away immediately, okay?"
"Gya!" "Daisuke!"
"I'm loved, haha."
"That's different."
I think they are just gathering around the food I have.
Arriving at Floor 7 without further ado, we passed through the maze and headed for the mid-boss.
There are other adventurers, so I can hear combat sounds.
Sorry, but I can't help you today.
Arriving at the mid-boss room without further ado.
"Roaaaar!"
This time the mid-boss is a Lesser Dragon, but since they don't give me experience points here, I'll take them down quickly.
"Alright!"
Tetsuo flips them over with Shazam and cuts them up using his black hole.
He doesn't care about the dragon's hard scales.
It seems there is nothing he can't cut, so dragon scales don't matter.
Finally, Shazam's black hand dives into the corpse and grabs the Magic Stone.
A blood-stained Magic Stone is presented before me.
"Here, this is good, right?"
"Oh, thanks."
Since I found out Magic Stones can become weapons, I put magic into this one to make it an explosive.
I also prepared adhesive to attach it to the final boss's body.
For now, I take out a canned coffee from the Item Box and take a puff.
"Can't you just cut up the final boss with Tetsuo's black hole?"
"Those guys resurrect easily, you know."
While taking a sip from the can, he makes a disgusted face.
"Then cut them up until they stop resurrecting..."
"Since the Magic Stone is the energy source, just destroy that one first."
"I see! Let's go with that strategy."
"Well, getting to that state is tough, haha."
He smiles bitterly.
He probably has that kind of experience.
Tetsuo won't die because he has the Return by Death ability, but I am different.
If I don't get help from him, it's the end right there.
After a short rest, we skip Floor 8 and start dragon hunting on Floor 9.
It's a bit pitiful for the dragons, but please be the fuel for my experience points.
The clearing is easy.
Tetsuo flips them over with Shazam, and I finish them off with Namu Thunder.
Dragon Zombies don't respond to electricity, so Shazam takes out the Magic Stone directly, and I finish them off.
They don't give experience points, but having the Magic Stone is enough.
It's faster to finish off other dragons than to struggle to take them down.
Like machines that have lost all emotion, we continued to kill dragons relentlessly.
Fear and excitement were long gone.
All that remained was chilled concentration and actions according to procedure.
No, only the old man's belief that I don't want girls to do dangerous things remains.
Shazam peels the scales from the giant body of the dragon smoking from the electricity, and I accurately stab the vital points with my sword, killing them without giving them time to suffer.
I chop the dragons up with Tetsuo's black hole and carelessly throw them into the Item Box.
Kill the dragon――dissect it――store it.
We repeated this relentlessly.
When we leveled up, we descended from the fissure on Floor 9 to Floor 10 and eliminated the Golden Three-Headed Dragon.
If there was even a hint of danger, we retreated to Floor 9 immediately.
Doing such things, my level surpassed 80.
While eating with Tetsuo on Floor 9, an unusual presence approached.
"Gyask!" "Daisuke!"
The Harpies are reacting too.
"Here it comes?"
"Probably..."
Something approaches stealthily from the darkness.
It is not that dangerous enemy that killed us.
Tetsuo and I, two of us, stared into the pitch black.