“Prince Jelmy , huh… He’s an NPC with a name, so he must be tough.”
Jelmy
Magic: 50
Strength: 46
Technique: 42
Sturdiness: 48
Agility: 41
“Quite an uncertain status…”
Stronger than Kunimatsu, but weaker than Ruf.
Maybe he’s an NPC who doesn’t engage in combat.
Other stats are slightly higher than the soldiers I once ventured into the dungeon with, alongside Kunimatsu.
Being a prince, he probably has personal guards or something.
Well, we’re not aiming to eliminate him this time, so his stats aren’t that much of an issue.
…Wait, hold on.
There’s one that’s strange. What is that?
Inui Takuma
Magic: 70
Strength: 2
Technique: 0
Sturdiness: 1
Agility: 1
I thought my stats were extremely focused on magic, but it seems there are extremes even above me.
His magic is even higher than mine, with a 70. However, the rest of his stats are almost nonexistent.
From his name, he’s probably another reincarnated person from Japan. Does his extreme status have something to do with him moving together with Jelmy ?
“They’re more cautious than Kazama and the others.”
“Or rather, they’re moving as cautiously as Kunimatsu. The number of times traps are triggered due to the difference in the Goddess’s power is high, though.”
“Still, the damage has been minimal, so they’re doing quite well… Ah! Could it be, are they lucky this time?!”
“We’re not capturing them.”
“I know that~. It doesn’t seem like they’re luckier than Kazama, though.”
If they seemed lucky, would I have changed the strategy and given capture orders?
If Princess Fiona insists on it, I wouldn’t oppose, but it’s something on my mind.
“However, they’re definitely dealing damage. Rey-sama’s dungeon isn’t something that can be easily cleared.”
Well, the goal is for them to clear it easily this time…
I’m happy to get an evaluation from Primilla , but maybe the difficulty is still too high.
This might not be something that can be cleared in just this one attempt.
If that’s the case, maybe we’ll reduce the traps, deactivate a few, or change their placement…
“!! What’s that?”
Just as I was getting lost in thought, I was jolted back to awareness by a rumbling sound.
I’ve heard a similar sound before.
It was the same sound when Lopez invaded Primilla ’s fields and was chased by the birds.
It sounds just like when the cave collapsed…
◇
“This is bad.”
“Prince Jelmy , this dungeon… the number of traps is higher than usual.”
“It’s not just the number. Each of these murderous intents is on a level incomparable to the usual monsters.”
The goblins in our dungeon.
The murderous intent of the boss goblin there pales in comparison to these mechanical traps.
No, perhaps I should say the murderous intent of whoever set these traps.
…What the dwarves said might not have been a lie after all.
This mass of murderous intent. If the dwarves were the ones who set the traps, it wouldn’t be like this.
It must have been a more pure demon race—one that specializes in slaughter.
The Four Heavenly Kings… no, could it be that this is the trap set by the Demon Lord, specifically designed to kill other races?
“The place the Demon Lord abandoned… it might actually have been the right decision.”
“…What should we do? If this truly is the Demon Lord’s residence…”
The bodyguards seem on the verge of recommending retreat in fear.
Calm down. I understand how they feel, but that’s too hasty.
“It’s certain that the Demon Lord is involved. But if this dungeon is still under the Demon Lord’s management, we would have been wiped out already.”
Even I’m sweating from the murderous intent of these traps.
But these traps are just left unattended. They’re not actively targeting us.
If the Demon Lord is still watching, it wouldn’t be strange for the traps to trigger at a more appropriate time.
The combinations would be more malicious, aiming to kill intruders.
“We’re not being targeted directly. If we proceed carefully, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”
“Ha!”
Yes, these are traps set long ago, with no known target.
I won’t stop moving because of something like that.
◇
“Tch!!”
Again. I barely managed to dodge, but each of these traps is a threat, and it’s troublesome.
If I get caught by any of them even once, it’s likely impossible to advance further.
In fact, I might lose my life.
“Prince Jelmy … It’s too dangerous to continue.”
“Haah… Haah…”
“Ugh… Ugh…”
“This is no good.”
“Traps, traps, traps… It’s all traps. I’m getting sick of it!”
“My concentration has long since worn out. And I can’t control my anger.”
“Damn you, Demon Lord. How dare you lay out such insidious traps like this.”
“As the bodyguard said, there’s no point in advancing further. We’ll just lose more of our forces.”
“Let’s go back.”
“Yes!”
“This won’t settle my stomach. The Demon Lord… no, it’s impossible to take revenge on the Demon Lord who has already abandoned this place.”
“Then, let’s accomplish our secondary goal.”
“To begin with, it’s because of dungeons like this that the dwarves got cocky and started creating thriving cities.”
“That’s right.”
“Because of dungeons like this, I’m the one forced to clear them to get resources.”
“Yes, exactly as you say.”
“It should all be destroyed. Dungeons like this.”
Yes.
The primary objective was to steal the dwarves’ resources, but perhaps now we should focus on our secondary goal.
It was the dwarves’ fault for calling humans to their land and trying to make their country prosper.
We just need to return our people. If these dungeons disappear, those foolish citizens won’t keep visiting the dwarves’ country.
“Jelmy -sama, here’s the entrance.”
“Ah, yes.”
While my anger towards the dwarves grew, we seemed to have returned to the entrance of the dungeon.
It’s as prosperous as when we first came, which now feels unpleasant.
We don’t need this. We have much larger cities.
Have the people of our country forgotten they’re human to keep coming to a place like this?
“Inui. Do it.”
Then, I’ll make you understand.
The ones who secured the most reincarnators during the Great Reincarnation were us humans.
Remember what that power really is, both the dwarves and humans.
“Ah… Ah…”
Most reincarnators are decadent and useless.
The power granted by the Goddess is often of little value.
But sometimes, like with this one, you can find a hidden gem.
Though, that too is a wasted treasure.
The person doesn’t bother to train, doesn’t want to master their power, and just rots away.
That’s why I’ve decided to properly utilize them before they decay.
Using magic and medicine, by all possible means, I modified reincarnators with useful powers.
I’ve focused on making them capable of using their strength, and though their bodies are often too fragile for daily life, once they can use their power, that’s enough.
As for me, I’ll make sure to use them as disposable tools, but I’ll use them well.
“Use the power of collapse! Inui!”
“Aaaaah!!!”
His power is collapse.
However, the ability to collapse everything, everywhere, is not a convenient one.
What he destroys are only artificial objects.
Unfortunately, dungeons are built on naturally formed underground worlds.
So their foundations can’t be destroyed. But anything made afterward is fair game.
I’ll cleanly erase all the cursed shops, and those traps as well.
“Wha-what is this!?”
“Hurry and get the customers out of here! The inn itself is collapsing!”
The people evacuating from the dungeon are in a hurry, and it serves them right.
This is what happens when you make money freely in another race’s land.
Now, the inn, the shops, the clinic… Oh, even the mining areas are collapsing.
“Well done, Inui.”
“…”
There’s no reply.
I forced him to amplify and use his power. He probably couldn’t withstand it and broke.
But that’s fine. His role has been more than fulfilled.
Now, I’ll take advantage of the chaos and thoroughly collect the dungeon’s resources.
…Wait, this collapse seems too large.
It’s almost as if the entire dungeon is artificial…
This is bad, if this keeps up, we’ll get caught in it. I need to evacuate to the entrance…
