Chapter 71
After the Ma.s.sacre“E,everyone else!”
After the two’s breathing returned, Ramis’ tear-stained face completely changed and she leapt out. That’s right, these two are safe, but the other members haven’t moved at all.
I want to think they’re alive, but I can’t determine anything from here. Can I not do anything but wait for Ramis to bring them here … can I do nothing but pray?
Ramis rushed over to our companions at an unbelievable speed, and I can see her checking the state of their wounds and their breathing. Even though there are times where she pats her chest and sighs, muttering to herself, it’s impossible to understand the situation from this distance.
It’s frustrating, but I can’t do anything but wait for her to come back.
—
“Somehow, no one’s life is in danger…”
Looking at all the members sleeping, lined up on the bath towels I provided, Leader Keryoil let out a sigh of relief.
There were some serious wounds among the ones who were blasted, but the healing potions and emergency first aid seems to have been effective. Right now, Ramis is carefully carrying them to the wagon.
The wounds aren’t fully healed, and there’s also the possibility of internal trauma, so even if it’s slightly inconvenient, there’s a necessity to return to the community as quickly as possible.
Hyurumi and Shui have been sleeping since then, so the girls were also loaded onto the wagon.
“Sorry Mishael, but looks like you and I have to take turns to drive the wagon.”
“It’s fine. Thanks to the healing potion, I’m feeling quite fine.”
That’s what their saying, but the color of the faces of these two isn’t good, and you can tell they’re far from being in perfect condition. They’re probably very aware that this isn’t a situation where they can show their weakness.
It would be nice if there were pain killers and medicine among the vending machine products, but I’ve never seen medicine being sold in vending machines, due to the pharmaceutical laws. I’ve heard there’s some over seas, but when I was alive, I wasn’t affluent enough to take a vacation abroad just to see vending machines that sold medicine.
Taking care not to shake the wagon as much as possible, the boar-drawn wagon departed. The greatest reason we’re in a hurry is for those people’s recovery. But there’s also the reason that we’re suspicious of that guy … the Ruler of the Netherworld whimsically coming back.
When we reached the community, our comrades were carried over to the only clinic on the Lamentations of the Dead Level.
When they had received the appropriate treatment and the specialist in charge had given a written confirmation that they would be alright, Ramis and I were so relieved we collapsed on the floor.
But the two who had their hearts stopped once required peaceful rest, and the other members weren’t only damaged in body by that dark magic; it
seems their spirits were also wounded, so they won’t return to their original states in just a few days, it seems.
At worst, they would need to be hospitalized for over a week, looks like.
So that’s the situation, but we can’t just leisurely rest while waiting for our companions’ recovery. The appearance of the Ruler of the Netherworld had to be reported to the guild, and this level’s Guild Master summoned the relatively more lightly injured Leader and Mishael and an emergency meeting was called.
Within half a day, our Bear President and presidents from the other levers came, reconfirming the weight of the matter.
Furthermore, before the day ended, the citizens of this level were prohibited from going out, and hunters were beginning to gather in the community one after another.
Ramis was called to the meeting multiple times to tell what she had witnessed, but the expressions of the presidents weren’t good.
Ramis and I were on standby, a.s.sembled in front of the Lamentations of the Dead Level’s Hunter a.s.sociation, staring blankly at the gloomy sky.
“What do you think, Hakkon? I’m relieved it ended with no one dying, but that Ruler of the Netherworld is too strong.”
“Welcome.”
It was a ma.s.sacre with overwhelming magic power. I can’t think of a way to win, nor how resist.
I’m useless against opponents who are smart and act frivolously. I was made to realize that it was luck that I had defeated all the level rulers up til now.
While I was filled with hate and vengeance towards the killing of my companions, my mind had been filled with nothing but how to kill the Ruler of the Netherworld, but as time pa.s.sed I became calm, and was able to understand the reality.
“That four-armed skeleton, just what is he? I’ve never heard of the Ruler of the Netherworld. If it’s Hyurumi, she might know.”
It’s an existence that has the Ghost King, a level ruler, as a subordinate. I also want to know exactly who he is.
“So you want to know who the Ruler of the Netherworld is?”
When I moved my line of vision towards the stern voice that came from above, President Bear was there, tiredly ma.s.saging his forehead with his pawpad. He was wearing a pince-nez, carrying a stack of papers in one arm.
“President Bear, is the meeting over?”
“Aa, for now. Well, there’s content that involves you. Hakkon too. We’ll go over the details inside.”
Even though he had just left the a.s.sociation, he turned on his heels and beckoned towards us. We’re curious about the content he talked about, and there’s no reason to refuse, so Ramis lifted me onto her back and then chased after him.
President Bear lightly pushed the solemn looking doors in the back of the first floor, and behind them was the meeting room with a large, round table.
“Sit down in a free spot, Ramis.”
Moving towards the nearest
nearest chair, Ramis set me down and sat directly next to me.
It wasn’t just us there; Leader Keryoil, Mishael, and nine other men and women I hadn’t seen before had already taken their seats.
“I don’t have to explain these two, na. The other members are each of the levels’ Hunter a.s.sociation Presidents and their proxies.”
Is that so? There are also people with the appropriate presence to be called a President, but there are also people who look no different from Ramis’ age; so that means they became Presidents at that age?
-tto, excluding my acquaintances, all of them are covering me with inquisitive looks. I’m already used to this feeling.
“Everyone, this girl and this magic tool person are survivors against the Ruler of the Netherworld. The plan this time greatly involves these two, so I have specially called them.”
“President of Clear Lake, is this magic tool the rumored box you can purchase strange things from with money?”
A girl in full youth wearing a red woman’s suit spun a fountain pen with her fingers, staring at me.
“Aa, President of Starting. Aside from that, he possesses very useful abilities, and has helped us out many times.”
So the Presidents go by their levels’ names. Although I think President Bear fits way better than President of Clear Lake.
“I see; sorry for diverting the topic. That was all.”
“Fumu. Then let’s continues the conversation. The Ruler of the Netherworld who appeared this time is almost certainly the Ruler of the Netherworld who is the Left Hand General of the Demon King’s Army.”
“Oooo-.”
The Presidents make a ruckus. The way they’re acting surprised looks like it’s some drama, where everyone knew it, but they’re acting surprised again.
“Um-, what’s the Left Hand General of the Demon King’s Army?”
With her hand timidly raised in the air, Ramis asked a question. That’s something I also want to know. Nice a.s.sist.
“There are naturally people who don’t know, na. In a place far to the north, there is a man who rules a country, calling himself the Demon King. We’re not sure how many generals the Demon King’s Army has, but they’re called different names depending on their position. The Demon King himself is the Head, and his subordinates are treated as his hands and feet. In order from highest to lowest, there’s the Right Hand General, the Left Hand General, Right Foot General, and Left Foot General, these four people are the Limb Generals, and below them are another twenty fingers and toes generals in relation.”
In other words, this world’s Demon King is accompanied by a number of generals. And the Ruler of the Netherworld is that two down from the top, the Left Hand General.
That’s quite a high-ranked person. Really, why did the Demon King’s Army Number Three come to this kind of place?
But, well, there’s a Demon King, huh? If it wasn’t this world, saying that would
that would be strange, but the Demon King, huh?
“Why the Ruler of the Netherworld appeared in this kind of place is unknown, but a.n.a.lyzing the conversation at the scene, the this level’s ruler, the Ghost King, seems to have been the Ruler of the Netherworld. As you are aware, a level ruler is an existence that is unable to leave the dungeon.”
Is that so? First I’ve heard of it.
“It’s said that this level gathers the souls of the dead and turn them into monsters. The Ghost King is a former human or demon person who died and whose soul was gathered, becoming the Ghost King … is a possibility. Of perhaps there was another way for him to enter the dungeon. This is all pure supposition, though.”
So there might be that kind of situation. Certainly, from what the Ghost King and Ruler of the Netherworld said, there was a boss-subordinated relations.h.i.+p, with the Ruler of the Netherworld having a superior-like way of speaking.
“Well, I suppose it would be fine to look into the things we don’t understand once everything’s over. The problem is how we should deal with the Ruler of the Netherworld, who seems to be staying on this level for a while yet.”
“Can I say something, President of Clear Lake?”
“What is it, President of Scorching Heat?”
The one who stood up and raised his hand to state his opinion is a man with gold-colored skin and black tea colored hair who is obviously a hot-blooded man.
His clothes are a Hawaiian s.h.i.+rt-like tunic with flames painted on it, and trousers the color of desert sand. He’s a man who feels like he’d match a summer day at the beach.
“Let’s say the Demon King Army’s top is planning something; is this okay? Even if we defeat him, there’s gonna be lots of problems in the future, right?”
“There’s probably no worries there. In the first place, they’d be waging war from all the way over there. If the Demon King Army is scheming against us, they’re limited to a surprise attack. Rather, moving out with fewer people would be better, but if the Demon King Army directly invaded this place, they’d have to first destroy the Defensive City and the Empire. I’m thinking that this time’s incident is most likely the independent actions of the Ruler of the Netherworld.”
I don’t know the geography of this world, but basically, to the north of this country with the labyrinth in it is the Empire, and on the border of the Demon King’s Army is something called the Defensive City, and if they don’t do something about those, it’s impossible for them to invade this far.
“And so, why would the Ruler of the Netherworld take these independent actions?”
“President of Starting, that is something I wouldn’t know. But there are things humans don’t understand about dungeons. Until the day that we break through the levels –the levels – – let’s stop with the theorizing.”
It’s troublesome if politics gets wrapped up in this, but it looks like it would be fine if we ignored it. No, actually, if things end up coming to negotiations and reparations, it might be a good thing for the people here.
“So what’s the plan for dealing with this?”
“It will have to be subjugation. As we are the ones managing the interior of this dungeon, and as he laid his hands on one of the members of the Hunter a.s.sociation, we can only strike and crush him with all our strength.”
President Bear stated his opinion with the air of a calm gentleman, but you get the feeling that there’s a strong, wild light in his eyes. This time, with his friends, the Fools of Whimsy Brigade and the Big Eaters Brigade being done in, it seems he can’t suppress his anger.
“Ain’t you strangely up for it. But you’re right, na. It’s the duty of Hunters to defeat monsters. If we let him make light of us like this, we’d be going against our trade. There’s a bunch of decently skilled Hunters at my place who can partic.i.p.ate.”
“The Starting Level can also send out a number of groups.”
The discussion ended with talk about sending skilled Hunters from the other levels, and the meeting was adjourned. It seems like this is going to be quite the large-scaled battle.
If it’s a crew of highly skilled Hunters, they might be able to topple that monster.
“Ramis, Hakkon, Leader Keryoil, and Mishael. You’ve been put through some trouble. It’s something that everyone is aware of. And so, I have a question for you. Do you have the will to partic.i.p.ate in the subjugation of the Ruler of the Netherworld?”
“d.a.m.n straight. All our members ended up like that, there’s no way I’m letting him off.” (Keryoil)
“I would also like to be allowed to partic.i.p.ate. It was a battle that made me fully understand my insufficiencies. Absolutely allow me to redeem myself!”
Leader Keryoil and Mishael aren’t despairing at all. If anything, the flames of their fighting spirit have been fanned.
When I turned my vision to Ramis, who hadn’t spoken since the meeting began, she lifted her downcast face vigorously. There wasn’t any fear or hesitation on her face; it was filled with determination.
“Of course I’ll partic.i.p.ate! He hurt everyone, made Hyurumi look like that… I won’t accept it unless I hit him once! Right, Hakkon?”
“Welcome.”
Yeah, exactly, Ramis. We’ll show him our strength.
“I’ve received your burning determination. I will provide talented people related to Clear Stream Lake’s Hunter a.s.sociation. Let’s cooperate with them to defeat the Ruler of the Netherworld.”
So saying, President Bear extended his fist and b.u.mped it with everyone else. Only I was thinking, if only I had an arm for these times.
—
The third section has ended.
Please stick with me as the fourth section continues.