Chapter: 172
Large dungeons like Menes Tail feel quite different from tackling your average dungeon.
Back when I was storming through dungeons, I was practically speedrunning like a fortune teller, right?
The reason I could do that was my ability to control the variables present in the dungeon.
Monsters have their own sense of self, but their movements are limited.
Traps might change position, but those locations are fixed, so memorizing them helps you counteract.
As for the paths, it’s a piece of cake if you just memorize all the possibilities.
This aspect is similar in large dungeons, but there’s a crucial difference: the adventurers roaming around inside.
In other dungeons, only one party can enter at a time. There’s a party limit of four members.
The Academy dungeons were designed with that in mind, allowing only four to enter at once.
So, focusing entirely on the dungeon meant I didn’t have to worry about other variables.
However, large dungeons are different. There’s no limit on party numbers here. Anyone wanting in can come right on in.
Got it? This dungeon is packed with clueless NPCs who move like headless chickens based on their arbitrary judgment.
Ah, describing large dungeons just gets my blood boiling.
From a casual gaming perspective, the adventurers aren’t always a bad variable.
Sure, they massively ramp up the difficulty of tackling the dungeon.
But when new players first dive into the Soul Academy, by the time they step into a big dungeon, they’re likely already deep into the game.
They’ve probably tackled most of the smaller dungeons and think they know the game inside and out.
That’s when adventurers add a fresh twist to the mix.
They introduce new elements that keep the game engaging.
When I first started playing, I didn’t think of the adventurer aspect as a bad thing either!
Sometimes, another adventurer would lend a hand in a crisis, and I’d be like, “Adventurers are the best!”
But why did my perspective change?
Try being the one speedrunning. It’s enough to make you want to curse.
Do you have any idea how dreadful it is to deal with uncontrollable variables when you need to shave off even a second from your time?
Imagine thinking you’ve finally set a record, only for an adventurer to pop up and start trolling you!
Even now, the group of adventurers in front of me is gearing up for some trolling.
“Kiyaaah!”
“I don’t wanna die!”
“Hey! Over here! Help!”
“Sorry! Please spare me!”
They’re pulling aggro from too many monsters and running for their lives.
This is what they call a “monster train.”
It’s my least favorite type of variable.
The moment I see those idiots, my speedrun is basically doomed.
“Lady.”
Karl’s calling me, waiting for me to decide what to do.
He probably wants me to handle this situation.
If this were a game, I’d say let them go without a second thought, considering how much they’ve done to annoy me.
But this is reality, and the moment I turn away, four corpses will naturally land on my shoulders as a burden.
And I’m not confident I can handle that weight.
‘Let’s get ready to fight.’
“Prepare yourselves. We’re going to help these clueless little losers.”
Looks like a hellhound is following behind those fools.
Sigh. How annoying.
Just when I thought the heat was already unbearable, now I’ve got trolls involved, and they brought those losers along!
Taking a deep breath, I hoisted my mace.
“Isn’t it funny how those clueless little losers are barking like that? ♡ Do they think they’re wolves just because they’re hunting trash? ♡ Hey, you lot ♡ You’re more suited to rolling on your backs and whining in front of humans! ♡”
As I spoke, the hellhounds’ gazes turned toward me.
With the provocation ability of my mesugaki skill, I shifted their target from the brainless adventurers to myself.
“I’m going to give these particularly ugly fools a proper education ♡ You better be grateful ♡”
The lead hellhound charged straight at me, thinking of biting my neck.
I caught sight of its sharp teeth, capable of puncturing steel if it wanted.
But that’s all it had going for it.
Charging at speeds that couldn’t match Frey’s sword wouldn’t pose even a minor threat to me.
As the creature leaped to bite me, I moved my shield.
The iron wall warned me of danger, but I didn’t heed it.
My thoughts and the shield’s intentions didn’t align.
I simply had no intention of blocking.
When my shield slammed into the hellhound’s face, it was sent flying through the air.
In the end, the creature, with its shattered teeth, dropped to the ground, twitching before it breathed its last.
Perhaps because the leader went down so easily, the other hellhounds hesitated in their charge.
Ha. This is so frustrating.
The flames sticking to their bodies are no mere decoration.
Being near them raises the already hot air temperature.
“Are you cowards frightened? ♡ Hahaha ♡ You’re pathetic losers who don’t even know the word pride! ♡”
Come on, hurry up and attack.
Then die.
I feel like I’m going to pass out from the heat thanks to you fools!
*
Alsetin was keenly aware of Lucy’s skills.
After all, he’d explored various wild dungeons around the Academy with her a few months back.
She memorized every path in every dungeon.
Heck, she knew what monsters awaited, where they hung out, what gear they carried, and how many were waiting.
Of course, she was also aware of where traps were laid and how to disarm them.
The dungeon bosses? There’s no way Lucy Alrn, knowing everything there is about dungeons, wouldn’t know them.
She offered him strategies that made it seem like she had dismantled every dungeon boss herself.
Alsetin didn’t venture into dungeons just once or twice.
He’d been in countless times as a party member and as the party leader.
So he knew all too well what constitutes a standard dungeon attack and the skills that make it effective.
To Alsetin, Lucy Alrn wasn’t merely a remarkable commander.
It would be more accurate to call her a prophet, relaying everything about dungeons from the divine.
At least, that was before today.
“Information dealer. Draw their attention while you toss potions to those losers over there.”
“Understood.”
“Dammit! How long are you going to drag this out? You’re supposed to be my knight, so why are you struggling with this?!”
“I’m sorry!”
“Handle it in ten seconds! If not, there’ll be consequences! You pathetic loser!”
Even amidst the chaos of encountering various adventurer parties in a large dungeon, Lucy was demonstrating perfect command.
While the situation changed rapidly with countless variables emerging in this hellish environment, she was keeping her cool and offering the best options.
He knew her command skills were solid, but he still thought she was closer to a prophet than a commander—but he was mistaken.
She was both.
She was a capable commander and a prophet who heard the voice of the divine.
Ah, is this the judgment of someone who just entered the Academy?
Even if it came from a party leader tackling deeper dungeons, it’d still sound believable, right?
So marvelous and awe-inspiring.
Simply being related to the Alrn family can’t explain this.
Lucy Alrn is simply an exceptional being.
It was worth trusting and following her.
Yeah.
If anyone could, it would be her.
Receiving the love of the divine, she has turned her boasts into truths.
Surely, she would guide me to where my master awaits.
“Information dealer! You’re too slow!”
“I’m sorry! I just finished the preparations!”
“Then shoot those filthy losers charging at us with arrows right now!”
Master. I’m coming to see you soon.
Please welcome me warmly, your long-lost disciple.
*
On the 10th floor of the Menes Tail dungeon.
When I reached the place where the floor boss awaited, I was already half-exhausted.
It’s a large dungeon, so its size is incomparable to Academy dungeons, but I shouldn’t be this tired.
If it weren’t for all these adventurers, I’d hardly feel this drained.
Damn it. Why are there so many idiotic adventurers?!
Their frequency of appearance is ridiculous!
Even when I played the game, it wasn’t this bad!
Thanks to that, my dungeon assault took way longer than I expected.
Sigh. At this rate, it’ll be impossible to reach floor 20 today.
Looks like I’ll have to raid the dungeon in this heat again tomorrow.
Damn those adventurers. If I see them on the streets later, I’m going to kick their butts.
Then I’ll kneel them down and verbally berate them with their pathetic skills, even worse than a little girl’s.
That should ease my frustration slightly!
“Lady, are you alright?”
‘Do I look alright?!’
“Are your eyes just for decoration? Do I look alright?!”
It’s already so hot and annoying, and with those adventurers trolling, I’ve got a headache. Then there’s the damn clumsy fox sniffing around above me, driving me nuts.
Ahh, I can’t take it anymore. Let’s just handle the 10th floor boss today and pick up from the 11th tomorrow.
According to Alsetin, all these fools are swarming because it’s a low-level area where anyone can come in.
It should get a bit better past the 11th floor, where the boss starts filtering people out.
“Lady, if it’s that tough, why not take a break?”
‘No way.’
“You don’t know who your master is? And you’re worrying about me?”
“Um? What do you mean?”
‘There won’t be any fights that aren’t worth fighting.’
“I’ll show you how those losers over there get dumped helplessly and pathetically when this door opens.”
It’d be a disaster if Karl, of all people, was acting like an idiot.
You’ve seen me demolish the Academy dungeon before, haven’t you?
“…Do you have a plan?”
‘Of course.’
“You just realized that now? Sigh. My family dog is really dumb and slow.”
There’s no way I’m going to engage in a full-frontal confrontation with the dungeon boss, right?
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