Chapter: 255
The dungeon influenced by the Evil God of Darkness, Tariki, was a type I was all too familiar with.
It wasn’t just because there were so many Tariki dungeons in the main part of Soul Academy. Tariki only shows up at the game’s very end. Seriously, how many dungeons could be connected to that guy?
So why was I so accustomed to this guy’s dungeons, you ask?
About 40% of the dungeons created by users as mods were linked to Tariki.
As I mentioned before, the characteristic of dungeons produced by Tariki is: “If you don’t know it, you die.”
There’s no better trait for tricking newcomers exploring dungeons for the first time. Because of this, dungeons linked to Tariki have been loved by numerous trolls.
Not every mod maker is like this, but there are definitely people who love to smash their keyboards and hurl insults at others.
You know the types; those who get a kick out of tormenting others rather than enjoying the game.
Usually, these people don’t care one bit about the joy of the game.
They have zero originality in mind.
They couldn’t care less about the accomplishment of those tackling the dungeon.
They simply crank out dungeons that are maddeningly difficult and frustrating, relishing in the sight of people cursing after installing their mods.
These types of mods proliferate quickly, ignoring the fundamental elements, just hoping for fish to bite the bait.
As the rotting water of Soul Academy, I was that enthusiastic fish—one that darted towards the bait.
Seriously, what could I do?
Every time I encountered a piece of trash, I could shrug it off and say I wouldn’t bother with that jerk, but occasionally there’d pop up a mod that leaves you in genuine awe, like a cruel form of hope!
How could I just give up the challenge?
If there’s hope at the end of a mountain of misfortune, then I must break through that misfortune willingly!
Well, the trolls creating those modes probably didn’t like me very much.
The types they enjoy are the ones who challenge them casually, get frustrated, curse, and leave. Those scumbags sincerely delighted in the praise shared in the community about their terrible mods.
But I was a different breed.
I wasn’t going to make something impossible to clear; oh no, I would go to any length to clear it and leave behind a sharp critique with a strategy!
Calling out their lack of creativity? Missing gimmicks? Or how about crowning them an idiot for failing to make a decent troll mod?
Because of my aggressive reviews, occasionally the mod developers would swing by to hurl insults back at me. Those moments were the best.
“I would’ve done it this way!” and then watch them explode with rage was pure sweet joy.
But this was all back when Soul Academy hadn’t even been out for a year. As the game’s popularity waned, creators of good and troll mods alike began to dwindle.
Eventually, I found myself in a place where I should be thankful for any mod that comes out.
It wasn’t without reason that I instantly downloaded the Mesugaki mod! User mods were a rare breed back then!
Looking back, I wasn’t careless at all! I checked other users’ reviews before downloading, and then suddenly I was possessed!
What gives?!
Why was it just me!
Why only me!
…Now, back to the main topic! Having cleared hundreds of dungeons connected to Tariki, I knew all too well how to deal with the “If you don’t know it, you die.”
If it’s about dying from not knowing, then knowing means I won’t die, right?
To put it simply.
If I memorize all the variables that can be created by Tariki’s powers and prepare for them, I can manage just fine.
“Both of you, just follow behind me quietly, okay?”
“You two being clumsy will only serve as a hindrance. So just quietly stick behind me.”
Once I noticed Tariki had taken control of the dungeon, my first words to Karl and Luka were to not do anything.
Even if those two acted with good intentions, they would only add variables in the dungeon and give me a headache.
It’d be better for them to just tag along and act as meat shields when we inevitably faced a dangerous monster.
“That’s impossible! Young Lady!”
Luka nodded obediently to my instructions, but not Karl.
He declared that standing at the forefront meant facing danger first before anyone else. He raised his voice, saying he couldn’t let such a precious Young Lady take that role.
While his loyalty to lay down his life for me was amusingly touching, right now it was just a nuisance.
I had no idea what variables had come up in this dungeon.
So just like in other dungeons, I couldn’t provide a preemptive command as if predicting the future.
If I were to analyze a situation and relay instructions, it’d already be too late for a proper counter, so how could I place him in the front?
And, you know.
You have to handle your own business!
What was that Clumsy Fox doing? Having gone near Karl and then back, she must have relayed my words to him, so why was he still acting this way?
[Young lady.]
Only puzzled by Karl shaking his head at my words, Grandpa spoke up.
[It seems Lina-san told him she relayed the message.]
‘So then why is he acting like this?’
[If he thinks about the way he usually behaves, he believes that if he clings more, Luka will find him odd.]
So, right now this act is a play?
Kneeling in front of a girl, begging for her to change her mind?
No way it’s not his true feelings!?
[You should just give him a rough rejection.]
‘Got it.’
I’m not entirely sure, but it’ll be likely simple to just lash out at him as if I’m angrier than I am. That’ll be easy enough.
“Why can’t you understand what I’m saying?♡ Are you some beast and not a human?♡ Do I have to say ‘King!’ for you to get it?♡”
“I understand, Young Lady!”
“No! A dog can at least understand ‘sit and wait,’ but you can’t, right?♡ So that means you’re trash below even a beast!♡ How can I have such a worthless knight!♡”
“I’m sorry! But…”
“Shut it!♡ Why is a beast speaking the words of a person?♡ If you’re a beast, act like one and grovel on the ground!♡ Stupid, worthless mutt!♡”
“…King!”
As I watched Karl hesitate and then bark out that nonsense, a suspicion arose in my mind.
Is he seriously clinging to me to throw Luka off his trail? Or is he just looking for an excuse to be insulted by me?
Others wouldn’t even think twice about such a thing, but this was Karl we’re talking about.
Given his perv nature, it’s a rational suspicion. Unfortunately, I can’t read what’s on someone else’s mind.
So I’ll just leave it as a suspicion. Questioning further could just sour my mood.
I successfully deprived Karl of his voice by lowering his standing from a human to a beast and stepped out of the boss room with the two of them behind me.
Just as the Pathetic God described in the quest, the dungeon influenced by Tariki was filled with blackness.
As I began to dispel the blackness with Ankhira’s light, I moved slowly.
For one thing, just like in the game, I could confirm that as I broke through the trial, the traps had indeed vanished.
And despite being engulfed in darkness, the paths of the dungeon remained unchanged.
This was clear good news. It meant I could utilize the shortcuts that opened after clearing the trial.
And…
Following my instincts warning me of danger, I stopped thinking and spread my senses around.
My keen senses, honed to a sharpness through near-abusive training, detected a faint magical presence.
In the still darkness, a lone magical energy was speeding towards me.
Ting! Just as I raised my shield out of habit, an arrow ricocheted off it.
With the fallen arrowhead pulsating with the Evil God’s energy, it definitely contained a curse.
Gripping my mace tightly, I stepped forward, and the darkness receded, revealing my opponent.
It was the creature that had obstructed our path in the maze. The dolls created by the Great Mage Karon imitating knights were now moving under the spell of darkness.
The base was a skeleton.
The troop consisted of one archer, two spear-wielders, and one with a shield and sword.
Their movements looked a bit like what I’d seen roaming the maze, yet they appeared oddly clumsy.
Hmm. I’m not sure, but if I want to check it out, I might as well hit them directly?
“Just watch me.”
“Clumsy ones. Just stand back and watch.”
I commanded Karl and Luka while sketching a rough battle formation, watching as the skeleton archer pulled back on its bowstring.
Having surpassed countless trials, my physical abilities were far beyond that of an average human.
Because of that, a distance that would normally take twenty steps to cover could be bridged in just two steps.
Surprised perhaps by how quickly I closed the gap, the shield-wielding skeleton hastily raised its arms.
But it was too slow.
With a burst of speed, I crushed the skeleton’s skull with my shield and charged forward.
With a swing of my mace, I took out one of the spear-wielders before it could raise its spear.
I weaved past an arrow aimed at my face, dodged to the side, and then slammed the mace upwards against the archer’s chin, finishing them off.
Finally, as I aimed to smash the last skeleton’s head with the end of my shield…
I hesitated and stepped back.
And moments later, the very skeleton I almost took down exploded, scattering dark energy everywhere.
The energy that had maintained those four skeletons had fused into one and created an explosion.
The condensed energy lingered like mist, though it wouldn’t last long.
After all, being tainted energy, it was bound to retreat before the light of Ankhira.
Hmm. Was it really this weak? My initial thoughts were right.
Those skeletons had weakened since the first time I came to deal with them.
I suspect the reason for this weakening.
Until now, the energy moving those skeletons was Karon’s power, but now that the trial had finished, Karon’s energy evaporated.
So that means what animates these skeletons now is solely the Evil God’s power.
But the Evil God of Darkness is far from resurrection, so even if he controls the dungeon, he can’t threaten me with all his strength.
To put it simply, without the features that the Evil God of Darkness possesses, this dungeon is now in a weaker state than before.
The magic within those skeletons is beyond Tariki’s capability to control right now.
But truth be told, even the threats I should face don’t pose much of a challenge to me.
It’s not just because Ankhira is in my hands; it’s also because Tariki is such a puny jerk.
What can I say? I was someone who tackled dungeons designed with his full powers in mind.
There’s no way I’d fall for traps made with this pathetic level of capability, right?
[With this degree of difficulty, it should be easy to break through.]
Nodding along with Grandpa’s words, who had previously battled Tariki, I agreed.
As he mentioned, breaking through shouldn’t be too hard at all.
However, escaping the dungeon was an entirely different story.
Think about it. Now that Tariki controls the skeletons in this dungeon…
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