Ch.154Ghost Mansion (3)

“What kind of credit is credit?!!! When you’re given a job, pay properly!! That’s modern society!!”

Green Beard immediately flew into a rage.

Blue Beard and Violet… seemed to have anticipated how things would unfold. Both of them just focused on their own work with earplugs in.

“Of course, that makes sense from a common-sense perspective.”

I said with my arms crossed.

“But now the world is in crisis, a time of chaos. Common sense has no meaning anymore.”

I stated firmly.

“If you had good credit, I might have extended some credit!! But!! You’re clearly planning to run off without paying, aren’t you?!! I can tell by looking at your eyes!!!”

Green Beard erupted in anger again.

“N-not particularly?”

I unconsciously avoided his gaze.

“Look me in the eyes!!”

Green Beard shouted.

“Come on. Isn’t this too much? In the end, we’re the ones who will defeat the monsters and save the world. And you can’t even provide this small support… Ah. My motivation to save the world is disappearing.”

I said as I slumped down.

“Maybe I should just quit…”

“Quit what?! If you quit, your world will be destroyed!! Are you okay with that?!!”

Green Beard yelled.

“Well, I’ll just go to another planet then. I heard there might be spaceships to Mars soon.”

I replied.

“What Mars?! You’ll be causing the extinction of 6 billion humans!!! Are you really okay with that?!!”

Green Beard appealed to my emotions.

“I think a petty world that won’t even extend credit to a hero deserves to perish.”

I stated firmly.

This world’s vessel is too… small!!!! Too small to contain me!!!

“You lunatic… No matter what nonsense you spout, no credit!! They say accepting customers on credit brings bad luck for a year!!”

Green Beard shouted loudly.

“Ah… so that’s your choice.”

I said.

“The name of the being who destroyed the world… Green Beard, the person who irritated the hero and consequently brought about the world’s destruction.”

I immediately switched to a narrator’s tone.

“W-what!”

“Amazing. You’ll be recorded in history. To destroy a world that’s so difficult to destroy… incredible!!”

I gave him a thumbs up.

“You bastard!! Blue Beard!! Say something!!”

Green Beard protested.

However, Blue Beard was determined to avoid this entire storm. With earphones plugged in, he was humming while turning pages of a book.

“But thinking about it makes me angry.”

I said to Green Beard.

“What are you angry about?! I’m the one who should be angry!!! You idiot!!!”

Green Beard’s beard trembled.

“No. Have I done something wrong? I’m not trying to forcibly rob your shop, I’m just asking for credit. Do you enjoy painting people as villains? It’s just so funny, isn’t it?”

I glared at Green Beard as I spoke.

“A-am I the bad person here?”

Green Beard was gradually falling victim to gaslighting.

“Oh my!!!! Getting so worked up over a little credit!!! The world has become so cold-hearted!! Oh my!! What should I do?!!”

I immediately pounded the ground, lamenting.

Ah… has the code of honor all gone to America?

“In that case, I have no choice but to resort to robbery.”

I said, drawing my sword.

“Why did you reach that conclusion?!!!”

Green Beard immediately cowered at the sight of my sword. His body remembered the previous commotion.

“Well… whether I rob you or peacefully ask for credit, I get scolded either way. Ah, the more I think about it, the angrier I get.”

I swung my sword around in the air.

“A villain either way. Then I must embrace it.”

I declared resolutely.

“Embrace what!!! You crazy bastard!!!”

Green Beard shouted loudly, blocking the front of the food stall.

Sasix… was ignoring this whole situation. Hehehe. Has our boss allowed me to plunder? This is making my mouth water.

“Do you want me to rob the entire stall? Or will you extend me credit?”

I asked one last time.

“You fucking bastard!!! Fine!!! Fine!!!! I’ll enhance it to +7!! On credit!!!”

Green Beard cried out in distress.

“That’s the Green Beard I know!! Your generosity is unmatched?!!”

I immediately sheathed my sword.

“Talk about a real robber…”

I heard Sasix’s sarcastic comment from behind, but there was nothing I could do. This is all for the world. Let’s make a better world together.

Clang-!! Clang-!!

Green Beard continued hammering on the anvil with tears in his eyes.

Ding-!!!

My beloved sword Tomato was soon enhanced to +7.

“Ooooh…..!!!!”

It definitely became much sharper. Plus, its durability increased. I don’t know what kind of technology it was, but it even became lighter.

‘And… proper options have been added.’

I could check the equipment options through the status window.

‘Exorcism Sword’

‘Greatly increases damage when facing monsters. The blade emits light when dangerous monsters are detected.’

This was Tomato’s option. True to its name, it was a decisive weapon for exterminating demons. The blade glowing to reveal the location of mid-bosses or bosses was a bonus.

You… you couldn’t become ketchup or juice, but live happily as a sword.

“Hehehe. Nice work, Green Beard.”

I said with a smile.

“Yeah… I’m glad you’re satisfied…”

Green Beard replied in a half-resigned tone.

Anyway, I had my equipment now. Next was Sasix’s psychorobo.

“Sasix!! Combine them according to my instructions.”

I immediately said to Sasix.

“Alright. Following your instructions has never led me astray.”

Sasix opened the psychorobo synthesis window.

“Combine Queen Heart and Pupufung. That will create Doctor Big.”

“Okay.”

Whoosh!!!

“And then summon Imp from the compendium again. Combining it with Doctor Big will create Admiral Drake.”

Flash-!!!

Admiral Drake was immediately created. It was a humanoid lizard. It wore pirate-like attire. It’s useful at this point.

“This looks pretty good.”

Sasix said.

“Well… I suppose.”

It was ultimately just material #1 for the highest-tier psychorobo synthesis, but I decided not to mention that.

“This should be enough. Let’s go.”

I said with a smile.

As we were about to leave, Blue Beard removed his earphones and spoke.

“This base… can be utilized effectively. As you grow stronger, the base also evolves. More useful functions will emerge. I look forward to it.”

Blue Beard said with a smile.

The base evolves? The moment I heard those words, my consciousness momentarily blacked out.

———-

I was standing with my party members on a frozen plain.

It was another high-quality weird dream. But… the place itself felt strangely familiar. Like I’d been here before.

We were standing in the center of a half-destroyed village.

“Taking refugees with us will slow our march. But we can’t abandon them either…”

A female cleric said with a worried expression.

Squeeze-!

I was fondling the cleric’s chest and buttocks. I’m consistent even here.

“We have no choice. Then we’ll have to defend this place as our base.”

I said.

“Hey!! Are you crazy?!!! You’re going to fend off monsters in this wide-open place?”

My companion, a magician, shouted loudly.

“Oh dear. Our Mer. Are you upset because I haven’t touched you?”

“No, I’m not!!!”

I proceeded to caress my companion magician’s body as well. She was a cute one who blushed but begged for more touches.

“Hero…!! They’re coming!!”

Refugees with dull expressions ran over from cutting trees and shouted.

“Huaaaaargh!!!!”

“For the Necrolord!!!”

An enormous number of corpses were approaching. Yes, they were undead. I could tell from their lifeless eyes and the cold breath coming from their mouths.

“Uoooooh!!!”

I immediately headed for the village bell tower.

Ding-!!! Ding-!!!!!

I rang the town hall bell loudly.

“Everyone!! Grab whatever weapon you can!!! The militia is being assembled!!! You must protect yourselves!!!! Don’t worry!! I’m here!!!”

I shouted loudly.

“W-we have no choice!!”

The villagers seemed to come to their senses. They all grabbed crude weapons.

“Half of you keep cutting trees!!! And start building a palisade from the back!!! The rest will hold the front line against the enemy!! Okay?!!”

I immediately gave instructions to the militia.

“Let’s gooooo!!!!! Kieeeeek!!!”

Right after that, I stood at the front and blocked the undead’s offensive.

“We’ll die even if we run!!! Let’s do this!!”

The militia members engaged in a bloody battle with the undead, weapons in hand.

“We protect our homeland!!!”

“Yes!!! That’s the spirit!!!”

———-

As time passed, the dream landscape changed. Undead corpses were everywhere. Militia members were clearing away the undead bodies.

“I can’t believe… we actually held them off.”

The cleric looked around.

Moreover, village reconstruction was happening simultaneously. That’s multitasking. Thanks to the frenzied logging where everyone risked their lives, we had built walls and palisades with the wood. This would buy us time.

“Really… at this rate, we might not need to evacuate.”

The magician smiled too.

“You know, you’d make a pretty good lord or something. You commanded really well.”

The magician patted my shoulder.

“A lord… when the world becomes peaceful, maybe I’ll live in some quiet domain. The three of us.”

I immediately looked at the cleric and magician.

“Well… I’ll make sure you take responsibility for taking the cleric’s virginity! I’ll follow you anywhere!”

The cleric shouted with a red face.

“The three of us… sounds nice.”

The magician smiled wistfully after saying that.

Screech-!!!

Right after that, I was engulfed in intense pain.

“Ugh!!”

I barely opened my eyes.

Ding-!

The status window was vibrating.

‘Past Life Hero’s Leadership’

Some passive skill had been unlocked.

‘You are not only a capable warrior but also an excellent commander. You can establish a base anywhere. New base functions will be unlocked according to progress.’

‘Next unlock: Greenhouse’

Various messages like this appeared.

“So… it’s telling me to push the main quest.”

I muttered as I closed the status window.

“Shota. Are you okay? You look pale.”

Sasix asked.

“Ah. It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

I shook my head.

And so, we began our dungeon exploration, with our new member, Tina, joining us.