Ch.184July’s Dungeon, and Terror (7)

Indeed. The survival game was getting more intense by the minute. However… the kill log was quieter than expected.

“Huh? The numbers aren’t decreasing,” Umi said.

“The power dynamics have stabilized,” I replied.

“I see… they’ve formed teams,” Sasix immediately understood.

“I don’t know the exact situation in the central area, but I’m guessing three factions are dividing the center and maintaining a stalemate.”

I had figured out the AI pattern in this July’s dungeon.

Once they occupied the center, they would team up.

“But since the factions are evenly matched, they’re just eyeing each other cautiously,” I explained the situation.

“So what do we do? Wipe them all out?” Tina asked in a combative tone.

“No… that wouldn’t be wise.”

They had already increased their numbers through teaming up. Plus, we needed to break through the center, while they just had to defend their positions. No matter how you looked at it, we were at a disadvantage.

“One good option is… to join one of the factions. Then legally advance to the center and look for an opportunity. That’s it.”

“Join hands with monsters? I don’t like that…” Taiga said with a sour expression.

“Sasix. I’ll leave the decision to you,” I said.

“…”

After contemplating for a while, Sasix looked at Prill.

“I’ll choose the option that keeps everyone safe… even if we have to bow to monsters,” Sasix said.

Hmph. Has he somewhat abandoned his cool loner concept for Prill’s sake? I guess Sasix has also grown more human through love.

“Okay. Then I’ll go alone,” I said.

“Alone?! That’s dangerous!” Umi immediately blocked my path.

“If we go to the center in large numbers, we’ll only invite attacks. You all guard our base. I’ll ‘persuade’ them kindly.”

I reassured everyone.

“Hmm… if that’s the case.”

Surprisingly, Taiga was the first to agree.

“Well, Shota is strong. I’ll trust you,” Tina added.

“I’ll be back soon. Take good care of our home,” I said as I stood up with my sword.

‘I also want to see what factions have established themselves in the center.’

That was my true intention. I couldn’t afford to fall behind on information.

“Pinocchio. Fly around and scout. Report if you see anything suspicious.”

I said as I sent Pinocchio flying.

“It’s a duo of Master and me!! Nothing to fear!”

Pinocchio shouted proudly. He’d become quite arrogant after awakening two skills recently.

The center was filled with monsters.

The central area presented a different phase from the survival game. Factions had already formed, maintaining a tense order.

‘Hmm. As expected.’

There were three strong contenders in this survival game. The three strongest in terms of level and stats.

‘Tyrant Vizolda’

‘Space Pirate Kirtan’

‘The Master’

The center was divided into three territories, each controlled by one of these factions.

“I should approach Kirtan first.”

That was my strategy.

Kirtan was a major criminal who operated a pirate organization on a universal scale.

Like a true pirate, his criteria for accepting comrades was quite generous. He simply accepted anyone strong.

Yeah, becoming a pirate once wouldn’t be so bad. I headed straight to where Kirtan was.

——–

As expected of a boss’s residence, security was tight.

If I entered openly, I’d certainly be turned away. In the worst case, a fight might break out.

‘Well… I’ll have to subdue them appropriately.’

I could apply the technique of knocking out enemies with killing intent that I’d used before. Thanks to my improved swordsmanship, I had honed my ability to control killing intent with precision.

“Hmph…!”

I immediately focused my killing intent. The key was to visualize an invisible blade in my mind. I imagined moving that blade to pierce the enemies.

“……..!”

The monster guards reacted immediately.

Thud!! Flop-!

The monsters fainted right away.

I entered the fortress with a free pass.

Thud-! Click-!

There were quite a number of monsters, but I could subdue them temporarily by emitting killing intent.

‘They must be weaker than me in terms of mental strength.’

That’s why they couldn’t handle the sudden surge of killing intent.

It was too bold for a stealth action, but who cares? I wasn’t caught. That means successful infiltration.

Clunk-!!

I opened the heavy gate of the fortress.

Inside, a beautiful woman with a slender figure was drinking alcohol in revealing attire. Though a monster, she possessed beauty that could pass as human, except for the horns on either side of her head.

‘For a mob in July’s dungeon, she has a lot of fan art…’

That proved her appeal. The number of illustrations submitted is equivalent to appeal. That’s common sense in the otaku world.

This was Space Pirate Kirtan. Pretending to be a pirate, she wore a navy hat tilted to one side. Yes, what’s commonly called a pirate hat. As a bonus, she had a parrot with three eyeballs on her shoulder.

“What? Did you come to bring more alcohol?”

Kirtan looked at me with languid eyes.

“An Earthling… I don’t remember accepting you into our pirate crew. How did you get here?”

Kirtan moved her hand toward the sword at her waist.

“They just let me through.”

I shrugged as I spoke.

“Uahahahaha!!! Is that so!! That means you’ve got skills!!”

Kirtan laughed. Fortunately, the conversation was moving quickly.

“Are you alone?”

Kirtan looked me over.

“No. I belong to another party. We have a separate leader.”

I said as I leaned against the wall. My posture was completely relaxed. It was to emphasize that I had no intention of being hostile.

“Hmm… that’s a shame. If you were alone, I would have made you my right-hand man immediately.”

Kirtan said, scratching her belly.

“So… let me guess. During this survival game, you want to join our faction?”

Kirtan said.

“Yeah, that’s right. Let us into the center.”

I said.

“Hmm… I’m quite interested in you… but we’re actually at capacity. A team joined recently. The numbers are getting too large to control. Uahahaha! Even a popular leader has many troubles!”

Kirtan laughed heartily.

“Where is this newly joined team?”

I asked Kirtan.

“Hmm. Why?”

Kirtan looked at me searchingly.

“If they happen to die in an unfortunate accident, that would leave space. Then you could accept us, right?”

I immediately attempted to make a deal.

“………”

Kirtan silently looked at me.

“Uahahahahahaha!!! I really like this guy!!! Yes!! That’s the pirate way!!!”

Kirtan burst into laughter. As a bonus, her chest bounced with each laugh. Almost Umi-level massive breasts.

“They’re at the outskirts of the central camp. Their job is to eliminate those who fearlessly enter the center.”

Kirtan said.

Though I didn’t know the exact location from her description, I had played through the original game multiple times. I knew where it was at a glance.

“Okay. Then prepare the initiation ceremony.”

I immediately opened the door and left.

———

I headed straight to the designated location.

There, monsters with lizard-like appearances had set up camp. Their role seemed to be ambushing those who approached the center.

I walked calmly toward them.

“Hehehe!!! Found a lost lamb!!”

“Kill it!!!”

The monsters immediately rushed toward me.

Ratatatatata-!!

The monsters fired their guns without hesitation.

“Pinocchio!! Wood Enchant!!”

Since it had come to this, I decided to test a new technique.

“Master!! Here I go!!”

Pinocchio shouted as he activated his skill.

Fwooosh-!!!

Wooden stems wrapped around my body. It was essentially wooden armor.

Ting-! Ping-!

It guaranteed enough defense to deflect bullets or simple magic.

“Kiyoooooot!!!”

I immediately closed the distance with my sword drawn.

“Ah…shit…!!”

That was the last word uttered by the monster in front.

Swoooooosh-!!

With my sword strike, the monster’s body was cut in half.

“Come at me!!!! You Reptilians!!! Dogs of the Illuminati!!!”

I approached them, swinging my sword like a madman.

“What is this Earthling talking about?!!”

“He’s wrong!!! That guy has lost his mind!!!”

The reptilians frantically tried to escape.

“Where do you think you’re going!!!!”

I swung my sword horizontally.

Swoooooosh-!!!!!

With that, the lizards’ heads were separated from their bodies and flew into the air.

Thud-!!

With that, they all met their deaths.

“Gotcha.”

Since I needed evidence of the kill, I collected each of their heads.

“Let’s go!! Friends!!”

I returned to Kirtan, enjoying pleasant conversation with my lizard friends.

Lizard friends! Survival is good, but you should live long and happy lives!!!

——–

Kirtan must have given advance notice, as her subordinates didn’t stop me.

But… their gazes were far from friendly.

“He’s truly ruthless…”

“Even if they’re a different species, to carry their heads so casually without resistance…!”

“He’s a barbarian through and through.”

Even these pirates thought I was ruthless. Well, better than being looked down upon.

“Hiiiii powder!!!”

I flung open the door to Kirtan’s room.

“Eh? Back already?”

Kirtan was still sipping alcohol. This crazy alcoholic.

“Your… subordinates met with an unfortunate accident. I brought back their heads.”

I threw down the heads.

“Hmph. And the cause of death?”

Kirtan asked.

“Probably attacked by wolves in the forest. You know.”

I casually responded to Kirtan’s tasteless joke.

“………”

Kirtan looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.

“Uahahahahahaha!!! This guy is really something!!! I like him!!”

Kirtan burst into laughter.

“Good. Then your party can take their place.”

Kirtan said, spreading her arms wide.

“Welcome to the pirate crew!!”

Kirtan shouted loudly.

And so, our party also entered the dirty, underhanded world of teaming.

Now we just had to grovel under Kirtan for a while and look for an opportunity to betray her.