Ch.192July’s Dungeon, and Terror (15)

“So, the deal is complete?”

I said.

I was a bit nervous that she might change her mind. We were already at a disadvantage, having entered enemy territory.

“Yes. From now on, I’ll help you win with all my might,” Kirtan said.

“It’s… not just because of the deal, but also because I think I should properly support you as your wife.”

Kirtan mumbled awkwardly.

“………”

Well, she’s completely fallen for me. Is falling in love really that simple? Well… I suppose love can be like that sometimes.

“Then the Kirtan Pirates will prepare for battle against Tyrant Bizolda!! While we engage in a frontal assault, you eliminate Bizolda!!”

Kirtan declared.

So she’s planning to create a big diversion to draw attention. How devoted of her.

“Everyone!!! We’ve accomplished our objective!! We’ll fight hard and then forfeit!! Any objections?”

Kirtan shouted loudly.

“Ohhh!!!!!”

The entire pirate crew cheered. There might have been some who weren’t happy about it, but Kirtan had obtained the legendary weapon Star Breaker. With such a tangible achievement, it was hard to complain.

Now it’s time for us to prepare for battle too. Just as I was about to move—

“Ah!! By the way!!”

Kirtan called out to me.

“Hm? What is it?”

I looked at Kirtan.

“I have another gift prepared for you.”

Kirtan said, rummaging through her things.

A gift? I was slightly excited. A weapon perhaps? I’d like it to be a weapon…

But my expectations were immediately shattered.

It was… a human head.

“Sorry about the blood, but… you recognize this face, don’t you?”

Kirtan said.

Indeed. It was Emoto, a fellow Earthling.

“No!! Lord Emoto!!! Why are you just a head!!!”

I immediately lamented.

How… he was boasting more than anyone about causing a terror attack that would shake the world…

“Kyaaah!! What are you showing us?!”

Umi immediately shut her eyes tight.

“Ugh… this is too much.”

Taiga also made a disgusted face.

“……..”

Even Sasits frowned. Seeing a severed human head was quite different from seeing a monster’s head.

Frill, on the contrary, gently covered Sasits’s eyes.

Well, my party members were high school students before being world-saving heroes. Of course they’d feel sick seeing a human corpse.

But why am I so calm? I wondered. In my original world, I lived a peaceful life and had never seen a corpse before. Anyway…

“That’s a really clean cut.”

Tina looked at Emoto’s head with interest. Tina wasn’t… normal either. I felt a sense of kinship with her.

“Emoto’s head…!”

Honestly, I was thrilled!!! I had been worried about the terrorist attack planned for July 15th!!! This death solved that problem.

“I noticed this Earthling who was asking around about your whereabouts. I heard he had a grudge against you. So… I eliminated him.”

Kirtan said.

“I… want to support you with all my strength. After all, I’m practically your wife now, aren’t I?”

Kirtan said with a bright smile.

“Kirtan… you pretty little thing!!”

I immediately ran toward Kirtan.

*Pat pat!!!*

I patted Kirtan’s body.

“Ah… it was worth cutting off someone’s head.”

Kirtan seemed healed by this.

My girlfriends wore sour expressions, but Kirtan had definitely done me a favor. They couldn’t say anything against it.

“Ah!!! By the way!!”

Kirtan, who had been slumped in my arms, suddenly perked up.

“I arrived on Earth!!! I managed to reach a place called Emoshita City in Japan, but I couldn’t find where you were!! Tell me your address!!”

Kirtan shouted loudly.

“So you were behind the UFO incident!!!”

So she was the protagonist of the news!!!

“Hey!! You caused a huge commotion!!! Get rid of it right now!!!”

I shouted loudly.

Openly floating a battleship in Earth’s airspace! That’s a parking violation!!!

“Nah. Don’t want to.”

Kirtan said.

Right. A pirate wouldn’t listen to such demands.

“Th-Then at least try to be less conspicuous!!! Come quietly!!!”

I shouted.

Alien invasion was trending in real-time. That’s how much commotion it was causing.

“Okaaay. I’ll come alone. I’ll make the ship somewhat invisible and dock it.”

Kirtan said.

“D-Dock…? Wait!! Are you planning to stick around on Earth?”

Umi exclaimed.

She even knew the word “dock”… Umi’s suddenly gotten smarter lately. Or maybe she’s just hungry right now.

“Yes. Because I found my treasure.”

Kirtan smiled and linked arms with me.

“I plan to stay on Earth until I have Shota.”

Kirtan said.

“Why are all the girls who fall for this guy so reckless…”

Taiga sighed. That’s rich coming from you, Taiga. You’re quite reckless yourself.

“Anyway… alright. Just keep it quiet. Got it?”

I said.

“Oh!! Of course!!!”

Kirtan nodded.

But… having Kirtan around wasn’t a bad thing.

‘She’s strong, after all.’

She would be a reliable addition to our party. I figured I could persuade her somehow.

———

Anyway, winning the survival game was the priority now. Plus, Emoto, the mastermind behind the terror plot, was already dead. That lightened my mind a bit.

“Now!!!!! Only two teams remain!! We’re approaching the final stage!!! Don’t keep me waiting!!!! The barrier is closing in!!!! All that’s left is an all-out battle!!”

With Rahitan’s shout, the barrier shrank toward a small space in the center.

The two forces would inevitably clash to claim the central area.

“Let’s go!!!”

Kirtan immediately led her subordinates toward the center.

We followed slightly behind.

Tyrant Bizolda’s subordinates had already formed ranks in the central area.

“Full-scale battle!!!!!”

Kirtan immediately struck first.

BOOM-!!!!!!!

A mobile cannon, torn from the fortress, spewed fire.

BOOM-!! BANG-!!

“Hand-to-hand combat!!!”

Kirtan drew her sword and took the lead.

“Uwahaha!! Die!!!”

Kirtan swung her sword, cutting down enemies in front of her.

*Click-! Bang-!!!*

She also shot enemies behind her with a pistol in her hand.

She was definitely strong. Worthy of being called a pirate captain.

*Clang-! Clash-!! Claaang-!*

Fierce battles broke out everywhere.

No one paid any attention to us.

*Wink-!*

Kirtan winked at me. How seductive. Anyway, that was the signal. It meant we should head to where Bizolda was.

“Let’s go!!!”

I immediately led my party members toward Bizolda’s location.

———-

Tyrant Bizolda.

An NPC in the game who always teams up with others and boasts considerable combat power.

“He’s also a criminal wanted throughout the multiverse. He repeatedly seizes countries by force, declares himself emperor, and rules tyrannically for hundreds of years. Then he gets dethroned, occupies another planet, and repeats the process endlessly… anyway, he’s disgusting.”

Frill said.

“As expected of the Multiverse Wiki!!!”

I praised Frill. Except for Frill, we were all Earthlings and ignorant about cosmic affairs.

“Don’t give me weird nicknames!!”

Frill yelled.

“What are Bizolda’s abilities? Is he a Psychorobo user?”

Sasits asked.

I knew this well from playing the game.

“He has a Psychorobo ability that absorbs humans.”

I said.

Bizolda always fights with subordinates. But… he’s not your typical mob boss.

He uses his subordinates as enhancement materials to strengthen himself. He gains half the level of the monster he absorbs (rounded up)—an overpowered ability. If he absorbs a level 40 ally, he instantly gains 20 levels.

With this ability, he raises his level enormously to pressure the player’s party. And there’s no hard cap on this ability. It’s a system allowance. Theoretically, he could reach level 200, exceeding the normal cap of 99.

There were even YouTube videos about how high Bizolda’s level could go if left unchecked. The system allowed him to reach up to level 1024.

“What a troublesome enemy…..”

Umi muttered.

“Yeah. He’s a gimmick boss that can’t be defeated with straightforward methods.”

I said.

He absorbs his subordinates to nourish himself. So we needed to reduce the number of his subordinates before engaging in battle.

“The main body itself is about level 50 elite. We just need to prevent his absorption pattern.”

I said.

“Hmm. Got it.”

Sasits seemed to grasp the concept.

Anyway, with this brief briefing, we headed toward Bizolda’s fortress.

———

The architectural style of this island was a complete mishmash, and Bizolda’s building was in an Oriental style. It was a building with a massive pavilion.

A large man was leisurely flicking his beard on that pavilion. That was Bizolda.

Above Bizolda’s head was a massive crown. A crown covered in tentacles and eyeballs… that was his Psychorobo.

Beside Bizolda were four close aides. All level 60. They were portable enhancement materials to be absorbed by Bizolda in crisis situations. Each absorption would increase his level by 30, allowing him to instantly gain 120 levels.

“It’s irritating how blatant he is.”

Taiga said.

“That shows how confident he is.”

Tina said.

“So, Shota. Once we reach the fortress… do we quietly kill them one by one?”

Sasits asked.

That’s how it works in the game, but… suddenly a brilliant idea came to me.

“Wait. I have a better method.”

I smiled and summoned Pinocchio.

“M-Master…?”

Pinocchio trembled like an aspen leaf. Now he trembles just from being summoned. What’s wrong? I won’t eat you.

“See that crown he’s wearing? Steal it.”

I devised a strategy impossible in turn-based games.

If he absorbs enemies using that crown’s power… why not just steal the crown before fighting?

“Th-That’s dangerous…..!!”

“So you want to become firewood. You should have said so earlier.”

I looked at Pinocchio with warm eyes.

“I-I’ll go!!”

Pinocchio immediately flew toward the pavilion. That’s more like it.