Ch.4545. Bug Fix Complete

Dungeon Cleaners Exist Too

Not as a metaphor, but actual cleaners.

The role of cleaners is to maintain a certain level of cleanliness in dungeons by collecting corpses and preventing monsters from multiplying.

Most of these people work legally and are called “White Cleaners.”

If they step slightly into illegal territory, they might delete records found in dungeons so the original discoverer can have complete monopoly over them—this is still barely legal.

But wherever you go, there are always people who don’t just step over the line but cross it entirely.

Some remove evidence of crimes committed in dungeons, or even more brazenly, set up obstacles to hinder dungeon raids.

While I’m not sure if the latter should even be called cleaners, these people are collectively known as “Black Cleaners.”

Before making contact with the unidentified group suspected to be cleaners, Amon spoke to his party members.

“They look like Blacks to me. What do you all think?”

[I agree. That’s not equipment cleaners use.]

The mute sniper made her guess through the buffalo tanker’s telepathy.

The other party members felt the same way.

Only Kathy, who had experienced the least bad luck in the party, bet against the majority.

“If I win, you all owe me five dollars each.”

With that frivolous comment, the party approached the cleaners.

Amon held a sword in one hand while waving with the other as he addressed the cleaners.

“Hello there. I was wondering—Eek!”

Before he could finish his greeting, an arrow flew toward his head.

Amon dodged it and looked at the cleaners.

One of them was aiming a crossbow.

“These definitely seem like Blacks.”

And particularly suspicious ones at that.

As if confirming Amon’s words, the cleaners charged at Amon’s party.

*

A warrior with a hand axe targeted the mute sniper.

But the sniper didn’t even glance at him.

“Moooo!!”

Thwack!!

The buffalo tanker’s shield-covered fist connected with the axe warrior’s temple.

The warrior’s body spun through the air and flew far away.

The impact of the flying person made the mute sniper’s bangs flutter slightly.

Undisturbed by the pressure wave, she pulled the trigger.

Bang!

A cleaner who had been targeting Kathy from behind arched like a bow and collapsed forward.

After her successful shot, the mute sniper activated invisibility and changed positions.

While moving, she didn’t forget to speak to the buffalo tanker.

[Thanks.]

“Don’t mention it!”

The tanker gave her a thumbs up and continued breaking through the cleaners’ formation.

Meanwhile, in another location, the ogre heavy gunner was busily manufacturing bombs.

As he made them, the versatile mage used telekinesis to throw them with a “Hup!”

Kaboom!

Cleaners were blown away by the unreasonable bombardment.

“Ohhh… it’s so artistic! Explosions might truly be the ultimate art…!”

Next to the versatile mage muttering dangerous thoughts, the ogre chuckled in agreement.

The once numerous group of cleaners had already been reduced by half.

One cleaner shouted:

“Why are people like them active on this floor?!”

Despite appearances, these cleaners were skilled enough to operate between the middle and lower floors of this dungeon.

That’s why they were confident they could commit murder without leaving evidence if they happened to encounter a party on this floor.

The reason they attacked Amon’s party without question was because they had sized them up.

But that was a miscalculation.

Amon’s party was the hunter here.

Though the cleaners did have some reason to feel wronged.

‘They weren’t this strong when we scanned them!’

A basic survival skill in this world is to gauge your opponent before picking a fight.

That’s why those in dangerous professions typically equip themselves with scanning mechanical eyes or magical eyes.

From their perspective, Amon’s party’s combat power seemed unremarkable.

Their implants were at mid-floor party level, and their equipment was what typical mercenaries at this tier would use.

The mute sniper had received more implants than others, but not at a threatening level.

Plus, they had excluded Amon, who had no implants, from their threat assessment.

They thought their chances were good.

Until Amon severed two warriors’ necks in one go.

“Catch that one!”

“Why can’t you catch just one person?!”

Amon darted through the cleaner group, harvesting their necks.

Their chances had seemed good.

But the variable named Amon was enough to overturn those odds.

The cleaner party was caught off guard by Amon’s unfamiliar movements and was helplessly swept away.

“I thought he had no implants! Then what is that?!”

“I’ve never heard of such an essence!”

They were familiar with the essence <Sky Step> that allows double jumping in mid-air.

While unexpected to find someone with that essence here, it was still within the realm of possibility.

But they had never heard of movement almost like teleportation, or motion that suddenly changed direction at right angles.

Unable to imagine these could be applications of Sky Step, they had to fear an unknown essence.

One cleaner, unable to stand by any longer, shouted:

“Bring the flamethrower!”

“He’s dodging bullets—that won’t work either!!”

“I have a plan, so just bring it!”

The cleaner opened the flamethrower’s fuel tank and threw it on the floor.

Fuel soaked the corridor.

Without concern for his comrades getting caught in it, the cleaner threw a lighter into the fuel.

Whoosh!

With the sound of air burning, flames filled the corridor.

Not just Amon and his party, but also cleaners who hadn’t received the signal were caught in the flames.

Aaaagh!

Cleaners writhed in pain and rolled on the floor.

Even with fire-resistant clothing, they weren’t immune to fire.

“Behind me!”

The buffalo tanker in Amon’s party took the party members to a corner and used his shield as a firewall to protect his allies.

The cleaner who created this situation looked at the flames with satisfaction and said:

“Now’s our chance. Let’s escape.”

They had already shown their faces to Amon’s party, but their lives were more important.

Without hesitation, he turned around to prepare escape with his remaining comrades.

“Flames this intense will melt their shoes—they won’t be able to chase us.”

He guessed that whatever essence Amon had must be related to his footwear.

Just as they finished preparing to escape,

A dagger flew through the flames.

Before the cleaner could realize what was happening, the dagger pierced his forehead.

The cleaner died with his eyes wide open.

The other cleaners looked in the direction the dagger had come from.

Amon jumped through the flames.

The cleaners’ eyes naturally went to Amon’s shoes.

His shoes were definitely burned.

They could see Amon’s red, blistered soles through the melted bottoms.

But Amon had clearly just performed a double jump.

They couldn’t understand what was happening, but one thing was certain.

They couldn’t defeat Amon.

As the cleaners sat down in panic, they heard Amon grumbling:

“Hot hot hot. Do you know how hard it is to balance looks and performance? These items are all limited edition. How am I supposed to replace them…”

As Amon approached, brushing off his clothes covered in blood and soot,

A flash of light passed through the cleaners’ necks before they could say anything.

***

Only after the flames subsided did Amon rejoin his party members.

Limping on his hot, blistered feet.

The party members worried about Amon’s condition.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Kathy examined his condition with concerned eyes.

Amon shook his head.

“No, I’m not. It hurts like hell.”

First his side, now his soles.

The pain transmitted to his brain was just as intense as before.

It was maddening because so many nerves were concentrated there.

Hearing this, the ogre heavy gunner consoled Amon.

“Me elite ogre. Know burn degrees. Pain means second-degree burn with live nerves! Congratulations! Wound will heal with treatment!”

“Thanks for the comfort.”

“But infection make head hurt. Someone need to carry you to exit.”

The ogre looked around at the group.

His gaze fell on the two frontliners.

Of those two, the buffalo tanker shook his head.

“Sorry friend. My arm shield melted a bit while blocking the flames. My fingers and arm nerves feel strange, so carrying would be difficult.”

Naturally, their gazes turned to the remaining person.

“Me?”

It was Kathy, the spear wielder.

She pointed at herself and said:

“I’m a woman, you know?”

It was obviously a joke.

Even as she said it, she was handing her spear and equipment to other party members so she could carry Amon.

Amon hesitantly climbed onto Kathy’s back.

It looked awkward, but Kathy carried Amon without difficulty.

From Kathy’s back, Amon joked:

“Usually I should be the one carrying you for the picture to look right.”

“That’s a stereotype. Why can’t a woman carry a man?”

“You just said you’re a woman earlier.”

“I meant I can do it because I’m a woman.”

“Yes, yes. You’re amazing, madam warrior.”

Exchanging such trivial banter, Amon clung to Kathy’s back.

While carrying Amon, Kathy adjusted his position a few times—

“Hey, hold on properly. You keep trying not to cling to me, so it’s not working right.”

At her words, Amon reluctantly pressed himself against Kathy’s back.

As Amon’s chest touched Kathy’s back, his head naturally rested beside hers.

Between the smell of gunpowder and blood, Amon’s sweat reached her nose.

“Hmph.”

“What, do I smell?”

“It’s tolerable.”

“Sorry. Do you have any air freshener or perfume?”

“Would I bring that to a dungeon?”

“I guess not.”

As Amon’s sweat scent traveled through her nostrils to her brain, her body reflexively began to heat up.

It wasn’t a reaction of love, but similar to consuming alcohol.

But outwardly, Kathy appeared unchanged.

Except for occasionally stumbling, she was the same Kathy as always.

Before departing, Amon briefly stopped the party.

“Oh, right. Shouldn’t we investigate what the cleaners were trying to eliminate before we leave?”

“I’ve already taken care of that, so Amon, you should just focus on getting to the surface.”

Only after the versatile mage waved his hand did the group continue toward the exit.

Afterward, Amon’s party headed to the exit without any problems.

On the way to the hospital after loading Amon into the car, the ogre behind the wheel spoke up.

“Before leaving dungeon. Have something to say. Never said before. Okay to say here?”

“Go ahead.”

The versatile mage in the passenger seat encouraged him.

“We successfully completed job. Now our party doesn’t have to disband.”

“Aren’t you jinxing us by saying that?”

“…Huh? Because of me? Sorry.”

Hahaha!

The ogre’s honest apology made everyone in the car burst into laughter.

The car headed to the hospital filled with boisterous laughter.

The party members who had feared bad luck truly opened their hearts to each other.

Unfortunately, the distance to the hospital was too short for a heartfelt conversation with their newly bonded comrades.

Putting sincere talk aside for later, the party members dropped their leader off at the “hospital.”

Before letting Amon go, the buffalo tanker asked worriedly:

“Do you have insurance?”

“Don’t worry, I do.”

This was part of the contract with the Three Dollar group.

In exchange for receiving “only” 150,000 dollars per month in royalties, they would cover Amon and Sonia’s insurance and medical expenses.

It was a benefit Amon had secured by significantly reducing his royalties, anticipating many injuries in his future mercenary work.

He wasn’t worried because money would be transferred through the Vatican while he received treatment at the hospital.

The mute sniper, sensing from his nuance that Amon had no financial concerns, asked:

[With your equipment and essences… are you some chairman’s illegitimate child?]

“As if.”

[Phew, that’s a relief.]

All party members sighed in relief at Amon’s answer.

And so, Amon headed to the hospital on Kathy’s back.

And just like last time, as he lay in the hospital bed…

“Amooooon!!!”

Sonia, her face a mess of tears and snot, burst into the hospital room.