Ch.5050. Howling Darkness

While Amon was grinding in the <Howling Darkness> dungeon—exactly one month after his encounter with the cleaners—the corporate plaza in California remained peaceful as always. Despite countless deaths in the lightless alleys and unspeakable atrocities inside the buildings, the well-lit plaza maintained its tranquility.

Corporate executives, predators to some, continued their equal struggle for survival in this wilderness where death lurked at every turn.

Then, as usual—BANG!

A middle-aged man with a “Manager Grayson” badge took a bullet to the forehead, meeting a meaningless death.

“Remove the body,” ordered the young man who fired the shot. Two hulking figures with six eyes each dragged the manager’s corpse out of the office.

The man gripped the nameplate on his desk that read “Vice President – Seanrai Daito” until it nearly crumbled in his hand. He pressed his throbbing temples with a pen button, suppressing his rage.

After calming down somewhat, he picked up the phone.

[Yes. Security Team Beta Deputy Kaiku speaking.]

“Congratulations. You’re now the manager.”

The newly promoted manager couldn’t bring himself to smile. If he failed to produce results within a month, he’d face “honorable retirement” like his two predecessors.

The Vice President continued coldly, “Your predecessor’s predecessor reported the missing cleaners a day after they disappeared. By the time an investigation started, no evidence remained.”

[…]

“He must have been tired from overtime. So he retired to rest. Such an optimistic fellow.”

[…]

“Your immediate predecessor was somewhat useful. From day one, he cross-referenced dungeon entry records with hospital records and discovered a major corporation was behind this incident. But he made no progress after that. What do you think about this?”

[I believe it was negligence.]

“Negligence, negligence… Yes. Negligence has no place in our company. Wouldn’t you agree?”

[Yes, sir.]

“I hope you’ll be diligent.”

[I’ll keep that in mind.]

After the call ended, the newly appointed Manager Kaiku rubbed his face in frustration. He had no idea where to begin.

The dungeon had no CCTV, and radio signals barely worked past the middle levels. It was a place where people and explosives came and went, leaving no traces.

Hospital records? The cleaners might not have gone to a hospital if they weren’t injured. This was America, where people would rather use home remedies than seek medical attention even for severed limbs.

Eyewitness accounts from explorers? With so many explorers getting injured or killed in dungeons, filtering out relevant testimonies seemed impossible.

No wonder corporations used dungeons when they wanted to eliminate people.

His predecessor had at least deduced that a corporation was likely behind this due to the lack of evidence, but he couldn’t produce results. After a month, he was forced to retire, and Kaiku was promoted.

Manager Kaiku pulled at his hair. He had one month left to live.

He needed to figure out what he could do.

‘That fucking Daito!’

The manager, nearly in tears, flipped through meaningless manual lists. It was what his predecessors had done, but he couldn’t think of anything else.

What none of the managers had realized was that while a corporation was indeed behind this incident, they hadn’t actively erased evidence. Amon had been injured in the dungeon but received treatment through the Vatican with Three Dollar Meat’s money, which prevented any cross-referencing.

The hospital network only recorded that an unidentified Holy Knight from the Vatican had provided treatment, so no one thought to cross-reference with Amon’s records.

Neither the Vatican nor Three Dollar had actively erased Amon’s traces, so no artificial evidence remained. Fortunately for Amon, but unfortunately for the Seanrai Group, they couldn’t even detect traces of Amon’s party.

Still, the manager was narrowing down candidates.

‘The party is hiding too perfectly, like trained soldiers. They’re likely sponsored by a corporation.’

Of course, this was a wrong lead.

The problem was that there were about ten such parties.

But ten was manageable.

‘Should I kidnap and torture them?’

The manager only had one month left anyway. He was in no position to be choosy.

He might get killed by one of the parties, but he was dead either way.

In the end, the manager chose a crude but certain method.

*

Three weeks after the cleaners’ disappearance.

During this time, the manager had kidnapped and tortured every party that seemed even slightly suspicious, including those composed of former soldiers.

Through torture, he found a party that had encountered the cleaners.

“Please… spare me… I’m begging you…”

A toothless young man pleaded, his face covered in tears and snot.

He was an explorer with blonde hair and dark skin who had encountered the cleaners.

The manager checked his rank: Gold.

While rank measured trust rather than skill, a high trust rank indicated at least some level of ability.

He checked the brainwaves.

“Did you encounter the cleaners?”

“Y-yes…”

“Did you kill them?”

“Yes… but I really don’t know anything!”

“Quiet. That’s not important.”

The brainwaves indicated truth.

After checking all alibis, it was confirmed that this blonde, tanned mercenary had encountered the cleaners and defeated them.

What information he had seen from the cleaners wasn’t important.

He had almost reached the Seanrai Group’s sore spot, and he would die for it.

“Dispose of him.”

– “Please spare meee!!!”

The manager wiped the blood from his hands and reported his results.

After reading the report, the Vice President expressed satisfaction and commended the manager’s efforts.

“Good work, Manager Kaiku.”

Only after hearing the Vice President’s praise did the manager breathe a sigh of relief. It felt like a bomb collar had been removed from his neck.

Now he could finally enjoy his promotion.

The manager was young.

Perhaps this incident wasn’t misfortune but an opportunity.

No, it definitely was.

‘I seized that opportunity.’

He felt no mourning for his predecessors who died meaninglessly, nor for his subordinates who were deployed to find the culprit, nor for the innocent explorers who died under torture.

To the manager, they were merely stepping stones for his promotion.

‘At this rate, becoming a department head, no, even a deputy director isn’t just a dream.’

He had enough time left. He believed he had enough talent.

It wasn’t far-fetched to think he might reach deputy director by middle age, after receiving anti-aging treatments.

The manager leaned back in his chair, satisfied.

*

One week later.

On the two-month anniversary of the cleaners’ disappearance.

[Intruder in the dungeon bunker!]

With this one-line report.

The manager’s vision turned upside down.

As he was dragged out by the six-eyed bodyguards, the Vice President watched him coldly and snapped his nameplate in half.

Despite his trembling hands, his voice remained ice-cold.

“Send the security team. All of them.”

The two six-eyed giants nodded silently and left the room.

Alone in the room.

“Aaaaargh!!!”

CRACK!

The Vice President split his desk in half.

Then, with tearful eyes, he took out a red pill from his pocket.

A red pill marked “HANDLE WITH CARE.”

The pill that would force him into honorable retirement if he took it.

With trembling hands, the Vice President looked at the pill and said:

“Not yet… How did I get this far…”

Among the broken debris, he found the portfolio that had brought him to this position.

Clutching the file labeled “TOP SECRET – DUNGEONIZATION PROJECT,” he muttered, half-sobbing:

“No… really not yet… Father-in-law… just one more chance…”

Seeing this all-too-human side of the Vice President who ruled the city with fear, the security director clicked his tongue and turned off the screen.

***

While the Seanrai Group’s security team rushed to the dungeon, Amon’s party was enjoying a peaceful time in the Lich’s room.

“AAAAARGH!”

“I told you. One finger for each corpse.”

“But… Mr. Amon, the Lich doesn’t have any fingers left?”

“Then I’ll cauterize the stumps.”

“KYAAAAH!!!”

Despite the protest from the dual-class mage, Amon diligently cauterized the Lich’s stumps.

The mute sniper watching this sent a telepathic message to Amon.

[We’ve already gotten all the information. Shouldn’t we stop now? The Seanrai Group’s security team will be here soon, we should escape.]

“It’s too late to escape. They’ve probably already noticed our presence. It’s better to defeat them here while they haven’t figured us out yet.”

If they left the dungeon, information about Amon’s party would naturally update, and their enemies would gain at least minimal information about them.

But if Amon’s party stayed in the dungeon, the security team would have to treat them as an “unknown explorer party.”

“Plus, we have the advantage of terrain and defense.”

The security team didn’t know the dungeon.

They might have received data injections, but knowing a 3D map and actually running through it were completely different experiences.

Additionally, the waiting side had the advantage of setting traps in advance.

“Look, Vox is already setting up something like mines nearby.”

Of course, the security team wasn’t stupid and would neutralize most traps, but the mere existence of traps would wear on the enemy’s nerves.

Eventually, Amon stopped torturing the Lich and began preparing for the security team’s arrival.

A direct confrontation would be a bad move.

They were far inferior in both firepower and tanking ability.

Therefore, the nimble Amon and Kathy Julia Requetio would move around the dungeon to engage the security team, while the rest would fortify the bunker.

“Will we make it back alive?”

Kathy muttered as they roamed the dungeon, having left the fortification team in the bunker.

Amon silently took her hand.

Despite the cold feel of his gloves, it was strangely reassuring.

Soon, they sensed movement.

The Seanrai Group’s security personnel appeared, rifles in hand, cautiously advancing toward the lowest level.

They passed by Amon and Kathy, who were hiding in a pile of undead corpses, not expecting anyone to hide there.

The two remained silent until they had completely passed.

Soon, a second team passed by, then a third.

After the third team, no more security personnel came through.

Still, the two didn’t follow them.

After what felt like an eternity.

BOOM!

A vibration was felt from the lower level.

Belatedly, about two more teams joined the previous three.

Only then did Amon and Kathy emerge from the pile of corpses.

The two headed downward.

To act as a crude hammer.

*

Shortly after the security team arrived at the bunker.

Seeing the torn-off door, they tensely entered the room.

But inside, there was nothing except the limbless Lich.

“Mmph! Mmph!”

The gagged Lich tried to say something.

The Alpha Team leader ordered a subordinate to check the Lich while focusing on searching the room.

The Alpha Team member thoughtlessly removed the Lich’s gag.

And the first words from the freed Lich were:

“It’s a trap!”

The Alpha Team’s attention turned to the Lich.

That momentary distraction was fatal.

BOOM!

A claymore mine facing the center of the bunker exploded.

The Alpha Team was instantly wiped out.

Soon, Amon’s party members emerged from behind an optically camouflaged shield in the corner of the room.

[Only six of them?]

“All the booby traps in the corridor have been neutralized.”

[Tch]

There was no time to grumble.

The beast-man tank set up a barricade at the bunker entrance, while the heavy gunner and mage poured bullets and bombs into the corridor.

The straight corridor was optimal for fortification.

Enemies who occasionally charged through the bullets were stopped by the mute sniper’s powerful shots.

Thanks to this, the fortification team left in the bunker could excellently fulfill their role as an anvil.

But that was only at the beginning.

While they were quite outstanding among explorers, they were no match for the corporate-backed security team.

As time passed, Amon’s party’s situation worsened.

“Damn it. What’s the hammer team doing?”

The dual-class mage abandoned formality and cursed.

Thirty minutes had already passed.

If the hammer was striking the rear, the enemy’s offensive wouldn’t be this strong.

The dual-class mage grumbled with such thoughts.

“Did they get wiped out?”

The buffalo tank was pessimistic.

[Maybe they abandoned us and ran away.]

The sniper ejected an empty cartridge with a cynical remark.

“…”

The ogre who had emphasized loyalty remained silent.

It was essentially an agreement with the sniper’s words.

The mood darkened among the four left in the bunker.

They couldn’t deny it.

While it would be ideal if the hammer team attacked the enemy’s rear, realistically, they had no reason to do so.

Unless the anvil team had the techniques discovered on the way down, but even those were all with Amon.

If the anvil team was wiped out, the Seanrai Group would consider this matter resolved, and Amon and Kathy could simply change their identities and live comfortably.

Once started, pessimistic thinking spread like a plague among them, growing larger.

Eventually:

[I should have joined the hammer team and escaped with them.]

The sniper’s uncontrolled inner thoughts spread to allies through telepathy.

Mental wavering soon led to physical disruption.

Having lost his composure, the sniper neglected cover and exposed his shoulder.

“Ugh!”

With the sniper’s absence, the buffalo tank’s burden increased, and through a hole in the once-tight barricade, the mage was critically wounded.

“Ugh! Don’t worry about me…”

As attention turned to the mage clutching his stomach, a gap formed in the ogre’s field of fire, and he lost an eye to an enemy sniper.

“I can’t see! Someone give me directions!”

The sturdiest buffalo tank continued to block the entrance, and the blinded ogre’s indiscriminate fire covered the corridor, but running out of bullets was just a matter of time.

Just as the anvil team members prepared for annihilation.

“Cease fire!”

The buffalo beast-man shouted.

The ogre couldn’t see, and the injured mage and sniper were in cover, so they couldn’t understand why the buffalo beast-man had shouted this.

But soon they understood.

Immediately after he shouted, the enemy’s offensive stopped.

Instead, from the end of the corridor came screams, roars, gunfire, and occasionally:

– “AMEEEEN!!!”

A familiar battle cry.

After a while, all sounds subsided, and the anvil team cautiously peeked out of the bunker.

Familiar faces appeared at the end of the corridor.

The buffalo beast-man grinned widely and shouted:

“You’re late!”

Beside the battered Kathy, Amon with his left shoulder drooping wearily replied:

“It’s not that easy to assassinate without being detected.”

Though in the end, they were detected.

With those muttered words, Amon collapsed toward Kathy.

Seeing this, the party members, as if feeling guilty, rushed to support Amon despite their own injuries.