chapter_0173

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
173

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
173

Large public dungeons like
Menestail feel very different compared to tackling other dungeons.

When I cleared dungeons
before, it was almost like speedrunning with a prophecy, wasn’t it?

The reason that was possible
was because I could control the variables within the dungeon with my
abilities.

Monsters might move as if they
have a will, but their paths are limited.

Trap locations might change,
but those positions are fixed, so once memorised, they can be dealt
with.

As for the paths, if you
memorise all possible routes, there’s no problem.

In these respects, large
dungeons are similar, but there’s a crucial difference. The presence
of other adventurers wandering within the dungeon is added.

For common dungeons, only one
party can enter at a time. There’s a limit of four people per
entry.

The Academy Dungeon was also
designed considering this, allowing only four people to enter at
once.

So, if you focused all your
attention on the dungeon, there was no need to worry about other
variables.

However, large dungeons are
different. There’s no limit on the number of people here. Any party
that wishes to enter the dungeon can come in.

Do you get it? This dungeon is
filled with bumbling NPCs who have no rationality and move around
haphazardly based on their whims.

Ah, just explaining large
dungeons is getting me worked up.

From the perspective of an
ordinary gamer, the variable of adventurers isn’t necessarily bad.
The truth is, the difficulty of tackling the dungeon skyrockets.

However, by the time players
of Soul Academy usually enter a large dungeon, it means they are
already in the mid-game, right?

It’s a point where they’ve
already conquered a fair number of dungeons and feel accustomed to
the game.

At that time, introducing the
new gimmick of adventurers brings a refreshing twist.

It adds a new element that
immerses players even more into the game.

When I first enjoyed the game,
I didn’t think this adventurer element was bad either.

There were even times when in
moments of crisis, another adventurer would help out, and I’d shout;
Adventurers are the best!

But why did my thoughts
change?

Try being in a position where
you’re speedrunning. How could you not curse?

Do you understand how dreadful
uncontrollable variables are when you’re trying to shave off even
one second of your clear time?

Imagine, you think you’ve
finally set a record, and suddenly an adventurer pops up next to you
and trolls you.

How would you feel about that?

It’s terrible just thinking
about it now.

Although I unleashed my wrath
on that adventurer with the grudge of my ruined speedrun record and
my poor keyboard and monitor, it didn’t bring back what was lost.

And now, there’s another group
of adventurers in front of me trying to troll.

“Kyaaaaah!”

“I don’t want to die!”

“There, there! Please help
us!”

“We’re sorry! Please, spare
us!”

They had attracted more
monsters than they could handle and were making a desperate escape.

Commonly known as a monster
train.This was the kind of variable I loathed most.

The moment I met those jerks’
eyes, the speedrun was as good as failed.

“Miss.”

Karl called me while taking a
stance.

He was asking for my decision
on what to do.

If this were a game, I would
have said to leave them without hesitation because I’ve had enough of
getting screwed over by these guys.

But this is reality, and the
moment I ignore them, the four corpses that would result will
naturally become a burden on my shoulders.

And I can’t bear that
burden.

‘Let’s get ready to
fight.’

“Get ready. We’re going to
help the clueless trash.”

What was chasing those guys
were Hellhounds, right?

Gosh, this is so annoying.

I’m already feeling shitty
from the heat, and now we’ve met these trolls, and what they’ve
brought are those damned things.

After taking a deep breath, I
raised my mace.

“It’s funny to see these
bastards barking without knowing their place♡ Do they think they’re
wolves just because they’ve hunted down trash?♡ The thing is♡
You mutts are more suited to lying on your back and whining in front
of humans♡”

As I spoke, the Hellhound
pack’s attention shifted to me.

The [Mesugaki] skill’s taunt
ability is absolute. At this moment, their prey isn’t those foolish
adventurers but me.

“I, out of the goodness of
my heart, will educate you ugly, ferocious mutts♡ You should be
grateful♡”

The lead wolf changed
direction and charged at me. I saw the teeth of the hellhound that
was intent on tearing into my neck.

They were undoubtedly sharp,
sharp enough to pierce through metal if aimed correctly.

But that’s all the hellhound
had going for it.

Charging at me with speed that
didn’t even come close to Frey’s Sword posed no real threat.

I moved my shield towards the
beast lunging to bite me.

[Iron Wall] said something to
me, but I didn’t listen.

It wasn’t because [Iron
Wall]’s will and my thoughts were aligned.

It was because I had no
intention of blocking.

As my shield struck the
hellhound in the face, its body was sent flying through the air.

It landed on the ground, teeth
shattered, convulsing before it took its last breath.

The lead hellhound being taken
out so easily must have had an effect.

The other hellhounds, charging
fiercely, slowed down.

Oh god, this is so annoying.

The fire clinging to these
creatures isn’t just for show.

Just being near them makes the
already hot air even hotter.

“You dumb mutts♡ Are you
scared?♡ Puhaha♡ You really are trashy dogs who don’t even know
what pride is♡”

Come at me quicker.

And then die already.

Because of you, I feel like
I’m going to pass out from this heat!

I (Alsatine) knew Lucy’s
abilities well.

Just a few months ago, I had
tackled several wild dungeons near the Academy with her, so it was
impossible not to notice.

She had perfectly memorised
the path through every dungeon.

She also knew what types of
monsters appeared in the dungeons, where they were, what weapons they
carried, and how many of them there were.

Naturally, she was also aware
of where the traps in the dungeons were set, how they were set up,
and how to disarm them.

The dungeon bosses? There’s no
way Lucy, who knew everything about dungeons, wouldn’t know about
them.

She handed me a flawless
strategy for each dungeon boss, as if she had dissected every single
one of them.

I wasn’t a novice at dungeon
strategies either.

I had ventured into countless
dungeons as both a team member and a team leader.

Therefore, I knew very well
what a proper dungeon strategy was and what competence looked like
within that context.

To me, Lucy Allen wasn’t just
an outstanding commander.

It seemed more appropriate to
call her a prophet who had heard everything about the dungeons from
the gods.

Until today, that is.

“Information Seller. I’ll
distract them, so you throw the potion at that trash mob over there.”

“Understood.”

“Sloppy! How long are you
going to drag this out? How can you struggle with that when you’re
supposed to be my knight?!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Deal with it in 10
seconds! If you don’t, I’ll punish you! You sloppy trash!”

Even inside a large dungeon,
amidst the chaos of encountering several adventurer parties, Lucy
demonstrated flawless command.

In this hellish environment,
where countless variables arose and situations constantly changed,
she made the best decisions without losing her composure.

I knew she had decent command
skills, but I thought she was more of a prophet than a commander.
Turns out, she’s both.

She is a competent commander
and a prophet who hears the voice of the gods.

Ha, are those judgments really
for someone who just entered the Academy? Even if she were the leader
of an experienced party attacking the dungeon’s depths, I would
believe it.

It’s astonishing and
awe-inspiring.

This can’t merely be explained
by saying she inherited the Allen Family bloodline.

Lucy Allen is just that
exceptional of a person.

It’s worth following her.

Yes.

If it’s her.

If it’s someone loved by the
gods.

If it’s someone who has turned
all her boasts into reality so far.

She will surely take me to
where my Master is.

“Information Seller!
You’re too slow!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Then shoot the arrows at
the bastards running toward the rear immediately!”

Master, I will soon come to
see you.

Please warmly welcome your
long-lost disciple.

10th Floor of Menestail
Dungeon.

By the time we arrived where
the Floor Boss lurked, I was already half-exhausted.

It’s true that this place is
vast and incomparable in size to the Academy Dungeon, but I shouldn’t
be this worn out.

If it weren’t for the
adventurers, I wouldn’t be this drained.

Damn it. Why are there so many
stupid adventurers?!

Their spawn rate is
ridiculously high!

Even in the game, it wasn’t
this bad!

As a result, it took me much
longer to tackle the dungeon than I had anticipated.

Ha. At this rate, reaching the
20th floor today is impossible.

Looks like I’ll have to
continue in this heat tomorrow.

Damn adventurers. I’ll kick
their butts if I meet them on the street later.

Then I’ll make them kneel
and ask why they’re leading an adventurer’s life with such trashy
skills, barely better than a girl’s.

That might help me cool down a
bit!

“Miss, are you alright?”

‘Do I look alright?’

“Do you just carry your eyes
as decoration? Do I look alright?”

As if the heat wasn’t annoying
enough, now I have to put up with the adventurers’ trolling, and
the pervert fox sniffing around with a dumb grin on top of it.

Ah, I can’t stand it
anymore. Let’s just deal with the 10th-floor boss today and start
over from the 11th floor tomorrow.

According to Alsatine, the
reason there are so many brainless adventurers is that it’s easy for
just anyone to wander around the lower floors.

Things should get better after
we pass the 11th floor, where the boss weeds out the weaklings.

“Miss, if it’s so hard for
you, why don’t you take a break?”

‘No.’

“Sloppy mutt. Shut up.”

Just being out in this heat
feels like it’s draining my strength by the second, and you want me
to rest here?!

No! If I’m going to rest,
I’ll do it outside!

“But if you go into the Boss
Room in this condition, you might get hurt.”

‘Don’t worry about that.’

“Sloppy mutt. Do you know
who your master is? And you’re worrying about me?”

“Pardon? What do you mean by
that.”

‘There won’t be any real
fights.’

“I’ll show you. The
pathetic sight of the trash in the next room getting miserably and
shamefully defeated.”

Karl, of all people, you
acting this foolish is troubling.

You saw me destroy the Academy
Dungeon.

“…Do you have a plan?”

‘Of course.’

“Sloppy mutt. You’re only
realising it now? Haa. My dog is really dumb and slow.”

Do you really think I would
face the dungeon boss head-on?

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