Infinite Competitive Dungeon Society
chapter-27

She did not cry. Even when her country fell to ruin, even when her continent collapsed, even when her sister was dragged away by the Demon Lord, even when the emperor and empress committed suicide.

As the crown princess and the last surviving member of the Empire, she stood tall until the end.

[I’ll come back to reclaim what is mine!]

[My lovely Crown Princess, what a shame it is to have you leave. I will await the day I see you again.]

The Demon Lord whispered to the girl in my embrace with a sly expression, then faced me and said.

[Savior, Hero. For what reason have you arrived at this fallen world?]

[Agh, you have a severe case of eighth-grade syndrome. I’m just here to save my friend.]

[… The reason I will not kill you now is-]

[Because you can’t, idiot. I’m leaving. Next time I see you, the first thing I’ll do is punch you in the face. Return!]

[How arrogant, Human.]

At my shout, my surroundings shone with a brilliant light and a door appeared in midair. I opened the door and stuck my middle finger out at the Demon Lord who was trying to look cool until the end.

[If you don’t like it, why don’t you come over to my world!?]

*

“… Again.”

It was another unpleasant morning. Was it because I only said I’d go easy and really didn’t?

My entire body felt out of sorts and I had a splitting headache. I sat down cross-legged on my bed and initiated Peruta Circuit. Whenever my body felt out of balance, Peruta told me to use the Peruta Circuit to rebalance it.

Mana, which circulated with my body as the center, was extremely intense, but at the same time, extremely pure and dynamic in movement. Once I began to circulate it, it moved mostly by itself.

Circulating the mana inside of me and accepting the outside mana, I spit out the impurities that had accumulated inside of me.

[Kyaa, cool prince!]

[The mana is so bright. I’m being sucked in~]

[Someone hold him!]

I knocked on my ear a few times and stretched. Today was the weekend, so I headed to the dungeon right after breakfast. It was the day I would challenge the Dark Ratman with just two people. My partner was none other than Shina.

“Are you sure? You left your party members behind. Plus, it’s dangerous.”

“It’s fine. We’re only making small progress on the 17th floor. Plus, all the party members are busy today.”

Shina answered as if she had it prepared beforehand. On one hand, she held a round shield, and a longsword on the other. As expected of a party leader, her equipment looked good.

She would be my tank for today. She was stable and had the sense to dodge the Dark Ratman’s skill. She was the best choice for a partner.

“To be honest, I’m slightly worried, but I know I’ll be fine with you, oppa!”

“Yep. Like I said, you just have to delay the Dark Ratman for a little.”

“Got it. Take good care of me!”

Exchanging messages with her from time to time, we became close enough for her to call me oppa. She was usually mature, but she also knew how to spoil herself and act affectionately. She was overall a very likable girl. Though, of course, she wasn’t a match for my Yua!

With the boss fight in front of us, she put on her Lightning Resistant Robe. I had my Wraith Queen Set on as well.

Although Orc Lord’s Warcry was a fantastic skill, even if I could ignore the Dark Ratman’s attack, just a single dark lightning would kill me. As such, it wasn’t particularly useful in the 15th Floor Master fight.

Wraith Queen Set’s Vengeful Spirit’s Wail had the effect of inflicting confusion and fear on surrounding enemies. With it, I could take care of all the ratmen minions while the Dark Ratman was stupefied.

Thus, whenever I fought the Dark Ratman, I took off the Orc Lord Set I liked and wore the Wraith Queen Set which I still felt awkward in. I also couldn’t help but shiver at the lightness of this armor set.

However, Shina seemed to be paying attention to another side of the Wraith Queen Set.

“Wow, you look so cool, oppa.”

“M-Mm?”

“Huhu, it goes well with your handsome face. Like royalty.”

“R-Royalty… you’re flattering me too much.”

With how much I was being called Crown Prince, it would be bad if I confused myself for an actual royalty. With a bitter smile, I held up the Orc Lord’s Glaive.

“Alright, you can flatter me after the fight.”

“Got it! Let’s go!”

We stood side by side and kicked the door open. Inside, there were 40 ratmen and the Dark Ratman. It was the same as always.

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“COME FIGHT ME!”

[You used the skill ‘Provoke’! You gained the attention of nearby enemies!]

“Kigik!”

“Kugagak! Kill him!”

“Human male!”

From above, it would give anyone watching the unpleasant feeling of a bunch of rats running. While I gripped my spear tightly and prepared to use Heroic Strike, I yelled toward Shina.

“Take care of the Dark Ratman!”

“Yes!”

The Dark Ratman was among the ratmen running toward me, and Shina rushed toward it to take the aggro. Sure enough, the Dark Ratman changed target, swiping at her with its claws.

For some strange reason, the ratmen had low defense compared to their high attack. Their mental defense was even weaker. It was clear to see by how they were so easily provoked by a low-rank skill. Modifying the trajectory of my spear as I went, I included as many ratmen as possible in my attack.

“Heroic Strike!”

Clad in white light, my spear thrust forward and slaughtered about a dozen ratmen in its path. I then wrapped mana around the spear and began to pierce the other ratmen’s throats.

“Kueek!”

“Human!”

“Haaap!”

I continually used Provoke, making sure none of them went toward Shina. By piercing the ratmen’s throats one by one, I made sure that they were dead.

“Kyak! It’s using its skill!”

“Vengeful Spirit’s Wail!”

[Kiyaaaaaa!]

Although I wanted to save it since I could only use it once a day, Shina had already been hit by the lightning. She would be able to dodge the follow up attacks if she dodged the initial lightning, but she had no choice but to die if she was hit. Not unless I used Vengeful Spirit’s Wail.

[You used Vengeful Spirit’s Wail! All enemies have become confused! All enemies have become feared!]

“Kigigik! Human, too many humans!”

“Scary, dark scary!”

The surroundings had become chaotic. Some of the ratmen began to fight each other, while others fell and trembled in fear. The Dark Ratman had also canceled his skill and was fighting the nearby ratmen with reddened eyes.

“We don’t have much time. Deal as much damage as you can!” I shouted as I took care of several Ratmen with Tempest. Shina seemed to have recovered from the paralysis thanks to the Lightning Resistant Robe, as she gasped for air and concentrated mana on her sword. Her mana was the same color as her eyes.

“Take this! Hornet Pierce!”

“Kueeek!”

While Shina was attacking the confused Dark Ratman, I continued to take care of the ratmen minions. With them fighting by themselves or trembling in fear, they were completely defenseless. When I killed the last ratmen, the effect of Vengeful Spirit’s Wail wore off, and the Dark Ratman once again used his skill.

“Kigigik, I will cook you until you’re charred black!”

“I think you mean burn, idiot!”

[Dark Ratman uses Dark Thunder Explosion!]

It was here! The moment black lightning began to explode out from his body, Shina and I jumped back. Alright, we dodged it!

“Kugagaga!”

The Dark Ratman continuously shot out lighting in madness. Of course, we weren’t just watching from the side. I drank a Mana Potion and prepared my Heroic Strike, while Shina drank a Health Potion.

“Whew, this is hard. You’ve always been fighting like this?”

“Yeah, well… It’s coming!”

“Kugagagak! Humans!”

“Eat this!”

Seeing the Dark Ratman charge toward us the moment his skill ended, I threw my spear forward. When I felt the condensed energy on the spear, I felt an unprecedented feeling of satisfaction. At the same time, I had a feeling that my spear would hit exactly where I aimed it.

[Critical Hit!]

“Kugagagak!”

The Orc Lord’s Glaive completely pierced the Dark Ratman’s chest, coming out of his back and nailing him to the wall. Blood spurted out from the Dark Ratman’s chest as he collapsed on the ground. He was either dead or was on the verge of dying.

“A-Amazing. To pierce through a Floor Master’s defense. Ah…”

“Shina! Hurry up!”

“Ah! Yes!”

Shina and I both charged toward the Dark Ratman. Although he twitched its body, unwilling to die, Shina’s and my attack easily finished him off.

“Haaap! Die!”

“Eit!”

“K-Kiiii!”

Hearing the last bloodcurdling shriek of his dying breath, Shina and I high-fived. We had succeeded.

[You consumed a Thunder Crystal. Your resistance to lightning increases slightly. Your affinity with lightning increases. Your magic increases by 5. It seems taking more will not have any effect.]

“Oh.”

I finished consuming Thunder Crystals to their limit much earlier than I anticipated. It was also unexpected that it would increase my magic by 5. As I was checking my status with satisfaction, Shina, who obtained the Dark Ratman’s Leather Boots, looked at me with an apologetic expression.

“Is it really okay, oppa? I hear the Leather Boots are a rare part.”

“I already have it. I only need two more to complete my set.”

“A-Amazing.”

One of them would come from hunting the Dark Ratman alone, so I really only had one more to go. Once I had that one piece… I would solo the Dark Ratman. I still wasn’t confident, but I had no choice.

“Good luck, oppa! Although I’m not sure what you’re doing, I know oppa can do anything!”

“Haha, are you trying to cheer me up? Thanks.”

“Call me if you ever need me again. I will always be available!”

“Alright, see you again later.”

I said my goodbye to Shina who was acting cutesy with sparkling eyes.

‘Alright, I’ll obtain the last piece of the Dark Ratman Set by the end of the day. Then, I’ll challenge him solo tomorrow.’ I murmured, trying to ease my anxiety.