Chapter 82 – Underground Waterway (4)

Having a strong sense of justice is a good thing. Originally, most of the world is made up of selfish people, but the reason the world runs without problems is thanks to the small number of altruistic people who act as a septic tank, maintaining a healthy society.
 I don’t know if that’s true, but at least I like people with a strong sense of justice.

 Fervor.
 What a word that stirs a boy’s heart. But that’s only when it’s someone else’s problem. When it actually becomes my problem, it’s a bit troublesome. I’m not such a righteous and fervent person, so I like watching as a third party, but I don’t like being the subject of it.

 “We can’t recklessly jump in just because we heard a woman’s voice. Each individual is weak, but if they swarm together, they’re quite dangerous. Above all, we must remember that even one mistake can be very fatal for the women.”

 I calmly voiced my opposition, but the fiery gazes of Irian and Somir, who were forming the vanguard, showed no sign of cooling down.

 …No, I knew Irian was a righteous guy, but why is this old man like this? Was he this kind of character?

 “We just need to be careful.”
 “That’s right. If we’re careful, these monsters are no threat. If anything happens, I’ll risk my life to stop them.”
 “……Haa. Mr. Somir. Your life is your choice, but it also puts the lives of others at risk. Especially the women will suffer even more.”
 “I’m fine. I’m prepared.”
 “Not you.”

 Prepared, my ass. I can’t let Irian suffer like that. Does that guy think that if he’s in danger, he’s the only one who’ll suffer?

 “…Okay. Since there are five of us, let’s decide by vote.”

 Cha Hyewon, who has no interest in the lives of NPCs, and Sandra, who, like a cold-blooded mage, shows no sympathy even when seeing corpses scattered everywhere, would surely refuse. The result of the impromptu vote was… what?

 “W-Why?”

 Why, why am I the only one against it! Even Cha Hyewon and Sandra, whom I trusted?

 “Tsk tsk. A heartless bastard.”
 “He’s such a cold-blooded guy.”

 Even while being scolded by Irian and Cha Hyewon, I couldn’t come to my senses.
 Four in favor, one against… so everyone except me is in favor? Why are these guys like this? Why are they so fired up with a sense of justice! It’s so dangerous!

 Damn it. If it was going to be like this, I should have just agreed, I’ve only made my image worse. Since the decision was made, I had no choice but to follow the group towards the place where the woman’s voice was heard. When I grumbled to Sandra and Cha Hyewon, I got a scolding in return.

 “I’m sorry. But I’m so curious about the ecology of these monsters. They can reproduce through all female-type individuals with a uterus… Orcs and goblins also kidnap human women to reproduce, so could it be a similar ecology? A report on an unknown monster and its ecology… I’ll get promoted faster!”

 ……I was wrong. She was burning with a mage’s curiosity and ambition for promotion. I have a feeling the reason she gave later is her true motive.

 “Honestly, I’m not that interested, but these things are so disgusting. They’re so gross. These disgusting creatures must be exterminated.”

 ……I was wrong about her too. It’s not a sense of justice or fervor, but a burning desire to exterminate pests. Can’t we just get our subordinates to do that after we leave?

 “The sound is getting louder. It’s nearby.”
 “What about the monsters?”
 “……I’m not sure. The monsters barely make any noise when they move.”

 Since they move very slowly with their slimy bodies, they barely make a sound, and to make matters worse, the sound is muffled by the moss, vines, and weeds that cover the floor. On top of that, the moans of the women, which I can now hear, are drowning out the smaller sounds.

 “This… it seems like there are more than one or two women.”

 As Somir muttered, his voice stiff, I could hear about ten different voices with my hearing focused by divine power. …How many monsters does that mean there are?

 ‘I have a bad feeling.’

 A bad premonition sent a chill down my spine. My ‘Luck’ stat is quite high, so my intuition is surprisingly good. I shouldn’t ignore this bad feeling.

 “It’s strange. Why aren’t there any monsters around?”
 “There aren’t any corpses here either. This is the first time I’ve seen such a clean place since we entered the underground waterway.”

 Listening to Irian and Sandra, it was definitely strange. Of course, ‘clean’ doesn’t mean it’s clean enough to lie down on the floor, but it’s clean enough that there are no corpses or filth, which is something.

 ‘…Wait a minute. I remember a place like this in the underground waterway. What was the situation back then? ……Could it be, near the nest?’

 If it’s really near the nest, it’s dangerous.
 In the game, I carelessly touched their nest at first and got a game over. Honestly, that’s okay. Game over is like a daily occurrence.

 The problem is that in the story that came out as an ending after the game over, the heroines had become the monsters’ biological factories. No, seriously. My precious heroines that I barely raised were NTR’d by these disgusting monsters.

 It was too much, even for me. I was already annoyed by the game over, but seeing the text that my beloved heroines had become the monsters’ breeding factories at the end of the ‘gold-spoon’ ending, it really messed with my mental state.

 Fueled by revenge, I challenged it several times after that, but each time I was frustrated by the NTR ending. The memories of the past are still vivid.

 ……Yeah. Maybe it’s for the best. I’ll personally repay the sin of NTRing my girls. I won’t forgive the gold-spoon!

 “I have a bad feeling. Why am I so uneasy?”

 A low voice came from the rear. Cha Hyewon also seemed to feel uneasy, her voice stiff.

 In a way, this monster’s lair is more difficult than the ‘Tomb of the Ruler’ dungeon located in this deep layer. I also ignored it after being burned a few times. That’s why I’m even more worried.

 How many of these monsters are there, are there any stronger individuals, are there any traps inside… I don’t have enough information because it’s a place I couldn’t clear in the game. Countless worries flashed through my mind in a short moment. Haa… Should I just suggest we retreat now?

 ……Yeah. Let’s retreat here for now, whether it’s for image or revenge.
 It’s better to retreat and come back with full preparation. If I bring Cha Hyewon’s subordinates or mercenaries, how can those monsters hold out?

 It’s not like I can challenge it again like in a game, and my life and my girls’ lives are only one, so I have to go safely. It’s not like the number of people entering the dungeon is limited, so there’s no need to crash into it with this small group…

 “A scream… They’re going in!”
 “W-Wait a minute! Wait, you… you son of a bitch!”

 It was a short time while my thoughts were being organized. It was only 1-2 minutes, but that short time was the problem. As soon as I heard a woman’s scream, Somir suddenly charged forward. Ugh, that troll. Is he a suicide bomber? His name sounds Japanese, is he some kind of kamikaze?

 “Kieeeeeeek!”

 Damn it, if you’re going to die, die alone, why are you attracting all the aggro? The agonizing scream of a half-cut monster echoed. The scream that echoed through the underground quickly stopped, but immediately after, an eerie silence fell.

 “Kuaaaa!!”
 “Kieeeek!!”

 Eerie cries came from all directions. The bizarre sounds that could only be heard in hell overlapped, creating a strange harmony. With my senses heightened, I could feel the presence of monsters rising like mushrooms after rain.

 The monsters that had been scattered everywhere began to rush towards us all at once.

 “I’ll provide cover.”

 Even in this situation, the fact that she was calmly conjuring flames and lightning in both hands was indeed the mark of a battle mage. Her skills are definitely solid.

 I could feel Sandra’s magic fluctuating. It’s a do-or-die situation. I can’t just be an air purifier. I stopped the barrier and purification magic and prepared buff and attack magic for the upcoming battle.

 “Hup!”
 “Ugh!”

 Irian, who was firmly guarding the front, as well as Sandra, who was preparing magic next to him, and even Cha Hyewon, who was preparing the cute magic she had recently learned next to her, all staggered almost simultaneously.

 “Poison…!”
 “Damn it, when did they… Cure Disease!”

 Thanks to that, I had no choice but to cancel all the magic I was preparing and quickly cast a detoxification spell. Damn it… If I cancel the magic I was preparing like this and use another magic, the aftereffects will be severe.

 “I, I’m alive… Ugh, again, again! Air, air purifier… turn it back on.”
 “…….”

 What the hell is it? I’m fine.

 At Cha Hyewon’s whining voice, who was covering her nose and mouth with her hands, I decided to quietly act as an air purifier. It was killing me to cast a barrier and purification magic to protect the women while also trying to release the poison with detoxification magic.

 …Three magics at once is too much. I already had aftereffects from canceling the magic in a hurry, but it got worse because I used three magics at the same time. The debuffs on the status window are no joke.

 “Quickly! There are too many monsters!”

 Meanwhile, Somir, who bravely charged into the nest, was desperately flailing around, surrounded by dozens of monsters. That crazy bastard, why is he so heated up and running wild?

 “Burst Flare!”

 Even while staggering, Sandra’s magic exploded, causing an explosion on the floor where the monsters were gathered. The underground was already blocked on all sides, and the explosion that shook the floor made my ears ring. Would a simultaneous explosion of four or five grenades make this kind of roar?

 “Somir! Behind you!”

 The fact that the monsters’ senses were dull was a fatal advantage in this situation. Even though there was a huge explosion nearby and the ground shook with debris flying, the monsters behind Somir only staggered for a moment from the shaking. They didn’t seem to hear the loud explosion and quickly rushed towards Somir.

 Somir, on the other hand, seemed to be out of it from the intense explosion caused by the magic for cover, the shaking ground, and the flying debris.

 His face was scrunched up, and he was covering his ears with one hand, but he was still managing to cut down the monsters rushing in from the side. However, he didn’t seem to notice the monsters rushing in from behind. …At this rate, he’ll get hit.

 “Saint Benediction!”

 A round, hemispherical white barrier formed around Somir, repelling the rushing monsters. Somir, who had quickly turned his body, nodded slightly towards me as if to express his gratitude, and then began to swing his sword at the monsters again.

 ‘…This is bad. I overdid it too much.’

 The debuffs became even more severe.
 I canceled the magic I was casting in a hurry and cast another magic, that’s 1.
 I maintained the barrier and purification while using detoxification magic, that’s 2.
 And now, I’m maintaining the barrier and purification while using a powerful protection magic, that’s 3.

 Because of the triple debuff, it felt like something bitter was rising from inside me. …At this rate, I’m out of the fight. It’s getting hard to even be an air purifier.

 “Get out! Somir, retreat! Fall back!”