"Elves really do live up to the stereotype—arrogant and high-handed!"
Kairo Retsu clapped his hands at the elves' response. "Bravo! Truly outstanding!"
"With a talk like this, even things that could've been explained calmly are going to fall apart because of you lot. Look at Kabru—he's nearly going mad from not being able to speak."
He pointed at Kabru as he spoke.
To Kabru, those words were oddly moving… Someone actually understood his situation…
"The dungeon's power isn't something you can control."
Patadril sighed. "There are always these short-lived races who treat the dungeon's power like some convenient tool…"
Hishewis narrowed her eyes. "What exactly do you want to do with the dungeon? Why are you hiding what's upstairs? Was it not you who defeated the dungeon master, but rather the dungeon master who took control of you?"
"Classified!"
Kairo Retsu planted his hands on his hips and declared righteously, "I'm the one who personally defeated Thistle multiple times—I can do whatever I want. You guys didn't lift a finger, so what gives you the right to point yours at us?"
"That's not the best way to put it…" Tanjiro muttered, looking troubled by Kairo Retsu's outburst. "Weren't we supposed to have a proper discussion?"
"We are! But on our terms!!! The way we planned it!"
Kairo Retsu insisted, full of conviction. "You elves are supposed to be powerful, right? Then force it out of us! Use your magic!"
"Let me show you a taste of a Hunter's shocking resilience!"
"Hey!"
Chilchuck was practically in tears. "Stop provoking them already!"
"You heard that, Patadril," said Hishewis, pulling out her bell-adorned staff. She turned to Patadril. "They're practically asking for it."
Patadril sighed deeply and waved her hand. "Permission granted."
Seeing Hishewis draw her staff just like in the original events, Laios also let out a sigh. "I really thought we could talk this out…"
Right after he said that, Hishewis rang her bell-tipped staff, and the crisp chime echoed through the room. Kairo Retsu, Laios, and the others quickly fell into a daze.
Meanwhile, over in the warehouse, Kazuma and the rest also heard the sound of the bell.
Kazuma sighed and pulled out a Nulberry from his bag. "Once again, I bear all burdens! Damn it! Is this what they mean by 'the capable suffer most'?!"
"No choice. Your Stealth skill makes you best suited for hiding while using Wide-Range," said Naofumi Iwatani with a shrug. "What's the next phase?"
Joseph chuckled. "After the Guildmaster gets hit with a status effect, wait a bit before curing him. Make sure the elves finish their questioning!"
"Let's eavesdrop a bit…" Joseph pressed his ear to the wall, trying to catch the conversation between the elves and Kairo Retsu's group.
"Tell us everything."
Hishewis, having already hypnotized them with illusion magic, gave her commands. "Where is the dungeon master? What do you plan to do with the dungeon's power?"
"..."
Laios, Kairo Retsu, Tanjiro, Senshi, and Chilchuck were all under the spell.
In his entranced state, Laios answered truthfully. "Thistle is lying in his room upstairs. After we defeated him, we captured him. I want to…"
He paused. "I want to return Falin to her human form. I already know the way to save her. In order to do that, everyone needs to eat the dragon flesh from her body. So… I need to become the dungeon master."
"!"
The elves were thrown into chaos and shock by Laios's statement.
"No! He's already been corrupted by the dungeon! We have to take him out of here right now!" As the elves reeled from Laios's intent, Chilchuck suddenly blurted something out from the side.
"The Mad Sorcerer… summoned a whole horde of dragons!"
Chilchuck's words immediately put the elves on high alert.
Dragons?
Could there be monsters lurking in the surrounding forest?
But Chilchuck continued. "To eliminate us, the Mad Sorcerer summoned a massive number of dragons… and then…"
"They were captured by him and Laios—in under five minutes."
Chilchuck's statement widened the elves' eyes in disbelief.
They had already acknowledged the group's strength, but now—
Chilchuck went on to answer another question.
"The dungeon's power… we can't let that Hunter Guildmaster become the dungeon master!"
Even under hypnosis, Chilchuck's face was filled with dread. "If he becomes the dungeon master… the world will be in danger!!"
"Who?"
The elves slowly turned to look at Kairo Retsu and Tanjiro.
Which of the two was the Guildmaster?
"Who are you?"
Hishewis addressed the two directly. "What do you intend to do with the dungeon's power?"
"I'm Tanjiro Kamado. I'm currently a Hunter…"
Tanjiro spoke first. "Many people have helped me, and I've been saved more times than I can count. That's why I want to help and save others too. As for the dungeon's power… I'm already content with the life I have now, so I don't need it."
Tanjiro's sincere words made the elves breathe a sigh of relief.
So he was just a kind-hearted boy. Nothing to worry about…
But just as they let their guard down, a powerful voice rang in their ears.
"I want to become the dungeon master!"
Kairo Retsu declared boldly. "I'm the Hunter Guildmaster! I want to use the dungeon's power… to create a New World!"
"I am the Sapphire Star who came to this place! The White Gale of the New World!"
"As a Hunter, of course I want the New World to be filled with all kinds of dragons!"
"First step: Use the dungeon's power to create a whole horde of Dahren Mohran Serpents…"
"Oh, right—you don't know what Dahren Mohran Serpents are, do you? I drew a diagram. It's on the table."
Kairo Retsu's words made the elves look toward a sheet of paper lying on the nearby table.
When they lifted the cover sheet, a massive and fearsome Dahren Mohran Serpent illustration was revealed. Alongside the sketch were densely scribbled notes extolling the creature's various charms…
But all the elves could feel when they looked at the 400-meter-long monster was fear—no trace of "charm" at all.
And beneath the Dahren Mohran diagram… were more sheets.
"Those are other dragons…"
Kairo Retsu's voice now rang in the elves' ears like a demonic chant.
"Fatalis, Alatreon, Safi'jiiva, Malzeno, Dreadking Rathalos, Silverlos, Amatsu, Shagaru Magala…"
"I, Kairo Retsu, want to see these Elder Dragons appear before my very eyes! How thrilling that would be!"
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