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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Dungeon Break
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The Labyrinth was a land of death and curses, teeming with countless monsters.
Thus, those who had ventured into the Labyrinth a few times to hunt monsters—especially the Awakened—came to feel that…
the Labyrinth, surprisingly, wasn't so dangerous.
Most territories were established on the very outskirts of 1-star Labyrinths, where only weak monsters dwelled.
This was because it was easy for not only combat-type Awakened but even ordinary people to take down a few monsters, provided they had enough equipment and numbers.
That was also why those pushed to the edge of desperation ventured into the Labyrinth.
But in reality, over 90% of those who entered died within a few months.
And of the exceptional 10% who survived, not even 1% remained after a few years.
Only after surviving all that…
did people finally realize.
The Labyrinth was an unholy domain.
—A land where no intelligent species could ever survive.
"What in the world is going on!"
"A Dungeon Break? We were never told about this!"
"Does it make any sense to hold a hunt in a 2-star Labyrinth?"
"I-I'm getting out of here!"
"Everyone, please calm down!"
In that sense…
the chaos that had descended upon Monsterwood Ranch was only natural.
When Las had died, the participants had been more annoyed that the hunt was interrupted than anxious.
Some among them had even considered the situation a stroke of luck, an opportunity to profit…
But that was all in the past.
Once the Dungeon Break occurred…
and the surrounding landscape transformed into a demonic realm that could hardly be called a forest, the participants protested, frantic.
Even they, most of whom had never been in a Labyrinth before, could tell how dire the situation was.
Not only had the environment itself changed, but the level of the monsters was on a completely different scale.
Unlike before, when it was mostly 1-star monsters with a rare 2-star mixed in, now 2-star monsters were charging in by the dozens.
That was why.
Ultimately, the participants changed their tune.
"At this rate, we should just head back on our own."
"Just you wait. Once I return to my family, I'm going to lodge a formal complaint about this."
"The fame of Monsterwood Ranch is a sham. I was a fool to believe it."
A scar-covered half-troll.
A centaur in fine attire.
And a succubus in tight leather.
The three participants who had maintained a degree of composure even as everyone else panicked.
These 3-star high-ranking Awakened demanded supplies, declaring they were leaving.
The other participants voiced their agreement, adding to the pressure.
"We will refund all participation fees."
"…?!"
"On top of that, we will provide additional compensation."
"Chavera!?"
"However, there are conditions."
Leah, who had been desperately trying to calm the participants, was shaken by her cousin's bombshell announcement.
But Chavera ignored her and continued.
"Until Daedalus awakens, I ask for your cooperation in defending Monsterwood Ranch."
"…You want to hire us?"
"As you all know, the ranch is now in a situation where we need all the help we can get."
The participants' expressions grew complicated.
A refund plus compensation was certainly an attractive offer, but…
it meant actively participating in the defense of the ranch.
For them, who had so far only delivered the final blow to prey cornered by the stud beasts, it was a hesitant proposition.
Even more so now that a Dungeon Break had occurred.
But…
"We will pay an additional bounty of 100,000 Crutal per 1-star monster and 1 million Crutal per 2-star monster."
"…!!!"
"Of course, you may also keep the magic stones and materials from any monsters you kill yourselves."
Gulp.
The participants swallowed hard.
The magic stone and materials from a 1-star monster were usually worth only a few tens of thousands of Crutal at best.
A 2-star was worth a few hundred thousand, if you were lucky.
And that was only if you properly butchered the valuable parts and sold them well. But to receive such a reward just for killing them, on top of getting the magic stones and materials?
It was a veritable gold mine.
Especially now, with hundreds of monsters swarming them daily.
"…How much for a 3-star monster?"
"100 million per kill."
"…!"
"What do you say? Will you accept my offer?"
Would they risk losing everything by fleeing through the perilous Labyrinth without a Divine Beast?
Or would they defend Monsterwood Ranch until the Divine Beast awoke and return home laden with immense wealth?
As the participants swallowed dryly at Chavera's proposal, weighing which option was better…
a voice rang out.
"Take that offer, and you'll die."
Perhaps because he had interrupted the smoothly progressing negotiations…
Chavera's face hardened as he looked at the boy in the white half-mask.
"What do you mean by that, White-Masked Young Master?"
"Exactly what I said. Mindlessly fighting to survive in a 2-star or higher Labyrinth is insane."
"Are you saying it's better to flee the ranch?"
"That's even more suicidal."
It had already been a week since they'd left the Deformed City.
Did they really think they could travel that far without a Divine Beast, especially with a Dungeon Break underway?
As the White-Masked Young Master smirked, one of the participants asked hesitantly.
"Then are you suggesting we borrow the Calamity Princess's power…?"
"That would be the most foolish thing to do."
"…Then what in the world are you suggesting we do?"
"Well, now, that's something you'll have to figure out for yourselves, isn't it?"
"…"
The participants were dumbfounded.
They should have been suspicious and thoughtful even if he had made a plausible suggestion.
But since he was just shooting down every option, it was impossible to trust him.
"We appreciate the advice."
"If you don't wish to fight, Young Master, you don't have to. We'll be more than enough on our own."
"You do you. We'll do us."
And so it was.
Even the hesitant participants rushed forward to grab the contracts being handed out by the servants.
The realization that they had no other choice…
combined with their resentment toward Dion, had spurred them on.
"A shame. I gave you a chance to live, and you threw it away."
"…"
As Dion watched the scene and smirked, seemingly unfazed…
Leah, who had been observing the boy with a complicated expression, approached Chavera and asked in a low voice.
"I'm not going to oppose you unconditionally like the White-Masked Young Master, but… what were you thinking, offering such terms?"
"You should know what I was thinking."
"I'm asking because I don't. Where are we going to get that kind of money?"
"We are not in a position to worry about the future. Especially considering the state of our stud beasts."
"That may be true, but…"
"If you understand, then stop spouting nonsense."
"…"
If you're a candidate for the next lord, you should only think about what's best for the clan.
Leah could only bite her lip.
Unable to offer any rebuttal, Chavera turned his gaze from his cousin and rival.
He looked at the participants signing the contracts, their eyes blinded by greed…
No, he was looking past them, at the boy in the half-mask who was accepting a snack from his concubine.
'…I don't know what he's thinking.'
He hadn't expected the White-Masked Young Master to participate in the first place.
He remembered how the boy had scoffed at him for coveting the title of next lord of a soon-to-be-ruined territory, long before this mess.
'It's not as if he knew a Dungeon Break would happen back then…'
It was a ridiculous thought. If he had predicted it, he should have left long ago.
But for some reason…
even though his counterargument had been dismissed…
the boy's gaze, which watched them like moths flying into a flame, weighed heavily on his mind.
All the more so because that spectacle included not only the other participants but also himself and the entire Hara clan.
'No, it doesn't matter.'
Whether they lost the Driver…
or a Dungeon Break occurred…
counting the Hara clan and the participants, there were over ten high-ranking Awakened at Monsterwood Ranch.
Of course, the Hara clan mostly consisted of tamers and non-combatants, but they could certainly hold off the monsters of a 2-star Labyrinth.
He would protect Monsterwood Ranch until Daedalus awakened. He had to.
As Chavera clenched his fist with grim determination…
…Four days passed.
***
BOOM!!!
The ground shook.
His mind vibrated.
He let out a groan as the impact amplified his throbbing headache.
Shaking himself awake, he placed a hand on the wall and barely managed to pull himself up.
His face twisted in a grimace.
BOOM, KABOOM!
Cracked walls.
Overturned furniture.
A scene drenched in blood.
And above all, the sight of Monsterwood Ranch continuously shaking with every roar.
It all conspired to bring his hazy memories flooding back.
'Why, why did this happen…?'
When the defense had begun, the situation hadn't been so bad.
[Bomb Mushroom]☆☆, [Man-eating Mantis]☆☆, [Drunken Sloth]☆☆, and more.
Though many 2-star monsters were part of the assault, Monsterwood Ranch had its own 2-star stud beasts, and the reward-hungry participants fought eagerly.
Thirty or so [Great Forest Spiders]☆☆.
Over one hundred fifty [Forest Spiders]☆.
Along with about a hundred participants, they had steadfastly endured the onslaught of monsters, which had grown fiercer due to the Dungeon Break.
The three high-ranking participants from the hunt were particularly active.
The half-troll [Barbarian]☆☆☆, who swung a massive axe, dismembering monsters.
The young centaur noble [Archer Knight]☆☆☆, whose archery skills were impeccable.
And the succubus [Illusionist]☆☆☆, who turned countless monsters against each other.
As befitting high-ranking Awakened, they handled the 2-star monsters with ease, holding the line.
Many of the ordinary people and low-ranking Awakened became casualties, but neither Chavera nor the other participants paid their sacrifices any mind.
The deaths of a few low-ranking Awakened had no impact on the battle.
The participants were satisfied with their hefty rewards, and the Hara clan was relieved that they could protect the ranch.
That was why.
A sentiment of subtle disdain had formed toward those who had sat out the defense.
Namely, the White-Masked Young Master and his slaves.
It was a mix of ridicule for their foolishness in missing such a good opportunity and resentment that they were watching safely from the sidelines.
The high-ranking Awakened, in particular, openly declared that the White-Masked Young Master's reputation was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Perhaps concerned by this trend…
Leah had kept her clan members in check.
Chavera, on the other hand, did nothing to stop it.
Not only did the White-Masked Young Master show no sign of caring about the rumors…
but Chavera had also believed, without a doubt, that they could defend Monsterwood Ranch without his help.
But…
KABOOOM!
"Ugh!"
Monsterwood Ranch lurched again.
Thrown to the ground by the impact, he lay on the floor and looked out the window…
No, he looked at the swarming, grotesque shadows that filled the view beyond the veranda.
The cause of this catastrophe.
The monsters that had devoured numerous participants, including the centaur Archer Knight, and crushed nearly half the stud beasts.
The monstrosities that had sent many of the remaining participants, including the half-troll Barbarian and the succubus Illusionist, fleeing for their lives.
'For boss-level monsters to swarm us all at once like this, how could this happen…!'
[Assassin Leopard]☆☆☆
[Cannon Frog]☆☆☆
[Plague Woodpecker]☆☆☆
[Bomb Dung Beetle]☆☆☆
[Steel Bear]☆☆☆, and more…
3-star monsters, on par with high-ranking Awakened.
Chavera despaired as he looked at the five remaining boss-level monsters.
He had even brought out the [Queen Forest Spider]☆☆☆, which was normally used only for breeding.
But after taking down just two of the seven bosses, even the [Queen Forest Spider] had lost two legs and was covered in wounds.
The remaining stud beasts were fighting desperately, all mobilized, but it was only a matter of buying time.
It was clear to anyone that they, too, would soon be annihilated.
"That's why I told you."
"…!"
"Mindlessly fighting to survive in a Labyrinth is insane."
At the leisurely voice coming from behind, Chavera was at a loss for words.
Was this really the time to argue about who was right?
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to let out a hollow laugh.
And so, as he stood there speechless, the boy in the white half-mask casually raised a hand.
"Hmm, I suppose I can offer this much as a free promotion."
Snap.
"…?!"
"…!!!"
In that moment.
Chavera…
No, the entire Hara clan, who were desperately commanding their stud beasts under Leah's direction…
and the few participants who hadn't managed to escape, all widened their eyes.
Because they saw it.
The moment Dion snapped his fingers, crimson magic circles materialized all over the outer walls of Monsterwood Ranch.
And they saw the black energy rising from the countless corpses—from those who had died fighting the bosses to the monsters themselves—being sucked into the magic circles.
As the magic circles absorbed the black energy, their crimson light grew more vivid, reaching a crescendo.
Just as the boss monsters, belatedly sensing the ominous power, began to move.
"Ait, emIt, aiM, Ite."
KABOOOOOM!!!!!
A black inferno erupted from Monsterwood Ranch, tearing the five bosses to shreds.
『Achievement: First Hunt is a Boss』
『Achievement: Boss 1-Turn Kill』
『Achievement: Boss Pentakill』
『Special effect of [Bloodslaughter Star] activated.』
『[Black Mage]☆☆☆ Lv2→Lv4』
『[Murderer]☆☆ Lv7→Lv9』
『[Beast Hunter]☆☆ Lv4→ Lv7』
『[Thief]☆☆ Lv4→ Lv7』
『[Pyromancer]☆☆ Lv1→ Lv4』
『Racial Traits [Bronze Skin and Iron Bones (R)], [Explosion (Un)], [Intermediate Disease Resistance (Un)], [Cat's Step (N)] have been plundered.』
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