Chapter 8

Maybe “Dungeon Master” is actually the name of a specific race.

A boy who looked similar to the being that granted our wish in that forest—someone who resembled a demon or a devil—suddenly appeared.

“Oh? You guys are from another world, huh. What, did some idiot summon you? I wonder if you’ll at least put up a decent fight?”

The moment he said that, he went straight for the strongest-looking person among us—the one with the powerful weapon, Muraki.

Muraki swung his weapon to intercept, but—

“Tch! Take this!”

“Oho. Huh, you’ve got a pretty nice weapon. If I kill you, I’m taking it for myself.”

The Dungeon Master dodged the attack with ease and struck at Muraki’s weapon, sending him flying effortlessly.

Well, of course. You guys chased after Silent without any real training and just showed up here.

“So weak… What, were you all freshly summoned?”

“What if we were?!”

Kazunuma charged with his sword, and Isaka flanked in coordination.

The girls… aside from that prim-looking bitch, probably couldn’t fight and had backed off to the edge.

“Hey! Please fight with us!”

“Why? I’ll help if it looks like you’re about to die, though.”

The prim bitch asked for help, but I refused.

“Tch! Fine then!”

She started casting support magic, and amid that, Melt—who seemed unsure what to do—approached me.

“Same, Same. What should we do? Are you not helping?”

“Hmm… that Dungeon Master totally looks like he’s toying with them. Let’s try to get everyone to retreat. Can I leave the leading to you?”

“Okay, got it. Then… are you going to be the decoy? You can’t die, okay? I chased after you because I have so many questions I want to ask you.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t. I’ll try to draw his attention, so can you tell the others to retreat?”

“Roger!”

With that, Melt happily dashed around the battlefield, urging everyone to fall back.

Alright, time for me to…

“Heeey! Mister Dungeon Master! Those guys are pathetically weak and full of themselves, so once you’re done slapping them around, why not fight me next? I’m way better than them!”

“Oh? What’s this, a human…? Huh? A human…? Wait, are you really human?”

“Oh, so you can tell I’m not normal? Forget those losers and come play with me!”

Think I’m just saying rude things to draw attention? Sorry to disappoint—this is all 100% genuine! Hey, all you hot-headed extroverts acting on impulse, time to head back home.

That attitude only works in school.

“So yeah… you guys are in the way. Time to retreat. You do realize this enemy is way out of your league, right?”

“But… what about you?!”

“Yeah, why are you staying?!”

“…I’m not going to thank you, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I can handle this. Stop overthinking it and go back to base camp with the others. You’re just getting in the way if you’re here for fun.”

They looked like they wanted to argue, but they were finally starting to realize they were being toyed with and could be killed at any moment. They reluctantly backed off.

“Melt! Go on ahead to base camp and wait for me there!”

“Okay!”

Once everyone had started retreating, I turned back to the Dungeon Master, who had been courteously observing everything.

“So, you’re planning to regroup with them later?”

“Nah, I don’t really want to, to be honest. I just got asked to this time. Normally, I’d just head back alone.”

“Hmm, you’ve got some darkness in you. But still… that smug attitude of yours ticks me off. I don’t usually go around chasing people to kill them, but you—I’ll end it here and now.”

Suddenly, the boy hovering in the air dove down and swung his arm. The shockwave alone gouged a huge crater in the ground, and rocks flew everywhere.

Ow—yeah, he’s serious now. He was really just playing around earlier.

“You’ll hurt someone if that hits them in the eye—!”

“Ugh! Not bad!”

I kicked him in the opening after he swung, knocking him back slightly, though he managed to right himself in midair.

But I didn’t let up. Charging forward—

“Demon Slayer!”

As I swung my sword, I used a special move from the game era.

Just like its name, it was especially effective against demons. Unfortunately, I was out of that powerful holy water I used before.

Still, it seemed this technique was enough to deal a critical blow.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaah!!! My arm, my arm! You bastard! You bastard!!”

“If even I can fight you, then this is the end for you.”

Putting all my strength into my legs, I dashed forward, calling out another skill from the game in my mind.

‘Rapid Step’

It boosts movement and attack speed, and increases the number of attacks for the next skill.

Then, with high speed, I unleashed another “Demon Slayer.”

I slashed his arms, legs, wings, and back—dark purple blood splattered everywhere.

The sword sliced through his body effortlessly, like butter.

So this is what racial advantage feels like…

“Gah… huff… This can’t be…”

“Either way, I was planning to collect dungeon cores. Just give up.”

I plunged my sword into the Dungeon Master writhing on the ground. Instead of blood, smoke erupted—and he vanished.

What was left behind was a red lump about the size of a fist.

So the decoration on the pillar was fake… They really like killing people with traps.

[Diederich’s Heart Core]

Magic stone formed from the heart of the cunning Dungeon Master, Diederich.

It holds immense power.

“Ah, I see. So that was the Dungeon Master’s name… What even is a Dungeon Master, anyway?”

I stored the core in my menu screen and began heading back to the base camp where the others had retreated.

When I returned to the base camp, the tents were already being dismantled, and the soldiers were preparing to leave the dungeon.

Well, of course. Now that those guys have come back, they probably couldn’t care less about what happened to me.

But surprisingly, the former classmates were still at the base, seemingly waiting for me.

However—

“—Let’s give up. Melt, you should come with us. He sacrificed himself to let us escape.”

“Frustrating as it is, I doubt he made it. Even we couldn’t do a thing against that guy…”

“No, I’m going to wait. You guys can go ahead. I’m going to travel to the other country with Same.”

“If we vouch for you, I think even as a beastkin, your status will be protected. I think your strength will be useful going forward.”

Ah, so they already assumed I was dead. As always, they’re quick to abandon anyone they don’t personally consider part of the group.

Alright, guess I’ll make my entrance.

“Kinda rude to assume I’m dead. Melt, the camp’s already being taken down—let’s cross the border.”

“Ah! Look, he’s back! Well, I’m going now, then.”

“What!? You’re alive!?”

“Huh, persistent, aren’t you? Did he let you go or something?”

They looked surprised at my return—but it ticked me off that not a single one of them had a word of thanks.

I took out the dungeon core I had obtained and spoke to them.

“Don’t lump me in with weaklings like you. I defeated the Dungeon Master. And this core is mine. You should start acting your age and understand your limits. From the outside looking in… you’re pathetic.”

I can only do these things because I have power. But even if I only had the same level of power as them, I’d never behave as shamefully as they did. Do they really think the world revolves around them wherever they go?

“What the hell!? Hey!? Why don’t you come back to the kingdom with us!?”

“Why… is it just a regular adventurer who…”

“You beat that guy…?”

“Wow! Amazing! Hey, why don’t you join us? You could really benefit, you know~?”

“Y-Yes! Please come back with us to the kingdom!”

“…Aren’t you guys a little too two-faced?”

Their attitudes shifted instantly. Yep, I can’t do this. I think fundamentally, our brains are wired differently. This is the last time I’ll ever work with them.

“I refuse. Melt, shall we? You said you had some things you wanted to talk about, right?”

“Y-Yeah. Wow… Same, you’re really strong… They kept telling me to give up on you the whole time…”

“Do you know what happens to animals that only go after food they can see?”

“Hmm? They couldn’t survive in the wild? They’d definitely die right away.”

“Exactly. That’s what they are—like those animals. No ability to think.”

“Ahhh! I get it!”

I turned on my heel and walked away with Melt, deliberately flaunting it.

I could hear frustrated voices from behind, but to me, they were music to the ears.

Man, I’ve really gone twisted, haven’t I… Guess I’ll let this beast-girl help soothe me a little…

“Once we get across, I’ll explain things to the caravan people, so just go along with what I say, alright?”

“Okay, got it! …Everyone’s out of earshot now, so can I start asking my questions?”

“Hmm? Oh right, you said you had something you wanted to ask.”

“Yeah. Same, are you by any chance… the same race as me—a beastkin?”

“Huh? Why would you think that?”

“Because you transformed. There’s a legend in my tribe that says ‘Silver foxes who live long lives can learn the art of transformation.’ So I wondered if maybe we were kin.”

Ah, so that’s what she meant.

“Sorry, I’ve got kind of an unusual background, but I’m human.”

“Aww… I thought maybe I’d finally found someone from my tribe…”

“…Sorry for getting your hopes up.”

“It’s okay! I still learned something good! Do you think I’ll get a new home if we go to that country? Maybe I can live in a town?”

“Hmm, probably. Though you’ll have to work somewhere, I think.”

“Work… I don’t really get what that means.”

Hmm… I wonder if it’s really okay to just leave this girl on her own. No—definitely not. I feel like, for the sake of my own peace of mind too, I should take care of her a bit longer.

I just… can’t stop worrying.

“Hey, Melt. If you don’t mind… would you like to come with me to the other country? I think I’ll be able to get a decent position there, so… how about we live together until you get used to life over there?”

If I hand over the dungeon core, I should be able to get a fair reward.

And I’ve got a good amount of money. I should be able to get a house too.

More than anything… I’m feeling a little lonely. I think I can trust this girl.

To put it bluntly, it’s precisely because she’s so naive and inexperienced that I feel at ease around her.

“Eh? Really? I was hoping to learn all sorts of things from you, but now you’re even offering to live with me?”

“Of course. And also… my transformation is kind of a secret, so I’d feel better if someone who knows about it stayed close.”

“Oh, it’s a secret? Hehe, in that case, I’ll accept room and board as hush money!”

As she said that, Melt grinned and happily wagged her tail.

Ah, I see now… she’s a fox. She mentioned being from the Silver Fox Tribe—so those ears really are fox ears.

I thought they were cat ears at first, but now it makes sense… I want to touch them.

“Well then, looking forward to living with you, Melt.”

“Same here, Same. I’ll be expecting delicious food, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. If there’s anything you want to eat, just let me know.”

“Something tasty!”

That’s… not very helpful.

Seeing her say that with a big smile and perky ears, something about her warmed my rough, weary heart a little. It filled me with a feeling I couldn’t quite put into words.

So this is… what they call the desire to protect someone!

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