Tamer 36
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Chapter 36: Q. Is this person the god of romance? A. No, absolutely not
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
「Oi, sis. Looks like there aren’t any other explorers around here, right?」
「Basically, yes. Would you like me to introduce the party members?」
「That’s the idea. And, preferably… Someone that actually strong.」
「…Well… even if you insist… truth be told, there simply aren’t any strong explorers in the Aomori Dungeon you know?」
Wait, what?
Knowing Haruno, I’d have expected her to pull someone just slightly beneath her in skill. But this receptionist clearly saying there’s no one even remotely strong?
Was this some ridiculous, bureaucratic rule about personal information… or am I just cursed with terrible luck?
「Sorry I’m late with the introductions. I’m Jin Shinreiji, the "Sword" from the Brave Saint Sword Demon. If an high-rank explorer wants to form a party, you really need someone at least top-tier Mid-rank adventurer. So, do me a favour—introduce someone suitable.」
「You’re Shinreji Jin of the Brave Saint Sword Demon?」
The receptionist smiled warmly at me as she tapped away at her PC, searching.
Huh… Her smile is pretty cute. Not as much as Haruno, though. Well, even if she fancied me, I already have Haruno…
「I’ve looked, but there aren’t any suitable explorers at the Aomori Dungeon Association branch. Please leave promptly.」
「Eh?」
Leave... Promptly?
「What’s the matter? Even though you’re a high-rank explorer, solo exploration isn’t recommended. Considering the current situation where we can’t introduce party members, it would be best if you refrained from exploring.」
「I-I see.」
Wait… Was she saying that because she actually cares about me?
Sharp-tongued, sure, but she was actually a decent receptionist.
「Fine, fine. No strong explorers around? Whatever. I’m still a high-rank explorer. I’ll just swing by and take a look. Light recon, that’s all.」
◇◇◇
「Dammit! That fake destined guy is nowhere to be found! Not a single soul in sight! Where the hell did everyone go?!」
The wind whistled past me, the dungeon’s corridors stretched empty and silent, mocking my frustration.
「I’d heard it was a deserted dungeon, but even so… This is beyond what I expected.」
Normally, you wouldn’t think there’d be not a single mid-rank or high-rank explorer here.
Did I totally misread the situation?
Or… maybe that fake destined guy Haruno was talking about isn’t even an explorer.
「Well... If that’s the case, I’ll just make myself stronger.」
The Salamander’s probably around level 70. With my abilities, the 15th floor might be the highest floor I could handle without breaking a sweat.
Better keep my exploration capped at the 13th floor, better safe than sorry.
「Alright, here we go, to the stairs!」
The "Brave" of our party had always yapping, “Stop barreling in like a maniac!” But seriously, I’m not dumb—I only take low-risk moves… Most of the time.
As for the reason for limiting the exploration up to the 13th floor, it was simple Simple. If my skills decide to crap out, I could still leg it without looking like a pincushion.
If I were rolling with a full party, I’d be blasting through the higher floors like nothing.
「Right… time to kick some weaklings around for EXP… aaaand… oh, bugger!」
After I climbed the stairs, my eyes met a dual-wielding knight with a skeleton head.
It was slightly different... But it clearly had the same features as the Dullahan that our party fought before.
The Dullahan was a high-tier monster that the entire Brave Saint Sword Demon team had only barely managed to defeat. There was no way I could handle it alone.
And yet, standing before me was few of those variants, basically impossible game.
「Tch… Well, at least I just got up the stairs.」
If I’d run into them halfway up, it would’ve been the end for me.
「Yeah, I’m done here. Never coming back. Later, losers.」
I whipped around and bolted down the stairs…
「HOLY COW!!! Don’t follow me!!!」
「「「「「Clatter clatter clatter clatter」」」」」
「Monsters crossing floors? That’s cheating, damn it!」
I sprinted like my life depended on it—because it kinda did. The Dullahan variants were clattering after me, armour rattling like a busted xylophone. Seriously, who designed a dungeon where the monsters could gatecrash floors like this?
「What the hell are these guys!? Rather... Why are they so fast!?」
I felt one of their hands graze my back, so I just went nuts—kicking off walls, the ceiling, anything I could find—basically turned the stairwell into a vertical pinball machine and shot straight down to the 12th floor.
「That was way too close!! Too damn close! Oh, perfect, Salamander’s right here… You’re my bait, buddy!!」
Tossed the poor thing at the monsters, and… Yeah, shredded in like a second. Thanks, little guy. Absolutely useless as a decoy.
Seriously… the 12th and 13th floors couldn’t be more different in monster quality if they tried!
「OOOOHHHHH!!! Maximum overdrive!!!」
I had no choice but to use Maximum Overdrive, a skill that permanently consumes 1 MP every second.
In exchange, all my stats double, so I should be able to escape…
「Rather, the gap ain't opened up at aaaaaaaaall!!」
Rather, it was actually shrinking, little by little!
「What level are you monsters even at!?」
The Dullahan variants kept chasing me, their armour clattering loudly as they closed in.
「What should I do!? Hide… But where!?」
Playing dead… Right, that’s completely useless in this situation!
Ah crap, they’re almost on me!
◇◇◇
「Oi, Skehanmen! What the hell are you up to...」
Bored of hunting, I figured I’d change the scenery and grab lunch in the grassy fields of the 6th floor. But somehow, the Skehanmen had gathered in a corner of the 12th floor.
Curious, I approached—and in the centre of their gathering was a human lying like a ragged cloth.
「Eh?」
T-this is bad… The Skehanmen were killing someone.
Weren’t love and courage supposed to be their friends?
「Oh… So it’s only love and courage that count as friends, and humans don’t?」
Now was not the time for jokes. This was definitely a murder case involving monsters.
And there was a chance I’ll be blamed for it.
「Oi, no one’s watching, right?」
「Clakclak」
「Are there witness?」
「Clakclak」
「Or not?」
「Clakclak」
Which is it!?
If there was no evidence, it just counts as an accident in the dungeon. Honestly, this place was basically outside the juridiction of law.
But if there were witnesses, that would be a different story…
「Well, it's not a big deal, really.」
Even if there was a witness to the murder scene, it wouldn’t link back to me. Absolutely nothing to worry about.
But murder, huh… Well, it wasn’t me who killed this guy, so I suppose it’s fine.
「Oi. Time to erase the evidence…」
But first, let’s check the victim's pulse. If the other party was still breathing, Demon Boss’s healing magic might pull them back from the brink.
I almost had the other party cremated by some Bargain Girl, cooked well done until they were basically charcoal.
「That's a close call」
I took the hand of the body, limp like a discarded rag, and checked for a pulse. The other party was still alive.
When I ordered Demon Boss to use healing magic, the man who looked like a rag instantly became… Not a clean rag, but fully healed and uninjured.
Damn, healing magic was awesome.
「Uhng? Where a---」
Oh no!
This guy’s already awake!!
「Skehanmen! You lot, get yourselves back to the 13th floor! The others…」
「Huh? My body feels fine. Wait… I was surrounded by a bunch of Dullahan knock-offs… so you’re the one who saved me? And some of these monsters look completely new… Are you Monster Tamer or what?」
Lucky me, he didn’t spot the Skehanmen.
But he did catch the glimpse of the other monsters.
Now that he had seen the monsters waiting quietly near me, there was no faking it. I had to admit it honestly.
「Yes, I'm a Monster Tamer.」
「Ah, I knew it! So you’re a Monster Tamer like Haruno. But still… You must be the one who scare those Dullahan variants to bits? Mate, that’s seriously impressive.」
「Haruno?」
Could this man actually be an acquaintance of Haruno’s?
「… Wait a second? Same as Haruno? A Monster Tamer like her… and stronger than Haruno?」
He wass mumbling to himself, but screw that, first things first, I need to figure out how to not get myself roasted here.
I told Haruno I’m a swordsman, not a Monster Tamer. If this little chatterbox spills the beans… Yeah, that’s going to be a world of pain.
「You… Could it be that you're that Fake Destined Guy!?」
「What are you talking about?」
「The guy who’s been cozying up to Haruno lately! You—you totally twitched when I dropped her name, didn’t ya!?」
Oh, crap. That was a rookie mistake.
For a guy who keeps rambling nonsense, he’s got freakishly sharp ears.
「Listen... Haruno’s true destined partner… Is ME!!」
※Kind Reminder: No You're not.
What the hell was this nutcase screaming about now?
Has this guy completely lost it?
※Author Note: You're the crazy one.