Chapter 325: My Preference Lies with a huge Variety
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The puppet soldier, who had escaped earlier, was now lurking in the shadows, looking for a good chance to strike. And while we were walking――me being giddy and Sword being fed up――the soldier sneaked around in our back.
And then, just when Sword was about to be attacked by a new enemy, the puppet soldier brandished his sword, trying to attack from behind.
“I, Indra, am currently behind you.”
I had instantly moved around behind the puppet soldier, now whispering into his ear.
“Hiii!!”
The puppet soldier responded with the perfect reaction! He jumped up in surprise, then stumbled, before flopping down on the ground with his legs apparently having lost their strength, and looking up to me with a pale face.
I declared with a broad smile, “That was a typical development. You nicely betrayed me. Of course, I let you go while expecting that to happen, Mr. Puppet Soldier. Now then, allow me to chop you up while you’re having this fine expression of despair.”
The soldier seemed dumbfounded while still pale.
“You’re going to revive anyway, right? So, come up with another clever scheme while dead. That’s your next duty. Thanks for allowing me to enjoy myself.”
“Wait! Please wait! This time I really won’t betray you! Please overlook me! Please!”
I tilted my head, pondering about this development.
“Hmm, you’re right. That might be okay as well, I suppose?”
Sword had finished off his enemy and was now raising an eyebrow again, sighing. I wonder why.
“…That’s quite the incredible dungeon monster. This guy’s so human that I don’t even feel like finishin’ him off.”
“It’s probably part of a plan to let us enjoy ourselves. What a tactician he is!”
“I think your wrong there.”
As I was talking with Sword, the puppet soldier ran away at full speed.
＊
The puppet soldier ran away while frequently looking back, and just when he stopped in relief, maybe thinking that he got away or believing that we wouldn’t chase him, I whispered into his ear, “Yeah right, I was just kidding. Let’s put a stop to this.”
Smiling at the puppet soldier who froze and turned his head backwards like a broken doll, I slowly swung my wooden sword, slashing him apart in one stroke without giving him any time to beg for his life.
“Mmh!! That was fun! If they come at you with such elaborate plans, it’s great!”
In the distance I could see Sword dropping his shoulders.
＊
“……Oh well, whatever. It’s a dungeon monster, and as long as you’ve got a blast from this, it’s all fine,” Sword commented casually.
I cocked my head, “How about you do it as well? I’ll hand the next one to you, okay? It’s quite a lot of fun, you know?”
“No, not at all. It doesn’t look fun, no matter how you spin it! So, feel free to handle of these!”
I was clearly turned down. But, I wonder why?
“…Even though the same enemies have been showing up in the same way, the variation has obviously increased. Aren’t they just wonderful scumbags who make it very easy for you to kill them? I’m also looking forward to other variations.”
“Sure, you can take care of ’em all. I’ll kill those who attack us normally.”
I see. I guess Sword doesn’t really like variation.
＊
I’ve been walking around full of hope, but the variations stopped, as if honoring Sword’s request.
“Gnnh…”
As soon as I sadly groaned, Sword glared at me.
“No one’s gonna be deceived by your cute groanin’. His Majesty the Demon King has become fed up with your cruelty and stopped addin’ variations. Otherwise, the monsters attackin’ us would suffer a terrible fate!”
Sword said some terrible things.
“No matter how they’re killed, they’ll be revived anyway. If this is supposed to be combat training as you claim, it’d be much better to have a huge amount of variations, don’t you think?”
“The demon king must be scared of you who not only hesitates to kill human-like opponents, but actually runs after ’em to butcher ’em.”
Sword was prattling on about some outrageous things.
There’s no way that’s true! I mean, he’s the demon king! D-E-M-O-N King!
Just when I was about to reply, Sword continued with something even more outlandish.
“At this point you’ve already reached a level where you can be safely called demon king. Should we add the alias 【Brutal Queen】 to you?”
I trembled violently.
I hate that sort of alias. I’m normal. Very normal.
I shook my head.
＊
Just as I was about to get completely bored with the monotonous enemies while having such a conversation with Sword, we found a stairway. I unconsciously ended up complaining.
“Finally the next floor, huh…? But, seeing how there’s no boss here, does that mean more puppet soldiers are going to come out? I’d love to see some more variation on the next floor.”
“Personally I prefer enemies with some bite and can do without the variations.”
We ascended the stairway with Sword also expressing his earnest desire.
＊
This floor seemed to be a puppet soldier floor. Puppets, who might be a tad stronger, formed factions…no, they organized themselves in ranks and attacked us.
They apparently had magicians with them as well, seeing how they also used spells against us. We killed them while they were chanting, though.
“Still, it looks like the puppet begging for its life was a one-time perk.”
That sort of puppet didn’t show up anymore afterwards.
Having heard my whisper, Sword suggested, “Maybe it’s because we’re still on the early floors. In the future…they might not show up ‘nymore either. Should we skip a bit? We could skipp the map ban and move to the deeper floors. These puppet soldiers here are no fun. The fact of them bein’ humanoid monsters is unpleasant as well, but above all, they’re way too weak.”
“Hmm, you’ve got a point.After all, you’re a guy incapable of bullying weak humanoid monsters. I guess we’re going to skip all the way down to the boss floor.”
Since Sword’s face clearly showed that he’d lost all interest, I agreed with his view.
＊
Now then, cancel the map ban! Time to swiftly advance along the shortest route!
After quickly going upstairs, we arrived at the deepest part of the tenth floor after rushing through the floor itself.
“Oh? That’s some gaudy, pompous door.”
“So we’re goin’ to see a boss at long last, eh?”
It seemed like we had reached a boss room.
“I see, I see. Does that mean there will be a boss room on every tenth floor like in the capital’s dungeon? In that case…maybe this place has a hundred floors? A castle with a hundred floors would be amazing.”
Something like that would probably fall apart in one go, if an earthquake should ever occur. Sword agreed with me on this.
“Your right, it’s definitely amazin’. The floors are bigger than those of the capital’s dungeon, too.”
I nodded repeatedly.
“That’s what you’d expect from the best dungeon in the world! Now then, I wonder what sort of boss is waiting for us inside?”
Sword looked at me and smiled, before stepping through the door.
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