Chapter 138

138 – The First Stratum – The Watchdog’s and _____’s Domain

「…The Weaving Magician Theo really did make his move. However were you able to predict that Lord Lemegeton?」

Carmilla, who stood next to me, asked me curiously.

「As I said earlier, it will be difficult for seventeen people to cooperate. They thought of a form of cooperation through non-interference.」

「A method of respecting each other while not getting in each other’s way, yes? That I understand, but…」

「However, this method isn’t perfect either. Take just now, for example. When Theo trapped the Hellhounds with his string. As expected of first-rate Adventurers, they instantly eliminated the Hellhounds but don’t you think that there are too many people with the ability to do so?」

With other staff members in front of me, I speak in my Chief of Staff tone. I feel like I’ve gotten used to it.

「…! I see. Their coordination this time may not have gotten in the way of「those that can settle the situation」, but they are all first class. If there are too many people who meet that condition in the first place, it becomes difficult to decide in the heat of the moment who should take action and who shouldn’t.」 

「There most likely isn’t just one method to solve this, but the simplest and effective method is most likely to decide on a different leading party per stratum.」

「In one stratum, they will revolve around one of the parties as the center. By deciding that in advance, they won’t cause even the slightest delay in coordination.」

Of course, this isn’t perfect either, but it will certainly be much easier to do.

By not deviating too far from the designated party’s usual activities, the fans will like it.

「In that case, it seems reasonable to start with the lowest-ranked party. Is the Wraith party being treated as an exception I wonder?」

A two-man party. Do they consider them as one party and put them in charge of one stratum?

Or perhaps as active support in every stratum?

Knowing Wraith’s personality, he definitely wouldn’t consent to the latter idea.

「Rather than go by ranking order, I think there is a high probability that they make the decision based on their compatibility with each stratum.」

「…I see.」

A wasteland stage with no obstructions save for a huge rock where there is an unknown number of invisible enemies.

Avatars cut off any sense of pain, but the body’s performance still relies on the real body.

Even without feeling fatigued, the body can move sluggishly, the mind exhausted from the mental strain.

The best solution is to break through the stratum in one fell swoop.

In order to do that, I figured that the most suitable party they would designate would be the Scathach party.

「The Fenix party reached the tenth stratum, so the information of each stratum is well known. They are not so incompetent as to not make full use of such information.」

The Raid Battle is happening after the Fenix party’s failed Clear attempt. There’s no way that those standing at the top won’t make use of such valuable information.

There’s a difference between running wild as you like and not thinking at all.

「So it isn’t about how to divide up the eleven strata among four parties, but rather about how to allocate them…」

That question wasn’t aimed at me, she seems to just be talking to herself.

There must have been some discussion among them about this issue as well.

For example, in the seventh stratum, the Realm of Sky and Trials, they have to solve brain-racking riddles, so they might decide to tackle it together.

There are some strata where designating a leading party will not work or a stratum where it isn’t even necessary to in the first place.

While pondering such things, I turn my attention to the screen once again.

◇

「What’s wrong Mr. Theo? Could it be that you failed to catch something?」

I already knew, but I asked anyway. He kept looking at me as if begging me to ask.

Mr. Theo looks apologetic, scratching his head as he answered my question.

「Yes, just so! Some, how should I say this… slippery individuals have slipped out of my trap and are closing in as we speak! 」

…They predicted the use of his threads and took measures against it.

Mr. Theo’s threads have a high lethality to them, but only when used as an attack.

Doing so would narrow its attack range since attacking in a wider range will create more gaps and spaces in between the threads. When forming a net to trap the enemies, it won’t strangle or cut them.

The first group of Hellhounds was sacrificed in order to see what our movements and attacks are, huh?

Then the second group, the ones that slipped out of the trap, was probably coated in some high viscosity liquid. Simple but effective, since they’re so slippery.

Which means it’s possible that they saw through our plans? No, they definitely did.

This Dungeon has the One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton.

The guy who dodged Mr. Alba’s Magic Sword, stole it and then used it to avoid Mr. Lark’s exemplary defense and stab him in the heart, distracted Ms. Lily’s bow match with the Dark Elf by sending Hellhounds as support, and naturally sent out invisible subordinates as decoys in order to force Ms. Bella to expend her Magical Energy by using Spirit Magic to freeze them all.

And then, using whatever method he used, he single-handedly defeated Mr. Fenix, who had activated the Flames of the Gods, a mysterious Spirit Magic, which is one of the eight Spirit Magic that is as close to divine power as possible.

He’s a master of Black Magic. Magic-using Jobs are, with the exception of Hero and Demon King, are characterized by their physical weakness.

One Dungeon cannot have two Demon Kings. There is only one person in a Dungeon who may call themselves a king. Such is the setting, so it is a rule.

He should be a Majin, so he should be sturdier than the average Human. Although, he may be weak by Majin standards. Even so, that isn’t an explanation as to how he can go toe-to-toe with a Four Great Spirits contractor who is going all out.

He was able to completely read his opponent’s movements because of a huge amount of research.

The reason he wasn’t disintegrated by the Flames of the Gods is that he deployed an equivalent amount of Magical Energy to defend against it.

He isn’t simply a smart Majin. Nor is he simply a strong Majin.

He is a greedy challenger who will spare no amount of effort to attain victory.

He is someone who is that obsessed with winning, even though he was appointed an important-sounding title as Demon King Army’s Chief of Staff.

If everyone was like him, this industry would be way more fun.

「Suuri.」

The robed Hunter that the Thunder Hero Scathach called simply nodded, saying「Yeah.」.

It’s the Faceless Archer Mr. Suuri. The mysterious Adventurer who hides his face regularly, not just in Dungeons.

「Theo, how many?」

「About fifteen, I believe. A thousand apologies!」

「I care not.」

At the same time that conversation ended, seven arrows were fired and stopped in mid-air. High pitched dog whines ringed out.

The arrows didn’t actually stop.

More precisely, they pierced invisible Hellhounds.

…This is just a guess, but he predicted their positions based on the traces of dust clouds and stains of whatever liquid that they were covered with that were left on the ground…I think.

Or maybe even more precisely, he has the skill to accurately find their location.

Either way, it’s a supernatural feat.

「…They all hit their mark. I expected nothing less, master.」

Praised yet another Hunter from Scathach’s party, Ms. Caleena.

Mr. Suuri’s disciple, a quiet woman.

The amazing thing about her is that she can hit her enemy no matter how she’s moving. She could be dashing, or she could be falling, it doesn’t matter.

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There was even a time where she was hit and sent flying by an enemy and she was able to defeat the enemy that hit her before she crashed into a wall.

Her nickname is the Magic Arrow Archer.

Well, having Mr. Suuri as her master, who she can’t even notice firing arrows and is rarely hit by enemies, she thinks she still has a long way to go.

Despite having such a talented group of allies, there was a hint of resignation in Mr. Scathach’s eyes.

I can’t stand it.

That’s a major reason why I snapped at him when we first met.

Sure, the four parties above him are excellent, but so what?

So some people have a few things that you don’t.

So someone passed you in the rankings in less time than it took you to get there.

That doesn’t mean you should give up.

The person who leads their allies is the leader, yet if that Hero thinks「We can’t climb up the ranks like this.」even a little, then what about the hard-working allies who believe in him?

If you once aimed to stand at the top, then no matter what kinda rival appears, how many times your efforts aren’t rewarded, or even if you have children, you shouldn’t give up.

I shook my head after thinking of that last part. It seems that talk with Lem has made me think more and more of my dad. I’m even thinking about him when I’m thinking about other people.

「Uhm…I-I suck at math, but fifteen minus seven would be…uh…」

「Oh Hamill…」

Ms. Caleena looks at the speaker with pity.

「H-hold on a minute, Caleena! That was obviously a joke. It’s eight, right? I was just trying to point out where the remaining eight are.」

This slightly stupid person is the Scathach party’s last member.

The Fencer Mr. Hamill.

Along with the high energy Mr. Theo, he is the life of the party in the normally quiet Scathach party.

Of course, that isn’t the sole reason that he is the vanguard of the 5th rank party.

Even while playing around, he is always cautious of his surroundings, his dominant hand always resting on the handle of his weapon.

You can tell by looking at the members that the Scathach party’s gimmick is speedy Dungeon Clears.

And, while it can’t expand and contract, Mr. Hamill is also a Magic Sword user.

There is another Godspeed wielder in the party.

While not an exact match, aren’t they reminiscent of a certain party?

That’s right. The Fenix party is similar in concept to the Scathach party.

They’re younger, flashier, prettier and their leader is a Four Great Spirits contractor.

What’s more, with the effectiveness of the former member, Lem, they practically completely Cleared Dungeons successively without taking any damage.

Well, to society, Lem was treated as a hindrance, yet they were still the 4th rank.

I understand that it would have been so frustrating. But I can’t understand why you would give up.

It’s just…

When you were talking to Herv, I could see your fighting spirit. Just by talking to the 3rd rank Hero, a fire was started. A small one, but you definitely didn’t seem like you had given up.

That’s better. Like someone who believes that they will surpass them in the end, a motivated guy is better than a lifeless one.

「You have the right of it, but they appear to be missing again!」

Mr. Theo said while shrugging his shoulders.

「Was that right after they escaped? Or did they head this way but then turned around?」

The one who answered my question wasn’t Mr. Theo, but Mr. Suuri.

…This is getting annoying, so I’ll just call them by their normal names in my head.

「About the missing eight, it was after they escaped. In other words, you could say that they were ordered to retreat after breaking through from the very start.」

「They let the other seven advance to see what we would do after they were caught by the net.」

Suuri nodded. I can’t see his face, so I’m just guessing from the movement of his hood.

「Whoa whoa whoa. I’m totally lost here, Water Boy. What do you and ol’ Suuri over there understand that I don’t? Help a guy out here.」

「If they headed our way and then turned back, that would mean that they were planning to come and bite us but then sensed danger and ran away, but if they went back right after entering the net, that means that was their plan all along.」

「Hmm? So eight of them planned to return after entering Theo’s net? Since the beginning? Why?」

「Beats me. However, it’s not like we’re hunting animals. Maybe someone’s giving them orders.」

The move of sacrificing the individual for the sake of the pack is typical of Hellhounds, but it’s rather cautious and roundabout. It feels like an act.

「Someone like Lemegeton? That would be impossible.」

This time it was Scathach.

Certainly, it would be impossible for it to be Lemegeton.

Leader level Monsters can only reappear in strata lower than the stratum that they are in charge of.

Which is exactly why the Big Four-level Monsters are placed in the shallow strata.

The goal is to apply the pressure of not knowing where and when they will reappear on the Hero party.

In the Demon King Castle, the Vampire Queen Carmilla could reappear in the fourth stratum and below, the Demon of Love Sitri could reappear on the sixth stratum and below, the Reaper Knight Furcus could reappear in the ninth stratum and below, and the Time Demon Agares could reappear on the tenth stratum and below.

The One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton can only reappear on the deepest stratum.

That itself will be a problem, but when you look at it another way, now that he has officially assumed the position of Chief of Staff, there is no way he can appear on the strata above the one he is in charge of.

「That’s true, but hasn’t the Demon King Castle gotten harder?」

After Lem was removed from the party, the Fenix party struggled but managed to make their way to the tenth stratum.

The Demon King Castle’s gimmick is that it’s impregnable. There’s no way that they didn’t prepare some kinda plan to repel the Hero party.

「Hmm. So, Scathach party. What is your plan?」

A delighted looking Uncle Air asks Scathach.

「This stratum chips away at you with Hellhounds, which is troublesome. If we keep dealing with them head-on, I am unsure how many of us can keep up.」

Individually, Hellhounds’ combat abilities are definitely not high, but they are a threat as a group.

Not being able to see them is also a problem. These party members won’t lose to invisible enemies, but dealing with countless invisible packs of beasts is going to be mentally tiring.

If their Magical Energy and mental fortitude get worn down by fighting without any end in sight, it’s possible for even the best of the best Adventurers to be damaged.

Still, if these were the only enemies, it would’ve been fine, but there are still Glasya-Labolas, the one making everyone invisible, and the Floor Boss to deal with.

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Due to that, it isn’t so simple to just run through them.

The Hellhounds won’t just let us through, and if we have party members with slow-moving Jobs, we have to advance while matching their speed.

If we neglect even that, we’ll end up like a certain other thunder-themed Hero party.

Scathach’s answer was…

「Theo will make a path, and after everyone runs through, I’ll catch up while carrying Theo.」