BXBX NOVEL Chapter 92: Dark-something ①
“Hooh…” (Shion)
“Master, what might be wrong?” (Chloe)
Looking at the corridor, surrounded by walls made of systematically laid-out, white marble, I unintentionally murmur in admiration, making Chloe respond.
“It’s nothing. Don’t mind me.” (Shion)
“Yes, master! Excuse me.” (Chloe)
Answering me, Chloe swiftly returns to her assigned position.
I have looked at many Domains through Chloe’s and Rina’s points of view, using my smartphone as an intermediary. However, the scenery I could actually see with my very own eyes was completely different from what I saw through the screen.
Corridors and walls kept uniform in white marble. And once I look closer, the walls are decorated with paintings and other furnishings.
Those paintings…or to be precise, the furnishings embedded into the wall, are indestructible and cannot be removed. They are objects with the sole purpose of being seen. The creation costs were 10 CP per object, weren’t they? In my eyes they are nothing more than a waste of CP, but…this might also be one of the resident Demon King’s peculiarities.
I recall my own Domain’s simple structure of bare rock surfaces, and rocks that have been set up as poor excuses for objects.
This Domain is more of a historic ruin than a dungeon.
Well, I don’t plan to imitate it. I guess the Demon King of this place is someone with a lot of free time on their hands.
As I’m observing a Domain created by someone else for the first time…
“””＃＄％＆!!”””
A group of monsters I’m familiar with ― ghouls, has appeared in front of us.
They look as stupid as ever. Or rather, ghouls attacking me is – in a certain way – a valuable experience, I guess.
I get into a combat stance while smiling.
The abilities I possess through 《Drain》 right now are not those of Layla, but Chloe’s, the dark high elf next to me.
“Chloe, Kureha!” (Shion)
“”Yes!””
The two dark high elves understand my intentions without direct orders.
“””――《Fire Arrow》!”””
The three of us shoot countless arrows of the fire-attribute, the ghouls’ weakness.
――Certain death to the enemies in sight!
The swarm of fire arrows kills many ghouls, who come rushing in with their hands raised over their heads.
“””Guooooooh!”””
However, the ghouls that gush forth in succession from the rear, plunge at us while roaring, with eyes lacking any kind of intelligence.
“Ghouls being idiots doesn’t change, no matter where you are, huh? Noire, Rouge!” (Shion)
“”Aye!””
“We will scatter the foolish ghouls!”
“”Sure!””
I grasp my beloved spear ― Gáebolg, and the three of us charge at the swarm of ghouls.
――《Crescent Moon Slash》!
Gáebolg, which I swing down powerfully, doesn’t stop at just bisecting the ghoul in front of me, the shockwave generated by the spear’s blade mows down rows of approaching ghouls behind my initial target. Once I shift my attention to the front, the two ogres swing their blunt weapons with ferocious smiles, making one ghoul head after the other blow up. I also continue to fearlessly wield Gáebolg, defeating the approaching ghouls.
――!?
A faint buzzing sound reverberates in my ears.
Giant bats, eh…? So that’s how it feels to be struck by their ultrasonic waves.
“Chloe! Kureha! Blue! Shoot down all the bats!” (Shion)
“”Yes!””
“Roger ~ssu!” (Blue)
The arrows released by Chloe and Kureha pierce the giant bats, and Blue jumps up high with nimble agility, smashing the head of a giant bat with the ax in his hand.
I have always watched it on the smartphone’s display, but now I’m with Chloe and the others, huh? While being enveloped by a mysterious feeling of exaltation, I keep swinging Gáebolg.
◆
One hour later.
The corpses of countless ghouls and giant bats litter the ground ahead of us, scattered about the corridor.
It is proof that our party, being superior in all aspects… rank, skill, equipment, was never in any danger of losing.
I’m slightly exhausted, but that’s it. Even if you dispatch half-assed small fries in front of powerful people possessing abnormal strength, the best you can hope for is to use up a little bit of the invaders’ stamina, huh? If the Creation of the Demon King of this Domain was at least B…they could have created lilims and dhampirs, and built up a defense system that combined their ranged attacks with the ghouls’ close combat ability… The ghouls’ cost/performance rate is certainly superior, however, if it had been me, I would have probably created goblins, and given them bows and arrows…gah, I have unconsciously ended up analyzing the Domain’s defenses. In this world, What ifs don’t apply. The weak perish, the strong survive.
Once again I recognize the current, broken world as a simple and merciless place.
We proceed with the Domain’s invasion without any carelessness.
◆
24 hours since the start of the invasion.
After taking two food breaks and a three hour nap, we arrived at the third floor. The monsters appearing along the way had only been giant bats and ghouls.
Even though ghouls and giant bats excel in the cost/performance ratio, the Demon King here should put them to use a bit more efficiently, I think. I felt admiration for them having managed to survive until now.
Pay a bit more attention to traps and the use of your subordinates, if you have the leeway to worry about the furnishings…!
At first, I felt a combination of tension and novelty, as this was my first in-person Domain invasion, but by now I’m quite relaxed. As we proceed with the invasion, I’m plotting out my next moves, and wondering if I should start participating in invasions regularly, in order to earn some experience points. Then, suddenly…
“Kukukuku! Blasphemous invaders, you bastards shed too much of mine kins’ blood. Therefore, I shall sentence you ― to death!!”
A man, wearing a black tuxedo and a mantle, has appeared in front of the stairs to the fourth floor, accompanied by a large pack of ghoul.
“Bloodkin…were there possibly bloodkin mixed in among the ghouls we defeated before?” (Shion)
“Ha ha ha! It’s a figure of speech! To be precise, they were mine subordinates!”
The man revises his previous words, donning a triumphant look for some reason. That expression and way of speaking, is he possibly using some skill? It’s increasing my hate quite a bit.
“In any case, who are you?” (Shion)
“Hah! What nonsense, when you have been invading someone else’s Domain ― the 『White Palace』, of your own accord. Well, fine… you are looking at a matchless warrior, and the lord of the 『White Palace』! As a supreme being, and emperor ruling over all darkness ― Darkness Dracul the Third――”
――《Fire Lance》!
I end up reflexively firing a fire lance, in response to his unpleasant and tedious speech.
“――Whoa!? Y-You bastaaaaaard! Despite having asked for mine name…to attack in the middle of mine introduction…don’t you have any shame!?”
“Sorry…I couldn’t hold back.” (Shion)
I lightly bow and apologize to the exasperated Darkness-something.
“Don’t lieeeeeee!”
――!?
I’m astonished by the raging Dark-something.
“Hmm? You bastard…what’s so surprising?”
“No, I just wonder how my lie was exposed…” (Shion)
There’s no doubt that the Intelligence of Dark-something in front of me is G. I had underrated him, believing that he wouldn’t have the capacity to notice my sarcasm.
“Ya think I wouldn’ understand?” 1
I applaud Dark-something.
“Umm…Dark…ness? D-Dr…the Third, was it? Are you by chance a dhampir bloodkin?” (Shion)
A Demon King’s name is based on their name as human. Moreover, a person with a queer name like Dark-something the Third likely doesn’t exist in Uchinada of the Ishikawa prefecture, or even modern Japan. Wait, does that mean the Demon King here can create dhampirs? Or rather, is it possible to create dhampirs with such a plainly obvious Japanese face…?
“Y-You bastaaaaaard! Have you listened to me at all!? You are talking to the lord of the 『White Palace』, the emperor ruling over darkness, and the supreme being ― Demon King Darkness Dracul the Third!”
“Just now, the title of Demon King or whatever is――” (Shion)
“Cease talking!”
Dark-something is enraged while getting red in the face.
“Well, I guess minor details don’t really matter. Dark-something, if you surrender, I will spare your life. What’s it going to be? Decide at once.” (Shion)
I urge Dark-something. I went along with this silly conversation with Dark-something until now entirely for this purpose. Even if he has a screw loose, he’s a Demon King. Even if he has a screw loose, he’s a vampire species. I guess he possesses at least some strength. However, at the same time, the benefit of having defeated a Demon King ― the amount of experience points, is huge. If it looks like he’s going to decline, I will have him become nourishment for my growth.
“Ha ha ha! Did you get elated by just having defeated mine kin!? Fool! What height of foolishness! You are looking at the lord of the 『White Palace』! The strongest being! I have already consigned many fools, who got carried away from defeating mine kin, to oblivion! You may die as well, and regret your folly!”
Dark-something laughs loudly, while announcing this with an irritatingly triumphant face. In short, the reason why this Domain had been safe until now is because the idiot in front of my eyes assigned his BP to Body, Mana or both, and defended the Domain by himself.
“You won’t surrender…is that what you’re saying?” (Shion)
“Yes! Of course! Mine 『Thousand Needle』 is thirsting for blood this night as well! Profane, inferior being, dying is――”
“Huh? If I’m an inferior being, then you are too, you know?” (Shion)
“Huh?”
Dark-something reveals a dumb look. By the way, the blood-thirsting 『Thousand Needle』 seems to be nothing but the rank C item 『Rapier』.
“You haven’t realized? I’m also a Vampire Demon King.”
“――!? W-W-What are you saying!?”
“Hah? Who did you think I was?” (Shion)
“A human.”
“And her?” (Shion)
I ask while pointing at Chloe.
“Huma…a-a d-dark elf!?”
“Correct.”
I calmly reply to Dark-something who’s overly surprised for some reason.
“And him?” (Shion)
I ask while pointing at a dhampir.
“H-Human, I think…?”
“Wrong. And this one?” (Shion)
I ask while pointing at a living mail.
“A human wearing a suit of full plate armor.”
“Wrong. And these two?” (Shion)
I point at Rouge and Noire.
“Largely built foreigners? No…ogres!?”
“Oh!? Correct. And lastly, him?” (Shion)
I point at Blue.
“A goblin pet.”
“Correct.” (Shion)
“No ~ssu! I’m a goblin chaser ~ssu! And I’m not a pet, but a bloodkin ~ssu!” (Blue)
Blue objects to Dark-something’s reply.
“Therefore, I’m Demon King Shion.”
“――!? N-No way…!? Impossible! A Demon King can’t leave their Domain!”
Dark-something is flustered after hearing my answer.
“I understand why you’re confused, but…I don’t have any obligation to explain it to you, do I?” (Shion)
“Y-You bastard, who are you!?”
“Haven’t you been listening to what others tell you? My name is Demon King Shion ― the being with whom you had your last conversation before dying.” (Shion)
“――!? T-That phrase….I will have you allow me to use it from now on!”
Hearing my words, Darkness-something is amazed.
“Just what are you admiring there… Well, whatever. I’ll finish this guy off. You guys, don’t butt in, okay?” (Shion)
“As you wish.” Chloe answers as representative.
――However, make sure to be ready to attack at any time.
Chloe and the others silently consent to my telepathic order.
“Well then, I guess we will fight to the death! ―Mine name is Demon King Shion! You may depart to the realm of the dead with mine name as a souvenir!”
I unleash 《Coercion》 in exchange for giving a greeting, and begin the fight to the death against Dark-something.
Translation Notes: