BXBX NOVEL Volume 1 10
Chapter 10: [Crimson Cavern]
“Are those your subordinate monsters?”
Marcho, with a stiff smile on her face, said so to me.
“Aren’t they precious?”
Tenko and I had raised our levels until the recommended level of 10. Succubus then transferred us and we met with Marcho.
Naturally, it was for the sake of being guided to the [Crimson Cavern].
The Skeleton squad would also be taken along. Each of them carried an M&K MK416 assault rifle and it was a spectacle.
The combination of the emotionless Skeletons and their boorish guns gave quite the atmosphere.
“This is the first time for me to see a Demon Lord really make use of something like a Skeleton.”
“If it’s me that uses them, even Skeletons would be a splendid force in battle.”
“That’s certainly true. It may not even matter who uses that weapon. You’ve thought about it well.”
In an instant, Marcho had seen through my plans. As expected of a skilled Demon Lord.
“Procell, one Tenko, and nine Skeletons. Well, somehow you’ve managed to have ten monsters, a full party. For a newly born Demon Lord, that’s a considerable battle potential. Like this, I’ll have some peace of mind and be able to send you out. However, I’ll say it again, do not get careless out there.”
“But of course.”
I had no intention to venture deep this time. I did want to someday break the crystal and have the ability to create its owner’s original medal but as one would expect with my still incomplete fighting force, I wasn’t able to do so yet.
Only after I had three [Monsters of the Covenant] and get them to level 50 would I plan to conduct a full-scale conquest of that place. Until then, I shall focus on leveling up and earning DP on the early floors which I could always return to at any time.
“Well, you are prudent and smart, so you probably won’t do anything rash. Just to be safe though, I’ll lend you Succubus. Succubus, I ask that you look after him.”
“Is that alright? If I’m not around, the monsters from the residential area won’t be able to transfer anywhere.”
“It’s fine. Rama has to be put to work once in a while.”
“I’ll be relieved if Rama-sama did work.”
It’s likely that Rama isn’t a race’s name but rather a given name. If Marcho went so far as to name it, it was probably a very powerful monster.
“Well then Succubus, look after him. And although I asked you to help him out, if ever there came a situation that you are forced to choose between your life and his, choose to protect your own. To create a situation wherein he’s driven to a corner like that, Procell has nothing else to blame but his own foolishness. You need not hesitate about it.”
She said some severe things but they were reasonable.
To start with, just lending Succubus was very generous of her. A B rank monster was a valuable asset.
“Certainly, Marchosias-sama! Well then, we’ll be heading out.”
“Yeah, take care.”
The conversation between the master and her follower concluded.
Succubus then deployed a magic array.
“Wait a moment. Succubus’s magic can be used to transfer us even outside the Dungeon?”
Succubus was concentrating on deploying the magic so instead of her, Marcho opened her mouth to answer my question.
“If there’s a magic array prepared beforehand, then yes. Transferring from one array to another is an application of the magic of a Succubus, a monster that slips in into dreams. However, she can only bring along with her a maximum of two people.”
What a convenient ability.
In the future, if ever I got ahold of a medal that can make a Succubus, I would definitely want to make one.
The Lich that controls the undead and the Succubus that could use transfer magic. The monsters that I wanted to make were rapidly increasing.
“[Creation] Demon Lord Procell-sama, the preparations are complete. We may leave at any time.”
“Understood. Let’s go immediately.”
I stored away the Skeletons and the two of us, Tenko and I, moved close to Succubus.
And then, blue light filled the magic array that Succubus had called forth.
“Ah! Procell, I forgot to tell you something important. Very soon, all the Demon Lords will assemble.........”
Marcho spoke halfway through the transfer magic. While I worried about her news, my body was wrapped around in light. And so, for the first time since I was born, I went outside of Marcho’s Dungeon.
◇
“So hot.”
Such were the first words I uttered upon arrival.
This place was humid. As one would imagine from its name, the [Crimson Cavern] featured pretty high temperatures. Rather than being in a cave, one would have the impression as though they were inside a volcano. All around us was earth and stones, illuminated by the brightness of the flames. The path ahead was wide, probably more than three meters wide.
I immediately deployed the Skeletons. They made clattering sounds as they formed a line.
“Oto-san, do you feel hot?”
“How about you? Do you feel alright?”
“Tenko feels fiiiinne.”
For Tenko who ruled over fire, this much heat seemed like it was no trouble at all.
“It’s hot for me too so I don’t really like going here.”
The Succubus similarly felt hot.
And although she was always lightly dressed even under normal circumstances, her eye catching way of pulling the hem of her clothes allowed me to see various things I shouldn’t have.
Incidentally, the Skeleton squad did nothing but rattle their bones. I had no idea what exactly they were thinking about.
“If you both feel hot, then Tenko will cool it down.”
Just as she said, the temperature of our surrounding dropped.
“Is this Tenko’s magic?”
“It is! Does Oto-san feel better?”
“Yeah. It’s cooler and feels much better now. It helps a lot.”
Tenko had the skill called Ruler of the Flame.
Its effects were that it gave the flame attributed magic spells maximum power ups while also decreasing its consumption of magic power. Not to mention that it also allowed its user to control all flames within their vicinity.
The true nature of Flame magic was that it manipulated of the amount of heat of its target and thus it was also very much capable to lower the amount of heat it had.
If things went on to be this pleasant, we would then be able to hunt in good spirits.
“This is to express my gratitude.”
I used Creation to make a caramel.
Upon doing so, Tenko opened up her mouth wide so I threw it in there.
“Yay! ♪”
Tenko who had been getting addicted to caramel lately looked happy as she tasted it.
“There’s one thing prior I’d like to tell you.”
Succubus halted our departure. And then, she pointed under our feet.
“My transfer magic, when used outside of Marchosias-sama’s Dungeon, only allows me to jump from one array to the next. In others words, if we wished to return to Marchosias-sama’s Dungeon right away, we have to go all the way back to the array which is engraved in this place. So I hope you take note of our exact path.”
“I understand. I’ll pay attention to it.”
It probably was possible to exit the Dungeon normally but not using transfer and instead walking all the way back to Marcho’s Dungeon was a thought I didn’t want to entertain.
So I used [Creation] and created a transmitter. Furthermore, I also used [Creation] to make a receiver and a smartphone. I then installed the receiver on the smartphone.
There wasn’t any GPS so producing a map was impossible but if I were to use an app, I would at least know the directions.
For the moment, I tucked the smartphone in my breast pocket. The record function was turned on. It might come in handy in the worst case scenario.
I remembered each and every kind of gun there was and was even able to prepare this kind of thing but just what the heck kind of person was I?
The mystery only deepened.
I probably wasn’t a decent guy.
“Succubus, is there anything else?”
“Nothing more from me.”
“Well then, let’s go.”
“Yay ♪! Let’s kill lots!”
All our preparations were complete. We headed out for real this time.