The Second Dungeon Battle

Eh, s-so this one cant get the knight figurine then?

No! That [Betrayer]s comrade is an enemy!

Enemy! Thats a long word! Whats it mean? Please say it in draconic!

Enemy means [Something You Should Trample]!

Enemy means [Something You Should Trample]!? This one is itching for a fight!

Oi, thats what [Enemy] means in draconic? As expected from the strongest kind of living creature, they look down on things with all they have.

Weve been negotiating with them about territory though! This one wants that knight figurine you know!? This one wants it by any means!

Yeah Oi Kehma, what now?

He just called me an enemy and now hes asking me. Make up your mind already, oi.

Is it that? Was the masters absolute command used? Something like [Hurry up and get it] or [By any means]?

Oi oi, Ontentoo. Im not your enemy you know?

Dont say something lonely like that. That was for that dungeon core. You, Im pleased with.

So that was it. Im also pleased with you, you know? Youre simple to talk with after all!

I also want her to have the crystal knight figurine. That doesnt mean for free though.

Really!? Youre a good guy after all. So, what to do then? It cant be territory.

Hmm. Its easy then. Well have a dungeon battle for it then. If we lose, well give the fifty gold coins and freebie silver coins, as well as the crystal knight. In return, well get the territory if we win. We wont need to negotiate since the match will decide it if we do that. Sound good?

Hooh well that should be alright. But doesnt our side have the advantage?

For that, I want to propose two irregular rules.

Irregular rules. For example, like how the victory condition in the dungeon battle we had against Haku-san was to touch the dummy core rather than the dungeon core.

First, you would be devoting yourselves to defense rather than offence. If you can hold out, its your win how about one day for the length?

Hoh, a defensive battle huh. But our dungeon is very deep. Conquering it in one day is impossible.

The dungeon certainly is five hundred years old, so there are quite a few floors.

Thats where the second rule comes in Our dungeon has five floors right now. So for [Equality], itll be our win if we can advance further than the fifth floor. Sound good?

Ooh, that would make it equal. Fine then. Well give you territory for this tunnel if you can win.

No, thats not equal at all.

You could easily invade beyond the fifth floor in a dungeon battle with half a day. Id have a full day along with being able to fully concentrate on invading.

Additionally, Ive been making preparations for the invasion in advance for a while now. Its completely my advantage.

While were at it, yeah. If you can touch the dungeon core on the bottom floor this one will give you half of Tsuia Mountain.

She said that, getting caught up in the moment. Even so, even Stupimander Ontentoos eyes opened wide in surprise.

Wha!? W-what if they actually did it!?

Whatre you saying? Theres no way they could make it to the bottom floor in a single day you know?

Y-yeah! Of course. A day huh oi Redra, you sure?

Isnt it fine!? I just want to get that figurine you know!? Along with dealing with the [Enemy (Something You Should Trample)] we also get the gold and silver coins, arent those only good things!?

They dont think that theyll be defeated at all.

But theyll get the territory without paying the gold coins if they win right?

Theres no way this one will lose with equal conditions!

Then the conditions are fine I guess?

Yeah! So, lets do it, how about right now!?

Honestly, right now? Well, its not like I couldnt.

But itd be bad to rush it if I want to make this a certain win.

Our dungeon will need to prepare

Well then, it will be after a week.

Ooh, that sounds good. Then, well head back.

But its fine for me to have that figurine right!? Right!?

Please take it.

I grinned.

*

So, can we win?

Rokuko asked me that as soon as I returned to the inn.

I answered while patting Meat, who always rushes over to be my hug pillow, on the head.

Whatre you talking about, Rokuko? The outcome is settled you know?

Eh? How?

Rokuko tilted her head to the side, confused.

Looks like she hasnt noticed yet still naive?

While showing Rokuko the map, I explained it to her.

Our easiest victory condition is to get past the fifth floor of the [Flame Cavern].

They said that.

How about you, Meat? Do you get it?

I asked Meat, who was watching the negotiations along with Rokuko. Although Ichika was working at the reception desk and wasnt here, she probably wouldve grinned from understanding me if she saw it.

As for Meat, she answered after thinking for a moment.

Umm, the figurine?

Eh? What about the figurine?

Oi, Meats pretty clever. Better than the dungeon core.

Because that figurine, its Goshujin-samas golem right? Then, its an ally

Eh? That thing, didnt you give it to them?

I did say they could take it, I dont recall giving it to them though.

But you said it was a present?

That was only the case if they accepted the gold coins for 500,000 DP. Its a different story now since they didnt go for it.

It may be a heartless pretext, but it still belongs to us. It wasnt a present.

And seeing as its my golem, its obvious that itd be under my control. Its part of my forces.

Even if shes the one to put it in a treasure room, it doesnt change the fact that one of my men made it past the fifth floor.

If things go well, we might even be able to touch the dungeon cores main body.

If by some chance Im wrong, as in if the treasure room is above the fifth floor, itll already have been carried pretty deep down.

Our win is decided.

How?

I can confirm where it is on the map and can see and hear through the golem. There wont be any problems since weve snuck a troop into their innermost floors, is something wrong with that?

Really. Uwaah, so cruel.

P9owThk

A general once said: What is war? Something where victory or defeat is decided beforehand.

I agree with it.

But thats just a last resort. If possible I want to win without letting the crystal figurine golem getting exposed That way, we can eavesdrop on their conversations whenever. That way we can have an overwhelming advantage over them from now on.

Kehma, your face says youre thinking about something bad youre reliable!

But to the end, [Ill do it if I can].

Ill do whatever I can if I cant win through normal means. I even want the crystal figurine golem to touch the dungeon core without being exposed if it can. Since Ill be using special golems from now on, maybe I should [Unveil] it soon? Getting half of Tsuia Mountain might be enough compensation for using my trump card.

Its fine even if we just win the tunnel part. We dont need the mountain to extend the dungeon down underground

Well, whatever works.

I stopped thinking about it since it was getting troublesome. Lets just focus on the most important preparations. That is, winning however we can.