How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 40

45. Deyar Dungeon (4)

Physical attacks aren’t very effective against the Undead, but they should at least slow them down.

“Hyaaaaaah!”

Seizing the opportunity, I sprinted with everything I had.

I aimed for the instant the Troll Undead stumbled, running as fast as I could, ignoring him and blowing past.

His fist landed behind me.

A fraction slower, and I would have been paste.

He’s persistent.

“Are you crazy! Go play by yourself!”

I don’t play with Undead. No, thank you.

Using the Gnome’s power, I conjured more stone pillars to impede him, and I ran like hell.

* * *

After encountering and dodging Undead of similar strength to that Troll several times, the path ceased to be endless.

A massive, firmly shut door loomed ahead.

‘I ran like a maniac. But I actually made it.’

With a small sense of accomplishment, I examined the area around the door.

Quite a few corroded or broken statues and decorations were scattered about.

It was easy to imagine how magnificent it must have been when it was first built.

‘So, this is the deepest part of the dungeon….’

Looking closer, there was an inscription on the door.

Probably text from when this place was constructed.

The protagonist might be able to decipher it, but anyone else would need considerable knowledge.

I certainly can’t.

Probably the general gist is what this place is, what’s inside, and….

‘A warning to intruders… probably.’

A warning signaling danger.

Imagining that, I swallowed hard.

Since I’ve come this far, I have to press on.

‘It’s hard to turn back….’

I’ve already bypassed a number of monsters.

Even now, they might be moving, slowly closing in on this place, chasing me.

If I run into them again, I’ll be surrounded, and escape won’t be easy.

The only way is through this door.

And to gain power and become stronger.

“Let’s go!”

I steeled myself and placed both palms on the two grooves in the door.

In the original story, this type of dungeon opened the door like this, right?

Soon, a faint bluish light began to emanate from the grooves.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound of the door shaking from the inside could be heard.

The door gradually began to open, shedding dirt and dust accumulated over the years.

“…It’s an automatic door, how convenient.”

Muttering nonsense, I cautiously poked my head inside the opened door to take a look.

I can’t recklessly charge in.

Even if the detailed layout of the dungeon is different, the ending is usually similar.

There is a final defense to protect the items or artifacts being stored.

One of the most reliable security measures is to place a powerful gatekeeper that is hard to defeat.

In other words, placing a dungeon boss in front of the treasure vault.

‘That’s why the world calls this the dungeon boss’s room, but….’

Peeking through the opened door, the inside was indeed spacious and dark.

A wide space, as if anticipating a battle.

‘Where is the boss?’

I summoned wisp light orbs, split them into smaller pieces, and sent them out slowly.

I have no intention of recklessly advancing.

I don’t know what or where anything might be.

The types and patterns of dungeon bosses vary.

Moreover, this is a dungeon not depicted in the original story.

How would I know what’s there?

Considering that Undead have appeared and that an ominous energy continues to surge… there might be a boss of that type, but it’s too early to say.

‘Anyway, whatever it is, I hope it’s something I can defeat….’

The easier the better.

I love easy monsters!

But for some reason, the dungeon boss is nowhere to be seen.

No monster’s breath, no sign, nothing is heard.

I boldly made the light a little brighter, but I couldn’t find any trace of a monster.

‘Surely it can’t be gone….’

That’s not a good sign.

The absence of a boss means the dungeon has already been looted.

That’s the worst-case scenario for me.

But that worry was unfounded.

As the wisp’s light orbs reached beyond, to the far side, where the door sealing the treasure vault where the dungeon’s valuables were kept, something sparkled red.

“…A crystal?”

A crimson crystal, as tall as an adult male, was hanging from the ceiling, bound by chains.

“It can’t be a decoration… it’s unnatural to call it a decoration….”

Above all, other decorations or statues corrode or are damaged over time, but this crystal shows no signs of age at all.

More than anything, it feels strangely ominous.

‘A crimson mineral? …Surely in the original story too? …Huh?!’

Come to think of it, there was!

It was similar to the description of a specific black magic used by black mages during a battle in the original story.

The size, the luster, the quality are different, but it’s definitely similar!

‘…Could that be a summoning stone?!’

The moment I saw that crystal, I thought of a summoning stone.

It’s a special catalyst that black mages use to summon certain beings.

Just as spiritists summon spirits through spirit stones, black mages can summon and contract certain beings through a similar principle.

‘…Could it be.’

If what I’m thinking is correct, then the identity of the dungeon boss is confirmed.

In a direction that is not very desirable.

“Damn it!”

The crystal shone the moment I realized.

The energy accumulated inside the crystal was being released.

Inside the crystal, countless magic circles floated and began to rotate.

The red light gradually intensified, and soon a strange chill emanated.

An ominous energy.

A mana of a more corrupt system than black magic.

‘…Magical energy.’

A shuddering, pitch-black energy was being released from the crystal.

No doubt about it.

Magical energy [a particularly potent and corrupt form of mana].

And as that magical energy gradually thickened, something emerged from under the crystal.

The summoning formula engraved inside the crystal summoned a specific being that was contracted.

“Crap!”

I can’t let him be summoned.

Even if it’s in the middle of summoning, I have no obligation to watch.

I quickly summoned Sprites and unleashed indiscriminate electric shocks.

The weakness of summoning magic is that it becomes neutralized if the formula is destroyed even in the middle.

However, the electric shocks lost direction and scattered in strange directions due to the influence of the released thick magical energy.

‘Tch, I guess it’s no use.’

With my current power, I can’t interfere with the summoning.

Understanding that fact, I bit my lip and realized I had no choice but to watch.

Meanwhile, the creature that had revealed its head emerged from the summoning stone like an upside-down bat and slowly revealed its form.

Black horns and hair, gray skin, a body of solid muscles, and wings.

Finally, when it was fully summoned down to its toes, it fell straight to the ground, spread its wings, reversed its body in the air, and landed.

“…An unnecessarily elegant landing. How many points should I give?”

“Ah, I couldn’t possibly show a disgraceful sight on this rare occasion on the ground, wouldn’t you agree, human? Hehehe.”

The bat-winged being chuckled as if something was funny, moving his arms as if testing the condition of his body.

“Oh! It moves quite well. I was a little worried because the summoning formula was old, but it was an unfounded fear.”

His attitude is relaxed, but his gaze is fixed on me.

Proof that he properly recognizes me.

“Judging by those eyes, do you know my identity, human?”

First, I need a little more time to assess the situation.

I decided to humor him.

“As far as I know, the only perverts who pop out of those stones are you demons. Am I right?”

“Hehehe. That’s correct.”

…A demon? Or a pervert?

Well, there’s no need to ask more.

He nodded as if praising a commendable child, spreading his wings wide.

“It’s a rare meeting. Since we have this connection, I’ll at least tell you my name. Geluk. As you say, a being called a demon. Now! Be impressed!”

“……”

Putting aside the bat-winged being’s behavior, his identity cannot be ignored.

He is an intelligent creature commonly residing in a world called the Demon Realm.

A being commonly referred to as a demon.

“You seem quite excited.”

“Of course, I am! How long has it been since I’ve been on the ground! How many tens of thousands of years has it been! Puahahahahahahahahat!”

The common instinct of demons.

They are eager to come to the ground where humans live.

It seems this guy is no exception.

“It’s truly inconvenient. We can’t even show our faces on the ground without such a contract. How can such an unfair thing exist!”

Demons cannot independently come out and act unless they are summoned through a contract by a being belonging to the ground, including humans.

Even if it’s the strongest demon.

Even a Demon King cannot come out arbitrarily without permission.

It is one of the world’s non-interference covenants, a setting in 《The Returned Great Hero》.

The restriction that the Demon Realm, the Celestial Realm, and the Earth can never interfere in each other’s domains without the agreement of the beings belonging to those realms.

‘Well, in the end, it only seems like a setting to explain why powerful demons leave the earth, which is ruled by weak beings, alone.’

Well, those trivial reasons don’t matter.

The problem is that the demon has popped out in front of me right now.

Judging by his form, he is considered a low-ranking demon.

Because the physical appearance of low-ranking demons is not much different from that of humans.

In addition, it is not very difficult to infer the content of that demon’s contract.

“…Is your contract to guard the treasure vault behind there? In other words, you are the boss of this dungeon?”

“That’s right. I won’t deny it.”

He readily shrugged his shoulders.

He’s quite talkative for a demon.

“The contract is to not let anyone into that place behind me… But this is the first time I’ve been summoned. It’s been so long that I almost forgot.”

“Ah, I suppose so. I suppose so, tch.”

According to the setting, that crystal was manufactured at least 20,000 years ago.

“It would have been nice if you had just forgotten about it since it was so old.”

“That won’t do! Isn’t this a rare contract? In recent years, there are fewer humans who can use this level of contract. It would be a waste to miss it. Above all, humans value sincerity, don’t they? You shouldn’t say such things even as a joke.”

“…Is that something a demon should say?”

Why do I have to listen to a demon preach about the importance of promises?

‘The problem is that this guy is completely in his element.’

The lowest-ranking demon, Geluk, spread his arms wide, as if welcoming me, excited by the rare summoning.

Conversely, I clenched my fists in tension.

“Come now! Intruder! You must be hoping to reach what’s behind here! But I, according to the contract, hope to trample on your wishes!”

“…So?”

“Now, shall we compete to see whose wish will be fulfilled?”

Unlike before, something ominous flickered in his eyes.

“Please resist, human. It will be worth being summoned.”

A look of excitement at the thought of tormenting a small animal.

Even if he’s the lowest-ranking, he’s still a demon, and that nasty nature doesn’t go anywhere.