Kageichi and the others entered the “cave” stage, surrounded by hard rock walls as the prior information indicated.
Beyond the entrance plaza, the path was narrower than a typical dungeon, with poor visibility ahead.
Of course, this wasn’t much of an obstacle for Kageichi and the others, who could use Detection…
“Whoa, it’s dark! But don’t worry, my rainbow sword can also serve as a light!”
“Ohoho, as expected of Kazami-sama! It’s so dazzling, like your future, that it’s blinding me!”
“A-As expected of big bro… I wouldn’t have thought of that. Genius…”
The “Brothers” trio behind them were idiotically showing off their shining swords.
Frankly, they were a nuisance.
Emitting such gaudy, neon-like magical power was practically begging the enemy to target them.
Kageichi ignored them.
He proceeded straight through the passage and reached a crossroads, where the ground unnaturally bulged—
A humanoid monster resembling an earthen doll emerged with a boko sound.
A humanoid creature about 1.5 meters tall, a Zombie.
Originally, it referred to a reanimated human corpse, but the Zombies that appeared in dungeons were monsters that mimicked decayed humans.
Their movements were sluggish, and their attacks were limited to swinging their arms or leaping.
However, their physical durability was high, so it took time to defeat them unless you hit their weakness.
Their weaknesses were fire and light attributes.
Burning them to ashes was the quickest way, but—
“Alright, let’s go! Watch us in action!”
“Ohoho! Our moment to shine has finally arrived, Zamasu!”
“I-I’m an idiot, but I-I’ll do my best…!”
Behind Kageichi, Kazami brandished his sword with a flourish.
Following him, Zamasu readied his fan, and Bakamaru his hammer—
Hyutt, the sound of air being sliced.
Kageichi’s crossbow bolt struck the Zombie between the eyes.
The Zombie fell in one hit, transforming into a Magic Stone with a koron sound.
“Ssu?” “Hoho?” “O-Ode?”
Kazami and the others were dumbfounded.
Kageichi silently collected the Magic Stone and continued through the cave with Kiraboshi, their footsteps dry. As composed as a salaryman on his way to work.
Further ahead, another Zombie appeared—but this time, before Kazami could even speak, an arrow flew.
The Zombie fell before their eyes. Kageichi collected the Magic Stone.
“B-Brother… you’re quick, but couldn’t you give us more of a chance to show off…?”
“Is that a necessary part of the job?”
Kageichi’s job was that of a Cleaner.
Not to entertain listeners, nor to stand out, but to exterminate Monsters as a sanitation worker.
“Well, yes, but… since we’re in a dungeon, shouldn’t we have more fun…?”
“My fun is not being disturbed in my work. And completing my tasks without incident.”
While replying indifferently, they reached another crossroads, where the ground bulged again.
Another Zombie—but this one was covered in a purple mist.
The creature was also larger, nearly 2 meters tall, causing Zamasu to shriek, “Oho!?”
“P-Poison Zombie!? W-What’s going on? A Rank C Monster in a Rank D Dungeon…”
The Poison Zombie was a higher-level variant of the Zombie.
As the name suggested, it specialized in the status ailment “Poison,” and what made it even more troublesome was that it scattered poisonous smoke with every physical attack, whether close or ranged.
Furthermore, it had high resistance to physical attacks, making it a troublesome foe.
“Crap, I don’t have any poison countermeasures, Brother, what do we do…”
Kazami and the others panicked at the Poison Zombie that appeared on their right, looking to Kageichi—
Ah? Their eyes widened.
Kageichi, who had been wearing a suit, and Kiraboshi, who had been in her uniform…
…had somehow changed into all-white, alien-like outfits…
And were wielding large, metal nozzles in their right hands—the Flamethrowers they had used to incinerate pests before.
They began to spew fire fiercely in front of Kazami and the others.
GoooOOOOOOO—!
The Zombies were roasted, collapsing onto the ground with a beshatt sound.
Kageichi and the others mercilessly showered the fallen enemies with flames, burning them to ashes.
” ” “…” ” “
The effect was remarkable.
The damaged Zombies writhed in agony, turning into Magic Stones and disappearing.
Perhaps hearing the screams of the Monsters being burned alive, Poison Zombies emerged from the ground again with bokori, bokori sounds—Kageichi and the others turned around and scattered flames.
Burn. Burn. Just keep burning.
All that was there were Zombies screaming and writhing in agony like in Munch’s “The Scream,” and emotionless humans spewing fire.
It was a scene from hell.
Something that couldn’t be streamed.
” ” “…” ” “
Before Kazami and the others could gape, the battle with the Monsters… the extermination work was complete. Since the flamethrower used magical attacks, not physical, there was no counter from poison.
And despite their complete victory, Kageichi and the others didn’t change their expressions… or rather, their expressions couldn’t be seen due to the gas masks, but they probably hadn’t changed as they silently collected the Magic Stones.
—Eh.
What are these guys?? Kazami frowned.
There’s something seriously dangerous about them… but well, we won, so is it okay…?
“…A-As expected of you, Brother. I never even thought of using a flamethrower…”
Kazami and the others snapped out of it, bowing awkwardly—when.
Kageichi and the JK turned around.
“Hii!”
They screamed because gun muzzles were pointed at them.
Perhaps due to residual magical power, candle-like flames flickered at the tips of the flamethrowers.
…Their expressions couldn’t be seen due to the gas masks…
But was it just his imagination?
It seemed to Kazami that their gun muzzles could turn towards them at any moment… of course, that should never happen, but he felt like the flames would burn anything, whether it was a Zombie or a human…
No way. It must be his imagination.
They were just surprised by the unfamiliar flamethrower, and they wouldn’t burn living, ordinary humans. That would be a crime.
…But then, why did he feel this chill?
“U-Um. I-I get that you’re amazing, but it’s scary when you point the flamethrower at us, you know?”
“We were just exterminating Monsters.”
“…Y-Yeah, you’re right…?”
“I just exterminate Monsters that get in my way.”
Kageichi replied indifferently.
But why was cold sweat trickling down Kazami’s back?
*
They reached the deepest part.
In the hall at the end of the cave stage, Kazami and the others widened their eyes in shock.
“N-No way, a Zombie Chimera! No way, that’s a Rank B difficulty Monster…”
A Chimera—a Monster with the head of a lion, the body of a lion, and the tail of a snake—and its Zombie version, possessed venomous claws and fangs like the original beast.
Furthermore, its snake tail was equipped with paralyzing poison, and the breath it exhaled contained the status ailment of petrification, making it a formidable enemy—
But it didn’t matter if you just burned it.
As if to say that, Kageichi and the JK ambushed it with flamethrowers.
Kageichi attracted the enemy, gracefully dodging with light steps.
Relentlessly. Thoroughly. They thoroughly burned the rotting flesh until it turned to charcoal, and continued to burn it until its movements stopped—
Eventually, it disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.
They collected the Magic Stone that rolled on the ground.
Facing the scorched remains, Kageichi cracked his neck.
“Job complete. …How was the flamethrowing after so long, Kiraboshi-san?”
“Yes. I can use it with less strain than before.”
“That’s proof that your magical power is growing. At this rate, you’ll be able to burn not just clothes, but skin as well.”
…Clothes?
…That’s about Monsters, right?
For some reason, Kazami felt a chill and said, “…A-As expected of you…” with a forced smile, and the other two followed suit.
“O-Hoho… we didn’t get to show our strength… couldn’t you read the room a little better?”
“I-I’m an idiot, so I don’t get it… but Kazami-aniki, Zamasu-aniki. Should we really be involved with those guys…?”
“W-What are you saying, Bakamaru? That’s why you’re an idiot! We’re brothers, comrades who fight together, right?”
Kazami slapped Bakamaru on the back, who was trembling.
Despite that, Kazami himself had a strained expression for some reason—and together with Kageichi and the others, they left the dungeon.
…Um. We…
Didn’t do anything wrong… right?