Chapter 6

According to the monster manual, the Ugly Demon is a monstrous creature, a fat giant three times the size of an adult man.

It has a barrel-like protruding belly, short legs splayed outward, and arms disproportionately long with thick, iron-plate-like hands.

Its head is a squashed triangle, with exposed nostrils, and a mouth that constantly drools, extending to the sides of its ears.

Using the face of an Ugly Demon as a metaphor to describe someone's appearance is considered the ultimate insult. Literally, it is an extremely ugly monster.

The monster level is six. It has a violent and tenacious nature, boasting endless stamina.

Its movements are not particularly fast, but once an Ugly Demon spots you, it is not recommended to try to escape.

This is because it will relentlessly pursue you with its endless stamina.

If you must escape, you should either ascend or descend the spiral snake path to move between floors.

However, the Ugly Demon in the 20th underground floor of the Infinite Dungeon is somewhat different.

This floor master, known as "Gate," does not move from the vast hall in front of the spiral snake path, as if guarding it.

It is also easy to escape after starting a battle, which is why the likelihood of casualties is low.

But this information will be rewritten this time.

Because "Gate" has appeared in the "Light Graveyard."

Upon closer inspection, the monster's condition was strange.

The thick, rubber-like skin, which should absorb damage, was injured in many places, and its body was moving up and down as if it had exhausted its stamina.

Moreover, it appeared as if it was being chased by something, colliding with the crystal pillars and rolling to make its appearance.

"…Why is it here?"

The light warrior muttered in a dazed manner.

"That is definitely an Ugly Demon. The Ugly Demon on this floor is only 'Gate.' However, that monster should not move from the vast hall in front of the spiral snake path. Besides, this is the Maze Spring. Monsters should not approach. No, some highly intelligent monsters have been sighted here. Also, as an exception, plant-type monsters—"

Perhaps to stabilize his own mind, the light warrior spoke rapidly, and no one was listening.

After getting up, the Ugly Demon seemed to be constantly looking back, but it soon noticed Tanis and the others.

For a moment, it tilted its head in confusion, scratched its head with one arm, and then grinned.

'Guhooooo!'

"—!"

A grating, ear-piercing roar, combined with a massive surge of magic power, was released.

The "Leisurely Dungeon" party level is three. The Ugly Demon's monster level is six.

When fighting a monster with a level difference of two, caution is necessary. This is because if they are overwhelmed by the magic power, which far exceeds their own divine aura, they will suffer mental damage and their bodies will stiffen.

If they had prepared mentally beforehand, they could have endured it.

However, Tanis and the others, who were eating at the Maze Spring, were completely caught off guard.

Like dog-headed men, they felt like collapsing and surrendering, but Tanis gritted his teeth and held back.

"Ni—"

The "Leisurely Dungeon" has a means to escape from monsters.

It is the "Mud Swamp" gift possessed by the guerrilla. By drawing a circle on the ground with their feet, the area inside becomes a swamp, a special effect that can buy time when used in a narrow passage.

However, this is a vast hall, not a suitable place to set traps, and there was no time for that.

"Run—"

Embarrassingly, Tanis's voice was hoarse.

The other members could not even react. Sherpa was sitting on the ground.

'Guh, guh!'

The Ugly Demon, using its long arms to touch the ground and its short hind legs to hop, approached like a rabbit, but it was far from cute.

What was coming was literally "death."

In the midst of this desperate situation, only one person could move.

It was the red-haired girl.

Perhaps her instinct to seek strength or to surpass fear. The girl stood at the front of the party and clanged the iron gauntlets on her arms.

The reassuring sound revived the courage that was fading in Tanis and the others.

"Winged Dragon, Mighty Demon, Obsidian Wolf, Slashing Rabbit—and Uncle Sherpa"

The girl called her companions by the monster names she had given them.

"I'll buy time. You guys, run."

The red-haired girl, who turned her head for a moment, had her usual smug smile.

"‘Mad Flower Bloom!’"

It was a unique gift that only the girl possessed.

The effect was simple: her strength and explosive power doubled.

However, in exchange, she lost her rationality and fought like a berserker.

The duration was until she received a significant blow or exhausted her stamina and fainted.

With this gift, the girl attacked both friend and foe. Therefore, the other members had to leave the scene immediately.

It was also a message from the girl.

By activating "Mad Flower Bloom," she forced Tanis and the others to take action.

As she watched the girl, who moved like a beast, head towards the Ugly Demon, Tanis's thoughts raced.

If they escaped here, they would likely survive.

But the girl would probably die.

During the berserker state, the focus shifts to offense, and defense is weak. Moreover, her physical strength and stamina values do not change. If she received a blow while her movements were slow, it would be over.

There was also the fear of abandoning a companion.

Even if they survived, would they—would the other companions—be able to remain normal?

Would they, who had lost their pride as adventurers, be unable to recover their mental state and be plagued by regret?

Considering all of this, Tanis made his decision.

"Leave this place. Don't think! Get to the 19th floor as quickly as possible!"

In her fading consciousness, the red-haired girl could not contain her excitement.

Was it the joy of fighting a strong monster, or the influence of "Mad Flower Bloom"?

It didn't matter, the girl thought.

If she won the battle, she would become stronger; if she lost, she would remain weak.

There was no meaning in living.

This was fine to end here.

Just as she thought that,

"Uaaaaaaah!"

The girl's consciousness became thin.

She could only gaze at the scene before her, as if it were someone else's.

It was a mental state like the boundary between dream and reality.

The Ugly Demon also roared and swung its long arms.

Not to dodge, but to attack, the girl leaped.

At a speed and jumping power that she could not normally imagine.

She punched the approaching hideous face.

The Ugly Demon's skin is thick and highly resistant to "blows."

But that didn't matter.

The girl's weapon was only her two fists.

Upon landing, she aimed for the abdomen, which should have the highest defense.

Her small fists sank into the barrel-like belly.

No, that's not it, the girl thought.

She needed to aim for a more effective part.

It was frustrating.

The girl's consciousness was irritated, as if struggling in a dream.

The Ugly Demon, like swatting a noisy fly, swung its long arms.

The girl, with her quick movements, dove in and delivered a series of punches.

The damage from the punches was minimal, but the Ugly Demon's ugly face twisted even more, and it began to spew a black mist-like substance from its eerie mouth.

At first, the girl had the upper hand, but her movements gradually slowed down. Her stamina was running out from using more than her usual strength and explosive power.

This won't do, the girl thought vaguely.

Look, it's no good.

This—can't be dodged.

Finally, the Ugly Demon's massive palm caught the girl and flung her away.

She bounced and rolled on the ground a couple of times, hitting a gray crystal pillar and stopping.

Her consciousness suddenly awoke, and she let out a muffled cry.

The pain was nothing compared to the scream of her body.

Using "Mad Flower Bloom" would leave her with muscle pain for two or three days.

In her field of vision, the Ugly Demon, standing still, was visible.

"...So strong."

Even with all her strength, she couldn't reach it.

She respected it, even as a monster.

But the girl was puzzled.

The opponent that could defeat her seemed to be afraid.

It wasn't because her vision was blurred from the damage.

Indeed, the Ugly Demon took a step back.

Someone was approaching from another direction.

A strange figure appeared in her field of vision.

Wearing a hooded pitch-black coat and carrying a ridiculously large, iron-plate-like giant sword.

It can't be, the girl thought.

The weak die.

Heroes who save you in a life-or-death situation only exist in the world of stories.

The figure in the pitch-black coat easily lifted the giant sword and charged at the trembling Ugly Demon.

The Ugly Demon did not move.

Like a frog hypnotized by a snake.

In her fading consciousness, the girl clearly saw it.

The giant sword, swung at a speed that made the blade blur, was driven into the Ugly Demon's abdomen.

Another strike.

This time, it was brought down straight from above.

The Ugly Demon's small triangular head, disproportionate to its body, sank into its torso.

The impact must have shattered the magic core. A massive black mist-like substance overflowed from the Ugly Demon's giant body.

In the midst of it, the figure in the pitch-black coat turned to face her.

Wearing a white skull mask.

The girl remembered.

The Obsidian Wolf had mentioned it.

A mysterious adventurer who roamed the shallow floors.

The name was, if she remembered correctly—

"The Knight of Skulls... sir"

The girl lost consciousness.

"Those who abandon their companions and those who face the monster, huh..."

The Knight of Skulls—Rou, muttered.

Wearing a dark black coat made from the成果品 of the Lich Lord, a legendary floor master in the deep layers of Tyros' dungeon, a mask of great strength worn by a peculiar blacksmith, and a giant sword obtained from a magic workshop.

Previously, he was mocked as a weak Grim Reaper by Berry, who was Yuka's overly close friend, but recently he had gained muscles and looked the part.

When the Ugly Demon lying at his feet disappeared, a shell-like object was left on the ground.

The "Ugly Demon's Ear."

It was a tasteless ornament but could be exchanged for a shortcut pass at the Adventurer's Guild.

Rou picked up the "Ugly Demon's Ear" and walked to the red-haired girl, who had fainted a short distance away.

"Quite a troublesome gift, isn't it?"

But in the early stages of the battle, she had overwhelmed the Ugly Demon with speed and power. If she could control her rationality and emotions well, she might have won.

Rou looked in the direction where Tanis and the others had run.

He pressed his left arm over the black coat.

The "Explorer's Bracelet" that Tanis wore and the "Tracker's Bracelet" that Rou wore were a pair of magical items possessed by a blacksmith in the Tyros dungeon.

They could use the "Exploration" and "Tracking" gifts to sense magic power and divine aura, respectively, but they also had a special effect.

It was to pinpoint the location of each bracelet.

Apparently, there was no distance limit on the same floor.

Using this ability, Rou had pinpointed the location where Tanis and the others were resting and had driven away the immobile floor master—"Gate"—with divine aura and violence twice their level.

Just to test their suitability as adventurers.

"Show the bond—'Resonance'"

Currently, Tanis and the others seemed to have reached the spiral snake path leading to the 19th underground floor.

He probably wouldn't stay on this floor.

As predicted, they ascended the spiral snake path, and the effect of "Resonance" was cut off.

If he were the leader of "Leisurely Dungeon," what would he have done?

He thought he would have made the same decision as Tanis.

But then.

Rou smiled wryly inside his mask.

In the deepest part of the Tyros dungeon, she—Yuka—had said.

When fighting a dragon, if you even think of a way to escape, you will lose.

To surpass your opponent in a close battle, you must have the resolve to charge straight ahead.

And this girl,

"Interesting"

She has a difficult personality, and her gift is extremely troublesome.

It might be a detour.

But the urge to bet on an unreasonable card is perhaps an adventurer's bad habit.

Rou lifted the girl and slowly walked towards the spiral snake path leading to the 21st underground floor, in the opposite direction of Tanis and the others.