It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

While raising summons or the Dungeon Lord themselves to advanced grade just requires raising their attributes and giving characteristics to reach an appropriate level, above that is different.

For elite grade, one elite-grade individual. For high rank, 4 elites and 1 high rank. To reach monarch grade, 16 elites / 4 high ranks / 1 monarch.

This is the number of sacrifices needed to evolve summons.

For Dungeon Lords, exactly three times that amount is needed.

‘I wonder if having exactly 3 times the specs would have been better too.’

Considering that monarch-grade monsters aren’t really that inferior to Dungeon Lords in terms of group size and specs, it’s a difficulty equivalent to catching multiple Dungeon Lords.

To evolve one summon from high rank to monarch grade, you need to catch at least one high-rank Dungeon Lord.

‘I probably got that nickname from this too.’

‘Virgin-lover’.

A nickname given by veteran players of ‘MilDun 1’, while it sounds quite malicious on the surface, its meaning was something I’m rather proud of.

It meant someone who endlessly catches external monarch-grades or raises other monsters to monarch grade to get sacrifices to raise their initial summons, mercenaries, and sometimes subordinate NPC Dungeon Lords to monarch grade.

“Come to think of it, I feel a bit sorry.”

“What do you mean?”

“I unintentionally caused harm to some people.”

“If they could offer something to Master, they would be happy too.”

“Huhu. You’re consistent.”

Since there were other veterans among the victims of this, I feel somewhat sorry now.

Even if they were in this world, I probably would have done the same thing. Taking responsibility for their survival afterward would be the best I could do.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes…”

-Tack!

An elite-grade monster, the corpse of Arachne King Tigris, came into my hands.

There was only one thing I would do with it, and there were only a few things to check for that.

『Core Activity – 1784/1955』

First was naturally the core’s maintainable power.

I had raised the margin in advance through hunting. At a level where I could raise several more individuals up immediately.

『Advanced Individual Limit 4/6』

Second was the limit on the number of advanced individuals.

There are restrictions on having summons with grades higher than the Dungeon Lord themselves.

Specifically, at 1/n level of the magic power possessed by the Dungeon Lord.

Also, this restriction doesn’t decrease much even when the Dungeon Lord’s own grade increases.

‘After all, it means you handle more powerful summons as the Dungeon Lord’s own grade increases.’

While it might be fine in a game, as a means of survival, it’s arrogant to keep such powerful individuals with margin.

Therefore, I wanted to keep this individual limit fully filled if possible, so I was planning to elevate both Eve and Xue to elite grade, plus Fortuna to handle as an Arachne queen.

‘While mercenaries and contractors need sacrifices to raise their grade just the same, they don’t count toward the summon or monster individual limit.’

Instead, they just cost much more to maintain.

Still, you don’t fill all the advanced individual slots just with ‘officers’ to command regular troops.

So I was planning to raise Eve to elite grade first, then hunt additional monsters to raise the mercenary Xue as well…

[I object. That first honor should be mine.]

[It’s just a matter of days, isn’t it?]

[Still.]

Xue’s objection came back.

It was confusing since such variables weren’t given to units in MilDun 1, but listening to her, it was a resistance that had its own reasons.

[I acknowledge that Evangeline is strong and capable… But whether in hunting monsters or guarding Lady, in the two most important aspects currently, I think I’m superior… So I think I should go first now…]

Since it was a reasonable argument, I decided to accept her claim.

[Alright. Then, Eve, what do you think?]

[Clack.]

While also asking Eve’s opinion, who was the senior no matter what anyone said.

And from Eve too, a more aggressive response than expected came back.

[Tack.]

[Good…]

Of course, we didn’t decide their competition with just one match.

Unless we decided not to do it at all, once decided, it should be conducted fairly.

Since Xue’s claim was that while she might be inferior in all areas, she was most confident in ‘monster hunting’ and ‘target protection’, we first included both of those plus ‘person-to-person combat’ as categories.

Then on Ran’s suggestion we added ‘magic-only combat without moving the body’, and for the last category ‘simulated small-scale battle’, and.

The current score was 2:2.

-Clatter.

“Ridiculous…! Fine. I lost…”

The first was protection combat.

Here, Xue failed to prove her confidence. Eve was the one who succeeded in minimizing damage to the dummy that became the ‘protection target’.

While Xue showed determination to block all damage, Eve displayed a stance of carefully watching for major attacks while accepting minimal damage.

You could say both showed pros and cons as guards, but ultimately Eve was the victor in this competition.

“I lost…”

-Clack.

“Yes. You’re more excellent…”

‘Though it seems to have been more evenly matched than expected, indeed in this field where pure technique is emphasized more…’

The magic-only combat without moving the body, suggested by Ran.

Here, Eve was victorious.

Although it was as initially expected, it was surprising to see Xue not falling behind as much as thought.

She used a method of aggressively pushing forward by instinctively judging the moment to output power to make up for lacking technique.

Even Eve experienced danger several times.

“I won… I need to train more, Evangeline…”

-Tack!

Then, in the ‘small-scale tactical battle’, Xue was victorious.

This too was an unexpected result. I had thought this might be decisive.

“To think that wolf would fight in such a way, she’s truly showing her serious side.”

“It appears so to my eyes as well.”

A rule where the opposite side wins if 50% or more of the assigned forces become combat ineffective.

Xue properly utilized this.

That impetuous Xue avoided direct confrontation with Eve and aimed for the annihilation of the troops under her command.

Eve’s ‘Genius Commander’ characteristic becomes deactivated when the number of soldiers falls below a certain point, and it seemed she targeted this.

“I said this was what I’m most confident in…”

-Tack.

And fourth, the instruction to each catch a large monster of advanced grade or higher.

As a result, Xue brought back a wild drake, while Eve caught a troll. In almost equal time.

The two were nearly equal-grade monsters, but since Xue ‘subdued’ while Eve ‘killed’, it was Xue’s victory.

“Now it’s the final match. Are both of you ready?”

Nod.

And thus. We came to the final category.

Person-to-person combat.

Neither person’s fighting spirit was lacking as they approached this traditional duel.

“I won’t hold back.”

-Clack.

On one side, a berserker who produces output beyond normal even without using medium weapons, an unorthodox warrior focused on overwhelming with power.

On the other side, a jack of all trades who handles not just swords but all weapons at a proficient level, whose limits in what she can do I still don’t know.

“Begin!”

Along with Ran’s command from the judge’s seat, the duel between the two whose superiority was hard to hastily gauge began.

* * *

Evangeline and Lin Xue.

The two knew each other very well.

It was a not-so-shallow connection continuing from ‘before’, and they were in a relationship where they felt both friendship and competitive spirit toward each other.

However, originally that point should have been quite a bit later than now.

‘It was unexpected. I thought you couldn’t come until some time had passed, no matter how early.’

‘I couldn’t let you alone gain advantages by Master’s side.’

Even the time when the original ‘second’ joined the dungeon last time was later than now, and that wasn’t even Xue.

Even Yuran wasn’t by Libertas’s side at this time.

Setting aside that ‘second’ who can no longer be met as they were eliminated, this situation where both their joins were quite earlier than before.

‘You interfered.’

Therefore, Evangeline had regrets toward Xue who interfered with more time with their master.

‘You greedy one…’

And Lin Xue had desperation to steal as many ‘firsts’ as possible from such an Evangeline.

While others might find it hard to empathize, for these two people, it was competitive spirit over someone more precious than anything else.

Creak…!!

Such feelings bloomed at the tips of their weapons.

“Here I come…!”

-Tack (Come on)!

Evangeline wielding her weapon that was her first gift, ‘Enduring’ Bastard Sword, rather than the new sword recently gifted by their master.

Lin Xue who simply clenched her fist to draw blood then hardened it, wearing a weapon more flexible and harder than steel on her hand.

Boom-!!

Crash!!

Where the bastard sword filled with magic power and the blood-made claws collided, a shockwave burst forth along with a thunderous sound like striking a bell with an iron hammer.

‘These people, they’re going all out from the start…!’

As Ran, who quickly protected the surroundings, guessed, the two’s initial strike was full power.

Full power in a state without fully gathering magic power.

Impact from magic power and strength that made the air resonate.

Just the appearance of phenomena that shouldn’t appear in mere sparring showed this.

“…Teacher?”

“It’s alright.”

If Libertas hadn’t protected immediately, while Ran might have been fine, Sonia would have been in quite trouble.

Clang…!

Evangeline’s longsword that met Xue’s full power strike head-on without avoiding shook greatly.

Seeing this, Lin Xue smiled fiercely.

With that expression she had when seeing enemy blood.

‘I have the advantage in strength.’

“Sure you don’t need to back down?”

-Clack (Try it if you can).

“Ha…!”

Lin Xue didn’t hold back against Evangeline’s provocation as black smoke flowed from her mouth.

Crash!!

-Grrrr…

After greatly shaking Evangeline’s body once, Xue drew blood from her wrist and clenched her fist firmly.

Her hair, ears, and tail turned bright red from the roots, and an ominous red light began swirling in her eyes as well.

Swish…!

As her hands grew larger, long sharp claws extended out, and red magic power like blood glowed at their tips.

Whoosh! Crack!

Simultaneously, self-harm using magic power occurred throughout her body.

The charging of 「Madness」.

While she didn’t go all the way to losing reason as that would happen if fully charged, she raised her power to a precarious level during the duel.

Swoooosh…!

Of course, Evangeline wasn’t just standing still either.

Black magic power of an intensity she had never shown before gathered at her sword’s tip.

Using magic power manipulation abilities that ordinary warriors couldn’t match, she layered magic power upon magic power, and layered magic power again on top of that.

『Characteristic – … Explosive Power…』

『Characteristic – … Stacked Strong Strike…』

And at this moment, her characteristics changed effortlessly but.

Even Libertas couldn’t notice this quickly as she was focused on the match.

Clang-!!

The blade vibrated like an ultrasonic blade due to magic power overcharge.

This was a technique that pushed the sword to the point where it would definitely need repairs after one fight, but the sword gifted by her master endured that magic power with room to spare.

Creak…!

Thus the final form created was the shape of a blade formed by tightening a net.

At a level where she shouldn’t normally be able to form magic blades yet, it was an imitation of a higher realm through characteristics.

At the same time, its power was a magic power concentration technique that was by no means inferior to that.

Swoosh.

Like that, Xue’s red eyes and Evangeline’s blue eye-light met after raising their power to the limit.

Flash!

After their forms disappeared from the view of the other three people in an instant.

Crash-!!!

Consecutive impacts shook the ceiling of the dueling ground.