🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 89
“…A human?”
Within the fortress where the Imperial Northern Army led by Grand Duke Ather faced off against the forces of the Demon King of Thorns and the Demon King of Mima—
deep below it, connected to the sewers stretching beyond the border.
“What the hell? You said no one would be here, but look—someone’s standing guard!”
A giant rat that had dug its way beneath the mountains all the way here under orders from its father, the Demon King of Thorns, scratched its head through its thick leather gloves, confused as it glanced around the sewer.
Level: 50
Strength: [180]
Agility: [80]
Stamina: [200]
Magic Power: [50]
Traits: ,
Eric, who had been blocking the tunnel entrance, groaned quietly as he checked the creature’s information.
Inventor Posio.
A named monster serving the Demon King of Thorns. Unlike most rats who traveled in packs, this one roamed alone, wielding bizarre, self-made mechanical weapons of destruction.
‘Damn it. I figured if someone was digging under the mountains, it had to be this bastard… but I didn’t actually expect to run into the lunatic in person.’
Watching Posio stand there motionless, those bulging eyes staring at them vacantly, Eric bit his lip, his expression grim.
Despite his goofy demeanor and seemingly dull behavior, Posio was one of the most dangerous of the Demon King’s named subordinates—especially in small-scale battles.
“My dad didn’t say anything about fighting humans. Uh, hey—how many of you are there?”
Despite being caught sneaking in through the sewers, Posio spoke casually, as if chatting with neighbors.
“No answer, huh? …Looks like three of you.”
As the three silently armed themselves, Posio’s lips curled up into a crescent grin.
“Hee-hee-hee! I knew it! Three of you! Heeheeheehee!”
His eerie laughter echoed through the wide sewer tunnel.
“Dad said to start working as soon as I arrived… but taking care of three shouldn’t take long.”
The moment Posio lifted the pickaxe in his hands, Eric’s voice rang out sharply.
“Run—now!”
“…What?”
Thunk—
BOOOOM!
“Hyahhh!”
“Cough! Cough! Everyone okay?”
The moment the pickaxe struck the ground—it exploded with a deafening blast.
Eric waved his hand to clear the rising black smoke, turning his head toward the startled screams behind him.
“W-what the hell just happened?”
“I swear he only swung it lightly…”
Through the fading smoke appeared Lillian and Leona—both relatively unharmed, aside from soot staining their clothes and faces. Eric finally exhaled in relief.
“T-the floor…”
Lillian gasped as the smoke cleared completely.
The floor where Posio had struck wasn’t just cracked—it was utterly obliterated, leaving a massive crater.
Eric muttered quietly, “…A pickaxe.”
“A pickaxe?”
“That strike just now—he used the device attached to the pickaxe to trigger an explosion.”
Following his words, both women turned to look at Posio.
Just as Eric said, the pickaxe stuck in the crater was covered with strange, steaming mechanical contraptions that hissed and spewed smoke as though ready to blow again.
Seeing that, the two women managed to shake off their fear.
“Sir Lillian,” Eric said.
As the group tightened their grips on their weapons again, Posio absentmindedly tapped the broken device, tilting his head. Eric turned to Lillian, who was raising her staff.
“Run. Now.”
“…What?”
The firm tone caught her off guard.
“R-run? Alone?”
She asked again, thinking she misheard, but Eric nodded without hesitation.
“Then what about you and Lady Leona—?”
“Do you remember the turn we passed just before coming here? Go there and prepare your spell.”
Lillian hesitated—could the two of them really handle a named monster alone?
Before she could speak, Eric continued in a low voice, barely moving his lips.
“Don’t respond. Just go.”
Seeing him subtly motion toward Posio with his chin, Lillian finally understood. She nodded slightly.
“…All right! I’ll bring reinforcements! You have to hold out until then!”
Then she turned and bolted down the tunnel, shouting loudly enough for Posio to hear.
“Heeheehee! Running away already? You think I’ll let you?”
Fwoosh—
Abandoning the broken pickaxe, Posio pulled a shovel from his back and slammed it into the ground.
“Lady Leona!”
Whoosh—
CRASHHH!
The already-cracked floor erupted, and a wave of wet soil surged forward like a muddy tsunami.
“Huff!”
Vwoom—
At Eric’s shout, Leona darted in front of him, swinging her sword with all her might toward the rushing mass of dirt.
SHRRRRAAAAK!
The ground shattered with a loud screech as her blade met it. The already-weakened floor, spiderwebbed with fractures from Posio’s earlier blast, exploded upward in a shower of dirt and debris.
RUMBLE—
Moments later, a mountain of earth crashed down, burying both Eric and Leona.
“Ptoo! Ptoo! Ugh…”
Eric spat out a mouthful of dirt as he crawled out of the heap.
‘Did Lillian make it to the alley safely?’
The dirt had filled almost the entire tunnel, blocking the way back.
When Leona finally pushed her way free, Eric gave her a thumbs-up.
If she hadn’t flipped the ground in front of them to form a barrier just in time, that avalanche would’ve easily buried Lillian too.
“Well done, Lady Leona.”
“It’s nothing. But… you have a plan, don’t you?”
Brushing dirt off her face, Leona glanced toward Posio, who was tossing aside the broken shovel and rummaging through his coat for another gadget.
If Lillian was sent to prepare magic, that meant their job was to lure the named monster toward the alley in time.
“Of course.”
Eric smiled calmly.
“Dodge, provoke, retreat. That’s all we need.”
“…Are you serious?”
Her disbelieving stare met his earnest nod.
It wasn’t much of a plan, but those three steps—evade, taunt, escape—were often enough against enemies like this.
He couldn’t exactly explain why he knew Posio’s patterns and gadgets so well—after all, it came from having fought and defeated this very boss multiple times before.
But revealing that knowledge here would raise dangerous suspicions.
‘They probably already think it’s strange that I warned them about the pickaxe… I can’t afford to draw more attention.’
“Hmm… weird. It should work if I tweak this part…”
“Hey, you filthy rat!”
Eric stepped forward, shouting at Posio as he examined the broken shovel.
“You call that junk an invention?”
The rat blinked.
“Heehee! Are you trying to taunt me?”
“What? Taunt you?” Eric smirked.
“So what if I am? Doesn’t change the fact that your inventions all break after one use, you second-rate tinkerer.”
Knowing exactly how to hit Posio’s nerve, Eric twisted the knife with a mocking grin.
He swept his gaze over Posio’s broken tools and added, voice dripping with scorn:
“This is pathetic… even I could build something better than that.”
“…You… YOUUUUUUU!!!”
