3 bar menu

Volume 8 Chapter 213

Floor Clearing Reward and the Sixteenth Floor

Meldie managed to defeat the five knights.
Though she had taken considerable damage, Seira promptly healed her wounds, allowing Meldie to face the knights’ attacks without hesitation and defeat them one after another.
While Sally and Lilia didn’t directly attack the knights, they covered Meldie’s blind spots and deflected the knights’ attacks, providing support to Meldie.
With the support of the three, Meldie was able to defeat the knights of the five attributes: fire, water, wind, earth, and thunder, almost single-handedly.
After this Meldie collapsed to the floor, gazing at the ceiling.
Though her stamina had been restored by Seira, she couldn’t stand due to the mental fatigue from battling Haruto’s knights with utmost concentration until she hit her limit.
Even so—
「We did it…… We defeated the monsters of the five attributes, nya」
Meldie raised her right hand triumphantly, clenching it tightly. Her face was filled with joy.
She felt that she was growing.
『Meldie, well done. You did a great job』
「Haruto. I’m exhausted, nya」
From the bracelet on her right hand, Meldie heard Haruto’s voice.
While Haruto imposed strict training on his companions, he would reward them appropriately upon accomplishing something.
Meldie had been expecting that.
And Haruto lived up to her expectations.
『What reward would you like? Want another massage?』
「Nya!?」
The massage Haruto mentioned was likely a palm massage.
The first time he did it, Haruto only did it because he wanted to touch Meldie’s paw pads, but Meldie, whose palms were sensitive, ended up feeling good about it.
She couldn’t forget the palm massage Haruto gave her, and though she tried doing it herself, it wasn’t as enjoyable.
She had also asked Luna to give her a massage, which felt much better than doing it herself.
Still, compared to what Haruto did, something was missing.
Getting a massage from Haruto.
She had always thought about it.
However, for a beastkin woman to offer her palms to the opposite sex was nothing but a sign of submission.
Even if they were married it was an act rarely done.
Meldie acknowledged Haruto as a strong man, so if he asked her to offer her hand, she wouldn’t refuse.
But her instinct as a beastkin rejected the idea of offering her hand voluntarily, and she simply couldn’t do it.
『You don’t have to choose a massage』
「Please give me a palm massage, nya!」
In the end her desire for pleasure overcame her beastkin instincts.
『Okay! You’ll get your reward back at the mansion. By the way, do you want to challenge the Twelfth Floor?』
「N-no. I’ll pass for today, nya」
「Yes, I’m a bit scared to go on」
「I give up too, meow」
「Same here」
Seira, Sally, and Lilia also seemed reluctant to advance.
『Got it. Well done, everyone. I’ll teleport us back now』
As Haruto said, four of them were instantly transferred to the Dungeon Master Room.

──＊＊＊──

「Now, I’d like two more groups to challenge the dungeon…… Does anyone want to go?」
After attending Meldie’s group, Haruto began recruiting the next challengers.
However, no one raised their hand.
Of course not.
Everyone had watched through the monitors as Meldie was surrounded and pushed to the limit by monsters.
Haruto had anticipated this outcome.
「No challengers? If you clear the floor, I’ll give you a reward, don’t you want it?」
Haruto was trying to lure his wives with a treat.
It was a very tempting offer for his wives.
If they hadn’t seen Meldie struggling, someone would have instantly volunteered.
However, the challenge was too much.
Still no one raised their hand—
「U-um… …I want to give it a try」
「Eh!?」
To everyone’s surprise, Luna raised her hand.
Even Haruto, who had suggested it, was surprised.
「If I clear the floor, I’ll get a reward, right?」
「Y-yeah. But…… Luna, are you sure?」
「Yes. I have a little plan」
Saying so, Luna gestured for Haruto to come closer and whispered something to him.
「Oh, I see! That strategy sounds like something you’d come up with, Luna. It seems doable. Go ahead and try」
「Thank you. Um, if things get dangerous—」
「Yeah. I’ll definitely come to your aid, so don’t worry」
「Luna, this dungeon is seriously dangerous. You should reconsider」
Meldie, who was slumped in a chair, advised Luna.
Even so, Luna’s determination remained unshaken.
「L-Luna, are you serious? If you’re really going to challenge, then let me help」
Yoko offered to accompany Luna into the dungeon, but Haruto refused.
「Luna will challenge the sixteenth floor alone」
「Haruto-sama, that’s too dangerous!」
「I-it’s true! Meldie struggled on the eleventh floor. I’m sorry, but Luna can’t do it」
「Tina-sensei, Yoko-san, I’ll be fine」
Luna’s face was full of confidence.
「I heard Luna’s plan, and I judged that it’s doable. Let’s give it a shot for now. Good luck, Luna」
「Yes. I’ll do my best!」
After hearing Luna’s readiness, Haruto teleported her away.
「S-she is really going alone..」
While watching Luna on the monitor, Tina looked anxious.
Luna was sent to the sixteenth floor.
There, the monsters were—
「Oh, hey! Isn’t that an Inferno Wolf!?」
Elmia noticed the type of the monsters gathering around Luna, who stood alone on the floor.
「Isn’t that the strongest S-rank wolf-type monster!」
「This is bad. Luna, get out of there!」
「Luna-san, run away!!」
Everyone was worried about Luna.
Through the bracelets, Luna’s voice echoed through the Master Room.
『Haruto-san, please help me!』
Luna was asking Haruto for help.
「 —Eh?」
「W-what’s going on?」
After confidently leaving, Luna quickly sought help, leaving Rifa and Hakua dumbfounded.
「I-I knew it was impossible! Master, get Luna quickly!!」
Yoko urged Haruto to rescue Luna, but—
Haruto didn’t move.
Of course not.
He knew that Luna wasn’t asking for help from him, but a different Haruto.
Something flew out of the bracelet Luna was wearing.
It was Haruto.
Five versions of Haruto surrounded Luna protectively.
Luna then proceeded to cast spells on them.
「Max Power, Maximum Strength Enhancement! Max Magic, Maximum Magic Attack Enhancement! Max Concentration, Maximum Concentration Enhancement! Max Speed, Maximum Speed Enhancement! Ultimate Guard, Ultimate Defense Enhancement!」
Various support spells were granted to the five Harutos.
Due to the curse of the Evil God, Haruto couldn’t receive any effects from support magic.
—- But these were not the real Haruto.
The five Harutos were clones created with magic.
It is magic that transforms ordinary knights into forms of Haruto.
And due to Luna’s increased level, she could now grant support effects on top of other magic.
The clones of Haruto didn’t possess infinite magic power like the real Haruto, but they could equip magic cloaks, making them just as formidable in combat.
And Luna enhanced their attack power, defense, and speed several times over.
In terms of physical combat prowess, these five monsters protecting Luna surpassed Haruto.
『Can one of you protect me? The rest of you, exterminate the monsters on this floor』
『Okay! I’ll protect Luna』
『Got it. I’ll hunt down the monsters』
『Same here』
『I’ll go around from the left』
『Alright, then—』
『『『『Let’s hunt!』』』』
The four monsters were released into the dungeon’s sixteenth floor.