"I think Ive caught a bit of a lead."
Looking down at the spot where Bernato had vanished into a cloud of red smoke, I mulled over the situation.
We had launched a combined assault with silver weapons and magic.
After revealing the Soul Core, Damien took the shot.
The basic tactics for dealing with vampires were slowly taking shape. I nodded in satisfaction.
Good. We just have to progress one step at a ti like this.
Just then,
"Excellent, challengers! You have proven yourselves worthy!"
From the stage, Jackals voice resonated loudly.
"Yes, worthy of facing , Jackal the Gladiator King, directly!"
Ding!
[Flaming Colosseum - Wave 7]
- Defeat the enemy!
- Lv.75 Gladiator King: 1 Unit
- Victory Payout Ratio: None
As the system window updated.
Thud-!
The final wave, and the last boss of this colosseum dungeon.
The Gladiator King, Jackal, himself descended into the arena.
I was wondering why there was no victory payout ratio, and then I noticed all the goblins in the stands were dead.
Apparently, Jackal had killed them all with his own hands. Damn it!
"Its been so long since Ive stood in the colosseum myself!"
Jackal, who was spinning his short swords flamboyantly in his hands, muttered with a smug look.
"This battle should be all mine. Thats why I cleared out the useless spectators."
Thump. Thump.
Watching the NPC boss, who was gradually closing the distance, I swallowed nervously.
Gladiator King Jackal.
In the ga, he had a special ability to dodge the first attack every turn.
Whether it was his special ability or the colosseums betting odds, either way, his specs were way out of our league. Level 75.
Wed lose if we fought him.
Wed definitely die.
"Jackal."
And yet, the reason I ca here was because I had a way to incapacitate this boss.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke emphatically.
"Everblack hasnt forgotten you."
"...Excuse ?"
Jackals threatening approach ca to an abrupt halt.
"What did you say...?"
"I said Everblack hasnt forgotten you."
In the ga, why did speedrunners rush to the colosseum from the very beginning?
Even if you could clear the previous waves using gimmicks, how would you deal with this formidable boss?
The answer was simple.
You dont fight.
You use an event to skip it.
Jackals identity is an agent dispatched from the Everblack Empire decades ago.
Decades ago, when the empires intelligence agency (todays Aegis Special Forces) received rumors about the dungeon under the lake, they sent special agents into the dungeon.
Unfortunately, these agents were kidnapped and brought to the colosseum during their dungeon investigation, where they were treated like slaves and forced to fight as gladiators.
After a long ti, all the agents died, but Jackal, who was of a long-lived race, survived.
In the process, he killed the previous Gladiator King and beca the new one.
But by then, decades had already passed.
Realizing that returning to the empire now would be aningless, Jackal decided to spend the rest of his life as the Gladiator King, guarding the colosseum.
So, how do you skip the battle?
It was simple in the ga. You just had to throw him an item called Prince Ashs Relic.
Prince Ash is supposed to die in the tutorial.
However, the relic remained in Lucass inventory afterward.
Players often complained about this seemingly useless item taking up an inventory slot until its purpose was revealed.
Receiving the royal relic, Jackal mistakes Lucas for royalty and lets the party go unhard. That was the trick.
Now, that was in the ga.
What about ?
Just na drop.
A boss who can be persuaded with a relic should be even easier to convince when I, the prince himself, prove my identity. Ga over, right?
"Everblack... hasnt forgotten ?"
Jackal, who had been murmuring in a trembling voice, quickly knelt in front of .
"What is your noble na, sir?"
"Ash. Ash Born Hater Everblack."
I took out the black jade badge from my pocket and showed it to him.
"Im the third prince of the royal family."
"My goodness, is this possible...?"
Jackal, who had been overjoyed to receive the badge, bowed to .
"I thought I had been forgotten... I thought the Empire had forgotten , and I tried to forget the Empire."
"Jackal, even if you were to forget the na Everblack, the Empire has never forgotten you."
"Ah..."
"Even if the Empire were to forget you, I promise you."
I placed my hand on my chest.
"I, Ash, will rember you."
Tears stread down from behind Jackals mask, pouring down his chin.
"Thank you. Thank you. My ti spent here... was not in vain."
Seeing Jackal this sad and happy made feel a bit guilty, but, well, what does it matter. I really am going to rember him now.
***
The information I explained to Jackal was as follows:
I am a prince who has received the Emperors secret orders to personally investigate the dungeon.
In the process, I identified the list of soldiers and agents from the Empire who had previously gone missing in the dungeon.
The dungeon boss Jackal and the missing agent with the codena Jackal overlapped, so I ca here to figure it out.
Upon reflection, it was a full of holes explanation, but Jackal did not doubt it for a second.
"Just by not forgetting my na. I am saved by that alone."
After the boss mode ended and Jackal beca a normal NPC, he spoke in a calm voice.
I wonder if this guy is the sa person as the Gladiator Jackal who was spouting nonsense just a little while ago.
"Jackal, could you help with the dungeon exploration in the future?"
I asked with a glimr of hope.
Jackal is a whopping level 75 character.
If its possible to recruit him, or even just call him for support, it would make things much easier moving forward.
But Jackal slowly shook his head.
"Once you beco the Gladiator King, your body is bound to this Colosseum."
"I see..."
"I can provide all the help I can within this area, but I cannot use any power outside of this Zone. Im sorry..."
Jackal sincerely bowed his head in apology.
No, no, its who tried to take too much advantage. Im sorry.
"Anyway, Jackal."
I decided to bring up the main point.
"I need an item called Dark Crystal... Do you happen to have any?"
"Of course, of course! How many do you need? Just tell !"
In the ga, if you skip the boss fight with Jackal using this trick, you can trade items with him afterwards as a rchant NPC. One of the items was the Dark Crystal.
But this ti, I got it for free. I decided to take only three for now. I dont need any more at the mont.
[Dark Crystal]
- Category: Material
- A crystal ford from the darkness of hell. If you listen closely, it seems like you can hear whispers. It is rarely found in dungeons from the 5th area and beyond.
This was my first encounter with the Dark Crystal, a material item that would repetitively go into the manufacture of top-tier items in the later stages.
I quickly put it in my inventory. With this, Ive gathered all the materials needed for crafting the weapon for the fortress.
"Is there anything else you need, Your Highness?"
Jackal seed eager to do anything for . He was fidgeting in front of .
"It may be presumptuous of to say this, but in this area, I am the most powerful being! Just give an order!"
"Well, then..."
After a mont of hesitation, I asked sheepishly.
"Do you have a place where we could get so sleep? My party mbers are all exhausted and they need to rest."
***
"I heard it was a two-day trip, and we brought all the camping gear. Naturally, I thought wed be camping."
Inside the Colosseum. Gladiators quarters.
Our party entered this place with surprisingly clean beds lined up. As Evangeline dropped her bag on the floor, she began to speak.
"I was surprised that we could get such a decent place to stay. I didnt expect that."
"Indeed. And were in the middle of a dungeon, too."
Junior chid in.
"We were prepared to sleep on a hard floor, but a bed! Were truly lucky!"
"Hurrah!"
Evangeline and Junior leapt onto the bed in unison.
I chuckled and put down my bag next to the bed.
"Its disconcerting, honestly. Theyre being too accommodating."
"You turned a formidable enemy into an ally in an instant with just a few words."
Junior chuckled, a gleam in her eyes.
"Your Highness is truly remarkable."
"Um... well..."
Rather than being remarkable, it was more about using the strategies I already knew. But they say information is the most powerful weapon. I guess I should be grateful for rembering all the strategies.
"But, are we sharing this room?"
Evangeline, who was rolling around on the blanket like a pill bug, frowned and asked . Huh?
"Of course, well share. Did you think we would use separate rooms?"
"But there are two ladies here... We cant ignore gender differences..."
"My goodness. Talking about ladies. Where are the ladies in this room?"
All I see is a little pill bug and a blood machine.
"What are you saying?! Im a lady!"
"What will you do if I dont believe you."
"This is what Ill do-!"
Evangeline grabbed a pillow and gave a light thump on my back. You!
"You cheeky little bug-!"
Ill put a stop to her antics this ti! I grabbed a pillow and gave a hard whack to Evangelines head.
"Kyaa!"
With a dignified scream, Evangeline glared at . I glared back. Whats the big deal!
A mont later.
"We finished taking... showers..."
Lucas and Damien, who went to take a shower first, returned to find Evangeline and I earnestly engaging in a pillow fight. Thump, thump, thump.
"Lucas!"
With feathers from the burst pillow stuck all over my head, I tossed a pillow to Lucas.
"Join the fight!"
"Yes, my lord."
Without a monts hesitation, Lucas grabbed the pillow with both hands and charged in.
"Wow! Its not fair to fight two against one!"
As it turned into a 2 vs. 1, Evangeline scread and called out to Junior.
"Help , Juju! Youre on my side, right?!"
"No... I dont want to take sides..."
"If you dont help now, Ill stick to you and bother you when we sleep!"
"Hmm..."
Junior, who had been hesitant, snapped her fingers.
With that, a wind magic spell was activated, and blankets flew up to hit Lucas and . I scread in surprise.
"Its low, so unfair! Recruiting a magician!"
"You started the 2 vs. 1, senior!"
"In that case, fine! Ill call in my best cheat character too! Damien!"
I called to my sniper who hadnt joined the pillow fight yet and turned my head.
"Quick, help us! Youre on the emperors side, right?!"
"..."
But Damien, lying on the bed in the corner, seed to be ignoring my words. Damien?
"...Zzz..."
"Hes already asleep!"
In the end, Lucas and I were wrapped up in blankets and laid side by side on the bed next to Damiens. Damn, I cant move...
"I apologize, my lord. My incompetence is to bla..."
"Its not your fault, Lucas... Its because of the evil alliance of these ladies..."
Thats when it happened. Junior, watching our misery, covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter.
"Pfft..."
"..."
Unlike the smiles Junior had shown before, there was no pretense in her laughter.
It felt like she had opened up to us, if only a little.
So, I felt a bit relieved.
"Lets get so sleep, everyone. We must all be tired."
"Indeed, my lord... Sohow... I feel very sleepy..."
"Haha. It feels so sweet to sleep after winning. Good night!"
"Everyone, good night."
"...Zzz..."
Each leaving a short greeting, my party mbers fell asleep one by one.
They must have been tired; they were all out like lights.
Listening to the quiet breaths of the sleeping children... my eyes began to close as well.
I fell asleep quite comfortably.
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