It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

The preliminary battle of great warriors is a preceding battle in wars between dungeons, where five are selected from each side.

Xue was decided as our vanguard to go out first.

It was due to her own wish, as well as recommendations from others.

However, to be honest about it.

I had some concerns.

[Xue has difficulty being fully prepared at once, wouldn't she need preparation time?]

My question was whether she might be ambiguous as a vanguard, although there was no disagreement that Xue would fight well.

[Don't worry, Master.]

[With this one thing...]

However, all three people presented something as a solution to this.

They said there was one simple method that could only be implemented when enemies appeared who didn't need to worry about killing.

That method was...

"My enemy is before you. Sever their windpipe. My Puppy."

...for 'me' to whisper directly to Xue like this.

They said that would be enough for Xue to be fully prepared...

Thud...!!

-Grrrr...

...and this was actually realized.

There's also a difference between 「Madness」 and 「Blood Frenzy」. Unlike 「Madness」 which only strengthens abilities during battle, 「Blood Frenzy」 also responds to emotions.

'But... at the same time, it's not an easy thing.'

To evoke such emotions with just one word from me, how sincere must she be towards me?

It was hard to imagine.

* * *

The white hair dyed red from the root tips, filling the entirety.

Both eyes burning bright red to the point where the whites were barely visible.

Blood frenzy also surged from both arms, making the two gloves no longer black but dark red.

"...Come out..."

Lin Xue, with 「Blood Frenzy」 fully charged yet not rushing into unstoppable madness.

She was already fully prepared.

『Loses reason at maximum, but regains reason as the battle continues.』

This contradicted the explanation Libertas knew, but also didn't.

[Your heart is too hot... Please cool your head more, so you can achieve what you want even without me.]

It might be different for ordinary battles or confrontations.

Wanting her to maintain composure towards the enemy in front was the master's wish and simultaneously her lifelong task.

Also, while 「Madness」 had no trigger for regaining reason at all, 「Blood Frenzy」 was different.

If so, she could become this state as much as she wanted.

With the master's last words, experience transcending characteristics, and the power of will honed through mental training.

-Grrrr...

Crunch.

'Tear... to shreds... blood... Ah... must restrain...'

Of course, it's a state where far more mental restrictions than usual have been released.

"Kruk... You're not lacking as my enemy..."

The one who stepped forward as the vanguard in response to such Xue was an ogre warrior from the Greenskin side.

A giant with green or dark green skin.

Just looking at that aura, one could tell he was a powerful warrior.

This ogre, with a build at least 1.5 times that of Libertas's skeleton ogre, looked down at Xue with an appearance clearly that of a mature and elite individual.

"...Are you my enemy...?"

"Kuhu. That's right...! Give me a heart-pounding battle...!"

"What battle..."

Their confrontation looked almost like David and Goliath.

However, what the blood-colored David held in her hand was not a sling, but far more dangerous destructive magic power.

"Be... gin!"

"Die."

The battle ended quickly.

Just a few seconds after the signal dropped.

-Grrrrrng!

The red slashes that had been flickering in Xue's hands were shot with fierce momentum towards the ogre's head.

"So violent from the start...!"

Bang-!!!

He reacted by twisting his head, but couldn't completely avoid it.

Thud!

He soon collapsed with a torn forehead and concussion.

"Only managed to knock him out..."

Ptui!

Crunch!! Slurp-

Before anyone could stop her, Xue carved out his neck with a blood-filled hand blade, then opened her mouth to drink the blood.

"Recta-!! You bitch!!"

She didn't care about her white suit being stained with blood, nor Zarkra's scream-like shout.

Crunch.

Right after Xue crushed the head of the ogre warrior whose blood she had completely drained.

"Haaah..."

The blood color swirling around her body burned with an even deeper red, and the blood light stretching from her pupils also shone even brighter.

A trait of intensified frenzy that anyone could see had become more powerful.

"Next...! Come out...!!"

Xue, not realizing she had shown too violent an appearance in front of her beloved master, shouted towards the enemy camp, pointing her finger.

With a growling voice that remained a wild cry.

"...That fool."

"Haah."

Whether Evangeline and Ran sighed while holding their heads or not.

* * *

-What happened...? Lady Zarkra.

"I don't know either! Recta was one of the best vanguards in my camp!"

Although they were outwardly blocking sound and not showing any signs, the Dungeon Lords who had witnessed the first battle were in a state of confusion.

Even among adventurers, those who have risen to this rank depart for the borders of the demon realm dreaming of higher honor.

Even if they remain inland, they can live their whole lives just by carrying out requests when young or selling their strength to rural territories when old, with their power alone.

'Elite' is a very high level, and their battles shouldn't end so simply.

"What about you! You didn't say that subordinate of that woman was this powerful!"

"Didn't we already accept that level of risk when we came out?"

When Quirisia spoke as if scolding in response to Zarkra's words, Zarkra's face darkened even more with shame and anger.

"That's true, but... That's clearly... not just a mercenary a newbie would have!"

If it's like that for adventurers, what about monsters?

Elite-grade monsters begin to establish their own individuality.

In the case of demon realm mercenaries who were originally human and became monsters like Xue, their original nature is strengthened, and in cases with strong self-identity like Evangeline, that self-identity is embodied.

"At least on the frontlines of the demon realm...!"

-That's enough.

However, elites like Xue or Evangeline, whose self-identity or nature overflows and is embodied beyond 'legendary', are certainly different from ordinary elites.

They begin to grow into ability users who can change an aspect of the frontline, like Serica when she went berserk.

Just like the difference Xue and the ogre warrior just showed.

And that means.

-Think of it positively, Lady Zarkra.

"Melzeros...! It's not your business!"

-We'll bring the neck and core of such a Dungeon Lord to our Archduke. Along with our growth. Wouldn't he be more pleased then? It's not like that person is your strongest force anyway.

It was as good as saying that their decision to form an alliance and come here was truly the right one.

Although they encountered a greater danger, they are ultimately an alliance of three Dungeon Lords.

In the end, this only made them think that the benefits they would gain would be even greater.

"...That's true."

Zarkra, who had reached that thought at Melzeros's words, also calmed down.

While it was true that the ogre warrior was a powerful vanguard, he wasn't the strongest force of the dungeon she owned, nor was he an object of attachment.

-That's right. Let's think first about what we'll gain.

"Well, fine... Then who's next?"

At Zarkra's question, Melzeros's gaze turned.

To the temporary comrade serving a different Archduke.

-How about... Lady Quirisia stepping forward this time?

"Alright."

At that proposal, Quirisia stepped forward without a word.

The order among them had already been sufficiently discussed, and there was no point in opposing this.

"Come forth, Tarshela."

"Yess!!"

The one who stepped forward was a snake beastkin monster with two pairs of arms.

However, unlike the lamia on Libertas's side, there were two pairs of arms, and several fins stood out on the head and body in addition to scales.

Naga.

A species with a sea snake beastkin form, and unlike lamias who mainly learn magic and other techniques, most are physical combat types.

"I will bring victory to my master."

As if proving such racial tendencies.

The red snake beastkin monster called Tarshela held a trident about the length of a short spear in the upper pair of hands, and a curved sword with an unusually long handle in each of the lower hands.

She could skillfully handle two weapons of different shapes, lengths, and uses.

"This isn't for you to hear, but..."

"Master?"

Quirisia approached her and gripped her shoulder as if to encourage, then whispered quietly enough that others couldn't hear.

"If you think you're going to lose, surrender."

The new standard they should have.

"Why...?"

"Allies are not allies, and enemies are not enemies. In this confusing battlefield, what we need to do is not victory, but self-preservation. Remember that."

"...Understood, my master."

Tarshela, who nodded towards her master and stepped forward like that.

At this point, she was full of will to comply with her master's orders, so she intended to fight moderately and then admit defeat.

However, such thoughts were soon shattered.

"That was an impressive performance, wolf beastkin warrior."

"Shut up. You lot are not only cowardly, but seem to prefer fighting with words... Cowards and blabbermouths. What a great combination."

"You bitch...?!"

While Xue was calm enough to engage in a duel, she was ferocious enough not to immediately recall Libertas's secret agreement with Quirisia.

Tarshela, who received this provocation that wasn't a provocation, became so angry that she forgot her master's advice.

"Begin!"

Bang!!

That feeling manifested as soon as the battle began.

"I'll make you pay for your arrogance...!!"

"Arrogance?"

-Grrrr...

"Just because a bunch of trash like you gather..."

After questioning once at Tarshela's declaration, Xue grinned along with a growling sound.

"...It's arrogance to believe you can do anything to our master."

Gwarrung!!

Along with that grotesque laugh as her mouth tore upwards, both hands filled with blood-colored energy and shot towards the enemy.

Bang! Bang!! Kwabang!

Several shots fired consecutively from her clenched fists hit the protective barrier created by swinging the trident.

'This power...!'

Tarshela was flustered as she felt with her whole body that power which had grazed the ogre's head and knocked him unconscious.

It was such an intense shock that if she hadn't gripped the trident with both hands and prepared sufficiently, she might have dropped it.

It was a power that immediately evaporated the misunderstanding that the ogre must have been careless.

'If I'm not careful, I might die before I can surrender...!'

Siiik.

At this, Tarshela threw away all carelessness and excessive excitement, and instead began to avoid Xue's attacks while feeling the excitement of a warrior.

To catch the moment to activate her characteristic.

Clang! Clang!! Kaang!!!

With each collision of the two weapons, the wave of magic power gradually grew.

Characteristic 「Shock Accumulation」.

Similar to Evangeline's 「Accumulating Strong Strike」, but with easier conditions and somewhat weaker results.

This was a characteristic Tarshela had manifested after devouring a whale monster, and one of the means to counter the violent blood-colored magic power enveloping Xue's entire body.

"Ha."

Seeing the growing wave, Xue smiled once as if mocking, stopped her attack, and accelerated her 'second heart'.

Kiiiing-!!

Her entire body trembled.

「Blood Frenzy」 close to full power.

「Blood Wolf Fang」 which gained the ability to temporarily amplify power.

And 「Magic Power Rampage」 on top of that.

She was drawing out power that couldn't be used if what was in front of her wasn't an enemy.

Crunch!!

With a light stomp on the ground, the surface split into dozens of pieces, revealing that restrained power.

Grrruruk...!!

The blood-colored magic power spreading out enlarged the cracks.

Kiiing!!

The power covering her entire body gathered in two directions.

One to her two feet, the other to her right hand.

Gururung...!

In her right hand raised vertically towards the sky, power with intense momentum filled up.

Power with the momentum to pierce through everything in its way.

And when that power reached its peak...

「Red Wall」

Gwarrung-!!!

A single lightning bolt crossed the space.

Not vertically, but horizontally.

In red.