chapter03 · 075-ep75
Episode 72: Black Tiger's Bewilderment
Since Karin Yamada announced her solo deep-layer conquest, Black Tiger's main members had left the city center. They'd moved some of their assets to a base in Okutama and gone into hiding there, fully equipped. Kuroi's intuition sensed nothing amiss, but they were wary that the conspicuous conquest announcement might be a diversion ahead of a surprise Anti-Dungeon Division raid or arrests on unrelated charges. Unlike their Tokyo headquarters, the Okutama base had few houses nearby and various secret escape routes, making it easier to respond if something happened.
Now, in that base, Black Tiger's leading executives had gathered to watch Karin Yamada's stream. They could hardly ignore a deep-layer conquest she'd actually begun. But—
"AAAAAAAAAAH! All the information on monsters we worked so hard to defeat! It's going to waste!"
"How does she figure out and explain the abilities of monsters she's never SEEN before like it's nothing!?"
"What the hell IS this monster!?"
The Okutama base had been full of wailing ever since Karin entered the deep layers. Her choice of Okutama Dungeon, Black Tiger's main territory, had already been enough to leave them speechless. But the relentless stream of conquest footage was simply too much.
A mist defeated barehanded.
The discovery of the exact timing to interrupt the shockwave of the insectoid—officially named an Insect Warrior Impact.
Evading the Dragon Cannon's deadly long-range shot on first encounter, then returning it to create a shortcut.
Her combat power was abnormal enough, but she was also broadcasting to the world, for free, secrets Black Tiger had gathered and accumulated at the risk of their lives. Some of what she revealed was new even to them. All their hard work was rapidly coming to nothing.
"H-how is she doing this...?"
"There's a traitor among us! One of you passed our deep-layer intel to that crazy brat through the Anti-Dungeon Division, didn't you!? Even if she's strong, there's no other way she could clear this place so smoothly without a scratch!"
"Huh!? Why the hell are you looking at ME!?"
Most of the executives had lost their composure. Even Toko Dodomeki, a Black Tiger executive with the air of a capable professional who kept a calm face outwardly, looked pale as she spoke.
"W-we've already lost more than a billion yen in information assets...! And if other top clans use Karin Yamada's public information to enter Okutama, prices of materials we currently supply exclusively could fall, increasing the actual damage..."
Dodomeki's unique skill let her know the location of someone she'd seen once. She could feel Karin advancing through the deep layers at an impossible pace. The sensation was so nightmarish that she wanted to turn off her mark altogether.
"I-if she somehow conquers the deep layers, the ultimate losses could be beyond prediction...! And the media people and operatives we forced into the smear campaign won't stop contacting us about what'll happen to them if Karin Yamada gains even more influence and sways public opinion against us—"
"Everyone, calm down!"
Clan master Kuroi raised his voice at his distraught key personnel. "I understand why that otherworldly footage is upsetting. But calm down. She's a monster who punched that Storm Dragon to death in Shibuya without taking a scratch. So far, this is within expectations."
He spoke quietly to settle the executives. Granted, even Kuroi had let out a 'What?' when Karin Yamada started exploring Okutama's high-difficulty dungeon, of all places. But thinking about it calmly, he was almost grateful she'd go to such reckless lengths just to hurt them financially.
Losing their information assets stung. Yet if the monster got herself killed in a high-difficulty dungeon, the hundreds of millions lost along the way were simply a necessary expense. Of course, if she actually achieved a solo conquest, they'd be nothing but enormous losses. But Kuroi was certain an achievement like that was out of the question.
"Karin Yamada is an extraordinary monster. There's no doubt. Clearing floor 1 of a high-difficulty dungeon's deep layers, in a dungeon that reaches the abyssal layers, without a scratch is absurd. I understand why you worry she'll conquer the rest. But—the other world isn't that forgiving."
Kuroi spoke with confidence. "Magic creatures have all sorts of traits. The deep layers contain countless obstacles no lone explorer can overcome with mere strength. As you all know, that is especially true of Okutama from floor 2 on."
A sound from Karin's stream made his mouth curl upward. "See? One of floor 2's troublesome residents has already appeared."
One of the many challenges that made Okutama Dungeon so difficult was about to bare its fangs at Karin.
〇
"That's a strange noise, desu wa."
Karin had entered floor 2 of Okutama Dungeon's deep layers without taking a break after floor 1. In the dim, immense passage stretching endlessly before her, she muttered to herself.
KIIIN—KIIIN—
A high-pitched sound echoed throughout the cavern and grew louder and louder.
【What's that noise?】
【Some kind of cry?】
【With all the echoes, I can't even tell where it's coming from】
【What is it?】
【Any mysterious phenomenon in the deep layers is reason to be on guard!】
The sound came through clearly on the stream, and viewers were puzzled too.
"Ah. This feels like those troublesome—" Karin murmured. The next instant—
"There you are, desu wa!"
She suddenly threw a punch. Again and again her fists struck the air right beside her, sending tremors through it.
But—
【!? Karin ojou-sama, what are you doing!?】
【Why'd she suddenly start that!?】
【Ojou-sama, why are you punching empty space!?】
【Is something invisible there? Doesn't look like it...】
【Karin ojou-sama!? What's wrong!?】
【Does she not even SEE the comments!?】
【What is this? Her usual weird behavior?】
【Okay, Karin ojou-sama always acts like she's confused, but this feels different!?】
【What's wrong, Karin ojou-sama!?】
"Take that, and that, and that, desu wa!"
Karin continued striking at nothing, not even answering chat. And as if enjoying the sight of her caught in their trap—
""""Kiki, kiki, kiki!""""
KIIIN—KIIIN—
Several bat-shaped monsters emerged from the darkness, filling it with the strange cries.
〇
"Got her!"
Kuroi's triumphant shout rang through the Okutama base. On the tablet, Karin Yamada kept punching empty space while several monsters approached her from behind.
Hypnosis bats were bat-shaped monsters found on floor 2 of Okutama Dungeon's deep layers. Their vicious ability was hypnosis induced by eerie soundwaves. They could place anyone who heard them in a state of hallucination and confusion.
This was a status condition caused by what was commonly called hypnotic magic. Its victims might take their allies for monsters and attack them, or imagine an enemy in empty space while failing to notice a real monster's assault. Once it took hold, fighting properly became impossible. Worse, it could only be dispelled by a powerful impact near the head, and the nature of 'hypnotic magic' meant its victims couldn't even recognize the hallucination for what it was.
It was one of the most vicious debuffs, and the few monsters capable of inflicting it were all considered especially dangerous, feared even by veteran explorers. What made hypnosis bats particularly troublesome was that they used sound.
Usually monsters with hypnotic magic used a medium like visual stimuli or scent, which could be avoided to some extent. But in an enclosed underground space, a hypnosis bat's soundwaves echoed and resonated, growing stronger and causing hypnosis that was nearly impossible to avoid. They stood out even among the rare monsters that used hypnotic magic. The special soundwaves permeated the body, rendering even plugged ears useless.
Their outrageous power had one weakness: even if a whole swarm cried in unison to strengthen it, they could only hypnotize one person at a time. Hypnotizing a party took time. Companions could deliver a strong impact to the first person affected to dispel it, and repeat the process as they fought the bats.
Not that it was easy. Every time a member was hypnotized, the party had to disrupt its coordination to strike them hard enough. If other monsters attacked with the hypnosis bats, the delay in dispelling their magic could leave one party member after another confused. Still, there was a way to deal with them.
For a party, that was.
A solo explorer encountering them for the first time would realize the hypnosis's effect too late. They could no longer perceive reality properly, no one would be there to break the spell, and they would leave a fatal opening before the ferocious monsters of the deep layers.
Just as Karin Yamada was doing now.
【Wait... Isn't this bad...?】
【Is Karin ojou-sama hallucinating!?】
【Those bats did it!?】
【What!? Hypnosis is bad enough against a solo explorer. Are they causing it with SOUND!?】
【No one here can give her the impact needed to break it!?】
【Wait, surely the ojou-sama has resistance...?】
【Hypnosis monsters are really rare, so she wouldn't have many chances to gain resistance like she did with poison!】
【I heard hypnosis works even against people far above the monster's level...】
【And Karin ojou-sama seems like she'd be easy to hypnotize...】
【This is no time for jokes! She's in the deep layers. Isn't she in real danger!?】
Viewers belatedly recognized what was wrong and screamed at the unexpected, sudden crisis.
""KIIIIIIIIIH!""
"GIIIIIIIIH!"
Exactly what they feared happened. Two hypnosis bats flew out from the swarm, and an Insect Warrior Impact, apparently drawn by the presence of a hypnotized explorer, attacked Karin with them.
A powerful impact would dispel the hypnosis. As if understanding this, the deep-layer monsters aimed their claws and fangs mercilessly for her neck and chest—vital points where one blow could kill.
【KARIN OJOU-SAMAAAAAAA!】
【Oh god, no, snap out of it, please stop】
【Can't somebody DO something!?】
"Hahahaha! No one can! Die among these monsters without ever recognizing the arrogance of thinking you could conquer the dungeon WE opened up all alone!" Kuroi cried triumphantly, as viewers screamed.
"Ah, so this IS a hallucination, desu wa."
At that instant, Karin stepped aside.
"Gih!?"
Still staring vacantly into space, she effortlessly dodged the attack of the Insect Warrior Impact closing in from behind.
"The information from my five senses doesn't match what my detection skills tell me. It feels horrible~. I'd better break the hypnosis quickly!"
DOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!
""GIIIIIIIIIIIIH!?""
Of the monsters attacking her, Karin precisely targeted only the hypnosis bats and headbutted them. Trapped between her forehead and the dungeon wall, they burst apart. The impact made the dungeon groan, and large cracks spread from where her forehead struck.
"Phew! A strong impact breaks a hallucination right away. That's the basics, desu wa! Though I always do this, so I never seem to develop a resistance skill... Today's stream isn't prioritizing Elegance too much, but being vulnerable to hypnosis is a bit questionable for my usual Elegant streams. I should properly acquire the skill someday."
She rubbed her unmarked forehead. Then, in one fluid motion, she defeated the Insect Warrior Impact she'd ignored for the moment.
【...Eh?】
【What?】
【Eh?】
【Eh?】
【Wait, did she break the hypnosis herself...? With a HEADBUTT...?】
【The whole point of hypnosis is that you can't tell you're hypnotized... So how could she break it herself...?】
【Wait, is her detection skill so well trained, or her level so high, that it doesn't work properly on her...?】
Chat, which had been screaming moments before, fell into stunned speculation.
"What...?"
Kuroi froze at the incomprehensible sight too. But he quickly recovered.
"N-no, of course! With her absurd strength, the hypnosis might be less effective! But it DOES work on the monster! If she must constantly compare her senses with her detection skills and keep headbutting things to break it, she WILL wear herself down! Floor 2 is a nest of hypnosis bats. Their soundwaves strengthen in chorus and echo constantly through the caves! She can't get through these long passages alone and unharmed, with other monsters attacking too!"
He spelled out floor 2's most malicious feature.
"""KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!"""
KIIIN—KIIIN—
As if proving him right, the surviving hypnosis bats, furious over their dead companions, intensified their hypnotic cries. Karin could feel the trouble they posed.
"Hmm. This is annoying. Breaking the hypnosis is easy, but having to headbutt something each time slows me down. Covering my ears doesn't seem to help. And for my attempt to dispel it to count as a 'strong impact,' I have to hit hard enough to pulverize a dungeon wall. It doesn't make for very Elegant footage..."
She pressed a finger to her cheek and thought.
"...Ah! I know. I can do THIS, desu wa! How simple!"
Karin drew her floating camera toward her and covered its microphone with a finger. Then she drew a deep breath—and the next instant:
"SHUT THE HELL UUUUUUUUUUP, DESU WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!!!!
KIIIIIIIIIN! DOGOOOOOOOOOOOO—!
She used no skills or magical equipment. Her pure, outrageously loud and 'Elegant' voice rang out from deep in her belly, echoed throughout the cavern, and drowned out every hypnotic soundwave.
And not only that—
""""KIIIIIIIIIIIH!?!?!?""""
THUD THUD THUD THUD!
Unfortunately for the bats, their hearing was exceptionally good. The ojou-sama's colossal voice overwhelmed and blew away their hypnotic cries. Foaming at the mouth, they all fell at once.
"YEEEEEEEES! I CAN KEEP MOVING WHILE DROWNING OUT THE HYPNOTIC SOUND, DESU WAAAAAAAAAAAA! HUUUUUH!? THINGS ARE FALLING OUT OF THE AIRRRRRRRRR!?"
CRUNCH!
Still yelling as she walked, Karin trampled the fallen bats to death. The entire swarm there was wiped out in moments without a chance to resist.
【WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?】
【EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?】
【WHAT IS THIS, DESU WAAAAAAAA!?】
【SHE COVERED THE MIC AND IT'S STILL SO LOUD IT ALMOST BLEW OUT MY EARDRUMS!?】
【Now you're all SHOUTING in chat too! It's too loud!】
【Um... those ARE deep-layer monsters lying on the ground foaming at the mouth, aren't they...?】
【Is she Uvo from HUN○ER × HUNTER!?】
【Even Uvo had to shout right into an enemy's ear to defeat him...】
【W-well, Karin ojou-sama IS clearly the ultimate Enhancer...】
【But this Enhancer ojou-sama has gone beyond the limits of Conjuration too!?】
【Are WE the ones under hypnosis, seeing weird things through our screens...?】
Karin charged through floor 2, using her all-encompassing roar to smother the hypnotic soundwaves. Her almost breathless shouting tormented the monsters that appeared, and she swiftly dispatched them as usual.
"Uh..."
Kuroi stared in disbelief. Karin had reached the floor 2 boss room in no time at all.
Black Tiger's current loss in information assets: ¥1.5 billion.
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(I've quietly corrected some typos...! Thank you for pointing them out, desu wa...!)