Chapter

chapter04 · 120-ep120

Episode 116: Elegant Deep-Layer Conquest Revenge Stream

"Phew. Somehow, I ended up under the police's care again the other day, desu wa ne..."

Roughly a week had passed since Karin reflexively shattered the arm of the suspicious man who fired a mysterious attack at her while she was enjoying a rare outing with Mafuyu.

Karin let out a light sigh on her way home.

Afterward, the police had explained that the suspicious person was "a troublesome viewer seeking to test his strength," and reported that there was no issue with the treatment costs or her use of mana in public—in fact, they thanked her for helping arrest him. Therefore, matters had concluded neatly without Karin being charged with anything... but something about it still didn't sit right with her.

"Hmm. This is only a feeling, but somehow the police have the same air as Mafuyu... or rather, I feel as though they may be helping me much more than I know, desu wa ne."

She had no particular evidence.

She simply felt that way, and it left her with a persistent desire to repay the police somehow.

Actually, even without that uneasy feeling, the police had repeatedly helped her with Honoka's situation, Black Tiger's aftermath, and more. Somewhere along the line, she wanted to repay them properly and express her gratitude in more than mere words.

However, they were the police, a public authority. Karin prided herself on doing reasonably well as an explorer, but surely multiple stronger people belonged to the police. She could hardly repay an organization like that by condescending to "help" them, and in the first place, they were public servants. They probably couldn't accept a personal gift. Which meant—

"...Yes. If I wish to give them anything in return, my only option is to work hard on my Elegant dungeon streams, desu wa ne!"

Karin clenched a fist as if blowing away her murky feelings.

It might have partly been social courtesy, but during her earlier collaboration with the Metropolitan Police commissioner-general, they had been delighted that it helped recruit so many <Divine Artisan> holders. After the rookie-police instruction stream, they had thanked her profusely because even applicants for ordinary officer positions had increased. Thankfully, Karin's channel now possessed an unbelievable number of subscribers, and concurrents naturally reached the millions. Her long period of three subscribers and almost zero concurrents had left it difficult for her to feel the reality of it, but Mafuyu too said her influence was considerable.

If Karin had anything she could give them in return, it would be to accept any future police sponsorship at the highest priority and return some positive influence.

"In that case, all the still-inexperienced me can do is continue conquering dungeons Elegantly like Setsuna-sama and properly run my channel."

Karin gathered her determination anew.

"And so, tomorrow, just as planned, I shall finally challenge that. I must entertain everyone with my first Elegant dungeon conquest in some time!"

She slapped her cheeks lightly and hurried home so she could rest early in preparation for tomorrow's stream.

※

"Good day to you all, desu wa~. As I announced the other day, today is my first solo deep-layer stream since Okutama Dungeon, desu no!"

The next day, in the middle of the weekend afternoon.

Wearing her usual frilly dress and the hair ornament Setsuna-sama had given her, Karin began streaming from inside a dungeon.

【Good day to you, desu wa~】

【Thank goodness for an ojou-sama weekend stream, desu wa~!】

【It's heeeere, desu wa!】

【I've been looking forward to this, desu no!】

【The insanity of a solo deep-layer stream (with dress) starting like it's the most natural thing in the world】

【⚠Soloing the deep layers is extremely dangerous—or rather, normally impossible. For details, see the more-sane Mitsuki-sama's explanation video! → URL】

【↑A disclaimer that goes without saying for anyone whose brain isn't ojou-sama...】

【Realizing I casually accepted "Oh, it's an ojou-sama solo deep-layer stream today" makes me shudder, desu wa!】

【Is she a perception-obscuring apparition?】

【I can feel ojou-sama steadily eroding my common sense, desu wa!?】

【Common-Sense-Altering Ojou-sama!】

【Walking Hypnosis-App Ojou-sama!】

【Ojou-sama, are you already inside the dungeon?】

【Not only is she inside, but what looks like a lower-layer boss has already died in the background. Truly Lmao】

Between several advance announcements and the weekend afternoon timing, the stream shot past one million concurrents at once. As the many comments flowed, Karin—who had already reached the lower layers—explained today's stream again.

"And I told you this in advance as well, but today's solo deep-layer stream is my revenge attempt at an Elegant conquest, desu wa! In my previous solo deep-layer conquest, I prioritized dispelling the allegations and keeping the video moving, so I used my <Divine Artisan> equipment. But this time I shall use nothing but my fists! While showing the results of my recent training, I intend to see how far I can go in Setsuna-sama's Elegant style, desu no!"

【!?】

【This ojou-sama has finally begun invading not just the lower but the deep layers with Elegance...】

【That announcement wasn't a typo after all, desu no!?】

【She's seriously doing this...?】

【I predicted the Setsuna-sama encouragement would power her up... Eh, no, isn't this too fast!?】

【W-well, the fanbook uproar the other day established the training flag...】

【It's only been about a WEEK since the fanbook incident, hello...】

【This ojou-sama has a prior offense of copying Mitsuki-sama's sword technique almost instantly, then fully mastering it after only a few lessons】

【Was that the stream where everyone said it was like a wild bear learning karate...?】

【W-well, Karin ojou-sama is Karin ojou-sama. As long as it isn't a high-difficulty deep layer, she can manage a completely barehanded full-evasion run, desu wa!】

Indeed. Today's stream was her revenge for the Elegant conquest she had been unable to perform during the previous solo deep-layer broadcast.

Karin's dungeon-streaming concept was fundamentally Elegant broadcasts using Setsuna Kiryuuin of Dungeon Alive's combat style: fists plus perfect evasion in a dress. But recent circumstances—prioritizing the removal of her Genocide image among them—had prevented many fist-only Elegant streams, and she worried people might have forgotten that aspect.

To begin with, a considerable portion of her viewers had subscribed because of the allegation-dispelling solo deep-layer stream, and it seemed many did not recognize her earliest fist-only Elegant conquests as the channel's core concept.

Then Sharie's arrival apparently softened the Genocide image, and the unexpected opportunity for training let Karin feel her own growth, so she decided to return to her roots.

She might as well take advantage of the buzz around her first attempt at an Elegant deep-layer stream and firmly remind viewers of her channel concept. That was how this broadcast came about. And since it was also an opportunity to show Setsuna-sama the strength she had gained in response to her encouragement, Karin's fighting spirit was on another level.

Having received the announcement in advance, the viewers had generally accepted Karin's challenge... but then—

"And so, the dungeon I am diving today is a high-difficulty dungeon possessing abyssal layers! By fortunate chance, I found one nearby whose deep layers have monster-sama appearance patterns similar to Okutama Dungeon's, where I could not perform an Elegant conquest last time. Therefore, I shall attempt my Elegant deep-layer conquest here, desu wa!"

【Hah?】

She did not give the specific name as a measure against people confronting her in person... but the instant Karin described her current dungeon, the viewers froze on the other side of the screen.

Then, several moments later, they processed her words.

【Hold on!? When you said you'd conquer the deep layers with fists alone, you didn't mean ordinary deep layers!?】

【High-difficulty deep layers!?】

【When you said revenge, you meant seriously taking revenge on a high-difficulty deep layer with an Elegant conquest!?】

【Are you serious!?】

【Whoa, it's mostly vanished already so I noticed late, but that lower-layer boss dying behind her only appears in high-difficulty dungeons!?】

【I thought Karin ojou-sama might be insane but would at least advance in stages. I was a fool, desu wa!】

【Wait, wait, she's seriously jumping straight to high difficulty!?】

【You're showing the results of training when it's only been around two weeks since Setsuna-sama's encouragement!?】

【Eh, hold on, "as far as I can go" means she seriously believes she can Elegantly conquer a significant portion of a high-difficulty deep layer...!?】

【I mean, true, there were plenty of parts in Okutama Dungeon where she managed barehanded, but still!】

【Are you saying you'll defeat deep-layer bosses like the Storm Dragon with fists only AND perfect evasion!?】

【Bare hands only and zero hits is surely impossible, desu no!?】

"Fufufu, thank you for building excitement in the video with such enthusiastic setup, everyone, desu wa! Now then, so that those who recently subscribed may properly understand the channel concept, I shall begin conquering this dungeon's deep layers Elegantly, desu wa ne!"

Leaving behind the agitated comments—【That isn't setup!】【Those are our GENUINE REACTIONS????????】—after her ambush of an insane declaration.

Karin turned her back on the final lower-layer boss being absorbed by the dungeon and trotted into the high-difficulty deep layers.

"HI, GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!?"

Immediately after Karin entered the deep layers.

The death cry of a mist-type monster, which normally took no physical damage and could only be defeated by its weak attribute, echoed through the vast cavern. Its body had been evaporated by Karin's heat-generating fist, leaving it no means of resistance before it vanished.

"This is a monster-sama I defeated with my fists last time too, desu wa ne! It has again been safely vanquished by my Elegant idea, the Adiabatic-Compression Fist, desu wa!"

【U-uwah. A mist appeared right away...】

【This seriously is a high-difficulty dungeon with appearance patterns similar to Okutama, desu wa yo...】

【I still don't understand how rotation and the snap of her arm cause adiabatic compression around her fist, desu wa!】

【Lmao she quietly corrected her frictional-heat statement】

【Yamadaaa! We haven't forgotten your smug frictional-heat claim, Yamadaaa!】

【Enchant Fire (Physical) is seriously Lmao】

【If she can do this, then sure, it seems possible to beat the others barehanded too...】

【Killing them with punches is one thing, but aren't there a lot she can't fully evade Elegantly without <Divine Artisan> equipment...?】

【What is she going to do about bosses in particular, desu no!?】

【She doesn't plan to go all the way, but even so, won't this be rough?】

【I no longer doubt ojou-sama's strength, but I still can't picture her clearing without <Divine Artisan> equipment and taking zero damage, desu wa yo!】

The comment section again filled with awed remarks about Karin genuinely challenging high-difficulty deep layers and defeating a supposedly physical-immune monster with her fists.

But at the same time, after what the viewers had seen in Okutama Dungeon, many voices remained skeptical that she could perfectly evade and conquer monsters with so many special abilities using only fists and a dress.

Naturally, none were condemning Karin for making empty boasts. But Karin was a streamer who had spent years buried under accusations that her videos were fake, so she remained slightly sensitive to doubts of that kind, and her pace naturally quickened.

"Many monster-samas around here are varieties I have already defeated with fists alone, so I should like to hurry onward, desu wa ne!"

She walked swiftly, hoping to quickly reach the monsters she'd previously defeated using <Divine Artisan> equipment... but perhaps this was the dungeon's malice at work.

""""""KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!""""""

As if to interfere with Karin's intention, countless roars rang through the enormous cavern.

Insect Warrior Impacts.

They wielded weapons for close-range combat with many arms, and possessed a special ability to absorb and release physical impacts.

And this was no pack of a few, or even a few dozen.

A horde large enough to fill the wide corridor came flooding in.

【Ugh, what IS this!?】

【Too many!】

【A stampede-sized horde in the deep layers is pure nightmare fuel...】

【This has to be revenge from the hundred bugs hunted to make that shockwave bomb!】

【They're disgusting, desu wa!?】

The viewers gave small screams at the insect horde attacking all at once.

But—

ZUBABABABABABABA!

This was Karin ojou-sama.

Wearing her dress, she perfectly dodged the countless attacks launched from every direction.

"Ei, ei, ei, ei!" She punched the Insect Warriors again and again between evasions. Then, just as an enemy attempted to release the shock, she cried, "Look over there, desu wa!" lifted its body, and spun it around. She forced it to unleash its shockwave into the enemy formation, whittling away the horde of impact-absorbing monsters.

However—

【As always, the fact none of that hits makes me think it's an optical illusion lmaooo】

【The bug forced to launch a shockwave at its allies by "Look over there" is reacting so perfectly. Truly Lmao】

【No, but their numbers are barely falling, desu no!?】

【There are seriously too many, desu wa!?】

【Even with "Look over there," aren't there too many for fists alone!?】

【She'll obviously win without issue, but it looks like this could take a while, desu wa ne】

"Hmm. This is indeed a little troublesome, desu wa ne."

Just as the comments said, the appearing horde was simply too large.

Had these been Troll Grizzlies, she could presumably have punched them repeatedly and forced her way through at once... but these were special-ability monsters that could absorb even dozens of Karin's punches.

Though "Look over there!" let her defeat several together, filling them with impacts by punching repeatedly still took a little time, and the pacing felt poor.

(Besides, these insect-samas are ones I already defeated with my fists before. It isn't particularly fresh footage, desu wa ne.)

Yet avoiding the battle and pressing on without annihilating them would not be Elegant...

"Whatever shall I do... Ah! Of course, desu wa!"

Still dodging every attack, Karin's eyes lit up.

"It isn't quite the same as Elegantly defeating a monster-sama I failed to beat with fists last time, but to improve the pacing, I shall first show a portion of my training results here, desu no!"

【Eh?】

Immediately afterward—tap.

With impossible quiet, Karin placed her fist flush against an Insect Warrior's carapace.

The next instant—

"—Hmph!"

BOBOBOBOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

"!?!?!?"

Karin's body did not waver in the slightest. Her fist alone trembled faintly—and the body of the Insect Warrior, which had not taken even a single punch until then, went flying.

And then—DOPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

"""""GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!?!?!?!?!?"""""

The monster sent flying by Karin's single blow exceeded its impact capacity as if that alone had filled it, bursting into nasty fireworks.

It became a shockwave bomb that engulfed all its nearby companions and vanished without a trace.

―――――――――――――――――――――

A back-to-her-roots ojou-sama.

This is a slightly awkward place for a cliffhanger, but the next updates on Wednesday and Thursday will be the opening portion of the newly written content in book volume two, releasing March 18. (My apologies. Between the lack of a stockpile due to the health issues continuing since the end of last year and my mistake with the timing of the book announcements, main-story updates have become rather intermittent.)

The newly written section, which grew to around thirty thousand characters, is a past arc.

It tells the story of Karin ojou-sama and Mafuyu-sama meeting!

Since it's a past arc, it has almost no streaming elements and may read rather differently from the main story... so to let you check the atmosphere in advance, I'll release a total of roughly eight thousand characters across Wednesday and Thursday. It also reveals a fair amount of information about Mafuyu-sama, who has begun receiving more depiction in the main story here and there, so I hope you'll look forward to it.

And so, if you find this entertaining, support through the stars and follows below will help attract new reader ojou-samas and put more wind in book volume two's sails, which would make me tremendously happy, desu wa~!