Kairo Retsu stood completely soaked in the blood and flesh of a dragon, grinning broadly: "I am... the shining star of Astera, the White Gale of the New World! The Guildmaster of the Monster Hunters—Kairo Retsu!!"
"Etch our names into your memory! After all… you're witnessing living legends!" Kairo declared with pride, nose tilted skyward.
"Kairo Retsu?!"
Flamella immediately reacted: "You're the maniac who tried to become the dungeon master?!"
"Seize him! He must not be allowed to remain inside the dungeon!!!!" Flamella wasted no time issuing the command.
Someone like this, who would use the power of the dungeon to reshape the world to suit their desires—once they become the dungeon master, the dungeon would instantly activate based on their will, spiraling into chaos!
"Stop right there. Don't come any closer."
Facing the oncoming elves, Kairo Retsu had already assembled the Charge Blade strapped to his back in a blink.
The sheer size of the weapon, combined with the bits of Velocidrome flesh clinging to Kairo's armor, made him especially intimidating.
"Didn't your allies tell you anything about me when they passed along my intel? Even with six of them, they couldn't defeat the two of us," Kairo said, staring down the elves. "Why not sit down and talk? At least right now, I'm not the dungeon master yet. You probably want more detailed information, don't you?"
"We have nothing to discuss with you!" Flamella snapped. "In the end, you're all the same—those who would abuse the dungeon's power for selfish desires! With someone like you around, disaster is only a matter of time!!"
"Hardworking type, aren't you? Unfortunately... I don't have time to waste."
Kairo swung the blade in its Axe Mode, the rotating giant weapon aimed directly at the elves: "I've got to go deep into the dungeon to talk to the Winged Lion. If you're not interested in what's going on inside, don't waste your time here."
"Instead of trying to arrest me, you'd be better off saving your strength for dealing with the dungeon."
Kairo continued, "I'd welcome a proper exchange anytime. Even if you elves keep rejecting me again and again, even if someday you're desperate and finally come crawling to us for help, I'll still welcome you."
He chuckled twice. "Can't help it! I'm a Guildmaster full of love!"
"What nonsense are you even spewing?!" Flamella was infuriated. "You undid the demon's seal on your own and became the dungeon master!"
"Because we defeated the Mad Sorcerer ourselves! Listen up, you long-eared folks!"
Kairo raised his voice so everyone could hear clearly: "Laios personally defeated the Mad Sorcerer and captured him alive! He's under Laios's watch right now!"
"If you want to talk to me, then drop that condescending attitude toward 'short-lived races'!" Kairo said to the elves. "I don't care about your arrogance, or who's right or wrong—but you'd better get one thing straight."
"If I decide to act, nothing you do will work. That's the only truth."
Kairo beamed brightly. "You'd better consider negotiating with me. That's my advice."
"As for now, I'm off to find Laios and the Winged Lion." He turned to leave. "Don't start a fight here. The monsters will gather soon enough."
"Stop!" Flamella, angered by his casual retreat, hurled a magically-controlled dagger that plunged straight into Kairo's back.
Though she avoided any vital organs on purpose, the blade still sank deep into his flesh.
But she watched in disbelief as Kairo completely ignored the injury. In just a blink, the dagger was squeezed out of his body as if expelled by muscle tension. His steps didn't even falter.
Flamella still wanted to act, but was suddenly interrupted by another urgent message from her comrades.
This time, it was about... Misurun being taken by the Hunters.
"How many of these Hunters are there?! What exactly are they trying to do?!"
Flamella simply couldn't comprehend Kairo Retsu and his fellow Hunters anymore.
Were they some kind of organization aiming to take over the dungeon? Why kidnap Misurun?
While Flamella questioned her comrades, she looked up again—only to see that a glowing insect had suddenly appeared in Kairo's hand. With a sharp yank, it pulled him forward, launching him dozens of meters away in an instant.
"Don't let him get away! He—" Flamella tried to shout, but realized—
All the adventurers and beastkin who had been nearby were already gone, having taken the chance to flee while the elves were distracted.
Meanwhile, Kairo Retsu...
Was gritting his teeth and zipping through the dungeon using his Wirebug.
"Damn that hurt!" Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes.
Those elves had actually stabbed him on the way out! Thank goodness he had a Max Potion hidden in his mouth to maintain appearances.
"Now then... follow Laios's plan."
Kairo looked up at the dungeon's sky—
Or rather, at the barrier sealing the demon.
If that barrier was ever broken, and the demon escaped beyond its bounds, then... the demon's power would be fully unleashed, allowing it to wield its abilities without restraint and devour everyone's desires.
"Just like Laios said."
Kairo glanced down at the Book of the Winged Lion he held.
"The dungeon seduces the dungeon master's desires, luring them to ruin... and the demon is merely a special dungeon master drawn in by a dungeon beyond this one."
"So... you grow ever closer to living beings."
"By fulfilling those dungeon masters' desires, you inch closer to them... gradually taking on traits of living creatures, beginning to understand them, gaining your own instincts and characteristics."
"You say we'll always offer up our desires to you willingly... but for us, it's the same. You'll stop at nothing to consume and exploit our desires."
Kairo grinned.
"Then I'll give it to you—everything you want."
"Because greed after satisfaction… is the nature of life itself."
"I can't wait for this next hunt..."
"I've had the Felynes preparing the battleground for a long time now…"
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