After parting ways with Laios, Kabru wandered anxiously through the nearby area, still carrying the unconscious and sedated Thistle.
Why was it taking so long with no sign of movement from over there? Had Laios failed to persuade Marcille? Why did the number of monsters seem to be increasing…?
Could it be that Laios, because of the way he talked, had already been dealt with by Marcille?
Or worse—had he become the dungeon master? And now he's the one creating more monsters?!
The more Kabru thought about it, the more nervous he became. But just then, footsteps sounded behind him.
"Yo! If it isn't Laios's good buddy, Kabru!"
A familiar voice—one Kabru had only recently heard—rang in his ears. He spun around and saw Kairo Retsu standing behind him with a brilliant smile.
After being flung off earlier by the Wyvern, Kairo had been rushing in this direction, guided by the Scoutflies. He finally arrived just in time to see the anxious Kabru.
"You're… the Hunters' Guildmaster!"
Kabru urgently grabbed Kairo's wrist. "You—!"
Kabru quickly reined in his emotions, then lowered his head and asked, "Guildmaster, do you… truly intend to hunt the demon?"
"Yeah."
Kairo gave him a puzzled look, noting the tension in Kabru's demeanor.
"You look like you've got something to say. Don't hold back—go ahead and speak your mind."
"You've got a lot on your chest, but right now…" Kairo rubbed his chin. "You're probably wondering if I really want to save this world."
"…I'm sorry." Kabru released his grip and bowed his head again. "I just… don't understand why you're helping Laios. And why, in order to hunt the demon, you have to become the dungeon master."
After some hesitation, Kabru finally voiced it: "Because to this world—both Laios's and your ambitions are dangerous. If even one thing goes wrong, the whole world could…"
"The world could be destroyed, right?" Kairo said, gazing at the visibly distressed Kabru.
"All right then! I'll tell you exactly why we're doing this!"
Kairo gave a thumbs-up. "After all, you're at least willing to talk to us. That makes you way better than those elves, right?"
"Now, let me answer the thing you probably care about most. You don't need to worry about this world's safety."
Kairo stated this plainly: "Since we've chosen this path, we've made the preparations to clean up if we fail."
He pointed to the sky—the ceiling of the dungeon, which also served as the barrier sealing the demon itself.
It was thanks to this barrier that the demon, despite its ever-growing appetite, hadn't swallowed the world whole in its hunger for desire.
"We commissioned the Felynes to draw a bigger ring—outside the current barrier."
Kairo grinned brightly. "A new ring, following the border of the Golden Country—today's coastline."
"…What?" Kabru's pupils dilated. He realized what this meant.
"No way… To deploy a barrier that size—even the elves don't have that many barrier mages…"
"See? That's the problem. Too narrow-minded," Kairo said, patting Kabru on the shoulder. "Now repeat after me."
"Felynes can do anything!!!!!!!!!!!"
As Kairo made that declaration, back along the seashore—
A massive number of Felynes were rapidly reinforcing the arena walls.
Before the naked eye, thick walls were extending outward—and they were almost about to connect end to end.
The head engineer, Black Cat Aje, adjusted his glasses as he reviewed the progress.
"Speed it up! Show the Guildmaster what our engineering squad can do, nyah! Not a single error allowed!"
"Next comes interior work, nyah!" he barked. "Make it look nice, nyah!"
Under his direction, the arena's perimeter walls were finally completed.
If someone could observe the world from high in the sky, they'd see it clearly: the walls had formed a massive circle, using the island as the center—encircling the dungeon and all within it.
At the moment the arena was completed, its interior was completely sealed off.
Black Cat Aje knocked the wall with satisfaction. "Mmm. I'd give this job… an 8 out of 10. The Guildmaster'll be pleased, for sure!"
Back with Kairo, Kabru was forcing himself to accept the reality.
"Right… they're not from this world. I can't apply common sense to them…" Kabru murmured, trying to convince himself.
But in the end, he couldn't help but ask:
"Why go this far? If you just want to help Laios, that should be easy enough. There's no need to challenge the demon, is there?"
"For that… you've got to separate cause from effect," Kairo replied.
"Truth is, we already know everything that's happened here—and everything that would have happened," he said, tapping the ground beneath them. "If Laios hadn't become a Hunter, if we hadn't come here—then you, Kabru, would've become the Regent of the New Golden Country."
"…?"
Kabru looked baffled.
Regent? Him?
Then that would make the king…? Kabru's expression twisted into confusion and discomfort.
"That's right! The king is Laios!" Kairo flashed his teeth and gave a thumbs-up. "And the reason he becomes king…"
"Is because he defeated the Mad Sorcerer—and completely annihilated the demon!"
Kabru's pupils trembled.
Who?
Laios? He did what? Defeated the demon? That Laios? How?!
He looked utterly skeptical, but Kairo just sighed and patted his shoulder.
"A lot of it was coincidence—but that really was Laios's future. But now… he's a Hunter."
"That future's path has changed," Kairo continued. "No one can guarantee those coincidences will repeat. That possibility is gone."
"Originally, the people of this world wouldn't have had to worry about the dungeon anymore. No more disasters from it. But because Laios became a Hunter, that future was lost…"
Kairo let out a deep breath. "So now—this hunt is the Hunters' responsibility."
"This is our moment to fight," he said firmly. "You'd best warn the others to protect themselves. Because while we can ensure the world won't be destroyed by the demon…"
"…what happens inside the arena is no longer within your control."
"…Protect themselves, huh…" Kabru's expression turned bitter.
"I understand. I'll do my best to warn everyone."
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