Chapter 144
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“Hmm, so there was a separate Level Up Route.”
Upon closer inspection, it seems there are specific areas designated for trials.
Until now, he has fought like a Munchkin Hero, but the problem is that the Demon King is overwhelmingly strong, meaning an NTR Corruption Route exists.
In other words, to put it more subtly, those Heroines might be surprisingly easy to corrupt. That’s what it means.
Alright, then, shall I push forward immediately?
I decided to choose only Level-up Dungeons where the Hero would grow stronger.
Instead of pointlessly wandering other areas and raising the Hero’s reputation, I’d just do Boss runs.
The next day, I gathered everyone in front of the Tent.
“Our Hero. I know a good Dungeon. Let’s go there.”
“How can I trust you?”
“No, why do you keep distrusting me? I need to earn money, you know. I want to earn a lot of money, go back to my hometown, and meet my Family.”
When I retorted angrily at Plena, who kept doubting me and grumbled, that bitch turned her head, as if realizing she had spoken too harshly.
And, of course, she received a scolding from the Hero.
“Plena, that’s enough. She’s guided us well so far.”
“But.”
“Plena.”
“Alright. I get it.”
They’re absolutely smitten with the Hero’s words. They’re just like crazy bitches obsessed with men.
The place we arrived at was a provincial village called Lacto.
The Cemetery north of this village had somehow transformed into a Dungeon, and today’s destination was precisely this Cemetery.
Apparently, the Immortal Lich Orcan, an Executive of the Demon King, created a Dungeon. It seems he plans to use this Dungeon to raise an Undead Army and invade the Human Nation.
In the original story, the Hero would hear news of Orcan invading Lacto village and rush to fight him. However, I decided to finish things before Orcan could create his Undead Legion.
So we arrived at the Cemetery Entrance, which Orcan supposedly created, and sure enough, a Skeleton Knight stood there, as if to cut off entry.
A heavily armed Skeleton, scythe in hand, was riding a horse.
Red light glowed from its eye sockets; it would be terrifying to see at night, and equally terrifying in broad daylight.
Even the Heroines were scared.
“Isn’t this dangerous? It feels like we’ve come to a dungeon that’s unnecessarily high-level.”
“It seems so.”
I didn’t tell the Heroines or the Hero the truth. There would be no point.
“Oh, don’t worry, Our Hero. The term Potion Warrior isn’t just for show. This is a Yongyong Potion I brought from my hometown.”
I pulled out a glass bottle containing a red gas from my pocket.
Yes. What more is there to say? This gas is my Magic Power.
“What? What’s this unpleasant gas inside?”
“Why?”
“No, can we really trust this?”
Plena and Ruel, those bitches who usually treated me like dirt, were now meticulously inspecting everything that went into their man’s mouth, making me wonder if they were truly women destined for Netorare.
At least Luina, that Priestess bitch, had an uneasy expression.
“That’s right. No matter what, it’s unverified!”
“I’ll try it.”
Anyway, they’re all just terminal cases of paranoia.
Well, it’s true right now, though.
I opened the bottle and inhaled the gas I had produced with my tail.
It was just… that. Of course, consuming my own gas wouldn’t give me strength.
So, I unleashed my Magic Power as if to show my true strength.
The Hero and his Heroines, sensing something, blinked in astonishment.
This was my chance. I began to act.
“Oh, the Dragon’s Aura surges! Now, I shall defeat that Skeleton Knight with my bare fists!”
As soon as I finished inhaling the gas, I released my Magic Power and charged at the Skeleton Knight.
“It’s dangerous!”
The Hero Ruin rushed out to help me, but by then, the Skeleton Knight was already engaged in combat with me, swinging its scythe. However, Yongyong-i, the greatest under heaven, was not weak.
“Hmph!”
Instead, I shattered its scythe with my fist and crushed the Skeleton’s body.
“You took out a Golem in one hit?”
“Hehehe, there are no side effects from this. Especially for Our Hero, who uses a Holy Sword, it’s even better.”
A Hero with a Holy Sword is naturally strong. And if they consume a Yongyong Potion on top of that? They’ll be unstoppable.
“Hmm.”
“The Hero gets stronger the more powerful enemies they defeat, right? Let’s go!”
“Alright. Let’s do this.”
The Hero inhaled the Yongyong Potion I offered him and then began to single-handedly wipe out the Undead in the Cemetery.
Dozens of Skeleton Knights died by the Hero’s hand, and the Undead Legion Orcan had painstakingly gathered also perished by the Hero’s hand.
And as the Dungeon was cleared in an instant, Orcan, the giant Skeleton foolishly guarding the Dungeon Core, clearly showed signs of panic.
“What? How did the Hero gain such power?”
“Just die already!”
“Ah. No. I cannot die here! Kuaaaah!”
The Hero instantly cut down Boss Orcan with his shining Holy Sword.
And the Hero Ruin became the Village Hero, receiving praise from many people.
“This is truly amazing. And there are really no side effects.”
“This is how you become strong.”
But at this moment, the Heroines began to show their wariness.
“Isn’t fighting like this a bit strange?”
“Right. Relying on such medicine isn’t good.”
“Even the Goddess said that the Hero must grow stronger by undergoing Legitimate Trials!”
Oh, Author Yu Eunha said that?
Anyway, it’s useless. And so is that bitch who believed those words literally.
“Why does it lead to such a conclusion? Defeating the Demon King quickly is good, isn’t it? What’s important to us is catching the Demon King quickly. If there’s a way to get stronger, but you insist on only rigid methods, what will happen?”
“Well, a Hero intoxicated by power…”
That’s what would happen. And that’s what I’m aiming for.
“That’s not it. Even at this moment, the Demon King is invading the Human Domain. To leisurely grow stronger? People would probably be dumbfounded.”
“That’s…”
Those bitches couldn’t refute it anymore.
Because it wasn’t wrong at all. Right now, their mission as the Hero’s companions was more important than trying to keep me in check.
“So, why don’t you stop interfering?”
I smiled faintly and put a stop to their arguments.
And so, the Hero’s Party continued to grow stronger, centered around the Hero.
And every time the Hero cleared a Dungeon without a scratch, Priestess Luina grew depressed.
Why? Because Luina had been giving buffs and healing wounds until now, but her role had disappeared.
It seemed she was thinking that she had become useless to the increasingly powerful Hero.
And their evaluation of me also changed.
Plena, the fiancée from the Ear-grabbing Tribe, and mage Ruel, treated me like a crazy bitch.
To be precise, those bitches were dumbfounded because even though I had ample opportunity to gain the Hero’s favor and approach him, I only cared about money.
At first, it seemed fine.
And after about a month, what was bound to happen finally did.
Luina called for me.
“Why did you call me?”
“Please. Don’t give that potion to Our Hero.”
How could she?
“Saintess, you should know that it’s easier to clear with that, shouldn’t you?”
Thanks to that, he had grown stronger, and because of the Hero, the Demon King’s Army had lost many Dungeons in its territory and had significantly faltered.
“Please. I want to be helpful to Our Hero too. So please.”
“Alright. But I need to earn money, so I want to defeat the Demon King quickly, you know? So, take this potion instead.”
I gave her a Yongyong Potion.
She took my offering with a blank expression and looked at me.
“Huh?”
“If you drink this Yongyong Potion and cast a Buff on Our Hero, it will have the same effect. I’ll give it to you every day.”
“Ah. I understand.”
She clutched the potion I gave her, as if she would do anything.
Stupid bitch. You’re finished now.
Because she’ll already be changing from within.
As a Priestess, having received Evil Magic Power, she will no longer be able to use her Priestess’s Ability.
In other words, look at it this way: she is currently undergoing Mutant Corruption without even realizing it.
And the Hero is immune thanks to his Holy Sword.
“But what about this? I have nothing more to give.”
“Excuse me?”
“This is purely of no benefit to me.”
At my words, she frowned, then pulled out her wallet.
“Then, money…”
But I waved my hand, refusing.
It’s time to withdraw. The Hero has grown strong enough, and the meaning is gone. The fact is, that Priestess bitch is now useless.
The Hero can now do everything by himself.
“That’s a different matter. Surely you’re not a Priestess who can’t do anything without my help, are you?”
“Ah. No, I… I don’t need it! I can do it by myself now!”
Yes. That’s how it should be.
Before long, Priestess Luina couldn’t properly use her Buffs.
Not just the power of the Yongyong Potion, but even her original Skills were affected.
For reference, a Priestess uses Divine Power for Healing Magic or Buffs. But even those became unusable.
“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”
“Ah, I-I’m sorry. Why is this happening?”
Luina, flustered, tried to use her Skills several times but failed.
The Hero showed a hint of disappointment.
That Hero bastard also started to become intoxicated by power.
Yet, perhaps because he was still the Hero, he quickly changed his expression and encouraged Luina, saying it was alright.
“No, it can happen. You seem tired. Let’s call it a day.”
“Yes.”
Plena and Ruel scoffed at Luina. It was natural, as they hadn’t liked Luina sticking close to the Hero recently.
Thus, the relationships among the Heroines were also breaking down.
At first, they seemed to have cooperated and become close, but then it was different. Even if they all shared the roles of Main Wife and concubine, it was natural to get annoyed if one person got ahead.
This was the beginning of the Catfight.