Reincarnated as a Dungeon Master, I Became Unstoppable by Doting on My Monsters—My Gorgeous Monsters Have Started to Conquer the World on Their Own! - Chapter 55: The Great Tower of Nadinalezre - Part 3

“It’s strange, isn’t it? There are no enemies.”

Hazel was the first to notice the anomaly. However, it was natural. We hadn’t encountered any enemies besides her.

She narrowed her eyes and peered down the corridor. After the easy journey, she seemed to be refocusing and assessing the situation with a cool gaze.

The sudden absence of enemies meant, in reality, that the dungeon master on the other side was aware of us and was making countermeasures. We, learning from her, hurriedly prepared for battle.

There were three possible scenarios: the dungeon monsters gathering at one point for battle, the monsters being converted into traps, or being used to strengthen existing monsters.

The most likely scenario was that the monsters had been converted into traps, a conclusion we all agreed upon.

We had to be careful of traps above and below. As a fellow dungeon master, I was well-prepared for any traps the dungeon could create – though I hate to admit it, I had stepped on each one at least once.

However, the enemy’s approach was none of these.

“…I smell something.”

Delilah sniffed. It was a scent we had smelled many times recently.

The aroma of yeast esters mixed with the green scent of hops. The unmistakable smell of beer.

A few seconds after sensing the smell, a thick yellow liquid began flowing down the stairs. It was like a subway station flooded, but for now, it was just a gentle stream.

Expecting a deadly trap, I was momentarily relaxed, probably due to my trust in the person I thought was behind this.

But the monsters, who had never been afraid of traps in the first place, became even more alert at the sight of beer.

…Of course, we had been defeated by her before.

“Yes. You’ve changed your heart.”

Anima muttered towards something at the back of the stairs.

I remember Anima once taught Jacqueline how to paint. They were each other’s first friends and must have shared many thoughts.

“…Anima, do you know something?”

Delilah asked with a face she couldn’t believe, as if she had been betrayed. Her reaction was excessive, but it was a concerning matter.

“Anima, did Jacqueline tell you anything beforehand?”

“Yes, but don’t worry. It will surely be necessary.”

Anima chuckled, her artistic nature making her conversation always full of implications, though it seemed particularly indirect this time.

Before I could ask her true intentions, Hazel interrupted the conversation.

“We should hurry. The door to the lower floor is probably closed. The water level seems to be rising.”

Realizing this, I noticed… the amount of flowing beer was increasing. Enough to make a gurgling sound when falling down the stairs.

Wait, are we going to drown in beer? By the time I realized, the floor was already splashing with beer. The beer was ice-cold as if someone cared about it.

“Indestructible Shelter,” “Mastering the earth with united strength.”

We each activated barrier magic to split the river of beer. It seemed the only way to avoid drowning was to keep climbing the stairs.

“Let’s talk while moving. Be careful of traps.”

We were careful with the barrier due to the oxygen issue and moved through the dungeon quickly, though the sensation of wet shoes was unpleasant.

But still… a constant downpour of beer.

“This means…”

We didn’t have time to discuss Anima and Jacqueline’s circumstances, but I had to confirm if we were betrayed.

“Only Jacqueline could come up with something as fancy as a tower raining beer.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Anima, I have something to ask you…”

I was unsure if we were lied to from the start or just now betrayed.

I wasn’t going to get angry either way. I wasn’t so arrogant as to prioritize bonds over life-threatening situations. But I wanted to know the truth and asked Anima.

But then, a voice interrupted as if to prevent Anima from speaking.

“How do you like my hospitality? It would be boring if your first dungeon conquest were too easy, right?”

“Yeah. Watching paint dry would be more exciting.”

The voice belonged to Jacqueline. To monitor the dungeon and reach every floor, one must become a dungeon master.

So, she had become one.

…What?

“Right. Why don’t I make it a bit more fun for you?”

“Does that mean you’ve already defeated the dungeon master?”

“Just happened to defeat them. Purely by chance.”

Jacqueline’s voice was as carefree as ever, showing no emotion. But at least she didn’t seem to be forced into anything.

“…Master. Our purpose is fulfilled. Let’s go back.”

Delilah said coldly. The days spent with Jacqueline seemed insignificant to her.

“Wait. Don’t leave. Capturing the master is part of the contract. Our dungeon master is heading your way, so do your best to capture them.”

“What? There’s no point now, right?”

I was used to being forced into battles, but this was different. If I wanted to go back, I could. This was no longer a death game, just a ‘request.’

“But it’s alright. You can respawn in this dungeon. It would be too much if the end of our dungeon were just a mundane conquest, don’t you think?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

I couldn’t understand if she wanted to play with the dungeon one last time. If she had a different wish, she should just say it instead of “I want you to clear the dungeon.”

Lost in thought, the sound of splashing water brought me back to reality.

The splashing was coming closer.

I couldn’t understand Jacqueline’s intentions, but seeing the man who came down, I knew what she was attempting.

He was a dissonant man. He was Well-built but with a stern, bureaucratic face and a master’s fluid gait despite his young body.

Above all, his face showed no fear of death, the look of a dungeon master heading into a zombie attack.

His otherworldly fast pace suggested enhancement by DP, but he seemed no weaker than me.

I understood. He must be the dungeon master here. Nanaya had mentioned dungeon masters were the pride of monsters. Then, a contract was possible.

The dungeon master approached – Ryujo, was it? No need for distance or negotiation. The optimal action for a zombie attack.

But we were ready for battle. Anima swiftly tried to cut off his legs with wind magic. Ryujo jumped to avoid, but human limits applied. The concentrated magic from all four of us easily severed his legs.

“This should stop the respawn.”

We aimed for the legs to capture the enemy. It was pointless to engage in a full battle with a dungeon master whose respawn was incredibly fast.

Tying and questioning him seemed the best way to understand the situation. I approached him, weapon ready.

───That was when Ryujo’s body, having lost his legs, suddenly burst into flames. Was there a fire source on him, or did the alcohol catch fire? The flames rose high.

The fire spread rapidly, lighting up the white walls of the dungeon red.

“…A death trap, huh?”

Staring blankly at the flaming pillar, I remembered the first time I fought Jacqueline. He had died and would now come again. His previous stance was optimal for battle, and he would probably go at me in the same way again.

“…This is going to be troublesome.”

Hazel muttered, blocking the flames with a barrier.

Was Jacqueline planning to force a choice until the end in the beer-blazing tower? If it were just the dungeon master, it would be fine. But with Jacqueline as the enemy master, we couldn’t let our guard down for a second.

“We’ll ask for an explanation once we reach the top.”

I shouted towards the ceiling, hoping Jacqueline could hear.

Ah, women are so hard to understand.