Gamers of the Underworld

The gamers and the townsfolk watched intensely, while Patrick Star recorded the entire event. Cherry convulsed for tens of minutes, his face looking as though he was thoroughly drained.

But the statue of Phoenix didn’t have any reaction.

“How can this be… Perhaps, it’s not me…”

The dispirited Cherry lowered his head, becoming very doubtful.

“Detective Cherry! Take a look!”

The Station Inspector behind him shouted excitedly and pointed at the statue.

Cherry lifted his head and saw crimson Mana Runes appearing from the bottom of the statue, which stood tens of meters tall. The entire lava cave was quaking violently.

“It’s me! Only I can awaken the Phoenix! I might be blood-related to Michelangelo!”

Cherry was joyful and in disbelief. He looked at the residents of Small Distant Town and wanted to share his joy. What if he was able to find the other 72 Devils and make them work for him?

Then Cherry would be able to become the next Michelangelo based on his bloodline!

Cherry didn’t have any plans to conquer the Underworld, he only wanted to strengthen himself and defeat those who looked down on him. Then he would become a Dungeon Lord and disguise the 72 Devils as commoners, only showing his prowess when required. He had a fiancée who wanted to break up with him. He wanted his fiancée to know that the wheel of fortune would change and that she shouldn’t look down on him. Cherry would make himself stronger and stronger…

At this moment, he imagined himself to be at the pinnacle of life.

“Station Inspector! I did it! I did it!”

Cherry ran joyfully to the Gnome Station Inspector and wanted to give him a big hug. But he didn’t spread out his hands to receive Cherry. The Station Inspector was looking joyfully at Phoenix and not Cherry. When Cherry shouted at him, he nodded and said, “Yes, you trash, you finally did it. I thought you were a great Winterfell detective, so I dared not make it too obvious. I prepared a lot of hidden leads. But no matter what I did, you ignored them. Only when I shoved the leads right in your face could you find them. If I hadn’t known that you were the key to removing the seal of Phoenix, I would have stabbed you to death. But now, everything is proceeding as planned.”

The Station Inspector relaxed and spread out his hands as he said, “The curse that we have been under can finally be removed. Phoenix is awakening! He will be our slave and fight for our ideals!”

“Wait, what are you talking about, Station Inspector? Cough, cough. The reporter is still here.”

Cherry was befuddled. He didn’t know if the Station Inspector was mad. He reminded the Station Inspector with a soft voice, but the Station Inspector rudely pushed his hand away.

“Get lost, you trash! Stand by the side and wail while you wait for your death.”

The Station Inspector shouted angrily at Cherry, who became furious and bewildered. As he was about to question the Station Inspector, he discovered that he had no strength. The air was filled with a strange gas.

Patrick Star discovered he had no strength.

Patrick Star fell to the ground. He grabbed the feet of Eternal Kingdom’s warriors and shouted, “Poison! The air is poisoned!”

Nobody was bothered by him. While Cherry was convulsing in front of Phoenix, the gamers were quiet. Nobody moved or talked.

“Hahahaha! It’s of no use, you outsiders will all die today!”

The Mayor of Small Distant Town walked out, followed by the residents of the town. There were cloaked creatures that came from all directions.

They were strange figures. Some were tall, some were fat, and some were short. There was also a Sludge Monster that made the cloak wet.

They walked to the area surrounding Phoenix before pulling off their capes to reveal their faces. Cherry looked at them carefully. All of them were residents of Small Distant Town!

“The cleaner auntie! It was you, you’re the one who put the letter on my office table!” Cherry shouted in disbelief. He knelt weakly on the ground as he looked at an elderly Gnome wearing a black cloak.

“You didn’t take any precautions. I went into your office and closed all of the windows and doors before placing the letter on your office table. Even those suicidal creatures with green symbols knew enough to ask me what I was doing,” the Gnome auntie said with disdain.

“Wait, you’re… 1+1 Hotel’s owner!”

Cherry wanted to scold the Gnome auntie, but he looked up and saw the shopkeeper who gave him the information to investigate the bank.

The bank chief, the boss who sold him breakfast, the toilet cleaner uncle, and the kids who kicked pebbles on the road were all here!

All of the town residents seemed to have participated in this plot!

“What’s happening? The Winterfell Merchant Band…” Cherry asked with difficulty.

“Merchant Band? Are you referring to the 2,500 fools who escorted the Dungeon Core? They could have passed through without incident, just like the other foolish tourists. We spread rumors of the fatal lava caves so that they wouldn’t dare to enter. However, those 2,500 fools thought that they had the numbers and entered the lava caves to picnic. Do you believe that? The guards didn’t watch over their cargo properly and entered the caves for a picnic! As it was the dormant period, the Fire Giant wasn’t around, so they discovered Phoenix’s statue and the secret to removing the seal! They had to die!” the Station Inspector said viciously.

“Wait, those two self-detonating Gnomes…” Cherry asked with his last bit of strength.

“Oh, those two Gnomes? They were your Winterfell colleagues! There were too many of them. Though they were poisoned by me, a small portion of them escaped. Some of the survivors were found, but my poison was effective. Before they had a chance to speak, they perished in agony. Those two Gnomes tried to prevent you from discovering our planted leads. They were trying to save you. But alas, everything was within our control. Their deaths made you discover even more planted leads. Hahahaha!”

The Station inspector laughed loudly. Cherry, who was almost unconscious on the ground, asked, “Where is their cargo, the Dungeon Core?”

“Of course, it’s in my house! I’m going to sell it and use the money as my funds for conquering the Underworld. Phoenix will be my greatest warrior. I’m going to be the second Michelangelo!” the Station Inspector shouted excitedly as he spread out his hands. It was then that he discovered something was amiss.

Cherry was unconscious, so who asked the question?

While the Station Inspector was befuddled, a figure appeared next to Cherry.

Half of the face was illuminated with red light from the statue that was becoming redder.

“You’re… Sherlock! Dungeon Lord Sherlock from Eternal Kingdom!”

The Station Inspector recognized Sherlock.

“That’s correct, I’m Sherlock. Greetings, everyone.”

Sherlock waved to everybody, and they backed up nervously at the sight of a superior Devil.

He was the superior Devil who was repeatedly featured in the newspapers recently! Even one of the 72 Devils, Samael, was defeated by him.

Though it was only a doppelgänger, it was still Samael!

The second and third successors to Eternal Fire were being imprisoned in Bankazia due to Sherlock. Who wouldn’t be afraid of such a powerful Devil?

Those previous questions were asked by Sherlock, or to be more exact, Sherlock made Cherry ask those questions.

“Sherlock, even if you know about our plan, we aren’t afraid of you! Phoenix… Phoenix is awakening! You can’t defeat Phoenix! If you yield to us, we’ll let you join us.”

The Station Inspector was nervous, but he didn’t show much fear.

“Are you using Cherry to control Phoenix?” Sherlock pointed to Cherry, who was lying on the ground.

“Of course not, he was only the key to waking up Phoenix!” the Station Inspector shouted.

“Ah, that’s good. If Phoenix flees once he awakens, I may not be able to catch up with him,” Sherlock nodded and muttered to himself. The Station Inspector didn’t understand what Sherlock was saying.

The statue behind Sherlock was starting to shed its outer shell. The crimson light was getting brighter.

Sherlock threw away the red berries in his hands and started to loosen his muscles and bones.

“What’s that?”

The Station Inspector backed up as he gazed at the red berries rolling on the ground.

“Oh, those are cherries, a fruit found in the Surface World. Phoenix likes them a lot. It’s normal that you haven’t seen them,” Sherlock said with a smile.

Behind Sherlock, the shrill shrieking of a bird was heard. Phoenix was free from the magical seal!