Gamers of the Underworld

The huge phoenix extended his wings, and the rocks that covered his body fell to the ground as the cave quaked.

“You’re dead, Sherlock!”

The Station Inspector of Small Distant Town jumped back. It wasn’t known why he did that. Perhaps, the jump would make him more convincing.

He took out an old scroll, opened it, and aimed it at Phoenix as he said, “Phoenix! According to a primordial agreement, we, as well as our ancestors, protected you for thousands of years! You are now free of the magical seal and have to carry out our single wish!”

The Station Inspector shouted, “I… want to have a thousand wishes!”

Phoenix’s flaming body stooped down, and the scroll in the Station Inspector’s hand burst into flames. The extreme temperature of the flames made him throw the scroll away. The Station Inspector looked bewilderedly at Phoenix, thinking that his wish would be declined. However, Phoenix said, “I acknowledged your wish.”

“Great! My second wish…” The Station Inspector pointed at Sherlock.

“Help me kill him, Phoenix!”

Phoenix leaped and flapped his wings. He circled the cave once while gazing sharply at Sherlock before diving down.

The huge phoenix directed his scorching flames to engulf Sherlock. But the damage from the flames wasn’t as severe as the phoenix’s ramming. After a loud “Pom”, the phoenix and Sherlock had created a large pit in the ground. The bird and Devil smashed into the deep end of the volcano.

The Station Inspector didn’t bother to see the end of the superior Devil. His pressing concern was to kill all of the creatures who were stopping him, including the useless Cherry, Patrick Star, and the mercenaries of Nobody Has This Name.

The Station Inspector wanted to make use of Phoenix to find the other 72 Devils 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. The Station Inspector would make himself stronger and stronger…

He had imagined himself at the pinnacle of his life.

As he was about to order the massacre of everyone, the creatures who were immobilized by the poisonous gas became excited.

“The Plot is too extreme. The residents of Small Distant Town are the bad people!”

“Cool, will Sherlie die?”

“We’ll have a new Dungeon Lord. Will Brainiac become the new Dungeon Lord?”

Wait, why were they not poisoned?

While the gamers were chatting, Brainiac, Polio, and Eggface walked over. Brainiac held a document and gazed at the distant Station Inspector as he shouted, “According to the terms of the Merchant Alliance’s contract with Nobody Has This Name mercenary group, we’ll terminate the bandits who robbed the Merchant Alliance’s Merchant Band! Kneel down and surrender. Otherwise, you’ll die!”

“We waited for thousands of years for this chance! We won’t yield! Brave residents, Phoenix will fight for us! Charge! Waaaaah—!” the Station Inspector shouted, and a battle ensued.

The pit created by Phoenix emitted explosion sounds, and lava spurted out. The temperature of the cave increased dramatically, but the two parties in the battle didn’t care. From the lava that came out of the pit, Lava Scouts and Lava Warriors were created. They attacked the gamers.

…

In the chaos, Arthur pulled Cherry’s legs to extract him from the battle. Cherry was muttering, “I’m Cherry. Michelangelo…”

As for Patrick Star, because of his lighter Gnome body, he was carried off by the gamers.

Cherry was an Orc, and he was too heavy to be carried. He could only be dragged along the ground. Along the way, he bumped into rocks, but Arthur had no other choice.

“Arthur! Be careful!”

Arthur cowered and pounced on Cherry’s body, and a fireball flew past his body and smashed into a nearby gamer.

When the battle started, Arthur received the mission to extract Cherry from the battle. The other gamers also received the mission to extract Patrick Star and confiscate his Magic Recording Device.

The gamers had a numerical advantage over the residents of Small Distant Town, but the Lava Monsters made things difficult for the gamers.

Another huge explosion was heard. The ground underneath the gamers was split open, and a crimson phoenix was pushed by an object as it sped upward and crashed through the cave ceiling.

More lava flooded in, and explosions rocked the area.

“Get out! The volcano is erupting!”

More creatures started shouting, and the residents of Small Distant Town started fleeing. The gamers wanted to give chase, but a system notice appeared before them.

[The Black Volcano is about to erupt. Leave the Black Volcano immediately.]

The notice was repeatedly shown.

The consequence of not leaving was death, with the most fearful thing being the loss of equipment.

The gamers started evacuating while fighting with the residents of Small Distant Town.

The dense running figures filled the side of the Black Volcano.

An Airship was floating in the air above the Black Volcano.

“Portside 45° flying rock—!” a gamer in the crow’s nest shouted towards the gamers below as flaming rocks flew towards the left side of the Airship.

Yoda, who was at the helm, changed direction rapidly, and the Airship tilted sharply in a bid to evade the rocks.

The flying rocks brushed past the Airship with whistling sounds.

Numerous gamers were sprawled on the railing of the ship as they gazed at the volcano eruption and the dense fleeing figures of the gamers and the residents of Small Distant Town.

“Continue to increase altitude. We are within range of the flying rocks!” Hemp Rope Technology surveyed the Black Volcano and shouted to Yoda, who activated the elevation rudders.

The Airship continued to climb.

Eggface and Polio were on the Airship, which Sherlock arranged. Their task was to direct the gamers to fire the Magic Cannons. To be more exact, they were to infuse the Magic Cannons with Mana.

One was a Mana-rich Black Dragon, and the other was one of the 72 Devils, Polio. They were able to perform the task with ease. Though they were unable to provide tens of volleys like Sherlock, they were able to supply Mana for two to three volleys.

Polio tightly grasped the railing on the deck of the Airship with his paws. He couldn’t fly now. Previously, he could fly without a physical body. But he was currently trapped in a black kitten by Sherlock’s special method. If he fell, he would be smashed to bits. He wouldn’t die, but his body would be useless. That would be a pathetic state.

Eggface also tightly grasped the railing like Polio. Though he had wings, they weren’t very obedient. He sat in front of the computer for long periods of time without training. In addition, the gamers fed his voracious appetite, and he became overweight. His wings weren’t able to carry the heavy weight.

Sherlock noticed this problem and used various ways to encourage Eggface to exercise, but Eggface was never one who could be encouraged to exercise.

“Have you found Lord Sherlock, meow?”

Polio’s face was distorted by the strong winds, but he squinted his eyes as he gazed at Phoenix and Sherlock, who flew out of the volcano. Both Phoenix and Sherlock vanished in the huge gray cloud emitted by the volcano.

“There! I see the phoenix!”

The gamers in the crow’s nest shouted, “Gosh! We’re finished! We’re dying! Full rudders—!”

In the thick dust cloud, a fiery red figure flew towards the Airship as he gave a shrill shriek.

Yoda changed direction rapidly, and the Airship looked like it lost control as it swerved sharply. The crimson phoenix was still dashing towards the Airship.

Before the phoenix reached the Airship, it was knocked away by another figure. The phoenix lost his balance and scraped past the Airship as he plummeted.

“Sherlie’s awesome!”

“It’s too cool!”

“Where’s the phoenix? I’m firing the cannon!”

“Where’s the Italian Cannon? Get it out!”

“Waaaah—!”

The gamers were shouting.