Chapter 132.1

132 Part 1

Let’s be an Adventurer! ~Defeating Dungeons with a Skill Board~ 132

Let’s Become The Ruler (?) Of The Battlefield!

Enomoto was frozen on the spot with surprise when that masked adventurer, Mr. Masked Man, showed up.

The reason why he had been so shocked was that he himself had been the one that locked him up in the confinement room.

Even though the boss’ instructions should never be disobeyed, the same person Enomoto himself had put into the confinement room had appeared in front of him.

All while making that mask of his blink like that.

(Ah… He’s going to kill me…)

Thinking he had incurred Mr. Masked Man’s wrath, Enomoto prepared himself for the worst.

He was asked to help the people of Hakodate, and even though he cared enough to come all this way to this city, he was locked up like a criminal.

It was no wonder he was angry. He might even see them as a hindrance and do away with them.

He might even meet his own end by Mr. Masked Man’s blade.

Thinking about that bleak future, Enomoto was even more surprised when Mr. Masked Man dashed towards the lumpfish while screaming frantically.

He wasn’t killing Enomoto, and he wasn’t complaining about his imprisonment.

All he was doing was moving forward to defeat the monster in front of them.

Why don’t you get rid of the resentment for the people that inconvenienced you?

Why aren’t you even complaining!?

Enomoto’s confusion deepened.

If he were in Mr. Masked Man’s shoes, Enomoto would have clearly stated that he was doing them all a favor by helping them.

By doing that, the Self-Defense Force would be indebted to him. If he had wanted to profit out of this situation, he would have helped them only if they agreed to meet his demands later.

However, Mr. Masked Man didn’t do anything of the sort.

His friends weren’t around, either.

Would they show up later, or were they planning not too?

In any case, Mr. Masked Man escaped from the confinement room and rushed to help the Self-Defense Force alone.

Then, without saying a word about what they had done to him, he headed for the monster without even trying to get the Self-Defense Force indebted to him in any way.

(To save both Mt. Hakodate Dungeon and the people of this city…!!)

His dedication filled Enomoto’s eyes with a warm feeling.

What a wonderful adventurer!

How many adventurers were obsessed with their own fame and riches nowadays?

By accomplishing many great deeds as an adventurer, one could satisfy their desire for approval while making a lot of money, so most can’t help but feel the desire to hit it big with a single great hunt.

Perhaps that was why many adventurers nowadays seemed to be lacking the purpose of “saving Japan” and “saving the citizens”.

In fact, many of the adventurers who left Hakodate were like that.

And now, Enomoto couldn’t help but be impressed by Mr. Masked Man’s entrance on stage, fighting monsters with everything he’s got, despite how absurdly the Self-Defense Force had treated him, and regardless of fame or riches.

While Enomoto was awestruck, several members of the Self-Defense Force ended up being blown away by one of the lumpfish’s attacks.

Seeing that, Enomoto flinched for a second.

His men would have been able to dodge that attack if only he had given them instructions.

Enomoto couldn’t help but despise himself for losing control of himself after Mr. Masked Man’s appearance.

(What am I doing…? Damn it!!)

Enomoto pulled on his own cheeks as if to redeem himself from his sin, and pressed hard against his temples.

“–Everyone, don’t just stand there! Fight alongside Mr. Masked Man! Battle formation!!”

Enomoto loudly issued his orders to his men.

Mr. Masked Man and the Self-Defense Force weren’t supposed to be fighting together. But that was only because the boss, Yoshioka, said so.

Back when Team Aerial first came to Hakodate, Enomoto had intended to either fight alongside them or to let them deal with the lumpfish themselves.

The Self-Defense Force wasn’t strong enough to defeat the lumpfish.

They were already having a hard time dealing with the normal Dungeon Lord. They simply didn’t have the strength needed to defeat this unique-species monster.

But Yoshioka rejected that fact.

“The only reason why you won’t do it is that you think you can’t do it!”

“You cowards!”

“Good-for-nothing tax parasites!”

“Our citizens are going to be starved to death!”

“It’s our job to serve our people!”

“Are you going to just get paid while abandoning our people to their fate?”

“You’re crazy if you think I’ll just let that happen!!”

In response to Enomoto’s plan, all he got was verbal abuse from Yoshioka.

He hadn’t even tried to listen to what Enomoto was saying.

Yoshioka originally wasn’t the kind of person who would blindly believe that when there’s a will, there’s a way.

Rather, he thought of Hakodate more than anyone else in the Self-Defense Force, and seemed to be supporting the Self-Defense Force as much as he could.

However, Yoshioka’s reaction in this case was unbelievable.

It was as if the person himself had changed.

Was this his true nature after all…?

Then, when Enomoto went and fought like Yoshioka told him to, the battle turned exactly the way Enomoto expected.

After all, the Self-Defense Force was lacking in power to do this job.

However, there were some unexpected results.

The overall proficiency level of the Self-Defense Force was higher than Enomoto expected.

Was this the result of them being on the verge of death?

His men were brimming with energy so much that it made Enomoto think that had to be the case.

It was an unthinkable power. It’s as if they all had leveled up a lot all of a sudden…

However, it was still not enough to defeat the lumpfish.

The skill level was just a little higher than expected. That was all.

Their despair was still deeply engraved in their hearts, and the look of defeat on their faces remained unchanged.

(But if we add Mr. Masked Man to the equation…!)

Enomoto was Yoshioka’s subordinate.

Regardless of Enomoto’s position of Number 2 in Hakodate’s Self-Defense Force, he couldn’t go against Yoshioka’s policy.

However, Yoshioka wasn’t there with them.

There was no one there who would complain about them fighting alongside Mr. Masked Man.

To save themselves…

To save the citizens of Hakodate…

Enomoto immediately decided to join forces with Mr. Masked Man.

If the Self-Defense Force were to defeat the lumpfish together with Mr. Masked Man, at least they would have succeeded in their duties as Self-Defense Force.

To be getting paid with the taxpayers’ money and not being able to defeat it, or to do nothing about it…

No one would ever accept such a result.

But now!

Enomoto has all the experience and knowledge needed to lead the Self-Defense Force, and has decided to support Mr. Masked Man.

Everything is for Hakodate, my hometown…

All was good up until he had just mustered up his resolve, but Enomoto’s eyes weren’t quick enough to follow Mr. Masked Man’s movements.

Every movement he made shook off Enomoto’s dynamic vision, making it blurry.

Yet, his spooky mask clearly stood out in the air. And his afterimage.

After a moment of glitter, he heard the lumpfish’s roar.

Next thing he knew, the lumpfish’s skin had been severely slashed by Mr. Masked Man’s attacks.

(But when did he…!?)

So far, the lumpfish had been toying around with the 100 Self-Defense Force members.

Mr. Masked Man, on the other side, faced the lumpfish all by himself, and was actually overwhelming it.