Earth Dungeon 158

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Chapter 158. Appreciation

As the helicopter advanced, the Wada clan, which was said to gather moderately powerful households within the inner city to form an alliance and build an era, had its next head, the Wada clan, anxiously biting their fingernails, shaking their knees in frustration while doing the poor man's shiver.

"Why do I have to come to such a place? Isn't it strange? I am the next head of the Wada family, you know?"

Seeing his restless state, his aide sitting next to him sighed. It's been the same conversation over and over again since earlier.

The Wada family is a leading clan as Earth Spider users, set to lead the era of dungeon coexistence. They handle powerful familiars that can defeat tank-like Earth Spiders that do not diminish in number, eventually possessing power surpassing the Three Great Houses. With that explanation, they persuaded other households that hadn't expanded their influence much among the upper class to form an alliance.

Indeed, they seemed powerful when they defeated the D-rank Goblin Dungeon. All they had to do was keep conquering dungeons to increase their power steadily.

But before that, they made a mistake in thinking of cleaning up the nuisance. The trash of the ruined city. A unit rumored to be secretly nurtured by the Taira or Genji family, skilled in using the same familiars. The previous next head went to kill them to show the difference in their familiars' power.

And no one returned. They got annihilated. Unthinkable.

Even with elites from other households, they shouldn't have lost. Despite deploying enough force to ensure certain kills, they got wiped out.

Each clan lost its elites, and the next heads, who had raised their familiar skills to level 5 using potions each clan had treasured to level up, also died.

Honestly, unbelievable. They had skilled soldiers as escorts just in case they needed to escape, yet they still died.

Upon receiving that report, the Wada clan also perished. Their position and power were taken away. They were dubbed the "Three-Day Reign" of modern times.

Despite being called an alliance, the Wada clan was the leader, and each clan demanded compensation from them. They had formed various deals to strengthen ties economically rather than militarily, but all that was now void. Not only the Three Great Houses but also other households intervened heavily.

Therefore, the Wada clan is showing signs of economic decline. It's not a story of perishing just because the alliance dissolved, as in the old warring states era.

In modern times, large companies can withstand economic hardship even in the red. The Wada family's company is large. They have a reserve fund and can hold on for a while. Besides, although the deals they were supposed to make are now void, the previous deals remain.

Canceling deals with them isn't as easy as saying it in dramas or novels. If they did, it would cause significant damage. In reality, abruptly ending deals affects subcontractors and other related businesses negatively.

However, signs of decline are evident. Even though everything is fine now, it will be tough in five years. Deals will gradually decrease, losses will increase, and eventually, bankruptcy looms.

Moreover, it hurt that a farming factory they owned recently got destroyed by monsters. They don't know how much it will cost to rebuild.

To prevent such a situation, the new next head, Wada Yoshimasa, could not miss this opportunity and set out. Reluctantly, he could summon Earth Spiders at level 4.

"I have a bad feeling... The Jester's Knight is also setting out this time, right?"

Looking down and squeezing his hands tightly as he spoke with effort. A girl wearing a mask he saw when he set out. She didn't look strong, but she seemed highly skilled.

"...Yes, that seems to be the case. It appears the Taira and Genji families have sent troops. But why does it concern you so much?"

He felt irritated by his subordinate's words. He knew that already but kept repeating sarcastic remarks. Even though they were part of his forces, including the helicopter pilot, it still made him nervous as he spoke in a hushed voice.

"They're trying to destroy the base under construction, obviously. Damn it! I should've never taken that request."

It was a new base recently developed by the Amatsugahara Corporation, which had recently emerged. They were planning a large-scale farm, so he accepted the request to destroy it using magic tools treasured by the Wada family.

Magic tools that were safe to use when handled by concealed individuals. They tried to use them for destruction but failed. The operatives got caught, and they took the magic tools.

"Don't worry, Wada-sama. They shouldn't trace Mirror of Gathering Magic back to the Wada family."

"That's wishful thinking... If they dig a little, it will soon be clear it's ours."

The Mirror of Gathering Magic is a magical tool for collecting monsters. While people can use it for guidance, it can also attract unexpectedly powerful monsters, causing significant damage.

It could be used to destroy enemy bases, but there shouldn't be enemy bases other than monsters within Japan, to begin with. Yet they used it.

He felt fear for the ruined city group and forcibly restrained his trembling hand. The previous next head had been killed. As the current next head, he could easily be killed too.

While it should be safe to stay in the inner town, it's currently dangerous outside with monsters roaming. There were plenty of chances for murder, so it wouldn't be strange to be retaliated against.

"Not strange... Not strange! Damn it!"

He banged the chair hard enough to make his hand ache in frustration. He never thought it would come to this. Six months ago, he lived a luxurious life at home, enjoying parties with women at night.

"Even if you're that scared, couldn't you ask the clan that accepted the request for mediation? Which one was it again?"

He asked casually, which only irritated him more. He then raised his voice angrily.

"Will the Ashikaga help you? You're expendable..."

Wada's complexion turned pale, raising his face, his mouth moving in shock.

"W-who are you?"

He stood up, his back against the wall, asking.

"You should understand. There's no need to ask, right?"

That's right. This was familiar. It was the skill of Amano Sakimori, the boss of the Amatsugahara Corporation, mentioned in the conversation.

"When did you sneak a familiar in here?!"

[Summon Earth Spider]

Wada immediately focused on his mana and activated his skill. A magic circle appeared, and countless earth spiderlings crawled out from it.

From activation to formation of the magic circle, the dark familiar-like entity watched leisurely without doing anything.

"Kill the enemy familiars!"

Issuing orders with a hand gesture, the earth spiderlings swarmed the enemy familiars before them, trying to stab them with their fangs as they crawled. Despite being earth spiders, their fangs delivered attacks that should easily pierce through Goblin Knights' armor. Quantity is power. Even armored vehicles would gradually be destroyed when swarmed, which was Wada Yoshimasa's specialty in summoning magic.

First, defeat all familiars and confirm if the pilot is safe. Plan to parachute out if not. His eyes widened, and his mouth trembled in horror.

"W-why?! Why aren't they falling?"

The dark humanoid before him remained unfazed even when swarmed by spiders. Its body was only slightly indented when the fangs struck, unable to puncture it. It had holes like eyes, nose, and mouth, which only added to its eerie nature.

"This humanoid is not human. Just a mass of darkness. The power of earth spiders is not enough to puncture it."

Ignoring even when the spiderlings entered through its mouth hole, the darkness continued speaking, making Wada feel nauseous from the creepiness. While he tried to justify with a trembling voice. He couldn't match this thing. It was the wrong place, and its familiar level was too different.

"Wait! M-my name is Wada Yoshimasa. There seems to be a misunderstanding. Let's talk. I'll pay you, yes, I'll pay you in gold."

"Why do you care if Ashikaga is involved...why ask?"

As the dark mass continued questioning, Wada pondered.

"If you promise not to kill, I'll tell you anything."

"Fine...I promise not to kill."

Feeling somewhat relieved at that answer, he spoke rapidly.

"I don't know, but I can guess. Whether it's the Genji or Heike family, if the factories in the inner city can't be rebuilt and large-scale fields are created outside, it affects the fundamental food resources, creating a disparity in power. They are probably trying to prevent that."

"As expected... So, this job, why are you heading for dungeon conquest? What's the reason?"

"T-that is..."

Hesitating to speak, he continued under the glare. It was a story that would be obvious soon.

"It's for oil! Not dungeons. Securing the Niigata oil fields that should have become a part of the reconstruction or even more. It's proven that dungeons can restore mines and oil fields to their original state or even better! But, because such mines and oil fields would create powerful dungeons, they were almost impossible to conquer!"

Ignore the damage, conquer the dungeon, and you gain. Dungeon conquest is tough when the fire is restricted.

"So, do resources become infinite?"

"It's not that simple. Powerful dungeons like dragon-level ones appear where there are valuable mines or abundant oil fields. Although the Niigata oil fields are small in scale and have a low dungeon spawn level, it's still dangerous!"

People said that dungeons yield resources if you ignore the damage. Places with valuable resources are said to overflow with powerful monsters, and it's true.

Naturally, this information is kept secret. Once people know, foolish civilians create chaos, demanding military conquest.

"I see. I understand now. So, the dungeons weren't the main objective. It was the old oil fields, right? Niigata had many oil fields. Considering they're back, that possibility is high. If oil fields appear where conquered, the conquering clan gains ownership."

"Exactly! That's why everyone is so desperate."

"Got it. That's all for questions."

Nodding to the dark mass's words, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then, goodbye."

The dark mass made a slicing sound as it swung its arm. Its arm transformed sharply into a sword-like form, passing through Wada's neck.

Feeling heat around his neck, Wada staggered back. Blood gushed from his throat, and red flowed from his mouth.

"W-why?! We had a promise..."

Unable to breathe, clutching his throat, Wada fell to his knees. The dark mass watched and curved its mouth into a crescent shape.

"There's no witness here. If you die, the promise never existed, right?"

"T-that's...cruel..."

Collapsing onto the floor with a thud, feeling the coldness of metal against his cheek, Wada breathed his last in a pool of blood.

"Hey, hey, think of it as a naive contract to deal with the ruined city folks. Don't worry; according to Shizuku-san, if you write 'bump' on the aircraft when it falls. You'll be treated as an accident too."

Saying that, the dark mass disappeared with a grim reaper-like grin.

Thus, the helicopter flying in the sky wobbled and crashed down.

It was a minor accident just before we reached our destination.