Dungeon Refrigerator 253

Test

Dungeon Stampede 2.0 Purification

By the time the sun had set and the sky had become completely dark, Serai-san and I finally reached the apartment building where the food supplies were stored.

“Hm… what’s that?”

“Hm, it seems they've built a barricade at the entrance to the building.”

Beds, scrap materials, bicycles, and other items had been piled up like a mountain at the entrance of the apartment building.

“Wow~ I wonder if Ruu and the others did that?”

“Well, who knows? But it looks interesting, so why don't we go in and check it out?”

At first glance, it looked like a pile of scrap materials.

However, to the trained eye, it was easy to tell that the pile formed a tunnel. By moving the large can bin placed next to the vending machine, which seemed to serve as an entrance, one could easily slip inside.

Yeah, on the way here, we saw a number of fortified homes. Some were even fully fortified with sandbags and barbed wire, practically turning them into fortresses.

“But if something like a big grasshopper flies in, this won't stop it from getting through so easily.”

“Haha, well, it's still better than nothing. Oh, they actually did a pretty good job putting this together.”

Once we squeezed through the small entrance, designed to make it difficult to infiltrate, we saw how skillfully the materials were arranged to cover the apartment entrance. The outer door was seamlessly integrated with the barricade. Passing through it, we reached the windbreak room, where there was an automatic door. But since the electricity was out, the door was slightly ajar, just enough to allow someone to open it manually. Apparently, they've been opening and closing it by hand.

When we passed through the not-so-automatic automatic door, we found something strange inside.

“Huh… a pot?”

As soon as we entered the entrance, there was a small counter table with a large pot placed on top of it for some reason.

“Hmm, but it looks like it's empty.”

“Well, it looks like something was in it. See…”

When Serai-san tilted the pot, there was a little bit of broth left at the bottom.

“Looks like it was rice porridge or something.”

“I see. So someone must've placed it here. Oh… 'Feel free to help yourself'? Ah, the note must have fallen off, so we didn’t notice it.”

When I picked up the piece of paper that had fallen to the floor, it had “Feel free to help yourself” written on the back.

“Wow~ What a kind person, especially at a time like this.”

“Yeah, especially since the water and gas are out.”

….

“Beep beep beeep!”

“Welcome back, Coach! Machi-chan!”

As soon as I knocked on the door to Room 603 and announced our names, Ruu and the Pixies greeted us.

“We're back. Haha! You guys did great. Yeah, yeah, thanks a lot.”

The Pixies, excited to see my face after a while, playfully tugged at my hair as I thanked them and infused them with magic.

“Machi-chan, Coach, are you both unhurt?”

“Yes, we’re fine, Ruu. Did we worry you?”

“Nope, I knew Machi-chan and Coach would be totally okay!”

“Ah, thank you. As you can see, we’ve safely returned.”

We were happy to be reunited… but there was also a strange feeling lingering.

[WooOOoooonnn...]

“What the heck is that, Egetsu-san!?”

“Mmph! This... this is...!?”

There was an umbrella stand by the entrance.

Stored inside were the Excalibar and Katsuo-kun Bat, but a strange aura seemed to be emanating from the now slightly reddish Katsuo-kun Bat.

“Ruu, what’s that thing?”

“Huh… Katsuo-kun’s Bat? Oh, the varnish has been peeling off, so it's gotten a little dirty.”

[Woooonn... Oooonn...]

No, that's not it. Ruu… there's some dark, ominous aura rising from Katsuo-kun Bat...?

“...Is there? The color’s changed a bit, but other than that, it’s the same as always.”

Hmm… it’s clearly in a strange state, but could it be that Ruu, who’s using it, isn’t noticing the change?

“(Egetsu-san, what do we do?)”

“(I understand...)”

“Ahh, I’m exhausted! Hey Ruu, is there anything we can eat right away?”

“Yeah, I can make you a hamburger steak, Machi-chan.”

“Yay! Can I ask you to make that?”

“Of course! Leave it to me, Machi-chan!”

As Serai-san skillfully guided Ruu out of the room, giving me a quick glance and nod, I understood. She was leaving the rest to me.

[Shushushu... scrub scrub scrub...]

[Woooooon... Oh? Woooo...??]

I took the clearly cursed Katsuo-kun Bat in hand and, making sure no one was watching, began scrubbing it thoroughly with holy salt.