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TLN: Hey guys, Reigokai here!

Just here to tell you about those pesky random comments you see that have absolutely nothing to do with the chapters.

Those are bots. Please ignore them.

I am constantly deleting them every day for a while now. No amount of plug-ins work now. It is annoying. Just know that they are there and I will eventually erase them in batch.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

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The internal bulkhead opened, and Alice turned to look back partway through.

“Hey, Mr. Whatever-your-name-is, let’s shake hands.” (Alice)

She didn’t seem to have any intention of remembering people’s names.

“My name is Lanpeach. Lanpeach Kouza.” (Lanpeach)

“Also known as Pla-san, right?” (Mira)

Mira interjected with a giggle. Is there something about that nickname? I furrowed my brows.

“Pla-san… Isn’t it about time you started working? The public might start looking at you harshly. Want me to hook you up with a job? It’s just an easy task: collecting eggs from a lizard.” (Alice)

“I’m not unemployed. I am working properly. So, should I just shake your hand or what?” (Lanpeach)

I grasped the hand of Alice, who was directing eyes of pity towards me. When I did, she looked delighted, her eyes sparkling as she beamed. A brief flash of light emanated from her body as she visibly gained some kind of power.

[Learning]

“Wow, now I’ve learned your Minor Villain System and Dimension Fist. Thanks to you, I can destroy even immortal enemies now, and I’ve mastered the ultimate secret technique, Galactic Gun Emperor – Mugen. Thanks, Mr. Whatever-your-name-is. With this, I can destroy evil gods, demon kings —anyone! Hooray! It’s always thrilling to learn new skills. The quests from the Galactic Library are never disappointing.” (Alice)

“It’s the Lanpeach System. Repeat after me, Lanpeach System.” (Lanpeach)

Alice hopped up and down with joy. Though similar to Mira’s abilities, hers had distinct differences. At least now, Alice could eliminate demons, which was a relief.

“The bulkhead has opened, Pla-san.” (Mira)

[Whoa… What a sight. What is this?] (Libra)

A magnificent sight unfolded before us, just as Mira and Libra had described. It was vast enough to encompass an entire city. Towering structures resembling skyscrapers were stacked one atop the other, with something green flourishing abundantly across their surfaces.

“This is chlorella, the raw material for Gadokurie Food. It appears this is one of the few functioning production factories left.” (Mira)

Mira floated gently and led the way into the factory. Following behind her, I glanced around and couldn’t help but grimace. So this is the base ingredient for that awful food.

Numerous drones extended their nozzles, harvesting the chlorella and transporting it somewhere else. There must be another factory dedicated to converting it into Gadokurie Food.

“So, this is the Underground District.” (Lanpeach)

“What’s an Underground District? It sounds interesting! Can I explore it for a bit?” (Alice)

“No. There’s nothing here but chlorella. No hidden items or anything.” (Lanpeach)

Alice’s eyes sparkled at the mention of the Underground District, but exploration was off the table. There weren’t any treasure chests here anyway, and even if there were, I wasn’t about to let her look for them.

“The Library has rules about protecting humanity. They’re likely supplying Gadokurie Food to prevent humans from starving to death.” (Mira)

“Still functioning properly… huh.” (Lanpeach)

Hearing my loaded comment, Mira turned her head slightly toward me and continued speaking. Alice, meanwhile, was mumbling “skip, skip” and looked sleepy. She didn’t seem like the type to follow the story.

With our flight speed, it took only a few minutes to reach the far end of this massive production factory, even though it was large enough to fit an entire city. Soon, we arrived at a door leading to the next area.

The bulkhead doors began to open again, revealing yet another production factory. The layout was the same as the previous one, and it seemed to stretch across the entire planet.

We passed through several production factories without encountering any enemies, and eventually boarded an elevator.

“Is this entire Underground District just one huge facility? Doesn’t anyone live here?” (Lanpeach)

The elevator began to descend. Its glass walls offered a view of the outside as we moved past production factories, machinery plants, and dimly lit residential areas with no signs of life.

“This Underground District was originally intended as a refuge for a select group of humans. But as you’ve probably guessed, it was abandoned, and humanity fled to the colonies. The ones negotiating with the Surface District were highly advanced Artificial Spirits.” (Mira)

“So they tricked humanity into thinking the world was still peaceful.” (Lanpeach)

Mira watched the shifting scenery with a slightly forlorn expression. That’s right… No one lived in the Underground District from the start. False information about a peaceful world was being fed to the Surface District while Gadokurie Food was supplied.

This place was little more than a graveyard of civilization. That was the Underground District.

And then…

“There it is. That’s our final boss: the Lunatic Library and the Wicked Demon Lord.” (Mira)

Mira pointed ahead. A golden cube floated in the air beyond the glass wall. It was an enormous structure, over a kilometer on each side. Half of the cube was gray, while a pulsating pink flesh mass clung to it like mold, spreading its grotesque influence.

“And that’s also the Earth Library, the root cause that transformed this world… A deranged machine.” (Mira)

Mira’s slow, deliberate words confirmed my suspicions.

Indeed, our enemy, the Lunatic Library, was also the deranged Earth Library.

This was the ultimate supercomputer, corrupted by human intervention, that had driven the world to ruin. While parts of the Earth Library still resisted, it was only a matter of time before they ceased functioning entirely.

The final boss we have been seeking has been here, at our starting point, all along.

A classic turn of events.

I shrugged as the elevator chimed and its doors began to open.

◇◇

The ground must have once been a clean floor, but now it was covered in flesh-like masses. Each step brought an unsettling squirming motion as they shifted to avoid being stepped on.

[Ugh, I can’t handle scenes like this. It’s so gross.] (Libra)

“It’s definitely a common sight in media, but seeing it in real life is revolting. Look at that.” (Lanpeach)

The pulsating mass clinging to the cube had large growths… Brains, to be exact. They stretched out tendrils, gripping the cube as if to prevent it from escaping. Is it an eldritch octopus?

“It seems the enemy retains some awareness, Pla-san.” (Mira)

The fleshy masses clinging to the floor and walls began to swell, sprouting buds that quickly grew into humanoid shapes. No, not humans… Demons.

[Hell Demon: Level 11.]

What’s troublesome is that these things were over level 10. Countless Hell Demons sprouted into existence, revealing their forms.

“So these are defense demons. But their levels aren’t exactly low enough to be called small fry.” (Lanpeach)

“Precisely, foolish intruders!”

A furious voice came from behind us. Turning around, I saw a beautiful, yet strangely intimidating woman. She was accompanied by several demons. Who was she?

She noticed my puzzled expression and looked down at me arrogantly, puffing out her chest. Sweat dripped from her brow, probably from rushing over.

“I am Sitri, vice president of Harkein and overseer of the demons. After Paimon’s defeat, I hurried over, only to find Lanpeach and the others invading. But this is where it ends. My father will kill you all!” (Sitri)

“So you’re the vice president. I don’t know why you came here, but if you’re here to die, I’ll oblige.” (Lanpeach)

I always intended to wipe out Harkein’s demons, so this was a stroke of luck.

“Ha, sounds like you are saying there’s a gap in power. Of course, I’m aware of it. But my father is here. There’s an emergency code for situations like this. I’ll activate it. In the meantime, Ose, hold them off.” (Sitri)

“Understood. Allow me to test the full extent of my demonic power.” (Ose)

Ose, a leopard-headed demon wielding a sword, stepped forward, followed by other high-ranking demons. His presence was intense, like that of a warrior seeking strength.

[Hey, isn’t his timing to show up completely off?] (Libra)

[Yeah… It’s like when a childhood rival shows up in front of a sayajin that has turned blonde…] (Lanpeach)

Awkward. I could probably take him down with one hit now. Well, if I think of this as an opportunity to defeat the sleeping Wicked Demon Lord easily, this is—

I resigned myself and was about to throw a punch when the ground began to quake. Thin tendrils extended from the fleshy mass on the ground, coiling around Sitri and the others.

“What is this? Let me go, damn it!” (Sitri)

“What’s going on?” (Ose)

For some reason, the tendrils didn’t target us. They focused solely on the demons, tangling them up. Despite their attempts to shake them off, more tendrils were produced, leaving them unable to resist as they were dragged into the fleshy mass.

“Ooooh… Noisy, noisy, noisy. It seems something unexpected has occurred after all.”

An eyeball popped out of the brain attached to the cube, swiveling around before fixing a menacing gaze on us. Its mouth opened with a wet, slurping sound, exuding a terrifying aura that sent chills down to the soul.

“I am Solomon, president of Harkein, genius, and overseer of demons.”

“Chief, please release these tendrils! I’m your son’s wife! I haven’t even activated the emergency awakening code, so why are you awake!?” (Sitri)

Sitri shouted desperately while trapped in the tendrils. Solomon responded with a cold, mocking smile.

“Fools. As if I would trust any of you. You were fed false information to serve as my nourishment when the enemy arrived. I ensured that they would come to this place by leaving instructions for the emergency code.” (Solomon)

“No way! Father, Fatheeeer!” (Sitri)

The fleshy mass contracted, emitting wet, grotesque sounds as it swallowed them. Solomon’s power visibly grew stronger with each passing moment.

“If you had done as instructed and repelled the intruders, you could have lived in eternal luxury. But since you failed to fulfill your duty, you’re fired.” (Solomon)

Solomon’s words dripped with disdain as his eyeball turned to look at us. It was clear that the final battle was about to begin.

“I always sensed that this day would come, even if it was not predicted in the future visions. I knew I would have to solve this with my own hands in the end.” (Solomon)

Solomon unleashed a surge of power, causing the ground to tremble violently.

“Heh, it looks like this is the final battle.” (Lanpeach)

I readied my fists and smirked.

“Now then, otherworldly hunter, bounty hunter Maelstrom Alice! Let’s finish this!” (Solomon)

“Very well. I’ll end this quest here. This will be a massive profit.” (Alice)

Alice was enveloped in light, her outfit transforming into a sleek, azure battle maiden’s attire. She unfurled her white wings, wielding a radiant knight’s lance bathed in divine light.

…Wait, what about me? This is a little embarrassing. I’m just a side character standing next to the protagonist, aren’t I?

It seemed the minor villain Lanpeach was destined to remain a mere supporting character, never the hero. How humiliating.

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