Dungeon Battle Royale ~ Since I became a Demon King, I will aim for World Domination-Novel

“Nn. Yataro-sama, I finished gathering the information.”

A jet-black ogre, who had a small horn growing on her forehead, soundlessly appears in front of me.

“Kaede, good work.” (Yataro)

I express my gratitude to the jet black ogre ― Kaede.

“Nn, thanks.” (Kaede)

“So, what’s the situation?” (Yataro)

“Being usurped might be a question of time.” (Kaede)

“I see…” (Yataro)

I ponder while stroking my grey beard.

What I had Kaede investigate, was one of the Domains in Uchinada located at a place around 20 km away from here. That Domain was currently under attack, not by humans…but a group of monsters.

“What did you think about their strength?” (Yataro)

“Nn. Strong.” (Kaede)

“Stronger than Kaede…than your master?” (Yataro)

“If it’s one-on-one, can win…maybe?” (Kaede)

Kaede looks as if she had swallowed a bitter pill.

If it’s one-on-one…huh? However, the opponent is a group of monsters, not one.

“Their aim is, me?” (Yataro)

“Probably〜” (Kaede)

How troublesome. Those guys’ ― the aim of the Demon King, who brought down all the Demon Kings in Kanezawa…is my Domain, huh…? Even though it would have been fine if they had quietly invaded Nonoichi or Kahoku…

What did they say was the name of their ringleader…? I operate my smartphone and check the information.

――Demon King Shion.

The ruler of a Hazard rank S Domain, and the most evil and famous Vampire Demon King.

What an annoying opponent.

I guess I will struggle to not allow my second life ― my life as a Demon King, to come to an end.

◇

Year 20XX

I ― Kurama Yatoro spent my modest pension in my hometown, Uchinada, which faced the ocean.

It’s been ten years since I retired from my job as teacher. No students came to visit me, my wife of many years died ahead of me, and my son moved away to Tokyo, so I had been living a lonely life in my paid off house.

My sole pastime was a smartphone game I had started so I wouldn’t go senile. At first I didn’t understand what was so fun about it, but for some reason it was…addictive. I was severely scolded by my son when I spent more than a month’s pension on a character I desperately wanted. After that my spending was controlled by my son, with parental controls.

Parental controls are something that parents use to control their children, and not something for a son to control his father, I think, but…back then I couldn’t protest all too strongly, since my son was supporting me financially.

Well, I have plenty of time, I thought. Until the day my wife comes from the netherworld to pick me up…I think I will pour my love into these children (game characters) and try to raise them into splendid girls and boys.

One day, while I was spending my days in a philosophical mindset like that ― all of humanity received a single email.

――『World Salvation Project』

And then I began my second life as Demon King.

◆

The 120th day after I became a Demon King.

I had reached a turning point that would influence the fate of my second life.

That turning point was ― 《Random Creation》.

《Random Creation》 was one of the special abilities I acquired after reaching level 5.

《Random Creation》 ― 『Create a subordinate by offering your everything. It’s necessary to use all your CP. The subordinate to be created will be entrusted to the Goddess of Luck. If the goddess smiles upon you, a unique subordinate will be created.』

The annoying explanation is unnecessarily wordy, but in short, it’s gacha.

It’s the act of putting all of one’s soul into one’s fingertips…and praying to the gods for a SSR.

Hmm…to introduce gacha just when I started to think that this world had adopted a tower defense system…damn admins. Nice goin’ there.

I poured my soul into my finger, and activated 《Random Creation》.

What was created as a result was a rank C subordinate, 『Pixie』.

Hmm…this a miss, eh? I spent 600 CP, and the subordinate I created was rank C. This cannot be called anything but a disappointment.

Gununu…I want to activate the next 《Random Creation》, but it’s impossible unless I wait for ten hours. No way, to think there would be a stamina system in the real world…but there are no micro-transactions, right?

From that day on I used 《Random Creation》 like a madman. Once I came to, I realized that the CP I had spent to get under a hundred subordinates randomly, should have been used to create countless regular subordinates, plunging me into a predicament.

At this rate it’ll be dangerous…I suppose I should stop with 《Random Creation》… But, one more time…and one more time…I feel like a SSR will appear anytime now…

I committed myself to maintaining my Domain like a tightrope walk…by assigning my BP to Mana and defeating invaders by myself.

Haa haa…I think I will soon hit my limit…

The strength of the invading humans grew daily. Moreover, even monsters from neighboring Domains came invading.

This time will be the last time…I will make this 《Random Creation》 the last one…

I repeated the words which I had said many times before. With my soul resting in my finger, I activated 《Random Creation》.

Mmh? An ogre, huh?

Seeing the small, horned figure appearing from the shining pentagram, I sighed.

Considering it’s an ogre, the contours are somewhat slender…

“Nn. Boss, best regards.”

――!?

I was startled by the phenomenon taking place in front of my eyes.

The subordinate…the ogre…had spoken in Japanese!?

There were goblins saying 『Giigii』, kobolds barking 『woof woof』, and lesser demons using some cryptic pronunciation of 『＃＆％＄』, but there was no subordinate among them who spoke in Japanese.

With trembling hands I operated my smartphone, and checked the subordinate’s information.

『Shadow Ogre ― Rank B. An atypical ogre lurking in the shadows. It has superior concealment abilities. A natural-born assassin capable of killing an opponent soundlessly. Creation costs: Creation impossible』

――!

T-This is…a SSR! It being listed as rank B is dissatisfying, but…that’s doubtlessly a SSR subordinate!!

I boisterously danced with my SSR subordinate whom I had obtained at last. I was so excited that I would have collapsed from high blood pressure if I had still been a human.

I cannot afford to lose the SSR that I obtained at long last. After this day I regulated myself to using 《Random Creation》 once every two days. It was a painful and harsh limitation, but…it was indispensable for the sake of my SSR subordinate and for the very continuation of my second life.

That was an event taking place on the 40th day after I acquired 《Random Creation》.

◆

Around one year after I became a Demon King.

Capitalizing on the special trait of my shadow ogre minion ― Kaede, I have been expanding my Domain.

Kaede, who was an excellent spy, would investigate the Domains to be invaded in advance. My subordinates are composed of various races that I had created with 《Random Creation》, allowing me to research the enemy’s organization and sound out their weak points. The Demon Kings around me basically use one race each. Whether it’s ogres, fairies, beasts, elves, demons, or dwarves, I have subordinates of all species. It was simple to research them. There were also fools that came at me with strength, but my Kaede was one step above them. As expected of a SSR, a subordinate I can rely on.

Even in regards to defense, I have laid out traps and paid attention to maximize the handling of my subordinates in order to keep my CP consumption down. I set up marshlands with bad footing, and deploy subordinates who can float there. I station subordinates boasting of their strength at places to where I would guide invaders with tumbling rocks.

I steal powerful items from invaders and at invasion destinations, and use those to enhance my subordinates’ equipment.

I managed to become the strongest power in the area around Uchinada.

You might say that I had upgraded my second life as Demon King…

――Until the invasion by those guys from Kanezawa, that is.