Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 224

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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With a resonant chime, Eugene ascended to become a new Demon King. He slammed the table and rose to his feet, shouting at me.
“Evan Laef! How can you call yourself my friend when you won’t even watch me succeed?!”
“True friendship means falling into the abyss together when danger strikes.”
“Do I have to stop being your friend?!”
“Let’s descend into the abyss together, best friend.”
When I expressed my friendship so earnestly, Kanna’s eyes widened strangely. She muttered something that sounded like a curse while glaring at Eugene, but the man calmly acknowledged that he was the Demon King of Ten Thousand Demons and asked me to correct just one thing.
“Evan Laef. If you truly care for me, cancel the best friend part.”
“Understood. You’re a friend who’s less than best.”
The moment my words ended, Kanna broke into a smile. Eugene and I both heaved a sigh of relief.
“So. How far down do we need to go?”
Good question, Eugene. Even within the sea, there are depths humans can endure and depths they cannot, but since living creatures inhabited that place, it seemed like somewhere we could manage.
“As a stroke of luck, the Instant Dungeon entrance is located eight kilometers beneath the sea.”
“…What’s lucky about that?”
“Eight kilometers is something humans can endure through sheer willpower.”
If this were the original work, they probably would’ve titled this chapter something like “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” but we’re not actually going twenty thousand leagues. We don’t have a nuclear submarine or Square Captain.
Let’s see, eight kilometers is about twenty leagues, right? When you think about it, we’re going twenty leagues under the sea. Calling it twenty leagues makes it sound like a pleasant little outing, and I like that.
“Can’t we just dive down? I can’t hold my breath that long.”
“Just like how the Professor digs tunnels, couldn’t we create a cylindrical space that people can enter and freeze the outside while we descend?”
“Wow, this gorilla’s got a good head on her shoulders!”
And you look incredibly stupid saying that, Gorilla Reina. Why does this genius only make statements that ruin her own image? Is she doing it on purpose? Is it part of her concept?
“Of course, since water expands when it freezes, things might not go exactly as I plan.”
“Okie dokie. You mean the molecular oscillation of water? We’ll just have to accept that risk.”
This gorilla Reina is smart, but why does she speak so stupidly? Reina watched what I was doing and, when nothing else seemed to work, cheerfully suggested we just burn everything away with flame magic. Part of the sea would become a salt desert, but that was also a good idea. The problem was that I’d have to work hard to create a thick ice dam around the perimeter.
“S-sorry, Evan Laef, I-I’m n-not being helpful.”
“Don’t think like that. The only time you’re helpful is when we’re truly at our end.”
The situation where the Poison King’s help would be needed was… only when something truly terrible happened. You’re better off not doing anything, and with my persuasion, both Eugene and Reina chimed in that the most peaceful times were when Kanna stayed still, so she shouldn’t worry.
“Speaking of which, the Crown Prince didn’t come?”
“Oh, he tried to arrange something with Evan Laef but it fell through.”
“I see…”
How long has Seian been the Emperor, yet he’s still being called the Crown Prince? Anyway, Reina, who knew the circumstances, answered Eugene on my behalf, and the man sympathized with the transparent Crown Prince and told me not to give up.
“If you don’t keep pursuing him after he’s rejected you, he’ll really get hurt.”
“I know. I’ll tease him the moment I see him.”
“Good, thank goodness you’re shameless.”
Eugene, who laughed brightly—whether it was praise or not—encouraged me, saying there would be another opportunity.
Since we could get attendance credit for the liberal arts courses by saying we were going to dungeon practice, all we had to do was depart as soon as we were ready.
And so the King of Ten Thousand Demons, the Poison King, the Flame King, and the Demon King of Ten Thousand Demons departed from the Academy on Friday morning the week after midterms ended, and arrived at Sharit Bay, the closest point to the Underwater Cave, around lunchtime.

“Evan! How could you become my friend and not be able to stand seeing me do well?!”

“Can’t we just not be friends anymore?!”
“Let’s stick together till the end, best friend.”
When I made a show of genuine friendship, Kanna opened her eyes strangely. As she muttered what sounded like curses and glared at Eugene, the man calmly admitted he was a dragon slayer before asking her to correct just one thing.
“Evan. If you really care about me, cancel your best friend plans.”
“I understand. You’re a friend, but not a best friend.”
The moment my words trailed off, Kanna broke into a smile. Eugene and I let out a sigh of relief and patted our chests.
So. How far down do we have to go?
That’s a good question, Eugene. Even at the same depth, there are things humans can handle and things we can’t, but since there are living creatures there, it seemed like a place we could manage.
Fortunately, the instant dungeon entrance is located eight kilometers below sea level.
“What do you mean, thank goodness?”
“8 kilometers is something a person can endure with sheer willpower no matter what.”
If this were the original work, they would’ve written something like “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” as the chapter subtitle, but the fact that we’re not actually going twenty thousand leagues feels off somehow. We don’t have a nuclear submarine or a Square Captain.
Let me see, 8 kilometers is about 20 ri, right? When you think about it, we’re traveling 20 ri underwater. I kind of like how saying “20 ri” makes it feel like a casual outing.
“So we just dive down? I can’t hold my breath that long.”
“Couldn’t we do it like the Professor digging a tunnel—creating a circular space that a person can enter, and then freezing the outside as we go?”
“This bastard’s got a sharp mind!”
You look incredibly stupid when you say things like that, Gorilla Reina. Wait, but you’re actually smart—so why do you only make statements that ruin your image? Are you doing this on purpose? Is it part of your concept?
“Of course, since water expands when it freezes, things might not go according to my plan.”
“Okay, okay. You’re talking about the fluctuation phenomenon of water molecules, right? I can accept that much.”
“Seriously, Reina Letem is smart, so why does she talk so stupidly?” As I watched what I was doing, Reina cheerfully suggested that if nothing worked no matter what we tried, we should just blow it all away with upheaval. Part of the Sea would turn into a salt desert, but that was also a good idea. The problem was that I would have to go through the trouble of creating a thick ice dam around the area.
“I’m, I’m sorry Evan, I, I can’t help either.”
“Don’t think like that. You’re only useful to us when things get really desperate.”
The only situation where we’d need the Poison King’s help is when something terrible happens. The less you work, the better. Eugene and Reina both told me not to worry, saying that the most peaceful times are when Kanna stays still, despite my persuasion.
“Come to think of it, the Crown Prince hasn’t arrived yet?”
“Oh, I heard that fell through because of Evan Laef.”
“That’s…”
It’s been how long since Seian became Emperor, yet he’s still being called the Crown Prince. In any case, Reina, who understood the situation, answered Eugene on my behalf, and the man pitied the transparent Crown Prince and told me not to give up.
“If you don’t keep bringing up that he rejected you, he’ll really get hurt.”
“I know. He’ll make snide remarks the moment we meet.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you have no shame.”
Eugene smiled brightly—whether it was praise or something else, I couldn’t tell—and encouraged me, saying there would be another opportunity.
Since they said they’d mark us present in our liberal arts classes if we went to the Dungeon training, all we had to do was leave as soon as we were ready.
And so the King of Ten Thousand Demons, the Poison King, the Flame King, and the Dragon Slayer Duke were able to depart from the Academy on Friday morning the week after midterms ended, and arrive at Sharit Bay, the closest point to the Underwater Cave, by lunchtime.
“Hwaaaah!”
◇ ◆ ◇
When Eugene, who had become a demon after eating a hundred years of drinking, used mana, a huge silver door burst open. While Kanna and I were clapping and praising Eugene, Reina looked a little sullen. Is it because Raina was originally stronger than Eugene? You thought you were on top all along, but it must not feel good to be overtaken.
“Perfect. A bay for terrain—ideal for freezing.”
“If I contain it and you vaporize it, that’s fastest?”
“Fastest if we ignore marine ecosystem damage.”
“Then let me test if I can spiral down in a circular pattern first.”
Reluctant to destroy the marine ecosystem, I purchased a small fishing boat from a nearby Fishing Village and rowed toward the center of Sharit Bay.
“Legendary Absolute Freeze!”
I unfurled my ice wings in a spherical formation, jumped above the sea, then descended through the hollow spaces created by the freezing, stacking ice shavings like shaved ice. At some point, I gave up and returned to the water’s surface.
“This won’t work. The deeper I go, the thicker I need to freeze, but then I lose visibility.”
There was no choice. I’d have to destroy the marine ecosystem.
Using the map the Department Head Professor had given me, I walked along the entrance of Sharit Bay and froze it deeper and deeper. Perhaps it was the molecular oscillation phenomenon Reina Letem had mentioned—the ice I’d created rose higher than the water’s surface, like a breakwater.
I’d frozen it thicker than most dams, so this should suffice. I circled the entrance of Sharit Bay in an O-shape and signaled to Reina Letem. Her booming voice reached me even here.
“Skill! Inferno Blaze!”
Spectacular. Absolutely spectacular. An artificial sun touched the surface, and with a sizzling sound, the water simply vanished. I’d thought perhaps a salt desert would remain, but it seemed even that would burn away. Nothing remained where Reina Letem’s magic had passed.
“Legendary Absolute Freeze!”
With that firepower, my ice dam could be in danger. I drew in more seawater to reinforce the dam and blocked the external heat.
Where Reina Letem’s magic had passed, a gaping sinkhole remained.
“So we just jump down now?”
“Hey! The dam?!”
Of course it’s sturdy. My ice won’t yield to Reina Letem’s magic. I flew and drew another O to demonstrate, then descended into the sinkhole. The others, all being sturdy types, simply dove headfirst without hesitation.
Honestly, none of them have any sense.
While I descended slowly, the three who’d plummeted urgently hit the bottom with a thud. After falling a full 8,000 meters and landing, these Demon Race creatures didn’t have a scratch on them. They tapped the ground curiously, admiring the landscape Reina Letem had created.
“Salt crystals?”
“G-glass, maybe?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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