Who Designed This Underworld Dungeon?

"The Gapar you're talking about is that Sword Saint? How did his daughter end up being parasitized, poor thing." Steeran said with full sympathy, firing a flame arrow at the Insect King's severed body, the fire instantly cauterizing the wound to hinder its recovery.

"Aooo aooo aooo!"

"There was no way, the situation was too urgent just now, there wasn't time to explain."

Dal sighed and said, "Now we need to consider how to rescue the teacher's daughter."

"Can she really be rescued? Why not try sending her to the Magician Association?"

Roger walked up to the corpse of the Insect King, examining it closely, just as he was about to imitate the others by injuring the Insect King to delay its recovery, intending to have the Curse Frog spit on it, was stopped by the three in unison.

What a joke, they were trying to delay the Insect King's recovery, why was the Curse Frog coming to stir things up, curse death isn't something to mess around with.

"Sending her to the Magician Association is indeed an idea, but I have a feeling she'll be dissected."

Steeran suggested, "Why not send her to my aunt? The old lady should have a solution."

"I think," Dal said as he casually delivered another slash, "why not send her to Sain? Sain always has a way."

"Aoooo aoooo aooo!"

"But Sain is quite a distance from here, unexpected things could happen on the way."

"Then...do you have a 'Return to Hometown' Magic Book page? Let it learn one, then use Chaotic Magic to teleport it to Sain."

"Unfortunately, none of us have learned this roadside magic called Chaotic Magic."

"Should have brought the Princess for a walk, she's quite good with Chaotic Magic."

The group discussed as if the Insect King was a fish on the chopping board, occasionally giving it a cut.

The Insect King felt deeply humiliated, it still had a move up its sleeve, now wanting to unleash it on these damned humans who underestimated it.

"Come out!"

In the now silent inner world of Uffie, the silhouette of the Insect King appeared once more, calling out to Uffie.

Having completely eroded Uffie's mind, it could summon her spirit at will, a testament to the power of Hidden Blood Parasites when fully specialized in parasitism.

But the more it bragged about its parasitic abilities, the more suffocating the previous battle felt, a dignified Insect King failing to seize even a single new body in the battle? If word got out, people would laugh their heads off.

What's up with humans these days, is everyone now a Divine Favored, the gods more active than ever?

I must survive to see what this is all about!

But after dozens of seconds, Uffie's spirit still hadn't appeared.

"Where did she go?" The Insect King searched everywhere, traversing through memories, finally locating Uffie's spirit somewhere.

"Phew, luckily I found it." It breathed a sigh of relief, almost thinking its one remaining ability had failed, ready to intrude and capture her.

The place where Uffie was, was in the Hunter's Dream, but without the presence of a puppet, white flowers gently swaying, moonlight freely spilling down.

"Hiding inside the house?"

The Insect King headed towards the sole house in the Hunter's Dream, a sinister smile on its face, kicking the door open.

It indeed saw Uffie inside, but she was sleeping.

From the smile at the corner of her mouth, it seemed she was having a sweet dream.

The Insect King halted at the doorway, wondering why, it was because it saw Uffie laying on an old man's lap asleep.

Where did this old man come from?

"Shh."

The old man looked up at it, gently placing Uffie in a wheelchair, standing up instead.

Wait, if he's not crippled, why use a wheelchair?

"This dream is too long, too many outsiders."

The old man—Geman's body gradually became upright, ethereal smoke forming in his hand, his signature weapon, that scythe-like Funeral Blade.

"Best not disturb the hunter's sweet dreams."

He swung the scythe towards the stiff Insect King.

In the real world.

Dal was delivering a slash on the Insect King's partially recovered body, discussing strategies with others.

The Insect King made a sound, but it was slightly different this time.

"Ouch, what are you doing!"

How come the Insect King's voice sounded different?

Everyone swiftly turned their heads to gaze at the Insect King, still lying there as a half-Alien body, seemingly unchanged.

But the eyes were different, gone were the insect-like compound eyes, replaced by clear, bright, and human-like eyes filled with confusion.

"W-why are you all looking at me?"

Uffie blinked and belatedly shouted out:

"Where are my legs!?"

At the same moment.

All the parasites within the city ceased their activities.