Chapter 54

Within the first floor of Tokyo First Dungeon, the Apostle of the Bearer of Endless Agony and Delight was in a state of confusion.

Everything—everything had been going perfectly. Just one more step, and this dungeon would have fallen under the dominion of their master, the Bearer of Endless Agony and Delight, allowing them to spread their influence even further.

They had spent so long preparing for this moment—So why, now, had “that” appeared?

"Damn it, damn it...! What the hell is that thing!? I knew there was some cosplaying woman who cleared the Akihabara temporary dungeon, but... Wasn't she supposed to be just some pawn being propped up by expensive items from FoxPhone!? That damned information broker—I'll kill him once this is over!"

Indeed, the broker had reported it: That "Kogami Inari" carried an item box filled with high-end support gear from FoxPhone, and was simply faking achievements by relying on those.

"But what was that insane destructive power!? Close-range, long-range, physical DPS and magical DPS all combined!? How the hell does some 'Fox Shrine Maiden' class have that kind of strength!?"

It was absurd. Almost as if she could do anything, all by herself.

Not only that: lightly dressed in a shrine maiden outfit, she had tanked the spear traps without a scratch. Even after taking a Stamp Boar's charge head-on, there was no sign of broken bones.

Maybe it was the performance of her outfit—but even so, if her defenses were that high, she didn’t even need a tank.

Stat-wise, she should clearly have been a long-range magic dealer. At the very least, both her weapon and armor were undeniably top-grade.

And worst of all...

She had used the "Eye of Delight"—a skill granted by the Bearer of Endless Agony and Delight—to look back through their farsight technique.

The only beings capable of such a thing... were gods.

"Bearer of Endless Agony and Delight! Is that woman an apostle of some other god!?"

"Then why!? Why would someone like her show up now!?"

"...!"

The Apostle felt a burning rage toward their master, who after that gave no further reply.

They had been promised power. They had been told it was finally their turn to look down upon others.

That was why they had made the contract. That was why they had betrayed humanity.

"You're telling me... you're going to make me, your own apostle, the object of your amusement!?"

"AaaaaaAAAAAAHHHH!"

Stomping their foot in frustration, the Apostle pulled out a cursed dagger from beneath their robe.

A sinister blade, its center etched with a line of violet light. A divine weapon—clearly not of this world.

Taking deep breaths, the Apostle steadied themselves.

"...Calm down. My plan isn't broken yet. I just have to kill that cosplay woman. I have this sacred weapon—the Fang of Delight—!"

If pierced by this dagger, no human could survive. The venom would dissolve flesh, melt armor, obliterate everything—leaving behind absolutely nothing.

It was the ultimate assassination weapon—the pride of the Apostle of the Bearer of Endless Agony and Delight.

"Yes... I can do it... I will plunge this into her... heehee, heeheehee..."

Then— With a crackling noise, the Apostle's form began to shift.

From the figure of an ordinary man—to a woman's form.

Even their height changed.

The new appearance was that of none other than—Yaeka Echigo, master of the Echigo Trading Company.

Had the Apostle transformed into her? 

No.

Yaeka Echigo herself was the Apostle.

The male form earlier was the disguise. Her transformation had been achieved using the artifact Orb of False Illusions, capable of creating false images.

It was also the secret behind her massacre of the large-scale expedition team.

"I'm no longer just a 'Merchant'... Yes, I can do this now."

Repeating it to herself, Yaeka felt her composure return.

She could kill. She no longer needed to hesitate.

Thanks to her pact with the Bearer of Endless Agony and Delight, she had absorbed part of the power from the slain expedition members.

No matter how many times she checked, her stats were astonishing. Nearly all her abilities were at the Upper-Intermediate Tier—and she could still grow even stronger.

How much more power could she gain by killing that cosplay woman? What kind of face would that girl make when she realized she was going to die?

"Ah... Such a simple thing. Why was I ever tormented by doubt?"

Whispering so, the light in Yaeka's eyes was now the cold gleam—of one who took pure joy in stealing from others.