Vending Machine - 240 - Hakkon

Chapter 240: Hakkon

Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7583de/

Author: Hirukuma

Translated by Gumihou

As a reminder, the Five Finger Generals (and Left Arm) are as follows:

左腕将軍 Left Arm General, Ruler of the Netherworld (Skeleton)

小将軍 Pinky General Kayorings (Goth wraith thing)

薬将軍 Ring Finger General Sulrim (Snow Spirit)

中将軍 Middle General Zen (Samurai wannabe)

人差将軍 Index General Eno (Half Shark)

親将軍 Thumb General Kyous (???)

Sparks flew from my entire being while cracks spread across my casing and bits of my body started to crumble and fall off.

My durability had fallen to single digits. At this rate, I was just waiting to be destroyed as a horde of monsters trampled over me. The only thing I could see now was the soles of the monsters’ feet and their sagging lower bodies. I couldn’t even catch a sight of the ceiling at all!

However, this also means that they probably can’t see me either, [1] or that I was just too broken up for them to pay attention.

First, I spent some coins repairing the core of my body, [1] while leaving the surface damage as it is to avoid suspicion. Then, I switched out my products to lighters and condoms and privately dropped both into the dispenser. Then, I used [Form Change] and transformed into the [Gas Vending Machine].

By now, my core had fully recovered.

I filled the condom with gas and transformed into a [Mini Vending Machine], the smallest form of vending machine in existence. For the record, this kind of vending machine is often used in a diorama. While I don’t have a special interest in 3D models, [1] the fact that they have a fully functional vending machine was what caught my interest…

Ahem, however, all that is irrelevant right now. Now that I have the condom filled with gas, I deployed my [Barrier], leaving the condom outside. Next, I floated the lighter with [Telekinesis] and burned it.

The gas ignited, causing a small-scale explosion that sent me rolling through the monsters’ feet. Hopefully, this little trick is enough to make it look like I was finally destroyed.

This body was small enough to look like a bit of debris and was kicked about by the monsters’ feet in a comical way. To be honest, it was kind of scary with how my view kept shifting and spinning. Luckily, I don’t have the ‘vomit’ function as a vending machine. Speaking of which, I should change my colour to match the ground and avoid the enemy’s eyes.

I allowed myself to be kicked about until my body was launched out of the monster horde. [1] While midair, I deactivated the [Barrier]. That way, my body, which looked like a rectangular piece of rock, skidded across the ground.

Now that vision has cleared, I turned my gaze towards the Ruler of the Netherworld. Oh, my four friends have escaped!

The Ruler of the Netherworld was staring intently at his own arms, so it doesn’t look like he had let them go. They must have escaped through Leader Keyroil’s [Shattering Eye] and Sulrim’s [Teleportation]. Ah, the King was now looking at the area where my little explosion had happened. Was he suspicious? I’d like to think that was a clever bit of performance on my part, but that skeleton just won’t take his eye sockets off that spot.

Ugh, my heart’s pounding really hard. That suspicious skeleton, why won’t he just give up already?

I really want to believe that I won’t be caught now that I’ve camouflaged with the ground, but [1] that monster could read my mind.

The monsters had all marched up the stairs, leaving only the Ruler of the Netherworld and me. The King glided to the ground and pressed his hand to the broken earth.

Light emanated from this skeletal hand, drawing a strange pattern consisting of various geometric patterns along with characters resembling the local language. It looked like a teleportation circle, but the scale was completely different. What could such a massive teleportation circle be for?

As I watched the events unfold in silence, the teleportation circle’s glow intensified, and slowly, a gigantic object emerged from within the circle. At first, I thought it was a giant rock, but as it rose higher, I realised that it was the floor boss, Rocky Dog Mountain.

The sight alone was quite shocking. When it fully emerged, I realised that it was different from before. The most obvious and shocking addition was the legs [1]. One of the forelegs was made of bone and was burning hot, while one of the hind legs was made of wood, and the other was scaled like a lizard’s. Had this guy fused the floor bosses together? If so, that monster’s strength must be off the charts. The Rocky Dog Mountain was huge enough that when it fully emerged, it hit the ceiling, causing even more damage.

It was only a matter of time before the whole dungeon was destroyed.

“Fuhahaha! It worked! With this, I can kill that impudent Demon King and become the ultimate ruler! Fuhah! Fuhahahahahaha!!!”

The Ruler of the Netherworld was shouting out his villainous speech, thinking he was alone in the room.

So, it turns out that this guy wasn’t a loyal subordinate after all and was planning to betray the Demon King?

Since he had absorbed the dungeon’s magic, had a whole horde of monsters and even this super extra maxed out floor boss under his control, he had gotten really cocky. If the Ruler of the Netherworld had really betrayed the Demon King, that would be better for us. If we could inform the Demon King about it, they might just fight it out and destroy each other without us having to do anything.

Just as I was absorbed in my thoughts, my surroundings suddenly darkened, and my entire body shook.

[77 Damage. Durability decreased by 77]

Ah, a piece of the ceiling must have fallen on me. Since it’s completely dark, I must be buried under the debris.

Since I had deactivated [Barrier], I took damage from the hit. Still, since I had drastically increased my Sturdiness and Durability, I only suffered 77 damage, even in this small body.

Well, since I’m now conveniently covered by whatever chunk of roof that had fallen over me, I can activate [Barrier] without worrying about being seen.

Amidst the constant tremor of the dungeon collapse, an especially powerful vibration shook the floor. [1] Then, it happened again, and again. The rhythmic shaking felt like… footsteps? Had the fused Rocky Dog Mountain monster started moving?

There was really nothing I could do in this situation other than hide under the rubble, hoping that the villagers managed to evacuate.

Before more debris fell on me, I returned to my original vending machine shape, still keeping the [Barrier] active.

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According to my internal clock, an hour had passed since I was buried underground.

It was a world of complete silence and darkness. I tried illuminating the area with a weak light, but there was nothing to see but debris and fallen earth.

At the moment, I have limited the size of my [Barrier] to a one-meter radius around my body. After reaching Rank 3, I can expand my range up to two meters, but I went with one meter to save on points.

To be honest. My situation is pretty hopeless. My tried and true escape method, the Cardboard-and-Balloon method, can’t be used here since I’m underground. It would be great if vending machines equipped with drills were to exist, but I had never seen or heard anything like it. Just in case, I looked through my entire list of international vending machines hoping to find one, but alas, no drill. Too bad.

I don’t know how long it would take for me to find a way out. If I don’t move soon, the monster horde will destroy the surface world. If the Directors managed to escape, they would have gotten word out to nearby towns and villages, so the damage should be contained… Still, it was frustrating not being able to do anything.

Should I at least try calling for help?

“Welcome. Welcome.”

I called out at my loudest volume, but I don’t think my voice could penetrate through the thick layer of debris.

At least, I don’t need air or food as a vending machine, or worry about waste. I still have plenty of points, enough to maintain a basic [Barrier] for about a month.

…Ramis and the others must be worried.

No, it’s possible that they thought I was broken and gave up on me. If that were to happen, would I have to resign myself to being buried here and end up as a fossil?

Haaa…

Still, that’s unlikely. Ramis will definitely try to save me. I am almost certain of it. We have spent nearly every day together ever since I came to this other world. We spent days together, helping each other, sharing hardships and joys.

She will never abandon me. So, let’s extinguish the thought of her not coming. The only question is when help will come. In the meantime, I won’t give up hope and look through my abilities carefully. Now that I have reached Rank 3, my vending machine functions have increased a lot. I’ll need to investigate my new powers properly.

The items sold in overseas vending machines included many things that were unthinkable in Japan. I could easily spend a whole day just browsing through these new and yet unexplored machines.

I can’t wait to surprise my friends with new products and features. As expected, life is lonely without customers. A vending machine’s life is only meaningful when there are people to sell products to.

It’s been a while since I’ve been so alone… Back when I first arrived in this world, I had stood by the lakeside all by myself. While it was a lonely existence, I was more anxious than anything. When I was attacked by that Frogman and was watching my points going down, Ramis appeared at just the right time.

Thinking back now, I recalled how she was considered useless by the hunter’s level and had been left without anyone to party with. But now? She’s a famous hunter known to everyone in Clearflow Lake. Her skill had improved beyond comparison to that time we first met. At her current level, she can easily subjugate a mid-level monster on her own.

As someone at her back, and literally strapped to her back most times, I felt deeply moved with emotion. Before this, she could not demonstrate her true strength without me, but now? Her control over her monstrous strength was nearly perfect.

There was no need for her to carry me around as a counterweight anymore, yet she still said things like ‘We will be together forever’ to me. Back when I was a human, I had never been liked or adored by anyone to this degree. In this situation, I’m probably not quite a ‘normie’ but a ‘normie vending machine’? Ah, but that doesn’t sound right either.

Ramis’s wish for me to become human may not have come true, but there are other dungeons, and we have received information that wishes really can be granted. In other words, hope remains strong. Ramis had even said that we would go dungeon diving together once this matter is settled. Our usual travelling companions will also be joining us, so I look forward to our next adventure together.

If I can go adventuring with those rowdy yet reliable friends again, I will have absolutely no complaints at all. So, it’s best to end this commotion quickly.

Right, I don’t think there’s much I could do in this situation, but I can use the time to think of ways of getting out of this landslide. After all, it’s not like me to do nothing just because I think I can’t.

The moment I was reborn as a vending machine, I had already parted ways with common sense. As usual, let’s struggle forward as a vending machine!

[Gumihou: Go! Go! Go! Hakkon!] [1] Added detail for clarity

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