Gamers of the Underworld

Sherlock stood in the Dungeon Lord Main Hall, looking at the images in the crystal ball. Frangipani had been sent to the construction site to investigate.

 Phoenix, Polio, and Eggface, who were sent to the construction site, were mysteriously captured and sucked into an alternate dimension.

 It was Frangipani’s turn to investigate.

 Brainiac stood beside Sherlock, unsure of why Lord Sherlock asked him to take a look at the images in the crystal ball early in the morning.

 Lord Sherlock said, “I have to let you be mentally prepared. Am I right?”

 Brainiac was puzzled, but he stood obediently beside Sherlock and looked intently at the images in the crystal ball.

 Frangipani, who appeared in the images, vanished in an instant.

 When Brainiac opened his eye sockets widely in a bid to look for Frangipani, he discovered that Lord Sherlock had also vanished.

 “Is this… Soul Connection?” Brainiac muttered to himself as he looked at the spot where Sherlock had vanished.

 …

 In a dimension that was flashing with crimson rays, Frangipani was being dragged in by a huge tentacle. Then he floated in the red dimension. When he opened his eyes, he saw Lord Sherlock before him.

 Frangipani wanted to speak, but Sherlock placed his hand on Frangipani’s mouth and gestured for him to keep quiet.

 Sherlock looked forward. Frangipani also saw what Sherlock was looking at.

 It was an object that looked like an octopus.

 To be precise, only the head looked like an octopus.

 He had the body of a Human, though the parts of his body were also that of an octopus. In front of him was a strange Mana Machine. His tentacles were like hands that operated the machine. He continued operating the machine without looking at Frangipani and Sherlock, then said, “If you don’t have a history of addiction, lock yourself in the left prison. If you have a history of addiction, lock yourself in the right prison. Don’t force me to fight.”

After the Octopus Man finished speaking, Sherlock looked at the left prison.

Phoenix and Polio were inside the left prison. Besides them, there were a few Vampires and Werewolves.

 There were fewer creatures in the right prison. Sherlock saw Eggface inside.

 The only difference between the two prisons was that the right prison was heavily padded so that the prisoners couldn’t harm themselves. For example, Eggface was knocking his head on the wall while muttering to himself.

 “When I get out, I’ll use my 98k to kill all of you.”

 “Apologies, I don’t wish to enter either of the prisons.” After he confirmed the presence of Eggface, Phoenix, and Polio, Sherlock spoke to the Octopus Man while smiling.

 “Ah?”

 The Octopus Man was shocked, and he sent a huge tentacle towards Sherlock. However, the tentacle was chopped off by a mysterious force when it got close to Sherlock.

 The Octopus Man couldn’t hold back his anger. He turned around and glared at Sherlock and Frangipani.

 “It has been a long time. I thought you were no longer working for Mammon.”

 It looked like Sherlock knew the Octopus, who was taken aback and didn’t speak for a long time.

 “Lord Sherlock, do you know him?” Frangipani asked.

 The prisoners started to notice the commotion outside.

Phoenix and Polio shouted, “Lord Sherlock, you’re finally here. Tell them to release us. We told them we’re members of the 72 Devils of Michelangelo, but they don’t believe us.”

 Sherlock ignored Polio’s shouts. He smiled and looked at the Octopus, then said, “This is the great secretary of Devil King Mammon—Tangerine.”

 Sherlock walked forward, and the dominant aura of a superior Devil was unleashed.

 “Can you tell me what Mammon is doing here? If he was merely constructing a theme park, he wouldn’t have had to capture my subordinates. If I’m not mistaken, this should be Mammon’s Office. Am I right?”

 “Who are you?”

 The Octopus Man was bewildered as he looked at Sherlock, who knew him. However, he had no idea who Sherlock was.

 “A long time ago, during a school excursion to Hades, I toured the Seventh Devil King’s office and met you.”

 Sherlock said with nostalgia, “I wonder if you can recall a superior Devil who is on good terms with Miss Lilo.”

 “Ah! It’s you!”

 When Sherlock mentioned Miss Lilo, the Octopus Man shouted loudly.

 “So you’re Miss Lilo’s friend. What’s going on? Why were you captured? Did you visit the construction site? Apologies, it’s all a misunderstanding. I’ll release you immediately,” the Octopus Man said politely as his tentacles operated the Mana Machine.

 But Sherlock raised his hand to interrupt him. The Octopus Man noticed Phoenix, Polio, and Eggface shouting loudly at Sherlock as though they knew him.

 “Do you know them?” the Octopus Man asked Sherlock as a precaution.

 “They are my subordinates,” Sherlock said earnestly.

 The Octopus Man nodded and said, “I’ll release all of them. I hope you won’t divulge our information. Later, we can sign an agreement as a precaution. It’s difficult to do anything without agreements in the Underworld. Please keep away from the construction site. If you’re captured again, it’ll be very difficult for us. We can only release you if Miss Lilo comes personally.”

The Octopus Man spoke in a long-winded manner. Sherlock appeared beside the Octopus Man and pressed his hand on the Mana Machine. Then Sherlock said, “What if I don’t?”