Anything to Survive in Hell: From Weakling to Tyrant

After establishing the operation in my head, I immediately put it into action.

"Implement burrow construction."

"Kereuk."

I moved to a slightly distant place and ordered the guys to construct the burrow.

Anyway, our home over there was only nominally our home; it was closer to a covered pit. Although there were items left behind, I could just go get them. It didn’t matter if I made a new one here.

"Let’s stay here for about three days and observe those bastards."

"Kereuk? Kereuk-kereuk."

Bimzi nodded his head.

Did he really understand that?

"Kereuk-kereuk!"

"Kkeureureung..."

Anyway, Impsung, unlike Bimzi, couldn’t dig the ground well. Well, he looked weaker than Bimzi. Was that obvious?

"Impsung, just keep watch around us. If anything comes, let me know."

"Geureureureuk..."

"Kereuk-kereuk."

Bimzi looked at Impsung and grumbled something, but it couldn’t be helped. Originally, new recruits naturally don’t work well.

Like that, with Bimzi, I dug the ground.

Well, well. Over time I gained know-how, and with more manpower the work progressed quickly compared to when I first made it.

"As expected, Bimzi is the best, I tell you."

"Kereuk-kereuk."

Impsung was sitting on this tree and keeping watch around us. Even though Impsung was foolish, he had the instinct to care for his own safety. So he was keeping watch very well.

"At that level he’s doing his part, I guess."

He knew how to make fire and how to keep watch. So even if he was foolish, he could be called an ace.

"Huu."

As I was working with Bimzi, before I knew it the sun began to set.

"Well, the burrow is almost complete."

I think I can just go in and sleep. Dinner isn’t particularly necessary. Throughout the work I’d been munching on fruits and vegetables.

"Bimzi, go in. Impsung. Come down."

"Geureureuk."

Impsung jumped like a cat and landed in my arms. I immediately put him into the burrow, and I also went inside.

"Kereuk-kereuk."

"Geureureureureuk..."

A cramped space. Inside it, with our bodies pressed close, Bimzi, Impsung, and I slowly breathed. What we were doing now was a kind of ambush operation.

From now on, while staying here, I planned to gather information about the kobold den.

"For now... Impsung’s combat power cannot be expected. If it’s just me and Bimzi, up to three kobolds can be dealt with at once."

If I use a spear to take down one and start, it will transition to a one-on-one fight, and after splitting one with a hand axe it’s over. The remaining one can be ganged up on with Bimzi.

Even if only three are killed like that, the enemies’ combat power can be severely damaged. It’s truly perfect.

The night deepens.

Soon, after a bit of meditation, I should be able to sleep.

"Geureureuk. Geureuk-geureuk."

At that moment Impsung shook his body as if he had something to say.

"Be quiet. Why?"

"Geureureuk. Kkeureuk."

Impsung pointed outside.

"You want to go out? Why?"

"Kkeureureuk."

"Fuck, how could I understand? Hey. Even if it’s frustrating, bear with it a bit."

"Geureuk-geureuk."

Even so, Impsung seemed to want to go out. What is it? For what reason? Now Bimzi seemed displeased with the situation and was making an annoyed sound.

"...Kereuk."

Because it was night, quietly.

"Geureuk-geureuk."

Impsung was making some kind of counter-argument.

"Is there an insect or something? Alright. Impsung, go out and come back."

Since he wasn’t a guy who couldn’t tell right from wrong, I decided to let him go for now.

"Geureuk."

Impsung, who answered softly, crawled up the den as he was and went outside. I also stood up slightly and stared at Impsung disappearing into the darkness... Ah, fuck, it’s too dark to see well.

"Kereuk. Kereureuk. Kek."

Bimzi next to me said something, but I couldn’t understand him.

And then.

Footsteps could be heard.

Huh?

Along with the footsteps, something like a light... approached. Surely it wasn’t a monster’s eye-glow? No! To think so, Bimzi was too quiet, and there was only one light, not two.

Soon.

The light drew closer.

"Geureuk?"

"Huh? What is it?"

It was Impsung. Impsung, holding something in his hand. —Seueuk. Impsung immediately came into the burrow holding something glowing.

"This is?"

Looking at his hand, wasn’t he holding some kind of glowing insect?

"A firefly?"

It was an insect similar to a firefly. And a firefly the size of Impsung’s palm. Perhaps because of its large size, the firefly’s light alone gently illuminated the inside of the burrow.

"Geureuk. Geureureureuk."

Impsung held it out as if telling me to take it.

"Wow. Impsung, this bastard."

He’s good at finding insects, so did he find a firefly? Did he bring light because it’s dark now?

"He’s more capable than I thought? Well done."

"Geureuk-geureuk."

As soon as I stroked his head, Impsung showed signs of liking it. No. But anyway. Wow? What is this, really? Such a huge firefly?

"If I just had a few of these... I wouldn’t need to worry about lighting at night, would I?"

"Kkeureureureuk."

Since I hadn’t moved at night after coming to this wilderness, I didn’t know such things existed. Then later, when I need light at night, if I order Impsung I won’t have to worry about light.

"Hehehe, he’s an A-class, I tell you. Bimzi. Praise him. Impsung achieved something."

"Kereuk-kereuk."

When I said that, Bimzi laughed as if pleased and said something to Impsung.

I immediately put the firefly into the sack containing fruits. There would be no harm in keeping it.

Thus the days at the new stronghold flowed by.

We, who had settled here, collected fruits or hunted simply to finish our meals and persistently observed the kobold den.

"Good."

First, three.

"Kyusat-kyu..."

"Kyu..kyu."

"Kyusaaaaaaat."

They usually moved around in groups of two or three and seemed to forage for food. After this foraging party left the den, until they returned, no others entered or exited the den.

And what I learned while observing was that the three kobolds that came out as the foraging party were all the same guys every single day.

"The scale is small."

Only the same guys went out to work every day, and apart from them there were no others entering or exiting.

Surely, was the scale of this kobold den so huge that there were entrances everywhere? And this entrance was only used by those three? Based on that judgment I conducted reconnaissance around, but there were no other entrances.

A natural conclusion.

"This is the only entrance."

Furthermore, seeing only the same guys working every day, it was a chronic manpower shortage. Since the working population was three, there could be at most about five inside.

I reached that conclusion.

The next morning.

I set a policy.

"Guys. Next time, if only two come out, let’s ambush them then."

"Kereuk-kereuk."

Dealing with three at once carries a high risk. When two come out as the foraging party, I’ll take them down in a suitable spot and attack the den. And if my prediction is wrong and there are more kobolds inside, then just escape.

"Bimzi. Impsung. If I tell you to run, unconditionally follow me and fucking run away. Understood?"

"Kereuk-kereuk."

"Kkeureureuk."

"Alright, then Bimzi, grab your spear. Impsung, take this sack."

As they each gathered what they needed and waited.

"Kyu. Kyusat."

"Kyu..."

From the den, two kobolds walked out, making "kyu" sounds. Good. Just two came out, perfect. If I follow those bastards like this... and just finish them off, it’s game over.

I cannot lose.

This is it, Knull Belial! You are the man who will become a demon king!

If I can’t handle a trivial matter like this, how could I become a demon q!

Thus, I steeled my resolve.

When the kobolds started walking that far away.

"Begin tailing."

I immediately pursued them.

It was after about thirty minutes of tailing them.

"Kyu..."

"Kyu-kyu-kyu-saaaat. Kyuu."

Around this point, perhaps intending to forage for food, two kobolds buried their noses in the floor and began sniffing. And then, using the protruding buckteeth at the end of their rat-like vulgar mouths.

They began digging the ground!

...!

Thrill!

Were those bastards digging the den like that with their own teeth?!

And they were digging better than I thought!

"Kyuk-kyuk."

"Kyusaat... Kyu."

The kobolds muttered among themselves and dug the ground while lying prone. How much had they dug? Eventually they succeeded in digging up something like a mushroom from the ground.

"Kyu..Kyu-kyusat."

"Kyu-kyu-kyuk."

The guys who collected the mushrooms began digging the ground again. It seemed that today they intended to dig the ground like that to collect something.

Watching the prone guys like that... I gripped the spear I was holding tightly.

...!

Bimzi and Impsung. Both were trembling with arousal. They looked like they wanted to charge at the kobolds immediately. Was Impsung feeling fighting spirit too? I didn’t know. Anyway, my subordinates never moved without my order.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Aiming the stone spear at the kobold’s back, I took one step forward.

A sound of something breaking.

"Kyusat?"

"Kyusasa-sat?"

The kobolds turned to look at me.

"Ah, fuck! Die! Charge!"

Kicking off the ground, I thrust my spear at the one on the left! 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Kyuuuuuu-saaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!"

The stone spear splendidly pierced into the kobold’s flesh, and a truly mournful scream burst forth...! It was a critical hit! With a single strike I succeeded in inflicting effective damage!

"Bimzi! Impsung! Fuck up the bastard next to you!"

"Kereureureureuk!"

"Kkeureureureung!"

Immediately my two subordinates launched themselves toward the other kobold! Leaving the remaining one to them, I’ll finish this bastard first!

As I immediately pulled out the spear, the spearhead was gone!

Had it gotten stuck in the kobold?

"Kyururu...!"

The kobold, bleeding profusely from its chest, looked at me with a mournful face, but this is the wild! There’s no such thing as mercy! If you let your guard down, you can only die!

"Die, kobold!!!!"

I immediately drew my hand axe and launched my body toward it!

After I slaughter you all, I will even seize your den!

"Your den will become my dungeon!!!"

For that, I fight!