Dungeon Crawler Carl, #6
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Chapter 68
Overview
Carl uses Donut’s Midnight Express card to take temporary control of the deck and rushes to the beach, where he summons Raul to create the souls Amayon needs to leave the world. The plan nearly fails because Raul cannot perform under pressure, but Alpha Male Carl’s threats motivate him while Donut and the others struggle to hold Amayon and Ysalte at bay.
With time almost gone, Carl chooses a brutal shortcut back to the main fight by triggering the teleport trap hidden inside Samantha. The chapter turns the absurd crab-soul loophole into the party’s last hope while escalating Carl’s willingness to harm himself to save the floor.
Summary
When time resumes, Carl abandons the rooftop fight and leaps off the building to intercept Samantha. He grabs Samantha in midair and forces her toward the ground, planning to use her speed to reach the beach while Amayon continues trying to cast his world-ending return spell nearby. Demon birds and bats pursue, and the battlefield grows more chaotic as Li-Na summons a dragon.
Carl and Samantha pass beneath Amayon’s massive centaur-like body and then fly toward the corpse-covered beach. Donut plays the Midnight Express card, temporarily making Carl the deckmaster for three minutes and freeing Donut to use spells and inventory. Carl orders Samantha back to empower Donut, then summons Raul the crab from the deck.
On the beach, Carl explains that Raul must fertilize the remaining crab eggs immediately. Carl believes the AI’s earlier ruling that crab sperm counts as mobs can create the souls Amayon needs to leave the world. Raul hesitates because the entire beach is dead and because he feels pressured, so Carl tries to frame the act as Raul’s chance to save his people and advance spiritually.
Meanwhile, messages from the battle report that Ysalte summons a version of Paz, Katia traps it in a shield, Imani and Tran are surrounded, and Donut struggles to control Amayon. Carl summons Alpha Male Carl, hoping the totem will nearly kill Carl to help power Amayon, but Alpha Carl refuses out of affection and concern. Raul also stalls until he explains he needs the sight of baby seals, so Carl points him toward dead seal pups on the shore.
As Midnight Express expires, Carl uses Time Extend on Raul to keep the crab active. Donut casts Why Are You Hitting Yourself on Amayon, causing the demon to punch himself but making him furious. Alpha Carl unexpectedly helps by berating Raul, which gives Raul the motivation to perform.
With less than a minute left, Carl decides to injure himself and return to the main battle by a dangerous shortcut. As Raul finally finishes and Alpha Carl keeps yelling encouragement, Carl tells Donut he is coming back, warns Samantha not to let him out until the fire flares, pulls the teleport trap trigger from his inventory, and steps into the trap he previously left inside Samantha.
Who Appears
- CarlTakes temporary deck control and risks severe self-harm to execute the soul-generating plan.
- SamanthaCarries Carl from the battle to the beach, then returns to help Donut.
- DonutPlays Midnight Express, coordinates updates, and casts a spell that makes Amayon hit himself.
- RaulSummoned crab to fertilize eggs and create the souls needed for Amayon’s spell.
- Alpha Male CarlSummoned to help Carl but instead motivates Raul through aggressive insults and threats.
- AmayonGigantic demon trying to cast a return spell that requires millions of souls.
- KatiaReports trapping Ysalte’s summoned Paz variant and prepares to confront the goddess.
- YsalteOpposing goddess in the card battle, nearly out of cards but still threatening the party.
- ImaniFinds Tran but reports they are surrounded by demons.
- TranTrapped with Imani amid demons during the wider battle.