Chapter 69
69 – Into the Dungeon
Five people gathered in the central square.
Academy students John, Sierra, Ellie, Lire, and mercenary Cain.
Originally, outsiders are not allowed to enter the academy, but I was able to enter the academy with the invitation of John the Chief.
“Ms. Rir. Hey, what’s going on?”
Sierra’s voice was like cold air flowing from the magic cellar.
The place where Sierra’s eyes were directed was towards the Lire Verse. Sierra, who hadn’t shown much interest in her until a little while ago. Indeed, to Sierra, Lire was just one of many academy students. The inspiration given to Sierra by the fact that she was a disciple of the Sword Master was close to zero. She’s a person with nothing to get entangled with in the first place.
However, if you join the party like this, the story is different.
‘That guy. I have a bad feeling.’
A woman’s touch.
Feels like sharp needles piercing the skin.
That Lille Bergeran The energy she felt from her classmate could not be described as good even with empty words. It’s not that the opponent is evil. Is it a bit different from that, like a ‘dangerous competitor’?
“That’s what I want to ask. I came here at the request of Yohan-kun.”
Lire, who answered with her chest wide open, felt almost the same feeling Sierra felt. Li Da is a person who cannot be left out when it comes to Chok.
‘Your vigilance towards me is amazing. Something, it feels like they don’t match.’
“I heard that a mercenary was coming, but I didn’t hear about this kid. Didn’t you hear Ellie?”
“Me too. I thought the three of us, Cain, and John were exploring.”
“What are you talking about? Dungeon exploration decided to join us. More than that, what kind of relationship do you have with Yohan, so you call me so friendly?”
“Huh~ Looks like we’re closer than that. I am Yohan’s wife…”
Lire’s lips stopped abruptly as he tried to say that he was her girlfriend. Pretending to be dating John is her strategy to find out his weakness. She would be a great paving stone for her future revenge.
By the way, here, directly recognizing the relationship with one’s mouth like this is like filling such a self-justification hole.
Of course, it doesn’t matter what happens if you dig deep. There is no need to ‘pretend to be dating’ only with John.
On the contrary, in order to properly deceive John, it is right to let others know that the two are dating.
Actually, the reason why Lire hesitated was for a more superficial reason than that. She is ’embarrassed’ to tell others that she is dating him.
Lida escaped (not escaped) from her mother’s solo life just a few days ago. It was not easy for her to boldly reveal her relationship in front of others. In particular, it was a very difficult task for Lire to show her flirtatiousness in front of her classmates who live in the same dormitory.
“John’s…. What?”
Sierra’s tone changes. It feels like a knife blade is in her voice.
It was only for an instant, but it was enough to make Lire shudder. She says her instincts are certain. This woman is dangerous.
“I am Yohan-kun’s friend! A best friend!”
I was never overwhelmed by the Sierra vibe. She didn’t have to lie, so she just told the truth.
‘What the hell is this guy?’
She is a dangerous woman. Judging by the atmosphere, she seems to be interested in Yohan, but such a dangerous woman does not suit Yohan. Apparently, she needs to keep herself sane for Yohan’s sake. What was John thinking hanging out with such a gloomy woman?
“Ah, did everyone say hello?”
While talking about the dungeon with Cain, John sneaked up on him. Even with John’s appearance, the tense atmosphere does not die at all.
“John. This exploration is for a new circle. But, this kid has already entered ‘Red Lake’. Do you really need to borrow a hand from someone from another circle?”
“Oh, was it? Then you can come out. I went in there without thinking about it. I will submit the resignation papers today.”
“Today is the weekend.”
We do not lose a single word to each other. No one could sense that the atmosphere was not good. Even that Ellie expressed disapproval of the subtle nervous warfare felt between the two women.
The person who came out here was Cain, the future mercenary king.
“Come on, we haven’t even set foot at the entrance to the dungeon yet. Ladies, please calm down. Five people is just the right number for dungeon exploration.”
To be involved in a fight thanks to a needlessly handsome client.
This unique experience will not be available anywhere else.
However, this situation was not very embarrassing to Cain. In the mercenary corps, quarreling among colleagues over trivial matters was fierce and fierce.
Especially, any mercenary with experience like Cain must experience at least once when his composure is blurred in front of a reward and he engages in a fist fight. That’s why I’m quite used to mediating these quarrels.
“The Volcano Zone isn’t that difficult a dungeon, but the Hidden Area is on a different level. If you don’t keep your mind straight, you may not be able to come back.”
“Huh. Is that enough?”
“The Hidden Area is not called the Grave of the Greed for nothing. Well, the glory of victory is sweet as well. That’s why the mercenary world buys high records for attacking the hidden area.”
He naturally turns his attention to the dungeon and mediates the fight between the two women.
“Anyway, move quickly. The goal is to attack the hidden area before evening falls. There is no time for fuss.”
At Cain’s words, Sierra and Lire faced each other and then looked away. It is a temporary alliance for a common goal. All for John. Thus, the journey of Johann’s party, which was unstable from the beginning, began.
—
Volcanic Zone is a dungeon located in District 7. The evaluation of the dungeon is that it is an appropriate place for mercenaries or adventurers who have just come out of beginners. As with all dungeons, it is no different from other dungeons if you are not careful, but the general consensus is that there are no threatening monsters except in hot environments, so it is not very loved by veteran mercenaries or adventurers.
However, this is one of the few dungeons where you can earn a bonanza if you’re lucky, thanks to the monster that lives here, the ‘Magma Golem’.
Magma Golem is literally a golem-type monster, and like most golem-type monsters, it has a golem core. This golem core is very valuable because it is used as an important material for magical engineering or alchemy research. If you’re lucky enough to hunt magma golems, you’ll be able to pull in all of that month’s income.
The problem is that magma golems respawn very rarely in dungeons. Considering that golem cores are released on the market almost every month, you can see how atrocious the regeneration rate is.
The core of a magma golem is obviously an expensive item, but from the standpoint of a veteran mercenary, it is obviously a loss to go to the dungeon for one. For that reason, the Volcano Zone could remain a pure dungeon that few veterans went to.
“This is a real dungeon. I hope you all stay alert.”
A sparkling portal appeared in front of the party. Sierra and Lirdo, who had been engaged in a war of nerves for a while in the carriage, also stopped wasting their energy unnecessarily when they saw the dungeon portal in front of them.
“Please follow me.”
Overall, I feel that the atmosphere of the party has become firm. Except for the client, John.
‘Looks like a strange student.’
Now it’s the veteran’s turn to lead the party. Cain took the lead and went into the dungeon.
What appeared in front of the group entering the dungeon was a black basalt field. A wasteland of huge stones unfolds in front of you, with no greenery like grass and trees in sight. There were red auras like stripes all over the black rock, and hot heat radiated from there.
“Wow! It seems that you have suddenly entered a fire pit! This is a dungeon!?”
Ellie, who followed Cain into the dungeon, felt the burning heat on her cheek and shouted. She had heard of it before entering the dungeon, but experiencing it herself like this made her feel different.
“Here, ‘Glacier Crystal’. Everyone take a sip.”
Cain handed out one glass bottle to everyone, which was left hanging in her rucksack. The splashing water is in the glass bottle. It’s not just water.
“It is water with special mana.”
Lir said, waving the bottle.
“One sip will keep you chilled for about an hour. The most important thing in the volcanic area is to save this water. In case the water runs out, we have to return without regret, so everyone please be careful.”
Everyone, including John, drank water. Strangely, as soon as I drank the water, the scorching heat disappeared. If the heat from earlier had continued to exist, he would not have been able to fight properly.
“I will move on.”
Cain led the way.
—
The movement of our party went smoothly. Cain led the party brilliantly like a future mercenary king.
“Bounce backwards! Miss Ellie!”
“Leave it to me! Wow~! Fist shot!”
The most frequent monster in the volcanic area, the ‘Flame Tail Weasel’, falls out of Ellie’s fist.
“Kaegaeng!!”
I could see the effect of the weasel’s eyes spinning round and round. The cartoon expression was implemented in reality, but it is not awkward at all. How the hell did this world come to be?
“This side is clear! Over there…. No need to worry~”
Ellie said as she looked at Sierra and Lire on the right, who were handling the ‘Fire Bore’.
“Shuriken Burst!”
Sierra’s commendations fall like rain. The number exceeds 20 water mirrors. It seems that her skill level has risen a lot. Maybe around level 5? The intensive tutoring from Professor Reina must have worked.
A group of Fire Boers rushing towards Sierra, scratching the ground with her hind feet, are frightened by her flying daggers and withdraw their tails. But it’s okay.
Sierra’s shuriken is mercilessly thrust into the back of the fire borer. A group of fire borers, black wild boars with roaring flames instead of manes, collapsed with a thump.
“Continuous parrying!”
Lire’s performance also did not lose to Sierra. She bounces off the five fire borers that attack her without delay. As soon as the bodies of the guys rushing forward lifting her pointed tusks touch Miss Lire’s sword, they collapse like a lie. It was like being shot with a tranquilizer gun. The way she dribbles the fire borer at will was like a sword master’s disciple.
“This is amazing. It seems I don’t even have to step out.”
Cain laughs at the performance of those kids.
I knew Lire’s skills long ago, but I didn’t know that Sierra would grow so quickly. Unlike Lire, her playable character and her fellow character, Sierra is originally a mid-boss. Frankly, her Sierra and her upbringing don’t even get me right, the rotten water.
‘As expected, is this the power of attributes?’
Sierra’s trait 「Empress of Twilight」
Befitting her A-level growth trait, Sierra is becoming a tremendous force.
“This is roughly organized. Then, we will move again.”
“No. Mr Cain. This is the entrance to the Hidden Area.”
From noble mtl dot com
The part where we are now is in the middle of the dungeon.
If you go further as you came, the end of the dungeon will appear. But we don’t have to go that far. The entrance to the Hidden Area is here.
“Oh ho. Are you here?”
“Yes, right in front of this rock.”
I stood in front of a large rock. There was another rock on top of the rock, so it looked like a snowman spread out wide. I poured the entire bottle of glacial crystals onto the rock.
Cheeyiik~!!!
“Ah! Precious water~!”
A moment before Ellie was startled by my sudden action, a new portal opened in front of us.
“Oh! How could such a hidden area be hidden in a place like this! How the hell did you know this!?”
Even Cain, who must have explored countless dungeons, must have never seen a hidden area like this before.
Later, Cain conquers the fantasy dungeon ‘Elysium’ and earns the title of Mercenary King, but now he is still a C-class mercenary. No, if he puts his body into it, is he a B-class entry?
“I found an ancient document about dungeons in the academy library, not in the community.”
“Ancient documents~? Mr John. Did you know how to decipher ancient documents?”
“Of course not. There is nothing John cannot do.”
“As expected, he is not my boyfriend.. But a friend.”
Everyone threw out a word that revealed their individuality.
“Okay, let’s go in.”
I stepped into the portal first.