Chapter 124 – The Hero, Dives Into The Dungeon
Translator: Jay_Samuel Editor: JackOFallTrades
「Water check, food check, potions variety check, consumables all check」
I finished the last detailed inspection in the inn, and looked at them satisfactorily.
Minnalis and Shuria are already heading to the academy.
They, who have used magic only with their senses, have improved their magic skills, just like a dry sponge sucking water in.
In the past, the two of them seemed to be multiplying four digits without knowing the multiplication table.
Speaking of Minnalis, a good example would be she being able to use high ranking ice magic, despite being unable to use wind and water magic which are considered low rank.
Magic created by intuition, relying on talent, still lacks accuracy, and even more so, a little wasteful.
It is not talent that will sharpen those wasteful movements, but the blood of ordinary trial and error by thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of millions.
Both of them were reluctant at first, but now that they know that it would increase their powers, they are now proactively absorbing the techniques they are being taught.
「Well then, I better get moving」
I muttered to myself and got up.
Where I’m also heading to, is an academy.
However, the library visits ended yesterday.
From today, I decided to dive into the dungeon in earnest.
To be honest, the results of the library visits didn’t amount to much, but I cannot afford to spend any more time there, so it can not be helped.
There is also the matter of the discussion with Leone yesterday, so, it’s about damn time to embark on the dungeon capture.
And finally, I stowed away the lunch-box that Minnalis made for me into the round bag, I greeted the innkeeper with a nod and then left the inn.
I walk through the crowded city while thinking about something.
(However, I was lucky enough to get information from Leone)
The impact of having taken quite different actions from the first world, is starting to be made manifest.
Invasion by the demon Kingdom increased in frequency, and countries that are stricken by the sense of impending crisis are preparing for the 『D day』, and has begun to strengthen their armaments.
Just the factor of me 『not present』, is sure to have a huge impact even among the big moves.
The only one that seems to be without change is Beast Country.
In order to suppress the opposition of the nobles who had been suppressed by using the hero trump card move, which is me, the Kingdom seems to have picked out their hero through the ceremony of 『Selection』rather than 『Summon』.
In other words, they picked a replacement for me conveniently from within the kingdom.
They recruit people who are announced by the oracle of the Great Spirit, and bestow the title of hero to the winner of the tournament.
When I heard that, I was so eager to destroy the Kingdom right away, thinking if that was all it takes, why did they have to summon me to this world?
Just like in the first world, the pope faction rises to power in the Theocracy.
There was also no compulsion to forcibly render any kind of aid to the kingdom that took advantage of my existence, so I was carrying out the conquest of the large dungeon called the 『Coffin of the Immortal』 with that spare energy.
It seems that there is an extraordinarily strong Saint of the undead class at the vanguard.
I thought that it was the one getting all cozy with the hero that was chosen as my replacement, but apparently in the Theocracy, there is a difference in treatment between a hero who is 『Summoned』 like me and the newly chosen hero who was 『Selected』.
The Empire, just like the Theocracy was carrying out a large-scale operation to conquer the dungeon.
They collected powerful dungeon-produced weapons and magic tools, and raised people who could withstand harsh battles.
It is the dungeon that I had captured in the first world.
Apparently, even after the battle slaves at the front suffered a lot of damage, they somehow managed to continue the conquest.
The Beast Kingdom stayed idle in anticipation of the imminent skirmish with the demons.
Geographically speaking, that place is the most vulnerable to demon attack.
And compared to other countries, the difference in the frequency of attacks is also off the charts.
Thanks to the barrier that still surrounds the continent, there are no large-scale invasions and no places that have been badly devastated, but it will still be difficult to deal with.
(I think it’s about time to consider that limited information is no longer useful……?)
I walk down the road while thinking about such things.
Well, at any rate, the plan hasn’t changed.
For now, we must focus on regaining power first.
「……I guess this is it」
I arrived at the back of the academy.
The entrance to the two dungeons that the academy manages is right in front of me.
The place, widely opened and surrounded by thick log measures, the ground surface is sunken in a mild mortar shape in the form of a semi-circle.
People are sparse now, and there seems to be no one who wants to enter the dungeon.
I chose this time period to avoid unnecessary attention, but it seems I got here when there is no one around.
「Stop. You want to enter the dungeon?」
「Yeah」
When I came close to a wooden turret that serves as the checkpoint, a soldier who seemed to be employed by the academy was standing guard.
I took a deep breath, and then switchover my mood.
Where I am heading to now, is not a low-level dungeon that I conquered back in the royal capital along with Minnalis.
It is also in a different league from the dungeon that I conquered in order to cause a magic storm in Dartlas town.
「I want you to show me an ID that can prove your affiliation with the Academy」
「Is this fine?」
I said that and flashed the academy ID.
「Yea, no problem. Welcome to 『Carbonheim Demon Palace』. However, if you’re exploring alone, it is better not to explore below the fifth floor. Because this place is quite different from all those other dungeons you find out there」
「Believe me, I know」
After passing through the checkpoint, I walked on the loosely sloppy ground, and stand in front of the entrance to the dungeon.
The walls of the slightly elevated rocks looks pretty as if they were cut out, and in there lies a 『Gate』 with height close to five meters.
The sculptured gate, that looks like snakes overlapping on each other repeatedly, gives off the same kind of magic power as the dungeon itself.
Further in where the gatekeeper is standing at the entrance of the dungeon.
There is a trench closely dug on the light green wall, and there were two doors towards the back.
What I’m about to challenge is completely different from those stray dungeons out there.
A hierarchical dungeon that continues to grow deep underground from before the founding of this country.
The name of the country also comes from the 『Carbonheim Magic Temple』, a great labyrinth comprised of fifty floors.
…… Or not.
「Hmm? Oh, hey, that part of the dungeon is used by the academy students for practical training, the entrance to the magic temple is the opposite door」
Where I am heading to is that very 『Trial Labyrinth』, which is used for training.
「Is there a problem?」
「No, at all, there’s no problem but…….. That dungeon says 『Trial Labyrinth』, and only 『Mud Puppets』 appear from there, so I’m pretty sure it’ll be boring to normal adventurers?」
「I am aware, but I have some business there」
I waved my hand to the guard standing by both sides of the gate who probably said those words to me out of kindness, I open the door to the 『Trial Labyrinth』 rather than the 『Carbonheim Magic Temple』.
The atmosphere changed the minute I stepped my foot inside.
「『Gu……, guguu, gu』」
And, the demon 『Mud Puppet』, whose proper word would have been earth doll, appeared.
The ill-formed mannequin, made of dark brown soil, sounded like a machine that has run out of oil.
When I cut off the legs of the mud puppet which attacks while its body breaks apart every time it moves, I keep advancing forward.
「Now then, while warming up gently, I guess I should head to the entrance」
While chopping up the mud puppets and performing warming-up exercises at the same time, I descended down two floors to the lowest floor in a go, and arrive at the room that seems to be the deepest part.
At the back of the large room compared to previous, there is a pedestal of white porcelain carved sculpture.
There is a pseudo-dungeon core installed in there. That thing that the bumpkins in this country think is real, has a reddish orange color from within the large crystal ball.
「『Gurii……., GuraaArrr……』」
「You sure took your sweet time……, nearly an hour to get here」
A 『Lesser Mud Golem』 was in front of me.
That monster which only has its huge size going for it as a mud puppet, swings its unparalleled slow-witted arm forward.
「After all that, I guess it’s method of fighting is the old-fashioned fist fight, rather than techniques and status, no doubt」
I dodged its crumbling clay-like arm while standing, and then jumped onto its huge arm.
I undo the composition of the 【Soul Sword of the Beginning】 in my hand, and as I created a 【Nicked Colossal Sword】, I dashed halfway through the arm in one go just like that.
As I pour magic power into the bare blade jagged sword like those found on soldiers fleeing the battlefield, the blade becomes as huge as the Golem’s arm.
While being pulled by gravity and swaying to fall, the sword which is now way much larger than a normal large sword, swings naturally from the upper right to the lower left.
「『Guoohhh……』」
The golem which was bisected along with the magic core crumbled down and turned into a mountain of dirt.
(Even now, I poured too much magic power into the soul sword)
I’m getting lax, I’m getting soft, and I’m starting to ease up.
I killed Yumis, I killed Grond.
It was fun. I was delighted. It felt good.
I was able to do what I wanted to do, I cried and rejoiced, and little by little, light slowly shone upon my darkness.
I was sinking to the bottom of a dirty mud, then beautiful gems started rolling towards me.
Even though it can’t be helped, that honeydew that I continued to seek had created a space in my heart unwittingly.
More and more, one after another.
Even though I can’t get a single one by just wishing for it.
「Well then」
I threw away the mountain of dirt, I once again undo the composition of the soul sword, and then approached the pedestal.
I stood in front of the pedestal where the dungeon core is placed in the center, and as I shallowly cut myself in the palm with a knife that I took out, I spill the blood that flows out on the dungeon core.
The blood that flowed out is absorbed by the dungeon core as if gulping it down.
Each time, the veins crawl so that the roots extend onto the white porcelain pedestal. When the vein covers the pedestal, a magic circle that emits light mingled in red and purple appears in front of the pedestal.
I stepped into that Magic Circle without hesitation, and wait for the distorted view to converge.
The feeling of teleportation after a long while.
The place I arrived at, looks reddish brown, almost like the bowels of a living creature.
The walls and ceiling are enclosed in flabby textures, and the atmosphere somehow reeks of blood.
And also, its dense magical power is incomparable to the place where I was earlier.
「I had thought that I would never step foot here again, like right here for example, there you go」
「「「Kishaaassstt!?」」」
I lopped off the heads of the three 『Granomia Snakes』 that were creeping up on me from behind.
It’s a B-rank monster with a powerful lethal poison, and uses a unique skill that completely hides its presence, appearance, smell and sound.
The dead corpse of the 『Granomia Snake』 after its skill had been undone, emits a purple gas, and began to dissolve.
「Hahaha, right from the onset and these guys are the welcoming party, I see the difficulty is as brutal as ever. It’s just what I need to cleanse my mind」
The feeling of chill running down my spine.
One step ahead, one breath ahead, one move ahead.
An atmosphere as if death is smiling at you, death is cuddling all over you.
「「Gibicharr」」
A monster that looked like a bundle of slime appeared right before I could take my breath.
『Immortal Slime』 is a troublesome monster that has multiple minuscule magic cores in its body, and cannot be defeated unless all of them are crushed almost at the same time.
「Bring it on, you bunch of small fries」
I produced a 【White Sword of Light Snow】.
The rapier which was dyed all white from the blade to the hilt, was decorated to captivate all who gazes upon it as if it were a ceremonial sword.
Its ability, is to slow down the movements of enemies other than me within a certain range.
「Gyushaaa! 」 「Gippiiiiiiii! 」
「Dye everything white, cease everything lightly, because this is my kingdom, FREEZE. 『Snow Garden』」
Just before 『Immortal Slime』 attacks, I poured magic power into the soul sword, and sticks it to the ground.
At that moment, a circle spreads around me to match it, and engulfed 『Immortal Slime』 in the demarcated world.
Pure white snow slowly falls fluttering about.
The world is blurred in white, and the tentacles that were extended towards me lost their speed.
It also slowed down the vibrations of atoms, which is the identity of heat, and 『Immortal Slime』 completely stopped moving.
I then swing my sword.
A white afterimage was left, as if a line was drawn in the air.
In a world where nothing but me is allowed to move, that ice sculpture crumbled down in pieces like sand.
「Yes, this is it, this is the feeling」
I am going to conquer this no-name dungeon, that no one even knows about.
After coming to this second world, I once again chose the objective called revenge.
I was given hope, I who only clung to the promice with Leticia, and hopeless as to what to do.
However, if I let myself drown in that honeydew, it will surely end again without achieving anything. It will be over.
So, once more, I will return to the starting point where I once was.
Deep, deep, below, at the bottom of the gutter where I lived taking everything around me as the enemy.
「…… Now then, let’s get this hell tour started」