Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: So I'll Just Do the Casting Myself
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Rabbit Hole was the hidden stage on the 4th Floor.
It was the only place in this area teeming with Ghouls and Werewolves where you could hunt a different kind of monster.
“……How did you know? We were talking inside the outpost, but it got cut off. Actually, now that I think about it, you were the one who interrupted.”
“Correct.”
“How long have you known? That I was trying to enter the Rabbit Hole.”
To be honest, seeing a Dwarf on the 4th Floor had been one of the things I'd anticipated.
Then the word "rabbit" slipped out, and I'd hastily shut it down.
“I heard there's a rare space on the 4th Floor. In a place crawling with wolves, a rabbit's burrow stands out—you can't forget it.”
“…….”
“Someone with the skill to meet on the 11th Floor, spotted here. I figured you might be searching for that rare space.”
“That makes sense…… You're a beginner, so it's natural to rely on what info you know.”
Regin flashed a relaxed smile.
Whatever. Think what you want.
As long as I knew he was looking for the Rabbit Hole.
“First, introductions. I'm Greg Harbian.”
“Pleased to meet you, Greg Harbian. As I mentioned before, I'm Regin Petrichio.”
True to his Dwarven race, Greg had a small but burly build.
He extended his thick arm toward Regin.
“As you said, I'm looking for the Rabbit Hole. The Lycanthrope showing up was lucky for me too.”
He could've lost his life, but even that was an opportunity.
“They say the Rabbit Hole has a high chance of appearing right when the Lycanthrope spawns.”
* * *
Regin and Greg slowly walked the forest path at night.
With Greg lighting the way with his lantern, it was at least less suffocating.
“Do you dislike the dark?”
“Not particularly. As long as it's not pitch black.”
Back when he was immersed in DAT in the real world, he'd played with the lights off sometimes.
So darkness was familiar.
“Oh, that's a relief.”
“What about you, Greg?”
“I don't mind it either. But I hate when something suddenly pops out in this atmosphere.”
“Like these Ghouls?”
― Grrrruk!
A Ghoul leaped out from the side of the forest path. Greg gripped his axe with both hands and cleaved its head.
“Exactly. Damn ghosts. Heh heh. I really hate these bastards.”
“Must've been pretty stressful hanging around the 4th Floor.”
“It was, but what can you do.”
Whoosh―!
Greg smoothly took down the following Ghouls as he continued.
“To find the Rabbit Hole, you have to get used to this darkness…… and the Ghouls.”
Even as he spoke, Greg's stance didn't falter.
To one-shot a Ghoul required that much raw strength. It was another moment to feel the Dwarven race's broken nature.
‘Short height and limbs, but perfectly built muscles to compensate.’
Plus, as blacksmithing was their main profession, they were close to weapons.
Talented Dwarves even crafted weapons tailored to their movements.
Custom-made weapons and armor maximized combat efficiency.
Swish― clang!
A Ghoul's ambush claw was blocked by Greg's armor.
The armor looked handmade by Greg himself, with reinforced steel patches that seemed impervious to ordinary attacks.
‘He can handle both DPS and tanking on his own, huh.’
Not a preferred race, so he'd only played one a few times.
But no early-game party member was as versatile.
“Ghouls are already piling up like this. Looks like the investigation team cleared a bunch of monsters around here.”
― Krrrruk……!
― Grroooo……!
Of course, the 4th Floor was still a bit much for Greg to solo.
No matter how well-balanced his DPS and tanking, overwhelming numbers wore you down.
Endless respawning Ghouls approached slowly, drooling yellowish saliva.
“I'll assist.”
Rip―!
Regin tore a scroll to activate a spell.
He'd mass-produced these Rank 1 spells: Magic Arrow.
Glowing blue mana arrows flew toward the Ghouls.
Pew pew pew!
Regin controlled the airborne Magic Arrows, precisely striking between their eyes.
“Heh heh. As expected of a mage—refreshing. Rear guard's yours.”
The battles continued in a similar vein after that.
With Ghouls spawning everywhere, Greg smashed the frontal ones with his axe.
Regin fired magic at those flanking from the sides.
“Whew. No end in sight. That's why we need to find the Rabbit Hole fast.”
In a lull as the Ghouls thinned, Greg wiped his sweat.
“If Werewolves start popping up too, it'll get even tougher.”
“……You've held out here for weeks somehow.”
“Lucky break. The Lycanthrope wiped the local monsters once.”
“That makes sense.”
“Thanks to that, I could hide and stay as long as possible, but then the tower's portal opened, and monsters started respawning.”
Greg took a sip of water during the brief respite and asked Regin.
“But anyway. Mind if I ask one thing?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why'd you stop the investigation captain from talking about the Rabbit Hole earlier?”
“Huh?”
“At first, the timing seemed odd, but thinking back, you definitely knew about it. Felt like you cut him off on purpose.”
“…….”
“Asking again. Why block him from mentioning the Rabbit Hole?”
“If you'd let him speak then, you could've kept exploring the 4th Floor without the lost-item excuse, right?”
As the Dwarf looked puzzled, Regin spoke up.
“The investigation team won't like you finding the Rabbit Hole, Greg.”
“……What? Why? What's wrong with me searching for it?”
“You know Lycanthropes go dormant again after a few days, right?”
“Yeah. That's why I stayed hidden, waiting for the right moment.”
“You think the kingdom doesn't know that? At this point, the Lycanthrope's long gone. So why send an investigation team like that?”
“……Obviously they know, but couldn't it just be an investigation?”
Something he'd realized after countless DAT playthroughs.
The kingdom moved to maximize their profits.
They never dispatched teams for just one reason.
If they were mobilizing, they always had at least two objectives.
“Like you said earlier, after a Lycanthrope appears…… the odds of finding the Rabbit Hole spike.”
“……Then.”
“Yeah. While investigating, the kingdom planned to scout the Rabbit Hole too.”
The Dwarf fell into thought.
“Makes sense…… No way they sent the team for one purpose. Yeah, I'd be a nuisance to them. Can't monopolize the Rabbit Hole then.”
It was then.
An urgent voice echoed from a distant part of the forest.
― Use fire magic!
― Sword and spear users, block them up front!
Clang! Clang! Boom!
Followed by an explosion.
Thick smoke billowed into the sky with red light.
“……Then those guys fighting Werewolves right now.”
“Might be looking for the Rabbit Hole.”
A bit far, but the mana flow alone told him the investigation team was in combat there.
And their foes were surely Werewolves or Ghouls.
“We don't have much time.”
“Indeed.”
Regin was certain the investigation team was after the Rabbit Hole.
That's why he'd stopped Greg from telling Ellis.
Greg felt the urgency too.
“Isn't there a limit on entrants? To the Rabbit Hole.”
“To find it, we have to beat them to it.”
“But our odds are better.”
Greg smirked, glancing at where the team fought.
“I've already checked that whole sector. No Rabbit Hole there.”
Naturally, following Greg—who'd lingered on the 4th Floor longer—boosted their chances.
Rustle―!
It happened then.
At the sound right beside them, Regin and Greg instantly entered combat stance.
Could be a Ghoul or Werewolf ambush.
Peep―
“Phew, just a rabbit.”
“Yeah. Heh heh. Cute little thing.”
Instead of danger, a small brown rabbit was the source.
It glanced at Regin and Greg before hopping into the underbrush.
Only then did they exchange serious looks.
“Rabbit……!”
“Follow it!”
Contrary to its name, Rabbit Hole wasn't a spot where rabbits appeared.
But in a place like the 4th Floor, no way a rabbit existed otherwise.
‘That's the guide.’
Regin's eyes sparkled as he dashed after where it vanished.
The hidden stage guide was that very rabbit.
* * *
Rabbit Hole.
One of the places DAT players fought over most.
‘At first, people argued if it even existed. Some claimed it did, but most had never seen it.’
Low-floor hidden stages were hard to research quickly.
No one stuck around long, and many dismissed the idea of one here as ridiculous.
But when the 1st Floor's hidden stage leaked via a silly route, the mood shifted.
‘The 1st Floor one got out just because someone left their computer on too long. Sparked guesses that 2nd through 4th Floors had something too.’
Regin had researched extensively but failed to find the 4th Floor's.
Endless Werewolf kills, even the Lycanthrope—nothing changed.
One day, searching for differences, he spotted an intriguing post.
[Do rabbits exist on 4th Floor too? (Photo attached)]
[Heard a sound and checked—rabbit there. Too fast, only got one shot.]
Users frantically commented.
― Why not chase it.
― Why chase? Something there?
― No idea what's there, so chase and see.
The poster had just shared a cute rabbit for fun; others found it frustrating.
― Why chase if you don't know…… Why's everyone acting weird?
Regin, watching live, couldn't hold back and commented.
ㄴ Could be hidden stage bait. I've farmed 4th Floor all day, never seen a rabbit.
ㄴ Whoa, it's the guide guy lol.
ㄴ Dude really solo-explored 4th Floor for a week. No rabbits means it might tie to hidden stage.
The poster then chased one.
Five minutes later, a screenshot hit the community.
[Rabbit chase aftermath lol. Followed it and found some hole.]
The user discovered a downward tunnel.
Thus, the 4th Floor hidden stage spread among DAT players.
‘……Like that.’
Regin nodded, eyeing the red glow ahead.
‘Red Portal.’
A deep downward tunnel.
And the Red Portal embedded above it.
He'd seen the screenshot, and after several tries, Regin cleared it too.
“This is…… the Rabbit Hole.”
Regin and Greg swallowed hard before the Rabbit Hole.