Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Breakthrough #4
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Dungeon delving required a great many things.
Sufficient food and water, weapons, the insight to detect traps, and the combat prowess to defeat dungeon guardians and various monsters.
And one more thing, something incredibly important yet easily overlooked by all.
Securing a source of light.
Dungeons were dark. Most were located underground, so naturally, there were no windows to let in the sunlight. Many dungeons had some form of lighting installed, from torches to magical lights, but there was an unimaginable gap between what was installed and what was actually in use.
The Thunder Doom Fortress was dark. In the days when dwarves roamed its halls, light would have poured from the magical lamps on the ceilings, but that was a story from hundreds of years ago.
As a specialist in exploring ruins, Felicia had prepared quite a few lighting tools. Each person was given a glowing rod that could be called a small flashlight, and Delia at the front and Karak at the rear were given glowing stones the size of a fist. They emitted a fairly strong light in all directions, capable of brightly illuminating a ten-meter radius.
Right now, the party was lacking just one thing: sufficient food and water. They hadn’t packed much, thinking they would only take a quick look around the entrance.
“My stomach hurts.”
Karak said, rubbing his belly as they took a short rest in a small room. Juingong, feeling Green Wind’s inexplicable gaze on him, asked.
“You mean you’re hungry?”
“Mmm, that too.”
About three hours had passed since they began their assault on the Thunder Doom Fortress. Considering they had spent about an hour recovering their minds and bodies after being forcibly woken up with awakening potions, they had been wandering for over two hours.
The Thunder Doom Fortress was massive. It wasn’t just a simple fortress but a fortress-city, like the place where the Anvil that Birthed Thunder was hidden, so its scale was truly immense.
*Still, it’s a size that can be covered in a day.*
The Thunder Doom Fortress was carved into a mountain. As long as they weren’t held up by traps, dungeon guardians, or monsters that had started to thrive in the dungeon, they could explore it from end to end in a few hours.
Over the past two hours, Juingong’s party had encountered two trap rooms and two groups of dungeon monsters. There was another characteristic that revealed itself because it was a fortress-city rather than just a fortress: there were surprisingly few trap rooms.
After all, this was a place where people lived. The more traps you laid, the harder it was for the residents.
*Thankfully, we haven't run into the others yet.*
Those pitch-black figures who might or might not be inside the fortress.
Juingong checked the shrunken mini-map once more. If his guess was correct, the party was currently located around the middle of the Thunder Doom Fortress.
Of course, it wasn't as if Juingong had memorized the maps of every dungeon that appeared in *Knight Saga*.
But it was a different story when it came to important points.
*A fork in the road is just a little further ahead.*
Two paths led to the control room of the fortress-city, Thunder Doom. One was short but literally a minefield of traps; the other passed through the residential area, taking longer but having fewer traps.
“Your Highness, are you sure we don’t need to draw a map?”
Daphne, sitting in a corner and drinking a mana potion, asked cautiously. Although she had no experience exploring dungeons, she was aware of how important map-making was during such expeditions.
Yet, despite exploring a massive fortress-city and not a simple, linear dungeon, no one was drawing a map. She couldn’t help but feel anxious.
But unlike Daphne, everyone else’s expression was calm. Juingong nodded and replied.
“Yeah, it’s all in my head, so don’t worry.”
His confidence in such a preposterous statement was somehow even more unsettling.
Felicia giggled and said.
“It’s ridiculous, but it’s true. You can trust him when it comes to directions and maps, even if not for other things.”
“Even if not for other things?”
As Juingong glared, Felicia giggled again and shrugged.
“Anyway, it’s a bit of a shame. I’d rather investigate properly than just rush through like this.”
The party was currently only moving forward. They were completely bypassing various daily necessities that held traces of the Dwarven High Kingdom's lifestyle and architectural styles that could be considered art in themselves. For Felicia, who had a great interest in ruins, it was a huge disappointment.
“Well, we can always come back later.”
“That’s true, but still. I never thought things would turn out like this.”
She had expected some difficulties, but she had never imagined they would be ambushed and trapped inside the fortress.
Karak nodded.
“Mmm, that’s right. I never thought things would turn out like this. It seems like whenever the Prince is involved, something unexpected always happens.”
“You’re right.”
Come to think of it, it was true.
During the Red Lightning Tribe subjugation, there was the unexpected participation of the Swamp Mammoths, and during the Cassius subjugation, there was the variable of monsters shrouded in purple miasma. The reconnaissance of the northern Enger Plains was no different. Weren't they surrounded by an unexpectedly large force and nearly killed?
It wasn’t just missions where unexpected things happened. Both of his audiences with the king had been out of the ordinary.
As everyone recalled the past events one by one, their gazes turned to Juingong. The translucent Green Wind, who had appeared on the White Eagle, tilted her head and asked.
*Master, is it really so?*
Instead of answering, Juingong gave a bitter smile. It was true, but he never expected to be attacked like this.
*Is this also some kind of protagonist’s boon?*
The moment Juingong unconsciously tried to check his skill window, Delia spoke up.
“But… I believe it was thanks to Your Highness that we were able to handle those unexpected events. If it weren’t for you, I would already be dead.”
Juingong wasn’t the cause. It was because Juingong was there that they could resolve the unexpected situations.
As Delia smiled gently, Felicia also nodded in agreement, and Daphne and Karma followed the mood as usual.
Juingong looked at Delia with moved eyes, then turned his gaze to Karak and Green Wind.
“My stomach hurts.”
*I am always on your side, Master.*
At his two subordinates’ evasions and topic changes, Juingong finally burst out laughing. And it was at that exact moment.
The darkness vanished in an instant. Bright light poured from the ceiling, illuminating not only the room where Juingong’s party was but the entire fortress, followed by sharp sirens wailing from all directions.
At the sudden change in the situation, Karak, Daphne, and Karma shot up from their seats with tense faces. Juingong, Felicia, and Delia were also surprised, but the three of them were thinking of something slightly different.
The lights came on and an emergency siren blared. This was a situation more likely to occur in ruins like a fortress or a city rather than a small dungeon. And such situations didn't happen very often.
Either the ruin’s most important facility was under attack, or a dungeon guardian of a grade high enough to affect the entire ruin was under attack.
Juingong and Felicia looked at each other. Just from their eyes, they could tell they had come to almost the same conclusion.
Someone was clearing the dungeon.
They had just reached the most critical facility or had just started a battle with the highest-grade dungeon guardian.
The pitch-black figures who had ambushed Juingong’s party.
*Was their goal to conquer the Thunder Doom Fortress?!*
Did they attack General Kashubal and his party to ensure their own conquest of the fortress would not be disturbed?
It was plausible, but not perfect.
General Kashubal had died half a month ago. That meant those figures had at least fifteen days to conquer the Thunder Doom Fortress.
And they were only reaching the point of completion now?
Unless they were meticulously exploring the fortress room by room as Felicia had wished, it shouldn't have taken that long.
There was something more. There was clearly another cog in the machine that Juingong didn't know about.
*And their objective.*
If conquering the fortress was their goal, what were they after? Could it be that, like Juingong, they coveted the Dragon Slayer series of weapons?
*Ascalon.*
The most powerful of the Dragon Slayer weapons slumbering in the Thunder Doom Fortress. The weapon Juingong was determined to obtain on this mission.
Juingong stopped thinking. Whatever their objective was, he couldn't just sit here.
“Shutora.”
Felicia looked at Juingong. It was clear she was thinking the same thing as him again.
“We’re forcing our way through.”
Juingong said, and Felicia nodded. Delia, too, seemed to have steeled her resolve as she put away the lighting tools and assumed a combat stance.
Juingong looked back at the rest of the party and quickly gave orders.
“Karak, shield up and take the lead. Just run straight ahead, no matter what. Karma, carry Daphne. Felicia, Daphne, I need you to defend the flanks.”
Until now, they had been advancing by disarming traps one by one, but from now on, it would be different.
They would break through the traps. They would just have to take the hits.
Karak smiled bitterly as if he had no choice, then firmly held the large shield Juingong had prepared for him with both hands. Delia and Felicia stood right behind him, and behind them stood Karma, carrying Daphne.
“Green Wind.”
Juingong lightly swung his left arm, and the White Eagle took flight. It was to circle the party and cover any gaps in their defense.
“Let’s do this.”
Felicia grinned and summoned a wind spirit. Forgoing all other magic, she focused solely on the wind spirit, and soon, it responded to her will, becoming a powerful gale.
Karak’s shield defending the front. Felicia’s wind defending the flanks. The White Eagle covering the area above them and any gaps.
Daphne added various support spells. Juingong also stabbed the air with his dwarven dagger to activate Under the King’s Flag.
“This is my first time clearing a dungeon like this.”
It was brutish and reckless. But as if this were also a new challenge, Felicia didn’t lose her smile.
“Go.”
Juingong said, and Karak took a deep breath. Finally, with a long exhale, he kicked off the ground.
“Run!”
“Kuraha!”
Karak charged. The party followed him in a line like a train, and Juingong watched the mini-map, giving Karak directions.
*Clang-clang-clang-clang!*
Not long after they started charging, a rain of arrows poured down from the front. Karak kept his head down and didn’t stop. The arrows battered his shield like a downpour.
“Karaha!”
Arrows also rained down from the sides. But the wind spirit would not allow it. Most of the arrows were swept away by the whirlwind, flying off to random places, and the few that did head toward the party were all blocked by the White Eagle.
Karak entered the short, trap-filled path. At that moment, the ceiling spewed flames as if to welcome them.
“Don’t stop!”
Juingong shouted, and a green light emanated from the White Eagle.
A force field protected the party from above. The areas the White Eagle couldn’t cover were once again handled by the wind spirit. The strong wind even distorted the path of the flames and blew away the occasional splashes of acid.
Karak ran with all his might. He was starting to get out of breath, but he couldn't stop, and Juingong had no intention of letting him.
“Full Charge!”
Daphne, carried on Karma’s back, cast a powerful stamina recovery spell. The magic, which could be called stamina recovery rather than injury treatment, stabilized Karak’s breathing and gave new strength to his legs.
“Haaaaah!”
Letting out a sound that was somewhere between a war cry and a groan, Karak looked ahead through a notch in his shield. This time, a wave of fire was rolling toward them from the front.
Karak spat out a curse and a battle cry at the same time. He charged head-on into the wave of fire, clearing a path.
“Uwaaaahhh!”
“Full Charge!”
Amidst a barrage of all sorts of traps—arrows, fire, spears, and more—whenever the party was about to get exhausted, Daphne’s Full Charge was cast.
Charging through traps while taking the hits, they couldn't get tired even if they wanted to.
At this point, it felt like not just Karak but the entire party was about to lose their minds. But even in the midst of this, Juingong was thinking about something else.
*The traps are intact!*
That meant those figures hadn’t passed this way.
“Run! Karak! Run!”
“Uooooh!”
“Full Charge!”
Daphne cast her fifth Full Charge. The magic shield they had acquired from the Demon King’s armory was in tatters, Daphne, on Karma’s back, was limp as if she would pass out at any moment, and Felicia, who had been constantly controlling the wind spirit, felt dizzy, but somehow the party managed to maintain their runaway-train momentum. Their destination was now not far off.
The advantage of a trap-filled path was that there were few dungeon monsters. And the few dungeon monsters that were there had no intention of attacking the rampaging party that was trampling over traps, so there were no battles.
In truth, it was a charge that was beyond reckless, bordering on insane. If there had been even one floor trap, they would have been completely cornered. But Juingong knew there were no floor traps on this path, and Felicia wasn't too worried about them either. Floor traps were not the dwarves’ style.
How long had they been running?
Just as Daphne cast her seventh and final Full Charge and fainted from mana exhaustion, the party arrived before a large door.
“Khah, huh… keh.”
Karak let out a strange groan and lowered his shield. Thanks to Full Charge, his breathing should have been stable, but whether the effect had worn off or it was a mental issue, his heart felt like it was about to explode.
Karma barely stood on his trembling legs, while Felicia’s legs were fine, but her arms trembled as she bent over. Delia looked back at Juingong.
“Your Highness.”
“Yeah, this is probably it.”
He was certain inside. This was the entrance to the control room he had encountered several times in *Knight Saga*.
*Did the dungeon guardians go to support the battle?*
The gargoyles that should have been guarding the control room entrance were gone. Juingong, catching his breath, gritted his teeth. He had a good idea where the gargoyles had gone.
*Ascalon, as I thought.*
Ascalon, the greatest treasure of the Thunder Doom Fortress, was embedded in the chest of the black dragon Partisan, who had fallen along with the fortress.
Partisan’s corpse was in the Central Grand Plaza. The highest-grade dungeon guardian was also there.
*Master, I’m so tired.*
Juingong gently stroked the White Eagle that had returned to his left arm, as if to soothe the whining Green Wind, then opened the control room door.
The large room was incredibly messy. Just looking at the various instruments toppled over haphazardly gave a sense of how chaotic the last days of the Thunder Doom Fortress must have been.
In the center of the room was a desk with a large sphere on it, and in front of it was the skeleton of a dwarf wearing an ornate helmet. It was Sarabal, the last mayor of the Thunder Doom Fortress.
Gravely wounded in the battle with the dragons, he had remained alone in the control room to allow the surviving dwarves to escape. He had undoubtedly controlled the Thunder Doom Fortress until his last breath.
Felicia offered a brief moment of silence, then took the control key from Sarabal’s hand. Although this was her first time in the Thunder Doom Fortress, she had explored ruins of the Dwarven High Kingdom several times before and knew what to do.
She inserted the control key, shaped like a small metal rod, into a hole right below the large sphere and infused it with mana. A response came back immediately. A blue light emanated from the large sphere, and a large curtain of light unfolded before the party’s eyes.
“They’re fighting.”
Within the curtain of light, the dungeon guardians of the Thunder Doom Fortress were clashing with the pitch-black figures they had seen in the mine shaft. And beyond them, the massive corpse of a black dragon sat like a backdrop.
The number of combatants was roughly one hundred.
Felicia looked back at Juingong, and Juingong nodded.
It was time to reap the rewards of their conflict.
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< Chapter 10 - Breakthrough #4 > End