Chapter 54: Dungeon Zone
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 54: Dungeon Zone
Chwi-hi-ik!
The Wild Boar is a massive beast, with males weighing an average of 180 kilograms. Their tusks, which grow menacingly forward, can easily crumple standard metal armor, but the way to defeat them is surprisingly simple.
"Hup..!"
Crunch—
The target is the space between the tusks that flare out from its large head. Since a Wild Boar charges head-on, its snout is unexpectedly defenseless.
Of course, they tend to swing their heads side-to-side right before impact, but since I have a much longer reach, I simply have to strike first and crush the skull with my tail.
Squeal..!
Using the tip of my tail for storage is much more convenient than manifesting a stomach from my hand. I manifested the maw of a Colossal Croco—a monster resembling a crocodile with a massive gullet and terrifying bite force—at the end of my Cave Drake tail. Opening it wide, I swallowed the Wild Boar’s carcass in a single gulp.
After about ten seconds inside the stomach, the carcass is stowed by the skill. Once that's done, I just have to revert the tip of my tail to its original state. It’s a simple yet reliable way to store materials without losing a single scrap.
"Aven, what are you planning to do with that...?"
"Hmm."
I’m still not sure what the limit of my storage is. My original plan was to manifest and spit out the bones, organs, and other inedible parts, but it didn't seem strictly necessary.
"Watch closely."
From my fingertips, I manifested the Wild Boar carcass I had just swallowed. While stowed within the skill, no decay occurs; when brought back out, it retains the exact form it had at the moment of death.
I had considered separating the parts and only manifesting the meat, but I figured that might be a bit repulsive to witness. To be honest, I felt that way too. It’s hard to describe, but even though I know it’s Wild Boar meat, it feels... unpleasant.
Since it comes out of my own body, it feels like I’m eating myself. However, if it maintains the shape of the Wild Boar, it’s fine.
Thud!
The massive carcass tumbled from my fingertips, perfectly preserved in its original state. Since I can pull this carcass out whether I'm on the 11th floor or the 111th, it qualifies as the perfect preserved food.
"It’s a bit better seeing it like this..."
Theodora, who had been watching, crouched down and poked the Wild Boar carcass as she spoke. As expected, this was a much better sight than a lump of meat suddenly appearing from my hand. Three Wild Boars should be enough to last us until we pass the 20th floor, at least.
"Theodora, let’s move."
"Ah, right."
I stowed the Wild Boar carcass again and retracted my tail. Theodora approached and reached out her hands.
"You want me to carry you?"
"Huh? Oh, no! It’s not that! It’s just... you said it’s faster and more convenient that way..."
"Why are you so startled? Get in."
I picked up Theodora, whose face had turned beet red, and headed toward the base. At the 9th Floor Base, raid parties were in the middle of forming to subjugate the Orc Chieftain. A few Gold Grades were mixed in, but the majority were Silver and Iron Grades.
A small number of Lead-grade explorers with detection or mobility skills were acting as scouts, just as I’d seen on the 5th floor. Their job was to locate the Orc Chieftain and prepare to lure it out. Once the battle began, they would provide backup or handle supplies from the rear.
After setting Theodora down and looking around, I saw a wide variety of people. Contributing to the subjugation of a Stratum Boss helps with rank advancement and looks good on a resume when applying to clans. Personally, I haven't benefited much from those perks.
Because my return coincided with the Scarlet Lotus party, the justification for the boss's subjugation was already established. It was the Mayerbridge Union’s cleanup team, waiting at the 5th Floor Base, who transported my unconscious self to the clan building.
While the names and faces of high-ranking party members are well-known, people don't necessarily recognize every face on a cleanup team. To onlookers, my being carried to the clinic likely made me look like just another low-level grunt from Mayerbridge.
Mayerbridge did inform the Guild that I was the one who took it down, but there was no need to broadcast that information to the general public. More importantly, most explorers simply assumed the high-ranking members of the Mayerbridge Union had killed it on their way back. The fact that other explorers weren't particularly curious played a big role.
Of course, the Mayerbridge Union also pressured the Guild to prevent information leaks, and the fact that I had subjugated it so soon after the anomaly on the 10th floor began also helped keep things quiet.
"It’s crowded."
"Yeah, everyone seems desperate to raise their grade."
"You say that like you're not one of them."
"Me? I'm just doing this for the money."
"Why do you need money?"
"...It’s complicated. I guess I just want to live comfortably."
"Hmm."
As we were about to enter the portal to the 10th floor, someone nearby called out to us.
"Hey, friend, heading to the 10th? The boss entity has appeared. They haven't even lured it to the outskirts yet. It’ll be dangerous if you get a bad spawn location. Why not go in with the scouts?"
"We’ll be fine. Thank you for the concern."
"I see. Be careful then."
Theodora, who had been listening, grabbed my sleeve as I moved toward the portal.
"That explorer is right. We’re not in a rush, so is it worth the risk? I heard the 10th floor boss entity is accompanied by at least a hundred Orc Warriors."
"Well, yeah. It’s fine."
Theodora didn't know, but a hundred Orcs was nothing. I had a record of taking down about six hundred by myself. There was no need to tell her and invite unnecessary questions, but the point was that it wasn't a problem.
"I'm good at running. Don't worry."
"Mmm... okay."
Theodora had personally experienced the power of the Minotaur legs. There was no need for great concern. These Minotaur legs were basically a Lamborghini.
"Be careful."
"Yes, thank you."
I gave a casual nod to the guard watching the portal and stepped onto the 10th floor. Fortunately, the area wasn't crawling with Orcs. Instead, there was a heavy, fishy smell in the air, just like last time.
"Ugh, that stench. Did those Lizardmen get slaughtered again?"
The distinct, briny scent of Lizardmen was drifting from downwind. The strange thing was that while the smell of Lizardman blood was potent, there were no carcasses in sight.
"The Orcs probably took them to eat."
"Really?"
That didn't happen last time. Was it because they were in the middle of a fight and didn't have time to eat then? Instead, the peculiar, yellowish, wrinkled spears used by the Lizardmen were scattered everywhere.
"By the way, where do the Lizardmen get these spears?"
Now that I thought about it, it was strange. Most of them carried these spears; while the shape and length varied slightly, the unique yellow base and heavily wrinkled texture were consistent.
"You don't know? They make them from the skin they leave behind after molting."
"Is that so?"
They looked bizarre, but as their name suggested, Lizardmen followed reptilian traits. Naturally, they molted throughout their lives. They would collect the shed skin, shape it into a long, straight form, and then spit a special fluid from their mouths to harden it.
The strength wasn't exceptional, but they were resistant to bending. They added sharpness by grinding and attaching old claws or teeth that had fallen out due to age.
"Which means... these are ultimately weapons made from their own bodies?"
"Well... yeah?"
The older the individual, the more times they would have molted, resulting in thicker and longer spears. Spears that had been coated in fluid and dried for a long time were harder and heavier for their size. Because they were dried for so long, they didn't have much of a smell, but they were weak to heat.
"Theodora. Could you help me collect the spears around here?"
"Why?"
"I'm going to use them."
During the last fight against the Orc colony, I had thrown spears until I was on the verge of death. The sensation of holding one felt familiar, as if the memories of that time were resurfacing. I had consumed plenty of organs that could serve as weapons—like Drake scales and such—but having actual weapons on hand wasn't a bad idea.
"You can even do that...?"
"No reason why I couldn't."
We moved around and collected about fifty Lizardman spears. These guys really were the local punching bags. All they did was die. Still, it felt good to have a solid supply of weapons.
Even on the 10th floor, I spent most of my time running with Theodora in my arms without any major issues. There were a few people wandering around searching for the boss entity, and I wondered what they would think if they saw my digitigrade legs.
If I covered the Minotaur legs with Drake scales, they looked slightly less strange, but regardless, I wasn't keen on showing my combat form to others just yet.
"Theo... your name is too long. Do you have a nickname?"
"Are you trying to shorten my name however you want?"
"Not exactly."
The name just didn't roll off the tongue. Most Korean names are short, usually two syllables, or I’d just use nicknames like 'idiot' or 'moron.'
"Sio."
"Sio?"
"Yes, it's a pseudonym."
Theodora, still in my arms, pulled out her Explorer’s Plate from between her collarbones to show me. Just like mine, it had a pseudonym engraved on it.
"Hmm, then how about Dora?"
"...No, not that."
"Why?"
"That’s the nickname my family uses."
"Is that so?"
I see.
"Dora."
"Hey, hey?! Did you even hear me?!"
"Sio feels too distant. I like Dora."
"You... you...!"
* * *
"Is it 2:20 PM already?"
We had left early in the morning and reached the 10th Floor Base in about five hours. In the past, this was a speed I couldn't have even imagined. I hoped we could keep this pace and reach the 50th floor.
Honestly, I didn't know how far I could go alone. Even the great clans tackled the Labyrinth in parties of twelve. Reaching the 50th floor solo would be an incredible feat.
"So, once we pass this portal, it’s the 11th floor."
"Yeah, that's right."
The Labyrinth is divided into 'strata,' each consisting of ten floors. Floors 1 through 10 are the 1st Stratum. Floors 11 through 20 are the 2nd Stratum, and so on.
The environment changes with each Stratum. While the 1st Stratum consists of relatively mild, natural environments, the 2nd Stratum is shaped like an artificial stone maze, resembling an underground dungeon.
You can't see sunlight for 24 hours, and light sources are hard to come by. It’s standard practice to secure a way to produce light, such as burning oil or lighting torches.
"Dora, you can see well in the dark, right?"
"Huh? Oh, y-yes! Of course."
"Then we're good."
Fortunately, it seemed neither of us would need torches.
"Let’s go."
Zzzzt—
* * *
This was my first time stepping into the 2nd Stratum. The air was damp and heavy. The interior was pitch black and filled with an unpleasant odor. Solid stone tiles blocked the floor, walls, and ceiling, restricting movement and creating a claustrophobic atmosphere.
This was the Stratum that best fit the name 'Labyrinth.'
"It’s chilly."
Moss grew on the walls, and water from an unknown source trickled down the stone or dripped from the ceiling.
"Dora, can you see?"
"Yes. This much is fine."
The direction indicated by the Explorer’s Plate was meaningless. Blocked by walls, it was impossible to tell which way to go. Fortunately, thanks to knowledge accumulated over a long period, there were directional markers carved into the walls with metal blades.
Creak—
Click—
"Aven! Look out!"
From deep within the darkness, dozens of arrows suddenly flew toward us. The traps installed everywhere were a problem, as were the monsters that appeared out of nowhere.
Clatter, clatter—
"Damn...!"
Boom—!!
I swung my tail with force, and the light pieces of bone shattered helplessly, smashing against the wall and crumbling into dust.
"It’s a Skeleton Warrior...!"
A place where you find the dead more often than the living.
The 2nd Stratum. We had entered the 'Dungeon Zone.'