Game Master 037: Impalen Mountains Dungeon (4)
A day later, the Black Wing Mercenary Corps arrived at the campsite where Calix and his group had stayed.
Walter roughly brushed off the blood crusted on his armor and glanced at Hog Nose.
"They split into two groups here. One-third headed north, and the rest veered off toward the base of the mountain."
"The distance suddenly feels greater, doesn't it?"
"The footprints are shallower, and all the wagons went with the group heading downhill. Looks like they lightened their load to pick up speed."
"Damn it! Did they figure out we're chasing them?"
"Which way do we go?"
"We chase their main force. Ignore the ones who went downhill."
"It couldn't be a feint...?"
Walter shook his head.
"Even if it is, we'll reach the dungeon entrance first and hold it. They won't be able to approach at all. No way they'd make that blunder."
"Understood."
A short while later, the Steel Shield Mercenary Corps arrived at the same spot.
The plate armor that had gleamed like a mirror at the start was now dented in places here and there.
"They split into two."
"Which way did those criminal bastards go?"
"North."
"We go north too."
"Yes, sir!"
Unlike the ruins near Golda Plateau, the relics around Poznyu were classified as dungeons.
A dungeon was a labyrinth that had gained a life of its own, with the accumulated grudges in ancient tombs forming its core.
A living dungeon lured monsters into the labyrinth, making them wander endlessly while slowly draining their vitality.
The trapped monsters grew increasingly ferocious until they died and revived as undead.
That was why monsters appeared mostly near the entrance, while deeper in, undead dominated.
Shuuuk—thunk!
A silver bolt flashed through the darkness.
In the blink of an eye, it pierced the hobgoblin's neck and burrowed deep into the ground.
Hobgoblins were annoying pests that used spells to inflict status ailments, so taking them out first was always the standard tactic.
Clang—
"Hup!"
Calix blocked a goblin's swinging club with his shield.
There was no time to register the numbness shooting up his wrist.
If he didn't properly thrust at the goblin while its stance was broken from the attack, he'd have to exchange several more blows.
Calix kicked it away first.
With red light gleaming from its eyes, there was no pity to feel.
Catching his breath, he blocked another incoming club and sliced off the goblin's arm.
Thud—
"Kieeeek!"
As the goblin flinched in pain, Calix swung again.
This time at the neck.
Snik—
A bit shallow.
If it had properly severed the carotid, green blood would have gushed out with each heartbeat, but it only trickled.
Still, heavily drained of stamina, its movements slowed.
Calix blocked once more, kicked it down, then rushed in and drove his blade tip into the nape of its neck.
A slight resistance, the feel of something hard catching, then a crunch as bones snapped—all transmitted vividly through his sword-gripping palm.
"Your swordsmanship has improved a lot."
Krout approached the dazed Calix and handed him a waterskin.
Looking around, quite some time had passed; half-buried corpses were already visible in the dungeon floor.
The saying that dead monsters were slowly consumed by the dungeon was true.
"No need to push yourself."
"Quiet. Sprinkle some holy water. Unless you want to get stabbed by an undead while you're sleeping."
"Already did."
Calix sheathed his dress sword.
For now, he could only use this ceremonial blade, which was closer to a dress sword.
His body hadn't fully grown yet, leaving him short on strength.
"But are we really on the right path?"
"Why?"
"It feels like we're just going in circles. Are you lost by any chance?"
"What do you think?"
"Hm, something feels off... but I don't know."
"The ones tailing us are probably thinking the same."
Krout tilted his head in confusion.
Hog Nose, who had been carefully inspecting tracks on all fours, stood up. His expression was grave.
"It does seem like we're circling the same area."
"What? Why?"
"I don't know either. No idea why the ones ahead are doing this."
"Damn it! You sure it's not a mistake? Dungeon walls absorb traces like animal intestines, right? They vanish quick. You certain?"
"Certain. My tracking skills are top-notch, aren't they? Multiple traces and scent strengths confirm it."
"Maybe the ones ahead got lost too?"
"The best guide who screwed us over outside the dungeon suddenly getting lost inside? Doesn't make sense. We wouldn't be suffering like this if they were that sloppy."
"So?"
"Either they know we're here and are luring us into a trap... or..."
"Me?"
"They're searching for something."
At that moment, Corbus rose to his feet.
"We've gone deep enough. Time to take him out. Get ready."
"Hold on!"
"What?"
"Didn't you hear? They're searching for something."
"So what? I just need to complete the mission."
"If he hired two hundred men, it means he's certain he can get something here worth more than what he's spent. I want to know what it is."
"Did you end up believing your own lies you told those tin cans? He didn't seem that stupid."
"No rush. I've been wondering why he came to such a dangerous place anyway."
"No idea how many people have died from mere curiosity."
"Just wait until he leaves the dungeon. Don't forget he still has dozens of guards around him."
Corbus ground his molars. But he had no choice. To kill Calix, he needed their forces to draw off the escorts.
Couldn't mobilize other forces from outside right now either.
Unwilling or not, he had to endure.
"You'll regret this."
"Heh heh, we'll see. Feels like a big score incoming? Don't forget all the spoils here are mine. Get greedy, and we both die."
Meanwhile, Omar and his group, tailing the Black Wing Mercenary Corps, also realized they were circling and fell into confusion.
"This vibe is creepy."
"This looks like the spot we passed yesterday."
"Yeah. Hog Nose has a nose for scents, so no way they lost the trail... which means they've got some scheme."
"Wouldn't it be better to ambush at the entrance? Black Wings or that noble's expedition—either way, they'll have to come out eventually."
Omar pondered briefly, then shook his head.
"No. We could end up as their common enemy."
"Why... oh, right."
He was spot on.
Food supplies in the magic bags would last a month, but vitality drain and stress were another matter.
Two weeks max, even at best.
"To rest midway, we'd have to exit and re-enter, but guarding the entrance alone would arouse suspicion from both groups."
"As expected of the captain! A small fry like me can't match your insight!"
"Heh heh, that's why I'm captain and you're vice."
"Right, hehe."
Omar stood using his scabbard as a cane.
"If we're like this, so are they. We watch for now. If it gets bad, exit once, rest, then come back in."
"Got it."
A week passed like that.
Walter slumped onto a nearby rock and berated Hog Nose.
"Hey, it's been over a week circling the same damn spot. You sure you're tracking right?"
"As I said, dungeons erase traces fast, so not impossible to be off, but..."
"Fuck this! Close to thirty minutes' distance!"
"Even if they can't see us, they'll hear noises and voices. They'll know we're approaching."
"Don't care. We'll grab him and hold a blade to his throat."
But no matter how they closed in, Calix's group didn't appear.
Instead, the Steel Shield Mercenary Corps tailing them was visible far behind.
"What the hell? Why are those guys crawling up?"
Walter cocked his head.
Then Hog Nose called him in a hoarse voice.
"Vice captain."
"What?"
"B-big trouble. We lost the young noble's trail."
"What? Chase! What's the big deal...?"
"No clue which side path they took. Even searching every point now, traces will be gone by then."
"You stupid fuck!"
Whack!
"Gahk!"
Walter's thick palm slapped Hog Nose's cheek, sending him flying.
Despite the obvious shock, he staggered up and knelt.
"S-sorry."
Even a tracking master was human, not perfect.
In the dungeon steadily sapping vitality, stamina drained fiercely; circling the same area for ten days in that state...
Seeing the same scenery endlessly, he'd glossed over it unconsciously.
"I have no face."
"Damn it!"
Walter, still furious, swung his massive flail, smashing the dungeon walls.
Dust puffed up, clouding the air.
Watching, Corbus sneered.
"Idiot. Didn't I tell you? Now, whatever you say, I'll handle it my way."
"Don't make me laugh! Nothing's decided yet. If you can't wait, charge in alone."
"You bastard...!"
"But no more waiting. We'll strike now, capture him, torture out what he's after and how to get it."
"...Fine. Up to that, we cooperate."
Then the vice captain cautiously spoke.
"Um... captain."
"What?"
"Think we need to exit once, regroup, then re-enter. Regular troops without mana control are pale as ghosts."
"Weaklings!"
He felt no empathy for his men's suffering.
"Endure. Think the noble's mercenaries are different? Not one of theirs has fallen behind—why whine?"
"Sorry."
"Tired?"
"No!"
"Tired?!"
"No!"
"If you're tired, say so. I'll teach you what real hardship is."
"Yes, sir!"
Now the vice captain who spoke up got the glares.
Resentful looks for ruining the mood with needless talk.
"Ugh!"
Meanwhile, Calix's group, who had slipped onto a side path a day earlier, was breaking through the shortest route to the dungeon's heart.
"Young master. You don't mean what I think, do you?"
"Probably."
"My god! You're really planning to take down the guardian?"
"Know how to beat a B-rank or higher elite monster?"
"As if a lowly merc like me would! That's for heavenly experts to worry about!"
"Heh heh, simple. One: resistance stronger than its attack power. Two: attack power stronger than its defense. Three: endurance to keep pounding till it dies. Simple, right?"
"Ah, yes. Very simple."
Trias's face soured.
Calix figured teasing more might make him abandon the job, so he gave a hint.
"Heh heh, with what you prepared, it won't be that hard."
"What I prepared...? With that, you can take it down? Do you even know what kind of guardian it is?"
"How else would I prepare?"
"Then why hire us? If you scouted the guardian ahead and retreated, your own knights would suffice."
"Look around."
Trias's eyes swept over Calix's group. But he noticed nothing special.
"You think this is normal? We've been in ten days. No mage."
"!!"
Come to think of it, Calix barely moved a finger, fine—but the regular soldiers fighting monsters showed little fatigue.
The dungeon's relentless vitality drain.
A normal adult would be utterly exhausted after half a month, unable even to twitch a finger.
Hence, dungeons were tackled with mages or just near entrances.
But Calix's group fought in strict four-shift rotations, conserving stamina.
"This way, you can reach deep without a mage."
Trias's jaw dropped.
Not that special an idea.
Simply rotate fights to stockpile stamina against vitality drain.
But prejudice that no mage meant no deep run had made them give up prematurely.
Trias bowed deeply.
"You've given great instruction. Thank you."
"We'll see if you're still grateful after the dungeon. Heh heh."
Calix said with a wry smile.
"What do you...?"
Trias, not understanding, asked—but Calix didn't explain.