Chapter 70

----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Ace Chapter: 69 Chapter Title: Dungeon! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dungeon! A word derived from the French donjon, referring to the highest part of a castle's central keep. Originally, it was thought that the upper floors of a building were the hardest from which to escape. Hey, the top of the central tower? Lock someone up there, and they'll never get away. Why not give it a shot as a prison? This medieval line of thinking became the origin of the dungeons we know today. Of course, that's only half right and half wrong. Because they didn't actually lock up real criminals in the tower. Think about it. Anyone significant enough to be imprisoned in a castle was, without exception, someone of high status. They were treated decently inside, without any real discomfort, so calling it a prison is a bit of a misnomer. Thus, the true prison where actual prisoners were confined was underground—not in the tower. Its name: Oubliette. A terrifying form of solitary confinement where you'd die of dehydration within days! Any intention of letting them out? None. Even checking on them? Of course not. They were thrown in with the explicit intent to let them rot, so maybe the guards would wager among themselves on how long they'd last. That's the horrifying connotation dungeon carries. Yet, for some reason, to Jin's peers back home, it's more known as pure action thrill! Of course, Jin's no different. Dungeon naturally conjures images of monsters swarming everywhere. So when that image looms huge right in front of you, you can't help but flinch for a moment. And what's the deal with the experience points, anyway?

⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙

18,000 XP Jin wasn't one for number-crunching games, but he knew full well that experience points scaled linearly with the hardship endured. He'd learned that one the hard way. It had even jumped from the previous 14,000? Such a shift in just one day—something must've gone down inside. It'd only been three weeks since the underground ruins were uncovered, so it wasn't exactly surprising... Jin was mulling this over when he suddenly scowled.

They're really going for the corny scare tactic. Guess there is something down here after all."

Natasha had sidled up beside him at some point, swinging her flashlight up and down. Examining the bloodstains splattered on the walls and floor. A bit further off, Massimo waved his arm.

"Over here—this looks like the way."

With that, he clamped the flashlight's end in his teeth and kicked aside the rubble of a collapsed pillar as he advanced. Creepy, my ass. Liar. How sneaky.

"Let's go, Jin."

As Natasha stepped forward, Jin called out to stop her.

"Natasha."

"Yeah?"

"You wanna turn back now? I can buy you a meal later to pay the debt."

This was where Jin's soft spot showed. He appreciated her coming along to help, but he worried something bad might happen. He had massive XP and other rewards on the line, Massimo was eyeing artifacts, but Natasha? She just seemed like a helper tagging along. Couldn't exactly say, "This is a dungeon!"

So he'd cautiously broached the subject, but her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Drawing a line?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Then we're good."

She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠twitched an eyebrow and turned away. Jin watched her back, sighed, and hurried after her. Whatever. Let the chips fall where they may from here on out. The first underground level resembled a typical subway tunnel. The scene before reaching the platform, that is. A vast space propped up at regular intervals by marble columns. Where Underheart crewmen would've once stood watch, thick darkness now draped silence like a curtain. After walking a ways, their flashlights casting round pools of light around them— A turnstile appeared under a flickering light in the distance. Amusingly, there was a makeshift plastic booth there. Meant for a guard post. A mere turnstile, and they needed guards? The thought crossed his mind, but the graffiti slashed across the wall made it understandable.

📰 Graffiti [Under Hearts Kingdom] "Must be the entrance."

Maximo muttered softly, leading with his short legs through the turnstile. Natasha and Jin followed in turn. What greeted them: another staircase descending deeper underground. Jin shone his flashlight down. Hmm. Nothing but pitch black. A chill prickled his nape. Better if something just jumped out, he thought— "Hold up."

Maximo asked them to wait and shrugged off his bag. He undid the straps and plunged his hand inside. Huh? His arm went in deeper than the bag's depth.

"...

Huh?" Jin doubted his eyes and aimed his flashlight there. And saw it. A dark leg flailing like it was swimming, poking out of the bag. Along with a frantic cry from within. "Get me outta here!" The voice echoed like it came from a deep cave. Jin's eyes went wide. "Wormer!" People of the world, bags are eating their owners! In a panic, he grabbed Maximo's ankle and yanked. Immediately, an upside-down torso emerged from the bag, festooned with dangling goodies like freshly unearthed sweet potatoes. Natasha, spotting Maximo clutching armfuls of gear, reached out hurriedly. "What'd you pack so much of?" "Had to grab yours too... Hey, can you put me down already?" Forced into a handstand, Maximo dangled pleading eyes. Jin released his grip. "Urk!" Thud. Maximo clutched his head and yelped in pain. "Ow, easy does it—would it kill you?" But Jin just jawed toward the bag in disbelief. "All that came from in there?" Bulletproof vest, joint guards. Sleek goggles too. And even a rifle. As Jin's gaze naturally drifted to the bag amid this impossible inventory, Natasha—donning her vest—spoke up. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"You're amazed, Jin? Wanna explain how, someone?" "Guess I will." Maximo, back on his feet, handed over the vest and guards to Jin one by one. "This bag's from my place. An artifact enchanted with lightweighting and expansion spells. Lets me stash a ton of stuff. Always prepared, you know." "Oh?" Interest flickered in Jin's eyes. First time seeing an artifact up close. A relic from the Age of Light and Roses, no less. Admittedly, magic hadn't died out entirely—artifacts were still made today. But nothing on that era's level anymore. Blame the extinction of master craftsmen; it was a lost technology. Ignorant of such lore, Jin just found it fascinating. A bag that holds a ridiculous amount? Total inventory. Explains why he was always hugging it. So he asked permission. "Mind if I pick it up?" "Sure, go ahead." Jin's face twisted oddly as he lifted it one-handed at Maximo's ready okay. "...

Lightweighting, huh? Feels like a damn boulder." Beyond heavy—pure weight. Jin saying so meant it was seriously heavy. Maximo shrugged. "It is lightweighted. Just overpacked. That's why I'm not exactly tall... Wait—how're you holding that one-handed...?" Jin ignored the late realization from the fuzzy-headed one, set the bag down, and donned the goggles. A familiar yet always alien field of view unfolded. Night vision, enhanced with extras. Thermal imaging: detecting infrared wavelengths and colorizing them electronically. "Ooh. Pricey stuff." "Not free. Fancy infrared lights. Break it, and you're billed." "Got it." Jin pocketed his flashlight with a shrug and boldly descended the stairs first. Thus, the second underground level! ...

But something felt off. Like at some unnoticed point, he'd passed through an invisible, sticky membrane—not a door, but with his body. A sensation like crossing an irreversible river. Jin wasn't the only one who felt it. "What the—?" "Huh?" The other two, feet hitting the floor, patted themselves down reflexively and whipped their heads around— "Where'd the stairs go?" Maximo voiced what everyone was thinking. The staircase they'd just descended was gone. A wall stood in its place. As if it'd always been there. Playing dumb toward the party's stunned faces—even solid to the touch when rapped. A real wall. "Shit. Knew it." Some reason it's called a dungeon. Entrance vanished—Jin squeezed his eyes shut. First to accept: We're trapped. The others? Baffled. Frantically groping the wall like it owed them something. "That's why the first floor was deserted." "...

This is a real demon lair now." True to their veteran rep, the pair grasped it quicker. And what welcomed the party: a massive catacomb dubbed a platform. Hundreds of stone tunnels twisting like a maze. Regaining their wits, the three advanced slowly into it. How many identical-looking tunnels did they weave through? No set path—just wherever their feet took them—for over an hour. Finally, something caught Jin's eye. Amid the uniform green, a faint red glow outlined a shape. The silhouette of a person leaning against the wall. Perfectly still, head bowed as if dead. Jin signaled the others with an open palm behind him. Universal sign: halt. Peeking out, he scanned. Closer look: more bodies slumped around. But those weren't red. Blended into the green background. No need for naked eyes—the cooling corpses were obvious. Quietly turning, he whispered, voice hushed. "Tons of bodies ahead. Looks like an advance squad. One survivor, leaning on the wall." "Armed?" "Dunno. Gonna check." With that, Jin shoved off the wall and headed straight for the fallen figure. Truth be told, he hadn't said it aloud. The tense atmosphere, teasing something lurking—stressing him out. Something visible appearing? Almost a relief. Reaching the man, Jin flipped up his goggles. Not for any other reason. The survivor had noticed and shone a flashlight his way. Resolution held despite the sudden brightness, but no point in night vision then. "...

W-Who're you." The ashen face croaked as Jin knelt on one knee. Trembling eyes, cooling lips, faint pulse. Etched the dying man's features, Jin spoke. "Merc?" "Y-Yeah." The man nodded. Mercs forbade chit-chat with outsiders on ops, but... Too long marinated in darkness to care? Hollow eyes, on the verge of collapse, he bobbed his head desperately. "R-Reinforcements? That it? C-Comms dead down here—we gave up." His desperately hopeful tone screamed unhinged. Clinging to the wish they were backup. Jin didn't disillusion him. Questions first. "What happened here?" "Ugh, ahh, ughhh." The merc clutched his head, shuddering violently. Drool dribbled; bloodshot eyes darted wildly. "...

F-Fuck! Th-That thing! Shouldn't've woken it! N-Not treasure! Not treasureee!!" Natasha crouched by the near-convulsing man, rummaging his gear. She found a syringe in his combat vest, checked the label, and jabbed it in. Sedative, probably. Shaking subsided. He wiped his drool-smeared mouth with a sleeve. But unease lingered; ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes flitting everywhere as he spoke. "Gotta get outta here. You guys—where'd you come in? What floor? 3? 2?" Natasha pressed his shoulder lightly. "Calm down. Finish what you were saying?" Her steady tone prompted deep breaths, a dry swallow, then words. "Sh-Shouldn't've woken it. Monster over a thousand years old. Should've left it buried. Those fucking moles. Thought it was a god or some shit. So...... Ah." His sentence never ended. His jaw dropped slack first. The party followed his bulging stare. Their faces twisted in unison. There, the corpses that'd littered the ground moments ago were rising in grotesque poses.