A New Companion
After leaving the tavern, the boy, who had set off so confidently to buy spare supplies, trudged back with his shoulders slumped.
It seemed the merchants had ripped him off at every turn, causing him to blow right past his budget.
Still feeling a bit petty about what had happened in the tavern, I pointed at a single stalk of herb clutched in the boy's hand and smirked.
"Don't tell me... you bought that as part of our reserve supplies?"
"...Shut up. Whose fault do you think this is anyway?!"
"Don't worry, kid. I've got plenty of confidence in my skills."
"From what I can see, you look like you'd struggle to catch a single goblin... And stop treating me like a child. I'm an adult, you know?"
While we were bickering, Malton, who had gone to gather information, returned.
"Did something happen?"
"Nope."
"No."
"Hmm? I expected you two to be at each other's throats, so this is a pleasant surprise. More importantly, I have brought some rather good news, so please, take a seat."
As we quietly sat down, Malton's green eyes gleamed.
"First of all... I had heard the dungeon was vast, but it is far beyond my expectations. The high-rankers and major guilds are currently exploring it, and they have already surpassed the fourth floor."
"Floors...? I've never heard of such a classification before."
"They say that as you descend deeper underground, the terrain changes drastically, which they have categorized into floors. From plains to rocky mountains, lakes, and so on... Naturally, with different environments, the monsters that appear will differ as well."
"That... doesn't that make it too massive to even be called a dungeon anymore...?"
The boy's eyes widened in sheer shock, but I, already knowing the true scale of the dungeon, kept my mouth shut.
Each floor here was comparable in size to an entire open-world game.
The fact that they're already exploring the fourth floor... means that S-rank adventurer I heard about earlier must be spearheading the advance.
It also meant the kingdom was absolutely desperate to clear this demon lair, to the point of dispatching their absolute elite without a second thought.
As we conversed about the dungeon, I spoke up at an opportune moment.
"...Well, it's getting quite late today, so let's set out first thing tomorrow morning. We've accumulated quite a bit of fatigue from riding the carriage these past few days. Any objections?"
We headed outside the town and set up camp in a quiet, open clearing.
Having done this a few times already, pitching the tents was a breeze.
That takes care of tonight's sleeping arrangements... Shall I check on the kid?
It was only natural to assess one's party members before entering a dungeon. As I sated my hunger with some jerky and bread, I glanced over and saw the boy biting down on a ship biscuit.
I couldn't help but stare in sheer horror.
That thing is hard as a damn rock!
Ship biscuits were hardtack, made by baking flour multiple times in an oven to completely dehydrate it.
While they were lightweight and easy to store long-term, they were so tasteless that even serfs avoided them, and they were so incredibly hard that human teeth could barely make a dent in them.
They were a last resort that even adventurers shunned unless they were literally starving...
...Is he broke?
But since he claimed to be an E-rank adventurer, he shouldn't be so destitute that he couldn't even feed himself.
That meant he either had some personal circumstances, or he was just a terribly stingy miser...
As I secretly observed him, a sudden sense of incongruity struck me.
He... is a guy, right?
I hadn't noticed because of the hood pulled low over his face, but his features were ridiculously pretty.
Beneath ash-gray hair that resembled cold embers, his eyes were a deep, chilling sapphire-blue.
If this were any other game world, he could have lived a happy life. It was almost a pity he had been born in a dark fantasy world where such a horrific future awaited.
What stood out most was the pattern on his face—three red painted lines on his cheeks, resembling a mouse's whiskers.
...I think I saw something similar in a documentary about African tribes.
However, while tribal tattoos usually looked fierce and intimidating, this kid's face paint just made him look like a cute little animal.
If he had intended to intimidate others with that, it was a complete failure!
Ah, now that I think about it, we also need to register our new party at the guild...
"How much was the registration fee for three men again...?"
As I muttered to myself, I felt a strange gaze. I looked up to see Malton's lips twitching for some reason.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Radie stared at me with an incredibly complex expression.
"......What?"
Did I say something weird?
Due to the skill Chaos, Luck has increased by 1.
Adventurer Radie has joined your party.
We headed to the dungeon at the break of dawn, but the entrance was already packed with a sea of people.
I was briefly lost in sentimentality as I watched the diverse crowd of adventurers gathered from all over, but my idle thoughts were ruthlessly shattered the moment I saw the signpost in front of the dungeon.
Dungeon Entry Fee: 2 Silvers
""Those highway robber bastards!!""
Malton looked at Radie and me, utterly dumbfounded.
"You two... bicker all day, yet you are in perfect harmony on matters like this."
"No, seriously, charging silver coins just for an entry fee is insane! They wouldn't even let us into the town without a bribe!"
"Filthy tax collectors... All they know how to do is bleed us dry. They should go drown themselves in lye."
"I couldn't agree more, kid. For once, you're speaking some sense."
"And for once, we actually agree on something."
"Well, what can we do? Since they demand it, we have no choice but to pay."
"Dammit..."
"Blast it..."
After parting with our precious silver, we stepped through the entrance, which resembled a massive fissure in the rock, only to be greeted by an incredibly slippery and steep limestone cavern.
As we descended, relying on the iron pitons and ropes anchored into the walls, groans and the sounds of people slipping echoed from all around.
Before we officially entered the dungeon, I threw out a playful jab, wanting to get a better grasp of the boy's personality.
"Man... we won't be able to carry any heavy loot back up this way. Hey, kid, watch your step so you don't slip. You're already short enough; you don't want to shrink any further."
"You should worry about yourself and make sure you don't drag me down."
"As if I would ever—whoa, wait—!!"
Just as we neared the end of the passage, my foot slipped in a puddle of limestone water.
The problem was that instead of grabbing the safety rope, I instinctively grabbed Radie next to me as I fell.
"Aaaaaaargh!!!"
"Kyaaaah!!"
Radie and I became a tangled mess, sliding down the cavern floor like we were on a water slide.
You have drawn the attention of the crowd!
Agility has increased by 1.
Strength has increased by 1.
Luck has increased by 2...
"Aaaargh!! D-Dammit!!!"
As we shot past the staring adventurers and crashed onto the floor of the dungeon, a wave of agonizing pain washed over my entire body.
However, the sight that unfolded before my eyes was grand enough to instantly wash away all the pain.
"This... makes no sense..."
Radie, who had been about to kick me, froze and stared blankly up at the sky.
Above us was a sky as high and vast as a midsummer heaven, and below it, a lush green grassland stretched endlessly to the horizon.
Dazzling light poured through clouds that looked like flocks of sheep, warmly illuminating the grass that grew up to our calves. In this peaceful landscape, countless adventurers were scattered about, resting.
You have entered the 1st floor of Medaolinum Dungeon!
This space is utterly unbelievable for an underground area! Most of this dungeon remains shrouded in mystery.
As someone who frequented this dungeon in the past, you might be able to uncover the secrets hidden within!
Sub-quest completed! Strength has permanently increased by 2.
After confirming the permanent stat increase from the completed quest, I picked myself up and saw Radie standing frozen with his mouth agape.
Well, it's only natural to be shocked.
Even I had spent about an hour just wandering around, staring blankly at the scenery when I first arrived here.
However, this pastoral landscape was nothing more than an illusion.
As you descended, exponentially stronger monsters would leap out and snatch your life away in the blink of an eye.
And as time passed, those monsters would eventually overflow onto the surface, slaughtering the townspeople.
Furthermore, seeing the familiar dungeon landscape so vividly with my own eyes transformed the vague doubts I had been harboring into absolute certainty.
The suspicion that had been slowly taking root over the past two weeks of living here.
As I thought... this isn't some game world.
I hadn't been pulled into a game.
Rather, the game Velheim that I had played in my past life was merely a copy of this very world.
The wild grass brushing against my fingers, and the scent of vegetation carried on the swaying breeze.
The temperature and humidity brushing against my skin at every moment, the astonishingly vivid depth perception, and the raw scent of the earth.
There was no way a game this realistic could ever exist.
I had almost been fooled by the existence of things like status windows, but this world was undeniably 'real.'
Ding!
You have acquired a clue regarding the world's lore!
The game I played on Earth was undoubtedly created by someone who copied this world and distributed it.
I don't know who did it, or with what intention, but...
"...At this point, it's stranger to keep thinking of this place as just a game."
Isn't that right?
I quietly stared at the log window, but as expected, only silence answered back.
"Seriously... because you dragged me down with you like some water ghost, I'm completely soaked!"
"I said I was sorry. I already apologized earlier."
"And that shameless attitude of yours is exactly the problem...!"
As I bickered with Radie, who was wringing out the hem of his dripping robe, we eventually reached a quiet spot.
Because the area was so vast, it took only a short walk for the crowds to thin out.
Malton unfolded a map that was practically a blank sheet of paper and spoke.
"They say the first floor consists of grasslands, forests, and shallow wetlands."
"Hmm... then the monsters that appear should be somewhat predictable. Since different species will inhabit each terrain."
"Most likely. However... because it is so vast, I am quite conflicted as to which direction we should proceed."
Malton and Radie huddled over the map, engaging in a heated discussion.
Since this dungeon had only recently opened, there was very little information available to the people of this world, making it difficult for them to reach a decision.
Ding!
Medaolinum Dungeon is a vast place, comparable to a small continent!
While many adventurers lose their way and wander aimlessly here, you will be able to serve as an excellent guide!
As their conversation hit a deadlock, I naturally slipped in between them.
"Well, in the end, we're going to hunt as we head deeper, right?"
"Of course. We paid an entry fee to get in, so if we want to make a profit..."
"In that case, since they say the entrance to the second floor is to the east, let's head that way. And it'll be better to travel by way of the forest."
"The forest? Why the forest...?"
"Other adventurers probably stuck to the easy plains for hunting, which means the forest should still have plenty of monsters with decent experience points. Besides, do you see those zelkova trees over there?"
Zelkova trees have broad crowns and exhibit allelopathy, which prevents other plants from growing well around them.
This meant there would be less underbrush, making it much easier to navigate than it looked.
As I laid out the situation so simply, Radie looked at me with surprise.
He cleared his throat and spoke.
"Y-You're surprisingly adept at making decisions... Since you said you were an F-rank adventurer, I thought you'd be a complete novice. Well, let's proceed with exploring by way of the forest then..."
"Right. I'll take the lead."
You have chosen the forest path!
As we entered the zelkova forest, a gentle breeze unique to woodlands rustled through the leaves.
I drew my cutlass, hacking away at the occasional branches blocking our path as we moved forward.
Still, it's best to stay alert, just in case...
While the first floor of the dungeon mostly housed weak monsters, there were always exceptions.
Sometimes, mutants nourished by warped magical energy would spring forth, and occasionally, terrifying predators from the lower floors, driven out by competition, would flee upward and slaughter unsuspecting adventurers.
Moreover, wasn't this currently two to three years before the start of the game's timeline?
There was no telling what kind of variables might be lurking.
As I walked with my senses honed to a razor's edge, Radie suddenly shouted from behind me.
"Monster! Watch out!!"