The Laserdon's Bargain
I rode Ikelos in pursuit of the traces left by the Laserdon. Though we had prepared quickly and begun tracking from this side, the creature had long since vanished from sight despite carrying a three-meter Gourmet Deer in its jaws. The longer we chased, the more absurd the situation felt.
"Now I understand why it's called an irregular."
"Even I didn't expect it to be this extreme."
"It looks strange even to me."
"And I'm from the Central region, so that's saying something."
Everyone involved in the chase could agree—the irregular Laserdon's behavior was anything but normal. Monsters were living beings too, so they could flee or make tactical retreats when a fight turned against them. But monsters were monsters for a reason. Their aggression far exceeded that of wild animals, and some would choose death over retreat. In that context, snatching prey and fleeing made even less sense.
"Could it be a tamed monster?"
"Impossible. Monsters are extremely difficult to tame. If a Tamer family had managed it, they would have boasted about it far and wide."
I nodded at Arash's words and tried to calm my confusion. Regardless, the creature had fled, and our task was to chase the Laserdon that had stolen our prey. Using the tracking skill granted by Mystery, we followed the trail until we discovered a massive cave where the tracks abruptly ended.
"This must be its lair."
"Judging by the size, definitely."
The hole carved into the steep hillside was large enough for a Laserdon to pass through.
"It actually used its head—placed vines nearby to hide the entrance."
"You can see the effort it made to blend in naturally."
The irregular Laserdon was clearly different from ordinary monsters. Since we had no idea what preparations it might have made inside, we formed a cautious formation and entered.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
With the Rune Golem in the lead, we advanced slowly into the darkness.
"It's cleaner than I expected."
"And not dark at all—actually quite bright."
"Surprisingly cozy, even."
The interior wasn't bad. The wide passages helped, but sunlight filtering in kept it brighter than anticipated. Mushrooms and flowers blooming along the walls added life to what could have been a desolate space. As we ventured deeper and sunlight faded, the runes etched into the Rune Golem's body glowed, serving as a light source and preventing our vision from being restricted. Not that darkness would have hindered us much—the North's residents possessed absurd physical abilities that let them pierce through shadows anyway.
Eventually, the earthen passages gave way to something else.
"This is…?"
"A ruin, I believe."
"The shaped stonework certainly suggests it."
"Sniff, sniff. I smell Mystery."
Stone bricks began appearing along the walls, growing more refined the deeper we went. By the time we reached a perfectly constructed stone corridor, there was no doubt—we had discovered a ruin.
I scratched my head at the unexpected find.
"Just like that? We found a ruin?"
Most people struggled desperately to locate ruins, yet stumbling upon one left me more bewildered than excited. That feeling lasted only a moment before the prospect of obtaining superior equipment filled me with joy.
"Perhaps the Laserdon was drawn here by the aura of the buried ruin."
"Could be. Either way, we've hit the jackpot."
"Good grief. It feels like we're experiencing everything the North has to offer."
I chuckled at Neon's remark. He really did lead a more spectacular life than most. Even renowned Northern adventurers rarely had the chance to explore ruins, let alone discover one. I could see why Krisnain found him so endearing—he naturally gravitated toward situations that triggered dopamine rushes. Who would dislike that?
"It looks like the Laserdon destroyed all the traps inside. None are active."
"Since it made the ruin its nest, I hope it didn't touch anything valuable."
"We'll have to check ourselves."
Confirming with my detection ability that no traps remained active, I picked up the pace. If we delayed any longer, we might witness the Laserdon enjoying a feast of Gourmet Deer meat. We needed to hurry.
We found the irregular Laserdon standing before a massive door. Strangely, it had only severed the Gourmet Deer's windpipe without tearing into the flesh. The creature stared at us intently, as if waiting for something. It was eerily different from other monsters. Watching it warily, unsure of its intentions, the Laserdon wiggled its nose and nudged the deer's corpse with its snout—almost as if offering it to us. I frowned in suspicion. Had it eaten something strange? It had fought so hard to steal the corpse earlier, and now it was giving it back? Before I could dwell on the bizarre behavior, the Laserdon turned its head and tapped the door with its nose. Instinctively, I understood its meaning. Perhaps it was thanks to my talent—I quickly realized why the Laserdon had lured us here.
"Ahahaha!"
"What's so funny?"
My companions looked at me in confusion, but I paid them no mind. The Laserdon had originally intended to hunt the Gourmet Deer itself. When it first encountered us, it must have seen us as competitors. But after witnessing our skill in hunting the deer, it had changed its mind. Rather than competing for the Gourmet Deer, it had decided that trading it for something more valuable would be better.
"That thing wants to team up with us to explore the ruin in exchange for the Gourmet Deer."
"What?"
"It must have something it wants inside."
At my words, everyone turned to stare at the Laserdon in disbelief. The creature rolled its eyes nervously, and realizing it wasn't lying, they looked genuinely surprised. Yet they accepted it quickly enough—some monsters possessed enough intelligence to communicate with humans. Adela was proof of that.
Stepping forward boldly, I addressed the Laserdon as our representative.
"Hey. You want to explore the ruin with us?"
"Kwoong."
Whether it understood my words or simply grasped the nuance, the Laserdon nodded. It clearly had something it desperately wanted inside the ruin—enough to give up a high-quality meal like the Gourmet Deer. While wondering what could be so valuable, I accepted its proposal. We had no idea what lay ahead, so any additional strength would help.
"Alright. I'll accept your offer."
"Kwoooong!"
The Laserdon cried out joyfully as I stored the Gourmet Deer corpse in my inventory. Its innocent reaction made me smile faintly before I turned to the massive door. Cracks ran across its surface, and the passage of time was evident, yet it still faintly pulsed with mana, as if it could open at any moment. Examining it closely, I spotted a small hole in the corner and pulled Rata from my pocket.
"Can you get to the other side?"
"Kiit!"
"Looks like you can. Go check what's over there and report back."
"Kit!"
Rata answered energetically and slipped through the hole. The sound of its flexible body navigating the narrow passage faded, followed by a brief silence. Then its head popped back out.
"Kiit!"
"You saw it?"
"Kitkit! Kiit! Kit!"
Returning triumphantly, Rata gestured with its paws as if shaping something in the air. Its stubby arms waved about energetically, and I easily understood what it was trying to convey.
"There's a giant statue on the other side?"
"Kiit!"
"It looks like a dragon."
"Kitkit!"
"Ah. More like a drake than a dragon?"
"Kit!"
While conversing with Rata, Neon stared at me in disbelief.
"How on earth are you talking to a squirrel?"
"I just feel it—what it's trying to say."
"And that makes sense to you?"
"It used to only work with Rata, but lately I can do it with animals I've never seen before."
"Huh."
Amazing, right? Even I thought so. This ability had once made me hesitate between becoming a Tamer or a guild employee. In the end, I'd chosen the safer path of a guild employee for my future. Anyway, having understood Rata's explanation, I looked at my companions.
"There's a trial golem beyond the door."
"We should prepare."
"Agreed. Since we have the advantage in information, let's make sure we're ready."
Finished speaking, I gazed at the door with a meaningful look. A good plan had come to mind.
***
Grind, grind, grind.
The door opened. Sensing challengers had arrived, the Golem Drake—which had remained silent until now—activated the core in its chest. Bound only by its orders, the Golem Drake circulated mana throughout its body to ensure smooth movement. It had no idea how long it had slumbered here, but at the appearance of the first challengers, it slowly turned its inorganic eyes toward the opening door.
The Golem Drake was the gatekeeper meant to welcome the ruin's guardians. Thus, regardless of what the opponent might be, it had a duty to block their path. Beyond the slowly opening door, it faced the challengers.
Scorching air poured through a rift torn in the void. From a world where only flames existed, a pair of vertically slit eyes stared back. [Krrrrr.] A low, rumbling cry—like flames given voice—carried an unmistakable will of destruction. As the fire dragon opened its jaws wide enough to swallow everything, flames gathered in its throat and erupted like a laser.
KWAAAAAAAH—!
The Lesser Dragon's laser breath struck the Golem Drake with full force.