An Unexpected Journey
In a world where a group called the "Dungeon Construction Lovers"—or DunSamo for short—existed, Pellelian would undoubtedly have been an elite member. Or perhaps even a founding one.
There was a spirit passed down empirically among those who built dungeons, inherited from masters: sayings like "There are no new dungeons under the heavens" or "Imitation is the mother of dungeon creation."
Over tens of thousands of years, as civilizations rose and fell in cycles, how many dungeons had been born on this continent? In later eras, those beautiful dungeons were lumped together under the vague term "ruins."
Naturally, Pellelian possessed knowledge of ruins as well. He had studied architecture and trap mechanisms by personally surveying countless sites.
Thus, he knew about this "Wyvern's Altar" dungeon we had stumbled upon.
His body resembled a translucent spirit. He couldn't move swiftly, but he could flit about. Ignoring the commotion beside him, he busied himself inspecting the ruins.
Dust clung to the wall reliefs, making them hard to discern. Pellelian blew a puff of wind, then grimaced, realizing even his ethereal form couldn't muster a proper breath.
Resigned, he pieced together the broken sections. With his brilliant deductive skills, he unraveled the altar's operating mechanism and purpose.
—It's a Sevenfold Altar. Seven... yes, the number seven holds ritual significance. Even in the Oboe civilization, it was the same.
A rare glimpse of his scholarly side.
—Place seven captured prisoners on the altar to activate it. The most crucial sacrifice goes in the central iron cage... Aha! That's why that one human was locked up.
When the adventurers first entered the ruins, there were only five. That must be why the mechanisms didn't trigger. With Judgment and Jerico making seven, the chaos began.
Mystery solved! The altar floor rises, the exit seals, and the ceiling opens. Wyverns, waiting for prey, swoop in for a blood feast.
—That's how it works!
'Old man, that's not the point right now.'
I chided the excited Pellelian. Indeed, how the altar worked was irrelevant.
Dozens of wyverns atop the stone pillars stared down at us.
—What do you mean? At least we know this ruin hasn't been used in ages—probably thousands of years.
'So what?'
—So the wyverns are hesitating, unsure what's happening. Hmm, looking closer, yeah.
It was like a food bowl of humans suddenly emerging from the ground. A novel situation, so they eyed us suspiciously without diving in immediately.
But the adventurers were already frenzied with excitement.
"Uwaaaah! We're screwed! Totally screwed!"
"We're all gonna die!"
A-rank, S-rank—it didn't matter. All were gripped by terror. Understandable. It was that terrifying.
The adventurers panicked, scrambling for escape. The exit had vanished completely. No hiding spots, so they tried climbing the walls. But scaling slick stone barehanded was impossible.
I could Giantification, but that'd make me a glaring target for the wyverns.
Everyone plunged into panic. The watchful wyverns began showing curiosity, inching closer.
I figured they'd punish these egg thieves swiftly. But no.
They might not even know about the egg. The massive wyvern presumed to be the egg's owner descended below the clouds, perching on a pillar, staring piercingly as if appraising us.
—Wyverns aren't known for sharp eyesight or intellect. Still, a wyvern's maternal instinct burns fierce.
'A wyvern whose egg is stolen never gives up. Looks like these adventurers forgot how terrifying they are. Or maybe they aimed to pay the price.'
Where would they even use a wyvern egg?
—To tame it, obviously. Dreaming of a wyvern knight order, perhaps.
'Ah!'
It clicked instantly. A wyvern knight order—peak romance. Wyvern riders soaring through skies, charging with long lances. Worth a king's ransom for an egg.
But honestly, the risk seemed too high. That colossal wyvern exuded off-the-charts power. Rare to pierce its status window so dimly. Focusing harder as I'd grown stronger revealed something.
No way. Level 151? Levels don't tell the full story, of course. Take Paimon's fire lizard I smashed recently—level around 140, not far off. But the power gap wasn't just ten levels.
'She's definitely stronger than Giant Riok or that white monkey.'
I felt it. Her skills confirmed it.
Couldn't pierce them all, and the visible ones were no joke.
'Destruction Beam!' I wanted a proper one, not my ray. If only I could Giantification sooner to borrow it.
Thud!
Then it happened. The iron cage holding Ombberto sank back into the floor. He was prepped as the wyverns' final meal—thousands of years ago, it'd be dessert time post-feast.
Just moments ago, Ombberto and the adventurers had been at each other's throats. Now freed, they halted fighting.
In uncharacteristic S-rank fashion, Ombberto slumped.
"Ah, we have to return the egg."
Jerico muttered suddenly.
"Return the egg, and maybe it'll spare us."
Idiot Jerico. Thinking a wyvern would say thanks and let them go?
Yet, grasping at straws like drowning men, the adventurers latched on.
"Hand over the egg."
"No way, you bastard."
"Give the egg, you son of a bitch!"
Yaob and adventurers closed on Ombberto. He clutched the egg in one hand, rapier in the other, swinging wildly.
"Stay back!"
Someone fired a crossbow. Bolt in his side, Ombberto screamed, doubling over. Adventurers pounced.
"Uwaaak!"
"Ya, yaa!"
S-rank grit shone. Refusing to yield the egg, he flung his hand up. It slipped free.
"Nooo!"
Someone screamed. A hand reached, but blood-slick, it slid.
I dashed to intercept the egg's path. Can't let the poor thing shatter. Hesitant with Transparent Hand, I leaped instead. Catch mid-air, cushion with body...
Slick!
Gah, so slippery! Coated in oily slime. Silly me, expecting clean eggshell feel.
Fortune smiled. No shattering tragedy.
'Isil!'
Isil intervened. Like grabbing the black hilt with vines before. She extended vines, snatching the airborne wyvern egg.
Not small—ostrich-sized multiples—yet she held firm. Stronger than thought.
'Good job, so goo—'
Praise premature. Or maybe she mistook it for play. She hurled it back whence it came.
Whish—
"Ah, nooo!"
'You fool—!'
Not catch! The egg spun through air. Yaob probably tried grabbing. Rapier-pierced hand clutching heavy egg?
"Ow!"
Screaming release inevitable.
Crack!
Weight cracked it instantly. Hole gaped; yolk and white spilled out. Fry 'em up with a pan.
"Aaaah!"
Yaob screamed. Signal flare for wyverns. They descended.
One wyvern smothered head-clutching, screaming Yaob.
Boom!
Talons pinned, snake-like head tore viciously.
"Uwaaak!"
Other adventurers screamed. Wyverns dropped one by one. Jerico resisted sword-first, slashing a long face wound.
"Huff, huff."
But a hulking wyvern smashed head-on.
Kwaaaang!
Jerico pulped instantly. Wyverns vied for his mangled remains. Pandemonium stew.
In this hell, S-rank or A-rank meant nothing.
I was endangered too.
'Giantification? Use it?'
—Planning to draw every eye? Find cover first!
Hide under corpses? Nah, wyverns devour whole. Cling to foot for escape? Risky if talons grab.
"Snake sir."
Terrified Judgment approached.
"I'll use a special potion! Monster-repelling scent... Hide by me if okay!"
Such a thing exists! Judgment sharpest thinker among adventurers.
He plunged hand in pants, pulling brown ampule from who-knows-where. Snapped neck, doused self.
I clung to him.
Saaak!
But nose-stinging horror. Deep instinctual revulsion. Couldn't approach. Near-vomiting.
Judgment, reeking, dove into blood pool, feigning death masterfully.
Ah, no way there.
Then, pillar-perched colossal Queen Seletta stirred. Unwinnable one-on-one.
What to do? Panicking.
······Egg.
Pellelian schemed.
—Hide in the egg first!
No cover in hell, yet "egg"? Darkest spot under lamp, but obvious discovery.
Better than nothing. Cramped but fit. Fresh egg—emptied yolk/white left hollow. Sticky tolerable.
Problem: gaping hole. Even poor wyvern eyes spot it.
'Transparent Hand to...'
Isil cracked it, enabling hide. '...Ah, Isil!'
She helped again. Vines adsorbed to shell, sealing seamlessly. Suction roots worked. Smooth perfection.
Eh? Done? This simple?
Inside, oblivious to outside.
'Old man!'
Pellelian passes shell.
'Check outside!'
He chuckled wryly, exiting. No quick return. Instead, mournful wail outside.
"Kukeggeggeggek!"
He returned later, odd expression.
'How's it?'
—What do you think... Humans all dead. Wyvern joyfully reclaimed egg.
Relief! Slip out later, escape...
Then body floated.
—Now back to nest.
Nest? ...Oh no!
Flutter flutter.
Oblivious to turmoil, Isil's leaves waved.