The Depressing Dungeon
The dungeon that I and Karen entered was filled with pitch-black darkness, so thick you couldn't see an inch ahead. After a little time passed and our eyes adjusted somewhat, it got a bit better, but it was still just as dim as before.
"...I can't see shit properly."
If I turned on my smartphone's flashlight, it might light things up a little, but since it's just a basic phone feature, I couldn't expect much in terms of clear visibility. Plus, holding the phone would tie up one hand. If a monster showed up in that state, it'd be a real pain.
Give up on vision, or give up on a hand? Either way, it's fatal in combat.
If there'd been a mage in the party, they could've lit things up with a light spell, but unfortunately, it was just me and Karen here.
"Got the cap lamps ready?"
"Of course. No mage, so I prepared 'em naturally."
At Karen's question, I rummaged through my subspace pouch, pulled out two hats, and handed one to her. She put it on her head like a cap and flicked the switch, and the light on the cap lamp illuminated our front partially.
"Heh. We look like real miners now."
"...You're the employer today, so I'll let it slide."
I chuckled at Karen grinding her teeth, then put on my own cap lamp and turned it on. With two lights shining ahead at once, visibility improved a lot.
"....."
Karen advanced with her greatsword held in front like a shield. Her stance was instinctively ready for sudden ambushes. This wasn't something you could just learn from theory—it was a defensive posture honed from real experience, a reflex against threats that could come from anywhere, anytime.
Still, there were a few rough spots showing.
"Tilt it a bit more at an angle."
I grabbed the handle of her greatsword and twisted it slightly as I spoke.
"....."
She could've shot back with a cold "Don't backseat drive," but instead, she clamped her mouth shut and looked at me.
"Why?"
Not refusing—just asking for the reason.
"It's more efficient to deflect attacks and disperse the force rather than taking them head-on. Holding it at an angle like this reduces the strain on your joints, like your wrists, when a hit comes."
"Makes sense. Got it."
She nodded at my explanation, adjusting her grip on the greatsword at an angle. It was commendable how she was willing to break her habits and take in new knowledge.
Then.
-Grrrk.
A sound like something scraping the ground came from ahead.
"Got company."
"Yeah."
We exchanged quick signals, halted, and lowered our stances.
According to my knowledge, the monsters in the early parts of this dungeon were... Muddled Slimes. They had a bright sky-blue hue and sloshed around like slimes—that was their signature trait.
And bingo. My guess was spot on.
"...What the hell are those?"
A bunch of Muddled Slimes approached slowly from not far off, sharpening Karen's already fierce gaze even more.
"I'll explain after we deal with 'em. They're squishy from head to toe, so you can slice 'em easy."
"Anything else?"
"Hmm... Oh, right. Watch out so they don't touch your skin. Alright, let's mop 'em up quick."
The Sculptor Who Turned His Back on the World, Park Jeonghyeon
"New sculpting material. I like it."
I muttered, holding a sculpting knife and shears.
Then Karen spoke up beside me.
"Your head okay?"
A wave of embarrassment surged to the top of my head, but the sculptor's consciousness didn't allow it to show on my face.
"Don't cross the line."
I wanted to say "I'm fine, stop worrying," but it came out like that. What a tragedy.
To escape this shitty situation, I needed to quickly clear out those slow-approaching bastards.
-Thud!
Fueled by shame, I charged forward, closing the distance to the Muddled Slime in an instant.
"Focus."
I sliced clean through one guy's neck with the sculpting knife.
"Hm, nice and neat."
I kicked hard at the flailing body that had lost its head, toppling the other Muddled Slimes following it like dominoes.
-Whoosh!
I easily dodged a squishy fist swinging from the side and jammed the knife into the face of the guy who'd thrown it. Grabbing a chisel and hammer from my tool belt, I drove the chisel into the ones trying to get back up.
Slash, cut, stab, slash again. It all flowed like water.
I elevated this clean, efficient slaughter into a single work of art.
As I stamped the knife into the last one's forehead, I uttered:
"...And, complete!"
Snapping back to my senses, I ended the synchronization and slapped my cheeks, shaking my head.
Ugh, embarrassing.
It was mortifying that I'd been briefly captivated by the sculptor's weird values.
I shook off my hands and turned around. There stood Karen, arms crossed, staring at me with a smirk.
"Saw it last time too, but that's a weird ability. Your fighting style changes with your outfit."
"And, uh, my speech too. Whether I want it or not."
"You sound desperate."
"I mean no misunderstanding. I'm fine. Physically and mentally."
"Sure you are."
Her usual curt reply grated on me more than usual today. Ignoring her jab, I picked up the cap lamp I'd set down and put it back on.
"Let's keep moving for now."
"You said you'd explain what those things are, right?"
"Oh, yeah. I'll tell you on the way."
Step step. As we advanced through the dungeon, I continued.
"Those guys we just fought are Muddled Slimes. They're monsters formed when the sticky emotions of the dead condense with high-density mana. They don't have any useful parts, and they're rare to begin with, so not many people know about 'em."
"So does that mean only Muddled Slimes appear in this dungeon?"
"Half right, half wrong. It's not just Muddled Slimes—there are their evolved forms too."
"What's that mean?"
I answered her irritated question promptly.
"Early parts: Muddled Slimes. Mid: Oblivion Slimes, the evolved form. And deepest: the final form, Nightmare Slime Cluster, as the boss."
"What a depressing dungeon. Not a fan."
I heard Karen click her tongue softly.
"Their traits?"
"Overall, their bodies are squishy, so sharp slashes or stabs work great. Doesn't apply to the boss, the Nightmare Slime Cluster, though. That one's body is human-like."
"Got the squishy part. Anything else?"
"If their goo touches your skin, you're sunk."
"Sunk? Don't beat around the bush—spit it out straight."
As Karen scowled, I shrugged.
"Literal. Touch 'em, and your consciousness gets dragged into a deep, damp, dark abyss. They're aggregates of negative shit, after all."
Formed from the dead's emotions, they strangle the minds of the living.
"Survivors say it's like your worst memories from life replaying endlessly."
"....."
At my matter-of-fact explanation, Karen shuddered faintly. Probably her past flashing back.
Then.
-Grrrk.
The familiar sound echoed from ahead again.
"More already."
"....."
Emerging were multiple Muddled Slimes and one deep-blue Oblivion Slime. As long as we avoided skin contact, they weren't a huge threat.
I quietly rolled my eyes toward Karen.
"....."
She stared at them, trembling slightly. I wondered why she feared these weaklings so much, but then it hit me.
She was scared of facing them triggering her past.
'Even in the game, when Karen cleared this dungeon, it wasn't this bad.'
The current Karen hadn't built up the courage to face her past yet. So these pathetic things felt terrifying.
I hadn't considered that. My oversight.
"I can handle 'em if you want."
I said it to spare her feelings, but she shook her head slightly.
"...No."
The trembling hadn't stopped, but her eyes changed—from pure fear to a glint of angry resolve.
"I can do it."
She gripped her greatsword and took a step forward.
Then.
-Whoosh!
Flames erupted from her greatsword.