The Ancient Tomb's Hidden Master Golem

Southeast of the Phantasia Empire's capital lay an ancient tomb. The name sounded impressive, but in reality, it was a recently discovered dungeon rated just C+.

"Whoa... the atmosphere feels kinda ominous, doesn't it?"

"Well, it is a dungeon, after all."

To be blunt, a C+ dungeon could be cleared by a single person in about an hour.

"Master. The mana I sense is faint, but it feels off."

As Lilia said, this dungeon was more than met the eye. And that's precisely why I'd come here. I hadn't picked this place at random.

"Yes, just the two of you entering the dungeon?"

The man guarding the entrance glanced at our permits and opened the door.

A chilling wave of mana hit us as the door swung wide— the unmistakable aura of undead, reminiscent of a dying knight.

"Safe travels, and good luck."

I nodded at the man's well-wishes and stepped inside with the others.

Towering pillars and intricate murals etched into the walls greeted us immediately upon entry.

"It's more antique than I expected. Is this really a dungeon?"

Luel looked around in confusion, clearly thrown off from her imaginings. I had to admit, seeing something straight out of a game in real life stirred a sense of novelty even in me.

"Luel. Stay focused. Dungeon or not, you can't let your guard down."

Whiiiiiish!!

I casually snatched an arrow whistling toward us from the side and let out a sigh.

"...Huh? What the—?"

"A trap. The kind that shoots arrows right when you walk in."

This was why experience mattered. Newbies froze up and died all the time.

"That's vicious..."

"Get careless, and you die. Stay sharp and move slow."

"Got it. I'll focus."

I nodded at Luel's response and proceeded cautiously inward.

The murals continued seamlessly, like scenes from a movie, as the passageway gradually narrowed.

'Artificially constricting the space bit by bit, huh?'

It seemed designed to hinder groups. Not enough to immobilize, but it certainly limited movement compared to the entrance.

"Master. Right ahead."

"Yeah. Luel, up front."

As expected, undead emerged— a skeleton wielding a spear and shield. It had a sharper edge than your average undead...

Boooom!!

"...Huh? It's weaker than I thought."

Luel swung her sword once, cleaving it clean in two. It hadn't even gotten a chance to thrust its spear.

"C+ dungeon, remember? You could solo this from the start."

"Oh... It's not what I expected."

She looked a bit disappointed, but whatever. Weren't you supposed to be thrilled at how safely you could clear ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it?

"Let's keep pushing forward."

Our advance faced no resistance. Our reliable vanguard smashed anything in sight with a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single blow, and we pressed on. Ten enemies or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠twenty—it didn't matter; they all crumbled in one hit.

By the time we'd lost count of the skeletons felled, we'd reached the boss room far more easily than anticipated.

"Phew. Don't care about anything else—my arms are killing me."

No wonder; there'd been a ton of them, and she'd been swinging nonstop. I could've used magic, but it wasn't necessary.

"Wanna rest a bit before going in?"

"Nah. We're basically there—finish quick and crash hard."

"Alright then. Let's go."

I skipped mentioning the boss room details. No point psyching her up when she just wanted it over with.

Creeeeak.

The weathered stone door to the boss room groaned open, filling our lungs with an even icier air.

A massive skeleton stood dead center, gripping a single spear and staring us down intently. Its presence was worlds apart from the fodder Luel had one-shot earlier.

"Boss is boss, alright. Totally different vibe."

"Need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠help?"

"Nah. I can handle it solo."

Luel drew her sword with quiet confidence, her playful demeanor vanishing as a cold tension settled over her body.

'The protagonist's the protagonist, huh.'

Her aura shifted completely in battle mode—like a seasoned soldier who'd survived years on the front lines.

"Her skills are insane. Must've improved even more over break."

"Right? See? It's not just me being weird."

"...Nah, that's not it. She's not your level, Master."

I chatted with Lilia while watching Luel's fight from a safe distance. Of course, I wasn't just idling.

'The murals end over there.'

They'd run unbroken from the entrance all the way here, culminating at the far wall of this room. Countless skeletons and golems... and one figure they worshipped like a god.

Kaboom!!

A deafening crash echoed as Luel let out a relieved sigh.

"Got it!"

She flashed a triumphant V-sign and grin our way. A boss, taken down in under ten minutes?

She was definitely strong.

"Impressive. Soloing the boss like that."

"I was careful in case of hidden phases, but nothing."

Figured she was holding back. Smart and cautious.

"So, we head back now?"

"Just stand still, and it'll auto-return you to the entrance."

"Cool. You too?"

Dungeons auto-ejected you to the entrance after the boss fell—but only those who'd contributed to the kill.

"Not me, right?"

"..........Huh?"

"Wait outside. Be right there."

"What the hel—"

Luel vanished mid-sentence.

"Master. Any reason not to bring her?"

"Someone had to take down the boss. If I do it, I get booted."

It was a hidden piece, sure—but the unlock condition was absurd. Even in-game, playable party members had to sit it out while NPCs cleared it.

Hence, bringing Luel.

"Her kill made this easier, though."

I stretched, loosening up. I'd hung back all day; time to move.

'What kind of dungeon hides this much?'

The ancient tomb in the southeast was just C+ rated. But "ancient tomb" meant a grave for someone.

Whose?

"The Puppet King."

Four centuries ago, a lone mage toppled the Semius Kingdom to the east. An alchemist of golems, a necromancer of the undead, a master of barriers and seals.

The Puppet King, Rushel Barbiter.

"So this is the Puppet King's tomb?"

"Pretty much."

"Wait, is the real boss the Puppet King himself...?"

"Nah. One of his golems."

We didn't have to fight it— you could bail anytime in-game. But the Puppet King's legacy from defeating it? Priceless.

That was worth the effort.

'Pretty sure it activated like this.'

I hefted the spear from earlier skeleton and slammed it into the room's center.

Not just any spear— the key to awakening the true boss.

And the hulking form it revealed...

"...Now that screams real boss."

"Told you. That's the dungeon's true boss."

The floor center cracked and sank, slowly unveiling the colossal machine. Humanoid in scale. A crimson orb embedded in its chest. A body forged not of flesh, but mana steel.

A perfect embodiment of a dungeon boss— a golem.

Kiiiiing.

The golem slowly drew the key— the spear— that had roused it, spinning it once to assume a stance. It looked straight out of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, like Zhao Yun himself.

'...Puppet King Rushel's prized enforcer. His masterpiece.'

Perfection bordering on the alchemists' dream of a homunculus. You needed near-mastery of golem arts to craft one in-game.

A Master Golem.

And when this Master Golem emerged as boss...

"An S-rank boss?"

No problem. I wouldn't have bothered if it were impossible.

I'll take you down.