Dungeon Canon: The Inevitable Group Backtrack
I'd say having a final boss is just dungeon canon at this point. We'd all taken that one pointless detour together. Everyone figured that once those chair-linked doors opened, they'd stay open all the way to the last room, leading straight to the next stage.
But Hanbyeol couldn't find any clues to proceed further. Jimmy couldn't either. And the rest of us, lacking search skills, were no help.
"This key has to mean something, right? I thought it'd free you all from those chairs, but you were already unbound."
I picked up the key Hanbyeol had brought and voiced what I suspected everyone was already thinking. We needed to say it out loud to move the strategy forward
"Maybe that's the hint? We need to find a keyhole to insert it into."
"Lady, there's none in this room. Looks like the walls were deliberately packed to seal any gaps."
"Then let's head back to the entrance."
With nothing left here, we didn't waste time and headed straight for the dungeon entrance without hesitation. Along the way, Jonathan spouted nonsense about how dying just sends you right back to the entrance anyway, earning him a solid smack from Jimmy.
"What about our gear?"
"Ah."
It sounded like death itself wasn't scary, so I tried to rub the goosebumps on my arms. Not that I could, with my hands bound behind me.
My brief taste of freedom was soon restrained again by Hanbyeol and Iris's hands. Ropes wound over my priestess robes and the harness accentuating my figure, binding me so my curves showed through perfectly. The wide leather straps kept the ropes from biting painfully or marking my skin, but every time I thought about it, my lower belly twitched and heated up.
Don't think about the ropes. No, that just made me focus on them more. Better to think of something else entirely. Like what to eat after clearing the dungeon.
We'd had noodles yesterday, so... something soupy with toppings sounded good. Or stir-fried noodles. I hadn't leveled up my cooking much, but doping with food and potions for stat boosts was essential for tackling the highest-difficulty content each patch. I'd seen the food icons enough to know the game put real thought into cooking. Come to think of it, pretty much every mob was an ingredient—except human flesh, anyway. Some even became staples, with high-level players farming them to help lowbies or alts level up. They sold like hotcakes.
Yeah, well. As long as it didn't look too gross or smell off, I'd try meat-topped noodles at least once. Iris would recommend something good. She'd been singing pasta's praises, after all—surely she'd pick something tasty.
"Sis, what're you thinking about?"
Hanbyeol, walking beside me, tilted her head at my expression and asked casually.
I felt the muscles around my mouth relax without thinking whenever I looked at her.
"Mm, just what to eat after we clear this."
"Hmm, I want something sweet."
"Won't it be dinnertime by then? Could even be tomorrow."
"Lady, I'm good with meat!"
"How about noodles?"
Excluding Jimmy, who stayed quiet, opinions were split. No single dish like sweet meaty noodles would satisfy everyone, so someone had to compromise. Hanbyeol probably wanted cake or some dessert, really. Meaty noodle toppings would please Iris and Jonathan, but I didn't want to disappoint Hanbyeol.
With votes split one each, my opinion—and Jimmy's—mattered most. Our party wasn't some dictatorship run by one strong voice.
At least it brightened everyone's faces after that chair-induced haze had worn them down. Good enough.
"Something sweet sounds good to me too."
"If that's what you want, Lady, I'm in!"
"If that's the saintess's will. It's not like today only anyway."
"Thanks."
Jonathan's lightning-quick pivot and Iris going along made me smile too. We could've just eaten separately, but these people... so thoughtful.
Chatting away, we reached the dungeon entrance and started searching again. Or rather, there was nothing to search for.
A small pillar stuck blatantly out of the floor, complete with a keyhole on top—like it was begging for the key.
"A key-locked secret room. Total final-boss cliché, right?"
"You know that term?"
I blinked at Jonathan's gamer lingo, and he pretended to pout.
"Why the surprise, Lady? I know my stuff."
"No, not like that... sorry."
Guess it was standard jargon. It could've sounded condescending, so I apologized quick. Jonathan grinned like he'd never been mad.
"Only 'cause it's you, Lady. Forgiven."
Hanbyeol slotted the key in and turned it. The ground split, revealing stairs descending below. In a dungeon where death just respawned you, there was no more hesitation—we headed down.
From there, stones embedded in the walls glowed brightly, illuminating everything. No idea if they'd always been lit or activated when we entered, but hey, no complaints. No torches needed. Jimmy snuffed his out, and we trailed single-file behind Jonathan, shield raised ahead.
The stairs didn't last long. At the bottom, a vast chamber welcomed us.
And smack in the center, atop an altar, sat five books lined up neatly.
"Kinda creepy. Why five books, of all things?"
Jonathan approached slowly. We scanned the surroundings as we followed. Finally at the altar, we peered at the books with unease.
"Why are our names on these..."
Every book bore one of our names without exception: Jonathan, James, Iris, Hanbyeol, Ivy. James was probably shortened to Jimmy, sure—but this dungeon wasn't made for us.
"Maybe someone inside watched our run and labeled the rewards?"
"Makes sense."
Jimmy snatched his book without fear and flipped it open. Before anyone could stop him, he rifled through the pages. We all eyed each other, watching for injury or mind control. I cast Purify on him just in case, but nothing happened.
Flipping page by page grew tedious, so he grabbed the corner and whisked to the end.
"I never told you all my full name. Too long and annoying. But here it is. Whoever designed this isn't ordinary."
"Yeah...? With a gimmick that revives the dead good as new. Sure, it strips your gear and boots you outside."
No normal person could do that. Even my max-level Resurrection left aftereffects.
"If such a being lured us here to clear it, they want something from us. Or it's a test."
Solid reasoning. We nodded, each grabbing our named book. My tail even snatched mine, holding it up.
But mine was blank beyond the first page: just my name and class. Even the last page.
"Excellent deduction."
How long had he been there? An old man in a face-obscuring robe stood before us. His visible mouth curved in a non-hostile smile.
"Who might you be, elder?"
"Call me the Dungeon Manager. Congratulations on passing the trial. Any questions?"
We tensed briefly, but no attack intent meant no rash hostility—we might get wiped. The others kept hands off weapons, gauging each other. Hanbyeol spoke first.
"Why make a dungeon like this?"
"Unknown dangers approach. Two worlds interfere due to someone's machinations. We don't know how otherworlders will affect ours, so I made this to help those training themselves. Not just here—other dungeons exist too."
His gaze swept us, lingering longest on me and Hanbyeol. It pierced like he saw through us, but his smile held.
"Not all otherworlders mean harm, of course. Some may seek harmony. But as you know, not everyone's good. We must prepare."
Fair reason for a dungeon. A tough one alone would've killed weaklings early, Stalling Guide
"This tests teamwork and such?"
Hanbyeol pressed, and he nodded.
"Precisely. And other virtues. A single betrayer chasing greed wouldn't have reached here."
"What if someone took the gold bars?"
"Illusory fakes. The unbound would starve and revive, then hunt the traitor. Tragic, but so be it."
Harsh, but acceptable risk? The Manager awaited more questions. We glanced proudly at Hanbyeol, who scratched her neck shyly before her mage curiosity kicked in.
"Other dungeons test different things?"
"Of course."
"How do we use these books?"
"You'll learn in time."
"Don't bombard him..."
I worried at question limits, but the Manager chuckled heartily.
"It's fine. I have time aplenty. Though other dungeons are being cleared even now."
"Other dungeons? Can't others redo it after we clear?"
"It resets to initial state once you leave. Find the others yourselves—not hard."
"Is this book the only clear reward? No gear or skillbooks?"
"Hoho, of course not. Dungeons need mighty bosses and treasures. This chamber exists for that. I've told you all—dare you challenge it?"
"Anything else we should know?"
Iris's final query drew a knowing smile.
"You'll learn in time. I know little of otherworlds myself. But I believe not all are evil."
Aimed at Hanbyeol and me, surely. I nodded stiffly; he smiled softly and backed away.
"More questions?"
We shook heads or shrugged. He faded with a kind smile.
"Then the final trial. Oh, and..."
"Don't lose yourself too deeply in pleasure. It could disrupt your daily life."
His voice rang directly in my eardrum, startling me rigid. Had he watched all that? Not illusion...? My face burned, but with battle ahead, I couldn't zone out.
A massive lizard-thing burst through the opposite wall. Spotting us, it inhaled deeply.
Classic pattern—strong, but predictable.
"Breath attack! Jonathan, shield up—everyone behind him!"
Too far to dodge, no cover. Best to cluster and minimize damage.
Jonathan stood firm despite the fear, shield forward. Hanbyeol threw up a barrier; I shielded him singly—frontline needed the care.
The three-meter beast spewed fire. Jonathan tanked it with shield and body. Flames filled the air for five seconds.
Heat like a dry sauna—not unbearable.
"Felt that one."
Unsinged, Jonathan dusted his clothes and tapped his shield with his one-handed sword.
"Come on, you bastard!"
"GRRAAAAAH!"
The flame lizard roared.