chapter 4
Episode 4
Chapter 3 - Into the Dungeon
Translated by POWERPUFF
Humming to myself in excitement, I headed toward the dungeon.
This was my first request as an adventurer.
Of course, it was something easy for me—goblin extermination.
But thinking of it as the beginning of my future, filled with brilliance and rosy prospects, naturally put me in a good mood.
Lost in excitement, I had already imagined finishing inside Reni five times in my head.
The coachman was reserved for later tonight’s fantasies, so this time it was just me and Reni.
The setup was that Reni, having recognized my potential early on, tried to recruit me by seducing me with her body.
“Next, four times between her chest…”
Lost in cheerful and lively fantasies as I walked, I soon arrived at the dungeon entrance.
As expected, there’s nothing better than daydreaming to pass the time.
“So this is the dungeon.”
At the center of the city was a circular opening leading underground.
Around it were weapon shops, armor shops, inns, restaurants, and exchange offices, with countless adventurers coming and going around the cave entrance.
“There are a lot of inns… heh, after hunting monsters, people probably get all fired up and head straight to an inn with a party member. Then comes some intense activity, huh?”
I wanted to live that kind of life every day.
After finishing this request, I decided I’d look for a party to join.
Being led by an experienced older woman and losing my virginity sounded nice, but sharing that experience with fellow rookie adventurers also sounded refreshing.
For that kind of situation to come sooner, I needed to build up achievements.
Alright, let’s go.
I stepped into the dungeon entrance.
Inside the cave, many adventurers were lined up, waiting their turn.
There were five lines in total.
It looked like people lining up for a popular attraction.
Fortunately, the lines moved quickly.
I joined the shortest one.
In front of me stood a large adventurer about my size.
He wore metal armor and carried a halberd on his back.
He looked like a veteran at a glance.
If someone like him were driven by desire, he’d probably approach rookies under the pretense of teaching them, and eventually move on to more personal “lessons.”
Or make them depend on him, then demand something in return as “payment.”
A rookie female adventurer realizing the truth too late and breaking down in tears—it was quite the stimulating scenario.
Anyway, as a beginner who didn’t know much about dungeons yet, I decided to ask him something.
Tap tap.
I tapped his back.
“Excuse me.”
“Hm? What is it?”
He turned around.
Surprisingly, he had a refined, handsome face.
“I came to the dungeon for the first time today. Why are there lines like this?”
“What, you’re a newbie?”
He pointed at the line.
“This is for using the warp device. You need it to enter the dungeon.”
“A warp device? There’s something like that?”
“So it seemed.
“Of course, there wasn’t one originally. But senior adventurers created it to make dungeon exploration more convenient. Back in the day, people had to walk down themselves.”
So the warp device was man-made.
That was surprising.
“Do you need to use it even for the first floor?”
“They used to have stairs, but after a monster overflow incident, they sealed them. Now the warp is the only entrance and exit.”
Monster overflow.
Probably when a large number of monsters spill out of the dungeon.
That would definitely be dangerous.
“I see.”
“You mentioned the first floor, so goblins, right? Doesn’t suit your build.”
“Haha, I’m planning to make it big.”
I wanted to make it big and meet lots of women.
Maybe even build a harem.
But realistically, I just wanted to earn money and enjoy myself.
“If you’re built like that, goblins will be easy. Oh, and you can only warp to floors you’ve already visited. It’s a restriction to prevent newbies from going too deep.”
“I see. Thanks for the info.”
“It’s nothing. Hmm, but are you okay with that equipment?”
He looked me over.
I was just carrying a backpack, a money pouch, and wearing normal clothes.
Basically, a big villager with a bag.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve dealt with goblins in my village.”
“Then you should be okay. But try to fight them one at a time. Even goblins can be dangerous if they attack from multiple directions.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Even if multiple goblins attacked, I’d be fine, but I appreciated his concern.
“What’s your name?”
“No need to be formal. I’m Zen.”
Zen. Short and solid.
“I’m Rent.”
“Nice to meet you. Got a knife for dismantling?”
“A dismantling knife?”
“Yeah. Even if the corpse isn’t worth much, you still need to extract the magic stone.”
“I have a small knife in my bag. Will that work?”
“For goblins, it’s fine. But past the fifth floor, you’ll need a proper one.”
“Got it.”
“Also, dungeon monsters have magic stones as weak points. Destroy it, and they weaken significantly.”
“I see.”
“Usually, it’s in the chest. And don’t accidentally break it while extracting it.”
“Understood.”
“Anyway, it’s nothing. Helping juniors is part of being a senior. And talking to you made the wait less boring.”
By then, it was his turn.
“Good luck, newbie.”
He placed his hand on a glowing orb.
“Floor 21.”
In an instant, he disappeared.
So this was the warp device.
I stepped forward and placed my hand on the orb.
“Floor 1.”
The moment I spoke, my vision changed.
In front of me was a transparent dome-like barrier.
Beyond it, adventurers were fighting goblins.
Most worked in pairs.
Many same-gender parties.
The dungeon looked like a cave, but far larger than the entrance.
Blue glowing minerals lit the area.
“So this is the dungeon… the place where I’ll earn money.”
I already knew money made things easier than fate.
Clap.
I smacked my hands together.
Money. Money for fun. Money to live. Money to send home.
Sorry, Mom and Dad, but I’ve waited ten years for this.
I took my first step.
I headed away from other adventurers.
Less competition meant more goblins.
After walking for about ten minutes, no one else was around.
Most people probably stayed near the warp point for safety.
But I didn’t need to worry about injuries.
As I continued walking, lost in thought—
“Kiiiii!”
A goblin’s voice echoed nearby.