Chapter 90
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Count (3)
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Dungeon exploration, day 1.
In front of the entrance elevator.
The 8th Wolphausen Dreamland raid party was gearing up for another challenge in Dreamland.
Total personnel: 13.
The raid leader was Count Wolphausen.
Three mages from the Flame School to handle records and communication.
And nine knights assigned to scouting.
For the count, this raid was essentially his last shot.
Even if it failed, he had to return with substantial intel this time.
Only then could he convince his dissenting retainers.
Dreamland wasn't a dungeon that could be conquered through brute force.
But.
The reason the raid was made up of elite resources like knights was the Dungeon Master.
The Dungeon Master had the most freedom in this dungeon.
He knew all its secrets and was constantly watching them.
That was why he revealed himself when intruders were at their weakest and most vulnerable.
It was intel brought back by Dragred.
Unlike the other information, the handwriting hadn't been tampered with.
This was undoubtedly true.
The Dungeon Master was far stronger than regular soldiers but weaker than knights.
That raised a question.
Why not form scouting teams mostly of regular soldiers, with a few knights as escorts?
Well.
Count Wolphausen believed that approach held little meaning.
And for good reason.
The Dungeon Master had too much of an advantage inside the dungeon.
The dungeon was vast.
So vast that investigating separately was necessary, or scouting would take forever.
Supplies they could carry were limited.
And no matter how tough a man was.
He couldn't hole up indefinitely in a dungeon teeming with death.
The longer it dragged on.
The more explorers' condition and focus plummeted.
Thus, a swift operation was best.
Meaning individual scouting was essential.
However.
If someone unable to handle the Dungeon Master's attacks ended up separated from the group.
It would be a utterly pointless death.
Teams could only be split based on the number of knights.
At minimum, each team needed one knight.
Even so, it wasn't without unease.
The Dungeon Master was likely observing their every move from the core room right now.
In real time.
The first strike belonged to the Dungeon Master.
An ambush could temporarily flip the matchup with its overwhelming advantage.
He could appear anytime.
That was why the count had stationed the three mages at the entrance for no reason.
Beyond recording, he needed to protect their lives too.
Therefore.
A handful of knights simply wouldn't cut it.
He hadn't witnessed the Dungeon Master's strength firsthand.
Dragred had only inferred it through communication magic.
For those reasons, the scouting teams ultimately needed to consist of.
Mostly 'knights' and a few 'soldiers'.
But.
A few soldiers wouldn't act like knights.
Dragred's log proved that.
"I don't want to go in."
"You go in."
"We're not your expendables."
Mutiny like that.
People weren't puppets.
Unless they wore bomb collars.
They weren't disposable tools to test rules with.
Better to form teams of capable, willing knights.
At least knights wouldn't kill, betray, or insult each other.
.
.
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.
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The strategy was the same as last time.
Knights handled scouting.
The mages and count recorded intel from the safe zone.
Scouts and recorders stayed linked.
Each mage oversaw two knights.
The count took three.
This setup allowed grasping the scouts' overall situation.
"The more people, the higher the scouting efficiency. The Dungeon Master surely knows that."
Last raid, scouts split into two teams by force.
School and mansion.
More people meant better efficiency.
It was a shame not everyone could go to one zone.
But splitting further wasn't feasible, so it was a silver lining.
"The Dungeon Master can only change spawn zones once."
Scouts wouldn't split beyond two teams.
The count emphasized that.
"I'm nervous. But for North Kingdom's peace, for Wolphausen's prosperity, I must steel myself."
"We have intel from brave souls like Dragred, Krok, Comfort who gave their lives. This time will be different."
The count fell silent.
This raid should indeed favor them more than the last.
They had info traded for those sacrifices.
Even if manipulated, it revealed what anomalies lay ahead.
But.
He stayed quiet.
Because he couldn't be purely optimistic.
Dreamland had a new zone.
Zone 5.
Beyond Zone 4, shrouded in mystery.
What on earth had happened in that short time?
The feeling was bad.
Definitely bad.
But he couldn't stop now.
He had an absolute reason to claim the magic stone.
"Right. This time will surely be different."
He murmured softly, watching the knights file into the elevator one by one.
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The scouts hit trouble from the start.
Chaotic voices crackled over communication.
-Judging by position, I've reached Zone 5. But no one's around me. Is this normal?
-Where are the other knights? Don't tell me I'm alone in Zone 5?
"Use detection magic, everyone."
"Confirmed."
The recorders sprang into action to assess.
As mages and count expended mana simultaneously.
They witnessed something strange.
"This is..."
"All knights are in Zone 5."
The count's brow furrowed faintly.
What was going on?
Mana signatures all flared in the same zone.
All nine knights had transferred to Zone 5.
Good news for the group.
Clumping together boosted efficiency.
But.
How to put it.
It felt different from before.
Because the knights were scattered.
Dispersed individually, which felt off.
"Ask everyone what they see around them."
"Got it."
-I see mist. And it's quiet.
-There's a village beyond it.
-This is a forest. Water sounds too, so probably a river nearby.
Mist, nature, village, silence.
Knights reported keywords one by one.
Putting it together.
Zone 5 seemed like a misty rural village.
"What's the Dungeon Master's game?"
"No idea..."
Was Zone 5 packed with powerful anomalies?
That explained not splitting them up.
No choice but to keep investigating.
Too few clues for now.
"Designate a rally point. All knights head there from now on, scouting surroundings en route."
Brave lot.
They'd rendezvous without issue.
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The count drafted the raid log.
Entered: 'Raid members spawned in Zone 5 at different positions.' Then thanked the Flame School mages.
"Truly grateful for your cooperation. Especially you, Lorensia—I knew you were busy with research, yet you accepted so readily."
Lorensia, the 18-year-old young mage.
She, who had reached the 5th circle at such a youth, bowed on behalf of the mages.
The Flame School and Wolphausen territory shared ties.
The previous lord had sponsored them generously amid complicated circumstances.
Dragred's collar was their handiwork too.
They were steadfast allies and reliable partners to Wolphausen.
This time, the count requested aid for the raid.
These three were dispatched.
Among them, Lorensia shared the count's keen interest in Dreamland.
"Compared to what the previous Count Wolphausen sponsored our school, this is meager help. We're just logging from the safe zone."
She downplayed it modestly.
But recorders faced risks too.
Dungeons were unpredictable.
The count insisted it was far from meager.
"I'm deeply thankful. Heh, personally, I'm hugely intrigued by Dreamland too."
The magic stone aside.
She seemed fascinated that Dreamland's Dungeon Master was a 'unique entity capable of exiting the dungeon'.
"Shall we end the chit-chat here?"
"Yes, the raid comes first."
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About an hour since knights entered Zone 5.
No deaths yet.
Spawn points varied.
Situation still smooth so far.
What scouts learned:
Zone 5 wasn't a multi-floor building like others.
It resembled a small domain with village, forest, river.
Note of caution.
It wasn't smaller than other zones.
No floors, but vast and expansive instead.
If school and mansion were 80 identical floors.
This misty village felt like them merged and stretched out.
"Immense."
Likely Dreamland's largest zone.
The count ordered knights to stay vigilant always.
Death lurked via Dungeon Master, anomalies.
No relaxing until rendezvous.
Though scattered.
Distances weren't extreme.
Seemed possible to regroup in a day.
Today was the crux.
Survive it, and proper investigation could proceed safely.
Uncharacteristically, the count clasped hands in prayer to the God of Oblivion.
Merciful Oblivion, let them rendezvous safely.
Grant me the magic stone to heal my daughter.
"...Huh?"
A flustered voice from beside him.
"What is it?"
"Lost communication with one knight suddenly. Odd."
The count used detection magic immediately.
Possible anomaly emergence.
"......"
Sure enough.
One mana signature vanished completely.
Dead in an instant.
No time even for last words.
The count asked urgently.
"Any precursors?"
"No, just casual talk. He was walking west forest, said nothing suspicious... then."
Forest.
Zone 5 layout:
Central misty village.
North: river, nearby fields.
West and east: undeveloped forests.
South: something presumed, unknown—no visitors yet.
West forest.
Casualty there.
Time for swift response.
"Remaining in west forest?"
"Two now. One linked to me."
"Tell west forest knights: anomaly that instant-kills."
"Confirmed."
Mages relayed to west forest knights.
Knights acknowledged gratefully.
-Understood.
-From now on, extra caution...
Crackle. Crackle.
Static. Static.
Mages' faces twisted.
Communication magic failed again.
"...Ha?"
"Hello? Can you hear me!?"
"What's happening?"
"Damn... comms cut again."
Dead again?
Mages couldn't believe it.
Detection magic confirmed same.
West forest knights' life signs gone.
Cause unknown.
Mages panicked.
What was this?
A split second.
Merely that.
Yet.
Two vanished in it.
"Wh-what the..."
"Dead... again...?"
If they knew the cause.
It wouldn't feel so stifling.
Unpredictable.
Like a black hole swallowing people.
Knights vanished into darkness.
"Damn it..."
Scouts left: already 6.
Count's fists trembled.
If communication magic was the issue.
If no jamming meant no counter.
Just seal their mouths?
This village of silence had one absolute rule.
Make loud noises, and die.
"This live stream might be the quietest in Dungeon Gallery history?"
"Eek."
I don't think there's no counter at all.
Even cornered rats bite cats.
They'll figure it out eventually.
Don't expect much though.
Just enough to annoy.
Enough to gnaw at their minds.
My plan succeeded.
"Gonna milk this as long as they don't catch on."
Time to squeeze buffs from the new trap.
Be Quiet plz
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Why are even the big shots joining the emoji party.
Kinda cute.