Chapter 10. Dungeon 1st Floor (1)
Episode 10. Dungeon First Floor (1)
Louis Daiken, an Inspection Bureau agent who had just shed his Apprentice Knight status to become a Beginner Knight, read the orders delivered to his office.
『Operation: Eradicate Red Awl
Operation Commander: Louis Daiken』
The orders were simple—eliminate the criminal organization rooted in the abandoned factory of the Isra District.
But there was something he couldn't comprehend.
"Are you seriously telling me that Sion Karsen killed the Hashman Brothers and extracted information?"
Pfft.
A scoff escaped him.
"That's impossible."
The Sion Karsen he knew was absolutely not that kind of man.
Back when he wasn't even an Apprentice Knight yet.
On the day he was assigned to guard a noble.
The disgraceful scene of Sion, drunk and causing a scene at a noble social gathering, was still vivid in his memory.
Flirting with maids.
Looking down on his guards.
A trash noble who mocked commoners.
A worthless fool.
That was all Sion Karsen was to Louis.
Even the day he supposedly captured Yoen Hashman—he must have pulled some underhanded trick.
And yet.
Shhk. His gaze shifted to the newspaper on the table. The headline glared back at him.
『Sion Karsen Executes Hashman Brothers for the People of the Territory』
『Sion Karsen—
A Predator Hiding Its Claws?』
It was absurd. Couldn't win with skill, so now he's manipulating public opinion? Disgusting.
And then—
『Sion Karsen
Issues Challenge to Golden Star Tournament』
Grind.
Louis Daiken's teeth clenched.
Since childhood, he had never let go of his sword, purifying both body and mind.
He never neglected his training, endured every grueling selection process, and finally became a full-fledged knight after completing his apprenticeship.
And now, this bottom-feeder dares to muddy the waters of the Golden Star Tournament, the stage of noble knights?
"Fuck."
Sion Karsen?
What kind of bullshit was this?
Did the lord actually permit this?
A man born of noble blood, who gave up after putting in barely any effort, now resorting to pointless media stunts?
Louis Daiken could not tolerate Sion Karsen. He was a stain on the prestige of a great noble house, a disgrace to the honor of knighthood.
"Fine. Let's see how far you can go."
Louis signed the operation order and then drafted an additional request.
『Request for Additional Forces
Incorrect intelligence interpretation during the suppression of armed organizations increases allied casualties.
Therefore, if the informant who provided the intel on the Red Awl's hideout—Sion Karsen—participates, the accuracy of the information will improve, reducing potential losses.
Accordingly, we request the temporary dispatch of Sion Karsen, currently engaged in a [Top Secret Mission].』
Louis handed the request to his adjutant for delivery before returning to his office.
And then—
He unfolded the dry newspaper again.
"Don't you dare run away, you half-wit."
The underground ruins beneath the Karsen family's rear mountain.
Sion Karsen drew sacred mana from his Holy Wheel. The Flame Realm mana ignited upon contact with the oxygen in the air.
Whoosh—
As the darkness receded, a vast space came into view. The expansive cavern seemed to whisper:
—Do not forget, this is the ruins of the dead gods.
Sion stood before the wall opposite where he had once absorbed the Flame Dragon's bloodline. After a brief moment of contemplation, he offered a short prayer.
"Lumen, guide my path."
Soon, flames flickered at his fingertips as he began tracing a mythical magic circle.
A perfect circle enclosed the space, and on the right, he carved the symbols representing Lumen and Chronos.
On the opposite side, he etched the emblem of the "Shadowmoon God," said to be the Sun God's ancient rival.
RUMBLE—
With an earth-shaking roar, the wall split open, revealing a massive iron gate.
A double-leafed gate—one side adorned with half of a blue dragon, the other with half of a red one.
The two dragons met at the center, forming a single mirrored image.
The dragons' fierce maws were open, and at the tip of their tongues rested a pearl-like orb—
Almost like a door handle.
Sion closed his eyes briefly before opening the gate. He needed this moment of resolve.
The first floor of the dungeon required at least one Intermediate Knight and two 4-Star Mages.
But what was his current strength?
4-Star in magic, swordsmanship barely between Apprentice and Beginner.
Attempting the first floor alone at his current level was, by any measure, sheer madness.
'And yet, I must overcome it.'
Dungeons—rarely discovered in the ruins of long-dead gods.
Why were all dungeons structured with five underground floors?
Why did the dangers and rewards grow greater the deeper one descended?
Why were they hidden so meticulously?
No one knew.
But—
Sion had to conquer this dungeon.
For two reasons.
First—
The elixir said to strengthen one's core.
To obtain the Fire-Ice Dragon's Breath.
To mine Sunstones and secure funds.
Second—
The Day of the North's Destruction in his past life.
To prevent that nightmare from repeating.
When monsters blackened the skies and earth, swarming over the frontlines, the North was attacked from within and without.
The traitors of humanity had somehow unsealed this [Fire-Ice Dragon Dungeon], unleashing a flood of monsters inside the territory.
This time, he would never allow that to happen. The best solution was to conquer the dungeon and erase it entirely.
Flick.
Sion opened his eyes.
He checked the artifacts purchased from the [12 Magic Tools].
The ring on his finger—'Lightning Strike,' granting lightning-fast movement.
The ice sword at his waist—'Flower of the Snow Mountain.'
The teal necklace—'April Sprout,' enhancing physical recovery.
The hidden blade on his leg—'Impact,' emitting a deafening explosion upon collision.
He also inspected the numerous scrolls stored in his crossbody bag, one by one.
Before a fierce battle, preparing every possible means without discrimination—that was the difference between a knight and a mage.
Tap.
He gripped the pearl-like orb.
It wasn't that he felt no fear.
But—
Whoosh. He channeled mana into it.
A brief silence followed.
GRRRRR—
A heavy vibration shook the ground as the iron gate slowly opened. Inside, a stone guidepost stood.
Pass through three chambers.
And face the Breath.
So the first floor had three rooms. Committing the information to memory, Sion stepped forward. A path of stone stretched ahead.
Following it, he soon reached a vast cavern, at the end of which stood another iron gate.
Then—
THUD. The gate behind him slammed shut.
Grrrr—
A chilling, low-frequency hum resonated.
His knees trembled—not from real fear, but because that sound was the monster skill [Fear], designed to instill terror in its prey.
Ooooooh—
From holes in the cavern walls, predators sniffing the air emerged one by one.
Ember Wolves.
Their ash-gray fur rippled like smoldering embers, fangs jutting from their maws like burning coals. With every step, flames licked at the ground.
Five times the size of a grown man. Strength equivalent to a Beginner Knight. And there were about a hundred of them.
Normally, victory would be impossible.
If Sion weren't a regressor.
Right now, he wasn't the half-wit Sion. He was humanity's last survivor. He was Duckie of the Resistance.
"Sorry, but I don't have time. I'll finish this in one go."
Shhhk.
He unfurled a magic scroll.
"[Fly]."
Whoooosh—
Powerful mana wrapped around his body, lifting him into the air in response to his will.
Duration: 5 minutes.
Maximum altitude: 10 meters.
As he ascended to the ceiling, the Ember Wolves snarled viciously.
Bark! Bark bark bark!
Some even crouched low, preparing to leap.
Sion remained perfectly still.
He simply gripped his ice sword.
Poured mana into it.
Unfurled more scrolls.
"[Attribute Conversion], [Ice Barrier], [Cold Enhancement]."
His Flame Realm magic transformed into frigid Ice Magic, flowing into the blade.
A transparent barrier of cold formed around him, and the chill condensed even further.
All standard 4-Star or lower spells.
Time limit: roughly 10 minutes.
KWAANG!
Three Ember Wolves kicked off the ground, leaping like arrows shot from a bow. Flames erupted from their coal-like fangs as they crashed into the Ice Barrier.
BOOM! CRACK—
The deafening impact sent a ringing through his ears.
The reinforced Ice Barrier had been half-shattered. One Ember Wolf forced its way through the gap, its savage maw lunging for Sion's shoulder.
CLANG!
Sion blocked with his ice sword, the monster's bite force rattling through the blade. His wrist bones ached under the pressure. His body felt crushed.
If those jaws closed, his arm would be torn off. But Sion remained calm, pouring more mana into the sword.
He squeezed pure mana from his Holy Wheel to its limit. Thanks to the Attribute Conversion spell, his Flame Realm mana had become Frost Magic.
Hiss—
The Ember Wolf's maw froze over. Its fangs lost their heat, crumbling into pieces.
Sion swallowed dryly and drove the ice sword into the beast's chest.
Stab! CRACK! SCREECH—!
It let out a bizarre, dog-like yelp, but he ignored it, twisting the blade left and right.
SHLICK!
An ice sword was the ultimate weakness for a fire-attribute monster. Lukewarm blood gushed out explosively.
Drenched in monster blood, Sion didn't stop swinging.
SHLICK!
The lifeless Ember Wolf collapsed to the ground.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The remaining wolves hesitated, circling beneath Sion instead of charging recklessly.
A hunting formation. They were waiting for his mana to deplete before striking all at once.
But unfortunately for them, Sion was no prey.
His eyes burned crimson. Faced with overwhelming odds, his fighting spirit only blazed hotter.
The 'Lightning Strike' artifact on his finger flashed.
Zzzzt—
Lightning enveloped his body, arcing across the ground.
"I don't have time for this."
Karsen-style Ancient Sword Technique (Modified).
Curving Flash.
CRACK—
A bolt of lightning streaked from ceiling to floor in an instant, zigzagging through the Ember Wolves like a blade.
KRRRACK!
It was over in less than a second.
What resistance could they possibly muster?
The Ember Wolves turned their heads, only now realizing Sion had already passed them and was standing at the entrance to the next chamber.
And in that moment—
Splurt.
Every Ember Wolf's head slid clean off. Some were bisected entirely.
Electricity crackled across the ground, followed by a faint ripple of cold.
A hundred monsters fell simultaneously. Slaughtered in an instant.
RUMBLE—
The next gate on the first floor opened.
"Haaah..."
Sion finally exhaled. But then—
Cough!
He suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed. The backlash of overusing artifacts and scrolls had hit him.
Huff... Huff... Huff...
Powerful scrolls and artifacts gnawed at the user's mind and body.
And since he had used foreign-attribute mana instead of his innate Flame Realm mana, the pain was even more excruciating.
It felt like his heart was burning.
Except for one thing—
The healing artifact.
Pshhh—
The 'April Sprout' necklace around his neck greatly accelerated his recovery.
Inhale... Exhaaale...
After several deep breaths, Sion steadied himself and stepped through the open gate.
To the next chamber.
For him, at this moment—
There was no retreat.