The Scorching Dungeon 3
2 hours have passed since I began exploring the second floor.
During this period, since my coercion skill has always been on, enemies aren’t attacking me. Searching became a lot easier this way.
“Ah, it’s appeared again.”
I’ve seen this face more times than the faces of my own parents. I feel tired just by looking at it.
Well, I don’t really remember my parent’s faces. My parents were creeped out by me and never approached, and I wasn’t interested in talking with them either.
“Thunder Strike.”
I try to cut it down with a sword skill.
Thunder Strike is supposed to be a thunder element attack, yet it didn’t have any effect.
… Yep, this is impossible. No matter how much of a cheat I am, there are still a few things I can’t do.
I avoid the flame, which the snake spits out, and run away at full speed.
The snakes never appeared while I was in the first half of the floor, but the moment I stepped into the second half, they started showing up like cockroaches.
The whole place is now overflowing with flowers and snakes.
I would be happy if Coercion worked on the snakes, but the reality is not so sweet.
“Oops.”
As I run through the dungeon, the search skill reacts, so I stop and head back to where I got the reaction. It seems the skill has found a gathering point.
– Hihiirokane rank 10
Metal with the highest-ranking hardness in the world.
Hihiirokane huh, I know its name only from novels and games, so it’s my first time seeing the real thing. As you’d expect from the legendary metal, even I, who is ignorant of these things, understand that it’s producing a mysterious aura. However, Hihiirokane on Earth is just a myth. Whether Hihiirokane of this world is the same, I have no idea.
I can’t make anything from just one ore, but if I manage to gather more, I will make a set of armor out of this.
I’m certain that if I make armor out of this, it would block any kind of attack.
Since I’ve finished gathering what I can, I leave this place in a hurry in order to shake off the pursuing snakes.
After that, I finished the exploration of the second floor in about 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any new discoveries.
I’m now descending on the third floor.
As I advance towards the area even further underground, the heat is increasing steadily.
I take a look at the third floor, but there doesn’t seem to be any particular change from the other floors.
However, this is a dungeon of the highest-ranking. I can’t be careless.
After walking for a while, I got a reaction from the Detection skill.
Three Red Dragons.
Because it seems that they haven’t noticed me yet, I make a surprise attack.
I take down the one that was further away from the other two, and while I still have the momentum from the attack, I lop off the head of the second one from behind.
I was finally noticed by the last one and it opened its mouth to attack, but it was already too late.
“Air Blade.”
A slash attack flies towards the dragon’s neck.
The subjugation of the three Red Dragons was over in a few seconds.
Hmm, as expected of a rank 10 sword, it’s easy to use.
I’d be able to finish the troll in one blow if I had this sword.
When I had finished placing the carcasses of the Red Dragons into my item box, the Detection skill reacts again.
There’s a large number of enemies. Maybe about 20 altogether?
Because these are small fries, they should just let me pass.
It can’t be helped, let’s exterminate the enemy before exploring.
“Treasure chest spotted.”
After slaughtering hundreds of Red Dragons, I feel a little satisfied. I’ve found a treasure chest.
– Communication Talisman rank 10
Contact can be made at any time with another person holding the same talisman.
Inside, there were two Communication Talismans. I already have these things though.
The only difference between the two is that the Communication Talisman I got from Maria is rank 8 while these are rank 10.
Come to think of it, the Talisman I got from Maria doesn’t work here. If the dungeon is a higher rank than the talisman, will if not work?
Well, I’ll make sure of it later while I also confirm yesterday’s phenomenon.
I leave the Communication Talisman in the treasure chest and place the entire chest into the item box.
– Treasure chest containing Communication Talisman
The description in the item box is similar to the one with the Curry Roux. I remove the treasure chest from the item box, but there’s only one Talisman inside… Ara, I don’t get this.
Perhaps because 2 Talismans make a set, putting in just 1 is useless?
I empty the treasure chest and put it back into the item box.
– An empty Treasure chest
Somehow the treasure chest is now empty. It seems it will never fill up again.
Well, that didn’t go very well.
An empty treasure chest may be useful later on though, so I leave it like that in the item box.
The Detection skill reacts again.
Red Dragons again, are there only Red Dragons on this floor?
I think my hunch was correct.
The number of Red Dragons that I killed before I finished exploring the third floor exceeded 300. Since the battle was basically over with just a single blow, I’m bored. Are there any stronger enemies here?
Moreover, there are no reactions from Search.
I’m slightly mentally tired, so I will end today’s exploration with this.
I hope tomorrow will be better…
When I make it back to the surface, the first thing I notice is that there are two men eating the remaining Curry by the side of the carriage.
Those were the leftovers from today’s lunch.
So why are they eating my curry?
“Wai, wait a second Maika-san! These people are not bad people!”
When I approached the men, Mira hugs me from behind and desperately tries to stop me.
“Please put away your sword!”
I notice that I seem to have unconsciously unsheathed my katana.
Dangerous, dangerous, I was about to kill these people in front of Mira.
If I did that, I would be hated.
Let’s calm down, I’ll kill them when no one is around to see me.
“You mustn’t kill them. These people are not bad.”
Huh? How did she know? I have pretty bad facial expressions. It’s often said that people can’t understand what I’m thinking.
While I’m in deep thought, Mira averts her eyes.
Thinking about it, when Maria was talking about the special abilities in the adventurer’s guild, Mira had a strange reaction. That confirms it, Mira can read a person’s heart. Does Sara have some ability too?
“No, Oneechan is a normal elf.”
“I see.”
“Umm… I’m sorry for not telling you. It’s creepy, isn’t it? An ability like this.”
“No, not really.”
Mira, who usually doesn’t express her emotions very often, opens her eyes wide.
Did I say something strange?
I think it’s convenient to have an ability like that. It’s easy to spot enemies and such thing.
“Ah, it’s not like I can read minds. I can only read strong emotions. For some reason, since the last contract we made, I’ve been able to read Maika-san’s heart.”
Fumu, that’s probably because we exchanged blood through a magic tool during the second slave contract. I don’t really know, but I can’t think of any other reason.
“Umm, are you really not creeped out by me?”
Mira says with somewhat wet and frightened eyes.
Thinking about it, I’ve seen scenes in the 2D worlds where the one with mind-reading abilities was hated by others.
Does that mean Mira has had such a past?
“Who?”
“Eh?”
“Who’s the guy that bullied Mira?”
I will kill him on sight.
To bully Mira is a crime that can only be compensated by death.
“That, that’s not good. You can’t kill innocent people!”
“It’s a crime to bully Mira.”
“I have forgiven those people, so killing them is bad.”
Mira looks straight into my eyes with a serious look.
After seeing such serious eyes, I have no choice but to withdraw.
However, if anyone tries to harm my girls, I will absolutely kill them. Even if they aren’t a criminal, I’ll kill them before they can become one. This is the only thing that I can’t give up.
“… If possible, I don’t want you to kill.”
“No, even if I become hated, I won’t give up on this. At least until everyone is on the level where none of you can be injured any more, I will absolutely protect everyone by all means.”
“… I understand.”
I was certain that Mira would be against it, but she nodded rather happily. That’s slightly unexpected.
“While I think it would be best if you didn’t kill, towards the Maika-san who cares about someone like me even though I have this creepy ability, I’m really happy. The only person who cherishes me this much aside from my own family is you Maika-san.”
I think it’s a given to care about that which belongs to you.
Well, well.
Thinking about it, I completely forgot to ask why these men were eating my curry.
When I ask Mira about these men, she tells me that they are residents of a village to the east, Salas. Monsters attacked the village and destroyed their crops. It seems they’ve had troubles getting food.
So, in order to deal with the monsters, they had gathered what little money the village had and were going to put in a request at the adventurer’s guild in the Town of Aranda. They collapsed midway because of hunger though, and the girls who had been hunting monsters had found them. Celica, Charlotte, and Sara, after hearing the circumstances, headed towards the village in order to exterminate the monsters. Mira took care of the two hungry men while waiting for me.
Fortunately, Mira kept it a secret that they were eating curry.
Now, since the three have already headed to the village, I don’t have a reason to walk there myself.
“Transfer Crystal?”
“I gave it to Oneechan.”
That’s good.
I put the carriage and all the other tools into the item box and take out the Transfer Crystal. I also gave Mira the Communication Talisman that I had found in the dungeon.
I had already taught Mira how to use the Transfer Crystal, so when I put my hand on the crystal, Mira wasn’t confused by it.
“Place your hand here. Quickly!”
I urged the two puzzled men to put their hands on the crystal.
When I confirm that everyone’s hand is on the crystal, I pour my magic into it.
Then, the scenery distorts around us, and in the next moment…
“Nuo.”
“Wow.”
“Kya.”
We materialized next to the three girls currently walking towards the village.
The three girls were surprised by our sudden appearance, but they soon understood what had happened and started running again.
Looks like they’ve advanced quite a distance, the village is in sight.