Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Moving to the Next Stage
We returned to the hot spring on Floor 7.
This confirmed that the wall we broke through on Floor 7 is indeed the official route.
We now know the route from the safe zone on Floor 7 to the hot spring, and if we bring this back to the surface, adventurers will start clearing Floor 7.
Well, since it's packed with dangerous monsters, I have a feeling it's going to be quite a brutal ordeal...
Our party consists entirely of top-ranked players, plus me with my Item Box and probably the highest level in the world, and Tetsuo, who has the black hole of divine miracles as a backup.
Sana seems to be a priestess of Izal.
In fact, there were many dangerous scenes without Tetsuo.
Flying on Shazam and leaping across the shallow layers was a huge help.
Ordinarily, such a thing would be impossible.
Tetsuo used Shazam to create a slide into the hot spring.
The women all giggled and played excitedly.
Even Kaorulko, who had been watching quietly at first, joined in playing on the slide.
It seemed like everyone had turned back into children.
Well, Sana is at an age where she wants to play, after all.
Under current laws, she is forcibly considered an adult, though...
"Phew~~~~!"
Two old men soak in the bath.
"This is really good water."
Tetsuo muttered.
"Is there a hot spring in another world?"
"I don't live in a volcanic area, so I haven't heard of any. Maybe there are some inside the gates..."
Basically, it seems the habit of soaking in hot water isn't very common there.
At best, just a water bath.
Still, with magic, they can probably make it clean.
"Regarding what we were talking about earlier... if we defeat the current master of the labyrinth, won't the god of Izal become the master of the dungeon?"
"Yeah, probably."
"There are 8 million gods in Japan, so I don't think it's a problem if one more god is added now, but how about other countries?"
"Well, there are religions that don't recognize other gods."
"It looks like there will be trouble outside of Japan."
"Well, we don't really care about that, hahaha."
That's right.
Even if the dungeon revives only in Japan because of the god of Izal, and other countries get into trouble—even if it might lead to civil war—frankly, it doesn't matter to us.
After the girls finished playing, it was time for a meal.
Eating a meal surrounded by beautiful women in swimsuits is the pinnacle of an old man's life.
Perhaps sensing the smell of food, the Harpies returned.
"Gya!" "Gyagya!"
"Daisuke, is this definitely a safe zone?"
Tetsuo was stuffing his face with food.
"Yeah, even when we camped here before, no monsters spawned."
"Aren't these guys monsters?"
"Well, they are monsters, but Harpies have been known to rummage for food in other safe zones and were disliked..."
"So, monsters are forbidden to enter, but it's not absolutely safe?"
"That's right. There were Chimera spawning near the wall on Floor 7."
That was probably done by the woman from the Labyrinth Cult.
"But since it's almost safe, this place could become a major base."
"There was a 100-meter high platform at the wall on Floor 7, right? The passage there connects directly to this hot spring."
"Is that so? Then I think that's the shortcut."
"It's full of insect monsters inside..."
"..."
The Princess and Kaorulko wore expressionless faces.
"Oh, sorry! You were eating."
"Well, many people dislike insects, so that's definitely tough."
"But if we expand that hole and build a subway, it would be a direct connection."
"If it's a complete capsule-like train, the insects wouldn't matter."
"That's right."
If I use my Item Box to bring construction materials here, this place could become an amusement park for baths...
It's a joke only Hokkaido residents would get, but dreams expand.
After the meal, we took out tents from the Item Box.
When we came here before, we wrapped ourselves in bath towels and slept, but there was definitely a problem with comfort.
If we have a tent, maybe we can prevent some humidity.
If we leave here, we'll be outside the safe zone, so we have no choice but to sleep here.
For preparations before departure, I thought two tents, one for the men and one for the women, would be enough, but the number of women increased.
We do have a spare tent, so we'll take that out.
Iroha and Sana can share a tent.
I crawled into the tent with Tetsuo.
He has a magic lamp, so having light is a relief.
"Normally, you'd be enjoying yourself with the ladies, but I'm sorry."
"No, no, the moment Tetsuo is here, I wasn't thinking of anything like that from the start..."
"Hahaha."
I don't drink, but I gave him a beer and asked about various things in the other world.
It's quite interesting, but going to a world without the internet... it might seem fun at first, but I'd get bored quickly...
Still, once you settle in, it becomes your home—he has no lingering attachment to life in Japan or Earth.
Is that how it is?
"Hm?"
Something made a rustling sound.
"Did a monster spawn? Even so, Shazam isn't reacting."
He had sent Shazam out for caution.
"Gya!" "Gya!"
The ones forcing their way into the tent entrance were the Harpies.
"What is it, you guys?"
"Daisuke!" "Gyask!"
"Alright, alright, let's sleep together."
The Harpies curled up on my stomach, but two of them are heavy, as expected.
Since I leveled up and my body was strengthened, it's fine, but if I were normal, I'd be crushed.
—Spent one night at the hot spring resort, the next day.
When I came out of the tent, Kaorulko approached.
"Good morning, what's wrong?"
"Look!"
She showed me her Breast-Curtain Dress, but it was different from usual.
"What is it? Black patterns..."
"Yes."
Usually, her navel is visible under the Breast-Curtain, but black patterns are extending upwards from there.
Is this it? — When you become a believer of the god of Izal, black patterns appear on your body...
"So, does that mean you learned how to extract magic power from Magic Stones?"
"I haven't tried it yet, but probably..."
She was smiling brightly.
"Is it really okay to become a believer of such a meaningless god so easily?"
"It doesn't matter."
Her smooth curves naturally draw the eye, but the black pattern floating on her abdomen.
That pattern seems to seep out from her interior, melting into her skin.
The pattern looks like delicate vines or like claw marks from a beast, changing its meaning depending on the viewer.
This mysterious blackness, tinged with a strange luster, creates a contrast with her smooth skin, further enhancing the sensual atmosphere.
"Ji~"
I couldn't help but observe the pattern.
"Shall I show you more below?"
She flashed a suspicious smile.
"Hahaha... let's have breakfast."
After finishing breakfast, we headed toward the exit of Floor 7.
"We know the route from the entrance to the hot spring, and we've already cleared the route from the boss room to the hot spring."
"So, the route from the entrance to the exit is established?"
As Tetsuo said.
"With the correct route secured, clearing the side paths will also progress."
"As the Princess said — with such a vast labyrinth, there must be treasures left behind."
"Vile creatures will swarm in! Ahaha."
"Oga, aren't you one of those adventurers?"
"Of course! Look, I got the treasure too!"
She was showing off the dropped sword to the Princess.
"Guunu..."
Since then, we've repeated battles of a certain scale, but no sword-type dropped items have appeared.
We've gotten various potions and rods I've never seen before.
"There are also things that look like magic rods but are actually blunt weapons, like the staff Sana uses."
"Is Sana-chan's like that?"
She held her staff tightly, looking shy.
"That's right. Moreover, when she uses it, critical hits keep coming."
Well, it's unclear if they are actually critical hits.
Unlike games, there are no critical hit effects appearing.
"That's amazing!"
"She's a priestess who can use magic, and she's super strong in close combat."
"As expected, our god has good taste."
While talking like this, we arrived at the boss room.
A massive door exuding enough pressure to welcome us stood before us.
"Boss room? What comes out?"
"A Lich."
"A Lich?"
Tetsuo seems unfamiliar with this monster.
"It's like the boss of the undead."
"Oh, I see, that's it."
In his world, they aren't called Lich, but have local names.
Well, it is another world.
"But hey! If it's undead, Sana's magic should take it out in one shot!"
As Iroha said, but this dungeon has twisted guts.
Something different might come out as the boss.
While everyone was chatting noisily, Kaorulko was experimenting with magic while walking.
I provided the Magic Stones sealed with magic power.
Even if you say it was taught by the god, it probably isn't easy.
Sana also spent some time trial and error.
Still, once successful, the technique and precision should gradually improve, shouldn't they?
The moment everyone cautiously stepped into the room, the door closed behind us with a heavy sound.
It felt as if we were locked in by something, with the connection to the outside world severed.
At the same time, the temperature in the room began to drop instantly.
Cold air that pierced the skin crawled over our bodies, and our breath rose like white mist.
The stone walls surrounding us were inorganic and cold like a tomb, emphasizing the chill further.
"Darling!"
"Sure enough, it's undead, no doubt."
Soon, mist flickered in various parts of the space, gradually taking on human-like outlines.
They were like formless shadows that did not reflect light, or semi-transparent beings housing faint light.
The spirits drifted silently, occasionally echoing with low whispers that made the back of the ears crawl.
"Hehehehe"
Among them, one particularly large spirit floated up before our eyes, sending a silent gaze from its empty eye sockets as if observing us.
The presence standing before our eyes had long since lost its human form.
Its skeletonized body remained intact, unyielding to the weathering of time, unnaturally perfect.
Deep within the eye sockets beneath the golden crown, red light flickered like phosphorescence, its glow housing a creepy intelligence devoid of emotion within the silence.
The robes it wore were carved with complex patterns woven from gold thread on black fabric, symbolizing ancient rituals or forbidden magic, instilling awe in those who saw them.
Were intricate magic circles stitched into the cuffs and hems?
Faint residues of magic power drifted around.
A creepy silence and the pressure of something invisible enveloped the entire room.
"Oh? Isn't this a bit more luxurious than the previous Lich? It's wearing a golden crown."
"Who cares about that! Sana, blast it!"
Sana reacted to Iroha's words.
"Yes!"
She entered a state of mental concentration.
While she chanted, we bought time.
"Is it okay for me to just watch?"
Tetsuo's miracle is our last trump card.
"If it gets dangerous, please."
"Okay."
'Destroy!'
Blue particles gathered from the darkness, and the Lich's magic exploded.
"Holy Shield [Protection]!"
Kaorulko's defensive magic, stepping in front of Sana, diverted the torrent of magic power released by the Lich.
"Alright! My harassment potion missiles!"
Taking out potions from the Item Box, I raised my leg high.
The glass bottle released from my fingertips struck the bald skull of the skeleton at high speed — after the fragments scattered, white smoke rose.
"Gyaaaaa!"
The Lich screamed.
"Oh? It works surprisingly well?"
Taking advantage of that opening, the Princess and Iroha beat the enemy like a octopus.
"Princess Sakurako! Step back!"
"Step back!" "Okay!"
At the Princess's signal, Iroha also flew back.
"Compressed Light Bullet! Strike my enemy! [Magic Missile]"
'Muu!'
A thin bundle of magic like piano wire released from Kaorulko headed toward the Lich, but it seemed blocked by some defense.
Excited magic particles turned into fragments and scattered.
"Compressed Light Bullet! Compressed Light Bullet! Compressed Light Bullet! Compressed Light Bullet! Compressed Light Bullet! Compressed Light Bullet! Ahahahaha!"
'What the hell!?'
Even the monster was surprised; it was Kaorulko's continuous attack.
Ordinary magic makes such a thing impossible, so she might be using the magic power from the Magic Stones I gave her.
If so, that means she succeeded in converting magic power.
Even the Lich couldn't repel the saturation attack of magic and seemed to be taking considerable damage.
"Ahahahaha... ha..."
Kaorulko, who seemed to have gotten high, kept casting magic, but suddenly collapsed.
Her two breasts, swaying richly, danced in slow motion.
"Kaorulko!"
Rushing over, I caught her as she fell, and she was bleeding from the nose with her eyes rolled back.
Did she suffer some side effect from such an attack?
"I'm going!"
It seems Sana's chanting has finished.
"Alright!"
I also carried Kaorulko and moved backward.
'Muu! Turn Undead [Turn Undead]!'
With a flash of light, the magic activated, and a pale white mist seeped out from the floor.
It spread concentrically in soft circles, as if fog crawling on the ground.
The mist filled the space silently but surely, enveloping everything it touched without rejection.
'What is this!?'
The moment the skeleton wrapped in luxurious robes touched the mist, its movement stopped.
The surface of the bones trembled slightly, dissolving into the white mist and crumbling into dust.
It collapsed into white dust, did not dance or rise, but seemed to be sucked into the ground and vanished — leaving only the robes that had lost their master behind.
"When Turn Undead comes, everyone is surprised by the Lich, right?"
Handing the fallen Kaorulko to the Princess, I went with Tetsuo to the remaining robes.
"Isn't that kind of rare magic? It's magic that even high-ranking clerics from other worlds can't use."
He might be right — while thinking that, I rummaged through what remained.
There might be a dropped item.
Previously, defeating a Lich dropped a Breast-Curtain Dress, but will it be the same this time?
"Gya!" "Gyagya!"
The Harpies were flying around the boss room where no one was left.
Looking up, I shifted my gaze to my feet.
"Hm? What is it?"
I can see something golden.
Speaking of which, the Lich was wearing a crown, right?
Did that remain?
Picking it up — there was indeed a crown, but something longer came out.
"That's — a bow, isn't it?"
Tetsuo peeked at the item.
"That's right."
What I held in my hand was a large bow adorned with dazzling metal decorations.
The golden base formed a smooth arc, and its twisted shape like antlers evoked the power of beasts.
A deep red gem was set in the grip, emitting a faint light from within.
The string was thin like silver thread, but the tension clearly felt strength far beyond human capability.
The carved patterns were either ancient words or sealing techniques.
Swirling lines and small carved symbols flowed continuously across the entire arms of the bow.
"What is it? Did it drop a bow?"
Iroha came over with a somewhat disappointed look.
"It looks like a powerful bow, maybe it has amazing power?"
"Well... there aren't many people using bows in dungeons, are there?"
Iroha's words made me pause.
"Speaking of which, I see them in the shallow layers..."
There are people using compound bows and crossbows in the shallow layers, but you never see them in the deep layers.
I think they can attack from a distance and seem quite powerful.
"To use that, you need..."
"Hm? Speaking of which, what about arrows?"
I realized the problem with this bow.
There are no arrows.
"It seems that defeating enemies with dropped item bows sometimes drops arrows."
"But there are no arrows! What is this crappy game!"
Chicken or egg — is this a bug?
Or maybe they don't want us to use it because the bow is a powerful weapon?
Did the person who made the dungeon hate bows?
"Hahaha!"
Tetsuo laughed loudly.
It's not a laughing matter.
He probably doesn't care about this dungeon; it's none of his business.
Iroha snatched the bow from me and went to the Princess.
"Cherry Princess, why don't you try using this? You wanted dropped items, didn't you?"
Iroha was provoking the Princess again.
"How am I supposed to use something like this!"
"Maybe it's surprisingly strong if you hit someone with it! Ahaha!"
"Grrr!"
I snatched the bow back from Iroha.
"I'll put it in the Item Box. It might fetch a high price outside."
While talking, Kaorulko seemed to have regained her senses.
"Kaorulko, are you okay?"
"Da-ri-yo-bu-re-su"
She doesn't look very okay...
"Oh, it's probably like magic sickness."
Tetsuo explained her symptoms.
"Magic sickness?"
"They are drawing out magic power from Magic Stones, but since the magic circuits are their own, overloading them causes this."
"It's like an electric circuit overheating from too much load."
"Well, yes."
"Also, if the filled magic power belongs to someone else, there can be compatibility issues."
"Hey~"
This seems well-known in the other world, but it's a new technology in this world.
Staggering, Kaorulko gazed at the bow.
"What a magnificent bow, re-su nee~"
She's still a bit slurring her words.
Kaorulko is also praising the bow's craftsmanship; the appearance is top-notch.
It's a bow an elf with pointed ears in fantasy might hold, and it would look great if Eito, the beautiful boy who appeared in a movie with Iroha, held it.
Setting aside the dropped item, Sana defeated the Lich, but she didn't level up this time.
Unless we defeat multiple enemies here or reach the next Floor 8, the next level up might be a bit far away.
"Here, Sana — the crown."
I took out the crown I put in the Item Box and placed it on her head.
"Daisuke, aren't there cursed items like that?"
"Eh?! Are there?!"
"Um, it seems there are definitely items that apply debuffs."
The recovered Kaorulko explained.
She seems okay.
"For real — Sana, are you okay?"
"Y-yes, it's fine..."
Status screens don't display status ailments.
We would know if we had Appraisal skills.
While talking about curses with Kaorulko, Iroha came over.
"Darling! This means we've cleared Floor 7, right?!"
"Yes. Previously, when we attacked from the deep layers, the next area was Floor 8."
"Umph!"
The Princess nodded as well.
"Alright! Next, next! My arms are itching!"
"Princess, what do you think? Iroha intends to go too."
"Princess Sakurako, shouldn't we return to the surface first and warn about Floor 7?"
As Kaorulko said.
"There might be adventurers entering Floor 7 through the hole we opened."
"Hmm? Ah? Is that so... I want to move on to the next, but yes, that's possible. If we rush into this labyrinth without measures, we'll really die..."
Iroha seems to think the same.
Well, it's natural.
We also had quite dangerous moments without Tetsuo's abilities.
"Tetsuo, it seems we'll have to return for now... is that okay?"
"Yeah, no problem. I'm not in a hurry either. It's a mutual benefit situation."
"Any deadlines from the god?"
"To the god, our time is like it doesn't exist."
Is that how it is?
I've never dealt with something like a god, so I don't really know.
Everyone unanimously decided to return to the surface for now.
However, if we return here, when we come back to Floor 7, we'll have to fight the mid-bosses again...
Well, if they are undead, Sana's magic should take them out in one shot.