Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Regrouping
The top guilds are attacking the deep floors of the dungeon together.
We had no trouble up to Floor 5, but it suddenly got tough starting from Floor 6.
Other guilds also have only the toughest veterans who have reached Floor 7, but it seems they are struggling this time.
Since the guilds are cooperating and the number of high-level adventurers has increased, isn't the dungeon adjusting its difficulty?
It's just like a game, but there have been game-like aspects until now, so it's not like "why now?" or anything.
There are levels and item drops, so it is a game in the first place.
We struggled with a massive horde of Wraiths, and the leader of the Golden Path guild dropped out.
It seems he had declared a level higher than his actual one.
It seems he was at that level just a little while ago, but he was hyped up as a high-level adventurer and neglected his dungeon patrols.
Well, simply put――it seems he leveled down while getting cocky and slacking off.
With a horde of Wraiths, the mages' magic was exhausted, and the high-level adventurers were out of the fight one by one――.
We need to regroup once――so we decided to return to the safe zone at the entrance of Floor 6 for now.
"Scatter!"
The Princess's voice echoed in the darkness.
"&%!"
Before returning to the safe ground, we encountered that red, three-times-faster monster again.
Red light began to gather around the monster.
"It's magic! Those near the line of fire, get behind me!"
Screaming, the girl mages hid behind the Wraith.
"Ugoooaaah"
The monster's huge mouth opened eerily.
Its mouth was dyed bright red, with many sharp teeth lined up.
At that moment, the air trembled, and a low growl resonated from the monster's throat.
From deep inside its mouth, an intensely red light began to gather slowly.
The light gradually increased in intensity, and you could see it concentrating as if it were sucking in all the light.
At the moment that light reached its limit, the monster roared, and it was released all at once.
The red beam cut sharply and linearly through the dungeon's darkness.
"Protection!"
A transparent wall appeared from the magic cast by the Wraith, blocking the enemy's attack.
The red magic that collided with the defensive spell scattered and chipped away at the dungeon walls.
Rock fragments fell down from above in pieces.
It was quite a powerful magical attack, but the Wraith seems to be unharmed.
While watching the monster's attack, I quickly circled around to its rear.
Of course, to counterattack.
I took a missile out of my Item Box and set it in the launcher.
I had defeated that red one before, and I had already identified the location of its Magic Stone, its weak point.
This monster also has defensive magic, so attacks from the front might be avoided.
If that's the case――I'll circle around to the back and aim for a one-hit kill from a blind spot.
I aimed the launcher.
I circulated power through my whole body, sending the power from the earth,
The trajectory the missile would take floated white in the darkness.
"Oraaaaah!"
As if tracing that path, the flying projectile tore through the darkness.
When it hit the enemy's back, a flash of light illuminated the dungeon for an instant.
It was probably the light of the Magic Stone being destroyed.
"Gao!"
The red monster, thrown back and facing the ceiling, twisted its body slightly to face me, but then collapsed right there.
"Phew..."
It seems I managed to take it down in one shot.
"Is everyone okay?!"
The Princess checked on her companions' safety.
I stored the red corpse in my Item Box.
If it can be stored, it means it's completely dead.
That's fine, but since I destroyed the only Magic Stone that looked like it could be sold, it's truly a back-breaking loss.
No, it has splendid horns, doesn't it? Won't it become some kind of material?
Maybe it becomes Chinese medicine...
While thinking such things, Iroha raised a voice of dissatisfaction.
"Seriously, what is this! It's completely different from usual!"
Hearing everyone's voices, it seems the difficulty isn't usually this high.
"So, does that mean the balance adjustment is because high-level adventurers are gathering?"
"Damn! Whoever is running this dungeon is a stubborn old hag!"
"Ugh..."
While Iroha was fuming, the Wraith collapsed.
"What's wrong? Out of mana?"
It's dark, so I can't see his complexion, but he looks like he's in pain.
It's very similar to the symptoms when Kaorulko ran out of mana before.
"Yes... something like that..."
"Can you walk?"
"..."
He tried to stand up, but it looks impossible.
This won't do――I decided to carry him on my back.
"I'm sorry."
"Would you have preferred a princess carry?"
"N-no――that's a bit..."
"Hahaha."
Personally, I'd prefer carrying a girl if I'm going to carry someone, but I can't say that.
If I dawdle, we might encounter enemies again.
I have to get to the safe zone quickly.
The girls followed behind me, carrying the Wraith.
This is why male adventurers are more popular.
Well, there are power types like Iroha who don't mind carrying men, but that's a special case after all.
"Hey, I have a question."
I asked the Wraith on my back.
"What is it?"
"I can't use magic, so I don't know, but do basic spells become stronger when the caster's level goes up?"
"Yes."
Come to think of it, the Wraith cast about five Light Bullets.
If you bundle them together, wouldn't the power be five times greater?
It might be possible.
"Gya! Gya!" "Gya!"
The sound of Harpies came from the darkness above.
"Oh? The Harpies are back. If so, we might not encounter monsters anymore."
"They are monsters too..."
"Hahaha, come to think of it, they are, but let's let them go. They're useful."
"Haa..."
The Wraith doesn't seem to be serious.
They told us about Golems and Wraiths before we encountered them, too.
Well, maybe it's strange that I'm friends with monsters, but maybe that's the case.
"Gya!"
A Harpy landed on top of my head.
"Hey! You're heavy!"
"Gya."
"Gyaa! Wait, wait!"
The Wraith on my back is panicking.
It seems another one is about to land too.
I returned to the safe ground as if fleeing from the Harpies, but I remained alert to the surroundings.
There was no sign of encountering monsters, so it should be fine.
I lowered the Wraith from my back.
"Really, we didn't encounter any monsters."
"I told you, didn't I? If there's a presence, they'll run away first."
"I see..."
Maybe she trusted me a little more now.
"Hey, Darling! Don't leave me behind!"
Iroha had also arrived.
"Sorry. Since the Harpies are here, I thought we wouldn't encounter monsters anymore."
I pointed to her standing beside me, raising one wing.
"So they really become monster detectors."
"Well, yes. Other monsters run away first if they come, hahaha."
Members of other guilds also returned, so I took out luggage from my Item Box.
Incidentally, I took out a bottle filled with hot water.
"Shall we try this?"
"This? Hot water?"
The Wraith took the bottle in his hand.
"Actually, there's a hot spring on Floor 7."
"Eh? A hot spring?!"
He was surprised and almost dropped the bottle.
"Through research with the Empress, we found that the water there has a mana recovery effect. It's not instant like a Potion, but it's slow."
"Could it be a Magic Potion?! Hasn't it been discovered yet?!"
"Well, that's right, but I don't know if it will replace it."
I told him that mana recovery, which usually takes 12 hours of sleep and waking up, is completed in about 6 hours.
"Even so, isn't that amazing?! Won't you sell it?!"
"Ah, if we actually sell it, I don't know what side effects there might be... hahaha."
Using potions dropped in the dungeon is at your own risk, but if it's commercially sold, that's not the case.
If we get sued, it would be unbearable.
"Um..."
The other mages also arrived.
"Shall we try it?"
"Y-yes." "Yes."
"I think it's disinfected, but if you feel unwell, you might want to use a regular Potion."
"Um, how do you disinfect this?"
"Ah, living things don't go into the Item Box. Conversely, bacteria and such are all killed the moment they enter the Item Box."
"I see."
However, toxins produced by bacteria and such do not disappear, so caution is needed.
It was decided to try it at their own risk.
I've confirmed the effect, so it shouldn't be wrong.
The Wraith recovered a little and could walk, so we gathered for a meeting.
Naturally, it was about Gorilla.
Hearing his story――it seems his level is definitely low.
It seems he had leveled down more than the women in his own guild thought.
Only you know your own level.
Even if we tell him to return to the surface, it's dangerous if his level is low.
So it was decided that he would accompany us for now and wait in the rear with the support mages.
The female mage who was his partner was incorporated into our party.
She doesn't seem to have falsified her level, and she's a capable person.
It's a waste to put her in the rear.
Of course, it's not forced.
I have her consent as well.
"..."
Gorilla kept his head down without saying anything.
He probably can't argue.
He came along with the top rankers' attack even though his level wasn't enough, causing trouble.
Well, he probably wishes he could crawl into a hole, but unfortunately, this is a dungeon.
There are no holes, and he can't escape.
What would happen if he tried to escape at his current level?
He must have learned that by nearly dying.
"Nice to meet you, Kubo-san."
"Just call me Mikan."
"Understood."
"But, is it okay with him?"
I pointed to Gorilla, who looked like his soul had left his body.
"It's fine. That guy deserves it!"
"Mmmph."
Even though it's temporary, a woman has joined the party, so the Princess is in a bad mood.
"There's no helping it."
"I know!"
"I've had enough of that guy, can I join?"
Mikan grabbed my arm.
"No."
The Princess's immediate refusal.
"Why?"
"We're only grouping for now."
"What, you're stingy!"
Well, the Guild Cherry Princess is a private guild, so I don't think we'll gain new companions.
"Well, well――"
I calm them down for now.
"Then, maybe Darling makes a sub-guild, and I join it?"
"Why are you calling Darling, Mikan?"
"Everyone calls him Darling."
"No."
"Why is Cherry Princess refusing when it's Darling's guild!"
"Because Darling is mine!"
"That's unfair!"
"It's not!"
"Guu nuu..."
I stop the two glaring at each other.
"I don't have the luxury of making a sub-guild right now. Besides, I'm getting old, and I don't know when I'll retire."
"Eh~?! If you're that strong, you could earn a lot until you level down, you know."
"Haha――well, I have money too..."
"Eh? Eh! You have money?!"
"Quite a bit..."
"Then, won't you make me your mistress?"
What is she saying now?
I'm surprised by her speed of changing topics.
"Huh?"
"It's obviously a no!"
The Princess immediately denied it and stepped in.
"Why! Oga is a mistress, isn't he?!"
"Why is it revealed?!"
I'm surprised too.
"Oga brags about it!"
"Oh no."
He brags, huh.
Come to think of it, he said the girls in the guild chose his clothes.
So it's spreading from those girls too.
This is becoming an open secret.
"That guy Oga is fine. I said it's okay."
"Then I'm okay too?"
"It's obviously a no!"
"Why!"
"Let's go back to the beginning!"
For now, I separate the two.
Having power and money is like this, huh.
It's not very pleasant to be swarmed by money, though.
Let's leave it on hold for now.
Mikan looks dissatisfied, but she has the guild she currently belongs to to consider.
The Golden Path seems to have a solid female vice-leader, so I don't think it will collapse...
But if the news that the leader falsified his level spreads, more members might leave.
This is a critical moment.
And――although he slacked off a bit and leveled down, he originally had the ability to reach that level, so that's probably the case.
She was the vice-leader and Gorilla's childhood friend――but hasn't she overturned the pattern where childhood friends equal defeat?
Anyway――come to think of it, I had something I was curious about, so I went to ask the Wraith.
I carried him and provided the hot spring water.
Give and take――he should answer a few questions.
"I have something I want to ask."
"What is it?"
His complexion seems to have improved quite a bit while sitting.
"If you leave things in the dungeon, they get absorbed, but is there a way to prevent that or something..."
"Oh, that thing――yes, there is."
"What is that...?"
It seems to be a magic called "Fix".
"At first, I didn't know what kind of magic it was at all, but after trying various things――I found out it's a magic to fix items in the dungeon."
"So, if you use that magic, even things left behind won't be absorbed by the dungeon――"
"That's exactly right."
"Isn't that groundbreaking!"
"Yes."
"Just with that magic, I feel like I could earn a fortune. Like casting magic on public facilities in the dungeon..."
"Actually, we're already doing that."
"Oh, really."
"Yes――please, keep this confidential."
"I understand."
Wow, there's a magic that prevents things from being absorbed by the dungeon.
If such a magic exists, construction within the dungeon will progress.
According to the Wraith, it's already being used, so maybe it's being used in facilities on newly discovered floors.
Just with this magic, I might not struggle to eat for the rest of my life.
Well, as the plan progresses, other adventurers might learn the Fix magic.
"――That means, with that magic, the dungeon hot spring facilities might be well-equipped..."
"Is the hot spring story true?"
"Of course, I made you drink the water."
"I can't believe it at all..."
"No, I couldn't believe it either. I don't know where the water comes from."
"Haha――well, this dungeon itself is like a joke, so anything goes..."
He smiled sarcastically.
With my Item Box, I could transport a massive amount of materials.
Dungeon Hot Spring Spa――it's coming into view.
If the dungeon railway is well-equipped and connects straight to Floor 7, tourists might increase.
This is the Princess's hometown――can't we get the cooperation of the Yaegashi Group?
If so, various things might be realized.
Well, there's the problem of how to deal with the powerful monsters on Floor 6 and 7?
――There's the fundamental problem of that, too.
There is a vast safe zone at the entrance to Floor 7.
Can't we pull the hot spring water from the hot spring to the safe zone?
If so, there will be a hot spring in the safe zone, hahaha.
Before that, there's the problem of how to clear Floor 7.
There are problems piled up.
Inside the dungeon is pitch black, so the sense of time is vague, but according to Kaorulko's clock――.
We left in the morning, and the battle with the Wraiths was before noon.
There, we had to return after the mages used up their mana.
Mana recovery, which usually takes about 12 hours, can be recovered in about 6 hours thanks to my hot spring water.
Sleeping and waking up, we should make it in time for tomorrow's departure.
This will be a fairly big advantage for the strategy.
It's around noon, so it's lunchtime.
Since everyone just fought, their appetites are vigorous.
Besides the Iroha party, even Mikan has come to us.
Gorilla――was eating instant noodles all alone.
He probably wants to go home, but he can't return alone from here.
At his current level, even the enemies on Floor 5 are a stretch.
He probably knows that best.
"You guys can eat your own food! Why are you eating our food?!"
The Princess snapped at the girls eating my cooking.
"Eh~, but Darling's cooking is delicious." "Chomp chomp."
At Iroha's words, the girl mage――Koeda also nodded.
"Eh~?! This was made by Darling!?"
Mikan is surprised, but why is she calling him Darling too?
"That's right."
"If you eat it, our rations will decrease!" "That's right."
Not only the Princess, but Kaorulko also started to protest.
"Kaorulko eats a lot."
"Mages get hungry!"
"It's fine? Top ranker Cherry Princess, don't be stingy." "That's right."
Iroha and Mikan are eating the cooking vigorously.
"Iroha is bad at cooking, but is Mikan too?"
"What, Darling! Are you trying to impose prehistoric thoughts like 'cooking is for women'?!"
"I'm not saying that――but if you say gender equality, I want you to be able to cook as well as me."
"Ugh!"
All the girls present were speechless.
Well, there are people who are tone-deaf to taste or arrangers, so I won't force it.
If that's the case, I'd rather make it myself.
After eating, everyone rests.
We will depart again tomorrow morning, but until then, there's nothing to do in the dark dungeon.
Under the light of magic, read a book or have a meeting.
The Wraith's group seems to be having a very detailed meeting.
Since some have leveled up, they will check their abilities too.
They are not keeping it secret and are making sure to report properly.
Compared to that, ours is casual.
Well, even if it's casual, it's going well, so there's no problem.
In the darkness, I decided to make a weapon I thought of.
I found out that only magic or enchanted weapons work against monsters like Wraiths.
In this dungeon, there is no way to appraise dropped items, so it's difficult to prepare weapons with magic applied.
One method would be to actually use dropped items against Wraiths like I did, but can't we make a magic weapon more easily?
That is the weapon I thought of.
I take out a small Magic Stone from my Item Box.
I can't use magic, but I found out that magic power can be poured into Magic Stones――so I poured magic power into it.
As proof of success, the inside of the Magic Stone glows blue.
I tied it up as if wrapping it with a string.
"Okay!"
For now, I'll try swinging it.
If I swing it with all my might right now, the string will break and it will fly away, so controlling the force is difficult.
"Daisuke-san, what is that?"
Kaorulko looks at my actions with a puzzled expression.
"This――I made it as a makeshift magic weapon, just in case."
"Eh? Is that it?"
"If enchanted weapons work against Wraiths, maybe a Magic Stone filled with magic power can become a weapon too..."
"That possibility is certainly conceivable, but..."
"Have you heard such talk before?"
"No."
Iroha, who was listening, laughed loudly.
"Hahaha! If that makes Wraiths defeatable, Wraiths will turn into fodder enemies!"
"If this really works, just attaching a Magic Stone to a stick or a sword will make a simple enchanted weapon."
"Mm! I trust Darling."
The Princess seems to support my idea.
I don't know until I try――.
Well, let's see what happens.