A Special Type of Dungeon and a Certain Message
特別なダンジョンとメッセージ
Dungeons are special type of monster dwelling that could expand differently depending on the power of the Dungeon Core. They are said to have been born from Monster whose strength have become Anomalies and gets granted one of the two pinnacles of strength.
For many, Dungeons have been regarded as treasure troves whose very existence are assured with lots of potentials regardless of it being lowest Rank A or a highest known Rank SS Dungeon.
Most people do not know this, but there are many types of Dungeons. The most prominent and known is called Labyrinth Dungeon, which is being regulated by the Hunter’s Guild. Unbeknownst to the public and often regarded as fairy tale by most fledgling Hunters there is another Dungeon that did not spawn from monsters.
These are called the Ancient Tower Dungeons, which are said to have been created by the Gods and Goddesses. These types of Dungeons are regulated by the State, and so not open to the public or the regulations of the Hunter’s Guild which made them myths for many.
“You are saying that an Ancient Tower type dungeon is hidden here all these years?” Ancient Towers are no news to me, after all Len Romaria had a habit of telling me anything he could find about Dungeons in his readings. At some point in one of our conversations he made mentioned about it with me. However, due to validity of its existence many hunters had deemed this type of dungeons as myth. I am sure Len would be ecstatic to learn that they are indeed real.
“Not hidden. The castle itself IS the Dungeon.” Sera, my Alchemy teacher is now guiding me through towards the Ancient Dungeon Entrance. As a quick reflection on my part, she is quite familiar with this place; it was evident as she is able to navigate through it with ease, like she has been here countless of times knowing all its nooks and crannies.
Currently we are in the North Area of the Academic Building. When I first started working in this part of the academy, I have always wondered why there are only three of us when there are four areas. Oldman Greg handles The Eastern Area, South Area handled by Oldman Billy and the West Area is the one under my care.
Who was cleaning the Northern Area? The answer was simple, no one is… no one is allowed within it. I am guessing that either the Knights or someone with special authority do the cleaning here.
“…and you are taking me? A commoner to this forbidden place?” of course I was a bit worried, I mean, what if I get arrested… or worse, I’d get sacked from work. “Won’t you get into trouble?”
“Che… che… che… Don’t fret.” She was not nervous in the slightest. “I have special rights to enter here.”
Just like that, passing a few more guards and none of them dared stop us. She must really be special for her to go through without anyone questioning her motives.
“Ohh? If it ain’t it the pri… ahem Mistress Sera.” For a moment, the elderly guard was about to say something, but Sera’s deathly glare stopped him. “So, you have come to try it again?”
‘Again?’ It goes to show that she has indeed been coming in and out of this ancient dungeon.
“Just you wait, I have brought a helper with me this time.” She had the dignity and the air that could kill anyone just moments ago, suddenly now she is getting all smug bratty. “This time I will get what I need.”
“Well, just give us a wonderful show when you come back okay.” The elder knight laughed eagerly. ‘Show’? What show? What does he mean by that?
After the elderly guard opened the door, allowing entry to this ancient dungeon. I went inside soon after the stomping Sera irked by the elderly guard’s teasing laughter.
*****
“Hmm?” once inside the air flow changed drastically and felt very different from the one outside the door.
“As expected, you noticed.” Sera was calm, of course she is; she must have felt this countless times before.
The moment I entered the Ancient Tower’s Entrance I felt all MANA disappeared. This place was perfect for me who has MIS, it had almost no MANA lingering on the air. However, my Danger Perception was kicking like crazy, something strong was lurking inside the tower. I feel that if the MIS does not kill me here, something else will.
That something was striding towards us. My heightened senses kicked in the last minute and was able to evade a horizontal slash that would have cleanly separated my head from my neck.
*Sling…
“What the…!?” Something sharp flashed beside me. Thankfully I was able to narrowly evade.
“Be careful, these things can come out from anywhere.” Sera, casted multitude of sharp needles made of ice.
“You have to tell me that now!?” Finally gotten my balance right, I proceeded to counter strike with my own sword.
Our attackers have human-like shapes, they reminded me a lot of the DOLLS I recently fought off on the Dark Forest Dungeon’s 3rd Area. However, MANA was moving those DOLLS these guys do not have any of that almost as if they are…
“They are SENTINELS, probably machines brought to life by Ancient Technology.” Right, they have this robotic feel to them. They look like the ones created machines created in the future Ark Net. I could feel it on my guts that the program coded in them is probably a learning one.
This could get tough in a lot of ways. For one, these things probably sense objects through linked cameras or heat signatures I won’t be able to use my Erase Presence against them. Okay let’s see if their specs can match my speed.
“TECHNIQUES OF A THOUSAND DEMONS WAYS – DANCE OF DARKNESS: NACHT”
I was right on the money they were indeed able to see through my attacks, thankfully they could not keep up with my speed just yet, so I was able to cut a few of these SENTINELS using high-speed attacks like most of my Dance of Darkness.
However, as I have said earlier, they probably have Learning Modules to allow them to see through their defeat, such speed attack would not work on them once used a few more times.
“Teacher Sera, we have to move out or we are going to get trapped.” I urge my instructor who was casting relatively strong magic against these so-called SENTINELS. On another note, she must be amazing magician… ‘where is she getting MANA from this MANA-less space’.
“There is a safe Area just past here.” Sera then runs towards a direction aiming for the so-called Safe Area. “We can think about our next move there.” The fact that the danger does not permit hesitations, I followed my magic instructor.
Thankfully, these SENTINELS are susceptible to magic and gets blasted almost immediately with many of Sera’s spells. Casting spells in this world is a bit cumbersome since they need invocation, as it stands spells takes time.
This must be the reason she has not succeeded in all her so-called attempts despite proving to be quite a strong spellcaster. Also, now I know what that perverted elder guard meant when he said ‘SHOW’. Right now, as I averted my eyes from teacher Sera who had some of her overall coat disintegrated from the attacks from the SENTINELS.
“Since you have shown me a secret, how ‘bout I show you some of mine.” If you are thinking any perverted stuff -it is definite NO. I am not that type, as an educator in the previous world, I have somehow locked my sexual desires.
“Hmmm? You are not going to attack me?” what is this woman thinking?
I tried summoning ‘The CABINET’, thinking maybe it will get through. And it did.
“What? How did…?” I am guessing that her Spatial Magic does not work here, and yet my-not-magic-spatial-cabinet did. There must be a reason for it. Since I was just operating on a ‘what-if’, I decided to leave answering it on another time.
“So, this is one of your secrets, I presume?” she asks while looking intently at the CABINET.
I then took out some clothes that were placed there for my convenience, I was thinking that I might need them, did not know that I would be able to use them in this kind of situation.
“You don’t have to turn around you know.” Of course I did turn around, I may have locked my Sexual Desires, but looking at a woman with seductive curvatures while she undresses might be a little too aphrodisiac and could lead me to attack her on spot. I decided not to cross that line.
“So, what other things are there in your Magic Cabinet?” while her voice was loud enough, the eerily silent ambience made me hear the rustling sound of her taking off her clothes.
“Survival stuffs.” But I am a gentleman, I will never turn around and look at a woman’s naked body. “Daily necessities that might help me survive if I am even in a situation where I can’t ask for help immediately.”
“Teacher Sera…” I don’t know why but I am speaking politely now. As she had finally dressed, which I should probably not mention that I took them from UNDEAD monsters. “Where exactly are we going? Why did you come here a lot if I may ask?”
“…” she fell silent pondering for a moment, and a few more minutes decided to tell me. “I came here to look for my lover’s message.”
She told me about her lover Augustus and the message he had kept here for her to receive.
*****
“My story is a simple love story.” Sera plays with her long lustrous hair, her faint smile alluring. It was as if she is reminiscing the days. “A story of eternal Star-crossed Lovers.”
According to how I had interpreted her love story, she and the soon to be king, Augustus Argus Gulvan y Elmira fell in love with one another. Apparently, a war for succession was fought between royalties and dukes. She was being vague about it, but apparently if their love story had happened before or many years after this war, it would have been fine, however the king needed to marry for political reason and that stopped them from being in a complicated relationship.
Soon enough the crowned prince was crowned king, he left for the new capital, with a special task for Sera, to become the old capital’s overseer and turn it into an academic institution. At first, Sera rejected the proposal, however, as if half expecting her answer, the cunning king baited her with the secret of the Ancient Tower and a certain message.
Now I knew why she was able to move about in the North Wing. She was given special authority by the previous king.
“Do you think of me selfish?” she eyed me with serious eyes, that betrayed almost all the pranks I have seen her do through these two days. “For me dragging you in this place of peril… I…”
“Love is always Selfish.” I told her, “But me coming here is my choice, I will help you as much as I can, focus on what you want to do.”
“Thank you.” And I am glad I said it, for she had casted her most brilliant smile form me to see.
Fully rested, we then proceeded down the hallways opening doors after doors to find the message meant only for her. Every corner were SENTINELS; some were bipedal humanoid while others have quadruped animal-like bodies. But they all shared an intelligence that would have been fatal for just anyone who would come here.
With my sword skills and Sera’s exceptional Magic, we were able to tread most of the 1st floors rooms.
‘S-Sera… have you…fi… come…” and as soon as we were approaching the farthest room, a voice of a man could be heard, it was probably the message that Sera had longed for all these years, triggered with her presence.
“Go!” I told her. “I will take care of these guys.”
“But…”
“Go, you may never get this chance again…” She hesitated a bit, but eventually run towards the voice.
As for me, my adrenaline finally kicks and started to pummel all the SENTINELS, going for one-on-one hits to AOE attacks, I proceeded to slice all who try to get on Sera’s way.
Thankfully, they still had some weaknesses that I could always exploit.
.LOG {
•Cracking a lot of Wind Mana Crystals
•Activated Magic Conversion Level 4: Lightning Creation
•Crafted a new Active Skill: MJOLNIR LVL 1
•Captain, those who came between ‘LOVE’ are enemies.
•Let’s burn them to crisps.
}
For some reason after a few more Bells or so, no reinforcement came after. So, I decided to enter the room after Sera.
“Don’t look at me.” what came to my vision was a lady in tears, it was not of grief, spite or anger it was longing, she probably already heard the message and longed for the days she could meet with the man she once loved.
With that, we have wrapped up our business here and decided to head back to the Academy.
