『Rion?』
Solana asked as I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
We are at the fourth level. It was still on the shallow side of the Alvis dungeon’s combat layer, and I am getting used to the dungeon by defeating baby rock worms and subspecies goblins.
As to be expected, there hasn’t been a big one like an adult rock worm for a while. The battle for me to get used to the new dungeon was just as our team had envisioned at the beginning.
“……It’s a big one, it’s getting closer.”
But now the approaching sound is clearly on a different level.
It’s four-legged, and there are two of them.
In my magic detection, a strong red light is reflected at a distance of about 50 meters. It was supposed to be a powerful enemy, but the vibration of the ground was faint. That means that the enemies have a habit of hiding their proximity.
I think it’s the same magical beast type as the warg.
“……An enemy?”
The hood I wore shook as I nodded in reply.
Mia-san also stopped, perhaps sensing something as well. Felix-san also holds up his wand and is ready to use his magic.
“It’s fast. It’s a four-legged beast, much bigger than a horse.”
At my words, Mia-san put the hood of her fireproof cloak back on. She licked her lips and squinted her eyes.
“Oi oi. Don’t tell me….…”
At that moment, a bright red light burst out from the corner.
“!”
Hot.
There were two shots in a row. I reflexively jumped to the side to avoid it. A huge flaming bullet came through the position where I was.
“Garm……!”
Felix-san groaned.
I recalled the information we had gathered earlier. Like the adult rock worm, it is a powerful enemy that appears in the deepest part of this dungeon. The reason why Alvis dungeon has a high recommended level of 25 is because of the appearance of this monster.
Well, it’s other name is—
“Alvis’ guard dog ……!”
The two Garm opened their mouths wide. Flames were building up in their bright red mouths. Even though they were far away, the tips of their noses were smoking. That’s how intense the heat was.
Although they had high mobility, it was this monster called Garm that gave off the highest heat in this dungeon.
“Rion, we’re fighting too!”
Mia-san holds up her chain axe. Holding back my trembling, I pulled my chin back. I don’t want to show my pathetic side in front of everyone.
“Yes.”
I reactivate the “Golden Flame” that had been used up.
Chains rushed through the air.
“Gaah!”
Mia-san’s chain axe slammed into the side face of the howling enemy. One of the flames was interrupted, and what follows is Felix-san’s magic.
“Ice Blade!”
A white line appeared on the ground. It stretches out from Felix-san’s feet and crosses the Garm’s front legs. The heated air froze. Immediately afterwards, a blade of ice occurs along the line.
“Gaah!”
One of its front legs was torn off.
Not wasting the opportunity, I kick the ground. I jump under the chin of the guard dog. Then I quickly thrust my short sword in its throat. Flames from the dog’s spit leaked out of the wound, and my hands felt hot even through the gauntlet. It was a relief that the fireproof hood was protecting my face.
“Haa.”
I took a short deep breath and swung the blade. I slit its throat in a straight line.
“Ga, goo…gu….!”
Only one left.
As I jumped back from the fallen Garm. I noticed that the other one was about to fire the buildup flames in its mouth. Though it received a blow from the chain axe, it still seems to have enough will to fight.
The aim is—
『Rion!』
Me?
However, just when I was about to react, the gauntlet on my left hand glittered.
“Wake up.”
This time, I used “alarm” in the red crystal.
What came out of the left gauntlet was a small lizard wrapped in bright red flames —it’s a fire spirit called a “Salamander.” This fiery spirit is stored in the red crystal of my left gauntlet by the dwarf blacksmith.
“Pyi!”
The spirit unfolds a barrier between me and the Garm that looks like a series of scales.
It’s the “Flame Nullifier” barrier in my armor. That was another trick Safi added to my defense.
“Gaa!”
The Garm fired a fire bullet. But the scale-shaped barrier completely prevented the flames. If the garm had an expression, I guess it would have stared at me with dumbfounded look.
“Pyi, Pyi……”
Rubbing its stomach contentedly, the Salamander returned to the crystal.
If I could block the flames, it’s my victory then.
“Yaa!”
I kicked the ground and closed my distance to the garm. It seems that the fire bullets require the garm to open its mouth to store flames. In other words, there’s no need to be scared once you get close.
Just like the first one, I killed it by slashing its neck.
The monster falls with a thud. The trembling paws made me feel that they were living beings after all. Even if it is sealed in this dungeon, the body will always be alive.
“Well done, you won.”
Turning around, I saw Felix-san’s smile.
Safi sticks her head out of her backpack and stares at the monster on the ground.
“……The monster just now is a Garm, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but….…”
“Are all adventurers as strong as you?”
Uh-huh…….
When I use the blessing of the Gods, my power rises tremendously. That’s part of my strength, but I’m only level 20 and I still have a lot to experience as an adventurer. I don’t think I can easily call myself “strong.”
“Even so….”
Safi looked around the dungeon.
“I can’t believe that the place where Alfheim used to be is now full of monsters.”
Her mouth was hidden inside the backpack, so I couldn’t see it. But I felt like she was smiling sadly.
“The end, the sealing, it’s starting to feel real to me.”
Solana’s voice comes from the gold coin.
『…… It’s also because we lost. Safi, do you recognize this dungeon? 』
“Ah……”
Safi hesitated.
“Yes… I guess so. I think it’s the palace.”
My eyes widened.
“P-palace?”
“Yes. But…… the terrain is so different, and to be honest, I’m not sure. I think I’ll be able to say more when I got definite proof.”
According to Safi, in the palace of Alfheim, the land of the dwarfs, there was a forge, a treasury, and magical tools that respond to “Mirror of the World Tree Yggdrasil”. But that’s far inside. In terms of the dungeon, it seems to be the lowest level.
“Hmm? Now that I think of it, don’t they usually put important things on the top of palaces?”
Mia-san asked, scratching her head.
“Not everybody likes tall buildings.”
Safi shakes her head with a stunned look.
“The dwarves’ palace was made by hollowing out a mountain. The main gate was halfway up, and the throne and forge were located on the lower level. There was a back gate at the foot of the mountain, and there was a magnificent building on the ground above the main gate, but…”
The dwarf blacksmith lowered her dark eyes.
“Perhaps, the top of the mountain has collapsed. When we entered here, we went through a great stone arch, didn’t we? It looked exactly like the main gate a long time ago.”
“The mountain has collapsed?”
Mia-san exclaimed.
“Then, was there a big earthquake?”
“No, I don’t know that much. I was asleep and when I woke up…… it was all over.”
At that time, not much was known about Alfheim. There were white dwarves and black dwarves, and there is no doubt that they were hostile to monsters in the same way as the gods. The story that some of the black dwarves have turned into goblins and other monsters seems to be true.
Safi is a black dwarf. It seems that the races were a little wary at the time—but that’s about all the big information.
Solana spoke from the gold coin.
『Hmm…… Do we have to go deeper?』
At that moment, the voice of God sounded in my head.
| You leveled up. Your now level 21. |
I was surprised.
Well, today, I defeated quite a few monsters, and I also defeated a strong enemy such as Garm.
But to gain one more level….
“Did I absorb a lot of magic in the fight with the golem?”
In the battle that brought me to level 20, I defeated quite a few golems together with the Gods. Maybe I still had some of the magical power I gained then.
I think about that as I pick up the Garm’s magic stone.
After defeating a few monsters for a while, the first day’s training was over.
『…… Hmm?』
On the way back, Solana calls out.
『Rion, isn’t that also the remains of a golem?』
“That’s true…..”
There is another remnant of a golem near the wall. This is the second time we have found one today.
Felix-san shakes his wand.
“Strengthen the Golem with the ashes of a titan—if there is such a magician, it seems that he frequently conducts experiments in this dungeon.”
I nodded, but the creepiness only increased.
There are slave traders, but what is the purpose of the person who created this golem?
『Even here, the presence of the Titan remains, albeit faintly. 』
When I used alarm, Solana flew around near the golem core.
“And as expected, the further down we go, the stronger the presence of the titan becomes. But…”
The goddess hesitated.
“The more I explore—the stronger, the more unpleasant, and more burning it feels. This is……”
“What’s wrong?”
“Hmm……”
Solana’s expression was gloomy. It felt like she was covered in a dark shadow, like the sun on a cloudy day.
“Do you remember when we talked about the Flame Titan?”
“Yes…… They tried to burn the whole world to the ground.”
“Right. And that Flame Titan also had a ‘king.’”
Certainly, the titan’s ashes were made from the body of the titan who tried to burn down the world.
“……Do they look similar?”
“I think so. There is a golem in Alvis, and it has some of the ashes of titans mixed in with it. And if the ashes of the titans were born of Alvis…”
My throat moved slightly.
Does that mean that the one sleeping in Alvis is an especially strong flame titan…?
We left the dungeon.
A sound like wind echoed from the depths. For some reason, it sounded like the groans of a giant. I felt like something was going to wake up in the depths of the dungeon.
I had to hurry up.
A sense of impatience is burning in my chest.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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