“I see.”
Safi’s eyes sparkled from inside the backpack.
Our gazes met perfectly. She might have been talking to herself, but with the Blessing of the God of Hunting enhancing my hearing, I could hear her clearly.
“What is it?”
I asked softly, running alongside the transport-supporter.
Even jostled by the backpack, Safi whispered to me. Her dark eyes peeked through the gap in the backpack’s lid.
“Just as I thought… this is the ‘Watertight Zone.’”
I had never heard that term before.
“It’s a section designed to prevent flooding in emergencies. This area is already underwater, isn’t it? The walls on the other side must be under incredible water pressure. Without proper measures, if there’s an attack or an earthquake that causes flooding, the water will come rushing in all at once.”
I remembered the vast body of water outside the maze. The dungeon on this island—one could even call it a submerged dungeon.
A chill ran down my spine.
“Y-Yeah… that makes sense.”
“They intentionally design rooms that are easy to flood. In an emergency, the flooding starts there. And it ends there. The thick doors contain the water in a single room, and the channels quickly drain it away.”
I recalled each of the rooms we had opened so far.
Indeed, every single one had a heavy door.
“And if even that isn’t enough to stop the water, I think this passage will be sealed off by walls. The reason the walls and ceilings are flat is that this area was deliberately carved by humans or gods. It’s not a natural cave.”
Safi really is an expert on underground areas. Even though she looks like a little girl, the way she speaks has the air of a ‘teacher’.
“…Safi. Did you perhaps anticipate everything?”
There was also testimony from the captured slave traders, but the unclear parts of the dungeon’s map were filled in by Safi.
“Yes. That’s why I could read the structure of the fourth floor. If it’s a watertight zone, there should be a mechanism behind it, and the corridors can’t be made overly complicated.”
At that moment, a voice called out from ahead.
The adventurers who had gone on ahead had found the people being held captive.
“They’re here!”
“Found them too!”
Safi and I exchanged glances.
“Go!”
“Yeah!”
I could hear Safi muttering.
“At this rate, I think there’s an even bigger ‘mechanism’ somewhere. If I notice it, I’ll let you know.”
“Got it, thanks!”
We increased our speed and caught up with the adventurers ahead.
The thick door had been thrown open, and about ten men and women were standing outside. One of them, carrying a greatsword, lifted the corner of his mouth in a grin.
“Hey. Did you find two rooms?”
I was ready to use the goddess’s blessing to heal them if they were injured. But the people bowing to us only looked pale. There seemed to be no physical injuries. They weren’t even trembling—they were standing firmly on their own feet.
Felix-san stepped forward, hand on his chin, thinking.
I listened carefully in the direction we had come from.
“…What should we do? Should we send these people to the surface for now?”
Felix-san thought for a moment, then he shook his head.
“Let’s bring them along as we advance. The party that headed outside the hidden area earlier should be returning soon.”
To escort these people to the surface, we would need to send a new escort party. Right now, we’re exploring with about twenty people—roughly three parties.
Felix-san probably wanted to avoid reducing the number of parties. There are dangers—monsters, and possibly hidden slave traders or river bandits. But at the same time, we need to get as many rescued people out as quickly as possible. There are more floors, and as we go deeper, unknown areas increase.
Once again, I realized just how impressive Felix-san is. Behind his narrow eyes, he must be thinking about an incredible number of things.
『No matter the era, the front lines always struggle with logistics… (Sigh).』
Uru let out a heavy, gloomy sigh. Somehow, even the gold coin felt heavier.
“Then, let’s move on.”
Mia-san called from the front, beckoning us forward.
We continued deeper into the hidden area, escorting the rescued people.
Since the hidden area circled around the dungeon, it was long. Just after discovering another room where people had been captured, the escort party returned.
“Felix-dono”
They were out of breath, having clearly run a great distance. Something about their demeanor seemed off, sending a shiver through my chest.
“‘Sugin, what is it?’”
“We’ve received a report from the warrior corps exploring from the 8th floor onward. The dungeon monsters are stronger than expected.”
A sudden tension gripped the group. Some adventurers were hearing about the Titan’s Ashes for the first time today. Yet everyone had already witnessed its power firsthand.
Ash that loosens the seals—and monsters that have grown stronger. The combination of this information left nothing but a bad feeling.
“‘…Solana, what’s your take?’”
『I can feel it too. Deeper down, there’s a strong, unpleasant presence. It’s not just a few small pouches… if it’s been scattered, it must be a lot more.』
Mia-san crossed her arms, considering the situation.
“‘I don’t think the adventurers who went ahead could have reached such deep floors, nor carried that much ash.’”
“Yes. This must be the slave traders first real trap.”
Saying that, Felix-san quickly issued instructions.
“The escort party should take the rescued people to the surface. If the overall danger level of the dungeon is high, you may escort them directly to the surface yourselves.”
“Understood.”
After sending the rescued people away, we proceeded further into the hidden area. The sound of water, which had been present all along, grew louder. Our pace quickened. The gently curving corridor suddenly opened, and we stepped into a bright chamber.
“W-what is this…?”
It was no wonder the adventurers were stunned. I was also at a loss for words.
The first thing that caught my eye was a waterfall. In the vast, well-lit room, the right wall was entirely taken up by a waterfall, spraying mist. But something was strange. Normally, waterfalls fall downward—but this one flowed upward.
“A waterfall… flowing upwards…?”
I could only gasp at the sight.
“I knew it.”
From the backpack of the transport-supporter, Safi whispered.
“They’re using water pressure to create an upward flow. The force of water trying to enter the dungeon from the lake is concentrated in this chamber, generating a stream that rises. They probably borrowed the power of magic or spirits—but the principle is simple.”
I remembered the spirit stones at the start of the hidden area, each housing a water spirit, an Undine. And I thought of the abundant rivers and lakes I had seen on the journey to Flocia.
“The god of fertility—”
『Is also the god of water.』
It was Sigris, the Valkyrie, who spoke. Her presence made the gold coin vibrate.
『This water flows to nurture life and heal people. Goddess Freyja is a god of fertility, using the power of water to enrich many lands.』
The power of fertility sealed within the dungeon.
Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck.
Even in the Eastern Dungeon where Thor had been, I had trembled at the power of the gods sealed within. In Uru’s dungeon, which contained ancient nature. In Loki’s dungeon, infused with magic. In Sigris’s dungeon, which had become a hall of death—I had felt that power.
Awe, that word even came to mind. But this upside-down waterfall, flowing from below to above, was different from any of the other gods.
“This dungeon may even have the function of drawing water up from the depths of the lake and circulating it. Just as abundant water nourishes the lands from the lake…”
Indeed, the first floor of the dungeon was a network of waterways.
I tried to imagine it.
The abundant water from the lakebed was being drawn up, reaching the surface, and nourishing the land as it flowed.
Which meant—
“Something designed for people…?”
The great waterfall was majestic, and perhaps due to the magic woven into it, it shimmered slightly. A god who had used such power to enrich human fields must have been… a kind one, surely.
“This is…”
Nils-san squinted against the spray, as if dazzled. Nearly twenty adventurers must have been captivated, their eyes drawn to the mechanism left behind by a god long ago.
“Rion.”
I was startled by Safi’s voice. A hand suddenly popped out from her backpack and poked my shoulder.
“Look, can you see it? In the far right corner.”
She pointed to a ring about five meters across.
On its decorated pedestal were numerous gears. It was a little away from the waterfall, but perhaps from constantly being sprayed with water, it was completely covered in moss. A magic stone about the size of a human head glimmered, half buried in green.
“It’s a waterwheel. See the rails underneath? That’s how they moved it closer to the waterfall to make it spin.”
“So… it’s a power source…?”
Safi’s eyes looked downward through the gap in her backpack.
I think she nodded to my words.
“Yes. If it’s working right, there should be a lift attached.”
At that moment, a scream echoed from the back of the room.
The large chamber led to a passage. The corridor that circled the dungeon likely extended further. This room might be roughly the midpoint of the outer perimeter path.
Using the blessing of the God of Hunting to detect magic, I sensed several human presences and red glows moving toward us.
“There are five humans and eleven monsters. Most likely… Sahagin!”
“Not again!”
“Looks like I won’t be eating fish for a while.”
“I have a feeling you’ll still try to eat some though.”
Mia-san shot back at Felix-san’s remark.
Nils-san drew his sword.
“Damn! These are probably the last of the rogue party!”
The ones who had fled into the room were indeed adventurers. They had pushed forward beyond this chamber.
On our side, there were nearly twenty people. In front of me, an adventurer wielding a greatsword shouted,
“Hey, you! Ain’t you Barry, that wandering bum?!”
“Handle the Sahagin or what the hell are you doing?!”
The one at the forefront was likely someone with the <Thief> skill. Small and quick, he threw a dagger behind him before sprinting straight ahead. When he looked up, I noticed his nose was bright red.
“Help us! It’s not just the Sahagin!”
I noticed red glows in the distance. They were moving steadily toward us at a level lower than the floor.
They were swimming through the water channel!
“T-they’re coming from the waterfall too!”
Overhead, shadows appeared from the spray of the waterfall. I moved to intercept them.
“Wake up!”
The Sylph whipped up a gust of wind. Yet, the monsters withstood it. It seemed the wind had been countered by something—perhaps a wall of water.
Three figures landed on the ground.
Their blue scales were wet with water, giving them an almost ethereal beauty. They were slightly larger than wolves. Their forelegs had turned into wings. Their eyes, when they looked at us, were unnervingly calm.
“Dragonkin!?”
“Small water dragons! Be careful—they’re intelligent and can use magic.”
The three small dragons floated spheres of water around their bodies.
They were aiming for the densely packed group of people!
“Spread out!”
Felix-san’s command rang out.
From the floating water spheres, beams of water shot out like rays. The force was enough to pierce the ground, and in some places, a single strike could leave someone on the brink of death.
The elite adventurers dodged swiftly. But the porter-supporters carrying their loads weren’t so lucky—the water pierced the edge of a large backpack.
Inside of it was Safi.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next
Yume Neiji's Works 