Category: Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

Night had fully fallen over Flocia.

After yesterday’s chaos, the calm that settled over the city felt almost unreal. Perhaps even the slave traders’ faction had been forced to lie low. The dungeon had been sealed off, and the city guards were out on the lake, keeping watch for river bandits.

I lay on my back in bed, staring up at the moonlight streaming through the window, replaying the day’s events in my mind.

—Oniichan!

Maybe it was because I’d been able to talk with Lu, but my heart felt lighter tonight. Her voice echoed in my head, and before I knew it, a quiet smile tugged at my lips.

“Hehe.”

Through the power of the Frost Orb, Lu and Pauline-san had projected their images to Flocia. They’d only appeared as small, doll-sized figures shaped from magic—but still, I hadn’t expected to see my sister here of all places. The surprise alone had made me ridiculously happy.

—Are you hurt!?

—And what about the gods!? Tell me everything!

She was as worry-prone as ever, bombarding me with questions right there in front of everyone. I hadn’t known where to look at the time—but even so, hearing her voice had eased something in my chest.

Maybe Nils-san felt the same when he spoke about his own sister.

His frustration, his anger… I think I understand them now.

—Did you find Freyr-sama?

Lu and I had talked about that too. Each time a god awakened, it meant one more power that could help protect her.

I shifted restlessly on the bed, something faint tugging at the edge of my thoughts.

“Rion.”

Solana’s voice drifted out. The goddess jumped out, light spilling from the gold coin as her tiny form hovered by the side of my bed.

“Can’t sleep?”

“…Yeah.”

I must have been staring off for a long while.

Flocia is a city of water. When I closed my eyes and focused, I could clearly hear the sounds of canals and passing boats. Somewhere out there, people were still working by the glow of mana lamps.

But that wasn’t the only reason I couldn’t sleep.

Ever since talking with Lu, something had been tugging at the back of my mind. I tried to sort through it, bit by bit. Perhaps sensing that I wanted to talk, the goddess floated a little closer, her faint light rippling like water across the sheets.

“Solana, before we went to the land of the dwarves—no, way before that—we studied this kingdom’s mythology together, didn’t we?”

“Mm. I remember.”

Solana answered with a soft nod.

“When the kingdom was founded, the entire world was still shrouded in the ice of sealing. The magic Odin released had covered everything far more completely than it does now.”

I closed my eyes, letting old lessons rise from memory. When the war between gods and monsters had turned toward defeat, Odin made a choice—to unleash his final magic and freeze everything: gods, monsters, and humankind alike.

The seal of ice was said to react most strongly to those with great magical power. Humans, who could survive even with little or no magic, were the first to slip free from that frozen prison.

Yet even then, the world had not been freed from the ice.

There was an ancient tale—one passed down only through the royal bloodline, from the kingdom’s earliest days. In that story, a certain goddess had shielded the people from the biting cold that blanketed the earth. I’d come across the record once, long ago, when Lu and I were studying the temple archives before setting out for the Dwarven Kingdom.

My mind wandered back over everything we’d seen since then—the abundance of water flowing through the dungeons, the lush greenery surrounding Flocia.

“Both Freyr and Freyja are gods of fertility and harvest…”

Looking at Flocia, it’s clear. The rivers, the crops, the very life that pulsed through the city—this was the work of deities who guarded all that sustained the world. The maze at its heart was proof of that blessing.

“I see. Rion, what you mean to say—”

Solana murmured, her golden eyes glinting softly.

“When the world was sealed in ice, when all life was frozen still, the goddess who sustained humanity… might have been none other than Freyja herself.”

“Yeah…”

I nodded.

To keep people alive—to preserve the fields, the water, the harvests—surely it had to be a goddess of fertility, of life itself.

Solana alighted gracefully at my bedside, her small form settling against the pillow.

“The gaps between the myths I know and the ones guarded by the Warrior Corps… Perhaps what lies between them is a missing myth—a story long forgotten by both gods and men.”

From the golden coin, I could sense the presence of the other gods listening in. Part of me wanted to ask Odin himself… but I knew he would never descend to answer. Not yet.

“It just— it bothers me….”

I muttered. Rolling over onto my stomach, I met Solana’s gentle gaze. Her tiny form glimmered faintly in the moonlight.

“Because I think… the battles ahead of us will have even deeper ties to those old myths.”

“…You’re right. Let us think this through.”

I pictured the ancient scenes—the visions Solana and the others had once shown me. And now, with the thought that the mysterious goddess might have been Freyja, those distant, mist-shrouded moments began to take shape.

“Solana, in your story, when the world was sealed in ice… there were still monsters roaming the surface, right?”

The goddess nodded slightly.

“But there aren’t any now. The roads are peaceful—proof enough of that.”

I turned my eyes to the window, to the moonlit streets of Flocia.

“So maybe that means… someone fought them. Someone wiped out the monsters that were left on the surface.”

Solana raised a hand to her chin, thinking.

“Hmm… it’s possible. The strongest creatures—those who might have challenged the gods themselves—were drawn into the dungeons, trapped there when the seals fell. Others, lured by battle, like Flamebone Surtr, entered willingly, . The monsters that remained above ground would have been weaker and manageable.”

Her golden eyes flickered.

“If humans had joined forces, they could have defeated them one by one… slowly reclaiming the surface of the world.”

It was all just a theory—only imagination. And yet, maybe that was how it all began. A gathering of survivors, warriors, and magicians who banded together to reclaim the frozen world… and in time, that gathering became the Asgard Kingdom.

The nobles of today often possessed exceptional combat skills. If their ancestors had been heroes from that age—those who fought to drive out the monsters—then it all made sense. After all, this kingdom was born for that very purpose: to hunt the remnants of the monsters and protect the world that remained.

“But, Rion—”

“Mm, I know.”

I exchanged a look with Solana.

“Why haven’t such stories been passed down to the present day though? A legend like that should have been passed down—perhaps not just among the royal family, but through the people as well.”

“Exactly…”

I murmured.

It didn’t add up. A tale that grand, that vital to the founding of the kingdom, should’ve survived somehow—through song, through scripture, through the faintest rumor. And yet, the silence of history itself felt like it’s been sealed.

Maybe someone had hidden it, they erased the story from history itself.

But could that even be done?

To tamper with so many memories, to seal away a legend shared by an entire kingdom… what kind of magic could possibly reach that far?

I turned the thought over and over, debating with Solana about every possibility, until the soft toll of the temple bell echoed from above. It was already late. We’d been talking far longer than I’d realized. We had to get up early tomorrow too.

“Let’s sleep, Solana.”

“Mm. Good night, Rion.”

The goddess shimmered, dissolving into a golden light before returning to the gold coin.

I rolled onto my side, burying my face in the large pillow. Back home, we all used to sleep in the same room. Now, lying alone in this quiet chamber, I couldn’t tell if the feeling in my chest was loneliness… or a kind of strange, peaceful luxury.

—Rion Heimdall.

A voice came without warning.

I shot upright in bed.

“…W-who is it?”

Silence.

No reply followed.

I listened hard, but all I could hear was the faint sound of water flowing through the canals outside, and the sigh of wind through the shutters. It hadn’t come from the gods resting in my coin—that much I was certain of.

It was a woman’s voice… soft, distant, and unfamiliar.

Then—

I dreamed.

Light like a sky full of stars surrounded me, glittering in a boundless darkness.

There, in the center, stood a woman encased in crystal ice. Her long, golden hair spilled down over her bowed face, hiding her features from sight.

I tried to call out to her—again and again—but the sound dissolved, swallowed by the stillness, as though I am speaking underwater.

By the time I found my breath, morning had already come.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Nils-san and I threw ourselves into training.

It might have been the first time since my father that I’d trained with a true swordsman.

I pushed myself to the brink of exhaustion, drawing on the Golden Flame until my magical power nearly ran out, learning the delicate balance of offense and defense right at the edge of my limits.

It was only because Nils-san was such a skilled swordsman that he was able to fight me while wrapped in Golden Flame. Because of him, true full-strength training was possible.

Golden Flame greatly enhances physical abilities for a limited time. It seems that precisely because it’s so powerful, I ended up relying too much on speed and fighting roughly. Come to think of it, even in my fight with Flamebone Surtr, I gave in to his temptation and nearly suffered a serious injury.

The blessing skill granted by the gods are powerful, undeniably so. But relying on it alone would only take me so far. Even in the most desperate moments, I couldn’t neglect the importance of reading my opponent, of strategy, of seizing the unexpected chance.

—That was Nils-san’s lesson.

“Let’s call it a day.”

Before I realized it, the sun had dipped toward the horizon, painting the training yard in shades of gold and amber.

Nils raised a finger, then went to return his wooden sword to the rack.

The evening breeze swept through, cool against the sweat on my skin. By the end, I’d even managed to land a few counterattacks on him, though, to be fair, only while the Golden Flame was active.

“You’ve got solid fundamentals.”

“I’ve been practicing every day.”

“That’s good.”

A faint smile softened his expression. The corners of his eyes eased just slightly, and for that brief moment, it was easy to see the kindness beneath his usual sternness.

“But still…”

He paused, his gaze settling on me. The warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by a cold, sharp focus.

“Powerful monsters and people will use tactics, deception, and feints.”

“I… I understand.”

“If there’s something you truly want to protect, then don’t shy away from any means necessary to do so.”

Nils-san returned to the inn, escorted by members of the warrior corps.

As for me, I made my way back to the temple. I changed out of my sweat-soaked clothes and wiped myself down with warm water.

When I stepped out of my room, I ran into Felix-san.

“Training huh?”

“Yes. It’s been a while since――”

I was startled. Right, tomorrow, once our scouting and preparations are done, we’ll be entering the dungeon again. Perhaps he is about to warn me not to overdo it before such an important mission.

However, Felix-san just smiled.

“That’s all right.”

Leaning lightly on his staff, he glanced around, as if checking to make sure no one else was nearby.

“…I’d like to ask you about Nils-dono. If he’s willing to cooperate, I’m considering adding him to our party. What do you think, Rion?”

“I think that’s a great idea.”

Felix-san nodded, as though he’d expected that response from the start.

“…Then allow me to be frank. I still believe there are a few things about him we should be cautious of.”

Apparently, Felix-san had spent the morning questioning Nils-san about various details—his homeland, his past, the sister he was searching for. Those much, we already knew.

But there was one thing still unresolved, the contact that Nils-san had mentioned. The “ally” who was supposedly providing him with information. That person had yet to make any kind of appearance.

“But if you vouch for him, Rion, then I’ll trust your judgment. It seems you carried out that ‘adventurer-style introduction’ of yours quite thoroughly.”

He gave a playful wink and I couldn’t help but pout a little.

“Y-you were watching?”

“Yeah. You’re good. You were completely outmaneuvered, though.”

“Oh, come on…!”

Felix-san laughed heartily, clearly enjoying himself, then motioned for me to follow.

“Now then, this way. There’s something about this temple you should see. It’s a bit cold down there, so I suggest putting on a warm cloak.”

After changing into a warm cloak, I followed Felix-san up to the spire of the temple. It must have been the fourth floor above ground—high enough to overlook the entire city. From this height, the great lake mirrored the glow of the setting sun.

The edge of the world wasn’t marked by a horizon of land, but by the distant line where water met sky—burning red in the twilight.

“Wow…”

It was a sight I could never have witnessed in the royal capital. My chest tightened, full of awe, and I found myself unable to move.

The gold coin at my side trembled, and Solana’s voice echoed softly in my mind.

『A vast lake huh. It’s almost like the sea.』

“The sea…?”

『Mm. You’ve never seen the sea before, Rion?』

I shook my head.

“No.”

『I see. The scenery of this lake is somewhat similar.』

In the Kingdom of Asgard, the southern edge of the continent met the sea, while the far north stretched into a barren tundra. My father had shown me those places once. Well, just an adventurer’s map.

So I knew about them… but I’d never actually seen them. I wondered if both ends of the world were as beautiful as this lake before me.

『I hope that one day we can show it to you.』

A smile tugged at my lips.

“Thank you… goddess.”

I stepped away from the window as Felix-san beckoned me toward the center of the tower. He opened a heavy door, and a chill breeze drifted out from within.

If the tower were a hollow cylinder, then this chamber would be its core. The moment the door swung open, the air grew sharp and cold, prickling against my skin.

I shivered involuntarily.

…It felt almost like the cold air inside a dungeon.

“Go on.”

Hugging my arms around myself, I stepped into the room. At its center stood a stone pedestal, and resting atop it was a small orb—glowing faintly white, a thin layer of frost spreading outward from its base.

The sight stole my breath.

“This is…”

It’s the『Frost Orb』.

I recognized it immediately—the same kind of divine relic Pauline-san had shown me back in the royal capital. But this one was much smaller, no larger than a clenched fist. The capital’s orb had stood nearly two meters tall.

“It’s freezing in here, isn’t it?”

The familiar voice made me turn.

Mia-san and Safi were already there, both wrapped snugly in cloaks against the chill. Beside them stood another woman, one I hadn’t seen before. She wore a tall, formal hat, and there was something about her—her silver hair, her clear blue eyes—that reminded me of Pauline-san.

But she was older, perhaps by a decade or more.

She bent slightly to meet my gaze.

“An honor to meet you, Hero-dono. I am the cousin of the Ninth Princess, Pauline-denka.”

“I can slightly use the Seal skill. That is why the protection of Flocia’s Frost Orb has been entrusted to me.”

So she truly bore one of the royal bloodline’s hereditary skills. No wonder she was stationed here—in a city so vast it served as both a temple and a fortress for the warrior order.

“Shall we begin?”

At Felix-san’s cue, the woman placed her hand gently atop the orb.

The cold deepened instantly, and the Frost Orb flared with a blinding white light. When the brilliance scattered, two silhouettes shimmered into view above the pedestal—hazy at first, then sharp enough to recognize.

“Lu? And… Pauline-san!”

I could only stare in stunned disbelief.

There, projected in miniature above the glowing orb, were my sister—and the Ninth Princess herself, speaking to us from the royal capital.

“Oh my, it seems the connection worked.”

Pauline-san said pleasantly, waving with her usual calm grace.

Lu looked around in wide-eyed wonder before spotting me. Then she began bouncing up and down excitedly atop the orb’s light.

“From the capital’s orb, we can channel magic to the other branches. As an experiment, we tried seeing whether that same flow could transmit images and voices as well.”

Now that she mentioned it, I remembered her saying something about testing a new function back in the royal capital. Just as the divine horn had reawakened the gods’ presence, perhaps the sacred relics they’d left behind across the kingdom were beginning to regain their power too.

“Now then…”

Pauline-san cleared her throat softly before letting her gaze sweep across all of us. From her side of the connection, she was probably seeing us as small shimmering figures, just as we saw her.

“Felix. What we are about to begin is a strategy meeting. But first, let’s make sure everyone here is up to date.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Felix-san gave a crisp nod, then began his report.

He explained about Nils-san—how we’d met him, his skills as a swordsman, and his offer to assist in the dungeon investigation.

“…Ah, the swordsman mentioned in the earlier reports. If his abilities are proven and he’s not one to be ignored, then adding him to your ranks may be a wise choice. Understood.”

Leaning on his staff, Felix-san stepped closer to the wall. There hung a massive frame—larger than an adult could span with outstretched arms—and within it was a detailed map.

“The map of… Flocia?”

Felix-san gave a single, grave nod.

“We’ve located the slave traders’ base.”

The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees at those words. He pointed to a section on the map—right over the dungeon of Flocia.

“Their stronghold lies within the Flocia dungeon, just as we suspected. Our scouts discovered an entrance leading to a hidden area from the fourth layer. However, tracing several faint lines radiating from the lake’s outline, it appears there are multiple concealed passages scattered around the lake that connect to the same secret zone.”

The map of the lake was dotted with tiny islands, each marked with careful ink strokes.

From what Felix-san explained, some of those islands concealed secret passages leading directly into the dungeon.

“…No wonder the river bandits were never caught.”

Mia-san muttered, her lips twisting in frustration.

She was right. If the slave traders were connected to the river bandits—and both had access to those hidden routes into the dungeon—then they essentially possessed an escape network no one could trace.

“The hidden area within the dungeon appears to extend all the way beneath Flocia itself.”

I froze.

What—there was an exit from the dungeon inside the city?

“You mean it runs under the lake?”

“Most likely. Flocia’s dungeon has a recommended level of thirty, and its deepest point—thirteen layers down—reaches near the lake bed. You can think of it as a network of tunnels spreading outward from the dungeon’s core.”

We all stood there, speechless.

“B-but… why?”

Weren’t dungeons supposed to be sanctuaries—refuges built to protect the faithful from monsters?

Alvis’ dungeon had once been the palace of the dwarves, but if the reports were right, then the Flocia Dungeon sprawled beneath the lake itself… a vast maze beneath the waters.

The coin at my side vibrated, and the god’s voice resonated gently in my mind.

『A escape route.』

Uru spoke.

『Yeah. Sounds like something those sibling gods would’ve done… though I’d bet it was the brother’s idea.』

Loki seconded. Their voices overlapped in my mind, followed by a calmer, softer tone—the voice of Sigris, the God of Medicine.

『Freyja-sama, the Goddess of Fertility, is deeply loved by his brother, Freyr. It’s likely he created the escape path to protect her—just in case. That would explain why the deepest layers connect to it.』

『Even if that’s the case… then what?』

Another voice chimed in—Loki’s this time.

Even he sounded subdued, his usual teasing remark was replaced by something thoughtful, almost grave. The gods’ voices echoed one after another, their surprise mirroring our own.

It seemed even they hadn’t expected this truth about this dungeon.

『And those hidden paths might not be the only ones. For us gods, the greatest escape route always leads upward.』

His words lingered in my mind, stirring a quiet unease. I started piecing things together—the slave traders’ testimonies, what we’d seen in the dungeon, and what we now knew about Flocia’s structure. The fragments fit together almost too neatly.

I raised my hand.

“Um, just to confirm… Is there any chance the slave traders were lying in their statements?”

Felix-san glanced at me, mildly surprised.

It was possible, after all. If the enemy had fed us false information, it might be part of a larger deception. And if that were true—then verifying it wasn’t just caution. It was strategy.

“It’s possible. But personally, I believe their statements are credible.”

“Why’s that?”

Mia-san asked, crossing her arms.

“Because, before the interrogation began, I happened to hear the voice of the god Loki in my mind. When I followed his advice… the slave trader broke almost immediately.”

From the coin at my side came that all-too-familiar, mischievous voice.

『Fufu, just a little trick, that’s all. The overseer nearly drowned once, you see. So he’s terrified of water. Fear can sometimes become the best oil to make the truth slip free.”

I couldn’t help but shiver.

This god really was scary sometimes…

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Safi’s green hair bounce as she coughed politely into her hand, trying to defuse the tension.

“So—if the information is accurate, how do we attack?”

Right. If the dungeon stretches out under the lake in so many places, we’d be facing an enormous area.

Safi trotted over and craned her neck to study the map on the wall.

“As an engineer… and, well, a black-dwarf, I can pretty much lay the underground layout. If you give me the dungeon map, I can extrapolate routes.”

“But that’s just one piece.”

Felix-san interrupted.

“The hidden areas likely spread all across the lake. The warrior corps alone won’t have enough manpower to clear them.”

The image of Pauline-san, projected through the orb, gave a small, decisive nod. It almost felt as if her eyes met Felix’s through the shimmering light.

“Let’s recruit allies from among Flocia’s adventurers.”

Pauline-san spoke decisively. Both Mia-san and I widened our eyes in surprise.

“Is that… really all right?”

“Yes.”

That answer carried the weight of something immense—a decision that would break the silence the Warrior Corps had kept for so long. It meant revealing the dungeon’s secret to the public.

 Pauline continued, her voice calm but firm.

“The kingdom has already begun to change since the Great Message. Colossal beasts have awakened, and adventurers are migrating across the land. We can no longer cling to the way things were.”

Toward the end, her words sounded almost as if she were speaking to herself—steadying her own resolve.

Revealing the hidden areas of the dungeon to adventurers meant exposing the frozen monsters, and possibly even the gods themselves, to mortal eyes. Pauline-san knew that. Still, she chose to move forward—to fight.

“It’s time for the Raven Warrior Corps to steel themselves as well.”

Felix-san bowed deeply.

“Understood. Then, tomorrow….”

“Yes. Announce the discovery of the dungeon’s hidden sectors, and call for volunteers among the adventurers.”

We will gather a large force and set out into Flocia’s unexplored zones. It would be the largest dungeon expedition I’ll be a part of.

Clutching the gold coin, I held back the tremor in my hands.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Today was set aside for interrogating the river bandits and organizing the gathered information. That meant no exploring the dungeon. Unfortunately, that would give the slave traders a moment to breathe —but there was no way we could just charge into that dungeon unprepared and blind. That much was clear.

“Right.”

Even so, there were still things I could do.

In the courtyard of the Odis Temple, there was a space set aside for training. Given the size of the town, it had probably once served as a base for a knightly order or a warrior’s guild.

I gripped the short wooden sword in my hand and gave it a sharp swing before taking my stance.

My gaze locked onto the training dummy before me, and in my mind, I replayed the movements of the sahagin I’d seen yesterday—and the spells cast by the overseer.

“Hah.”

I closed in on my target, shifting my weight—feet coiling like springs, ready to change direction at any moment.

The wooden blade struck the training dummy with a sharp crack—just as I felt a gaze on me.

“Diligent of you, reviewing your moves already.”

It was Nils-san. His golden hair swayed gently in the breeze, his finely shaped face calm and unreadable. But his eyes were focused, watching my every movement with quiet intensity. He was probably here at the temple to exchange information with the warrior corps.

“Uhm…”

I began, turning toward him My chest grew warm, and before I realized it, words slipped from my mouth. The memory of yesterday’s battle flickered in my mind. I hadn’t seen anyone wield a sword like that since my father. Not even the town’s warrior corps could match Nils-san’s skill.

For a moment, standing there in the training yard, I felt as though something long lost had returned—like the training I once shared with my father had somehow begun anew.

“I get it.”

Nils nodded before I could even finish my words.

“For some reason… I was thinking the same thing.”

He walked over to the corner of the training area and picked up a wooden sword of his own.

“Let’s spar, Rion.”

We took our positions, about two meters apart, facing each other.

A quiet breath slipped from between my lips as I steadied myself. I raised my wooden short sword and fixed my gaze straight ahead.

It was only practice—not a real fight.

And yet, my heartbeat quickened far faster than it had even when I’d faced monsters. Part of that tension came from the difference in reach.

My weapon was a thirty-centimeter wooden blade, modeled after a short sword. Nils-san, on the other hand, held a wooden longsword over a meter in length.

To be honest, I wasn’t without confidence. After all, training against opponents with longer blades was one of the things I’d practiced the most.

“…Haa.”

I let out a slow breath.

With his sword held at mid-guard, Nils-san stood as if carved from iron—unyielding, without a single opening.

A soft breeze brushed past. Somewhere nearby, a bird called out.

But between us, the air was anything but peaceful.

Then, Nils-san shifted his stance. The blade of his wooden sword rose from mid-level to beside his face, the tip angling straight toward me. That moment—when the guard changes—is supposed to be when the body is most vulnerable.

Every instinct in me screamed to move. My mind’s alarm bells rang loud and clear. And yet, focused on the tension of the duel, I had only one choice left—to dive in.

“—!”

A thrust came—I dodged. If I could slip into his guard, the range would favor my short blade. My smaller build even gave me the advantage of striking upward from below. But the next instant, the world spun.

I hit the ground hard, staring up at the sky.

Instinct kicked in and I rolled to soften the fall. A dull ache spread through my leg—he’d hit me there. Not with the blade, but cleanly, efficiently, knocking me off balance. Even without being cut, I had scraped myself from my own momentum.

“Leg sweep…?”

Nils-san hadn’t even moved much from where he started.

He looked down at me with that same calm, piercing gaze.

“Is that the end of it?”

“Not yet!”

I shouted, forcing myself back to my feet.

That exchange told me everything. He’d baited me—deliberately changing his stance, drawing me in. I thought I had seized an opening, but in truth, I walked straight into the trap.

“Use your skill.”

Nils-san spoke, his wooden sword meeting mine with a sharp crack.

“But—!”

“There are things you’ll never understand unless you fight at full strength.”

His presence was overwhelming—like standing before a towering wall. The way he moved, the quiet authority in every motion… it reminded me so much of my father that my heart began to pound in my chest.

Then fine. I’ll give it everything I’ve got!

Golden flames burst forth, wrapping around my body. It was the “Golden Flame”—a skill I rarely used outside the dungeon, and almost never against another person.

Nils-san shifted his stance once more. At first glance, it looked utterly relaxed—his arms hung loosely at his sides, the blade angled downward, his left hand resting lightly on the hilt.

A stance that said, come at me from anywhere.

『Rion—』

『Quiet, Solana. A warrior has chosen his fight.』

I drove my foot into the ground, launching forward.

Our timing aligned perfectly—his upward strike met my blade as I twisted, turning the blow aside.

The wooden swords groaned under the pressure, a sharp creak echoing through the courtyard.

For the first time, I thought I saw Nils-san’s eyes widen slightly..

“Here I come!”

I darted around him—then leapt, sliding low to strike from below.

The temple courtyard suddenly felt far too small for the strength coursing through me.

“…Impressive skill.”

Nils-sa met every one of my blows head-on.

Each strike was deflected so precisely that it didn’t even feel like he was blocking me. It was as if my blade was being guided—drawn harmlessly into the flow of his sword.

Our wooden weapons clashed against each other, the sound sharp and grating.

“Twin Scatter Strike!”

My opponent unleashed a skill of his own.

Twin strikes swept toward me from left and right—so perfectly timed they seemed to close in like jaws. I caught the left one, just a fraction slower, and knocked it aside, leaping back to open the distance.

Sweat burst from my skin, trickling down my neck.

“Your swordsmanship is… straightforward.”

Nils-san uttered softly.

He reset his stance, blade held steady at mid-guard. Not a drop of sweat marked his calm, unshaken face.

“To deceive, to mislead—to strike where your foe least expects. You lack that instinct. It was the same with the river bandits. You can’t yet bring yourself to be cold to your enemy.”

The wooden sword he leveled at me might as well have been a real blade—sharp enough to pierce straight through my chest.

“Kindness without resolve is no different from weakness.”

Was that Nils-san’s way of giving me advice?

The moment he called it “weakness,” I stepped toward him again. A few swift strides brought me into striking range. His wooden sword came down in a sharp arc, and I met it with my dagger.

The weapons splintered on impact, shattering into fragments that left us both unarmed. More shards flew toward him than me, and Nils-san winced, shutting one eye against the spray.

I felt a pulse of light awaken in my chest— a brown radiance, reminiscent of the Blessing of the God of Hunting.

—Circle around him!

If it were my father, perhaps he might have said something like that.

But he was gone before he could ever teach me the art of strategy. Even so, I wanted to face this man head-on—no tricks, no hesitation.

“Why do you waver? An enemy shows no mercy.”

He moved first.

In an instant, he seized my outstretched arm and hurled me off my feet. The world spun—sky, ground, sky again. If there had been spectators, they might have called it a flawless throw, almost beautiful in its precision.

Through the dizzy blur, I caught a glimpse of Nils-san’s startled face as he realized what he’d done.

“S-sorry!”

My back slammed hard against the cobblestone with a dull thud.

Nils-san rushed over and reached out his right hand, pulling me up with a firm, apologetic grip.

“.…I went too far. And I said more than I should have. For someone my level…. that was downright childish.”

He really did look regretful.

Rubbing my aching lower back, I took a moment to think.

“I’ll make it up to you later.”

“In that case—”

Before he could say anything more, I dashed to the corner of the training yard. I came back carrying two fresh wooden swords.

“Please, teach me again.”

For a moment, Nils-san just blinked at me. He was caught off guard this time for real.

Then, as if unable to help himself, he let out a small, rueful laugh.

“You’re a serious one.”

Nils-san said with a faint smile.

“This is part of strategy too, isn’t it?”

I made a point of smiling—brightly, well, deliberately. And somehow, in that moment, I understood why Luu always smiled at me that way.

“I want to become stronger. No…. I have to.”

Nils-san gave me a slow, approving nod.

“Very well, then I’ll train with you, boy.”

It had been a long time since I spent time with a swordsman like my father.

That day, I devoted nearly all my training hours to Nils-san.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The canals, the lake, and the dungeon. What began as a slave-trading chase had spiraled into a struggle that engulfed all of Flocia. By the time we’d carried the wounded river bandits out of the dungeon and brought them back to the town, I think the date had already changed.

The area around the Temple of Odis was in an uproar. After all, nearly thirty injured people had been rushed in at once.

We are now sitting in a small chamber within the temple. I’m here to recount everything that happened yesterday to Safi, our companion who couldn’t come with us.

“U-Undine!?”

I couldn’t help but cover my ears.

Safi’s big, dark eyes went perfectly round as her mouth dropped open in shock. For someone with the body of a five or six-year-old child, how could she possibly produce a voice that loud?

I was sitting, so my height was exactly the same as Safi’s when she was standing.

“Y-yes…”

Her reaction was so over the top that I could only nod timidly. I shifted uneasily in my chair.

“We found her in the dungeon. Once she woke up, she offered to help us right away.”

By the way, in the span of just one day, this temple room had turned into Safi’s workshop. A magic-stone furnace, an anvil, a spinning grindstone. Materials brought in from outside had been fashioned into a workbench perfectly sized for her small frame, and various tools now cluttered its surface.

“I—I mean, I was surprised at your great performance. I-I can’t believe it, even we dwarves find it difficult to handle!”

Sapphie took a magnifying glass—apparently also called a magnifying glass—from the workbench and peered into the crystal on the gauntlet.

“Whoa, it’s for real. The water-spirit, Undine, is definitely inside. How the heck did you pull that off?”

“Is it really that difficult? I always thought ‘water’ related ones is not that scary….”

Safi raised a finger with all the gravity of a professor unveiling an experiment.

“Normal water, that is. Heavy rain, flooding rivers, tsunamis, groundwater in mines. In any case, water spirits can be very dangerous if you anger them. Their true nature is to flow. They don’t want to stay in one place, they must move. And their movement is much stronger than wind. If a spirit like that went into a crystal easily… just how did you do it?”

Safi tilted her head, setting both the gauntlet and her “magnifying glass” back on the workbench.

“Loki granted me a new power. It’s called Spirit’s Friend.”

“Huh?”

She swayed her head side to side, clearly unconvinced.

“Hmm… sure, divine power helps, but it’s only an aid, isn’t it? Maybe you were just born that way. There were people in the ancient age too, who naturally drew in the power of spirits and gods.”

My heart skipped a beat.

It reminded me of Lu.

Skill 『Miko』. The powerful skill that resides in my little sister contains the “power of creation” that gave birth to the world. The two of us, brother and sister. Just as our father’s skill is called『Awakening』, maybe our bodies, our very natures, carried a trace of similarity in how we handled power.

Safi spent a while examining the gauntlet I had handed her, studying it with quiet focus.

“—All right!”

At last, she passed the armor back to me.

“No issues. The equipment’s fully attuned to the new spirit. You should thank your sister for that.”

We exchanged a smile, and I quickly set about re-equipping myself The gauntlets slid snugly onto both arms, and I sheathed the short sword across my back.

I took of the warrior corps’ cloak and was left with just black leather armor guarding my torso. The Hat of Bewilderment was folded neatly and tucked away into my pouch.

“—Rion.”

Just as I was about to step outside, lost in my thoughts, Safi called out to me.

The dwarf blacksmith rubbed her cheek awkwardly, eyes slightly widened—she looked more startled than I was.

“What is it?”

“Ah, um…”

Was she… nervous?

Her dark eyes darted about before she finally spoke.

“W-well… just make sure you come back safe, okay?”

“…Yeah!”

I nodded firmly and started up the stairs.

A moment later, an exasperated “Ugh, honestly!” echoed up from the basement. It was Safi’s voice, half a yell, half a sigh.

The temple clerics nearby all turned in alarm.

The gold coins trembled faintly, and then, almost in unison, everyone began to murmur the same words.

『Do not return, Rion.』

『You mustn’t go back.』

『Ah… how adorable.』

『Even Loki find this amusing—but teasing them now would be rather boorish, wouldn’t it?』

W–what do they mean…?

Well, I think it’s fine—probably…

Then, the voice of the Sun Goddess reached me.

『…Rion.』

“What is it, Solana?”

『Mmm… n-no, it’s nothing.』

I nearly tilted my head in confusion again.

But I stopped myself—if it were Father, what would he do in a moment like this? For some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something unseen was moving behind the scenes— something quietly unfolding beyond my reach.

“Really? I didn’t… do something wrong, did I?”

『I-it’s fine, really!』

Still puzzled by the goddess’s tone, I made my way toward the courtyard.

Once my gear check was done, it would be time for training.

I listen to the gods’ voices, review yesterday’s movements, and make sure my body remembered every step.

◆◆◆

Mia leaned against the temple wall, stifling a yawn. Her hair, tipped and flicked outward like a cat’s ears, fell across her face as she brushed it aside. Within the grand sanctuary—where the statue of the High God Odis loomed above—voices of protest rang out, echoing off the marble walls.

“The canals are under our jurisdiction!”

“Is it true that a military vessel entered the dungeon!?”

They’d been going on like this since morning. No wonder a yawn kept threatening to escape.

The battle that had broken out during the night had clearly thrown all of Flocia’s communication networks into chaos. One after another, the town’s powerful figures had come storming into the Temple of Odis.

The Water Transit Bureau.

The Adventurers’ Guild.

The major trading houses.

All of them shouting over one another, snapping at the priests who tried in vain to calm them down. They are all demanding the same thing: “Send out the Raven Warriors!”

“As the Flocia Water Transit Bureau, we lodge a formal protest against this temple’s actions!”

One official shouted, his face red with indignation.

Mia shot a sharp, sidelong glare at the shouting middle-aged man.

Among Flocia’s power brokers, some were known collaborators of the slave traders—and this particular bureau was high on her list of suspects. The Water Transit Bureau controlled everything that moved along the canals. If river bandits had managed to sail warships upstream, or if military craft had been lurking within the waterways at all, it would’ve been under their watch.

“W-what are you staring at!?”

The bureau chief snorted, clearly cowed but unwilling to show it.

“An adventurer like you! Do you have any idea how much gold we pour into the Guild!?”

His heavy footsteps echoed as he stormed out of the temple.

The Temple of Odis—now the operating base of the Raven Warriors—was set to be completely closed to outsiders by this afternoon.

And just then, the afternoon bell tolled.

At the priests’ urging, the town’s dignitaries, still bristling with indignation, began filing out one by one.

“.…Mia, do you have a moment?”

Once the temple had regained its usual hush, Felix approached her.

Mia gave a feline grin.

“You look just as worn out as I am.”

They had split the work earlier. Mia keep watch over the uproar in the sanctuary, while Felix and his team handled the interrogation of the captured river bandits.

Felix gave an easy shrug, the small coronet beneath his dark hair catching the light.

“We’ve finished questioning the overseer. We also heard from Nils-dono. Still, research and inquiries are what I do best.”

The temple was divided into two parts: the public halls, where the statue of the god Odis stood in solemn grandeur, and the inner corridors used only by the clergy.

Felix led Mia into one of the small rooms in the back before continuing their conversation.

“The unexplored section of the Flocia Dungeon is far larger than we expected. It appears to have multiple exits, all connected through the lakebed. We’ll share the full survey results once they’re confirmed.”

A furrow creased his brow.

“…We may no longer be able to keep the truth of the dungeon—and the secrets of its seals—hidden from the public.”

Mia leaned her back against the wall.

Skills were gifts from the gods, after all. Because of that, adventurers tended to hold a special reverence—almost a fondness—for the god, Odis-sama.

“Well, it can’t be helped, can it? I don’t think adventurers are so narrow-minded that they’d get angry just over that.

Perhaps that was what Felix had wanted to hear. The opinion of someone who spoke not just as a member of the Raven Warriors, but as an adventurer.

“I understand the worry, but some things just aren’t worth fretting over.”

Felix gave a small nod.

“True enough. Between adventurers, that boy, the gods, and the dwarves—well, it feels arrogant to say so, but devising a plan that fits them all is proving…. difficult.”

He trailed off there, falling silent as though deep in thought.

“There’s one more matter I wanted your opinion on. About Nils-dono….”

He crossed his arms, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him as though the right words might be etched there.

“You’re wondering if he can be trusted?”

Mia finished it for him.

“Yes. If we bring him in, that would make him an official member of our party.”

Mia gave a wry smile at his tone, as if surprised to hear such hesitation from him.

“Hey, I’m an adventurer too. Just because you’ve fought alongside someone once doesn’t mean you can trust them completely. I’m not that naïve.”

Then she fell silent and gave him a meaningful look. The kind of look that said “you’ve got something more to tell me, don’t you?”

“There are two things that I find strange. First—his so-called ally. Nils-dono claims to know about the slave traders, and even that they have a base of operations here in Flocia. But if someone like that truly existed, they should’ve crossed paths with the Raven Warriors long ago. We’ve been hunting the slave traders relentlessly for two years now.…”

“I see….”

Mia murmured, brow furrowing.

“The second is.…. the timing. It’s too perfect.”

He let out a small, self-deprecating laugh, shoulders lifting in that familiar, ironic way of his.

“You could call it a hunch. It’s true the slave traders have grown more active lately—and for a powerful swordsman to appear at just this moment….”

Mia scratched the back of her head, her hair rustling.

“You’re saying the story sounds a little too neat?”

“Mm. As members of the Raven Warriors, it’s part of our duty to keep intrigue at bay. Doubting what lies beneath the surface—that’s my role, after all.”

But then he paused, his tone softening.

“Still, it’s all just conjecture. Nothing more. All the same, if he’s to be our ally, I’d rather keep him where we can see him—within our own party. That’’s why I wanted to hear your impression of him.”

Mia could still remember the killing intent Nils had towards the river bandits. Must be from the desperation of having his sister taken as a slave. That kind of anger could drive a man to rash decisions. The risk wasn’t zero.

Even so—

“I think we can work with him.”

Mia’s answer was clear and unwavering.

“Even if he’s hiding something, so what? Our enemy is the same, isn’t it? Fighting side by side toward the same goal—even if it’s only temporary—that still makes us a party.”

She grinned, jabbing Felix lightly in the side. The gesture said what words, “Don’t worry so much.”

“Don’t carry it all on your shoulders. Even this older-sister adventurer thinks about half as much as you do, you know.”

Felix winced, a hand pressed to his side where she had poked him, his mouth twisting in mild embarrassment.

“For the record, I’m technically older than you.”

“Oh really?”

Mia blinked in honest surprise, earning a sigh from Felix. He lifted his gaze, and she followed it upward—toward the stained glass high above.

Sunlight streamed through in rich colors, scattering across the temple wall in a mosaic of red, gold, and blue.

“The last opinion we need is Rion’s.”

“.…Hey, Felix”.

“Yes?”

“You don’t have to worry so much. Rion is already thinking about that kind of thing. Adventurers get used to meetings and farewells. It’s part of life.”

The two of them stepped out of the room. Just then, they caught sight of a figure heading toward the courtyard— the swordsman, Nils.

From that same courtyard came the steady thwack of wooden blades meeting air.

Rion was training.

“I see. Perhaps the boy has his own way of judging people.”

Felix smiled.

Soon, the sound of the wooden swords becomes “two.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Carrying the overseer’s limp body, I followed the waterway back the way I’d come. The bubble that held me began to rise, lifting me smoothly from the depths into open air.

Below, I saw Mia-san, Felix-san, and Nils-san, all gazing up with worry and relief. As I landed beside them, the bubble gave a soft pop and vanished.

“Wan!”

Sylph let out a bright sound of triumph, and Undine offered a graceful bow.

In the next moment, both spirits dissolved into light—Sylph returning to the crystal short sword, and Undine to the crystal set in my gauntlet. When the glow faded, only I remained… and the unconscious overseer, lying quietly on the cold stone floor.

“Geh—! Cough, cough…”

The overseer convulsed and spat up water, gasping until his breathing steadied. He must’ve been underwater for quite some time, but it looked like he’d pull through. I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Just to be safe, I used the blessing of the Medicine God, closing the small wounds that mottled his skin before binding his hands and feet.

Nils-san stood a few paces away, staring at us as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.

“…You were fighting underwater? Against monsters?”

He rubbed his chin, studying me with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.

“You and your companions—no, you, Rion… just who are you?”

I met his gaze and smiled softly.

“I think there’ll be time to explain everything later. For now…”

My gaze shifted to the far end of the chamber.

The wall there glittered faintly—a cluster of pale-blue crystals, all tightly packed together. Those are spirit stones. But in several places, the crystal had fractured away, exposing the raw rock beneath. The openings were large enough for a grown man to slip through, and from the center of one crack, a soft, pulsing light bled outward.

“Rion… you don’t mean to—”

Felix-san spoke, his voice taut with realization. I met his eyes and gave him a silent nod. Then, for just an instant, I looked toward Nils-san.

If I unsealed that wall here and now, he’d see it—my ability.

That wasn’t something I could reveal lightly.

“I’ll handle this.”

Felix-san said quietly, stepping forward and planting his staff on the stone floor.

Nils-san frowned, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

“What are you planning, Priest?”

Felix-san’s tone softened, deliberate and calm.

“Nils-dono. I would ask that you visit the Temple of Odis tomorrow. There are… secrets we wish to share with you—things best spoken of within holy walls.”

Nils-san’s expression tightened. Felix-san must have noticed it too—his eyes drifted distant, as though recalling a memory best left untouched.

“.…I’ll send someone to escort you.”

Felix-san added.

“That would help”

Nils-san replied calmly.

Ah—right. He’s terrible with directions. 

Mia-san planted a hand on her hip, half exasperated, half amused.

“So much for a dramatic moment.”

Felix-san coughed into his fist, trying to regain his composure.

“A-hem. So, what do you say?”

“Of course, I’ll comply.” 

Nils-san answered, his tone firm. His golden hair swayed as he smiled, breaking through his usual stoicism.

“I’m searching for my sister as well. If our goals align, then I’d be glad to work together.”

I exchanged a glance with my companions before turning back to the wall.

If we’d be seeing Nils-san again after tomorrow, there would be time enough to share information—and to decide what needed to be kept secret. He watched curiously as I placed my hand against the stone.

 I spoke softly, “What I’m about to show you is one of those secrets.”

“Wake up!”

Light scattered across the wall. The surface, studded with spirit crystals, began to crack and splinter, radiant fissures spreading like veins of light.

Then, with a resonant crash, the rock shattered—revealing a door hidden within.

An unexplored zone, without a doubt. Not even the slave traders had set foot here. The seal itself had kept them out until moments ago.

“A hidden door…in the wall of the dungeon?”

Nils-san’s voice trembled.

“This is my power. I can awaken the seals on these dungeons.”

“A seal…? Your sword skills were impressive, but who exactly are you?”

Mia-san stepped forward, her red hair shaking.

“We can tell you more about it later. Anyway, let’s focus on what’s in front now.”

I nodded and pushed open the thick door.

The room beyond was dark. Still, I could sense a cool presence, knowing there was ice there.

The gold coin trembled.

『That’s strange.』

“…Solana?”

『I sense a god’s presence.』

I swallowed hard.

At the very end of the chamber stood a massive block of ice.

And within it is a figure. Not a monster. I didn’t know how, but even from a distance, I could feel it. A sacred presence sleeping there, something divine.

“Let’s go!”

I sprinted forward.

Encased in the crystal-clear ice was a man. His features were so striking, so beautiful, that for a moment I mistook him for a woman. Long golden hair fanned around him like ripened wheat, calling to mind the word harvest.

In both hands he gripped a longsword, the blade angled upward in eternal readiness.

『…Freyr.』

Solana’s voice rang in my mind, and I caught my breath.

I was taken aback by Solana’s words.

“…Is he the god we came here to look for?”

『Yes. But it’s strange that he’s on such a shallow level…?』

We could only stand there, staring up at the giant ice.

The trapped god looked as if he’d open his eyes and begin fighting at any moment. It was as if he’d just fallen asleep.

『Perhaps he had ascended to the upper floors to fight… He cherished his sister, the goddess Freyja, above all else.』

Sigris muttered.

I see…

So even this god had a sister. What must he have felt, I wondered, as he fought—and then faced his sealing? My thoughts drifted to that distant cataclysm a thousand years ago, the Great Seal that had swallowed the world in silence.

『What about the horn?』

It was the God of Hunting, Uru, who prompted me. I reached into my pouch and drew out the Horn of Awakening, Gjallarhorn.

But it remained unchanged—no tremor, no gleam of light.

『But for such a powerful god, his senses seem weak.』

Loki muttered thoughtfully.

『Maybe he used up most of his strength during that battle a thousand years ago. Look around—do you see any monsters nearby?』

He was right. Within this chamber, the only thing encased in ice was the god himself. No signs of creatures lurking in the shadows, no tracks, no trace of hostility. Had the monsters been slain long ago—or was this place always meant as a sanctuary, a resting ground for the divine?

Loki continued.

『Judging from the residual aura, he may still be emanating a faint spell that repels monsters. That could explain why the nearby unexplored zones have been safe enough for those slavers to occupy. In that chamber earlier, perhaps the scattered ashes nullified the effect.』

 Solana interjected,

『Hmm? But Loki, if the god’s power is sealed, how can such an effect remain?』

I found myself sharing Solana’s question. If the Great Seal still blankets the world, then no god should be able to wield their power—at least, not freely.

『Think back, remember how the slave traders managed to open that door just now? The dungeon of Flocia isn’t like the one in the capital or in Alvis. It’s already beginning to wake up. Bit by bit, the divine power sealed within is stirring once more.』

I lifted my gaze to the frozen figure again. The vast waterways, the secret chambers known only to the traffickers—all of it pointed to the same truth: this dungeon wouldn’t behave like the others.

My foot pressed harder against the ground, as if to anchor myself.

Move forward—or turn back?

It’s the question every adventurer faces, time and again.

“Let’s go back now.”

I turned back to the others.

Mia-san and Felix-san nodded in agreement.

“I agree.”

“Yes. It seems this dungeon is more complicated than we thought. If we tackle it with a small group, we might lose any progress we’ve made.”

We turned our backs on the ice to return to the surface.

Except for one person.

“…Nils-san?”

Nils-san looked up at Freyr, the god of fertility.

A cold glint dwelt in his brown eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing. Just a surprise.”

Nils shrugged and caught up with us. And so, the first day of exploration came to an end, with both success and secrets.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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I dashed toward the wall.

My hand pressed against the crystal that shone the brightest.

Safi, the dwarf blacksmith, once told me something important —that even spirits have personalities. Some are strong, some are timid. Some like humans and others don’t. There are all kinds, and that’s why I have to be careful when choosing which spirit to house in my short sword or a gauntlet.

“Wake up!”

I didn’t know what kind of spirit slept within this crystal. But when I reached out with my skill, the light I felt from it was the strongest of all —as if it was telling me, “I’m here!”

Blue light scattered like petals in the wind.

From within the crystal, a spirit burst forth.

『An Undine huh. It’s a water spirit.』

Loki’s voice came from the gold coin.

Resting lightly in my palm, the spirit shimmered faintly and the word “mermaid” drifted into my mind. Her body was as clear as flowing water. Her upper half took the form of a woman while her lower body is that of a fish, with a crescent-shaped fin swaying gently.

『Rion, it’s about time, isn’t it? Let me grant you a new power, something that is perfectly suited to who you are now.』

Loki’s voice deepened, carrying a strange warmth.

A faint, purple glow began to bloom in my chest.

Skill 『God of Mischief’s Divine Protection』 has been activated. Achievement unlocked. A new ability has been bestowed.

A surge of light cascaded through me, and before I could even comprehend it, another wave of power descended — a gift from Loki himself.

Skill 『God of Mischief’s Divine Protection』 has been used. 【Friend of Spirits】…… the one who draws forth the power of spirits.

The words echoed in my mind like an oracle, each syllable resonating with the hum of the Undine’s presence. A soft, ethereal breeze rippled around me —not air, but mana— the gentle breath of countless unseen spirits answering my call.

A voice echoed in my head—familiar, teasing, and just a little exasperated.

Right… now that I thought about it, ever since this new journey began, the wind spirit—Sylph—and the fire spirit—Salamander—had been unusually responsive to me. Even that violet light burning faintly in my chest had flared up during the battle with the river pirates a few days ago.

The god who had granted me his power spoke again, his tone one of weary relief.

『Honestly, you really make me nervous, you know? Your magical aptitude is so low that your skills took forever to awaken.』

“Ha-haha… sorry about that….”

A stiff smile tugged at my mouth.

So the ability that had been on the verge of awakening all this time had finally blossomed—thanks to forming a bond with the water spirit.

“Alright!”

I slapped my cheeks. Resolve surge through me like a spark. This wasn’t the time to hesitate.

I sprinted toward the waterway where the overseer had vanished, and shouted—

“Please, Undine. Take me in the water…!”

Undine smiled softly.

Water came rushing in all at once from the surrounding waterfalls and canals. It engulfed me in an instant.

“Wah!?”

『Rion!?』

Solana and Mia-san cried out, their voices muffled by the rushing water.

But—strangely enough—I could still breathe. The water didn’t crush me or fill my lungs. Instead, it wrapped around me gently, forming a barrier. And inside that barrier… there was air.

“Wan!”

Sylph’s voice rang out from the blue crystal dagger.

So that’s it—the water sealed itself around me, and the air remained within. I was floating inside a massive, glimmering bubble.

Loki’s amused voice came from the gold coin,

『Remember the skill’s description?” It said ‘the spirits’, right? Meaning—』

“You mean… it’s not just one spirit’s power?”

A faint crackle sounded in the coin. Loki seemed to clap his hands. I could almost picture his smug and delighted look, as if saying, “Bingo!”.

『That’s right! I can combine the powers of multiple spirits. It’s like the spirit equivalent of ‘duplicity’.』

I turned my attention to the waterway where the overseer had disappeared.

“I’m going!”

Water or wind — I couldn’t tell which power was carrying me now.

The bubble that held me leapt into the air before plunging straight into the waterway below, scattering a burst of spray that must’ve reached the ceiling. The channel was at least five meters deep. Even a seasoned adventurer would be in trouble if dragged down here.

I tightened my grip around the coin in my pocket, feeling the faint warmth of divinity through the coin. I had to be ready to call upon my god at a moment’s notice.

Skill 『Divine Protection of the God of Hunting 』was used. 【Wild Heart】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Detection. With magical power consumption, effects can be further increased.

Through the haze of magic, red lights flickered to life before my eyes. Judging by their distance and number, they had to be the sahagin who’d taken the slave traders.

Still wrapped in my protective bubble, I glided silently through the dark water. The world was muted, dreamlike, yet every movement felt sharp and deliberate.

From somewhere above, Solana’s calm voice echoed in my mind.

『This dungeon seems to have a rather intricate structure.』

“Yeah…”

I whispered back.

The current pulled me forward, deeper into the maze of shifting tunnels and rippling light. Pipes must’ve been running through every layer and crevice of the walls, carrying water from one level to another. I was gliding through one of those narrow channels now.

The faint luminescence from the walls and ceiling was the only thing keeping the darkness at bay. Without it, I’d lose my sense of direction in an instant.

『Part of the mechanism, perhaps. If Safi were here, she’d have a lot to say about this. The flow might even be driving some kind of waterwheel.』

I pressed forward, letting the current guide me until the narrow pipe suddenly widened. Ahead, the tunnel opened into a larger chamber.

“This is it huh…”

I breathed.

Three sahagin were waiting there. Their slick, scaled bodies glinting faintly in the glow. And behind them, drifting limply in the water, was the unconscious overseer.

“Gigigigi”

Its bright red eyes were wide open as it threatened me. Its bloodshot eyes and sharp claws stirred up instinctive fear. Still enveloped in the bubble, I stood against the wall. With my feet on the floor and my back to the wall, I limited the direction of its attacks.

After all, it could move up, down, left, and right through the water.

“Gigigigigi!”

Grinning their teeth, the three Sahagin swam around me at breakneck speed.

Swimming at the same speed as on land, maybe even faster.

『Rion, how do we defeat them?』

At Solana’s words, I drew in my chin and pressed my back against the wall.

Golden flame shimmered faintly around me, refusing to die even beneath the water’s weight. My eyes tracked the sahagin as they darted through the depths like arrows of flesh and scale.

“Now!”

All three lines of movement converged at a single point.

I kicked off the wall.

As if hearing my heart’s command, both Sylph and Undine surged to my aid—the wind pushing, the water pulling. My body shot forward like a spear.

The short sword in my grasp pierced through the first sahagin’s chest, its light slicing through the murk. Momentum carried me onward—through the second, then the third—cutting them apart in a blur of silver and blue.

Within the spirit-forged bubble, I moved as freely as I would on land.

The sahagin pack dissolved into ash, their remains fading into the water. Only a few magic stones drifted down, sinking quietly to the floor of the chamber. Even when I reached out with the blessing’s detection, there were no more hostile presences nearby.

Silence. Stillness.

“It’s over… We can take him back now.”

Gripping the overseer’s limp body, I turned and began retracing my path through the submerged corridor.

It had been a long fight—but at last, our true objective was completed. With this, we’d finally uncover the secrets of this dungeon. The slave traders’ hideout, the mystery of Ymir, and the reason they were after Lu.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The door in the wall is already sliding shut—it is going to trap us out while the slave traders escaped!

“Please, make it in time!”

But just as we reached it, the massive stone door reopened again as if it closing a while ago had not happened.

The slave traders who had been trying to flee looked at us with dropped jaws. We, who had rushed in, also looked back in shock.

We checked to see if the open wall was an optical illusion.

The gold coin vibrated, and Loki’s voice echoed in my mind.

『…It must be a door that opens and closes at the command of the gods. That man invoked the name of the God of Fertility, remember? That means…』

『Hmm. So, as long as one travels with the gods’ blessing, the door opens.』

Solana’s calm voice followed, and I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

Looks like they’re the ones panicking now.

“W–what is going on!?”

“I thought you were supposed to show us the hidden passage out of the city today!”

When things start to go south, one thing always happens—infighting. The river bandits were turning on their leader, shouting accusations at the man in the black robe.

“Silence!”

The overseer snapped, his voice cutting through the chaos. From his cloak, he pulled out a small pouch.

Solana’s sharp voice rang in my mind.

『That’s ashes of the titan!』

The overseer scattered the contents into the air. The black dust shimmered midair, glowing red-hot before vanishing entirely—and then, the oppressive aura of monsters grew so thick that made my skin tingle.

“What are they doing?”

Even Nils, unfamiliar with the ashes, must have sensed the danger. He raised his sword, watching the room warily—the channels of water, the cascades along the walls—ready for anything.

“They’ve summoned monsters to us. And… they’ve made them stronger.”

“What…?”

The four of us moved back-to-back, covering every direction.

The chamber stretched about thirty meters deep. The ceiling was high, and water channels ran along the left and right walls. There were also several water outlets near the ceiling of the walls. Waterfalls were splashing down into the channels on both sides.

“…The ‘Shrewd Merchant’ once told me that this powder calls forth monsters… and strengthens them.”

We could hear the overseer talking.

A dungeon ruled by water-born creatures.

Now I understood—truly understood—why this dungeon was rated for level thirty adventurers. In terrain like this, anything that could swim could attack from anywhere.

The overseer, with a twisted grin on his face said,

“Kukuku… don’t worry. I still have another pouch. And it seems that monsters can sense certain auras. As long as I hold this, they won’t come near us. It’s as if they fear it.”

So, they were safe. Makes sense, really—those ashes were once part of the flame titan, Surtr. For the creatures of this dungeon, that presence would be one to dread, or mistake for an ally.

“Gii… gii…”

“Kiiiii…”

“Guuuuh…”

Hands broke the surface of the waterway—scaly, webbed, and dripping. Fishmen, sahagins, rose from below. Their eyes are glowing crimson and their half-open mouths showed their jagged teeth.

And from the waterfalls above, winged shapes burst forth—monsters like giant bats, their slick blue bodies glinting under the pale light. There were more of them by the second—seven, eight… maybe more, screeching as they circled overhead.

Mia-san whispered.

“They’re sirens. They’re troublesome monsters that hit you with sound like a wall of air.”

Remembering what my father told me, I tuck my chin in.

Then single antler poked out from the waterway. A pale horse’s body neighed as it reared up towards us.

“That’s a Kelpie water horse. Really, it seems he had summoned monsters from the depths.”

Felix-san shrugged with a wry smile, remaining as nonchalant as ever.

Now, what should we do?

The main chamber was teeming with monsters. It was like the contents of a box that should never be opened.

The overseer gazed triumphantly at me.

『You’re on a tight spot, Rion』

It was Solana.

“Un.”

I exhaled, then I shook my head.

Wolfbone Skoll, who destroyed the royal capital.

Flamebone Surtr, who slept in Alvis.

There are many monsters here, but I’m not afraid of any of them. They are clearly weaker than those two after all.

I crouched down, my short sword at the ready.

“…Huh?”

Just to be sure, I activated unseal, letting my senses sweep across the area.

Then, I noticed lights all over the walls. The glow seemed to point to the next room, an even more unexplored area.

But what about those other lights?

“Try not to spill too much blood, will you? There are valuable magical materials stored here after all…”

The overseer licked his lips.

I was convinced. Those faint lights scattered throughout the chamber meant those materials. This might be why this space has collected so much water essence.

“They’re coming!”

Nils shouted the warning.

Skill,『Sun’s Divine Protection』was activated. 【Golden Flame】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Improves physical ability. Further effects for a limited time.

The world sharpened into perfect clarity.

The Kelpie water horse charged straight toward me, its single horn thrusting like a spear. I twisted my wrist and deflected the blow with my short sword, sparks flying from the clash. My feet bit into the stone, refusing to give an inch.

The Kelpie water horse snorted in surprise as it galloped past, but I spun on my heel and gave chase.

One step. Two step. My speed matched that of the beast itself.

“Gii-gii-gii!”

A Sahagin lunged at me from the side—I dropped low, sliding beneath its claws, and closed in on the Kelpie water horse’s flank.

Then I unleashed my strike.

Skill,『God of Thunder’s Divine Protection』was activated. 【Hammer of the God of Thunder】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Shoots a powerful lightning attack.

Blue-white lightning coursed across the Kelpie water horse’s body, crackling and snapping like a living thing.

The beast convulsed, its eyes rolling back, showing its whites. Even the nearby Sahagin caught in the discharge twitched violently before collapsing, exhaling black smoke as they crumbled into ash.

“Ice Blade”

Felix-san’s incantation rang out. A wave of frost surged from his staff, freezing the Sahagin struggling to rise from the waterway. The Sirens mid-flight were also caught in the spell, their wings were encased in glittering ice. Limbs locked in frozen shackles, they could only thrash helplessly.

“Heh, makes for easy targets!”

Mia-san’s chainaxe whistled through the air.

The frozen monsters shattered like glass. Those still writhing were split apart by the weight of her spinning blade.

I darted between them, distracting the stragglers. Felix-san’s magic struck true, and Mia-san finished each one cleanly from midrange. Our teamwork we’d honed back in Alvis shone just as brilliantly here in the depths of this waterlogged dungeon.

“…You make a fine party. So this is what true adventurers are like.”

Nils said, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.

He stepped forward, sword raised to mid-guard.

“I’ll lend what strength I can. Leave the defense to me.”

He positioned himself between Felix-san and Mia-san, the line of his blade steady and sure. Above us, the Sirens were swelling their bellies.

“Air blasts incoming!”

Felix-san warned sharply.

Nils met the warning with nothing more than a calm smile.

“Wind Cutter.”

The words were barely more than a whisper. A thin line of light traced his blade as the <Swordmaster> skill activated.

The slash was too swift to follow—the air warped and split apart. The sonic spheres fired by the bat-like sirens shattered midair, scattering like harmless mist.

Before the ripples faded, Nils had already turned, stepping lightly into the charge of the second Kelpie.

“Scatter Slash!”

The Kelpie staggered forward a few faltering steps before its body split cleanly in two and collapsed. It had been cut in that single passing instant. The tide of battle had turned completely in our favor.

“D-damn it!”

The overseer hurled a desperate fireball.

I twisted aside in a sideways roll, the heat brushing past my cheek.

“Forget this—let’s get outta here!”

One of the river bandits shouted.

But Nils’s voice cut through the chaos, deep and commanding.

“By all means—run! We’ll finish off these beasts first… then take our time catching up to you.”

The overseer froze mid-step. He must have realized it then—how we had already breached the sealed area he thought was untouchable and how his every attempt to shake us had failed.

That sudden stillness wasn’t hesitation. It was fear. The overseer had already played his trump card—the ashes. I could see him hesitate at the thought of unleashing the monsters and striking us down along with them.

And every second he wavered was a second his decision would be delayed…

『Hoh, clever tactic.』

Loki’s amused voice cut through my head, and I took his words to heart.

A tactical move, huh.

“Useless! If we don’t finish them here, they’ll catch up to us!”

The man in the black robe seemed to have chosen not to flee. His face flushed with fury as he plunged his hand into his robe.

“So be it…!”

He pulled out a second pouch from his pocket. It probably contained ashes. If he scattered them, more monsters would be summoned.

“Rion!”

Nils cleaved through the monsters ahead of me in a single, sweeping strike. A path was cut open with his sword. His eyes were aimed straight at the slave trader and the overseer.

“Catch them off guard!”

I kicked off the ground.

From the enemy’s perspective, my sudden dash—using the monsters’ hulking bodies as cover—must’ve looked like I vanished and reappeared from nowhere. The manager’s group hesitated, a heartbeat too slow.

The coin at my waist vibrated. Thor’s rough voice rang out.

『Well played. You laid the groundwork with that line earlier—‘we’ll deal with the monsters first,’ didn’t you?』

Some of the guards lunged to block my way—

“Wake up!”

A gust of wind from the spirit Sylph slammed into the guards, sending them tumbling like leaves in a storm. With his escorts gone, the manager stood alone—his face drained of color, hands flailing desperately.

“W-wait! Wait, wait, waaaait—!”

My boots met his face before he could finish.

“Guh—agh!”

He flipped backward, landing hard on the stone floor.

A small pouch slipped from his grasp and fell with a dry pat. I picked it up and checked to make sure the contents were still there..

『The unpleasant presence is fading. Those ashes haven’t been released yet.』

Solana affirmed.

“That’s good…”

I breathed out, relief softening the tension in my shoulders.

When I turned, Nils and the others had finished off the last of the monsters.

The final Siren, caught midair by Mia-san’s chain-blade, crashed to the ground.

The clash of steel and roar of beasts faded, leaving only the soft, steady murmur of running water to fill the grand chamber once more.

“Phew…”

The sigh had barely left my lips when instinct flared again.

I invoked the Blessing of the God of Hunting—Wild Heart, letting my senses stretch across the chamber. At once, a scarlet glimmer pulsed in the waterway to my right.

“Gigigi”

So there were still some left. Three Sahagin. Their fish-like eyes scanned us, seemingly realizing there was no chance of victory for them. Their heads, which had been shaking frantically from side to side, stopped.

And then, all three fixed their gaze on the same target—

“N-not good!”

“Gigi”

With a splash like arrows loosed from a bow, the Sahagin shot out of the water. One seized the overseer by the arm, dragging him violently toward the opposite channel.

—And together, they plunged into the left-hand waterway.

“Guh—gluh—gobo—!”

The overseer’s muffled cries were swallowed by the rushing current. The overseer was dragged beneath the surface! His flailing arms and legs clawed at the air, stirring a chill of fear in my gut.

Mia-san and the others came rushing over.

“Hey, wasn’t that guy our biggest lead!?”

“So it seems—but he’s been pulled under…!”

Felix-san’s grim tone sent another shiver down my spine. This—this was the true terror of the water dungeon. Once a water-dwelling monster dragged an adventurer below, there was almost no saving them.

“Normally, they aren’t quite so vicious. But if their intellect was suppressed by the seal, then perhaps the ashes of the titan restored it…”

Felix-san said, his eyes narrowing at the rippling current.

I looked around the chamber.

The slave trader’s sorcerer had clearly been the one in charge of the deal. No matter how many river bandits we captured, without him we’d never get the full story.

And—maybe it was naïve of me—but after coming this far, I couldn’t just let him die.

I activated my skill.

I searched the surroundings.

“This…!”

That’s when I saw it—something that could change everything.

A faint glimmer embedded in the wall. A light that could be unsealed.

At the end of the chamber, a pale-blue crystal shimmered softly. But among its many facets, one pulsed with a stronger, purer glow.

This place—it must be a storehouse of Spirit Stones. Just like the old chambers in the eastern dungeons.

The Water Spirit, 『Undine』 can be unsealed.

The voice of God echoed in my mind.

I lifted my chin, resolve burning in my chest.

“I… I might be able to save him!”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Chasing the slave traders who had fled inside the dungeon, we set foot on Dungeon Island.

There was a gaping cavern before us, with a waterway stretching deep into the darkness. This is likely where the enemy had escaped. One of the piers nearby held a dragon-prowed longship, docked headfirst as if it had crashed into place.

The gate leading into the dungeon was left wide open. A few guards were slumped by the entrance, clutching their injured arms and groaning in pain.

“…So this is all the defense they had? This dungeon’s supposed to be recommended for level thirty and up though.”

As we ran, Mia-san brushed back her red hair.

Felix-san answered her,

“The lake serves as a natural moat, so they probably don’t station many guards here. The place isn’t just managed by nobles or the Adventurers’ Guild—several merchant companies are involved as well. They likely don’t want to spend too much on maintainance either.”

I glanced back over my shoulder.

Mia-san, Felix-san, me and about fifteen members of the warrior corps, and the swordsman Nils—together, we formed the party that would descend into the dungeon.

“The enemy’s inside. I’ll guide us using my detection skill.”

With the blessing of the God of Hunting, I could sense the faint echo of fleeing footsteps ahead.

We stepped into the dungeon. The moment we crossed the threshold, I was captivated by the overwhelming sight.

“Amazing…”

Even though we were in pursuit, I couldn’t help whispering in awe.

The first floor of the dungeon was known as the Exploration Layer. The area had no partitions at all—the far wall, over a hundred meters away, was faintly blurred by the distance. The entire space glowed in a pale blue hue, reflections from the waterways that crisscrossed the floor and mirrored the light of the magic lamps embedded in the ceiling.

“Water… dungeon?”

To be precise, it was more of a waterway dungeon. Even the air was thick with the essence of water spirits.

“Over there!”

Mia-san pointed ahead. We jumped over the small waterway and crossed the bridge over the larger one. A few dozen seconds later, we descended the same stairs as the enemy.

Behind me, I caught the low murmur of the warrior corps discussing our next move.

“Felix-dono! With this many people, we’re well over the dungeon’s recommended party size. The monsters will start swarming toward us!”

“It doesn’t matter. The enemy has even greater numbers. They’ll be the ones attacked first.”

The second floor was much the same—another exploration layer. We quickly found the next staircase down. I could feel it. The distance between us and the enemy was closing.

“Mind if I ask something?”

While running, Nils spoke up.

“The next floor should be a combat layer, right? What if the enemy made a surprise attack?”

“Well….”

Felix-san answered for me.

“We’ll leave a few warriors behind to secure the prisoners for transport back to the surface. The rest will press forward. Because…..”

I recalled what had been said earlier. Adventurers usually delved into dungeons in small groups—seven members at most. Too large a party only made it easier for monsters to detect you.

And that gave me an idea.

“.…Because that’s what the enemy’s after?”

There were nearly twenty of them ahead, and as they fled, some were starting to fall behind. That’s why it felt like the distance between us was shrinking.

Felix-san nodded.

“They’re using their rearguard as bait. To draw in monsters or our forces, buying time for their vanguard to escape. It’s a classic tactic.”

“Like a lizard dropping its tail huh.”

Nils muttered.

I swallowed hard. The coin at my chest trembled, and Thor’s voice echoed faintly from within.

『A sloppy retreat, if you ask me. Between this and that river ambush, their moves are starting to look careless.』

I tilted my head.

“I wonder why though?”

『Who knows. But when we’re struggling, it means the enemy’s under pressure too. And when things seem too easy for us—well, that’s when they’re usually planning something.』

In other words, don’t let your guard down.

Just as I steeled myself, the sharp clang of weapons rang out ahead. 

The combat layer opened up before us. It was an expanse of rough-hewn stone, like the inside of a cave. And on the air drifted a foul stench—thick and oily, like rancid grease gone bad.

“Monsters! Battle begins around the next corner!”

I kicked off the floor and sprinted toward the sounds of battle. When I burst into the combat area, what filled my vision was a humanoid figure covered entirely in scales. Its body gleamed wetly, slick with a coating of viscous slime. Its fishlike eyes were bloodshot, glaring straight at us as it brandished a three-pronged trident.

“Gigiigi”

That rasping cry sent a shiver crawling down my spine.

Several bodies lay sprawled across the ground—probably the river bandtis who’d been ambushed.

“A sahagin.”

Mia-san muttered, the chain of her chainaxe are clinking as she readied it.

“In Flocia dungeon, you see these things all the time. Some call them water goblins, but don’t be fooled. Its danger level is on a whole different scale.”

I nodded. That should be. This dungeon’s recommended level was thirty after all.

That made it tougher than either Alvis or the Royal Capital’s Western Dungeon, which both had a level twenty-five recommended level.

“Let’s break through!”

There were more than ten monsters ahead. We had to cut a path through quickly and resume the chase.

“Gigigii!”

A trident lunged toward me.

Golden flames flared to life around my body. I knocked the weapon’s shaft aside with my short sword and, as we passed each other, I slashed across its neck. The sahagin burst into gray ash, spraying blue blood through the air as it fell.

“Come on!”

I pressed forward, fighting as I advanced.

Two more came at me from opposite sides. I stomped down on the trident of the first one, vaulted upward, and kicked off the shoulder of the other one to gain distance. Then, bracing myself in midair, I thrust my left gauntlet forward.

“Wake up!”

The fire spirit, Salamander, launched a blazing fireball. One sahagin was blown apart instantly, while another leapt back in panic. Perhaps instinctively recoiling from the searing heat.

“Gigi?”

It turned its head in confusion—but by then, I was already gone. I kicked off the ground and slashed across its side from the flank.

“Not bad.”

The voice came just as I was catching my breath after the flurry of movement.

I froze in surprise. The speaker was standing ahead of me—meaning they’d already cut through the monsters even faster than I had.

“Fuu.”

Nils exhaled softly, stepping past the sahagin that lunged for him. All I heard was the clear, ringing shing of the blade being sheathed. A heartbeat later, the sahagin split neatly in two—top and bottom—before crumbling away into ash.

“What’s wrong?”

He glanced back at me with a faint smile. My chest tightened with awe.

There was no doubt—he is a master swordsman. It had been a long time since I had seen swordsmanship like that, well, not since my father.

A moment later, Felix-san and Mia-san caught up to us.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Let’s move. With this many monsters cleared out, the rest of the warrior corps can handle the cleanup and take the bandits into custody.”

I nodded and pressed onward.

With both the Blessing of the Sun and the Blessing of the God of Hunting active, the sounds of fleeing footsteps reached me far more clearly than before.

We descended another staircase—down to the fourth floor. Something about the enemy’s movements had changed. They weren’t heading for the next staircase anymore. Instead, their footsteps veered steadily northward.

“.…They are moving toward the outer wall of the dungeon.”

Maybe there was a hidden area there—something only they knew about.

“Let’s hurry!”

The sound of many fleeing feet echoed ahead, while our own boots splashed sharply against the quiet water. Sweeping the area with mana detection, I saw it clearly—points of red light, converging toward us and toward the slave traders up ahead.

When combat is unavoidable, we handle it through formation. Nils and I took the front line, clearing a path. Mia-san covered the midrange with her chainaxe, while Felix-san handled long-range support with his magic.

The enemy, on the other hand, was faltering. With their numbers thinned, they were struggling badly against the monsters. We passed several river bandits crouched along the corridor—injured, abandoned, and left behind.

Eventually, we cornered the slave traders.

Only five subordinates remained, along with the overseer draped in a black robe. The rest had likely been sacrificed as bait for the monsters.

On our side, we were down to four—me, Mia-san, Felix-san and Nils. The rest of the warrior corps had stayed behind in the passageways to hold off monsters and escort the captured bandits back to the surface.

“…Please, surrender quietly.”

I stepped forward.

The overseer twisted his lips into a sneer and pulled something from within his robe.

“Kuku, we’ll see about that.”

It was a small piece of metal, no larger than a thumb. It was tarnished and blackened with age yet beneath the corrosion, it might once have been gold. 

Then, turning toward the wall, the man raised his voice and shouted:

“In the name of the God of Fertility, I command you―Open the gate!”

In an instant, the wall behind the overseer split open, sliding apart to both sides―just like a Seal Release triggered by my wake up skill.

“Wha—!”

The slave traders vanished into the opening, their laughter echoing mockingly back at us.

“They’re getting away!”

Mia-san shouted.

We all sprinted forward at once.

Come on—before it closes!

I pushed off the ground with everything I had, racing toward the closing opening as the heavy stone doors rumbled shut.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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We were chasing two vessels from land. A warship called longship was leading the way, followed by a small boat. The road along the canal ended, and we were about to be pulled away.

Suddenly, a swordsman jumped onto the boat. What’s more, I recognized someone I’d seen before, so I couldn’t help but gasp.

“N-Nils?!”

The boat was taken over in an instant. The river pirates had been thrown into the canal or slashed, and only Nils was left standing.

Why?

How?

I was confused by his perfectly timed rescue.

Then the sound of chains rattling brought me back to reality.

 “Haha! Looks like we’ve got ourselves a free boat!”

Mia-san’s eyes gleamed. The chain-axe she threw wrapped neatly around the prow of the small boat.

“Hup!”

With a sharp pull, she hauled the boat toward the shore— likely using her skill, Immovable.

I pointed at the approaching vessel.

“Let’s take that one and go after them!”

With a thunderous thud-thud-thud, we leapt aboard the small boat. Just in time, two more allied boats appeared—manned by city guards.

This was where several canals converged. Their patrols must have been alerted by the commotion, so they gathered here. Including the boat Nils had stolen, there were three boats, each with a capacity of six people. They were just over five meters in size, but they still had oars and masts to set sail.

『Lion, we can still see the enemy!』

Solana’s voice came from the gold coin.

It seemed that the guards’ boats were similarly stationed at the exit to the lake. Water fences and small boats provided a brief delay. The warship, however, quickly broke through, gaining momentum.

“…Why are you all here?”

Felix-san handed the oars to Nils, who was still stunned.

“It seems we have the same goal.”

We’ll talk about that later. For now, all we have to do is row!

The makeshift fleet, including Nils, began to paddle down the canal. Calls echoed through the darkness of the night. Our speed rapidly increased.

I looked ahead and shouted.

“The enemy is moving fast!”

The warship was large. I thought we wouldn’t lose sight of it, but the night mist that hung over the lake gradually began to obscure its shape. I oared desperately, trying not to lose out to the tall people. But the agile enemy ship seemed to mock me.

“We’ve come this far…!”

My short sword trembled. The blade of blue crystal short sword glowed emerald-green.

“Wake up!”

The skill I instinctively called upon brought an incredible effect— after all, this little one is a spirit of wind.

“Whoa!?”

A strong tailwind suddenly surged against our sails, propelling the boat forward with a burst of speed. Mia-san and the others nearly pitched forward from the force.

When I glanced back, I saw it— a faintly glowing, greenish dog sprinting across the surface of the water.

“Woof!”

More wind rushed in. Felix-san raised his voice—

“Raise the sail!”

The canvas stretched wide against the night sky, swelling with the breath of the wind spirit, Sylph. With the oars and the blessing of the wind together, our speed surged.

The fleeing warship ahead of us began to grow larger—closer.

“W-what the hell’s going on!?”

“We can’t shake them off!”

Their curses drifted back to us across the water.

『Haha, this is splendid!』

『Normally, water spirits like undine handle such things but——』

『Wind serves just as well. Water and wind both nurture life so they go well together.』

The gods smiles at the excitement.

Thus the speed issue has been resolved.

“You…”

Breathing hard, Nils looked at me. His expression caught somewhere between astonishment and disbelief.

“W-who are you really?”

By now, we didn’t even need to row anymore. The wind alone was enough to keep us right on the enemy’s tail.

Felix gave me a subtle look.

If we caught up too soon, we’d lose the chance to “let them lead us to their base.” So, we stopped rowing on purpose and let the wind carry us forward.

“…My name is Rion. I’m with the Raven Warriors.”

Then I added, firmly.

“Just like you, I’m after the slave traders. My sister’s been targeted by them too.”

Neither Felix-san nor Mia-san stopped me from introducing myself. Well, if we were going to exchange information here, hiding who we were wasn’t an option.

Nils’s eyes widened. His gaze shifted to the two raven emblem on our cloaks, and after a moment, he gave a firm, thoughtful nod.

“…I see. So, two hunting dogs have sunk their teeth into the same prey at the same time, huh.”

His face was smudged with the soot of travel, yet even so, his features were strikingly handsome. Beneath the sweep of his golden hair, his expression softened for a brief moment.

“Looks like we’re a temporary party, then.”

At that, Felix-san spoke up.

“Tell us what you can. Were you already aware of this slave deal as well?”

“Yeah”

Nils replied.

I saw Felix-san’s narrow eyes widen slightly.

“I came to Flocia because I was told that the slave traders had a base here. There are people who pass information to me—reliable ones.”

That… then it means his network might be on par with, or even greater than, the Raven Warriors.

Considering he was once a noble, maybe he had special connections of his own.

“I also received word that a trade would be happening soon on the western side of the city. Tonight was only supposed to be a quick reconnaissance.”

Something about that made me pause.

Wait a second—this side is…

“This is the east side, right?”

I asked.

“Yes” Felix-san confirmed.

I discussed with Felix-san.

If he was searching to the east, how did he manage to meet up with us on the other side of town?

Nils lowered his eyes, fiddling with the sword at his waist.

“I got lost.”

The lake breeze blew through the boat.

“…It’s always been like this. I came to Flocia by river, and I couldn’t have gotten lost if I was on the river. I thought I was searching west, but I see, I was in the east.”

Mia-san’s mouth twitched.

“You’re an adventurer, right? H-how’s your dungeon dive doing?”

“I hardly ever go in. Actually, I only became an adventurer six months after my sister was kidnapped.”

We exchanged uneasy glances.

Is this really okay…? He seemed like such a reliable ally, but the more I heard, the more nervous I was getting!

“Look—there!”

One of the warriors pointed ahead.

Through the thin mist, faint torchlights began to flicker into view.

My voice trembled.

“…That’s the slave traders’ base in this city…?”

What we saw was nothing like the peaceful scene from the daytime.

Torches burned here and there, but the island itself—shrouded in darkness and fog—looked eerie, almost alive. The longship cut straight toward it without hesitation—toward that place.

Toward the Dungeon Island.

Felix-san set his staff against the deck, his expression hardening.

“They’ve realized they can’t win on open water. They’re gambling everything on escaping inside the dungeon. Which means—”

I swallowed hard.

The Flocia dungeon lay on an island in the middle of the lake.

“Their base… is inside the dungeon?”

“Most likely. If there’s an undiscovered exit within the dungeon, they could use it to shake off any pursuit.”

The Dungeon Island is in chaos now. Guards were visible along the shore, but they were trained to face monsters, not enemy warships. No one had expected an assault from the lake. The enemy vessel steered straight for a dark, gaping cavern ahead—the island’s dock, the entrance to the dungeon itself.

“Let’s go after them!”

And so, under the shroud of night, we turned our prow toward the dungeon.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Apparently, the slave traders’ transaction would take place east of the city. In the abundant city, Flocia, if the port, bustling with people and goods, is its light, then the east is its shadow. Like the eastern part of the royal capital, it was a slum where the poor live.

We gathered members of the warrior corps and set up an ambush at the designated location.

It is now completely dark.

“I never thought we’d get this kind of information on the first day.”

Mia-san reached out from under her cloak and adjusted the hood that she had pulled down over her eyes.

Felix-san, dressed in the same attire, responded,

“Thanks to you, we were able to get ahead of them. I take credit for that, Rion.”

Nodding in response, I looked down over the vacant lot below.

Thanks to the advance intel, we were able to wait here for the slave traders’ exchange to begin. The warrior corps had split into teams of three or four, each taking positions on rooftops with good vantage points. My own team consisted of Mia-san, Felix-san, and me.

The appointed time is now drawing near.

Even at night, southern Flocia is astonishingly warm. The air is so still, so silent, that it made me uneasy.

I leaned toward Felix-san and whispered,

“…They must have realized by now that the river bandits meant to come here aren’t showing up. Do you think they’ll cancel the deal or move it somewhere else?”

“I doubt it. Their network is complex but that also means that they can’t easily change plans at the last moment. The first to notice anything would be their contact at the trading house. But we’ve already taken care of him.”

Currently, we are overlooking an abandoned workshop’s yard. Beyond the stone wall, a canal flowed by. The faint sound of splashing water echoed through the night.

Before long, two carriages arrived. 

About ten people got out in total. A magic stone lantern was set down in the middle of the vacant lot, its pale blue glow dimly illuminating the surroundings. Men armed with axes and swords split into two groups of about five each, taking their positions.

As we watched, one of the carriage doors opened. Three people were dragged out. They were all bound and gagged. Even from here, I could see the handcuffs glinting faintly in the blue light.

“How terrible….”

The words slipped out before I could stop myself. But this is what it means to fall into the hands of the slave traders.

“…Rion, calm yourself.”

Felix-san whispered softly.

Our warrior corps cloaks blended into the darkness so we wouldn’t be noticed, even if we shifted slightly. And once the fight starts, our matching cloaks would also serve to help distinguish friend from foe in the chaos.

“The slave trade in Flocia has always been a mystery. To bring slaves into the city, they’d have to pass through either the city gates or the harbor. But there’s no way a group of bound and gagged people could get through inspection unnoticed.”

I tightened my jaw.

Don’t rush it. I told myself.

Felix-san’s calm voice reminded me just how valuable this moment was.

“That’s why just like the hidden tunnels beneath Alvis, there must be some secret route known only to them. If we can witness this exchange, we’ll uncover it. That alone would be a major breakthrough.”

A chill crept up the back of my neck.

We were finally close—close to the slave traders, to Ymir and the truth behind them.

“Shh”, Mia-san whispered.

“It’s starting.”

From the darkness, a man stepped forward, he clutched a ledger in his thin hands. His cheeks were hollow, and from beneath a brown cloak, a gaunt face is exposed. When he flicked the staff he carried, the dim light caught his sharp eyes as he stared at one of the pirate groups.

Judging from his presence alone, he had to be the overseer of the exchange.

One of the river bandits spoke, “Several are missing…”

“They were captured.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd at the overseer’s curt reply.

“Never mind. Let’s start. As promised, I’ll tell you about the escape route.”

He gave his staff another faint shake, glancing briefly toward the canal.

There were two groups of bandits—five men each. One side hefted a heavy-looking sack and handed it to the other. The men peeked inside, and they quickly made greedy grins. It’s clearly filled with money.

In exchange, the three bound captives were dragged forward and handed over.

—These guys… they’ve got some rare skills.

—This city’s our hunting ground.

—That global message pulled in every greenhorn for miles.

—As if any of them could ever become “heroes,” huh?

Those voices inevitably reached my enhanced ears.

I met Mia-san’s gaze.

“Rion!”

“Yes!”

We exchanged a glance—and leapt down from the rooftop.

I drew in a deep breath and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Stop right there!”

More than ten men turned toward me at once, their gazes slamming into me like a wall of pressure. In one swift motion, I drew my short sword.

“We’re with the Raven Warrior Corps! Surrender quietly!”

A ripple of panic spread through the enemy ranks. I could also feel their composure slipping.

The overseer clicked his tongue.

“Fireball!”

He hurled a blast of flame toward the mana lamp. The crystal shattered, scattering burning fragments in every direction. Thick, black smoke billowed out—

A smokescreen!

『Over there!』

The coin in my pocket trembled, and Solana’s voice rang out.

『The wall! They’re climbing the wall!』

Shoving the captured slaves aside, the bandits scrambled up the retaining wall that surrounded the abandoned workshop.

Wait, that’s—

“Head for the canal!”

As if mocking Mia’s shout, the slave traders leapt over the wall to the other side. We grabbed onto the wall and vaulted after them.

“Hehe! Just like we predicted!”

Mia-san flashed a grin, her sharp canine teeth catching the moonlight.

Down by the embankment, the men had stopped running.

Of course. The earlier panic had been nothing but an act. Three patrol boats were already waiting on the water, blocking their escape. The guards had them trapped—us behind, soldiers ahead.

“Thank goodness—”

The words had barely left my mouth when a scream tore through the night.

Under the pale moon, the surface of the canal bulged— and then a massive vessel loomed out of the darkness. It is heading straight down on the smaller patrol boats.

Mia-san’s jaw dropped.

“A longship!?”

At the prow of the warship, a dragon’s head was carved in menacing detail—its fanged maw seeming to roar at the night.

With a thunderous crash, the vessel slammed into the patrol boats, splintering them like toys. Had the guards been a heartbeat slower, they’d have been hurled into the water—or worse.

The slaver traders clambered aboard the oncoming warship and pushed off from the bank. The longship had to be at least ten meters long—massive compared to the small boats it crushed beneath its hull.

Those who couldn’t fit aboard seized what remained of the undamaged patrol boats and followed behind the Longship.

“Row!!!!”

At the overseer’s roar, oars struck the water in perfect rhythm. The boat was about to sail away from the side of the workshop!

We immediately sprint along the canal path, rushing after the escaping vessel.

“Wait, didn’t they have a bigger ship?”

Mia-san shouted, glancing back at the guards being pulled from the water.

“The canal’s wide. Neither the warriors nor the city guards could cover every route. And besides…”

Felix-san grimaced.

“The fact that they had a warship ready means the Eastern Shipping Bureau’s in league with the slave traders. In the capital and in Alvis, they courted the nobles. But in a merchant city like this, they’ve wormed their way into trade guilds and the shipping offices. How thorough of them.”

“Now’s not the time to praise them!”

Mia-san snapped.

The cobblestone path along the canal was uneven, fitting for the city’s poorer quarter.

From the gold coin in my pocket, Solana’s voice rang out.

『There is still a chance. We just have to catch that ship, right?』

“Exactly! If we do, we’ll find out where their base is too!”

We sprinted along the canal, chasing after the fleeing slavers.

The oars beat the water like wings, smooth and powerful—clearly, the river bandits knew how to handle a boat.

“We’re not letting them get away, right?”

Mia-san called out.

“I’m worried. At this rate…”

Soon enough, the canal would open up into a wide body of water.

Once that happened, the lake would be just ahead—if they reached it, we’d lose them.

“Felix-san!”

“We’re joining the pursuit!”

The raven warriors caught up from behind. Felix-san raised a silver whistle to his lips and blew a sharp signal, then traced glowing runes in the air. A surge of cold magic rushed toward the canal.

—It was an ice spell.

“Ice Edge!”

Frost burst forward, racing toward the fleeing ships. But the enemy’s mage—the gaunt overseer—countered with a wave of fire.

The clashing elements roared against each other, steam billowing skyward. The freezing spell lost its force, and before the ice could seal the canal, the two vessels slipped through the narrow gap between frost and wall.

『Rion, shall we intervene?』

Solana’s divine voice echoed in my mind.

But even gods have limits—she had fought for us just two nights ago, and tomorrow we’d be entering the dungeon of Flocia.

As I hesitated, the ships broke free into the wider channel.

“Haha! Farewell, then!”

The moment the overseer spoke, a shadow leaped into the night sky. It seemed to have jumped from a building along the canal. It landed on the back of the two fleeing boats. Amidst the spray of water, the shadow’s blade flashed in the blink of an eye.

Blonde hair fluttered in the night sky.

“Nils…?”

It was Nils—the swordsman who said he was pursuing the slave traders.

“Y-you guys…”

Our gazes met.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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