Category: Homeless Tensei: Isekai De Jiyuu Sugiru Majutsu Jisoku Seikatsu

Moore leads me to the basement of the royal castle. We went down a long spiral staircase and then he opened a wooden door.

“Hoh-, this is some kind of a cellar huh.”

“This way.”

Beyond the door is a large room with walls and ceiling covered with ice. The floor is filled with white cold air, and vegetables and meat are placed throughout the room. Moore didn’t even bother looking at it and continued to lead me to the far end of the room.

“This is it.”

In a strangely open space, it was placed in the farthest back of the large room. No, it would be more accurate to say that someone was there. I was speechless for a moment seeing what he wanted me to see. 

A woman was inside a rectangular piece of ice. Her appearance is not flatteringly beautiful, but she is somehow charming and strangely enough, something about her made me feel at ease. She is dressed in white and lies with her hands folded on her chest, as if asleep. However, I was more drawn to the frozen person holding her in his arms. He was an old man in a white robe, Moore, the Great Mage.

“This is my main body.”

“Still alive?”

“No. Already dead.”

“…………”

I was speechless. Yes, he certainly said that the main body is at the bottom floor, but he didn’t say he was alive. 

Moore sits down on the floor and lovingly strokes the ice. I also sat down on the floor to listen to the story.

“This is my first wife, Maria.”

“She look kind.”

“Mmmm. She was famous for being extremely good-natured. She was always carefree and no matter where I was or what I did, she would smile at me and forgave me. She was the best woman. Too good for such a worst husband like me.”

Out of nowhere, he brings out two glasses and a bottle of liquor. The label on the bottle was so tattered that I couldn’t even tell what was written on it. I knew right away that it was quite old. He poured a glass of liquor and held it out to me.

“How about a drink?”

“Thanks”

When I took a sip, the moderate sweetness spread in my mouth yet a strong scent pierced my nose. It’s a truly delicious drink that I can’t put into words.

“You already know my purpose, but you don’t know who I am or how I’ve lived.”

“Well, that’s right. That is why I want to ask, who are you really?”

Moore grinned at me. He had given me a clear hint. He knew I would take the bait.

Clink.

Placing his glass on the floor, he straightens his posture.

“Let me introduce myself again, my name is Moore Shigemoto. The man who was once called the Great Mage.”

Shigemoto…… Shige moto…… Huh?

I had a vague feeling that was the case. He is probably the child of Shigemoto Heiji, my closest friend.

“My father told me a lot about you that I was sick of it you see. Well, he said that he used to live in a foreign country called Japan, and that something strange struck Tokyo leading him to end up here.”

“Did Shige-san know that I would be reincarnated in this world?”

“I think he saw it as a possibility. I remember him saying that he wouldn’t believe that he would be the only one who was reincarnated. Thanks to that, my father took me around the world.”

Moore pulls out an old notebook from the subspace on his right. He held it out to me.

“This is?”

“Heiji Shigemoto—my father’s diary. Well, he said that if I ever met a man named Shinichi Tanaka, I should give it to him.”

I took it and carefully flip the page. I think it’s important to read this to get to know Moore better.

『I’m Heiji Shigemoto. I was born and raised in Japan. Ah no, in this case, I should say that I was born in another world and raised in Japan. In any case, I should say that I have been reincarnated in another world. To be honest, I’m still a little confused.』

The characters were written in Japanese. I turned the next page.

『I was born as the third son of a servant couple who worked for a nobleman. The eldest son was good, so he worked in the nobleman’s family. The second son became an adventurer because he was competitive and strong. Thanks to that, my house is relatively wealthy. I am able to keep a diary in this way thanks to my parents and siblings. I want to give something back, but right now, I’m too young so I can only rely on them. Well, it’s kind of frustrating. 』

When I turned the page, the date has skipped. It seems like a year has passed since the last time he wrote on the diary.

『It seems that I have the talent of a mage. And thanks to the lord, he has allowed me to study magic with his son. Both my parents and my two older brothers are delighted. I think this will allow me to return the favor.』

The next page is a month later.

『I was beaten by the lord’s son. It seems that I was more talented at magic than he was. Thanks to that, he was jealous. I’m going to keep a low profile from now on. 』

The next page skipped a few years.

『There is a sad event, my brother, who is an adventurer, died. This world is too full of dangers. I don’t think I’ll be able to write anything more today. 』

The next page seems to be a few days later.

『I have become a servant of the lord’s son, and my parents and brother are happy with the increase in salary.』

The next one was a few years later.

『Young master’s swordsmanship has been recognized and he was given a position. I decided to accompany him to provide support. From today on, I’m a soldier.』

From there, he continued to work as a soldier for a while. It seems that the lord’s son and the others have joined the elite group of the military.

『Young master has been wounded, and there is no one in the squad who can use healing magic, including me. It’s a very tough situation. Still, as a former doctor, I managed to do the best I could. I pray that he will survive. 』

On the next page, it was written that the lord’s son survived. Thanks to this, Shige-san was deeply appreciated by the lord’s son. Looks like the kingdom at that time was in a state of civil war. Some lords revolted and fought fiercely with the king’s camp. It is written that the lord’s son is steadily achieving success on the side of the king.

On the next page, my name finally appears.

『I’m now 25 years old. I still remember it in my dreams from time to time. The strange events that happened in Tokyo and Shinichi’s death. I saw him get killed that day just before I lost consciousness. I’m sure he is also reincarnated in this world. I can’t help but feel that way.』

On the next page, the name of the lord’s son is revealed.

『At last, Pedro-sama has defeated all the anti-royal forces, and now the bloody war is over, and the world is peaceful. Rumor has it that His Majesty will create a new title for him, it said that he will be called “Hero”. This will keep the Rodman family safe. 』

I looked up from the diary and looked at Moore.

“Was Shige-san Pedro’s servant?”

“Apparently, yes. By the time I was old enough to understand, my father had already been traveling around the kingdom as an adventurer. I only found out he was Pedro’s servant after he died.”

I opened the next page.

『Pedro-sama has given me a fiefdom and the title of baron. However, as there is something I have always wanted to do, I passed it all to my eldest brother. This should be enough to return the favor. I decided to ask for a leave from Pedro-sama and decided to go on a journey. I’m ready.』

I see. Then from here, he will start to move from place to place huh.

『I fell in love with a girl I met in a certain village. She is somewhat similar to my wife in the previous life who died and left me behind. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way, and I don’t know how to treat it. It’s going to be a sleepless night for a while. 』

From there, it was all about the girl for a while. It seems that he stayed in that village for quite a long time. His daily state of mind is written in detail, and I am embarrassed to read it. The diary of the day he married his wife is very festive.

『My son has been born. I’m naming him Moore. It means “to live strong and long” in the old village language. He doesn’t need to be a great man, all I want is that he live a long and healthy life.』

Shige-san’s feelings at that time was conveyed through the diary. It must have been because he was separated from his wife and children by death that he longed for it.

On the next page, time flew by several years.

『Moore is now six years old, and I think it’s time to start traveling again. I’m going to find Shinichi somewhere in this world. He’s like a son to me so I can’t leave him alone. I have to find him…….』

Did Shige-san think about me that way?

I didn’t know until I read this.

『Moore is a magic genius. Who knows, maybe this kid will change the world. I’m going to pass on all the knowledge and skills I have to him. 』

Moore’s intelligence is described in detail. I don’t want to call him a over doting father, but he’s elation about his son is a little shocking. Even so, I could see that he was spending a happy time traveling with his wife and child.

From there, it was all about Moore. Forty years have passed since the first page, and suddenly, the content changes.

『I can’t find Shinichi. I thought he was reincarnated in this world, but is that assumption wrong? However, I think it’s strange that he, who died at about the same time and place as me, is not reincarnated here. Perhaps the difference of just a few seconds before death has a big impact on reincarnation. If so, he could be born after I die. 』

Shige-san continued to search for me while adding his own interpretation. In reality, Naoki’s forceful reincarnation caused our time frame to be separated. However, he had no way of knowing such a thing, and it seemed that it had continued to trouble him.

From there, Moore’s exploits were written again, and a certain page caught my eye.

『My son is going to marry his childhood friend, Maria. To be honest, I’m worried. Moore is quite talented as a mage and adventurer, but as a man, he’s shockingly airheaded. As a father, I feel really sorry for her because she’s going to have to go through a lot of pain.』

Moore seems to have been quite popular to woman huh. Well, if it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t have twelve wives. Shige-san must have mixed feelings about it.

Glancing at Moore, he blatantly looks away. Apparently, he is also remorseful.

『Sure enough, Moore cheated on her. I apologized to Maria many times. She just laughed it off saying, ‘Moore is kind, so it can’t be helped.’ What a strong child she is! I’m sure my son will regret it when he lost that great love. 』

Shige-san seemed to already have a vision of the future. I wonder what he would say if he saw Moore now. I wonder if he would get angry, reprimand him saying, “I told you so!”

The next page is several decades later.

『I contracted an epidemic. It seem that I don’t have much time left. Here are my final words. I decided to entrust to my son, Moore, the search for Shinichi. Now that he is called the Great Mage, he will surely fulfill it. That’s my only regret now. Oh, I wanted to at least get that massage again. Shinichi was so good at it……』

The diary ended there.

I snapped it shut and held out the diary to Moore. But he shook his head and refused to accept it.

“So to speak, it is my father’s soul. It is something that you, a friend from his previous life should receive. I’m sure my father would have wished for that.”

“But, isn’t this something that connects you and Shige-san…….?”

“It’s fine. I’ve read enough of it over the last thousand years.”

He gulped down the glass of liqour and exhaled deeply.

“Maria died of the same epidemic as my father. Until then, I had been arrogant. Feeling the pleasure of being praised as the Great Mage, I was happy to get money and woman as I wanted. I forgot my promise to my father, even more, I didn’t realize Maria’s love. I was simply covered in ugly greed.”

He pours liquor into his glass.

“When she died, I was in the company of a woman in our other home. I had been living there for months without returning to the main house. I didn’t even know that Maria had caught an epidemic. You may think I was a fool. I agree. I am also disgusted that I was even known as the Great Mage.”

Moore must have felt deep regret. Even as he spoke, the muscles on his face were trembling. I understood his painful feelings so I couldn’t look at him directly.

“That’s when I finally really understood what love was, and I realized that I had been kept alive by her all along.”

“So that is why you’re trying to bring her back to life?”

“I knew it was foolish, but knowing that my father had been reincarnated, I thought it was not impossible to bring a person back to this world.”

After losing Maria, he traveled the world in search of the way to revive the dead. At the same time, he was also looking for me. He thought that if I was a reincarnation like his father, he might be able to get a hint to bring her back to life. He continued on that journey and eventually met the God Tree.

“I gave up everything to get to the bottom of the dungeon, my family, my children, my friends, my status, my honor. Thanks to that, I finally found a way to revive Maria.”

He made a deal with the Demon King Eva and was ordered to bring back a human who can break the barrier. However, by then, Moore was exhausted. After several years of long and arduous travel, he traversed the Great Dungeon. He had reached his physical and mental limit, and finally held Maria there and ran out of strength.

“I was created on the verge of his death.”

“That is why even if the main body died, you could still exist huh.”

“This is a skill called ‘Pseudo-Body’ that I acquired during my dive in the Great Dungeon. Right now, I have no soul and I’m just a doll with memories. I took on the main body’s appearance before he died and I don’t grow physically.”

After becoming Eva’s subordinate, he returned to the surface and continued to search for the being who would break the barrier. As a result, he finally met me after a long and mind-boggling time.

“I couldn’t believe my ears when God Tree-sama asked me to guide a man named Shinichi Tanaka because it was the same Shinichi Tanaka my father was looking for. Then I realized. It was all part of a great flow to lead you here.”

“You mean, it is fate that Shige-san was sent ahead of time, that Maria died, and that you were asked to guide us?”

“Yes. It makes so much sense that I’m already satisfied.”

Moore’s body began to glow and disappear.

“H-hey!? What are you doing!?”

“I wanted to tell Maria that I loved her. No matter how much she punched or kicked me, I wanted to keep apologizing. I also wanted to say thank you.”

“Wait! Didn’t you want to revive Maria!?”

“I knew from the beginning how stupid and arrogant that was. But I kept struggling, unable to accept reality. Making excuses that it was for Maria’s sake even though I knew she didn’t want that.”

A large part of his body was gone. All that’s left is from the chest up.

“Oh yes, I forgot to mention something. That the elf lady deserves to be recognized as my successor. As a proof to that, I intend to give her the robe that the main body is wearing and the Staff of the Wind God. Please give them to her.”

“I understand.”

“I’m glad I was able to meet you for the last time. Well, I regret a little that I should have gone after getting the massage my father had talked about. Also, if you ever meet my descendants, I want you to help them, for they seemed to have fallen into ruin.”

“Okay.”

With a smile on his face, he turns into a particle of light and disappears completely.

All that is left there was his glass.

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

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The carriage crossed a stone bridge over the Red River and entered the city. The view from the window was not so different from the city on the surface. Many of them are smiling as they shop.

“It’s peaceful.”

“Yes. People live relatively peacefully in this royal capital.”

“Are you saying that there are places that is not like this?”

“Unfortunately, even though we are all demons, that doesn’t mean we all get along.”

Humans and demons don’t seem to be much different when it comes to that area. Suddenly, I saw a large amount of food being sold in what seemed to be a market we are passing by.

“I’d like to go buy some ingredients from the Demon Realm.”

“I will show you around the city properly after an audience with Her Majesty the Queen, so please bear with me for now.”

Well, I guess it can’t be helped. It’s quite bothersome, but I’ll put up with it.

“By the way, does your queen know what we came here for?”

“Of course. It’s to obtain the proof and becoming the next God of Destruction.”

“What do you think about that?”

“This is just my personal opinion, but I think I can accept any kind of God as long as I continue to live my current life. Well, I suppose I can say this because I have never met the Lord in person.”

Arim was born and raised here. The God of Destruction had long been sealed away by the time he came of age, thus to this day, he has remained so without the loyalty of a subordinate. The number of those who experienced the battle with the gods has dwindled, and the power of the God of Destruction has only been passed down to them like a legend. That is how much of an awful time they have spent here.

“The blood of the Demon Clan is slowly and surely fading, and we no longer have much power from when the demons fight against the gods.”

When I looked out the window, I saw a family that looked like a human. 

Are they descendants of those who once made it this far?

“Did you take in the adventurers who made it to the bottom level?”

“Yes. If you trace the bloodline of us vampires back to Her Majesty, it naturally becomes thicker. That’s why when adventurers show up, we treat them with great hospitality, make them have families here and make sure they don’t leave.”

“Is it okay for you to tell me such things?”

“It’s a well-known fact. We tell that to everyone who comes here.”

It is said that humans who come here are given special rights. They can receive a large amount of support from the government. They are also free to choose as many partners as they like as long as they are not married. They can also return to the surface whenever they want.

However, there are two conditions attached if they want to go back to the surface. First is that they shouldn’t tell anyone anything about the bottom floor. Secondly, they need to bring a new person with them every time they come back.

This is why Moore had told us beforehand not to talk about the bottom floor huh.

“But, why shouldn’t you tell anyone?”

“Fufufu, it would inspire the spirit of adventure that way, right? Moreover, if they know beforehand that there are demons and demon kings at the end of the dungeon, no one will come.”

In other words, by deliberately keeping it a secret, they are luring adventurers to go to the bottom floor. Plus, even if they did tell, no one would believe that there is an underground world here.

While we were talking, the carriage came to the black royal castle in the center of the city. After passing through the sturdy, luxurious gate, we arrived at the main entrance which is decorated with a solemn statue of a demon.

A knight who had been guarding there opened the door. Arim and Moore stepped out first.

“What a grand presence worthy of a Demon King’s residence huh.”

It is a castle with an atmosphere of facing a final boss. It’s intimidating just being here. In addition, there was a strange feeling from the top of the castle. There is something incomprehensible there for sure.

“Ugh-, my shoulders get stiff from sitting for a long time.”

“I agree. My chest feels heavy right away too.”

“Why would you tell such a lie? Putting on an unnecessary front will only lead to self-loathing later on.”

“Please stop it Freya-san. Liz-san is doing her best even in that way to fight back.”

My comrades also got out of the other carriage. They are whiny and noisy wherever they go. But strangely enough, that makes me feel at ease.

“Well then, I will escort the Savior to Her Majesty.”

Arim bowed and lead the way.

　◇◇◇

Inside the castle, the floors and walls were all black. The air is cool and smells like burning incense. Yet, it evokes a solemn and tense atmosphere. It’s like coming to a big museum.

Occasionally, I saw paintings and statues that looked like works of art, but they were all difficult to understand and look like they were made at random. It’s like the first time you see a Picasso painting.

“This must have been painted by a very skilled painter. I can feel the emotion in the painting.”

“Pero-sama seems to have a good eye. This painting is called, ‘Ah, my flesh’. It’s the last masterpiece that a rare genius painted.”

The painting was painted with black oil paint on a white background. To an untrained eye, it will be impossible to connect the picture and the title together. But my son seems to understand. Arim also talked about the beauty of the painting with a smile. Well, Art is hard.

After that, I parted ways with Erna and the others. I was led to a large room that looked like an audience room. Sitting on the throne was a woman. She had long, glossy raven-colored hair that reflects light. A bewitching and beautiful appearance and such crimson eyes that awe and fascinate the viewer. She is wearing an armor that is lavishly decorated with gold and she had a black clothing with an unusually small amount of fabric making her figure all the more eye-catching. Having expected her to look like Eva, I was completely let down, I guess. The queen was a mature woman that exudes intense sex appeal.

“Her Majesty, I have brought the savior.”

“Understood. You may now step back.”

“Yes.”

Arim bows to the queen and leaves the room. The queen then turned her gaze to Moore, who was on one knee while bowing his head.

“Well done. I’m glad you have accomplished it and came back. This time, I will fulfill your wish.”

“Thank you very much. My thousand-year of hard work will finally pay off.”

“Alright, alright. Then….…”

Her gaze catches mine. For some reason, the queen went silent as she observed me. Perhaps she is looking at my status with some kind of analysis skill.

If so, I’ll also take a peek.

[Analysis result: Eva Kreis: One of the Four Demon Kings who bind the vampire clan. A loyal subordinate of the God of Destruction. Eternal Queen of the Kingdom of Bloodfall. Rarity: SSG, Overall Ability: SSG]

[Status] Name: Eva Kreis Race: Crown Vampire Magic Attributes: Wind, Darkness, Evil Magic: ― Skills: Eyes of Truth, Spatial Teleportation, Blood Manipulation, Soul Interference Evolution: ―

She has less skill than I thought. Instead, it somehow conveys that she is very powerful. In addition, the rarity and ability are the same, both are SSG. G is probably the G in GOD. If that’s the case, she should be superior to the first-class angel I fought.

“You seem to be acquainted with my clone. And in addition, there is Eugrapia working behind the scenes. I guess what I was worried about has finally happened outside.”

The queen mumbles as she looked past me and stared blankly. Since the conversation isn’t progressing, I decide to start the conversation myself.

“I’m Shinichi Tanaka. I’m sure you already know, but I’m here to receive the proof of the God of Destruction.”

“I know that. However, I have one question for you. Why do you seek the proof of my Lord? Is it because the world is in crisis? Or is it because you want to save your son? Or is it to save Earth, which is your home?”

I answered her question right away.

“It’s for my own sake. Right now, I need power to make everything you have said come true.”

“I see. That’s a very arrogant and satisfying answer.”

The queen rose from her throne and walks over to me. Then, she looked at me intently with her big eyes.

“As expected of someone recognized by my Lord.”

“W-what are you talking about….?”

She grabbed my arm and looked at the bangle I was wearing.

“The robe and this bangle contain the will of the God of Destruction, and it is designed so that only the true owner can wear it at the same time.”

“So these belong to the God of Destruction?”

“Yes, before he was sealed away, he threw three tools to the surface to help him escape from this prison.”

Three? If so, is there another tool?

The queen continues.

“The fact that the two of them have gathered in one place means that the Lord has recognized you as the next God of Destruction. At last, his wish has finally come true.”

“W-wait. Sorry, I can’t keep up with the story because you’re jumping too far ahead. Please explain it properly.”

“He had long desired a successor. He always said that he wanted to be freed from the role of the God of Destruction. However, no one showed up who met the requirements.”

She sits back on the throne again and crosses her legs.

“Of course that was expected. The God of Destruction is an entity shunned by other gods. He is the ultimate judge who judges gods who have committed crimes and destroys foolish intelligent life. Therefore, a spirit of solitude and compassion that does not favor either the Gods or non-God is essential. But is there really someone like that? God is kind to his own race. And when it comes to humans, they are simply handed down to the gods. That person was already exhausted you see.”

So, to sum it up, the God of Destruction wanted to give his proof to someone else. But there was no one who deserved it. And that’s when I arrived bearing two of the three tools that can only be worn simultaneously by the God of Destruction himself, or someone with the qualities to be his successor. The conclusion I could draw was that the moment I put on the bangle, I was destined to become the God of Destruction.

“A-Anyway, if that’s the case, then it’s easy. I want to be the God of Destruction.”

“I would also love for you to fulfill my Lord’s wish.”

“It’s just…… “, the queen added and her expression turning solemn. “The other Demon Kings will be against it. They will not allow the Lord to cease to be the God of Destruction.”

“What would happen if I meet up with the another Demon Kings?”

“You will be used as the key to free the Lord and will be killed afterwards for sure.”

It seems that in order to break the seal that sealed the God of Destruction, there are other conditions besides being human. Otherwise, they would have released him a long time ago. All in all, I seem to meet that condition. That’s why both Eugrapia and Naoki sent me out. Even the queen speak like that.

“However, the Lord’s seal is not in my territory, and either way, we will have to persuade the other Demon Kings.”

“So that means that I have no choice but to meet them, knowing such risk huh.”

The queen nods silently. We’ve finally come this far, and there’s no way I’m going to dismiss it now.

“I understand. Please make arrangements for me to meet up with the other Demon Kings.”

“Understood. You can take it easy in our kingdom until then.”

After the audience with the Queen, I and Moore leave the room.

“She’s more like a Demon God than a Demon King huh.”

“Did you see her status? She is someone in the realm of the gods that we can’t tread. Moreover, the queen is someone at the top of the list. Her very existence is on a very different level.”

I found out when I met her in person. It’s true that she’s different. This is just an analogy, but let’s say if Eugrapia and Naoki are humans, then they are dragons.

In fact, my hand has not stopped shaking since earlier. It was as if my instincts, even my soul, were in fear. 

I suddenly stopped in the middle of the cross-sectional aisle.

“By the way, Moore, can you tell me who are you?”

“…………Hmm”

He also stopped, turns around and strokes his beard. He seemed to understand the meaning of my question.

“Well, I also thought it was time to tell you.”

He mutters and nods his head.

He then said, “I have something I want to show you” and then he led me to a certain room.

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

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From the fiftieth floor onwards, it was an incomparably harsher place than before. However, the environment has not changed drastically. The strength of the magical beasts that came out jumped dramatically though. 

The passageway had many pit-like holes, exposing reddish-brown dirt. I unleashed a lightning strike there. The Death Ogre hiding in, collapsed and its body is burning. Its height is about 4 meters, had dark skin and a single horn growing from the forehead. This one is a high-ranking ogre. A monster that can fight dragons on an equal footing. Such monster was roaming here.

“Huff-, I want to get back to the surface soon. When will we get to the bottom?”

“Fufu, we’ll be there soon. I told you before that it wasn’t that deep.”

Erna and Moore are sitting, leaning against the wall. It’s been about three months since we set out, and the only time I’ve been in the dungeon for this long was when it was just me and Erna.

“Father, I think this is edible.”

“Mmm, let’s dry it and make it into a preserved food.”

“Tanaka-dono, the meat here is quite fatty and looks delicious.”

“It’s not bad. We’ll have it for lunch today.”

“…Okay.”

“Right. I need to remember to save the materials.”

The four of them discuss the part that can be eaten while dismantling it. Although I said that the magical beasts became stronger, it is still a miscellaneous fish for the current me. They are nowhere near the strength of the angels.

I grilled the meat we just caught. The meat of the Death Ogre was surprisingly fatty and delicious.

“Moore, on what level is our goal exactly is?”

“Ah? Fua-fu-fua”

“I can’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

Looks like I asked the question at a wrong timing. Then, suddenly I saw multiple reactions from my enemy search skill. I thought it was about time they come.

“Erna”

“I know.”

Standing up, Erna raises her wand and prepares for the horde coming from the inner part of the passage. Multiple footsteps were approaching. The first thing that appeared was an ant about a meter long. Gradually increasing in number, it began to cling to the walls and ceilings, covering them completely. 

The name of these magical beasts is Hell Ant. It is the highest level of the ant race. Their personality is extremely ferocious, and they try to prey on all the creatures they see. Its body is so hard that steel blades can bounce off. What is particularly troublesome is that they act in groups. They always move in groups of 10 or more, and if even one of them is killed, they emit a smell that warns the others of danger. When that happens, their companions will jump out of their burrows and rush in at once. On the surface, it is recognized as a disaster-class magical beast and is extremely dangerous.

“For the past three months, under the guidance of Moore-sama, I have stepped into new realm. Behold my powerful and unparalleled magic, Fairy Arrow!”

Countless shining silvery arrows appeared. In the Sacred Beast Defense Battle, it is the magic that defeated a Zazi. Now there is about 30 of them. The arrows fired without a sound, quickly piercing the ants one after another. Because of the tracking function, she never missed a single one. All that remained are the corpses of the ant, which has become a mountain.

“Your power is about to reach mine now. I’m sure you’ll surpass me soon.”

“You are being humble again. I am nowhere near as good as you Moore-sama.”

“…… I’m not as good as you.”

Moore straddled the ant, “Let’s hurry ahead.”

　◇◇◇

We reached the fifty-fourth level. At this point, there are few enemies, only the familiar stone passageways. The walls were furnished with faintly glowing blue crystals, and only a strange silence lay there.

“This feels weird.”

“Tanaka-dono, was there a reaction to the search?”

“None. It’s eerily empty of enemies.”

I glanced at Moore, but he just walks forward without saying anything. He said we would soon reach the bottom, maybe it is just around the corner.

“!?”

Suddenly, a reaction appeared in my search. But it wasn’t a hostile response. And there is only one. It is heading towards us without hesitation.

“Moore, something is getting closer to us.”

“Don’t worry, it’s probably a welcome.”

A welcome? Is it a subordinate of the God of Destruction who is at the bottom floor?

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be a good opportunity to find out what kind of person the other person is?

Clank. Clank. Clank.

The sound of footsteps is getting closer and closer. Then, around the corner, a man in black armor appeared. Pale skin with red eyes. His long, black hair was tied at the back of his head, and his bangs were neatly trimmed. He had such a handsome face that you could easily mistake him for a woman. He stopped in front of us, gets down on one knee and bows his head.

“We have been waiting for you, our savior.”

The man’s eyes clearly looked at me.

“Hey, Moore! What does he mean by savior!?”

“Calm down. He is just calling you that because you have broken the seal. There is nothing else to it.”

I can understand that they want to be grateful to me because they have been sealed for a long time, but it is just too embarrassing to be called a savior. I looked behind me and saw Erna and the others grinning at me.

“Shinichi is a savior huh.”

“I’m proud that Father is a savior.”

“It’s interesting that someone from Homeless is a savior.”

“God of Destruction and Savior…… That’s Novel.”

Kuu-, I…… my iron heart should not hurt no matter what is said. I didn’t expect that being called a savior would be so damaging.

“So, how did you know we are coming?”

“It is the power of my Queen. Even while sitting on the throne, she knows what kind of being has set foot on this land. Therefore, it is known that the Savior has broken the seal and has come here.”

I guess it’s like a reconnaissance skill. If that’s the case, it seems safe to assume that she knows why I came here. So far, there has been no sign of hostility from this man either. I could decide that there is no problem with following him them.

“Well then, I will take you to my Master.”

The man stood up and began to walk in front of us. For the time being, I looked at his status with my analysis skills, he appeared to be a vampire. Well, that made sense. Eva’s race was a vampire. Her subordinates are also determined to be vampires.

I asked a question that has been bothering me along the way.

“What’s ahead?”

“A nation of what you call monsters. Well, we call ourselves demons.”

“Demons huh……”

The generic term “monster” is only given by humans. It’s not surprising.

“Maybe everyone sees us, the ones underground, the same way as the ones in the surface.”

“Is there a difference?”

“Broadly speaking, we are the same. But in reality, there is a slight difference. We don’t desire for blood.”

“You don’t desire blood?”

His words caused a stir not only in me, but also in my comrades. It’s natural for vampires to want blood. Even Eva lives by drinking human blood. But the vampires here don’t ask for blood. It’s not a very believable story.

“Do you know the story of the gods who trapped us here?”

“I’ve heard the gist of it from the God Tree.”

“But did you know that the Creator God was against sealing us?”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

All I heard from the God Tree was only the general outline. I don’t know the details of how the Creator God felt and how the God of Destruction was defeated and sealed. However, I don’t see any connection between the fact that the vampires in the bottom level don’t want blood and what that has to do with the story. The man smiled and then held out the water bottle on his waist. When I opened the water bottle, I could smell the harsh smell of blood. Inside it was a thick red liquid like blood.

“It’s the water that springs up in our country.”

“Is there blood coming out of the ground?”

“Blood is a misnomer. So to speak, it’s the excrement of this giant sacred beast.”

He puts his hand on the wall and continued,

“When the Creator God sealed us in, he created an environment in which we could live without inconvenience, not just vampires. He gave the same amount to other demon races.”

“Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know the details because I didn’t live at that time, but maybe the Creator God had mercy on his brother, the God of Destruction, and his subordinates.”

I see, so that is why the vampires here underground can live without starving…… Hmm? Wait… Did he just say that the God of Destruction and the Creator God are brothers?

“Brother!? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, we’re almost at the stairs, I’ll explain that to you when we get there.”

The man dodged my question and led us to the stairs. We then went down the stairs that appeared to be the last.

“Oooh!!”

“This is the bottom level of the Great Dungeon!?”

At the end of the stairs, a strange sight unfolded before us. There, a vast purple meadow sway in the breeze. A brilliant crimson full moon shines in the sky. And there are also lights that are twinkling faintly like a star.

—Then, I immediately noticed that something is wrong. The ground is gently distorting, and we are taken inside.

“Don’t tell me….this is…”

“Yes, as you can imagine, it is a spherical space.”

Yes, we are inside a huge sphere. I didn’t know there was such a place in the bottom of the Great Dungeon.

“Then, those lights that shines like a star are coming from people?”

“Yes, there is no such thing as a starry sky here.”

I’m speechless. I’ve seen a lot of things since I was reincarnated, but this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this. I had heard urban legends about the existence of an underground world on Earth, but I didn’t know that I would actually see it in another world.

“Uwaa! What kind of creature is this!?”

There was a dark green creature that looked like a ball at Erna’s feet. It was about 30 centimeters in size and had only one large eye. Tentacles grow all around it, and some of the long tentacles are dexterously used like limbs.

“It’s a pet animal that is loved in the Demon Realm. It is called Nyoropi and has a friendly personality.”

“Hehe… this is a pet here huh……”

The man crouches down and holds out his hand, then Nyoropi approaches his hand and rubs it with its tentacles. I secretly wondered what it tasted like.

“Sorry to keep on asking, but what is the Demon Realm?”

“That’s the name we gave this place. If we don’t have a name for it, it’s kind of inconvenient you see.”

He smiles wryly when he answered Freya’s question. Since it’s the place for demons, it can be said to be a world of demons indeed. Thinking about it, it made sense.

“I’m late to introduce myself, but I’m Arim Ferm, the eldest son of the Duke of Ferm. I will take care of the Savior and his party. Please to be your acquaintance from here on.”

“I’m Shinichi Tanaka. She is Erna, then Pero, Freya and Liz.”

“I have heard of the names of the Saviour and his party. Now, please follow me.”

There were two carriages at the place he led us to. It is painted black and golden, pulled by a jet-black six-legged horse. Me and Moore got on the first one. Erna and the others got on the second carriage. 

Arim, who was in the same car as me, gave instructions to the driver, who was clad in a black cloak. Then the carriage slowly started to move.

“How is the Demon Realm, Savior?”

“Stop calling me that, I’m embarrassed.”

“May I call you Tanaka-sama then?”

“That’s fine.”

The view from the window is different. I can see flowers that glow yellow green on the purple grass. The river was red and bloody, and there was a swarm of bats flying in the sky.

“Why don’t the demons that came to the surface come back? Life here is good, isn’t it?”

“Well, it is a fact that they can’t go back even if they want to. As you all have seen, the path to get here is long and difficult. You can’t travel back and forth with half-baked abilities. Only those who are called high-ranking demons can go back and forth to the surface.”

I heard that high-ranking demons get caught in the net that seals them. As such, only low and mid-level demons can go to the surface. But it seems they cannot reach the surface alone. They can only do so in groups. In other words, once they are on the surface, they cannot come back unless they go back in group again.

“Eva-sama’s clone has parted ways with the Demon Realm, so many of the vampires who accompanied her have no choice but to live on the surface.”

Maybe Federer was trying to get back here. However, it is impossible to think about it with that ability of his. He couldn’t return to Eva’s country, and he couldn’t go back to the Demon Realm. So he just ended up wandering in the Great Dungeon. Now that I think about it, he may have been a poor guy.

“Please take a look. That is our Royal Capital.”

I could see a big city on the horizon. Rising in the center of it is a Black Royal Castle. Even from here, its ominous presence can be seen.

“I’m finally back……”

Moore muttered, narrowing his eyes.

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

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We reached the 50th level.

This was a small, empty floor measuring just fifty meters on each side, unlike the previous ones.

Has there ever been a floor this small? 

In fact, it felt unnatural. In the center of the room was a purple orb floating on a pedestal. And as before, there is a magic circle was generated around it. It makes me depressed to think that I will have to endure that pain again.

“Hoh~, it looks like someone else was here before us.”

“Someone else?”

At that moment, with the sound of clattering footsteps, Eva emerged from the dark corner of the room.

“It’s been a long time, Moore.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while. I’m glad you are doing well.”

Moore and Eva greeted each other lightly and looked our way. We are confused because we couldn’t grasp the current situation.

“Why are you here?”

“Don’t be so alarmed. I only come to ask you how resolved you are.”

“What do you mean by resolve?”

“I already know that you have broken the first barrier. But, do you truly understand the real meaning of breaking it?”

Real meaning? What does she mean by that?

I looked at Moore and the later just shook his head in exasperation.

“Eva, you are one of the Four Demon Kings, aren’t you? You are not opposed to removing the barrier, are you? A second betrayal will not be tolerated.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to betray or anything. I’m just saying that I don’t agree with releasing those people without him being informed of anything.”

Moore scratches his head and wrinkles his brows.

“Hmm, I understand what you’re trying to say. But if Shinichi becomes a god, he’ll know about it whether he likes it or not. As for explaining it to him, it’s just a matter of whether it’s sooner or later. After all, the choice has already been made.”

“You are still as selfish as ever, and you don’t care about others. What have we learned in the last millennium?”

“Why, this old hag! You’re the one who says whatever you want without even considering my feelings. It’s been that way since the old days. You’re arrogant and quick to point out small things, and it seems your personality hasn’t changed.”

The two of them glared at each other while holding their fists. But in the end, they sighed at each other and put their fists down.

“Do as you like. I don’t have the strength to argue with you anymore.”

“Hmph! After a thousand years, you finally realized your stupidity.”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’ve waited too long.”

After a few conversations between the two of them, Moore rolls on the floor and slept in sulk. Eva muttered, “You fool!” at the sight of him. Then she approached me.

“Leave that selfish old man alone. I will explain everything to you.”

“I’m grateful for that…… but you two seem pretty close.”

Eva chuckled at my words.

“It’s nothing. He was my husband.”

H-husband!?

All of us were so surprised that we broke out into a cold sweat.

Erna spoke in disbelief.

“B-but…. Moore-sama had twelve wives but I don’t think Eva-san’s name was among them……”

“I know that very well. His first wife was Maria. Elise is next. I’m his third wife. But at that time, I’m known as Lily so there should be no mention of the name Eva in the records.”

I see. As a young man, Moore was very energetic. It’s scary that he would even take a demon as a wife. When I looked at him, I saw that he was farting while scratching his buttocks.

“He may be an old man now, but he used to be a good-looking, reliable man. That’s what I fell in love with him, but now he’s nothing but trash.”

「「「「「 Trash?」」」」」

It sounds like a terrible thing to say. However, is this what an old couple looks like?

“He’s changed a lot since he lost Maria. To think that he went all the way to the deepest level of the Great Dungeon to bring the dead back to life. What a foolish man he is.”

“So, the person he wants to bring back to life is the woman called Maria?”

“…………”

Eva went silent for a moment. Should I say silence means yes?

“If that fool hadn’t changed his mind, he would still be working to achieve that goal. That’s why he deliberately hid the secret of the bottom level from you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Someone at the bottom level offered him a deal. It was for him to remove the two barriers in exchange for bringing Maria back to life. I can’t believe he still hasn’t given up after a thousand years.”

She said as she gave Moore a sidelong glance. On the other hand, Moore blurted out, “Heh, I’m a selfish man anyway”, without looking at me.

If that’s the case, then Moore had another reason for taking us to the bottom level besides what the God Tree had asked him to do.

What kind of being made a deal with him? And why does he want the barrier lifted?

“You have already peeked at my status, haven’t you?”

“Well, only once though…”

“As you already know, I wish for the resurrection of the God of Destruction. That’s because I am his loyal servant.”

Suddenly, the words of the God Tree crossed my mind.

“The subordinates of the God of Destruction, who once fought the gods, are also sealed on this planet.”

That’s right, the subordinates of the God of Destruction are also sealed on this planet.

Then, where are they? Are they still sealed?

The answer to that was already out. They are probably at the bottom level of the Mohed Great Dungeon.

“The Four Demon Kings were created by the Lord, and we are his loyal and strongest subordinates. They are the absolute rulers of demons and monsters, commanding an army of tens of thousands. You are about to unleash them onto the world once again.”

“But I heard that the three demon king died in the last great war.”

“That can’t be true. The true forms of the Four Demon King, including myself, are still alive and well. What was destroyed was merely a fake created by a skill. They are nothing more than a shadow in the sun.”

I see. That’s how it is huh. I’m convinced. The subordinates of the God of Destruction are still inside the barrier. And so, using their clone, they managed to slip through the “net” that the main body couldn’t cross and made it onto the surface. As a result, the Great War between Humans and Demons began. The Demon Kings killed the sacred beasts and planned to release themselves and the God of Destruction by breaking the barrier. It feels like the story is finally coming together now. 

“If that’s the case, isn’t it a big problem to break the barrier?”

“No, I don’t think what you’re thinking will happen. In the first place, we, subordinates, only wish for the resurrection of the God of Destruction. We don’t have any particular interest or attachment to the mundane world. We just don’t like the idea of our Lord being sealed away by the righteous gods.”

As she said this, Eva’s eyes were stained with anger. In other words, even if the Demon Kings break out of the barrier, they are unlikely to harm humans on the surface. In fact, I felt like I could even draw them into our side. The enemy of your enemy is also called your friend. If the Demon Kings hated the gods, we may be able to form some kind of alliance to defeat Gohma.

“I mean, that shouldn’t be the case if you become the God of Destruction.”

“Please explain it more clearly.”

“We, Demon Kings, serve the God of Destruction. So, if you become the next God of Destruction, we will naturally become your subordinates. However, it depends more on whether or not you can really become a god. And no matter how much we want our Lord resurrected, I don’t think they’re willing to give up the Lord.”

Eva smiled, “That’s why it is necessary to explain this beforehand.”

I finally understood. She had come to warn me of the presence of demon kings who would be in my way. Certainly, if I hadn’t been told this first, I might lose my head later.

I looked over at Moore, who was sitting cross-legged and facing me.

“I’m not trying to deceive you or anything. I didn’t have to tell you in advance because I was planning to get between you and the Demon Kings and make things work behind the scenes. Unnecessary knowledge would only cloud your eyes.”

“What are you talking about, you old fool? You were probably planning to sell these guys out to the Demon Kings anyway.”

“There’s no way I’ll do that. I’m not that cruel. You’re complaining just because I left out a few explanations, you old hag.”

Seeing the two of them fighting each other makes me think that they are still on good terms. However, I would like to decide on what to do with the barrier sooner. 

Erna and the others are tired of their squabble so they spread out their playing cards and played a game of concentration.

“This and this! I win!”

“Oh my gosh, was it there?”

“Look closely. This elf has scratched the cards.”

“How sneaky! Ten points deduction for cheating!”

It looks fun, so I want to join in. But I can’t just leave Moore and Eva to keep on fighting. As it’s getting more troublesome, I’ll just decide on my own.

I stepped into the magic circle and walks to the orb. Gravity and severe pain weighed on my bones making it creak. It’s already my second time. I know how much damage it can do so it wasn’t that hard now. I have to break the barrier anyway. In that case, it’s better to get it done quickly.

“Phew, I managed to endure it huh.”

I exhaled heavily as I reached the orb. Moore and my comrades didn’t seem to notice this. In terms of time, it all happened in a matter of minutes. Well, that’s to be expected, I guess. As I picked up the orb, the magic circle disappeared.

Eva, who had sensed what has happened, widened her eyes. 

“The barrier has been lifted……?”

“Mmm, I decided to get it done while you guys were fighting.”

“I see…… This means that my role here is over.”

“Role?”

“The reason why I came to this world was to eliminate the Sacred Beast and break the barrier. Now the Sacred Beasts are already our ally and all the barriers have been lifted. There was nothing more to do. I can now rest in peace in the human world.”

Eva smiles gently, as if she has been liberated from a curse. Unexpectedly, my heart started to flutter. Moore must have been struck by her smile as well.

“By the way, do clones have a lifespan?”

“More or less, yes. I heard that it varies greatly depending on the main body. In my case, it is around 10,000 years.”

10,000 years!? What a long time!

I was so surprised that I couldn’t close my open mouth. That’s when Moore butt in.

“You’ve successfully broken the barrier huh. My long-cherished wish will now come true.”

“Hmph! What are you trying to achieve by reviving Maria now? Do you really think she’ll still love you when you’re old?”

“So annoying. This is my only goal now. I have nothing else.”

“You’ve really fallen to the bottom, Moore. Trying to get that girl back just to live. Huh! I can’t believe you’re the man who once shone as the great mage.”

“What do you mean? Say it again, old hag.”

“I’ll tell you as much as you want, you old bastard.”

The mood was getting worse again, so I stepped in to calm them down. It’s also a problem that they get along too well. No, wait… I wonder if it was right to say that this is really a good relationship. It’s possible that I just assumed that and they really hate each other so much that they don’t even want to see each other eye to eye.

“I’ve told you what needs to be told. I’m going back to the surface.”

“Is that really all that you came here for?”

“I don’t mind going to the bottom level with you, but I don’t want to meet the main body if possible. And please don’t equate me with the main body. We’ve been separated for thousands of years, so there should be big differences in our personalities.”

I nodded at Eva’s words. I guess she wants to tell me not to treat the main body in the same way as I treat her. Saying goodbye, Eva made her way to the staircase that led upstairs.

Moore calls out to her back.

“When we get back to the surface, shall we have a drink together once in a while?”

“Another silly old story? Hah! Never mind. I’ll only put up with your whining.”

She walked up the stairs without looking back. Moore continued to stare blankly at the stairs.

After that, we set off for the fifty-first level.

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

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Breath and lightning strike collide head-on. A blast swept through the fortieth floor.

Kuuu-, it doesn’t care if this is a dungeon.

In that case, I’ll do it too. I increased the power of the Magic Jewel, an even more powerful lightning strike is released. Slowly, I began to push the breath back, and finally, the lightning strike hit the dragon’s mouth directly.

“Gugaaaah!”

The lightning strike burned the dragon’s body. After letting out a death cry, the giant body lay on the ground weakly. I then slashed the dragon’s neck as a finishing blow.

“Phew, I didn’t expect that a dragon is living here.”

I put the corpse in the bangle and then turned around. For some reason, my comrades, who were supposed to be soaking in the hot water, were lying on the ground. When I looked closely, I saw that the hot water that should be there is now empty.

It was a pity. I was thinking of taking another bath. I wiped my body with a towel and got dressed, leaving my comrades like that.

　◇◇◇

“Hey, let’s hurry up and go to the next floor quickly. It’s too hot and unbearable.”

“Alright, alright. Just wait a moment. It’s almost done.”

I waited patiently in front of the hot spring pool. Erna and the others were lying on the ground in their swimsuits. Moreover, Erna also dexterously creates wind with magic and uses it as a fan.

Mmm, it’s time. I pulled a small basket out of the pool. There are five eggs in it. That’s right, I was making hot spring eggs. Speaking of hot springs, this is a must. It is a classic.

I cracked one egg open and a plump and semi-solid egg wobbled in the bowl. Added a few drops of soy sauce, then I enjoyed the rich flavor of the egg.

“Okay, I’ve eaten an egg, so let’s go.”

“Ahh~, finally! I’m so exhausted already.”

Erna and the others stood up like zombies, swaying their bodies from side to side as they followed us. No, it’s not “like a zombie”, they have turned into zombies themselves.

Moore was also frightened by their looks, so he quickly kept his distance. We wandered around the fortieth floor looking for the staircase. Then I found a strange place.

“What’s that?”

“Oh yes, I had to explain that.”

What I was asking about is a magic circle drawn with light. In the center of it is something like a platform and a glowing red orb floats on top of it. Moore stands in front of us and points to the orb.

“That is a net that seals off anything beyond this point.”

“Net?”

“It is the barrier created by that orb.”

According to his explanation, the barrier that exist on the 40th floor is designed to repel those who exceed a certain ability. To put it more simply, normal humans can go down the stairs without any problems, but gods and something that level cannot enter unless this barrier is broken. I was impressed by the many layers of barriers that were carefully prepared.

When I stepped inside the magic circle to approach the orb, a numbness like an electric shock ran through me.

“Fufufu, of course there is a protection for the thing that creates the barrier. Thus, if you want to break it, you have to be prepared to step forward.”

Hmm, so breaking the barrier would be very painful huh. According to Moore, we can proceed down below without removing it. There is no problem going back up, as long as we are still a human when we return.

But that is not applicable for me. By the time I come back here, I should have joined the ranks of the gods. In that case, it is clear that this thing must be solved right now.

I stepped into the magic circle again, numbness attacks my whole body as before. And the more I took a step forward, the more intense numbness and pain I felt.

Ugh, I see.

I could now understand why no one dared to break the barrier. As I go one step further, the pain burned into my whole body.

“Aghh!!”

“Shinichi!? Are you okay!?”

“Don’t worry…… just watch me.”

That said, this is pretty tough. I feel like the weight on my body has increased.

One more step.

This time, I could feel it clearly. The further I go, the more the gravity increases. I took a step forward, enduring severe pain. Immediately afterwards, the weight on me became so heavy that I sank my feet to the ground.

“Huff- guoh-, huff-huff-huff-!”

Two more steps and I can reach the orb. However, I can’t make those two steps. Because I was terrified of how much weight and pain would come next.

“What? Are you giving up? If it’s too hard, you can stop now you know.”

“Not yet! I can still go! I’m determined to solve this and return to Naoki as the God of Destruction!”

Why did I decide to become the God of Destruction?

It’s for a simple reason. It’s because Naoki is relying on me. Unlike my son, who is a god, I am a human with no power. But even so, my son relied on me, his father, at the last minute. That made me terribly happy. That’s why I am determined to become a god and return to Naoki. No matter what obstacles I face, I have to overcome them.

I took a step.

“Guggigigi!?”

Smoke rises from my body, and the smell of burning flesh wafts through the air. A weight that made my bones creak weighed down on me. Even my consciousness became hazy for a moment.

Just one step away. Just one more step before my fingers reach it. I’ll show you Shinichi Tanaka’s tenacity!

I took the last step.

“…………?”

The pain disappeared from my body and the weight disappeared. Apparently, the function of preventing intruders to get near does not work once the orb is within reach. I took a breath and picked up the orb from the pedestal. In the next moment, the magic circle disappeared, and the light from the orb disappeared.

“With this, the barrier is gone, right?”

“It should be. But there’s one more.”

“There’s one more!? Where is it?”

“It’s below here. Don’t panic, just rest your body for now.”

I sat down on the ground. My self-regeneration skill helped me recover faster, but my mental fatigue was greater than I expected. Maybe I just didn’t realize it, but it was a burden not only on my body but also on my mind.

“Father, are you okay?”

“Yes. At this rate, I’ll be back to normal soon.”

I handed the orb in my hand to Pero. He peers into the stone and taps it lightly with his fingers.

“I wonder what this is. It’s too big for a magic stone, is it a gem?”

“Lend it to me a bit.”

From first glance, you can only tell that the orb is made of stone. Erna takes the orb and looks into it. Looking at Erna from the side, Erna’s face looked surprised.

“This is a magic stone! It is of such high purity that it can be considered as a national treasure!”

“If we sell it, are we going to be rich?”

“Yes! Enough for a bath of gold coins! Oh, I wonder how much clothes I can buy!”

“Alright, let’s sell it. We’re going to make a name for ourselves in the kingdom as millionaires.”

Erna and Liz are beginning to get excited, so I took the orb away.

“We’re not selling this. We need to be able to restore the barrier if something happens. The money from vegetable sales and the cafeteria should be enough for us.”

“No! Give it back!  Uwaaa, my clothes!”

I raised the orb up and Erna tries to reach out to it by jumping.

How greedy is this girl?

“By the way, Moore, is there a temple of teleportation on this level as well?”

“Yes, that’s for sure. However, there is one thing you must remember and be careful of. There is no temple of teleportation below this point. You will have to get there and back on your own.”

If that is the case, is this the last chance to return to the hideout or the surface?

If turned to my comrades and they all nodded silently. They seemed to be prepared to proceed forward.

“Alright. Let’s continue down.”

After finding the Temple of Teleportation, we headed to the forty-first floor.

　◇◇◇

Since then, we have broken through floors of various environments. Two months after leaving, we finally reached the forty-ninth level.

“Fuwaaa~, as always, it’s hard to get a good sleep because the environment keeps on changing.”

“Zzzzzz”

I put a blanket on Liz who is still sleeping while Erna gets up from the bed. I had already woken up and was preparing for breakfast. Today’s menu is snake teriyaki sandwich. It is juicy and baked, and the savory smell stimulates my stomach. Add vegetables and mayonnaise to it and put it between breads. The teriyaki sandwich is complete.

By the time it was time for breakfast, everyone was awake.

“Thanks for the meal. It would have tasted even better if we had been in a better location, it’s a pity.”

“Don’t say that. It’s better that we can eat peacefully like this.”

Turning my gaze to the surroundings, I can see the gushing springs and lush trees. But beyond that, there was a desert. The forty-ninth level is a vast desert area. Strong sunlight shines from the ceiling, and a strong wind rolls up the sand.

The magical beasts that inhabit here are mainly those that specialize in sand, such as sand sharks. What is particularly troublesome are the Tornado Shark, a higher species of sand shark. Not only do they swim in the sand, but they also fly for a short time. They move through the air at breakneck speed and devours its prey.

“There’s a sand whale swimming around!”

In the direction Erna was pointing at, I saw a sand whale splashing in the sand. It is the most massive creature on this floor, but its personality is docile and does not attack unnecessarily. Still, it’s a carnivore, so it seems to swallow sand sharks whole.

“By the way, Moore, where is the next barrier?”

“As far as I remember, I think it was at the fiftieth level…… But after all, that was a long time ago. Forgive me if I’m mistaken.”

Fiftieth level?

It was a very deep dive. I no longer know how far from the surface we are now. I don’t know if it’s day or night. We’ve also fought with many creatures to get to this point. A monkey with stealth skills. A tiger that disables flames. A wolf running on a wall. An octopus that sprays poisonous gas. A yellow rat that shoots electric shocks. But we defeated them all and came here.

“Don’t look so troubled. We are almost at the bottom.”

“R-really? I thought that it would be below a hundred level.”

If that is the case, does that mean that we will arrive within the next 50 floors? Even so, it seems that there is a still long way to go.

“Alright. It’s time to leave!”

We packed our bags and set off from the oasis. We crossed the desert with Liz’s dark cloud. As we floated and move forward, we can admire the sand dunes below.

“It reminds me of when we went to the Holy Land of Kycilia.”

“Yes. Just crossing the desert was tough back then.”

“But it’s a good memory for me. I was able to travel hand in hand with Shinichi you see.”

Erna’s cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. Seeing her like that, I turned my attention to the warming emotion in my chest. Perhaps it is time to seriously face myself. She told me she loved me the way I was. That doesn’t seem to have changed. If that’s still the case, I should properly respond to her feelings. It is true that I still love my former wife, Miyuki. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have any feelings for Erna.

“I want you to be happy for me.”

Miyuki’s words saved my heart. I feel like they’re pushing me hard now to take a step forward. Of course, not right away. I haven’t completely sorted out my mind yet. But I’m trying to move forward.

So, please wait a little longer. I’ll definitely tell you how I feel.

“W-what? Why are you looking at me so intently?”

“It’s nothing serious. I just felt a little hungry.”

“What!? We just had a meal you know!?”

Ignoring Erna who was shocked, I looked at the scenery and reminisced about the time when I met Erna.

“I found the staircase.”

Liz’s report brings my consciousness back to reality.

Are we finally able to reach the 50th floor?

Darkness descends near the stairs. We didn’t discuss anything and start going down the staircase.

“I wonder what is in the fiftieth floor.”

“Who knows. We’ll find out when we get there.”

“I wish it would stop being so hot.”

Pero wrinkled his brow, genuinely unwilling. It was a hot environment from the 40th to the 49th floor. It is no wonder he wanted to say that.

“Oh, I can see the next floor.”

We stepped into the fiftieth floor.

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

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We arrived at the thirty-eighth floor and were stunned by the unexpected sight. The entire floor is an idyllic meadow. The vegetation is swaying in the wind, and the soft sunlight shines from the ceiling. It’s like a field full of spring sunshine. It feels really good.

“Everyone, don’t let your guard down. Let me tell you in advance, this is the most dangerous place.”

“Hmmm, it doesn’t look like that.”

“It is dangerous mainly because of that. The scenery here lures you into a false sense of security and catches you off guard. Furthermore, because what you’ve experienced up until now has been so harsh, this place is frighteningly good at entangling humans.”

I see, the journey so far has been like a prelude to getting to this point. If that is the case, the appearance of the enemy must also lure us into a false sense of security. For example, they must be hiding and disguised as plants. 

I pulled out the grass under my feet at random. However, it was just an ordinary weed. When I used Enemy Search Skill, a number of red dots appeared on the map in my field of vision. Moore is right, there seems to be many enemy lurking on this floor.

“Is this the enemy?”

With my enemy search skill, I went to one of the enemies. It was a tree. No matter how I look at it, it looks like an ordinary tree, but I feel that there is something about it that makes it different from a normal tree. When I touched it, it felt warm and I also felt its throbbing heartbeat. 

I immediately used my analysis skill to make clear what it is. 

Apparently, this is a plant magical beast called Dryad.

【Analysis result: Dryad: Normally, it takes the form of a tree, but at night, it appears before men in the form of a woman and seduces them. As it bites, it infuses paralyzing poison to the target and the later turns into a source of nourishment for new dryads while he is still alive. Rarity: A, Overall Ability: C】

【Status】 Name: Dryad Race: Dryad Magic Attribute: Earth Magic: Rock Bullet Skills: Search (Beginner), Root Strengthening (Intermediate), Hypnotic Gas (Intermediate), Aphrodisiac Gas (Advanced), Neurotoxin (Intermediate), Growth Promotion Evolution: Conditions are not met < Evolution Requirements: Search (Special), Hypnosis Gas (Advanced), Leadership (Beginner) >

When I told my comrades about it, the women started to get angry for some reason.

“Burn it! Burn these things to the root!”

“I vehemently agree! Exterminate them!”

“Absolutely unforgivable! How dare them to try to seduce my Pero-sama!”

The three of them randomly burn and destroy trees.

J-just what triggered them?

Then, perhaps sensing the danger, the Dryads began to flee, moving their roots like legs. What a pity. I wanted to have a good look at what kind of magical beast it was.

We decided to take a rest here and start eating. I took out the snake meat from the upper floor. Prepared the ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, soy sauce, sake, eggs, and flour. After I seasoned the snake meat, I dropped it into the hot oil to complete the deep-fried snake.

Normally, you should beat the snake to crush its small bones, but when it comes to large snakes, the bones themselves are easy to pull out. What’s more, this cold snake has a lot of fat on it, and the meat is surprisingly tender. Normally, it would be hard to chew, but I was surprised that it didn’t feel like that. I regretted that I should have hunted Cold Snake a little more.

　◇◇◇

We reached the 39th level.

The whole floor was like a swamp. The depth of the water is about 1 to 3 meters, and plants float everywhere like floating islands. Looking into the water, I can see many fish swimming around. As for the atmosphere, it feels like there is something else there. I guess that if one swims in there carelessly, he will be eaten by that unknown creature.

“Man-eaters live here.”

“What kind of creature is it?”

“Mmmm, let’s see…… Oh-, that one.”

Moore pointed to a large floating island. A huge crocodile that was about 15 meters long is drying its body there. As the name suggests, it is a cannibalistic creature. Moreover, as I looked closely, there are man-eaters everywhere. I guess that if we try to pass by boat, we’ll probably become their meal.

“Liz”

“I get it.”

Liz takes everyone on board her dark cloud. We don’t have to cross the swamp. We then soon found a staircase leading to the 40^th floor.

　◇◇◇

“Phew, it’s getting hot.”

As she descends the stairs, Erna takes off her winter clothes. When I took off my cloak, I could certainly feel the heat clinging to my body. It’s like being in a sauna.

“Pero-sama’s fur is falling out again in large quantities!”

“Maybe it is shedding because it’s getting hot?”

Freya was astonished at how much hair fell out as she’s brushing it. I feel that Pero’s physique has shrunk twice. Freya sheds tears of frustration as she touches Pero’s back.

“Pero-sama’s fluffy fur…… now it is so short…..woooo.”

She was so engrossed with Pero’s fluffy fur so it must have been a sad event for her now that the large amount of fur grew back short. Still, I don’t get that feeling at all.

As we descend the stairs, the temperature rises even more. I don’t have a thermometer at hand, so I don’t know the exact number, but I think it’s around 40 degrees Celsius. Pero sticks out his tongue languidly and exhales heavily.

“Hey, look at you young lady. We still have a long way to go you know.”

“But Moore-sama~, it’s been so hot since a while ago~”

“Don’t complain. If you want to be recognized as my true successor, show me your true spirit as a mage.”

“!!? I-I’ll do my best!”

Moore’s words cheered Erna intensely. As expected, the encouragement from the person you have admired for many years indeed strengthens your spirit. With fire in her eyes, she suddenly rushed out.

“I’m going to take care of all the enemies!”

“Hey, it’s dangerous to be alone.”

“Don’t worry! Moore-sama, just watch me in action!”

Erna disappeared into the light at the end of the corridor. I’m a little worried, but she’s also a strong one with a high level of ability. I’m pretty sure she should be able to judge whether it is dangerous or not. If she thinks it was bad, she will come back for sure. With that in mind, I also stepped into the fortieth floor. 

I couldn’t close my open mouth at the sudden change.

Here, the whole floor was like a single room, as before. However, the situation was a little different. The craggy rock surface is exposed to the floor and ceiling, and the rocks are scattered around in a mess. In addition, from time to time, something like steam blows out from the ground, and what seemed like yellow sulfur were everywhere. It also has a peculiar smell like rotten eggs, so I can’t go wrong, it is definitely sulfur.

As soon as he entered the floor, Pero became sluggish and weak. Maybe the temperature here was too high for him to handle. For the time being, I asked Liz to let Pero rest on her dark cloud.

“I’m sorry Father. Sorry that I’m in this state….”

“It’s not your fault that happened, don’t worry about it.”

That said, both Liz and Freya also looked pretty exhausted. The temperature is expected to have reached 50 degrees Celsius. No matter how much their body has evolved and strengthened, hot things are still hot.

Suddenly, I found something that caught my attention along the way. It is hot water that springs from the ground. It was bubbling and boiling, so it was unlikely that I would be able to soak in the hot water, but as I looked at it, I realized something.

“Hot spring…… This is a place where I can be forever excited.”

Before I knew it, I was running. I am out looking for a bigger pool of hot water.

“Found it! Uhahahaha!”

I am terribly excited about it. I found a source that flowed like a river. On the opposite bank, there are a number of pools of hot water, and white steam is already rising in the area. When I dipped my hand into one of the larger pools, it felt like it was about 60~70°C. Not bad. I could definitely soak in it.

“What is Tanaka-dono doing?”

“I don’t know. I can’t tell what is on Oniichan’s head all the time.”

“Fufufufu, I know. I can tell it right away.”

I took off my clothes and threw them away. I then poured a large amount of water from my bangle into the pool of water.

Great! Now it’s just the right temperature. I can finally enjoy the best hot spring. 

Splash! The hot water seeped into my bones as I soak in it. Oh, right. I’ve got to put Pero in here too. I blindly lifted my son out of the dark cloud and carried him into the hot water.

“Huh? ……I feel much better now.”

“Kukuku, soaking in a hot spring is the best way to relax your body.”

“Un. Thank you Father.”

Moore, who was watching the situation, also took off his clothes and soaked in the hot water.

“Muuuuuh, this is pretty good. It blows away all my fatigue.”

“You’ve hardly done anything though.”

“What do you mean? I’m serving as your top guide you know.”

“I don’t really get it. I don’t feel that way you see.”

Then Liz and Freya, who had been crouching on the rocky area, come to us. The two of them were wearing bikinis as they soaked in the hot water, looking a little shy.

“I see. This is a natural bath.”

“It’s amazing that this blows away my tiredness.”

That’s for sure. Hot springs are good for cleansing the soul. How long has it been since I had bathed in a hot spring? I never imagined that such a happy event awaited me in the dungeon.

Haha~Paradise Paradise.

As I soaked in the hot water, my eyelids become heavy. Liz and the others were already sleeping soundly.

But how far did Erna go?

If necessary, Liz’s skill can help me to get in touch with her, but I don’t want to disturb Liz who has just fallen into sleep.

“Kyaaaaaa!”

I involuntarily got up from the bath. That scream is from Erna. After a few seconds, the ground begins to shake slightly.

“Someone! Help!”

As the screams approached, the shaking also increased. I am also having a bad premonition.

Guooooooooo!!

A roar echoed that shakes the air.

—I grabbed my sword while still naked and readies it.

“Erna!”

“Shinichi!? Where are you!?”

“Here! This way, this way!”

“Found y—Kyaaaaah!”

Erna, who emerged from the rocky area, immediately crouched down with a red face as soon as she saw me.

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“Stay away! Y-you… it’s dangling around!!”

Dangling? What is she talking about?

“Anyway, are you okay? What’s with this vibration?”

“I told you not to come near me! I’m not yet mentally prepared!”

Mentally prepared? Just what on earth is Erna really talking about?

But it’s troubling me to be told not to go near her. I want to hear about the details about it right now—huh?

I froze as it emerged from the shadow of the boulder.

I see…… Was Erna being chased by it?

“Grrrrrrr”

It was a dragon covered in red scales. The height is about 20 meters. Spines grow from the head to the back, and its shape is close to that of a wyvern. When it opened its mouth lined with sharp fangs, I could see the flames flickering along with dripping drool.

“I can’t believe you will bring back something like that. But it can’t be helped.”

“….…Kyaaah!”

Hmm? Erna is staring down with her eyes opened wide. That’s when I finally realized.

Ooops, right, I was naked now.

In the end, Erna fell down with a thud muttering, “Mushroom…… big mushroom”.

Uh-, maybe it was too stimulating for Erna. Even though it was an accident, I am sorry for her.

“Gugaaa!”

The dragon exhaled a deep breath. I guessed it will use that. I quickly activated the magic jewel and unleashed a lightning strike. 

In an instant, the breath and the lightning strike collided.

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

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We all cheered as we stepped on the thirty-fifth floor and saw the snowscape. The gently sloping snow mountains made it look like a white desert. Coniferous forests are also visible here and there.

As I took a step, I can feel the snow cover. My feet sink more than I expected though. I guess it will be hard to walk without a special tool or something. I decided to take out a few tree branches and string to create some makeshift “snowshoes”. When everyone is ready, we set off again. We moved forward, stomping on the snow.

“Snowy field is nice, right? I have a feeling that something exciting is about to happen.”

“Really? I don’t feel like it at all.”

“Hmm, maybe it’s because I imagine lovers huddling together in the cold. Wouldn’t it be nice to warm up with each other’s body heat?”

“Like that?”

In the direction I pointed my finger, there was the figure of Freya hugging Pero’s waist. But it doesn’t look like lovers warming up to each other. If anything, it’s a one-sided exploitation of body temperature.

But… Is Erna looking for such an outrageous act?

“No, that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m talking about something sweet and romantic.”

“Guu.”

“Hey, how long are you gonna be sleeping? Time to switch places!”

Erna gets angry at Liz for sleeping on her back. Liz, who was slapped on the buttocks, she just opened her eyes slightly and then she went back to sleep.

“Fufufu, you guys are such a clamorous bunch wherever you go. I never get tired of watching you guys.”

“By the way, Moore, is this really the floor that has taken the lives of so many adventurers? No matter how I look at it, this is just a snowy place though.”

Moore grinned as he walked through the snow.

“Let me tell you, there aren’t many adventurers like you who conveniently carry cold weather gear with them. In that sense, adventurers are first killed by the cold.”

“……I see. That’s how it is huh.”

“Secondly, there are dangerous creatures here. This unstable field make it very troublesome when dealing against them.”

“Hmmm, so what is that dangerous creature?”

The moment I asked Moore, the snow under my feet swelled up. Then, a giant centipede jumped out of the bulge.

“Aah! Ice Centipede!”

The blue-colored centipede stands up and looks down at us. Well, it’s a very nostalgic creature. This is where the two-pronged centipede I defeated earlier came from huh. I draw my sword and cut the centipede in two in an instant.

“Everyone be on alert. More enemy is coming.”

Bulges appeared everywhere, rapidly approaching us.

I see, this floor is a centipede’s nest. It became clear when I looked at the whole thing with my clairvoyance skill. A tremendous number of centipedes are crowded under the snow. I guess they are probably asleep normally. Most of them were motionless. But if given some kind of big stimulus, they will wake up for sure. For example, a large-scale magic attack.

“Flame Burst!”

With a thump, an explosion occurs and black smoke rises. Thanks to Erna’s use of magic, the centipedes begin to wake up all at once.

“Everyone, fly! They are coming from below all at once!”

Each of us took flight, the centipedes also broke through the snow and showed themselves. The floor quickly turned into a sea of centipedes.

“Awawa……What the hell…… It’s disgusting.”

“If Erna hadn’t used her magic, they wouldn’t have woken up all at once.”

“W-what!? Are you saying it’s my fault!?”

“…………”

Now, what to do?

In a way, we could burn everything down by making Erna take responsibility, but that would melt all the snow. I’d like to play in the snow once in a while.

“Father, leave this to me.”

Pero spoke and then he took a deep breath. What he released was a roar that shook the air. It’s probably Holy Roar. It is a holy attribute magic that only repels those who are hostile towards us. The effect was amazing. The centipedes tremble and flee under the snow. Having lost the will to attack, they seemed to fall asleep again. Even when we landed on the ground, the centipedes showed no reaction. The enemy seemed to have decided to ignore us.

“Ugh, it’s full of hole. I can’t stand the sight of it.”

“I agree. I don’t hate bugs, but this is terrible.”

As they talk, Erna and Liz were shoveling snow to make a small snowman. Pero howls as he runs happily across the snow. As for me, I put some snow in a glass bowl and sprinkled it with honey. When I put it in my mouth, I enjoyed the cold sweetness. Freya, who was watching my action, seemed to be shocked.

“It’s already so cold yet you are having shaved ice…… You’re insane.”

“Is that so? Actually, I think it tastes better when you are in the cold.”

While leisurely eating, we enjoyed the snow for a while.

◇◇◇

Having found the staircase on the 35th floor safely, we moved to the 36th floor. By the way, on the 35th floor, we also looked for the Temple of Teleportation so we can return at any time.

“I think it’s time to go somewhere warm.”

“Agreed. I can’t help but feel sleepy.”

“I think I’d prefer if it stay like this. It’s just the right temperature.”

“Sorry Pero-sama, but I’d like to go to a warm place too.”

The three of them, except for Pero, are wrapped in cloth and look cold. On the other hand, Moore, who was lightly dressed, looked calm and collected.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“I have universal adaptation skill. This level of cold is no problem to me.”

I see. He had the same adaptation skill as me huh. As expected of Moore.

At the bottom of the long staircase, I can see the light of the 36th floor. The temperature seemed to drop even further, and Erna, Liz, and Freya were shaking. Well, that was only natural. Cold air escapes downward. It is normal to get colder.

When we set foot on the 36th floor, we were just as surprised as we were on the thirty-fifth floor. It’s a flat world covered with ice. No, there are cracks in some places and looks like the ice is moving. When I looked under the ice beneath my feet, I could see a fish-like creature swimming around. Being that the case, this area should be a large frozen pool then.

“Is there another centipede-like creature here?”

Moore laughs at my question.

“There’s no such thing here. It’s just that the environment here kills people. Oh no, let me correct that. There was one kind of incredible species here.”

After his words, a beast emerges after breaking the ice. It was a four-armed polar bear that was ten meters in height. It had a sea lion-like creature in its mouth, and its white fur was dyed red in some places. I don’t think it noticed us as it was engrossed eating the raw meat.

“That’s a White Death Bear. It’s so ferocious and brutal that it can destroy a city by itself. Even so, that should not be much of an enemy to you guys.”

“Hmm, it’s certainly not a threat. However, it might be troublesome if we are chased by more than one.”

When I gave Pero a wink, he instantly understood and starts to take action. I feel bad for the polar bear, but it is in the way, so I’ll have to ask it to leave.

“……!? Grrrrrrr!”

Noticing Pero, the polar bear stands up on two legs and made a threatening growl. However, Pero remained undaunted and unleashed a Holy Roar to it.

“–Gugaa!?”

The White Death Bear fled the scene out of fear. It seemed a little pitiful that we had interrupted its meal, but we had to move forward. Our target is to eliminate any enemy that stands in our way. We started walking on the ice and peered down as we went. The ice is very transparent. I licked the pieces I picked up, but it didn’t seem to be seawater.

We jumped over crevasses as we look for the stairs. The ice is constantly moving, and from time to time, we can hear the sound of ice rubbing against each other. In the distance, a group of creatures that looked like sealion were doing something like a sun bath, which was quite a nice sight.

But that doesn’t last long. We have found an amazing creature.

“Gwawawa!”

It’s a penguin. A group of hundreds of penguins gathers and chirps around. Moreover, even as we approach, they weren’t afraid and just came towards us. Their color kind of resemble that of the emperor penguins. They are also about the same size. The penguins rubbed their bodies against Erna and Liz. On the contrary, they did not try to get close to Pero at all. Well, that may be because he is recognized as a carnivore.

“I want to touch them too……”

When Pero approaches, the penguins run away like baby spiders. My son was so heartbroken that he snapped on his knees.

“Haa-haa-, this is quite good.”

“Gufufu, it’s nice. This fluffy feeling.”

Freya and Moore have sloppy faces as they hugged the penguin chicks. The chicks wrapped in gray fur are fluffy and cute.

A chick came up to my feet and chirps.

“There, there, do your best and grow bigger.”

“Cui”

The sight of them waddling around is something that could bring you smile. I can understand a little bit of the feeling that Freya and Moore are fussing about.

“Alright, it’s time to go!”

As we moved on, the penguins squealed and saw us off. Maybe we can come here again.

　◇◇◇

We now reached the thirty-seventh level. It was a completely different place from the previous floors. It was like a maze of ice. The walls and ceiling are covered with ice and icicles protrudes from the ceiling, furthermore, the floor is slippery and cold. We decided to stick some of the dark cloud on the soles of our shoes to prevent us from slipping.

“The magical beasts that come out here are probably stronger, aren’t they?”

“Yes. Watch closely. They can sense the body temperature of their prey and shows up.”

Shurururu.

Shurushuru.

Something was approaching us, crunching through the ice. The speed of progress gradually increases, and a peculiar sound could be heard. Appearing from the depths of the passage was a huge light blue snake.

“That’s a Cold Snake.”

Its total length is about 20 meters. It raised its sickle-shaped neck while sticking out its long tongue.

“Hueeeee!!! S-Snake!?”

Erna hurriedly hid behind me.

It’s a splendid serpent though. I’m looking forward to seeing how much meat it produces once cut into pieces. I draw my sword and steps forward.

“I forgot to mention, it can spit cold air and poison.”

“No problem, poison doesn’t work on me.”

The serpent immediately spat poison at me. My skin was slightly tingly, but I didn’t have any major problems. If I had to say it, it is sticky and disgusting.

“Fufufuu, as expected of the man who has been recognized by God Tree-sama. You calmly took a poison that could melt flesh with ease huh.”

Uh-……Was it such a deadly poison?

I should have listened to him before exposing myself. Well, for the time being, the result is alright. I quickly closed the distance between me and the serpent and slashed my sword diagonally upwards. A large head flew through the air and rolled to the ground with a thud.

I immediately begin to dismantle the serpent that I’ve killed. After cutting up the belly and taking out the entrails, I peel off the skin and cut the meat into appropriate sizes. I’ll slowly grill and eat it later.

After making our way through the thirty-seventh floor without any danger, we found the stairs safely and then we went straight down.

Next is the 38th floor. I can’t wait to see what awaits us.

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

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We reached the thirty-fourth level.

What awaited us was a scene we had never seen before.

“This is terrible, it’s paradise below but hell above.”

“What should we do Father? We can’t move forward with this.”

The 34th floor is a single room. The above-ground area is covered in a profusion of colorful flowers, making it the very image of paradise that I had imagined. However, once I look up, I can see numerous beehives filling the entire ceiling. A swarm of bees are even fluttering in the air like yellow smoke.

Even I, was at a loss on what to do. Once we step inside, we will surely be attacked. However, there are too many bees that it will be hard to kill all of them at once. Even by taking a cursory look, the number of bees here is in the millions.

“Fufufu, you seem to be worried. You’re surely not going to turn back just because of something like this, right?”

“Let me ask you something, were there any other adventurers who passed through here?”

“Of course. Needless to say, you shouldn’t do something stupid like going through it head-on.”

Hmmm… If that’s the case, does that mean that there is some way of getting through?

The first thing that comes to mind is the magical beast repelling incense. Once it is lit up, most of the magical beasts around will hate its smell and leave. However, I thought it was unnecessary, so I only brought a few of them. In addition, I’m not sure on how long it would take us to find the stairs, it also seemed dangerous to proceed relying only on the magical beast repelling incense on hand.

I can manage if it’s just me. The problem is my comrades. I don’t want to risk them in vain.

“In this case, should I carry everyone and through it at once?”

“That’s reckless. We don’t even know where the staircase is in the first place.”

I dismissed Pero’s proposal.

I wish I could stop the bees with something big…… Eh? Wait…. something big…..

What crossed my mind was Liz’s ability. If we used the dark cloud as cover, no matter how many bees there are, it should be able to keep them at bay.

“Liz, I have something I need you to do.”

“Mmm, I think I get it. Leave it to me.”

Liz makes the dark cloud appear, obscuring us in the form of a black mist. However, along with that, our surrounding also turned pitch black so we couldn’t see anything. Even clairvoyance skill doesn’t seem to be able to see through the cloud.

As it can’t be helped, Liz, the only one who can see the area outside, took the lead and we lined up while grabbing the shoulders of the person in front. I call it, pretend train strategy. This will allow us to get through the bees on the ceiling.

“Ready? Okay, left, right, one, two! One, two!”

Erna, who is second from the front, gives the order. By the way, I am at the end of the line. I am grabbing Moore’s shoulders. In lockstep, the homeless train begins to move forward.

It was pitch dark, but I could feel the flowers under my feet. Occasionally, the buzzing of wings passes by, but the bees do not seem to notice us. The operation is going well, and if we keep going, we will be able to pass this floor safely.

But is it really okay to pass by like this? Didn’t I say, I want honey?

Oh~, Honey dripping thickly on pancakes. Ugh, I want to eat. It would be a shame to miss it like this.

“You seem to be deeply troubled. If you don’t mind, you can talk to me.”

“I’m grateful for that. I can’t help but want to eat honey. However, if I go outside, I’ll put my comrades in danger. So, what should I do?”

“…………I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

What the heck…… He was showing some concern a while ago too. 

As expected, if you live for a thousand years, your passion for food will cool down. Poor thing. He must be living a boring life.

“Shinichi, you are not in sync!”

“Uh- S-sorry. One, two, one, two.”

Erna got mad at me.

“I was wondering, do you not have a family, Moore?”

“Yes, that’s the current situation. Ah!, I have a couple of pets though.”

“That sounds like a very lonely life.”

“For those who live for a long time, that is the greatest salvation. The more deeply involved you are, the greater the grief you will feel when you lose that person. You should know that too.”

His words carried a strange weight. Living for a thousand years means that there have been many farewells. The number of tears shed must have been countless. But on the other hand, I wonder why he had to live so long.

In the first place, did he succeed in the resurrection thing he desired to be successful? Also, why didn’t he return to the surface himself? There are still many questions about Moore.

“Hey, I suddenly thought, wouldn’t it be better if Tanaka-dono made the queen bee his subordinate?”

「「「「「Ah?」」」」」

At Freya’s point, the four of them, including me, spoke in unison. I didn’t think about that. I missed that. Come to think of it, it was just a matter of drawing the queen bee who was commanding the bee colony to my side. Even if other group of bees come to us, there will be no problem as long as I let the bees that I have turned into my subordinates protect us. And the best part about this is that honey is readily available.

Mufufu, isn’t this the best idea then?

“I’m going to fly straight to the beehive, you guys can wait here.”

I get out of the dark cloud then I let my wings stretch from my back. The sea of flowers stretched far into the distance, and it is indeed a scenic view.

Hmmm, now then, which beehive should I aim for?

Looking up, I can see the whole area covered in beehives. The bees flying around noticed me, and hundreds began to descend with a buzzing sound.

In this case, I should go for that biggest one then. I set my sight on a particularly large beehive in the center of the floor. Compared to the surrounding beehive, it is about ten times bigger and is built differently. It was like a huge castle of a great country.

Sensing danger, a group of bees flies out of the beehive like smoke one after another. I took flight and dove headfirst into the swarm of bees that are charging in front of me. The bees clung to my body, desperately trying to stab me with their stingers. However, they were unable to stab me and could only hang on. Then, as I increased my flying speed, the bees could not withstand the wind pressure and fell off my body one by one.

After breaking through the swarm, I head straight for the huge beehive in front of me. The oval-shaped beehive hanging from the ceiling was divided into several layers, with gaps wide enough for a person to pass through. Stepping between the layers, I saw an incredible number of holes. Every one of them contained larvae, peeking out and wriggling. The larvae were about seven or eight centimeters in size. Some were even the same size as adult bees.

“Now, where is the queen bee……?”

It must be wandering around somewhere to give birth. Eventually, I spotted a particularly large bee clinging to a certain wall on beehive. I activated the Analysis skill. The description displayed in my field of vision had the word, Queen Bee, in it.

Activate! Familiar Creation Skill!

My gaze is caught by the compound eyes of the queen bee. As I succeeded, it turned black, and black bees were born. The queen bee twitched its antennae and seemed to be communicating with something far away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be able to understand words as highly as a skeleton and only a vague and one-off intention is conveyed to me.

『I obey』『You』 『Freedom here』

Does it mean I’m free to do what I want?

In that case, I’ll have some honey without hesitation. I took out an empty bottle and scooped up the honey that filled the burrow. By the way, when I licked the nectar on my fingers, the sticky and unique sweetness overflows in my mouth, alongside with its sweet aroma.

This is it. I was looking for this.

“I’m done with my errand here. I’ll come again.”

『Welcome』『Waiting』

Looking at it this way, bees are also quite cute. After patting the queen’s head lightly, I walked out of the nest. A swarm of bees are flying around the hive, but they blatantly ignored me.

In fact, even the swarm from another group ignored me. I didn’t think so before, but it seemed that each beehive on this floor has a hierarchical relationship. I’m guessing that I had subjugated the queen of the highest rank. As if to prove it, not a single bee attacked me.

“Welcome back! Great! You did it.”

When I returned to the ground, I saw Erna peeking out from the dark cloud. But—what a creepy sight! Only Erna’s face is showing up and it is floating against a mass of darkness.

When I told them that it was okay, my comrades came out of the dark cloud one after another.

“Hey, they really don’t attack us.”

“Now we can take it easy.”

“I think I can paint here before we leave.”

“Hmm, then let’s spend the night around here. It’s already evening anyway.”

The time is already six o’clock in the evening. It’s almost time for dinner.

“What? You’re going to rest already? Didn’t we just take a break?”

“That was a few hours ago. Besides, it’s already evening. We have to get ready for bed.”

“You’re not going to stay up all night, are you?”

“I’m sorry, but this is the way homeless people do it: eat when you need to eat and sleep when you need to sleep. We’re not going to break our pace no matter what the situation is.”

Moore grinned and stroked his beard, “I see, that’s the Homeless way huh.” He sits down on the ground, takes a book from his bosom and begins to read.

Does this mean that we can do as we please?

Well, even if it’s different, we’ll do as we please anyway.

The main ingredients of pancake are plain flour, leavened flour, sugar, eggs, and milk. I took out a frying pan and added oil. When it is moderately heated, I pour in the dough and bake it. When the surface begins to be lightly browned and holes begin to appear, I turned it over to bake the back side as well. All I have to do is put it on a plate and sprinkle it with as much butter and honey as I want.

I handed it to Erna and the others, and the four of them took a bite of the freshly baked pancake with a twinkle in their eyes. I also quickly take a bite. It is crispy on the outside and moist and sweet on the inside. In addition, the saltiness of the butter and the sweetness of the honey overlapped to create a synergistic effect.

This is it. This is what I was looking for. Mufufu.

“Whoa, what’s this? It’s so delicious.”

“Fluffy and sweet”

It was very popular with Erna and Liz. On the other hand, it was unpopular with Pero and Freya.

“Well, maybe it’s too sweet for me. I would have preferred it more if it had meat.”

“Mmm, it’s certainly delicious. But it’s a dessert. To satisfy a knight’s stomach, I’m going to ask for something heavier and more filling.”

Hmmm, that’s right. I also feel that it’s not enough just to make this for our dinner. I baked just one more piece and gave it to Moore.

“Why are you giving it to me?”

“Of course, you’re still our comrade right now, albeit tentatively.”

“Comrade huh…… It sounds nostalgic. Let me taste it then.”

Moore stuffed his cheek and his eyes widen.

“T-this! How sweet and delicious it is! Did such a thing ever exist in this world? Muhahaha, it is good to live a long life!”

He gobbled the pancakes in a frenzied manner. Apparently, sweets is Moore’s preference. I’ll give him some honey-pickled lemons later.

After that, we ate meat seasoned with honey before going to bed.

◇◇◇

The next morning, we found the stairs safely and then we start heading down to the 35th level. As we walked down the long staircase, I was thinking about what the next floor is.

“At what level do most adventurers die?”

“I haven’t looked into it myself, so I don’t know the details. However, I think they probably run out of strength between the 35^th to 40^th level. That being said, it will be tough from here on out.”

If that’s the case, the real challenge is just beginning huh. Now I can see why Mohed Great Dungeon is called the worst dungeon.

“Pero-sama’s hair falls out a lot.”

“Eh? Ah-, you’re right. I don’t usually shed like this much though.”

Freya mutters as she walks and brushes Pero’s fur. The brush she was holding had an unusual number of furs attached to it. Looking closely, I can see that Pero’s body looks a little bigger.

—No, that’s not it. It is just that the amount of his fur increased.

“It’s kind of cold, my breath is turning white.”

Haaa-, Erna exhaled, and her breath turns white. When I took off my cloak to check it out, it certainly felt quite chilly. I then distributed warm clothing to my companions just in case.

“I can see the light. We’ve reached the next floor.”

Liz, who is clad in fluffy winter suit, points in the direction of the light. At this point, the coldness is below freezing. Freya is trembling and hugging Pero’s waist. Come to think of it, she was vulnerable to the cold.

“Hachooo!”

Erna started sneezing. At that moment, Liz suddenly collapsed to her knees.

“Hey, what’s wrong!?”

“So sleepy…… kuu.”

“Don’t sleep in a place like this!”

I had no choice but to carry Liz on my back. My members are too vulnerable to the cold.

“What are you doing, why don’t you come over quickly?”

Moore was already standing at the entrance to the next floor. When I followed suit, I understand the reason for the coldness.

—The other side is a snowscape.

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

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We reached the 33rd level.

The scenery changed completely. We reverted back to the dimly lit cobblestone passageway. In this floor, it seemed that mainly insect-type magical beasts were growing in power. There are grasshoppers and crickets that are one meter long. And a swarm of bees, about 10 centimeters long, that attacks us mercilessly.

“Divine Power! Crush them!”

More than a hundred bees were crushed by the force that Freya unleashed, the bees were sent rolling on the floor in a ball. However, the next swarm of bees is already heading towards us. Liz quickly transformed the dark cloud into a net and stuck them to block the passage. Hundreds of bees are caught in the net one after the other, then they were rounded up in a ball. When the darkness suddenly subsided, the captured bees were cut into pieces, and parts of their bodies were scattered on the floor.

“There were so many of them, I wonder if there is a nest near here?”

“Maybe. It is possible that there is a better environment for these guys to live in at the lower levels.”

As I said this, I tried to held back my drool. When we talk of bees, there will always be honey. Moreover, if it is this large, it must have collected a lot of nectar. Kukuku, my dreams are coming true. It’s not bad to try pancakes after a long time.

“That sloppy face, I bet that he is thinking about how to eat honey.”

“I agree. But this time, I understand Oniichan’s feelings. When I’m tired, I like to eat sweets.”

“Un. It is quite exhausting. We just come back from a long voyage after all. I’m sure Father is thinking a lot for us.”

My comrades were whispering something, but I was preoccupied with honey.

Sigh. Human beings are strange creatures after all. When we think we can get it any time we want, we don’t really care, but when we can’t get it, we start craving for it. That’s exactly what I was like right now.

“Hoh~, you all seem to be excellent warriors. Are you interested in the Path of Fluffy? Being one with fluffy can lead to even greater improvements in your powers.”

Moore touches the fur on Pero’s back as he teases him. The person who was once called the Great Mage is now the Fluffy Hermit. The passage of time is indeed cruel.

Freya, who’s beside the Hermit, excitedly said,

“Did you hear the words of Hermit-sama? I you become a fluffner, you’ll become stronger! Come everyone, let’s all walk the path of fluffy together!”

Freya and the hermit shout in unison, “Mofu Mofu!”

This is a bit late, but I think two rather dangerous people joined up….

As long as we have free time, these two have been telling us about stories about being fluffy. I’m worried that we will be brainwashed without even knowing it. After all, it’s a horrible disease that even Edner has been infected with.

“By the way, Hermit-sama, why did you take Edner-sama to the path of fluffy?”

“That guy seemed to have awakened to the path of fluffy by a rabbit he bought for his daughter. Then he went super concerned as he was addicted to fluffy. So your brother gave him advice and introduced him to me.”

Freya nods her head.

“That makes sense. My brother is a cat lover and is very kind. I’m sure he couldn’t have left Edner-sama alone knowing he is troubled because of fluffy.”

“He is a splendid fluffner now.”

Freya and the Hermit start laughing at what seemed to be funny to them.

Stop it. Listening to such story makes me feel like I’m going crazy. 

I guess I have no choice but to force them to change the subject.

“Why did Moore become a fluffy hermit anyway?”

“Mmm, it’s nothing big. I’ve been wandering around looking for peace, then I’ve found the ultimate healing. That’s it.”

Moore says as he collects feathers and tusks from the bees’ corpses. Then, we began to walk down the passageway towards the stairs again.

“Oh, by the way, it looks like Shinichi and the others are using my watch. Can you show it to me?”

I handed the pocket watch to him.

Moore looks at his watch, he narrowed his eyes and then he smiled.

“This brings back memories. The woman depicted on the lid is Elise, my second wife. She was a bit of a strong-willed woman, but she was also cute. Where did Shinichi find this?”

“It’s in the hidden room in the mansion on the twenty-eighth floor.”

“Oh-, The main body has used to live there for a while. I’ve completely forgotten about it until now.”

He gave me back his pocket watch. Moore doesn’t seem to have any attachment to what he left behind. He also called the pocket watch and the magic jewel I found as “the main body’s thing”. The thought of letting go of even the pocket watch with his wife on it made me feel that he is a little cold.

“Oops, right. I had to tell you the secrets of the dump and stuff.”

He stopped abruptly and moves to the wall. He then raised his staff in his right hand and suddenly unleashed a spell at the wall.

“Nuaaaah!?”

We were caught in the explosion and rolled on the ground. I was very dumbfounded. If he is going to use magic, he should have told us beforehand. Suddenly, I noticed a soft touch on my face. My vision was pitch black and I felt something on my face.

“O-o-ouch…..Even if you are Moore-sama, this is too much you know.”

“Mmmph….E-Erna…. is that you on top of me?”

“Eh? On top? Kyaaaaaaaa!”

My dark vision brightened, and nearby, Erna was glaring at me while holding her buttocks.

Oh~, so that was her butt on top of my face. No wonder it was so soft.

“Ahfu!?”

“I got blown away too and ended up on top of you.”

Suddenly, Liz leans her butt on my face.

No, no, it’s clearly intentional! But… Kuku, it’s soft and feels good!

I pushed Liz up and then I also stand up. I saw Liz and Erna glaring at each other.

“Little girl…… How could you….…”

“Mmm. Now Oniichan can’t forget the feel of my ass.”

Sparks fly with their intense gaze.

Quarrel again? Sigh. I’m worried that it will escalate into killing each other someday.

“Freya-san!?”

Pero ran up to the pile of rubble. Then like an inugami with only his legs sticking out, he hurriedly dig Freya out. Freya coughs as she brushes the dust off her body.

“Cough. Cough. Cough. I remember up until Hermit-sama shot a magic, but I don’t remember anything after that. By the way, why do you all look at me with such sympathetic look?”

““““Nothing””””

We turned our heads to the person who had caused the incident. Moore sits on the rubble and smiles.

“Alright, everyone’s good. Let’s resume the explanation.”

He points his staff at the wall. There was a large hole that had been magically drilled. I tilted my head in confusion as to why it was necessary to tear down the wall just to explain it.

However, it soon becomes clear why.

A kind of mud began to spill out of the walls, eventually plugging the hole.

“T-this…!? What’s going on!?”

“As you can see, the dungeon is repairing itself.”

The hole was completely closed after about ten minutes, and it reverted back to its original state. We doubted our sanity at such strange sight.

No way. What’s going on?

Moore grinned as he slammed the wall with his staff.

“You must have figured out what the Great Dungeon is, right?”

“Don’t tell me…… But, for Mohed Great Dungeon to be……”

Moore anticipated what I am about to say, so he added,

“The Mohed Great Dungeon is a huge creature.”

It is as a I thought huh. 

From the day I found the dump, I had a faint feeling that it was like that. The process of collecting and disassembling corpses was like the stomach of a living creature. But even so, new questions arise.

Why does the Great Dungeon look like this?

“You have heard about the origin of this world from God Tree-sama, right?”

“Yeah. It is the prison for the God of Destruction created by the gods.”

“Right. So, how do you think did they imprison the God of Destruction, who destroys everything?”

“That’s ……….…”

I couldn’t immediately respond to his question. I can’t think of a way to trap an entity that destroys everything. The only thing that came out was to build a prison with something so sturdy that the God of Destruction couldn’t break it.

“The answer is for it to keep regenerating forever. That no matter how much it was damaged, it will be repaired every time. So, if it is restored back to original, even the God of Destruction will not be able to come out.”

“No, wait. I know what you mean, but I don’t think it will work just like that. If you can get through while the hole is open, then….…”

“What if you can’t get through?”

I was shocked. Yes. If the hole couldn’t be restored in an instant, then what I just said might be possible. But what if there were multiple walls blocking the way? Even the God of Destruction would have a hard time escaping.

“The place where the God of Destruction is trapped is not actually made up of walls like this. Well, that will become clear in time. In other words, a prison that regenerates forever is created by an eternally living creature.”

I touched the wall while listening to him. I could feel the coldness of an inorganic substance that I couldn’t think of as a living thing.

“A creature that lives forever huh…… It doesn’t look like it though.”

“It’s natural. According to God Tree-sama, the Great Dungeon is a structure-type sacred beast created by the Creator God to contain the God of Destruction.”

We were stunned. I never thought that the dungeon was a sacred beast. If that’s the case, then the Sacred Beast Barrier System must be a super-giant seal that includes Mohed Great Dungeon.

I feel like I understand a little bit how much the gods were afraid of the God of Destruction.

“But if that’s the case, why did they need to make it such a complicated maze? If they were just going to seal him away, wouldn’t a vertical hole have been fine?”

“If they just want to seal him, why do you think there are magical beasts living in the dungeon? What is the purpose of the rich environment that exists at each level? And what do you think does it need to survive?”

“What is necessary for survival…… Oh I see! So that’s what it meant!”

Perhaps the Great Dungeon is getting the nutrients it needs from the corpses. If this is the case, the intricate and complex maze is a mechanism for catching prey and not letting it out, and the rich environment that exists in each level is a biotope for breeding these creatures. Furthermore, humans come because of those magical beasts. For the Great Dungeon, the magical beast is both food and bait for catching humans.

“So that is why microbes and viruses don’t grow in the dungeon huh.”

“The Great Dungeon isn’t just alive because of corpses. It actually absorbs a small amount of life force. Well, you can think of it as the raw qi it needs to survive. It is collected from the things inside its body. But not all living things can withstand that absorption. I’m sure the rest makes sense.”

Raw qi…. that is a difficult word to interpret. 

But to put it simply, I can say that the Great Dungeon is draining energy from all of us. Small organisms can’t tolerate such absorption thus they disappear. That is why we don’t see any small insects or viruses here. It’s a convenient environment for magical beasts and humans.

However, that’s exactly what the Dungeon is aiming for.

“Then…. what’s in the bottom layer of the Great Dungeon is either the head or the ass huh.”

“Fuhahaha! Head! Ass! Hahaha!”

Moore rolled around on the floor laughing out loud with his hands holding his stomach. I was getting more and more angry, so I reached for the hilt of my sword.

“Alright. Alright. I’ll explain it to you, so don’t be so angry.”

“……So. What is it?”

“As I said before, the Great Dungeon is a structure-type sacred beast, so it can’t have the shape of a proper creature in the first place. There may be a brain somewhere, but no one knows where it is. Even if you are at the bottom level, you won’t know what part of the dungeon it is.”

Hmmm, thinking about it carefully, it may indeed be so. In the first place, I had never seen or heard of a building-type creature. It is my mistake to think in terms of common sense.

Moore stands up, thinking he’s explained enough. 

Well, if we spend too much time talking, progress will only slow down. However, another question popped into my mind.

“One last thing, what is the Temple of Teleportation?”

“It’s a device created by the gods to move around the dungeon. It seems to be something that this creature doesn’t originally have. Well, most of what I talk about is what I heard from God Tree-sama. Judge for yourself whether it is true or not.”

I felt a slight dizziness at the facts that were revealed one after another. 

What kind of developments await us in the future?

With a sense of apprehension, we walked towards the bottom.

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

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We used the Temple of Teleportation to reach the 30th level. Then we head for the staircase and went down to the 31st level.

“Hmmm, the 31st floor is not that different from the previous floor.”

“Mmm, it’s normal. I was imagining a more outrageous place.”

Erna and Liz looked a little discouraged by the view that unfolded before their eyes. The entire 31st floor was a one-type room. The trees are overgrown, and the ground is covered with moss like a carpet. Since there are many coniferous trees, the environment seemed to be a little different from the ones above. It also feels a bit chilly.

I called out to Moore, the Fluffy Hermit who is walking in the lead.

“I’ve been thinking about it, wouldn’t it be fine if you take us to the bottom level using the Temple of Teleportation?”

“Fufu, that’s quite difficult because I can’t use that temple.”

“What do you mean?”

“It is as I said. I’m just Moore’s clone, in other words, I’m a sham created by skill. Therefore, the temple does not recognize me as I am and refuses to respond to me. It won’t be a problem if I accompany others though.”

Hmm, does that mean that we have to make a steady progress till we reach the bottom?

It’s troublesome. But as we don’t have any other way, it can’t be helped.

Moore continues,

“Don’t worry. The Great Dungeon isn’t as deep as you think, it’s just that the obstacles in the way are troublesome.”

“Is it that hard?”

“No, it probably won’t feel that way for you guys. I meant it’s like that for a normal person. You don’t have to be too nervous.”

He walks quickly through the woods without hesitation. It is as if he knows the 31st floor thoroughly. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and ran to a dead tree lying on the ground to collect something. It’s a brown mushroom-like object.

I was delighted when he saw it, “Whoa!”

“It’s a mushroom called Kikurage, and it’s chunky and delicious.”

Moore smiles and hands the mushroom to me. This is indeed an edible mushroom. I involuntarily cleared my throat. I think I can have a drink with this tonight. At that moment, a response was seen on the enemy search radar in my field of vision.

The number of enemies is five. It is a fast-footed beast that is rapidly approaching us.

“Everyone, brace yourselves. The enemy is coming.”

Then suddenly the enemy split into two groups and began to act separately. One stayed in front and the other four move around our back. This move was familiar. The decoy, presumably the one in front, appears to be the stronger one. It was a blue-haired wolf that was two meters long.

“That’s a Blue Wolf. Its fur sells for a high price.”

“Mmm, it certainly have a beautiful coat.”

—However, the opponent is only a hindrance to the current me. When I activated the Subjugation Skill, the wolf in my field of view began to tremble. It even let out a frightened cry as it lay on the ground. Similarly, the wolves that had circled around the rear seemed to have stopped moving and were lying down.

We left the wolves alone and move on.

　◇◇◇

We have reached the 32nd level.

Like the 31st floor, it seemed to be a one-type room, but the scenery was a little different. There are many craggy rocks, and steep rocky mountains rise everywhere to block the way. A number of condor-like birds were perched on the rocks, and a number of large lizards up to three meters were crawling on the rock walls. When they spotted us, they become murderous.

“Well, I’ll do something about it. If I stay still, you may think I just self-proclaimed myself as Moore.”

Moore summons his staff out of nowhere and uses his magic. The countless needles of light that were released directly hit the heads of all the magical beasts in sight. The beasts died without much damage. It’s a terrifyingly deft attack.

“What kind of magic was that just now!? I haven’t seen such magic before.”

“It’s a magic that uses the light element, which can incapacitate an enemy without damaging the material. Well, I can proudly say that it’s a trick that I can easily do now.”

“But your staff suddenly appeared!? That was magic too?”

“Again, it’s not that hard for me now.”

Moore hides his staff in front of Erna’s eyes. It was like watching a magic trick, and not only Erna, but everyone in the room was amazed.

“I’m just magically creating a subspace and storing it there. And in my case, I’m fixing a doorway on my right hand and my staff can be taken in and out from there.”

“Subspace?”

“I created another space that is contained in the other side of the space.”

He sits down on a random rock and begins to lecture Erna with a branch he has picked up. In the meantime, we collected and dismantled the defeated magical beasts. When the work was finished, it was already around noon.

I begin to cook using the meat of the magical beasts. I rubbed the condor meat with soy sauce, mirin, ginger and garlic and let it sit for a while. When it is moderately pickled, it is fried in oil to complete the fried bird. The meat of the lizard is finely chopped and stir-fried with eggs, vegetables and freshly picked mushrooms. After that, I prepared miso soup and salad. Lunch is ready.

“——Therefore, the space is fixed to the body as much as possible, and the space itself cannot move.”

“Hmmm, the space is fixed to the body…… I see, it’s like Shinichi’s bangles.”

“No, that’s a different magic from mine. It’s close in image but, uh—what’s this good smell?”

Moore sniffs loudly. His gaze immediately stopped at the bowl I was holding.

“…… You’re eating weird things.”

“You mean this? It is called white rice. It is my staple food.”

“Let me see. Oh-, I’ll get one, too.”

The lecture seems to be over, and Moore and Erna sit down in front of the food. She handed him a bowl of white rice.

“Uhm, can you also give me those two sticks that you are using?”

“The chopsticks? I don’t mind…… But don’t you think it’s hard to use?”

Handing him the chopsticks, Moore slurps the miso soup with accustomed movements. He quickly scooped up the white rice and put the miso soup in his mouth again. He looked just like a Japanese guy. As a matter of course, he used his chopsticks to place side dishes on top of the rice as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Oh, by the way, why did Moore-san live in the dungeon?”

“Hmm? That’s a pretty direct question. Well, never mind. It’s something I’ll have to tell you anyway. It is not any different to say it here, isn’t it?”

He resumes eating, saying, “Well, that’s after I’ve eaten.”

His bite was so good that it was hard to believe that he was an old man. He stuffed his mouth full of fried bird and rice, chewing heartily. The pile of side dishes I had made was gone in no time.

Pero and Freya are stunned with chopsticks in their hand as the food disappears.

“Fuhaa, I’m satisfied. I have no regrets if I die right now.”

“I don’t think you have an appetite of an old man. As expected of someone who’s lived for a thousand years.”

Liz looked coldly at Moore, who lay down and rubbed his belly. Apparently, she is angry that her side dishes have been taken away.

“Well, you wanted to hear my story, right? Then I could tell you why I was living in the dungeon.”

Moore sat cross-legged and straightens his collar. We are nervous about what kind of truth will come out of his mouth.

“I was looking for a way to revive the soul.”

“Revive?”

“To put it simply, it’s resurrection. It’s a way to bring the dead back to life.”

“I-Is there such a thing in this world!?”

“You can say there is, but you can also say there isn’t.”

Pero is attentive and makes tea for everyone. Moore took a breath as he sipped his tea.

“Resurrection is the act of scooping up a soul from the cycle of samsara and sealing it back into a body. However, only gods can do that. Humans cannot even witness reincarnation.”

“But you are looking for a way to do that, weren’t you, Moore-sama?”

“Well, with a glimmer of hope in my heart, I continued to search for a means to make it possible for people to be able to resurrect. I even wandered around the world.”

Moore traveled around the world without revealing his name. At times, his identity was discovered, and he received a grand welcome. Then he came to Sarasvati in Naji.

“I had found some useful information that there was a being called the God Tree on the Forbidden Island, who could bestow advanced knowledge. I negotiated with the sailors the route to the island, which was said to have been written by the progenitor elves.”

As a result, I finally made it to the God Tree. But the answer I received was brutal.

“God Tree-sama said that it is impossible for a human being to do it.”

He furrowed his brows deeply.

“So, I begged God Tree-sama to perform the resurrection for me. But she refused, saying that she did not have that power. Apparently, only a few selected superior gods are able to do it.”

Moore sips his tea again. He exhaled and continued talking.

“But she gave me a new hope, she told me that there was a glimmer of hope at the bottom of the Mohed Dungeon. Anyone who went there can be resurrected.”

“Then the reason Moore-sama lived in the dungeon is….”

“To reach the bottom level. Oh, I’m sorry, but can you give me another cup of tea?”

After receiving the teacup, Pero quietly pours tea in a sitting position. Seeing this, Moore nodded, “You have a pretty good son.”

After receiving the tea, he sips and exhales.

“May I ask you one more question?”

“You can ask as many questions as you want. That’s what I intended to do when I agreed to lead the way.”

“Then, let me ask you. What is the dump?”

As soon as he heard my words, the corners of Moore’s mouth raised sharply.

“Did you see that place?”

“Well, it was a very strange place, where corpses were collected and broken down into powder. It felt like they are being digested.”

He pulls out a pocket watch from his bossom and checks the time. The watch was very similar to the one I had. That’s not surprisingly, as the watch I am currently using was originally Moore’s.

He is the legendary great mage after all.

“I think it’s time to leave. I’ll explain it to you as we head down.”

With Moore in the lead, we head to the 33rd floor.

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

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