Chapter 506
The first basement floor of the Gold Mine Dungeon.
This was truly an alien place that gave off the real feeling of a dungeon. The first basement floor wasn’t solid ground but a space where a crimson sea surged and swelled.
And most likely, the sea’s original color hadn’t been red. Human corpses were drifting here and there, bobbing on the surface.
‘……They must have dumped the corpses of failed experiments here.’
The path leading to Simon’s next destination, the “second basement floor”, lay at the far end of the central causeway that cut across this revolting sea.
The central causeway was linked to numerous side paths, and from those, undead soldiers poured out without end.
“Prince! Send zombies to block the 7 o’clock direction!”
[Okay!]
“Erze! Put up a barrier of webs at the side bridge!”
[Understood!]
The more they fought, the fewer the Legion’s undead followed from behind.
It couldn’t be helped. Since this dungeon stretched down to the third basement floor, they had to save as much strength as possible and make efficient use of their forces.
‘More importantly…’
Simon raised his head.
‘What kind of space is this supposed to be?’
On the upper floor, a river of blood had flowed, but it hadn’t fallen downward. Here, the sea’s water surged upward and connected with that river above. Proof that the space itself was grotesquely warped.
Of course, expecting the common sense or physical laws of the continent to apply inside a dungeon would have been foolish anyway.
“Simon, the road’s cut off.”
At Kajan’s words, Simon snapped back to attention and stopped. Just as he said, the road ahead had been broken apart.
‘Nirti’s doing.’
As though it had only just been destroyed, fragments of the causeway floated upon the sea. Hundreds of meters beyond, the main road resumed.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
And even now, undead soldiers surged relentlessly onto the central causeway where Simon stood.
[What do we do now, Simon?]
Prince asked.
“No choice. We’ll leave this spot to the Legion’s undead, and we’ll cross quickly on our own.”
Simon was the first to kick off the ground, leaping onto a fragment floating on the crimson sea.
Splash!
The fragment rocked precariously, unable to bear Simon’s weight, and began to sink. He quickly leapt to the next one.
“Ugh, this is dangerous.”
[Hoho! There’s no need to struggle like that.]
Erzebet grasped a web attached to the ceiling and soared upward. Soon Kajan and Prince also used her webs to lift themselves, and Simon was pulled up after them.
Leading the way, Erzebet carried the three men connected to her webs along with her.
“Well done, Erze!”
It was an incredibly smooth means of travel. In the distance, the path to the second basement floor came into view.
‘That’s it! Just a little further…!’
[Everyone, be careful!]
Feer’s warning rang out.
Before them, as they traveled along the webs, the crimson sea surged upward. From within it, a long creature wreathed in molten lava opened its maw wide and charged.
‘Damn it!’
Erzebet swung her arm. The three men were shoved aside, while the monster slammed into Erzebet alone, driving her back into the floor.
Landing on a fragment, Simon shouted urgently:
“Erze!!”
[Leave this to me and keep going!]
She was seen forcing the monster back with her webs.
Simon, Kajan, and Prince nodded and dashed across the floating fragments like stepping stones.
Erzebet rose to face the monster that had struck her down.
[What in the world is that?]
A chimera resembling a gigantic worm, sweat replaced by lava streaming from its skin.
It writhed in pain from its own molten burns, yet the dungeon’s regenerative effect healed its injuries again and again.
An immortal creature, doomed to suffer forever. One that could exist only in this Gold Mine Dungeon.
[How pitiful. Since you’re an undead as well—]
Erzebet spread both arms.
[I’ll grant you the gift of peaceful annihilation!]
Crossing her arms, the webs she had spread beforehand contracted violently, binding the chimera.
But the molten lava seared through the webs, allowing the chimera to slip free with ease before rushing Erzebet again.
Crash—!
[Kgh!]
The chimera struck her, driving her into the ground once more.
It pressed down on her, jaws gaping, as she barely held it back with raw arm strength.
Her webs repeatedly tried to entangle it, but each time the molten flow dissolved them. Their abilities were a terrible match.
[Haa.]
She sighed in resignation.
[How unpleasant.]
Crack—
Her pale face cracked apart, revealing flesh of another hue beneath.
Rip! Snap!
From her waist, lumps of flesh quivered, then sprouted into spider legs that braced firmly against the floor.
In an instant, Erzebet propelled herself with eight legs, using brute force to shove the chimera away.
[Even for a moment, I detest being in an unbeautiful form.]
She hoisted the monster overhead and slammed it into the ground. Lava splattered everywhere as the chimera let out a hideous shriek.
It had been a long time since she fought in her true form. Her dark-blue webs spread to cover the surroundings.
[I’ve changed my mind. Before you’re annihilated , you’ll pay the price for angering me.]
* * *
Thanks to Erzebet’s efforts, Simon’s party reached the dungeon’s second basement floor safely.
If the first basement floor had been a fortress to block intruders, then the second basement floor resembled a massive detention facility.
Cells lined the area, and the undead residents of Tarados poured ceaselessly out of open cell doors, swarming Simon’s group.
[There’s no end to them!]
Prince charged forward, pulling back his fist.
[Hidden Card Punchhh!!]
Boooooom!
Undead soldiers were blown away like autumn leaves in a gale, crashing into walls and ceiling. Yet even their pulped bodies regenerated swiftly.
“Their recovery has gotten faster.”
Kajan clicked his tongue, watching a zombie with broken legs rise again instantly.
“Let’s split up here.”
Simon checked the map.
“There’s a place called the ‘Secret Laboratory’ on the second floor. And on the third floor lies Nirti’s personal research chamber. Kajan, stick to the plan and head for the second floor to find Kal. Prince will go with you.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll descend to the third floor and settle things with Nirti.”
Prince stared at Simon in shock.
[What, are you really fine with just you and Feer?]
“More than enough. And besides—”
Simon stretched out his right hand, opening subspace.
“Did you forget we still have one more ally?”
Simon instantly pulled out a staff from subspace and slammed it against the ground.
‘Golden Transmutation!’
The dungeon’s floor turned to gold, then shattered into fragments that shot upward. The undead soldiers standing there were blown away by the wide-area attack.
“This battle, I’ll be counting on you again, Herseba!”
[Of course, of course! Just trust me, kid!]
Herseba once again lifted the transmuted golden floor into the air, scattering the undead soldiers far and wide.
“Simon, once we’ve dealt with things here, we’ll descend to the third floor too.”
“Yes, Kajan! See you soon!”
Kajan and Prince pressed forward, while Simon veered slightly off course, searching for the stairway leading down to the third basement floor.
* * *
Screechhh!
Crunchhh!
Was this Nirti’s final desperate act? Undead soldiers swarmed out of prison cells in a massive tide.
‘So that’s how you want it?’
Simon gripped Feer’s greatsword in his right hand and Herseba in his left.
The strength of an Ancient Undead and another power just as formidable.
He couldn’t ask for better support.
‘Golden Transmutation!’
Simon invoked Herseba’s authority, turning the floor into gold.
Then Feer’s greatsword came crashing down, dragging across the golden ground with a deafening scrape.
‘Heart-Soul Slash!’
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwa―!
Feer’s colossal slash streaked along the floor like a mountain crashing forward.
First strike: the slash itself. Second strike: golden shards erupting in its wake, raining down upon the enemy.
In an instant, a path opened through the army of undead, and Simon sprinted along the trench carved out by the blow.
‘Almost there!’
Ahead, he saw it—the final stairway leading down to the third basement floor.
* * *
“Th-thank you!”
“I thought I was going to die here without a chance.”
Dungeon, 2nd Ground Floor.
Before becoming test subjects, residents were confined in a detention camp located here on the 2nd floor above ground.
Serne was fending off the immortal undeads with her Feather Soldiers, while evacuating the residents outside the dungeon.
“This way!”
“Keep your heads down and move quickly!”
She guided the refugees by manipulating some of the townsfolk with feathers. Of course, Serne herself stood in the back, arms folded, stretching out with a long yawn.
“So tired.”
Even inside the dungeon, there was no tension about her. It was the composure of the strong.
She wiped away some sleep crust from the corner of her eye and yawned again.
“Simon really… making me do chores like this.”
“Uh, umm….”
Her half-lidded eyes turned sideways. A filthy, ragged little kid shuffled toward her nervously.
“Thank you for saving my mom and dad!”
The child bowed deeply. Serne stared at the kid blankly, then waved her hand lazily as if it were bothersome.
“H-here.”
The child stretched out a grubby hand, offering something.
A hard lump of stone-bread.
“I’ll give it to you, big sister!”
The child pushed the bread into Serne’s hand, bowed hard once more, and then ran off to their parents.
“……”
Serne stared at the bread with a blank expression.
It was really as hard as stone.
Only the edge was a little damp—covered in saliva. The kid must have been trying to soften it on their tongue because it was too precious to eat all at once.
“Serne Eindark.”
It was then.
The echo of clack, clack shoes approached out of the darkness.
Those escaping saw the figure and panicked, scattering in terror.
“What’s this?”
Serne smiled faintly.
“Seems I’m lucky today. The boss is here?”
The chief commander and head researcher of the Tarados branch of the Executioners—Nirti.
Her face was hidden under shadow. Serne plucked a feather and held it in her hand.
“Serne Eindark. Age 18. Second-year at Keyzen. Orphan by adoption, yet the official heir of the Ivory Tower.”
Serne’s brow furrowed in irritation. Nirti smiled as she continued.
“I’ve wanted to meet you at least once.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Starting as an orphan and then swallowing the entire Ivory Tower whole, that’s impressive. I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from it.”
Nirti put her hand on her hip.
“But after you entered Keyzen, your track record has been nothing but disappointment.”
“……”
“The heir of the Ivory Tower dragged away as a hostage, forced into wearing a Keyzen uniform. I thought you’d at least have plans to bring the school down from the inside—but no, it seems not even that.”
Her tongue flickered like a serpent’s.
“So why? Did Keyzen’s overwhelming power make you give up? Or have you grown proud and comfortable wearing that uniform, happy to play along? To see you wasting time releasing captives like some obedient prisoner—it’s pathetic!”
Nirti laughed softly, extending her hand.
“Forget that nonsense. Join me.”
Serne’s face twisted as she looked at the outstretched hand.
“With you?”
“You must have realized by now, right? The true purpose of our experiments.”
“Immortal soldiers.”
“Correct. At first it was only possible inside this dungeon, but now, we can deploy them outside as well.”
Nirti spread both arms wide.
“The very undead army that the great lords feared most! Even Keyzen can’t win against soldiers who cannot die or disappear—you’ve seen it yourself!”
“Mhm—”
“We share a common enemy in Keyzen. If you help me, everything will move faster.”
Nirti grinned slyly.
“The experiment is nearly complete. Just a little more time. When the promised day arrives, the Ivory Tower and the Executioners will rise together…!”
“You’re delusional, monkey woman.”
Serne crossed her arms and smirked.
“I guarantee, your toys can’t do anything to Keyzen.”
“Toys, you say?”
Nirti’s face twisted in rage.
“And you dare say your behavior since entering Keyzen has been anything but disappointing—”
“I disagree.”
Serne wagged her finger.
“I’m very, very satisfied with this life. The one and only way to destroy Keyzen—the true reversal—is close to me, always by my side. The path I’ve chosen is never wrong.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Nothing is greater than my immortal soldiers and the Executioners' plan!”
“Oh, but there is.”
She smiled.
“Simon Follentia. The future of the continent will be reshaped around him. Stealing Simon from the wretchedly lingering Witch of Death and her daughter, that would be the fatal blow to Keyzen.”
“And you’re saying some promising brat has more value than me and the Executioners?”
“Of course.”
Serne raised the feather in her hand.
“And if you’re going to propose anything to me—”
Thwack!
Her feather pierced through Nirti’s abdomen.
“At the very least, you should come in person.”
“Ghhk!”
Nirti’s body turned ashen and crumbled away into dust.
“You’ll regret…!”
Crunch!
Serne stomped on her head with her heel, her ivory hair swaying as she turned away.
“……”
But in her left hand, she was still holding the hard piece of bread the child had given her.
She stared at it for a moment—then tossed it backward with a flick.
“You eat it.”
The bread landed in the palm of one of the refugees she was controlling with feathers.
Watching him devour it greedily, Serne smirked and strode forward with light steps.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters