episode_0096

We stepped into the dungeon a little past 8 AM. By the time we reached our destination, the clock told us it was already noon.

A little further past the ground where fake artifacts for the experiential learning mission were hidden, there was a place concealing a passage.

“We need to find the strangely shaped tree. It should be a little further from here.”

“The tangled ones, right?”

Not long after, I found the hidden passage leading to the dungeon’s secret ruins. In a secluded clearing, four gigantic trees intertwined with each other were visible.

“It’s here!”

Answering, the Violets searched the surroundings. Dozens of Violets prodded the ground with pointed stakes, checking for anything hard.

Seeing us digging beneath the ground, Irene asked,

“Are you sure it’s around here?”

“According to the information I heard, this is definitely the place!”

According to memories from the main story, a curious gimmick was hidden at the end of Chloris Forest. To enter the ruins, we had to find a totem buried somewhere in this patch of grass.

“I think it was around here.”

I closed my eyes and searched the jungle floor. The humidity, the smell of earth, and the buzzing of insects had long since been drowned out by the rustling movements of the Violet company. We focused on examining the ground beneath our feet.

After about ten minutes of digging through the ground, I felt something hard.

“It’s here!”

One of the Violets excitedly pointed to the ground. Digging with our hands, a finely carved leopard-shaped sculpture caught our eyes. We had discovered a hidden leopard totem, waiting for visitors, which should have only activated five years later.

“It’s amazing. To find such a sculpture deep in an uninhabited dungeon…”

Daphne opened her mouth, intrigued. Irene, who had been quietly watching what we were doing, asked a question.

“That’s incredible, what do we do now?”

I touched the leopard totem’s forehead and said,

“You just need to slowly pour mana into it like this. Watch!”

The totem’s surface was smooth. When I slowly infused it with mana, there was no reaction at first. Then, suddenly, the totem plunged into the ground.

“As expected, it works!”

And the surrounding ground trembled. That wasn’t all. As if a giant, long dormant, had awakened, powerful currents of aether surged around us. From beneath the ground, aether gushed out from various spots like bursting hot springs.

“It’s opening! It’s opening!”

We all shuddered at the phenomenon.

While the totem reacted, the earth gently heaved beneath us. How much time passed? When the commotion subsided, the ground in front of the trees sank, revealing a dark passage. Stone steps were visible beyond it.

“So that’s the ruin Violet spoke of…”

“That’s right. Let’s go in quickly!”

The passage opened, and the mysterious ruins hidden by Chloris Forest revealed themselves. This was the deep ruin of Chloris Dungeon. In the game, it was located at the end of the dungeon.

And at the location at the end of the dungeon, a boss awaited foolish adventurers.

“Before we go in, let’s take some time to reorganize. If Violet is right, powerful magic beasts will be waiting here.”

Following Irene’s words, we quickly took out water and snacks. We had decided to eat lunch after gaining experience in the ruins. One hundred and three girls sat on nearby fallen trees or grass, resting.

Suddenly, Daphne, who had been pondering something, asked me,

“The amount of mana released when the entrance opened was enormous. Won’t the surroundings find it strange?”

The Violets were startled and their mouths fell open. Why hadn’t they thought of that?

“Ah… that’s right, what do we do about that?”

Hearing that, Irene quickly dispelled their worries.

“Don’t worry about that. We came by cutting through vines to get here, remember how tough they were?”

“They were incredibly tough!”

Hearing my reply, she cut off one of the long, trailing vines next to her and handed it to me and Daphne.

“Take a look. Can you feel the mana?”

“It’s true?”

“It really is. Aether can be felt, even if it’s slowly leaking out.”

“Plants growing naturally inside the dungeon undergo mutations from prolonged exposure to aether. They don’t become magic beasts, but they become incomparably tougher than plants outside the dungeon.”

While I was thinking about what she meant, Daphne let out a short exclamation, “Ah,” as if something had dawned on her.

“I understand. If what Irene says is true, then the trees and bushes saturated with the jungle’s mana will mask the mana released when the exit opens.”

“That’s correct.”

So that’s how it was. It was a relief that no students would needlessly rush over in a commotion, nor would instructors frantically come running this way in surprise.

Come to think of it, our travel speed was faster than other students’. It would be a difference of one to two hours. Normally, we would have to bypass areas of anomaly or unexplored regions, but we had pushed through them with the strength of the Violet company.

After reorganizing, it was now time to enter the ruins.

“This time, we’ll go in first!”

Violet 301, carrying a riot shield, led the way. Irene glanced at Daphne for a moment, then nodded.

“Don’t overexert yourselves, and tell us if there’s anything dangerous. Understood?”

Daphne’s shield enveloped Violet 301’s body. For some reason, the shield was much thicker than usual.

“Joint reinforcement, slight noise reduction, mana assistance, metal strengthening…”

Not stopping there, she even cast various minor support spells.

“You absolutely won’t get hurt now. Don’t worry.”

“Uh, thank you…!”

Daphne’s gaze at Violet 301 felt like a fish in cold storage. Why was that?

After completing all the minor preparations, we entered with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension for the adventure awaiting us deep within the dungeon. As we descended the stairs, a moss-covered, dark passage greeted us. Inside, it was filled with a damp, indescribable smell.

At some point, bright light enveloped us. It was the end of the passage.

“That’s…”

Irene, moving directly behind Violet 301, murmured in surprise at the sight beyond the passage. The underground ruins were bright and boasted a vast space. Perhaps because of this, trees and grass grew luxuriantly even here.

Looking further, there was a small circular plaza with a stone floor. Around the plaza stood trees and large and small walls and pillars, difficult to discern their shapes. Every single one was covered in moss or overgrown with vines.

The Violets turned their gaze elsewhere. In the center of the circular plaza was a large, human-sized yellow crystal, surrounded by incomprehensible mechanical devices.

Its name was the Aether Amplifier. According to its setting, it was a remnant left by a fallen civilization that had existed in another dimension. Activating it could greatly increase an awakened individual’s abilities nearby, safely and without side effects.

Unfortunately, magic beasts swarmed around the Aether Amplifier. We approached the stone plaza, careful not to be discovered. With over a company of Violets, moving stealthily was a task in itself.

“So we have to get rid of all those creatures around there to activate the ruins, right?”

“That’s right.”

The surroundings were teeming with hordes of Scraxx. Some were seen lying down asleep or picking their noses. The Scraxx in the Novastiya Dungeon were grey, but the ones living here were green. Anyone seeing them might mistake them for goblins or orcs.

“Only minor monsters are visible; the main story’s boss monsters aren’t. Like Kranos or Brasque.”

The fake T-Rex that suddenly appeared and rampaged during the entrance ceremony was originally the boss monster of this place. It wasn’t visible now. What a relief.

Among the small Scraxx, a large, human-like magic beast was visible. Its entire body was covered in thorns.

“It’s a Warden. That one is…”

“The one that uses the barrier field, right? Got it.”

The Violets quickly spread out around them. Normally, they would have suppressed them with a barrage of gunfire, but unfortunately, they had to use crossbows. A crossbow, viewed objectively, was a sword-energy launcher. Its power was excellent, but its bolt speed was slow, and it lacked a satisfying impact. It felt somewhat lacking in large-scale combat.

As agreed upon before entering the dungeon, while Daphne waited in the rear, guarded by two squads, the 1st platoon, acting as the assault team, lined up with Irene at the center. The remaining Violets all drew their crossbows and aimed at the enemies.

Irene raised her left hand, giving a signal. The Violets, hidden among the trees and bushes, raised their crossbows in unison, like robots.

When the time was right, Irene lowered her left hand.

“Fire!”

The quiet twanging of bowstrings resounded one after another, and red streaks of light struck the horde of magic beasts.

“Roar!”

“Scream!”

While the magic beasts were disoriented by the sudden attack, the Violet unit and Irene immediately charged. Scraxx casters raised their arms and fired magic bullets. The assault team, doubly clad in golden mana and a light green shield, didn’t even suffer a scratch.

“Attack! Attack!”

With a single charge, the horde of magic beasts flew into the air. A Warden, standing among the horde, deployed a grid-patterned defensive barrier around its body. But the slow-flying bolts, imbued with mana, passed through the barrier as easily as cutting water with a knife. While the creature thrashed in pain, Violets armed with axes and swords rushed inside the barrier.

“Don’t go in too fast. Normally, if it’s slower than a bullet, it almost always passes through, but there’s occasionally a chance it might bounce off. Before entering the barrier, think of it as just walking, and go in slowly.”

After the orientation, Instructor Frederick’s words, which he had briefly told us earlier, came to mind. We entered as if walking through the barrier. The Warden thrashed its arms wildly, but it was slower than expected.

“Slice!”

“Roar!”

Before long, magic beasts fell one by one as the engagement ended. Since there were only Scraxx hordes, the task finished more easily than expected.

“Casualty report!”

“1st Platoon, three light injuries. No fatalities.”

“2nd Platoon, one serious injury. No fatalities.”

“3rd Platoon, no injuries. None here either!”

The Violets and our team surprisingly cleared the ruins quickly. The progress speed was suspiciously fast, but we were lucky.

“No one got hurt. That’s a relief…”

While Daphne smiled quietly, Irene approached the Aether Amplifier with a curious gaze.

Now it was time to receive rewards. And find the treasure chest.