Ch.50Dungeon of Disease and Demons

Dungeon.

Among the many mysteries scattered throughout Grantis, it’s the most dangerous, most unpredictable, and accordingly, a place where one can expect the most valuable rewards.

It can also be called another small world connected to our world through access points known as Gates. According to reports, they take various forms, from natural caves and labyrinths to towers, castles, and even outdoor environments like forests and valleys.

However, the most common and famous forms are cave and labyrinth dungeons, and the Disease Demon’s Dungeon we entered also had the typical labyrinth structure.

“So this is the Disease Demon’s Dungeon…”

“The blue torches give it a strange feeling.”

Square-shaped torches with blue flames were placed at regular intervals along the rectangular corridor made of large stone blocks.

Though not extremely bright, they provided more than enough light to spot any monsters inhabiting the dungeon.

After confirming that the purple gate we had entered through was still shimmering behind us, we maintained our formation and proceeded into the dungeon.

After walking about 20 meters down the straight corridor, we came upon a spacious room approximately 7-8 meters in length and width.

In the center of the room, on a slightly raised platform, sat an object resembling a marble coffin, and on the wall directly ahead, there was writing in blood-red letters.

“If you do not wish to suffer pain worse than death, offer a pure maiden who knows not man as a living sacrifice… The usual threatening message.”

“This stone coffin is the altar that receives the living sacrifice.”

“So they bring a pure virgin here and lay her down as an offering.”

“Eek…”

Mina flinched at Seth’s words and hid behind me.

Seeing her reaction, I said nothing and instead examined every corner of the room, looking for traces of Arcane Words.

“How is it? Are there any Arcane Words?”

“No, none visible in this room. Well, I didn’t expect things to go smoothly from the start.”

“Should we examine the altar more closely?”

“Hmm… let’s postpone that. They probably investigated it thoroughly 38 years ago, and even if the sacrifice conditions haven’t been met, I don’t think it’s a good idea for the women to get near that altar.”

“Agreed. Let’s head through that passage over there.”

Besides the entrance we came through, there was another passage in the right wall of the altar room.

We entered that corridor and proceeded forward for a while. As we turned left around a corner, Seth, who was leading, stopped and pointed his spear forward.

“Monsters. Two large rats.”

“OK, leave them to me.”

The moment Seth stopped, I had already spotted two rats charging toward us from about 15 meters ahead.

Their bodies, about 30 centimeters long and covered in black fur, with glowing red eyes, evoked more fear than disgust, but I wasn’t intimidated by rats running in a straight line from that distance.

“Bang! Bang!”

“Squeak!”

Two magic bullets left my revolver’s barrel and pierced precisely between the rats’ eyes.

I kept my gun aimed at them briefly in case they were still alive, but within 30 seconds, both corpses dispersed like smoke and disappeared.

“What? They vanish that quickly?”

“That’s characteristic of dungeon monsters. When defeated, they instantly disappear, and sometimes they drop collectible materials besides magic stones. However… it seems these Plague Rats don’t drop anything.”

“So no matter how many we defeat, we won’t get a single penny. What a stingy dungeon.”

Now I understand why the adventurers who investigated this place 38 years ago returned empty-handed. A dungeon using scorched earth tactics? I’ll blow up its core and completely demolish this insolent dungeon.

With that thought, we continued along the corridor until we reached a fork with paths extending forward and to the right.

The forward path curved left after about 7-8 meters, while down the right path, we could see a firmly closed door.

“Which way should we go first?”

“Dungeon monsters rarely open or close doors. Checking the forward path first would reduce the chance of being ambushed from behind.”

“OK, forward it is.”

Following Jessica’s advice, we entered the forward corridor and slowly moved along the path that curved left.

Or rather, we attempted to move, as Mina let out a small “Ah!” and hastily pulled on Seth’s cloak to stop him just as we turned the corner.

“What is it?”

“Three steps ahead, there’s a thin thread set up on the floor. Probably a trap.”

“…You’re right.”

Looking carefully at the spot Mina indicated, I could see a thin, transparent thread like fishing line stretched across at ankle height.

This wasn’t simply meant to trip someone but was a trigger for a deadly trap, commonly known as a booby trap.

“Jessica, do you know anything about the traps set in this dungeon?”

“There aren’t such detailed records. Besides, dungeon traps are periodically replaced or changed, so relying too much on past records could be more dangerous.”

“I’ll check it out, so wait a moment. Let’s see…”

Mina traded places with Seth and began carefully examining the walls and ceiling around where the thread was installed, taking care not to touch it.

“There are holes inside the torch holders on both sides, and a slight gap between the stones in the ceiling. I’m guessing oil would pour down from above while gas is released from the sides to ignite a fire.”

“Oh…”

Getting caught by a thread at the ankle only to be doused in oil and set ablaze—this was far more sophisticated than the booby traps seen in most movies.

“Everyone move back around the corner. I can disarm this in five minutes.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“You know what my main profession is, right? This is child’s play.”

Mina removed the blue torches from both holders, then opened the ceiling and took out the oil container, placing it on the floor.

Everyone tensed as she cut the thread with small nipper-like scissors, but when the thread snapped with a click, nothing happened.

“Trap disarmed~ Let’s continue.”

We continued exploring the dungeon, with Mina and Seth taking the vanguard to detect traps.

After passing through the corridor where the trap had been set, we turned right and reached a dead end. Confirming there were no secret passages or traps there, we returned to the fork.

Now it was time to enter the right corridor and investigate beyond the door.

“There don’t seem to be any traps on the door.”

“OK, let’s go in.”

As Seth forcefully pushed open the inward-opening door, a large shadow lunged at us as if it had been waiting.

A bipedal rat-man standing one meter tall. This must be the monster Jessica called a Ratman.

“Stone Bullet!”

“Thud!”

“Kreek!?”

While dungeon monsters rarely open doors themselves, they often ambush adventurers when they open doors.

Jessica, who had learned this through two years of adventuring experience, countered with a prepared Stone Bullet. Another Ratman that rushed out was quickly met by Seth’s spear, which slashed its ankle and then pierced its chest, killing it instantly.

There was one more Ratman in the room, which was slightly smaller than the first chamber.

It was further back than the other two, so not close enough for immediate combat, but when I saw the hesitating Ratman reach for its waist, I instinctively aimed my revolver and pulled the trigger.

“Bang! Bang!”

“What!?”

Two gunshots rang out simultaneously when I pulled the trigger.

I hadn’t fired twice in rapid succession, nor had Jessica or Mina fired along with me.

One shot came from my single-action revolver, and the other from a bizarre-looking gun that the Ratman had drawn.

“Did the monster just fire a gun…?”

“It sure did. Is anyone hurt?”

“We’re fine. The monster’s bullet hit the ceiling.”

After confirming everyone was safe, I approached the Ratman’s corpse and examined the gun that had fallen to the floor.

The bizarre pistol, with what looked like a small spray can inserted upside down where the hammer should be, remained on the ground even after the Ratman’s body dispersed like smoke.

“What a strange-looking pistol. Is it an artifact created in the dungeon?”

“Ah~ This is a Bunting Magnum S1! No wonder even a monster could use it.”

“Bunting Magnum?”

“It’s the first automatic-loading pistol made about 40 years ago. You could call it the great predecessor of the Vesper Model 7 Derringer that Jessica uses.”

Firearms circulating in Grantis can be classified into two types based on their loading method: inscription loading and automatic loading.

Inscription loading, like my revolver, requires the user to place their finger on the magic bullet inscription and channel their mana to reload. Automatic loading uses a magical device called a Crystal Mana Focusing Mechanism to draw mana from the surrounding air for reloading.

The latter takes longer to gather mana and can only store enough for one shot, but it doesn’t consume the user’s mana, making it popular as an emergency measure among mages.

Also, inscription loading weapons typically only respond to the mana of Humans, Elves, and Dwarves, so Beastkin, wild animals, and monsters cannot use them.

“I see… Because it’s an automatic loading gun that uses ambient mana, even monsters can fire it.”

“Modern automatic loading firearms have safety features that prevent animals or monsters from using them, but that technology didn’t exist when the Bunting Magnum S1 was made.”

“So this gun isn’t something created by the dungeon…”

“Right. It’s probably a relic from an adventurer who entered 38 years ago. Should we take it and sell it to an antique collector?”

“Better not. The Ratman’s been carrying it for 38 years, so who knows what diseases it might carry.”

“Hmm~ If we cleaned it up properly, we could get at least 200 gold for it.”

I was momentarily tempted by the prospect of 200 gold for a 38-year-old antique, but it wasn’t worth risking plague for such a dangerous item.

We pushed the Bunting Magnum behind the door where other Ratmen wouldn’t easily find it and resumed our investigation of the dungeon.