Chapter 21

Chapter 21

I Installed a Dating App and Girls from Another World Became Obsessed with Me.

Episode 21: Underground Dungeon (2).

“Underground dungeon?”

No, why was something like that under the temple?

[Originally, this chamber was created to seal and store one of my nine most dangerous relics.]

“Ah!”

Iris gestured as if she finally understood at the World Tree’s explanation.

“So that’s why it was difficult to grasp the spell within the barrier?”

[That’s right, child. This barrier does not welcome the visit of those who do not bear the royal mark, nor does it allow them to leave.]

The spell of the barrier surrounding the underground chamber separates space, preventing those who do not bear the royal mark from entering or leaving.

There were no fatal restrictions imposed on the interior itself. Only the restriction that one could not leave existed.

“But… since you call it a dungeon, it feels ominous. Is there anything weird down there…?”

Nah, no way.

[The path to the depths will be blocked by demonic beasts. And my avatar, who sleeps to protect the relic, will also awaken the moment you enter the dungeon.]

“…Just in case, what are the odds of a 2-circle mage returning intact?”

[About the same as that child eating meat.]

For reference, Iris was a vegetarian.

“Iris, can’t elves eat meat?”

“Yes, I can’t eat meat due to my constitution.”

If it were just a simple preference, there might have been a sliver of possibility, but with the racial characteristic, there was none.

So, it meant there was no way I could clear that dungeon safely with my current skills.

Moreover, Iris couldn’t use her full strength because of the restraints. In fact, I had to take on most of the dungeon.

Of course, if I took my time and continued to grow in various ways by going back and forth between Earth and this world, it might be possible someday.

But when would that be?

5 years? 10 years? 20 years?

Wouldn’t the avatar guarding the divine relic be at least equal to Iris in her prime? At the very least, it would be just below that.

7 circles.

Of course, I created a mana circle in half a day with the app’s ability and reached the 2nd circle in a week, but 7 circles were a distant and lofty realm that I couldn’t even dare to look at.

The number of 7-circle mages on Earth was only 10.

How long would I have to dedicate myself to reach that level?

Just thinking about it made my future seem bleak.

Then, there was a warmth gently enveloping my hand.

“Hyeon-u, don’t worry too much.”

Iris held my hand affectionately and leaned on my shoulder.

“You don’t have to rush too much. I’ll also look for ways to help you.”

“…”

“So, let’s work together?”

I hugged Iris without saying a word.

“Thank you.”

Now, I felt like I could enter the underground dungeon alone.

“And I’m also planning to research how to remove the restraints, so if it goes well, you might not have to enter the dungeon.”

“That’s a bit…”

Passing the buck to a woman and just waiting in a safe place is unacceptable as a man.

I’d rather die in the dungeon.

I couldn’t even imagine doing that.

[Child, sorry to interrupt your conversation, but only Kang Hyeon-u will enter the dungeon.]

“What?!”

Iris’s eyes, looking at the World Tree in surprise, were filled with undisguised questions.

“W-why, mother…? If Hyeon-u enters the dungeon alone…!”

[It is for his sake.]

The World Tree’s subsequent answer perplexed us.

I thought he was a daughter-fool who didn’t want to send his precious daughter into a dangerous dungeon, but he said it was a choice for me?

“For my sake? What do you mean?”

[When do you think a mage grows?]

It was a simple question.

“Well, isn’t it when they research magic and acquire new knowledge?”

It was common sense that knights grow through physical training and aura training, while mages grow through acquiring new knowledge or research.

[Isn’t that common sense only when you dream of becoming a scholar?]

“…Ah.”

[Knights and mages are no different in growing through numerous practical experiences that cross life and death, using those experiences as a foundation. I believe you aim to be a mage specialized in practical combat.]

That was true.

Just locking myself in a room and researching magic wasn’t my style.

[Kang Hyeon-u, head to the dungeon alone. Of course, with your current skills, you’ll barely manage the first floor, but even so, dangerous practical combat will make you grow quickly.]

“The first floor…”

The World Tree’s opinion was unwavering.

Rather, I was dominated by the thought that I should head to the dungeon right away.

Tight hug-

“Hyeon-u, no…”

Iris’s face, clutching my sleeve, was full of worry.

“It’s too dangerous. You don’t know the special nature of the dungeon yet…”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“…”

The moment I met Iris’s eyes, I was more serious than ever.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand her worries. I also wanted to spend all day hugging Iris.

Laughing at pointless jokes and enjoying ourselves by filling our stomachs with food from Earth would be a happiness that would satisfy me even if I died.

But running away from reality like that wouldn’t start anything.

[Remaining matching time: 11:32:47]

There were 11 hours left.

It seemed the time limit had increased because the level of my relationship with Iris had increased.

It was a lot, but it’s not even a day.

“Like I said last time, no matter what happens, I’ll get you out of here.”

I smiled lightly and stroked Iris’s hair.

“Do you know what our race’s characteristic is?”

“…I don’t know.”

I moved my steps towards the stairs leading to the dungeon.

A heavy, cold wind was blowing from below the spiral staircase.

Perhaps due to the peculiarity of this place called a dungeon, I could even feel the heavy weight of ominous mana.

“Let’s get this over with quickly.”

[Equipping Assistant Monocle]

[Mana flow begins to be visible]

[Equipping Magic Ring]

[Magic power slightly increased]

[Wood Wand]

[Casting time slightly reduced, magic power slightly increased]

“Iris, I’ll get you out of here as soon as possible too.”

I descended towards the bottom of the dungeon.

[Entering the Underground Labyrinth of Pelledia]

The stairs continued endlessly.

I felt like I had stepped down at least 500 stairs, but I still couldn’t see a place worthy of being called the first floor.

The longer that time dragged on, the more the tension increased.

In a situation where demonic beasts could appear at any moment, there was always a blind spot in my vision.

This was because the structure of the descending path was a spiral staircase.

Perhaps because of that, my senses were sharper than ever, and my mana was seething fiercely, as if it would manifest magic at any moment.

How much time had passed like that?

“This is the door to the first floor…”

I was able to reach a stone door engraved with a golden tree.

Now, opening this door meant stepping into a dungeon filled with demonic beasts and traps.

“Hoo…”

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t nervous.

But the more I did, the more I thought of Iris and composed myself.

I had a duty.

A duty for receiving the love of a woman who was too good for me, named Iris.

A duty to give Iris a chance to escape from this dreadful prison, and to take revenge on Resilia, who falsely accused her and imprisoned her here for 200 years, and those behind her.

Thump-

I pushed the heavy-looking stone door with all my might.

Contrary to my expectations, the door opened easily.

The moment I opened the door and took my first step into the dungeon, torches lit up in the dark space in order, revealing a passage with no end in sight.

It was similar to the structure of dungeons that often appeared in games.

“It’s a good thing I brought a notebook and pen.”

In dungeons that appeared in creative works, the most important thing was mapping. And this applied in reality too.

Low-level hunters were said to bring mapping tools with them when they entered gates. Rich guys carried magic tools that automatically mapped, but with my current bank balance, that was out of the question.

“The passage is wider than I thought.”

It was wide enough for six adult men to walk side by side.

The height seemed to be about 5 meters.

It didn’t seem too narrow to fight by throwing magic or swinging a sword.

Of course, if you ask if this is a good sign, I can definitely say no.

“There’s no way they built it like this for the people who came to the dungeon.”

In all likelihood, it was right to assume that there was a demonic beast of a size that required this much passage.

Just thinking about it made me feel like I was sweating cold, but I tried my best not to be conscious of it.

I had to avoid being overwhelmed by negative thoughts as much as possible.

I walked for quite a while after that.

Surprisingly, no demonic beasts appeared. But if you ask if that was just comfortable, that was not the case.

The World Tree said there were traps inside the dungeon.

For reference, I don’t know what traps look like or how they work. Because of that, I had to pay attention to every step I took.

Thanks to that, fatigue was building up quickly.

I hadn’t even experienced a battle yet, but sweat was pouring down like rain.

‘Hoo, if I had a lot of mana, I would have walked while using a barrier continuously.’

That would have been convenient, but it was impossible for now.

I had no choice but to manage my stamina by drinking some water and eating lightly to take a break.

How much time had passed like that?

Finally, the straight course passed, and the road split into two in the distance.

“Which way should I go?”

In fact, I might have to go both ways.

But for now, I wanted to avoid the most dangerous path.

‘I’m sure I saw on the community board about a method that veteran hunters use in situations like this…’

Thump.

“?!”

Just before the fork in the road, I felt a presence from the right path.

It was a clear footstep, no, footprint sound, that I couldn’t even call a delusion.

“…This is crazy.”

After that, what appeared in the strangely dark passage was a bipedal, muscular dog bastard.

Grrrrrrr!!!

I got goosebumps at his roar.

My survival instinct, which I couldn’t deny, started to stir my mana.

Reflexively, I gritted my teeth and raised the wood wand in my right hand.

It was the first demonic beast I encountered in the dungeon.