#68
68. Exploration dungeon (2)
dungeon to explore.
Unlike the main dungeon, where mission clearing is the goal, or daily dungeons for gathering materials, it had the characteristic of not being able to predict the purpose. There were many cases where they brought nothing, but sometimes they brought high-quality materials that would open their eyes. There were also quite a few items that could only be obtained from exploration dungeons.
“I will have no choice but to go.”
“I guess so.”
At my words, Iolka nodded.
Go inside the city and look around. It’s not too late to decide what to do later.
We followed the road in the eastern plains to the east gate of Nelsa.
Merchants, mercenaries, and passers-by in different outfits came and went. Two soldiers were checking people entering and leaving the gate. Ahead of us was the coachman.
“Good job.”
The coachman brandished his whip and the loaded wagon began to move.
It seemed that the inspection was over. Our turn has come. The soldier looked me up and down and narrowed his brows suspiciously.
“Please submit your pass.”
“A pass?”
“You don’t even know that? You can’t get in without a pass.”
Two soldiers crossed the window and blocked the passage.
I took out a gold coin from my bosom.
“Can this be enough?”
“Uh, hehe! It’s not a pass.”
“If you don’t like it, you’ll have no choice but to go to the North Gate. I think it will work there.”
“Give me here!”
The soldier snatched the gold coin from my hand, looked around and whispered softly.
“I’ll let you through, but please don’t be too violent.”
“Don’t worry.”
The soldier gulped and put the gold coin into his bosom.
Then, suddenly, he put on a solemn expression.
“Are the people in the back group?”
“however.”
“then…….”
“Give me the gold coins. Go north.”
“Sat, go through. Keuheum.”
The soldier cleared his throat and raised his spear.
We entered the aisle. Halfway through, Iolka clicked her tongue.
“These are pitiful people.”
“Isn’t money the best thing for these guys?”
we went out on the street
Various buildings are lined up on the left and right. The main street was full of hawkers and citizens buying and selling goods. I couldn’t find even a fragment of the tense atmosphere I felt at the time of the mission.
“…”
I put my hand on my chin.
Right before clearing the 10th floor, Nelsa had even penetrated her resistance and was about to be captured. It is safe to assume that most of the city was invaded. Casualties will exceed at least a thousand units. However, there were no traces of the massacre in the present city.
‘I must find information.’
I looked up at the system message at the top of my field of view.
[‘Party 1’, Exploring – Heim Peninsula]
[Time remaining until return – 47:48:22]
’48 hours.’
In two days you will be returned to the waiting room.
In it, collect as much information as possible about the exploration dungeon.
It’s not necessary right now, but exploring dungeons will become an essential course later. It was essential to create an efficient farming route.
“Can I look around?”
“What information can I look for?”
Even though I didn’t give any instructions, Jenna and Aaron came over and asked.
I smiled and replied.
“anything.”
“Anything?”
“Okay, find something in moderation.”
The three of them looked at me with questioning faces.
I turned to the three of them and continued.
“Didn’t you hear? Each person should figure out the information, but they should play in moderation in the place they want. Master gave the money, so it should be enough. Eat something delicious and go sightseeing.”
“That word…”
“Don’t pretend to take a break, really take a break. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Information gathering alone is sufficient.
If the situation was dangerous, there would be no way, but after looking around, it seemed that I could do it alone.
reducing stress levels.
It was one of the important effects of exploring dungeons.
In the meantime, the members of Party 1 have never rested properly. They were the guys who came to the training ground briskly, saying they had nothing to do even if I told them to rest.
“Why don’t you like it?”
I said to the three people standing there with an absurd look on their faces.
“Isn’t that a joke?”
“What are you kidding?”
“You mean I can do whatever I want?”
I had to repeat the explanation several times to the members who did not believe.
Amkena wouldn’t have sent us to the exploration dungeon hoping for results. The research level was too low for that. For proper farming, at least level 4 of deep dungeon research was required. This time was just a test.
After about 10 minutes of persuasion, I was able to make the party members understand.
that you need a break. Condition and stress management were one of the things I put the most emphasis on while running Niflheim.
“Whoa, whoa… Then let’s go. I’m going out of town. Don’t hold on to me. I’m going far, far away.”
“Do whatever you want.”
“Gee, are you really going? Are you going to see the sea?”
Iolka smiled awkwardly and disappeared through the gates.
I didn’t catch on.
“I’ll be back in the waiting room in two days. When I return, I won’t be resting until I clear the 20th floor, so be aware of it. It’s also my job to adjust my condition.”
“If your brother is like that.”
“I’ll follow my brother.”
“Do not come.”
Jenna put on a sad expression, but calmed down when I told her I was joining her the next evening.
This gave me time to work leisurely.
After parting with the two of them, I walked down the main street and looked around.
No peculiarities were found. It was a city that could be anywhere.
However, it feels like there are a lot of mercenaries. People with weapons could be found all over the streets. They gathered all over the street and talked.
“How about the strategy of…?”
“I can’t do it. I’m blocked.”
“As expected, I’ll have to call…”
The story was not heard well, buried in the bustle of the city.
don’t rush Two days was enough time. I walked down the street touching the gold coin in my bosom. I was thinking of going to an inn or tavern to hear the story. Just at the crossroads, a huge three-story building caught my eye. Beer and chicken were drawn on the sign.
“…”
Right before entering, I noticed a notice board erected next to the entrance.
Various wanted letters were attached to the bulletin board. A criminal who allegedly stabbed a priest and escaped. Bandits plundering peddlers. Wolf with two heads. Even mutant goblins.
And there was the most striking portrait.
A silver-haired, golden-haired girl wearing a crown. She was somewhat faded but unforgettable.
‘Is that a kid.’
The number of digits of the bounty is different.
Even with the rewards of all the wanted letters, it didn’t seem like it would work for this guy.
Above the portrait, the assigned crimes are listed.
‘The crime is following heresy, summoning the devil.’
In addition, all possible crimes such as insulting the throne, murder, arson, theft, and rape were added.
At the end, it was written that he would be deprived of the status of the imperial family because he committed a heinous crime despite being a heir to a great lineage.
“Is your brother also targeting that witch?”
I turned my head.
A little boy with a suspender bag was staring at me. The half-open bag was full of wanted letters.
“The dream seems big, but it won’t work. The famous people searched the continent and couldn’t find it. If you’re a bounty hunter, you know, right?”
The boy took out the wanted letter with familiar hand movements and began to paste it on the bulletin board.
“Are you calling this kid a witch?”
“Sure. They say it’s very impressive. They say they took out the heart of a newborn baby and sacrificed it. Dozens of them. They say they use forbidden black magic.”
“Forbidden black magic?”
“It is said to bring an unauthorized being. I don’t know exactly.”
The boy who finished attaching the wanted letter turned his back.
I grabbed that shoulder.
“for a moment.”
“Yes? Why? I’m busy.”
“I’d like to hear from you.”
“I’m at work. I have a long way to go to meet my quota today.”
I held out the gold coin without a word.
The boy opened his eyes wide and accepted the gold coin.
“W-what…”
“Give me more details.”
“Ahaha, it looks a bit expensive…”
“If you don’t like it, don’t.”
I tried to steal the gold coin.
The boy shook his head and hugged the gold coin tightly.
“Where shall we talk, brother?”
“Inside the inn.”
“yeah!”
The boy stumbled into the inn.
I followed along too. A waitress came over, and I ordered a place for just two people. We took a seat at a corner table on the second floor of the inn.
“What would you like to hear?”
The boy smiled and touched the gold coin.
I bit it with my teeth and rubbed it gently with my palms.
Looking at the soldiers and boys, they don’t seem worth much, but they’re 1,000 gold anyway. This is the amount of money that can be obtained by going around the lower floors.
“Tell me about the witch.”
I said as I drank the strangely flavored drink.
The boy began to explain one by one.
“My name is Priasis Al Ragnar. Now that I’ve lost my castle, I’m just Priasis. In the past, I was the heir to the imperial throne…”
The basic information was the same as what I knew.
However, there were discrepancies in a few areas.
“Did you say you were wanted a year ago?”
“Yes, just one year ago. At that time, a wanted order came down from the church. Do you see the wanted person here?”
The boy took out a wanted letter from Priasis from his bag.
At the bottom of the wanted letter was a seal that looked like a cross with wings attached.
‘A year ago.’
Not even a week had passed since I broke up with Priasis on the 15th floor.
I had also seen the seal of the wanted letter. It was a pattern engraved on the armor of the guys I killed.
Other than that, he asked a few questions about the princess, but the boy answered that he didn’t know anything other than what he said. I didn’t expect any more information from a kid either.
Putting the information together,
Shortly after Priasis escaped the city, a wanted order was issued. And she said that she had wandered all over the place for the past year. It seems that he is still alive somewhere. Had she been caught and killed, she would not have been wanted by now.
“to the next.”
I spoke.
Of course, I had no intention of ending it here.
“Yeah, next time.”
“Have monsters invaded this city?”
“Invasion… intrusion. Ah!”
The boy clapped his hands.
“I don’t know because I was somewhere else before that, but I heard a glimpse. Goblins invaded the city in droves. Maybe two years ago?”
“so?”
“They managed to repulse it somehow. They said that a lot of people died, but I think it was sorted out thanks to the church taking off their feet.”
indeed.
Has it been two years?
After making sure that no one was around, the boy whispered to me.
“This is another rumor, but there is a story that the instigator of the invasion is a witch. Originally, monsters don’t work on such a large scale.”
I smiled lightly.
I put all the bad things on.
I would have suffered.
“Any other unusual incidents?”
“Hmm… that’s a pretty vague statement.”
“Anything is fine. Say something.”
“Sometimes there is a plague. Monsters are rampaging. The weather seems to be getting colder. Among them, the most unusual thing is the dungeon.”
The boy opened his mouth.
“It must have been a few years ago. Ruins like ruins popped up all over the continent. They call it a dungeon. But this place is really strange. Ordinary people can’t enter because of the transparent walls.”
transparent walls.
I seemed to know what you were referring to.
“Looks like there’s a difference between those who can enter and those who can’t.”
“Exactly. This is also a rumor. At the end of the dungeon, there is a strange stone, and if you get that stone, you can have special powers.”
“……strength.”
There is only one stone that can obtain special powers.
Kang Lim-seok.
It was the source of the hero’s third ability, imprint, following stats and skills.
“There must be one here.”
“Yes? How is that…”
“I know when I see it.”
Because the mercenaries were swarming.
I finished my drink and stood up.
“Guide me. It’s worth the money.”
