Deadmeat Saga

Chapter 16 – Dungeon Diving

After walking through the early city streets, Gerhart and Hope entered the Dungeon Explorer's Guild.

Unlike the Adventurer's Guild, where most adventurers went on requests early in the morning, the Dungeon Explorer's Guild was their workplace. Gerhart saw a small line to the Checkpoint, where staff members scanned through what the explorers brought with them.

When Gerhart entered, no one seemed to recognize him. However, they did glance at his tall and muscular frame and Hope.

"Who is that guy? I don't recognize him. He looks strong and has this air about him. The sword scabbard also looks expensive and has a beautiful combat slave. Is he a noble?" One of the explorers whispered.

"Dunno, but someone with that build should be a talented warrior... And that mousey next to him isn't half bad." Another explorer replied, giving Hope a scanning look.

"Hope. We need to stand in line now. The dungeon is just ahead of this Checkpoint." Gerhart said.

"Okay, master." Hope nodded.

The two of them then walked to the line and patiently waited. Luckily, or perhaps not, they were not coincidently harassed, mainly because of Gerhart's towering stature and not knowing his social status.

As a 1.9m tall man, Gerhart was already above the majority, and those who reached his size were usually well-off burghers and above, those who could feed their kids to get such a size. Otherwise, they would be like Gerhart before this, 10 to 20 cm lower than their potential. And even if they could feed themselves, most people never reached this height due to genetics. Coupled with his confident demeanor, sword, and beautiful combat slave, he was easily mistaken for a warrior of noble birth.

After waiting in line for a short while, it was their turn.

"Card, please." The clerk said.

"Here." Gerhart showed his card.

During these ten days, Emerald Flame ceased to exist. Flyx got publicly exiled, while the rest of Emerald Flame got sold as criminal slaves. From what Gerhart heard, Aeraf got bought to be a bodyguard for some noble. On the other hand, Galya was purchased as a Combat Slave, made to dive the dungeon as a D-rank Dungeon Explorer. Yrenea, however, had it the worst. A wealthy merchant bought her as a concubine. Her noble upbringing and talent for magic made the merchant want her to sire his heirs. Or at least that was what the rumors said.

As for Fraser? For three days and nights, he was hanged outside the city walls, letting the crows feast on him before being buried.

Because the threat of Emerald Flame was gone, Gerhart boldly returned to the Dungeon Explorer's Guild and unfroze his guild card. He didn't need to see Skyler for this and already got the go-ahead before he arrived.

"Hm... F-rank explorer and E-rank adventurer, Hah? Gerhart? And she is your combat slave?" The staff member asked, glancing at Hope.

"Yes." Gerhart nodded.

"Very well. Card." The guild staff requested.

"Here." Hope took out her new guild card and showed it.

Name: Hope(Slave. Owner: Gerhart)
Race: Beastkin(White Mouse)
Age: 18
Sex: Female
Occupation: Warrior
Rank: F - Dungeon Explorer, F - Adventurer

Since the Adventurers' Guild and Explorers' Guild were tight-knit, they allowed a joint card and account system.

"Hm... All is in order." The staff member nodded and returned the card. "You may enter. Good luck."

Gerhart and Hope nodded, took their bag, and entered the dungeon.

"So this is the dungeon..." Hope muttered. "Looks like the inside of a castle."

The Vlita Dungeon was a Labyrinth-type dungeon. It was built like a castle, having brick walls lit by intangible cold flames lighting its dark corridors.

"Don't lower your guard. From here on out, everything you see is part of the dungeon's theme and lure. The floor, monsters, and traps will change daily, making mapping and strategizing impossible." Gerhart said, his expression serious. "Remember, we are inside an apex predator's digestive tract, and the monsters and traps inside are not the only ones we should worry about. I experienced that first-hand."

"Yes, I know, master." Hope nodded.

After getting down the stairs, they saw to their right an obelisk.

"Is that the teleportation stone?" Hope asked.

"It is. Once we clear every five floors, we can teleport to the beginning of the following floor." Gerhart nodded.

If they clear the 5th floor, they could begin on the 6th floor. If they clear the 10th floor, they could start on the 11th floor. However, this was a one-way ticket. To return, one needed a time-limited Dungeon Return Stone dropped by monsters or found in chests, which disappeared after 24 hours when not used, and it only worked on one person at a time. Otherwise, they needed to defeat the floors all over again while ascending. It was a clever trick employed by the dungeon, tempting explorers into a gamble, perhaps into a deadly situation, forcing explorers to abandon their comrades to their demise. If the explorers were unlucky and ran out of food and water, they would slowly starve and dehydrate to death unless they managed to scavenge edible dungeon resources. They would grow tired, becoming vulnerable to otherwise trivial threats, perhaps preyed upon by fellow explorers.

But that wasn't an issue for beginners like Gerhart and Hope. As long as they didn't do anything foolish and prepared well, there was no risk aside from other explorers. For now, at least.

"Let's go," Gerhart said, leading the way, and Hope followed.

After walking for half a minute, they stumbled on the first crossroad, a path to the left or walking straight ahead.

"Now... Where should we go?" Gerhart muttered while looking around.

He didn't want to stay on the first floor for too long. It was just not worth it. Instead, he wished to complete the fifth floor as soon as possible.

"I feel like going straight will lead us to the next floor," Hope said.

"Your intuition?" Gerhart asked, surprised.

"Yes, it triggered. When it triggers, there is a high likelihood it is correct." Hope said.

"By the way, is Intuition like Treasure Hunter?" Gerhart asked, curious.

"Sort of. Both talents rely on instincts, perception, and willpower." Hope answered. "However, Intuition is all-encompassing. Meanwhile, Treasure Hunter only focuses on finding treasures. However, someone with a potent Treasure Hunter talent might be much better at it than someone with an Intuition talent."

"I understand..." Gerhart replied and kept moving. "Let's continue."

"Yes." Hope nodded and followed him.

The first and second floors were relatively tame, especially near the entrance, since the first explorers and returning explorers cleared the monsters. Also, traps are non-existent up to the 5th floor, making the first five a (Relatively) safe learning environment for new explorers.

After going through several turns, Gerhart and Hope finally ran into a monster, a slime. Essentially, on the first and second floors, the only monsters you would encounter are slow-moving slimes. Some believe it to be a sort of tutorial the dungeon puts in place for new explorers to make it as friendly as possible and not drive the potential prey away.

"Hope, kill it," Gerhart said, not intending to step in.

"If she can't even kill a damn slime, she might as well become a housewife or academic." Gerhart thought.

Luckily, Hope didn't disappoint him. She pulled out her long sword and wielded it with both gloved hands before charging at it.

"Hya!" She shouted as the sword swung down, cutting the slime in half.

Moments later, the slime became particles before merging into a Magic Stone.

"Ah! I defeated it!" She happily declared, picking up the magic stone like a trophy.

"Good job, but don't get complacent. It is just a slime. Your real test will start on the third floor against the goblins." Gerhart said, taking the stone and placing it in his bag.

"Aww... Let me be happy with it for a bit. It was my first monster." Hope puffed her cheeks and sheathed her sword.

"Well, happy first monster kill, I suppose," Gerhart replied and continued walking.

Since the first floor was not extensive, they only needed ten-odd minutes to reach the stairs to the second floor.

The second floor was about the same as the first but was 10% more extensive. Moreover, slimes began popping up in pairs instead of single slimes and were a tad stronger. People interpreted it as the dungeon telling explorers monsters can appear in groups.

Like before, Gerhart didn't intervene, letting Hope do the killing. Altogether, Hope slew eleven slimes on the first and second floors. Gerhart noted that Hope's swings were becoming smoother and more natural and controlled her strength better.

"She learns fast..." Gerhart thought.

On the way to the third floor, Gerhart spoke, "Good job so far... But now, the real test starts. Cave Goblins are not easy pickings like slimes, wielding crude weapons and armor, and working in teams. They might also call for backup, and we would need to face even more of them."

"But you can handle a dozen or two by yourself, right?" Hope said.

"Well, I certainly can." Gerhart nodded, not denying it. As a lvl 30 wielding a magic sword, endowed with various talents, if he couldn't handle a dozen 3rd-floor goblins, he might as well commit suicide.

"However, for me to handle them would be bullying. You kill them first, and I will help in an emergency." Gerhart said.

"Okay." Hope agreed.

After arriving on the third floor, Gerhart and Hope walked before stumbling on two green Cave Goblins wearing random garbage-quality armor parts and crude weapons. Luckily, they still didn't use ranged weapons on the third floor. However, they started throwing stones on the fourth floor and used bows on the fifth. Luckily, except for the boss of the tenth floor, no monster could use magic or aura.

"Gi! Gigi!" The goblins screeched, eyeing the intruders.

When looking at Gerhart, there was fear and wariness due to Gerhart's size, but the same wasn't when they looked at Hope. They became excited.

"GI!!! GI!!!" They shouted like horny monkeys.

"Ugh... Disgusting." Hope scowled.

"If you don't want to become their seedbed to produce variants, fight like you mean it. Show no mercy." Gerhart said.

Dungeon monsters couldn't leave the dungeon and couldn't procreate by themselves. However, they sometimes captured explorers to mate with them, both male and female, producing monsters that can breed among themselves and leave to the surface.

"I know!" Hope pulled out her sword and charged at the goblins.

"Gi! Gi!" The goblins cheered and charged ahead.

"Ya!" Using the extended reach of her sword, Hope horizontally swung it at a goblin's neck.

Clang* Thud*

The goblin blocked it with its weapon, thinking it would be easy. But it didn't expect the blow to be powerful enough to push it off its feet.

"KI!!!" The other goblin tried swinging a club at Hope, but Hope deftly dodged it before using the pummel of the sword to poke its eye before piercing its stomach.

"G-Gi..." The goblin collapsed, spasming on the floor.

The other goblin, seeing this, wanted to flee, but Hope killed it before it could by lopping its head off. She then coldly eyed the dying goblin before ending it by piercing its chest again.

With the battle over, the two carcasses became two Magic Stones.

"I did it!" Hope said with a bright smile.

In Gerhart's perspective, she looked like a child asking for praise.

"Good job, Hope. Never spare these monsters, or you will regret it." Gerhart nodded in approval.

But inwardly, he couldn't help but note her movements.

"She moved so smoothly and naturally... I only taught her to swing a sword without hurting herself, yet she pulled some advanced moves I never used. Is this a prodigy with SS-rank Instincts and A-rank Intelligence?" Gerhart thought. "Since she is my Thrall now, I can also have those stats with enough energy... But first, I will help her reach around my level."

Gerhart had two ways of improving himself. The first method was absorbing corpses and items, and the second was through a so-called reverse blessing. Of course, to do that, he needed sufficient energy. The energy required would likely be over a thousand, perhaps the same amount he absorbed from those 200 magic stones. Perhaps even more.

In any case, it wasn't something he could do in one day, so it was better to raise a reliable combatant who could watch his back.

After storing the stones, the duo continued traveling around the floor, slaying goblins until they reached the stairs to the fourth floor. In total, Hope killed ten goblins. With each fight, Hope got visibly better at fighting, making Gerhart feel incredulous.

However, things started to change on the 4th floor. Ranged monsters appeared. It might not sound like much, but a well-placed rock throw could cause severe damage to an unarmored spot. Even though Gerhart and Hope had leather helmets on, if a rock hit their eyes, it might lead to permanent blindness. That was close to a death sentence to just about anyone.

Luckily, Hope gave Gerhart a piece of good news.

"You can regenerate lost body parts with enough energy." Or so she said. Not that Gerhart was crazy enough to chop off a finger and test it out.

In any case, Gerhart had to start joining the fights. However, he minimized his role to defending Hope against rocks with his shield. Even if those rocks hit his body, he barely felt anything because of the leather armor.

However, the amount of stone throwers was relatively low. Only about 1 in 3 was one, and even then, the tight corridors limited their throwing range. Except for making Gerhart and Hope raise their guard, the fights were easier with one front-liner gone. But this changed on the fifth floor. Half of the stone throwers get replaced with archers.

Although the bows sucked, the tips were crude, and the goblins were relatively weak, it was still more dangerous than a stone. Luckily, their aim sucked, sometimes hilariously committing friendly fire, so they were not too much of an issue as long as you were careful enough. Also, Hope's intuition seemed to predict from where an arrow would come and accordingly dodge.

And so, the duo cleared the floor until finally, they reached the mid-boss door.

"So this is a boss door..." Hope said while looking at an oversized wooden double door. "I saw an illustration before, but seeing it in person is more impressive..."

"This is nothing. I've seen a 100th-floor boss door once." Gerhart said, unimpressed.

Compared to the final boss of the Great Labyrinth of Terror, a mere mid-boss of the 5th floor was mediocre. Instead, he looked to the side and saw an obelisk.

"It is unlit, and the doors are closed. The boss is still alive, and no one is fighting it."

When someone fights a boss, the obelisk lights up, teleporting explorers from side to side, skipping the boss. Some believed it was the dungeon being considerate, but Gerhart knew the dungeon was never benevolent. It did this to encourage explorers to offer so-called sacrifices, allowing safe passage between bosses. On the other hand, if a boss is defeated, the victorious and tired party would gain a reward right as the doors conveniently opened to coveting explorers' eyes. There was also a cooldown between bosses, so parties fought over the right to fight it. In short, it was one big trap.

"Anyway, we will rest here before tackling the boss," Gerhart said and sat on the floor.

"Okay." Hope nodded and sat next to Gerhart.

The room next to a boss was a Safe Zone, allowing rest for wary explorers. Of course, this room didn't have anything that helped explorers recover. It was merely an open space where explorers could rest, even sleep. However, it wasn't sustainable, and explorers had to go out and find food and water or leave the dungeon, or they would eventually starve to death. And, of course, there were other dangers.

After ten minutes of resting and eating a light snack, Hope and Gerhart heard a voice.

"Hey! We finally reached the mid-boss!" Gerhart looked at the entrance to the Safe Zone and saw a male archer pointing forward while grinning.

"Hah... Finally. I want to rest for a bit." A female warrior sighed.

"Oh! We are not alone." A male magician noticed Hope and Gerhart sitting in a far corner.

"Hello!" Hope friendly waved.

"We are just resting here, so let's keep our distance," Gerhart said, his vigilance raised.

"Agreed." The male archer also turned vigilant and sat with his two members on the other side.

Although monsters couldn't enter, explorers could. If you carelessly slept while others were present, what was to stop them from stabbing you in your sleep and taking your valuables? It was easy cash. If no one knew you did it, why care?

It was precisely what the dungeon wanted, to create an environment where the nerves of explorers were always taut like a bowstring. The more vigilant they were, the more it sapped their energy, making them weary and agitated, increasing the likelihood of committing cruelty. Gerhart knew that some kindhearted people might turn evil when agitated enough.

Because of that, Gerhart took the initiative and asked, "Do you three want to take the mid-boss?"

"We prefer to skip it." The archer, who seemed like the spokesperson and leader, answered.

"Then my companion and I will take it," Gerhart said, and Hope also got on her feet.

"Many thanks." The archer nodded.

Gerhart didn't say anything more and approached the doors and opened them. What Gerhart saw was an empty arena. However, Gerhart knew it was merely because the challenge didn't start. Once enough challengers entered or reached the middle of the room, the doors would automatically close.

"I wonder what the boss would be like..." Hope said, looking around at the well-lit arena.

"A goblin warrior, probably," Gerhart replied while moving to the center of the room.

The goblins they faced until now were just minions, poorly equipped and untrained cannon fodder using pure ferocity to attack. Meanwhile, a goblin warrior has better equipment, strength, and combat experience. Although they are of the same level, their stats are higher, and they usually have a talent or two suitable for warriors.

"Well, it shouldn't be too strong. I feel like I can handle it myself." Hope said without worry.

"I am not worried about the boss..." Gerhart muttered, glancing at the double door that was closing.

Once the doors were closed, a barrier appeared in the middle of the room, spawning four figures.