Makeshift Wolf Brigade II ③
A treasure map. It didn’t look like anything else.
There were circles and crosses, and various characters were written on it.
Mr. Agaro groaned.
“A treasure map?”
“Look, right here, it says ‘treasure’ in Old Eddan,” Narcissus-san said.
“Eddan?”
There was some kind of symbol at the circle mark, but was this Old Eddan?
“There’s no mistake. It’s a treasure map!”
Narcissus-san declared, full of confidence with her arms crossed.
Mr. Agaro sighed.
“Of all things. That bald guy…”
“Um, um, Lord Wof. Is this a treasure map?” Juicy asked.
“It seems so.”
“Na?”
My true feeling was exactly that “Na?”
The Witch taught me various ancient scripts. But even I can’t read Old Eddan.
I wonder if Hayyarn could have read it.
“So, assuming it’s a treasure map, well, its priority is low, but if we don’t know the location, there’s nothing we can do,” Mr. Agaro said.
“It’s the 44th floor,” Narcissus-san said.
“What?”
“It’s scribbled on the edge of the map, ’44th floor.'”
“…It’s true.”
The handwriting was a bit messy, but it was in standard characters. I could read this.
But why was only this part in standard characters?
“Um, over here, it says Avusdrakdu Ruins!” Juicy exclaimed.
“Na!”
Avus…? Is that the name of some ruins?
“So, either way, it’s in a place we’re heading to,” Mr. Agaro said.
“The inspection team and their escorts might be there too,” I said.
“They might have turned into zombies…” Mr. Agaro muttered.
He muttered dejectedly. It was hard to tell if he was joking.
I almost forced a smile, but then a thought occurred to me.
“…Mr. Agaro. I have a quick question. If you die in a Dungeon, do you always become a zombie?”
I asked. It had been bothering me a little. Why had they turned into zombies?
I wondered if that’s just what happened when you died.
“Not all corpses turn into zombies. There are conditions for becoming one. First, a Necromancer. A Necromancer can turn corpses into zombies or ghouls. Second is the location. Depending on where you die, you might become a zombie or a ghoul. Those are the two I know of,” Mr. Agaro explained.
“So, the enemy is a Necromancer, perhaps?” Narcissus-san mused.
I could tell from the way Narcissus-san spoke that she was getting excited.
“Though, Undead usually don’t leave Undead-type floors,” Mr. Agaro added.
“Um, um, um, I’ve heard that there’s a [Necromancer] job among the Relics,” Juicy said.
“Ah, I’ve heard of that too,” Mr. Agaro replied.
So, something like that exists. I wonder if The Witch knew about it.
“So the enemy really is a Necromancer!”
Narcissus-san’s excitement was high.
Mr. Agaro agreed, his face clearly showing he thought this was a pain.
“That’s the most likely possibility, huh?”
“Um, um, I also think that’s a possibility!” Juicy chimed in.
It seemed Juicy thought so too. The enemy is a Necromancer… huh.
If that’s the case, what could be their objective? Mr. Agaro mused aloud.
“A band of thieves I once failed to subjugate was hiding in the Dungeon, and they had a Necromancer among them. But they had a falling out…”
“That’s an interesting story,” Narcissus-san commented.
“You think so?”
“Um, um, yes. I think it makes sense,” Juicy agreed.
“I see. And then the ‘Tartarus Gate’ inspection team and their escorts got caught up in it somehow.”
It all added up. But then, what about the Sahagin?
“…Anyway, let’s try going to the 44th floor. Mr. Agaro, where’s the Teleportation Array for the 40th floor?”
“It’s just ahead.”
There was a door on the opposite side.
“Before we go…”
I jotted down the treasure map and removed the memory stick.
It might be useful somewhere. And I could either sell it to Arifa-san or give it to The Witch.
Opening the door revealed stairs leading down. At the bottom was a passageway.
It was a sterile-looking passage, dark in the distance. I sent an Orb of Light ahead to illuminate it.
“Sahagin or zombies might appear. It’ll be easy, but don’t let your guard down. Especially you, Narcissus.”
“What do you mean? There’s no way I’d lose to some small fry!”
Narcissus-san huffed, offended.
Mr. Agaro continued calmly.
“Zombies can infect you, you know. Even a scratch can transmit it.”
Incidentally, ghouls can also infect you.
“What are you talking about? I won’t get a single scratch!”
“Hey, now…”
“That kind of carelessness is what gets you turned into a zombie.”
I couldn’t help but interject.
Well, even if she got hurt, we have Elixirs, so it would be fine.
Besides, with [Danger Detection], I’d know before an enemy attacked.
But Narcissus-san gets carried away easily, so a little warning like this is necessary.
It’s true that when you’re strong, think it’s an easy win, and feel you have plenty of leeway, you can let your guard down.
That can sometimes be fatal. It’s a lesson from experience.
“If Wof says so, I’ll be careful.”
She suddenly became obedient. Mr. Agaro looked at me with an indescribable expression.
“You…”
“What is it? I haven’t done anything.”
If anything, I’m the one who’s had things done to me.
Juicy also gave me a suspicious look.
“Um, woof. Do you obey Lord Wof?” Juicy asked Narcissus.
“Why did you bark just now?” I asked Juicy.
“Wafu?”
Now that the warning was out of the way, let’s proceed.
A few zombies attacked, and we found Sahagin corpses.
It looked like they’d been attacked by zombies, but they hadn’t turned into zombies themselves.
“They’re completely hostile to each other,” Mr. Agaro observed.
“It doesn’t change the fact that they’re both our enemies. We’ll annihilate them both!” Narcissus declared.
How bloodthirsty, I thought. Juicy voiced a question.
“Um, um, um, do Dungeon Monsters fight each other like this?”
“Usually not. But there are exceptions. Events.”
“What’s that?”
Narcissus-san tilted her head.
Mr. Agaro was utterly exasperated.
“You… That’s something a Tier I Seeker should never say.”
“If I don’t know something, I don’t know it!”
“From now on, dive into Dungeons at least once a week.”
“No way!”
“Narcissus-san. Let’s go diving.”
“If Wof says so, I’ll do it.”
She agreed so easily.
That’s why, Mr. Agaro, please don’t look at me like that.
“You really are…”
“Really am what? There’s really nothing going on!”
“So, what’s an Event?” Narcissus asked.
“Haaah, make sure you remember this properly. An Event is a phenomenon where accidents, incidents, or occurrences that once happened on the surface are recreated within the Dungeon using its Monsters, ruins, and the like. It happens occasionally,” Mr. Agaro explained.
Events.
The artificial structures in Dungeons replicate buildings and remains that once existed on the surface.
Similarly, on rare occasions, phenomena like accidents, incidents, or occurrences are recreated in the Dungeon.
Once, in the Fire Dungeon, I saw a pack of Chimeras reenacting an escape.
That was resolved by Alexander-san, an expert on Land Catfish and a former Tier I Seeker.
“So, there’s a possibility it’s an Event?” I asked.
“Yeah, maybe,” Mr. Agaro replied.
“That sounds interesting!” Narcissus exclaimed.
“Who knows. Listen up. What we can’t forget is that our request is to search for the inspectors and their escorts. Not to resolve an Event.”
“What? Are you saying we do nothing?”
“I’m still talking. However, there’s a high chance we’re caught up in an Event. In fact, we probably are. So, I have a feeling we’ll have to resolve that too. It’ll probably turn out that way.”
“That makes sense…”
“Um, um, yes. I think so too,” Juicy agreed.
“Right!” Narcissus said enthusiastically.
Narcissus-san replied with great enthusiasm. She probably doesn’t understand.
An Event, huh.
I started to feel uneasy for some reason.
Carrying that gloomy feeling, we found the Teleportation Array room on the 40th floor, and we teleported.
40th Floor.
We opened a door and proceeded down a stone passageway that looked very much like a Dungeon.
Narcissus-san got caught in a strung thread and ended up hanging upside down, so I helped her.
We encountered Undead Skeletons and defeated them.
We advanced through the passage.
Narcissus-san nearly fell into a pitfall, so I helped her.
We encountered Undead Ghosts and defeated them.
We proceeded further down the passage.
Narcissus-san got caught by a falling ceiling trap, but I helped her.
We encountered Undead Mummies and defeated them.
Further, further down the passage.
Arrows flew from the side, nearly hitting Narcissus-san.
We encountered Undead Skeleton Riders and defeated them.
Further, further, further down the passage.
Narcissus-san was drawn to an overly ornate Treasure Chest and was almost eaten by a Mimic.
We encountered Undead Zombie Puppets and defeated them.
Further, further, further, further down the passage.
A spear flew from the side, and Narcissus-san caught it.
An Undead… what is this thing? It’s incredibly cold. Well, we defeated it.
And then, to the 41st floor.