Chapter 10: The Twilight Kin – Part 11
The next day marked our first challenge in a C-Rank Dungeon. We were set to tackle a dungeon with ten floors, which was considered the easiest among C-Rank dungeons. Our plan was to spend one night and two days there.
About thirty minutes of running from Bartran Town, we arrived at a hilly area where a stone structure resembling ruins stood, complete with stairs leading down into the depths.
After confirming our equipment, we descended. With the guidance information at hand and Sfenia and Mariane already having experience in C-Rank dungeons, our party felt relatively secure.
As we advanced through the stone corridors, the first foe we encountered was a Possessed Goblin. This goblin wore a mask and moved with an erratic intensity, as if possessed by a beast, launching fierce attacks. Thanks to Larni’s God of Plague, nearly twenty of them appeared. However, with Larni and Mariane’s agility, the goblins never reached our backline. Naturally, any that approached me were obliterated in an instant.
The dropped material was the mask itself, which supposedly wards off monsters when buried in the ground.
From the third floor onward, we faced a large wolf-like monster known as the Lunatic Wolf. This creature exhibited unpredictable movements, as if it were under some kind of influence, and its fangs and claws had the ability to confuse its prey. It was crucial to strike first with ranged attacks to prevent anyone in our party from falling into a state of confusion. I had my Shockwave rapid-fire as a last resort, but I preferred not to overuse it due to the fatigue it caused.
The material dropped was a luxurious-looking pelt.
On the fifth floor, we encountered an amorphous magical monster called the Elemental Soul. Its resistance to physical attacks was so high that I focused solely on defense while leaving the offense to Freinir and Sfenia’s magic, as well as Larni’s magic sword. It was a moment to reaffirm the value of our party.
The material dropped was a crystal, useful for crafting magical tools.
The mid-boss on the fifth floor was the Twin-Head Wolf. True to its name, it was supposed to be a massive wolf with two heads, but—
“Since it has three heads, it’s a Rare Boss. Lucky us!”
Thus, we faced the Tri-Head Wolf.
Despite its elephantine size, it possessed the Honshin skill, allowing it to execute flawless steps and biting attacks, along with fireballs from a distance, making it a formidable opponent.
I took on the role of a shield, absorbing its attacks while the four of us gradually wore it down. After about ten minutes of back-and-forth, the Tri-Head Wolf noticeably slowed down. It seemed that Mariane’s Status Effect Attack skill had finally taken effect with its poison.
Seizing the opportunity, Larni severed one of its front legs, causing all three heads to rest on the ground. My mace swung horizontally, and with a single strike, I obliterated all three heads simultaneously, ending the battle.
“Everyone’s abilities meshed well, and we fought beautifully. Mariane’s skill is impressively powerful,” I remarked.
Mariane narrowed her eyes at my compliment.
“Yes, I believe so myself. I can only express my gratitude to everyone. I never expected to gain such skills at this point.”
“Hehe, but this is just the beginning!” Larni said with a knowing smile.
“Souji, there’s a treasure chest… it looks like a silver box again,” Sfenia announced, drawing everyone’s attention to the chest.
Mariane murmured, “A Rare Boss and a Rare Treasure Chest… it seems like a set.”
Larni eagerly insisted on opening it, and inside was a one-handed sword that gleamed with a bluish-silver hue. It was intricately decorated, yet the blade was thick and clearly practical.
When Mariane performed an Appraisal, she confirmed it was a Mithril Sword +2. The “+2” felt very game-like, but essentially, it meant this Mithril Sword was two grades higher than the standard version. I was somewhat moved to see the fantasy metal Mithril, though I kept that to myself.
“Souji, this is…”
“Of course, it’s for Larni. I’m glad you finally got what you were aiming for.”
With that, Larni wagged her tail excitedly and exclaimed, “Thank you!” as she jumped up in joy.
“This proves that your feelings for me are genuine!” she said, hugging the sword to her chest with a beaming smile. Next to her, Freinir wore a sad expression, prompting me to gently pat her head.
“The Mithril Sword is already rare, and one with enhancements like this holds considerable value. It’s best not to mention the +2,” Mariane advised, her concern both detailed and crucial. Given my limited experience in this world, her knowledge as a guild staff member was undoubtedly invaluable. It might be wise to integrate her more firmly into our party.
The following morning, we descended to the sixth floor right away.
The first foe we encountered was a Possessed Orc. This orc, wearing a mask, let out strange cries while wildly swinging a massive axe. As long as we weren’t overwhelmed by its bizarre presence, it posed no significant threat due to its straightforward physical attacks. The dropped material was, predictably, meat resembling pork.
From the eighth floor onward, Moon Wolves appeared. These were the white wolves we had fought in the field some time ago, now revealed to be C-Rank. They used Honshin to confuse us, but Freinir’s Divine Light significantly slowed their movements, making them no match for us. The dropped material was white fur, though it seemed of lesser quality than what we had gathered in the field.
On the tenth floor, we faced a massive cobra-like monster known as Death Poison. It spewed a liquid that resembled strong acid rather than mere poison, making it a challenging foe. Engaging it head-on would quickly ruin our armor. Of course, its combat power was also high, and its scales were tough, rendering ordinary ranged attacks ineffective. However, with the capabilities of our backline under Soul’s Guidance, we had no issues, and I could easily deflect its acidic spray with my Shockwave, taking no damage. The dropped material was high-quality snake skin.
“Even though it’s the lowest tier, the progress speed in a C-Rank Dungeon remains consistent,” Sfenia noted, standing before the boss room door.
“I feel like the power of magic has increased since you acquired the Vessel of the Commander skill, Souji. That effect must be significant,” Freinir added, nodding.
Larni, as if just realizing, exclaimed, “Oh, right!”
“Now that you mention it, I remember hearing that member abilities increase. It does seem like we’re moving better,” she said.
“The Vessel of the Commander… it’s said to have belonged to an adventurer who performed heroic deeds in the past. When he led an army, it was said that the soldiers’ abilities increased just by his presence,” Mariane explained.
I was taken aback by her words. The idea of an adventurer leading an army was surprising enough, but I hadn’t expected a skill that could influence an entire troop.
“Is it really such a remarkable skill?”
“That’s what the ancient records suggest. Back then, many dungeons were undiscovered, and monsters frequently overflowed into the world. There was an adventurer who repeatedly repelled hordes of monsters. It was said that when he led an army, even ordinary soldiers gained considerable strength.”
“If that’s true… then it sounds like a rather dangerous skill,” I remarked.
“Since it’s based on ancient legends, I doubt its credibility is very high. However, if you all feel its effects, then it must at least have an impact on our party members. Now that I think about it, I found it strange how well I could move despite my long absence, but now it makes sense,” she concluded.
With the boss looming ahead and the mention of monsters overflowing from dungeons and legendary adventurers, significant information had suddenly surfaced. However, if the Vessel of the Commander had such an effect, I wondered if those in power would let it go unnoticed.
“Regardless, I should keep my Vessel of the Commander a secret. If it gets out, it could lead to trouble.”
“Indeed. I’ll pretend I never heard this conversation,” Mariane agreed.
I couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy about a guild staff member saying that, but perhaps she had her own reasons. Still, our party already had many secrets, so adding one more didn’t seem like a big deal.
“Alright, once we’re ready, let’s challenge the boss.”
For now, it wasn’t the time to delve into skill discussions.
After confirming everyone was prepared, I opened the door to the boss room.