Chapter 339: Dungeon Master
We were encased within a Spatial Isolation Barrier, so there was no cause for concern. When completely sealed off, light and sound would be blocked, and if air were also cut off, we would suffocate. Thus, we had devised a clever method for the barrier.
“Creating a room without any gaps? Truly, this is the work of a dungeon.”
If there were even the slightest opening, air would seep in, making it exceedingly difficult to create a sealed environment. When I had conveyed the concept of a Magic Flask to the Rashiyu Trading Company, I found that very few could manage to create a vacuum using magic.
“It seems they’ve reinforced it to seal any gaps with magic. It must have been quite challenging physically, after all.”
“Haha, I see what you mean.”
Even dungeons have their limits, it seems.
After a while, the door in front of us opened. It appeared that the other side was also in a vacuum. The corridor continued deeper, and soon I felt a shift as we crossed dimensions. We had finally reached the Fifth Layer.
As we progressed, another door appeared, and just as the corridor behind us closed, air began to be injected into the space.
“Who would normally be able to pass through a place like this?”
Oh, it seems Rio has acknowledged that she is anything but ordinary. She had been quiet about the traps for a while, but this time, she couldn’t help but comment.
Once the air injection was complete, the door opened, allowing us to step outside. We found ourselves in a corridor just before a large door. When I turned back, the door to the vacuum room had closed, blending seamlessly with the wall, making it indistinguishable from any ordinary surface, with no button to open it in sight.
“We finally made it.”
“Yeah. Let’s go in.”
Nodding in agreement with Rio, I reached out to touch the door. It opened inward with little effort, almost as if it had done so on its own.
Peering inside, I found it was an entrance hall. A spacious earthen floor greeted us, and beyond that, intricately carved wooden ornaments adorned the area. To the right, a shoe cabinet was installed. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a luxurious, modern Japanese-style residence.
“Huh?”
“What is this?”
I couldn’t help but voice my surprise at the unexpected interior of what should have been the innermost chamber. Wasn’t there supposed to be a Floor Boss on each layer of the dungeon? I also recalled El mentioning a final boss, but despite my preparations, I felt a sense of anticlimax.
I checked the map on my tablet again, but it only indicated that the large door led to a single room, with nothing else noted.
“Wait, this might be a new kind of trap to catch intruders off guard.”
I expanded my Presence Detection and spatial awareness to grasp the Fifth Layer.
“…It seems there are no monsters, and there don’t appear to be any physical traps either.”
This was strange.
“I don’t see any magical traps in the visible area either.”
That can’t be right.
“Impossible.”
“…There’s no point in doubting it. We should move quickly.”
Rio gently urged me to calm down. Indeed, since there were no traps, we had no choice but to proceed. I felt a bit uneasy about entering with my shoes on, but I hoped my ability to Aerial Traverse would grant me some leniency.
Stowing my sword away to avoid it being a hindrance, I stepped into the house, carefully avoiding the wooden ornaments as I made my way down the corridor. Upon opening a door on the left, I found what appeared to be a living room. This space had a Western flair, featuring a grand fireplace, a sofa, and a plush carpet.
What caught my attention most was the object resting on the central table. A jet-black stone, seemingly large enough to embrace, sat there. It had an unusual luster and a rounded shape, and the table appeared slightly indented, preventing it from rolling off.
“Could this be the Dungeon Core?”
“It seems so… It’s incredibly beautiful.”
The appraisal results confirmed it was indeed the Dungeon Core, leaving no room for doubt.
“It looks like there are no magical traps in this room either.”
From the looks of it, this was likely a residence. If the Dungeon Master were to reside here, they wouldn’t set traps within their own home.
…Could it be that the final boss was actually the Dungeon Master? No, would that mean a dungeon without a final boss? Is that even possible? I couldn’t make sense of it.
“I heard Dungeon Cores can sell for an outrageous price.”
“El mentioned that too.”
Honestly, I no longer needed money, but leaving a living dungeon unattended in the Forest of Enchantment was dangerous. If the monsters within this dungeon were to cause a Stampede, it could lead to a disaster far worse than any Stampede in the Forest of Enchantment.
As I cautiously approached the Dungeon Core in the center of the room, I reached out to touch it. A cool sensation washed over me, and I felt something enter me, as if I were gaining an understanding of everything within this Fifth Layer.
“Hmm?”
“What’s wrong?”
I tilted my head at the sudden sense of discomfort that had arisen within me, but I couldn’t quite grasp it.
“Wait, what is this…?”
I removed my shoes and stored them in the Dimensional Box, allowing my feet to touch the plush carpet beneath.
“…Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Rio’s concern was palpable, but I felt a strong conviction that there was no danger present.
Gradually, I began to comprehend the situation within this dungeon. For some reason, I understood that the Dungeon Master had been absent all along.
“So that’s how it is…”
I redirected my gaze to the Dungeon Core and performed another appraisal.
＝＝＝＝＝
Type: Item
Name: Dungeon Core
Description: The Dungeon Core of the Machina Raise Dungeon
Quality: –
Affix: None
Creator: –
Owner: Mizumoto Shuu
＝＝＝＝＝
The appraisal results revealed an added entry for the owner, and there, in black and white, was my own name.