“Will, is this the dungeon you were talking about? It does seem pretty popular.”
The one speaking was a dwarf, stocky and short-limbed, his thick beard groomed into strands, with an iron helmet on his head that jutted out two horns like a bull’s.
He was the warrior of the team, responsible for close-quarters combat with monsters.
Although he appeared to be a big drinker with a large belly, his limbs were all covered in solid, powerful muscles.
At his peak, he had once withstood a dragon’s claw strike with his bare body.
As for his weapon, it was a massive greataxe slung on his back, touching the ground.
Don’t underestimate this seemingly cumbersome axe; it was forged from meteoric iron smelted with dragon scales.
“I heard there’s a Black Dragon in this dungeon. It sounds terrifying.”
The woman who said “terrifying” was the party’s cleric, hailing from the Saint Nation, usually holed up in a church in the Capital.
Don’t get the wrong idea—“terrifying” was just her catchphrase.
Everyone in the team knew she was actually the toughest to mess with. She once muttered “terrifying” before punching a Minotaur right in the face.
That’s right; she usually liked to stay at the back of the party, healing and applying Buffs.
But if an enemy ever got close, she’d transform into a different class—a pugilist, and one fully buffed at that.
“It’s fine, Susan. I’ll protect you.”
The woman who promised protection was Sasha. No one knew her full name.
Beneath her hooded cloak was wheat-colored skin, and if she took off her hood, you’d see her slender, pointed ears.
A dark elf, whose lifespan far exceeded humans’. She was the team’s scout, specializing in reconnaissance and trap detection.
With the excellent senses of the elven race and the experience accumulated over her long life, there was almost no labyrinth that could trap this team with her around.
“Forget it. Every time you face a strong enemy, you’re the first to disappear. If you were protecting her, her grave would be overgrown with grass by now.”
Uzo the dwarf was right. Sasha’s favorite fighting style was ambush.
When facing a powerful opponent, she usually hid and waited for the right moment to strike its weak points—or just ran away.
She had her reasons for surviving so long.
As for “protecting Susan,” it was probably due to her… preferences. Elves live long, and growing up in human society, she constantly changed partners.
She was the kind of “bi” that lacked any sense of propriety.
“Shut up, you stinky dwarf. If you want to keep your beard, watch your mouth!”
“Yo-ho, you magicless elf dare talk back like that?”
Normally, someone not raised among elves wouldn’t develop a dislike for dwarves.
But in reality, these two never got along well. Sometimes, you had to admit, these two races might just be born incompatible.
“Alright, alright, stop fighting. I didn’t call you all here from various Adventurers’ Guild branches to hear you bicker.”
The man who finally intervened was Will, guildmaster of the Moravia Adventurers’ Guild and once the party’s magician.
A Fifth-Rank Mage specializing in water and lightning magic. The combination often produced unexpected effects, effective against groups and single targets alike, with water magic providing some support and logistics.
Magic users were rare among adventurers, which was one reason he could join the team as a Fifth-Rank Mage.
Of course, he was once a noble, but he had discarded the family name he was ashamed of.
As mentioned before, this legendary team had been dormant for some time since slaying the evil dragon. Back then, he was just a teenager. Time sure flies.
“Isn’t Miss Arthur coming? Without her, we can’t beat the Black Dragon with just us, right?”
“She said the Saint Nation has some internal issues lately. As the ‘Hero’ blessed by the Goddess, she can’t leave.”
Unfortunately, one key member was missing: the strongest swordswoman, Arthur Lily.
She had won the quadrennial Saint Nation martial arts tournament “Hero’s Departure” three times in a row.
She was also the last person to have met the Goddess and received her blessing, said to be given only to those the Goddess deems worthy. Its effects were unclear, but after receiving it, Arthur stopped aging.
Although the “Hero” selection ceremony still existed, after the evil dragon was defeated, the title became just a name for the martial arts champion.
“You said you’d protect Susan, but you ran away before seeing the enemy.”
Uzo’s sharp taunt was as usual. After so long, their relationship hadn’t softened at all—it was still the same trouble.
“The Black Dragon only appeared in the original legend. Later reports just call this a wondrous dungeon with no special dangers.”
Will led their ongoing chatter and bickering as they entered the dungeon.
The crowded hall featured a large fountain faintly radiating magical energy. It was hard to believe this was a naturally formed dungeon.
“Wait, that smell? Someone actually opened a tavern inside the dungeon?”
The dwarf muttered as he approached a door, only to be grabbed by the collar from behind by Will.
“Don’t forget why we’re here! Save eating and drinking for when we’re out!”
Indeed, this legendary adventurer team had gathered to investigate this “one-of-a-kind” dungeon and submit a report to the main guild.
At the same time, Will had a personal matter—to assess the feasibility of establishing an Adventurers’ Guild Branch near the dungeon.
Don’t misunderstand; it wasn’t to convenience these adventurers but purely for Will’s own research on the dungeon.
“Will! Let go! How can I work on an empty stomach?”
“Nope. If I let go, I’ll have to waste magic to sober you up later. Finish the mission first; we’ll eat after!”
The dwarf clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction but didn’t struggle seriously. Otherwise, Will wouldn’t be able to hold him.
“Let’s go, Sasha. Which door do we pick?”
……
“Uh…”
“Ahahaha…”
“So dark! So scary! So dark! So scary…”
Sasha was hopeless.
“Uzo, help me pull her out!”
The dark elf was clearly off her game today. Thanks to her, this dungeon maze exploration took the longest time since the team formed.
And now, she’d been trapped by a Mimic disguised as a treasure chest.
“I’ll count to three. On three, pull hard. One, two, three!”
……
“Thanks, I’m saved.”
“Have you really gotten so weak? At this rate, you’re a total liability.”
“Shut up, Uzo. If you don’t believe me, ask Will. This dungeon is definitely strange! How can there be a Mimic disguised as a treasure chest? Previous reports never mentioned anything like that!”
Sasha was right. A naturally formed dungeon maze couldn’t have so many strange, misleading traps.
The kind of monster disguised as a wall was never seen before, let alone a chest and chest monsters.
But that was precisely why this place was worth studying, wasn’t it?
“Let’s move on. Falling into traps is part of the investigation. We’re close to the maze’s deepest point. Maybe more discoveries await us ahead.”