Chapter 23: An Unfamiliar Ceiling

Area D, First Floor.

Four youths surrounded a monster—.

It looked just like a withered tree.

The pale yellow trunk was about 20 centimeters in diameter and about three meters tall, much smaller compared to the ancient trees around it.

But on the upper part of the trunk, two tree holes lined up side by side, emitting a purple-white phosphorescent glow—its eyes.

The branches extended left and right like slender hooked claws, swaying in the air.

A third tree hole below the pair opened its mouth, letting out an angry roar.

“Uwooooo!”

Its eyes swept over the people in front of it one by one, unsure of where to place its hostility.

While the Withered Tree Demon’s target was still unconfirmed and it hesitated—

“Boss!”

“Everyone, get back!”

They had been waiting for the moment the Withered Tree Demon opened its mouth.

Cliff swung his iron fist, as big as a sandbag, aiming straight for the monster’s weak point—its mouth.

Even without using a skill, as a Lv10, he could easily overpower a Lv7 Withered Tree Demon with his stats alone.

Next, the monster would be pierced through and become experience points to feed his level up.

Just as he thought that, the ground shook violently.

“!?”

Cliff lost his footing and faceplanted, skidding right to the feet of the Withered Tree Demon.

“…..”

Cliff looked up at the Withered Tree Demon.

A flicker of confusion flashed through the monster’s glowing eyes, but then its mouth opened wide—

Puchi.

It bit down on Cliff’s head.

“Boss! Everyone, help! The boss is being bitten!”

***

Not long after, the tremors finally stopped, and the black beam in the distance vanished.

He couldn’t see what had happened to the ground where the blast struck, but he could see thick clouds of smoke rising, and what drifted over was not heat, but wave after wave of cold wind.

Cass shivered involuntarily.

What kind of monster was fighting out there?

Even if it really was a ridiculously high-level Explorer, no one would choose to fight in a place like this.

Did something go wrong with the transportation of Dungeon items?

Did a super high-level monster spawn?

Or was it the Evil Demon Society, which once started a world war?

Cass gripped his sword and stayed on guard for monsters.

He could see some Explorers heading back the way they came, and some discussing the strange tremors and black beam.

More Explorers began fighting monsters.

Nothing was strange about weird things happening in the Dungeon, after all, this was the Dungeon.

Cass remembered what his teacher used to say and checked on his teammates.

“Are you two okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Bried helped Kersey up, who was still pale and shaky.

“I’m fine. Kersey, you…”

“I-I’m okay, thanks. I just need a moment, no need to use .”

Confirming everyone was alright, Cass relaxed a little.

Suddenly, there was noise nearby.

Cass looked over and saw a group of people in blue and white uniforms working busily among the scattered crowd.

It was the Rescue Team—the Benor Corporation’s Rescue Team.

The injured were easy to spot, since the Rescue Team only needed one stretcher.

“Is someone badly hurt?”

“In such chaos, it’s not surprising if someone got injured.”

While Kersey and Bried talked, Cass sensed something odd.

“Even if you’re injured, can’t a teammate use a skill to heal, or at worst, use a healing potion? There’s no need for the Rescue Team, right?”

“It’s also possible the whole party got hit hard, or the healer was hurt and couldn’t fight.”

Bried focused on the wounded person, her mouth falling open.

“That person is…”

So familiar…

Jet-black hair like the night, a face even paler thanks to the blood stains, and most notably, the athletic wear was unmistakable.

It looked just like what the neighbor wore this morning.

“Siloque?!”

“Eh? Is that your childhood friend?”

Ignoring Kersey, Bried rushed over to check, with Cass following close behind.

***

Siloque slowly opened his eyes, and a white ceiling filled his vision.

“A strange ceiling.”

He accidentally recalled the line.

TV voices echoed in his ears.

“Professor, what do you think caused the ? Is the earthquake related? Or is it, as rumors say, a new wave of terror attacks by the Evil Demon Society?”

“No need to worry about that.”

From videos taken by netizens, an unidentified energy beam appeared first, followed by a violent ground tremor.

I’ve read the field reports.

That energy penetrated both the First and Second Floor, destabilizing the foundation and causing the quake.

Fortunately, the Dungeon’s repair mechanisms were active, so monsters from the Second Floor won’t flood the First Floor.

The Evil Demon Society is being overly paranoid.

The Tuners wouldn’t let even a single member slip through.

Besides, judging by their past actions, there’s no way they’d use such powerful force inside the Dungeon.’

The Professor was truly a master of keeping things neutral, never mentioning the cause at all.

It was probably still under investigation, so it was best not to speculate.

But if it wasn’t the Evil Demon Society, then it must have been a monster?

Did the dev team’s 5% spawn rate get activated…

“Damn!”

Siloque snapped awake.

Wasn’t that my fault?!

I fired that hard, thick, black beam!

Siloque opened his eyes fully, only to find himself unable to move.

There were no IV tubes stuck in his body, nor any heavy objects pressing down on him—it was simply…

He couldn’t use his strength.

Terrifying.

It felt like he was a puppet, to be toyed with at will.

He rolled his eyes around. This huge hospital room held only his own bed.

It felt like a VIP single room, reserved for high-profile patients.

Did the Rescue Team partner with an expensive hospital, dragging in the wounded just to rip people off?

Siloque remembered that in the original story, even if the Rescue Team saved someone, they wouldn’t haul them to a hospital but to a shabby yet well-equipped aid station.

“You’re awake, Sleeping Beauty. Earlier than expected.”

He spotted a beautiful nurse.

She stood beside him, eating an apple while entering data into a terminal.

“What number is this?”

The nurse held up three fingers.

“A number greater than 2 but less than 4.”

“Looks like you’re fully conscious.”

Looking out the window to the left, the sky was orange with sunset, and stars peeked out from behind the clouds.

“Excuse me, how long was I unconscious?”

“From the time the Rescue Team found you until now—4 hours and 36 minutes. Was it your first time using magic? Soloing the Dungeon is dangerous, you know.”

“I was forced to. By the way, how are the medical fees calculated? I remember I have insurance.”

Siloque wondered if all those monster cores he collected were even enough to pay the bill.

Was it charged by the hour…?

The nurse paused, seeming to sense his concern, then said, “Don’t worry about that. It’s just a basic examination fee, already deducted from your insurance.”

“Oh, I see.”

“More importantly, if the magic you use can’t be fully supplied by your magic power, it’ll draw from your stamina, causing symptoms like yours. Be careful in the future.”

The nurse pointed at him with her apple-chewing hand.

“In your case, it was just unconsciousness. Not dying is already lucky. Sometimes you can even end up with aftereffects like ‘magic is depleted with every cast’ or ‘blindness’.”

Do all nurses in this world talk so mercilessly?

“So my body is fine?”

“You’ve been checked. No major issues, you’re healthy. You just woke up, so your functions are recovering. You’ll probably be discharged tonight. But…there are some aftereffects.”

“Huh? There are aftereffects? What kind…”

Please don’t tell me they found some terminal cancer or something in this body?

Siloque felt a little nervous.

The nurse looked at his face with curiosity.

“Is it…disfigurement?”

“No, if anything, maybe a charm boost?”

Then the nurse changed the topic.

“Anyway, it won’t affect your daily life or combat, so don’t worry.”

“Hey, can’t you be more specific and not leave people hanging?”

“Onii-chan…”

The automatic door slid open silently, and Hil appeared in the doorway.

The nurse smoothly shifted the conversation.

“Thank your adorable little sister. She called the Rescue Team right away. If she’d been a few minutes later, you’d have been goblin food, lying in the ICU instead of a regular ward.”

This luxurious place is a regular ward?!

“Yeah…you’re right. I really owe my life.”

Either way, survival was a win.

Thankfully, Hil kept her promise.

“Well, I won’t disturb you siblings anymore. I didn’t expect you to be so popular. Three girls came to see you one after another.”

“I can’t ignore that. You’re not counting my little sister, right? And what exactly are these aftereffects?”

I don’t remember having three romance flags.

“Who knows?”

The nurse grinned mischievously, finished her apple, and left.