TL: Yuki

ED: Filip

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「By the way gramps, can I ask?」

「What is it, Miss Aidle? 」

「Why was this dungeon designed so horrendously?」

I was sitting on the old man’s lap eating cookies when I asked. I see, if I master Fairy Magic, I would also be able to create such delicious food…I need to practice some more.

「Well, though I said that I manage this dungeon, all I could actually do is adjust the weather and ecosystems within the dungeon. At most, all I could do is hinder the invaders. That’s pretty much all I’m allowed to manipulate in this dungeon. As for other things, it was all made by the creators of this dungeon. You did see their statues before coming over here right?」

That reminds me, there were indeed statues of people resembling witches on the way here. When I asked 「Are they responsible? 」 the old man smiled as if satisfied and then explained.

「That is indeed the case, it was because of those witches. I don’t understand myself what the purpose was, I only know that they built this dungeon around that core. Some time after its creation was also the time I was born. Though I learned most of this information later, when I integrated with the core.」

I see, so those literal harassment of a specification were the work of those witches. Too bad, none of them exists anymore. There would have been a long list of complaints that I would like to file.

「What about that ridiculous Holy Armor at the 51st Floor?」

「That was also brought in by the Witches. Only one person reached the 51st floor before. He was the last survivor of a brigade that challenged the dungeon. However, he never found out about the mechanics of the 51st floor and he just wandered until his end. That happened around 2000 years ago.」

I wonder if it was because of those tricks. They definitely tried to capture the dungeon with human wave tactics. That would have been manageable in the scorpion hell zone, but it sure must have been really harsh at the desert fields as well.

Those witches probably had no intention of letting anyone capture the place from the beginning. Well, that much didn’t matter now since I was able to successfully clear it.

「By the way, on your way back, I have arranged it so that you will be able to easily return by flying until floor 20. I’m sure those Red Dragons would also follow you back so you can ask them for help.」

「What about you, gramps?」

「In my current condition, I won’t be able to leave. My body is also technically inside that. My current self is nothing more but the materialization of 『Humanization』 and 『Fairy Magic』. I did try to separate myself before, using 『Fairy Magic』 but it failed. It seems that my body and soul have completely assimilated with the core.」

「Would it be alright if I give it a try?」

「Are you sure, young lady?」

「I don’t know if it will work and it will definitely be difficult. However, I absolutely hate the idea of leaving you here alone in a place like this. I definitely can’t leave you be, especially because we are of the same fairy race」

「But……」

I got off the old man’s lap and created a self-made transfer stone. After levelling a lot and the ridiculous growth of my status, it was now really easy to do something like this. I handed the stone to the old man and then activated 『Synchronization』.

『Arena』

『Yes, yes, what is it?』

『I need a little help over here, so can you put all the magical tools over there on La Veils. After that I want to bring everyone over here via transfer. For now, can you pass some magic power through the stone?』

『Alright. Just a minute』

「Gramps, if it was me alone then it would be definitely difficult. Thankfully though, there’s an expert when it comes to doing something like this. Those kids will also be coming over to help as support.」

「Hou, is that so?」

「That is so. So could you pour some magic power on that stone for now」

「Eh, Yes. I will do so」

Though a little confused, the old man at least knew what he needed to do, so I moved to the other side and landed on the round table. For some reason though everyone was on top of the round table.

「If it’s like this, won’t it be easier to bring everyone along with the whole table?」

「Nice, Arena. Alright everyone, it will be a bit of jump so be careful with your feet when we arrive」

I returned to the place where the old man was with everyone along with the table. Because I teleported slightly above ground, the table made a loud noise as it landed.

After that, I explained the story about the old man to everyone, and in response the children all cried, clinging to him. They definitely thought that the old man was more pitiful than their situation so they did that, but it only confused the old man who desperately tried to calm down the crying children. Arena on the other hand was clinging to me crying. Due to the difference in height, she was basically clinging to me with her head buried in my chest.1

「Because of that, I have officially captured this dungeon, but I can’t leave gramps behind. I will need Arena’s help this time and a bit of La Veil’s help too, okay? It would be great if you could support me like what we did in Ladaria」

「Guh……of course leave it to me. I definitely want to help Gramps too」

「But master, if you are planning to help the old man, what do you plan to do with this dungeon? That fairy is basically serving as it’s core right now, right?」

About that. Indeed, if this dungeon were to disappear then the people living in Amone would be troubled. I must make sure that the dungeon continues to exist even without letting the core be destroyed.

「I’ll be careful with that. For now, let’s just try it out」

「Uhm, are you really sure about this?」

The old man seems to be worried about it, it’s his main body that is involved after all. However, it will be fine gramps. After all, there has been no impossibility that could stop a serious fairy.

And so, to start it Arena and I touched the dungeon core.

「La Veil, I will be using you as pipeline to send information about the dungeon core through 『Synchronization』 and pass it over to Arena. I will also activate 『Super Synchronization』while adjusting int values. That’s the plan」

「Umu, got it」

「Then from the information I give to Arena, try to figure out the parts linking gramps to the core and slowly peel him off. Will you be able to do it?」

「I’ll do something about it. What about Aidle?」

「I will be preparing something to be used as replacement of gramps……now then, let’s start the challenge」

「「Let’s go!!」」

First, I converted all of my stats into INT using 『Fairy Magic』making it’s total value go over trillions. Though even with this much, I don’t know if it will be enough……but, I have to do it no matter what so I will do my best.

—————————————————-

「Operation Start」

(A bunch of images and information started flowing in. First is to find information regarding the central operations of the system……From that point, I have to filter it……cracking!!)

And so the 5 minute battle started.

「Fuuu……~~~~~!!」

(Parallel thought to full power~~~~~!!!)

As soon as that clump of information entered Aidle’s head, she was immediately assaulted by a severe headache. The impact shook her to her knees, but she withstood it with pure guts and spirit.

Well the strongest pain attack as expected was the sudden assault of too much information, and that whirlpool of information slowly flowed into Arena and La Veil to be sorted. Aisle also filtered the data before sending it to the others so they didn’t feel as much pain as her.

The headache was intense but bearable for Aidle so she continued.

「……Master. 4 minutes until 『Super Synchronization』 reaches its limits…」

She heard the voice of a pained La Veil. Aisle decided to activate 『Super Synchronization』 so that they could do their best to ease up the information and would be more than manageable if it did finally expire. Arena was also clenching her teeth, but they are certainly making quick progress.

Then finally, the signal for their counterattack came.

「……Alright, found it. I’ll cut it off」

「……Got… it!!」

Is what Arena would have said but only showed it through hand signals. They were after all busy concentrating their fairy magic.

And with their concentrated power―――――they pressed their hands into the core.

「「――!!!」」

Their hands that went inside the core felt like they were dipped in water. The tremendous amount of magic power accumulated within the core then immediately overflowed. They were almost drowned by the intense amount of Magic Power, but the dungeon fairy warped out of the area using 『Fairy Magic』. The children, along with Cielo and Mika were safe.

「To think you could do something unreasonable…」

「Tha, thank you very much for saving us……」

「……No, it was a pleasure to be of help」

Cielo thanked him, but then again, they were the ones who were supposed to save him.

(How can they do ridiculous things like that, is that because they are fairies…)

He himself didn’t really understand it. He didn’t even know what an existence called a fairy is like. Nor what instincts they live with. Were they just a special bunch that are especially kind? It was even to the point where they would endanger themselves for his sake even though they have just met. That’s what he thought, and then about the humans that he has observed over time. Despite that, he still didn’t know. More like he has never felt anything like that before.

However, to them, that doesn’t really matter. It’s just that if they want to do it, then they will do it.

「Get~~it~~off~~now~~~!!」

「I’m~~on~~~it~~~!!」

Arena who found the root core saw a fairy with roots attached to his head as if linking both the core and the being together, so with an image of separating them, Arena slowly peeled him off the core, trying to take him out.

Aidle on the other hand was manipulating the core functions overwriting several alternative functions to keep the core working, following up on the functions that were being peeled off. However, when they finally reached the central root, it just wouldn’t let go of the fairy, and instead tried to take Aidle in.

(This is fine, if it’s trying to take me in, then I will just modify it from inside!!!)

The children also didn’t stop their support, praying for the two who were enduring it with spirit and guts. Cielo and Mika also joined in with the grouping hoping for their success.

「The time is……2 Minutes!! You need to hurry up, Master!!!」

「Gugugu~~~~!!!」

Arena was about ready to peel the fairy off. Aidle then filled in the holes where the connections were cut off, but the time limit was close so she was in cold sweat. However, the dungeon core was stubbornly holding on without backing out. And then,

「Uwah!? 」

「Aidle!!? 」

The dungeon core suddenly sprouted tentacles and grabbed Aidle’s physical body. Aidle was physically defenseless, so was completely dragged in without resistance. She did not expect the core to physically counterattack.

(Ugh, I wasn’t careful enough!! I didn’t see any information regarding such defence mechanisms though!! Anyway, Arena! That can’t be helped~~~)

「Arena! I’ll be heading in for now!!」

With that final message to Arena, she finally cut off the last link attached to the fairy, and at the same time successfully pulled out the fairy from the core.

「La Veil!!」

「Got it!!! Mika, help us out too!!」

「Alright! Holy Sword, Activate!!」

La Veil did her best trying to pull her back and Mika covered for her while 『Super Synchronization』was still active, however the pulling force was far too strong for them to manage and finally the link was broken. Arena also immediately activated 『Synchronization』 but no reply was heard from Aidle.

(Maybe Aidle intends to confront the cause and settle things directly, but what should I do……)

「Gramps!! I’m returning to you your body!!」

Arena then showed the old man a little fairy in her hands, and after nodding to her, the old man deactivated his 『Humanization』.

And so, the fairy who has been sleeping for 10,000 years would finally awaken.

「Oh……Ooh!! This, this is…!」

While trembling, he checked his body, the touch and feel of his actual body. Though quite confused for a moment, he was returned to sanity hearing Arena’s voice. That is not something he should do right now.

「Please, only you, a dungeon fairy could enter that! I want you to pull Aidle out of it using this link………」

Arena bowed down to him asking to re-enter the thing that had confined him all this time. Despite knowing his suffering, Arena still asked thinking that this is the only method that could save her friend. She was also thinking of the possibility that he might decline, however,

「Of course, there is no way I would reject it. Please leave it to me」

The fairy spoke with a joyful voice as he turned into a ball of light and held onto the string Arena handed. That ball of light then plunged into the core with tremendous speed.

「Sorry……please」

—————————————————-

「Seriously. What a bad time to get stuck in a strange place like this. This is supposed to be for all ages, right? I didn’t really want this kind of thing to happen, you know. Forcefully cancelling my humanization, do you want to play with me as if I was a doll?」

I am currently in the real core of the dungeon, at the heart of it’s system. I am currently surrounded by wire like chords moving as if they had their own ego. The 『Synchronization』 has now ended, and I couldn’t even link with Arena and only this thin line wrapped around my wrist is the only thing connecting us.

In this place, there was only one thing that caught my attention. An existence resembling a mass of magical power with a human figure sitting at the back of this space.

「Welcome, Little Fairy」

That same figure then started speaking to me.