CH 200

After registering on the twenty-sixth floor, we decide to see what it’s like, just a bit before we leave.

Peeking from the staircase shows us the passages on this floor are completely dark, and it’s made immediately apparent that this is a tough floor to get through without a magic item to help see in the dark. Although I’m fine with just my skill.

I activate Map and Presence Detection, and take a step forward.

The map changes the moment I step on the twenty-sixth floor, and the area where I can look for enemies pops up.

“Hn?”

“What is it, master?”

Asks Sera.

“…! Sera and Hikari, come with me. Everyone else, stay put.”

I give instructions and run while activating Magic Energy Detection, but don’t find any traps.

“Ma…”

Sera runs after me, and notices the same thing I did just after she starts talking.

Hikari also has her weapon in her hand and is ready to fight.

There are five reactions beyond this passage. Two are people, and the rest…

We turn a corner, and someone comes running from the other side, seemingly desperate and with fear carved into their eyes. I feel like our eyes meet for a second, but that person passes right by us without stopping.

I’m curious about that, but helping the person tumbling in front of us takes precedence. There’s already a monster getting close, and we won’t make it in time with normal attacks.

And so, I keep moving while attacking the skeleton soldier with stone bullets, and they blow it away.

Sera and Hikari are taken by surprise and almost stop, but quickly continue running.

There are two more coming from the back. I think those two can handle them, so I stop and start walking. Actually, that sudden burst of magic put a lot of strain on me, so I can’t keep up with them.

I slowly compose my breathing while walking.

The fight is over by the time I get there, and he’s already been given various healing potions. He walks this way, and it’s clear he hasn’t fully recovered yet.

“Are you all right?”

“Y-yes, thanks to you.”

“And are you here alone?”

Why is someone here alone in the first place? I mean…

“Yes, that’s right. I need to report to the guild right away. Sorry.”

“Sure. I don’t think you can run, but can you explain while we walk?”

“Yes. Actually…”

He… Totto, the leader of Thousand Gold Coins, tells me they beat the twenty-seventh floor, and were going to keep going and challenge the twenty-eighth floor.

◇ ◇ ◇

The exploration was going well, and we beat the monsters that appeared without much issue.

But just as we were thinking we could keep going and beat the floor, there was a big rumbling. I don’t know if the ground really rumbled, but the next moment, an explosive sound and a loud roar echoed, and that really did make me feel my body being shaken.

That rumbling got bigger and bigger, until we couldn’t even stand.

We crouched, and the passage in front of us suddenly moved, blocking the way in front of us.

Change. That word popped up in the back of my mind, but I got the feeling that wasn’t right.

The rumbling eventually stopped, and we saw the passage in front of us was closed, but a new one opened on the left.

We were about to discuss what to do after this sudden development, but something else happened before we could.

A noise was approaching from the new passage.

It became louder and louder, until we could see what it was.

It looked like they noticed us too, but one, then two, ran past us.

Some stopped, and some apologized. They turned around with weapons in hand and simply said…

They triggered a trap, and monsters were coming from the other side.

“Is there anyone else?”

“No.”

“Everyone fire magic and retreat. We will whittle down their numbers as best we can.”

Instructed Miss Leila, and they began attacking.

The monsters were fast, and we figured they would catch up with us even if we ran.

This floor was supposed to only have undead monsters, but these were normal monsters.

We took down the monsters filling the passage, and the others told us more as we retreated.

The dungeon changed shape when they triggered a trap, and monsters came pouring out of the new passage.

A monster parade. One of the most feared traps in the dungeon. People say once activated, it’s like the dungeon vomits out monsters.

Half of that party was killed, and the other is here.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into it.”

“Leave that for later. We need to focus on the enemies in front of us.

The battle was very fierce, and the efforts centered around Miss Leila created a pile of dead monsters.

She was stunning, like some sort of war goddess, and for every monster we took down, she took down two or three.

Eventually their momentum died down, and from the dark passage that was still noticeably painted dark red, it appeared.

“T-that’s…”

The moment it appeared, one of the adventurers that ran here thrust Miss Leila to the side.

This surprised me, and I was just about to yell at him, but stopped.

The man turned into a silent stone statue.

From then, it was a one sided battle.

We couldn’t even get close. We had trouble even just dealing with the other monsters that jumped out from behind this one, and all we could do was run.

Some of my partners were caught by the breath and had their limbs turned to stone.

Still, we managed to escape somehow, and after discussing what to do, we decided some of us would head to the twenty-fifth floor to ask for help.

No, that’s wrong. Some people just abandoned the ones turned to stone and ran.

All I could do was watch them go, but not long after, I left to go ask for help.

And in the end, I was lucky enough to make it here.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Didn’t you have a return stone?”

“We did, but it didn’t activate. And then…”

“I get it. You had no choice but to report to the guild and have them deal with it.”

And that’s why Totto is here.

Does that mean that other person that ran past us also ran here to go report to the guild?

Incidentally, Totto says he got lucky, but I can tell by using Appraisal that his robe has a recognition obstruction effect, so that’s probably how he made it here.