Chapter 85

The adventure ended without a hitch.

Deep in the Novaastia Dungeon, in a remote building, there was a dark basement. This place, previously devoid of even a single cockroach, was now bustling with people.

Daphne walked down into the room, filled with blue magical lights and white electric lamps. The Violets had already opened the floor and taken out a hidden bag inside.

“Is this… the relic?”

“Exactly! It’s one of the rarest relics, not just in Rustroom, but across the entire Trist!”

Daphne carefully lifted the bag. Moments later, the bag emitted light and scattered into white particles, which then entered her body. Her blue eyes roamed around in surprise.

“Let’s see, I’ll try this.”

She muttered a few incantations as she picked up a nearby stone. The stone in her hand vanished and reappeared several times.

“Oh my god, a personal storage space! This is a huge discovery! How did the Violets know about this?”

“Well, I have one too.”

I displayed several weapons as a demonstration. She nodded, appearing convinced.

“So that’s how you carry around such armaments…”

We smiled confidently.

“Now, no more need to carry heavy stuff around! How about that?”

“Thank you! Such a precious thing…”

She spoke in disbelief. After a while, she began testing the bag’s capabilities, marveling at its performance.

“I can take out as many desired items as I want! Its capacity is beyond imagination! I can’t see the bottom!”

“Of course! It’s just that the volume and weight it can hold at one time are limited. If you disassemble it and put it in, you could fit a car in there!”

I noticed her clear blue eyes lit up at what I said.

“Oh! I see that usage now! Then I could deliver a large amount of relief supplies and construct shelters in isolated areas where vehicles can’t reach. A walking relief camp!”

As expected from someone who would establish a medical volunteer group, she was already planning how to utilize the bag.

“And let me say it one more time. Violet, thank you for giving me something like this.”

Daphne carefully hugged the nearest Fifty-Eighth Clone.

“But I’m sorry.”

“Huh? For what?”

“Because I’ve gotten you hurt many times and even killed you. Like with the Ninety-Eighth Clone earlier.”

Oh dear, it seemed Daphne held onto the memory of fighting the Crawler just now. One of the Violets stepped forward and rolled up her left sleeve.

“No! I’m alive! Look here! Do you see the number?”

“…?”

“Did you forget? We come back to life even if we die! So don’t worry about it!”

Seeing the revived Ninety-Eighth Clone, Daphne’s expression subtly changed.

“Oh, that’s right. It was the same during the entrance ceremony…”

Her face resembled someone who had just taken a bite of a fish-shaped pastry and tasted the actual fish inside, uncertain about the advertisement’s truth of “real fish inside.”

“Are you okay? We don’t die, remember? Even if we die, we just move into the mind network. Once the body is available, we come back!”

“Still, shouldn’t we at least try to avoid dying in the first place?”

“That’s our tactic. It’s too ingrained in us now to change. And besides, we hardly died today.”

Daphne’s eyes slightly contorted at our cheerful reply. Eventually, her reaction began to heat up, and the Violets realized they had misspoken.

“‘Hardly’?! What does that mean?”

“No, I meant our combination just works well together!”

As a Violet stepped back, Daphne grabbed her shoulder.

“Will you tell me honestly?”

In the end, we confessed. When those blue eyes stared at us, it felt impossible to lie.

“Originally, about five to ten people used to die each day.”

“Ah, oh…”

“No! That’s the past! Nowadays, our equipment has improved, and our skills have increased, so we rarely die. So don’t worry.”

Daphne sighed softly and hugged me again.

“Alright. If that’s Violet’s choice, I can’t stop it.”

Her gem-like eyes, filled with perplexity and sadness, now showed a determination I couldn’t decipher.

“But at least when I’m around, I won’t allow you to get hurt.”

“What?”

“Prepare yourselves. Even if you’re in distress, I will absolutely save you! Got it?”

“No, I’m okay with dying!”

“I’m not okay with it! And I’m supportive, right? As a healer? Don’t overdo it, just keep me safe!”

“Ah, got it.”

Faced with her resolute declaration, we could only scratch our heads and agree.

As we stepped outside to prepare to exit the dungeon, my whole body ached and throbbed.

“Ow, here we go again.”

The Violets staggered a bit.

This sensation was the effect of pain distribution, transferred from another Violet.

Seeing our gloomy expressions, a magic staff immediately struck the ground. The pain vanished.

“Eheh! Thank you! I feel better now.”

“That’s the result of treating your body recklessly. Where did it hurt this time?”

“This? It’s not ‘our’ body.”

Daphne tilted her head at the Violets’ reply. After thinking for a moment, she slowly opened her mouth.

“Can I ask just one question? What are the other Violets outside the dungeon doing now?”

“Well, they’re exploring the dungeon, trying to synchronize with Irene. Why?”

“…With Irene, huh. You’re not doing anything dangerous, right?”

“…”

We answered her silently, and understanding the situation, Daphne held her head in her hands.

“Oh dear…”

“Ehehe…”

*

While the Violets traversed the desolate ruins to gift a precious relic to a friend, a little further away in the Midwestern Dungeon, a girl with violet hair and her black-clad escort were walking through the forest.

“This is Novaastia Team, entering the command center. Currently, Squad V is guarding D and approaching the target point.”

“This is the command center, confirmed. The team with I has passed through the dungeon entrance.”

The Violets are currently exploring the dungeon following Irene. This entirely stemmed from Irene’s strong insistence to start this adventure.

“Chloris Forest is filled with various traps and strange phenomena. Although most risks were taken care of by the Academy, I’d rather stick my head in the mouth of a monster than trust the Academy. Moreover, the place you mentioned with ruins is uncharted territory. There are definitely far more dangers there.”

Before departing for the dungeon, Irene strongly insisted we practice our party’s coordination through training.

“Since we don’t know what might happen on site, we need to synchronize our movements. Got it? Ideally, Daphne should have come here with us, but it can’t be helped.”

“Got it! But Irene, just where are we?”

Her golden eyes scrutinized the checkpoint at the dungeon entrance. The way she walked confidently indicated she had been here multiple times before.

“This is Alcasia Forest.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

It’s a place that hasn’t even appeared in the game. Perhaps it emerged starting from Part Two’s storyline?

“Oh, really? I suppose you wouldn’t know. It’s more famous for other things than for hunting.”

The checkpoint was bustling with various vehicles and people trying to enter. When I tried to line up, she stopped me and led me down another path.

“Not that way, come this way.”

Irene pulled out an ID card adorned with a sun and a cross from her pocket. It bore the Helios logo. The checkpoint guards checked the ID and opened the gate without hesitation.

“Just as expected…! Irene’s family is impressive!”

As we entered, various structures and watchtowers built on the concrete floor came into view. Large and small trucks were moving in and out. As I got overly excited, she flushed slightly, embarrassed.

“Ah, this? I appreciate it, but it’s not such a big deal.”

“But look, wouldn’t other people who aren’t part of a clan line up like that? We’re getting in without even being checked. If this isn’t impressive, then what is?”

“That’s not it; Helios is a recently established clan. There are tons of people in the world who are much greater than us. Not to mention the four major clans or those from aristocratic families and other conglomerates—we’re clearly lacking.”

Listening to Irene’s calm explanation, I shrugged.

To put it in her perspective, it’s like the daughter of a newly established IT company saying, “We’re nothing compared to chaebols, multinational corporations, and traditional noble families.”

I stuck out my tongue a bit.

“That’s your perspective, but from mine, it’s definitely impressive!”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I tend to speak from my perspective without considering others. If it offended you, I apologize.”

While she was flustered and waved her hands, a shimmering gate appeared right in front of us.

“I was just saying that, let’s hurry in!”

I took her hand and entered the dungeon. I recalled hearing that it’s customary to jump when entering, but I wondered how that applied here.

“Jumping in like that is dangerous! Don’t jump!”

“Yah!”

As soon as the scenery changed before my eyes, I stumbled and fell to the ground.

“Gah!”

Irene hurriedly helped me up after I fell.

“The height difference between the outside and inside entrance is significant. Of course, you’d fall if you jumped like that.”

As I steadied myself, she brushed the dust off my clothes.

“Wow… it seems you’ve been here many times before?”

“Yes, I came here a few times for training in the past. The Helios clan often uses this dungeon for training its recruits.”

When I lifted my head, instead of the checkpoint and concrete floor, a vast sea of green filled with towering trees greeted me. At first glance, it looked like just an ordinary forest.

Our objective was to go once to the forward base located in the dangerous zone and come back.

“The monsters here are all low-level. There’s only one type of mid-level entity, and even that one is slow, so we can intercept it easily. However, once we cross a certain area, all kinds of strange phenomena and traps will be everywhere, and the climate will be unpredictable.

It’s the perfect environment to experience what a supernatural space called a ‘dungeon’ is like.”

We stepped further into the forest.

From the entrance, I hadn’t noticed, but the thickness and height of the trees were beyond my imagination. Ancient trees with diameters large enough to be several meters were towering like apartment buildings. Due to their height and closely packed branches, the forest was dark.

Lights installed here and there illuminated the darkness.

Nearby, workers in safety helmets and vests were checking pipes wedged into the trees and carrying oversized pine cone-like fruits the size of a person. I looked around with curiosity, and Irene began to explain.

“The trees in Alcasia Forest have grown abnormally due to ether’s influence. Thanks to that, the tree sap and fruits contain rare substances that can be utilized as industrial resources.”

“Those people look like non-awakened ones—can ordinary people work here in the dungeon?”

“This place is a safety zone with few strange phenomena or traps. The monsters that used to be here have already been hunted.”

We reached an area with high walls and barbed wire surrounding it. At the entrance, hunters were on guard. Once again, thanks to Irene, we passed through without any issues.

“From here onward is the danger zone. Be cautious and keep your eyes open.”

“Well then, call us!”

Ten Violets materialized. We entered the danger zone like ducklings following a mother duck.

We soon encountered monsters.

An ugly-looking cat monster started darting between the trees, leaping at us as if to attack.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Meow…!”

Irene swung the spear she had strapped to her back. The felinot was cut in two.

“I’ve never seen that spear before. Isn’t it supposed to be foldable?”

“That foldable spear is for training. This is for real combat.”

The atmosphere gradually shifted. The surrounding trees were now sparsely planted instead of densely packed like before. A large warning sign was affixed to one of the trees.

<Beware of strange phenomena! Move accompanied by an expert>>

After walking a bit more, Irene raised her arm to stop me. Something like a flickering smoke appeared in front of us. She pulled a small marble out of her coat pocket and threw it towards the smoke.

–Whoosh!

As the marble hit the ground, a white flame erupted, shooting up to human height. The marble melted away in an instant.

“W-What?!”

“Did you see? That’s a rapid combustion phenomenon that exists regardless of the area. It’s one of the most basic strange phenomena. If you get engulfed, you could get seriously hurt, so be careful. Always concentrate your magical power in your eyes and ears to observe your surroundings, and if there’s something suspicious, throw small objects to check for safety.”

“Like that marble?”

“Exactly. Some people use nuts, bolts, or coins depending on the person.”

Irene showed me the marbles she had in her coat pocket.

“Do we have to check everything like that? Can’t we just charge straight ahead?”

“Of course not. No matter how much of an Awakened One you might be, if you get caught in a strange phenomenon, you can get hurt or die.”

We kept moving forward while learning about the strange phenomena.

It was common for lightning to strike the air or for sudden gusts of wind to send objects flying into the sky or sharp thorns to emerge out of nowhere.

At some point, the Violets arrived at a location marked with a large warning sign.

Strangely, there were no trees here. Surrounding us were things that looked like the bones of monsters.

<Beware of the ground! Trap-type monster habitat.>

“Stop. Everyone, be careful. Don’t approach. This is a monster habitat.”

“Where is this? What’s that?”

“This is one of the representative trap-type monsters you can find in the dungeon—but Violet! Where are you going?”

“I dropped a marble. I’ll pick it up and come back. Huh?”

As she walked beyond the warning sign, Fifty-Sixth Clone bent down to retrieve the marble and fell into a pit. It seemed there was a pit below, like a trapdoor.

Fifty-Sixth Clone flailed her arms in the pit.

“I’m stuck! Help me!”

Irene’s eyes went wide as saucers. She struggled to remain calm as she ran toward Fifty-Sixth Clone.

“Violet? Stay calm. Don’t move, I’ll get you out right now!”

“What’s going on?”

“The Mermillion! It’s a monster that digs traps and resides within them. Don’t move recklessly, or you’ll provoke it!”

“Then hurry up and get me out! Wait, I’ll pull you out!”

“Mermillion is sensitive to vibrations and noise. You have to pull slowly! No! Stop—”

The Violets gathered and pulled hard on Fifty-Sixth Clone.

But an incredibly strong force held onto Fifty-Sixth Clone from below, making it hard for her to escape. An even stranger event unfolded.

“Guys! I feel strange! I have no sensation below!”

Strangely, it felt as if all sensation had vanished below Fifty-Sixth Clone like being anesthetized.

Hearing Fifty-Sixth Clone’s words, Irene’s face turned pale.

“What did you just say?”

“I can’t feel below!”

“No, no way…”

Suddenly, a crunching sound resonated, and the force constraining her legs disappeared. Fifty-Sixth Clone climbed out of the pit.

The sense of achievement quickly shifted to horror.

We all gasped.

“Fifty-Sixth Clone! Your leg!”

Fifty-Sixth Clone’s leg had vanished.

The ground trembled, and tentacles adorned with thorns erupted from the pit, grabbing Fifty-Sixth Clone again.

We immediately let go of Fifty-Sixth Clone. There was no way to save her without her lower body!

“Eek! I’m being dragged! Avenge me!”

“I’ll get my revenge!”

As if determined, Fifty-Sixth Clone pulled out bombs and Molotov cocktails. Just as she disappeared into the pit, a loud explosion was heard, and a thick black smoke billowed from the pit. The ground shook violently.

–Kooook!

A cry of agony from the monster echoed.

“Revenge for Fifty-Sixth Clone! Die!”

We unleashed our attacks into the pit. Everything we could use—bullets, bolts, gasoline, explosives!

Soon, a massive monster enveloped in smoke leaped out from the pit, struggling in pain. Filled with fury, we attacked it, and the battered creature slumped down, drained of strength.

“We got it!”

“I think there might be more of them! Let’s kill them all!”

We generated more clones. Our plan was to take revenge by killing all those monsters.

Some Violets prepared to charge forward, bombs and incendiaries held tightly in their arms.

“B-By the way, Violet? What are you doing right now?”

“Can you help us out? We’re going to kill all of these things!”

Her golden eyes trembled wildly. Irene stood in shock, trying to stop us.

“Stop! Self-destruct? Are you out of your mind?”

After receiving the scolding, we had no choice but to return to our positions.

---