{???, at a different time}
"Hmm … a desert wasteland, rocky mountains, there doesn't seem to be a sign of any cities nearby, but this place isn't familiar to me. Am I not in Padimon? That might be a problem," I thought aloud as I patted my pack of cigarettes, "I mean, I expected an obstacle like this might happen, but Obina, herself, said we'd get there, and if nothing has changed, an Immortal never lies. They wouldn't say anything, otherwise."
I took out a cigarette and set it to my mouth, "Now, let's see if this works … [Create Fire]."
At my chant and a snap of my fingers, a small flame appeared at a tip like a lighter. I chuckled with pride.
"Ohh, how I didn't think of getting [Fire Magic] earlier, I'll never know," I said before lighting my cigarette, taking a few puffs while snuffing out the flame on my finger, “Holy shit, I can really savor this like new again with this 'renewed body'. Guess that's one positive out of all this.”
I looked at my wrist where my new Champion Bracelet is worn. Slide it a bit to the side, and there's an ominous black ring underneath it. It gave off the same ethereal glow that made up the bracelet, but unlike that accessory, I could sense a powerful malice that seeped into my body, leaving its mark on my skin permanently like a bad tattoo. This is the result of the 'handicap ability' I was forced on by the big man of all Immortals, Palonitus, for the grave sins I've committed in my time on Earth, especially the one that brought me here. He called it the [Immortal's Loathing].
"Being the target of hate from a God is more brutal to my psyche than I thought, but I should be able to shake it off soon enough, not the first time I’ve been harassed by ‘haters’, as those kids called it," I said as I took off the bracelet and shoved it in my Magic Item Bag for now, then rolling my sleeve enough to cover the black ring, "They must still be busy cleaning after my 'mess' right now, but if those girls left around the same time as me, they should be scattered someplace else in Padimon right now. Well, I did all I could to prepare them for the trip here, the rest is up to them. Now it's a matter of who can reach our targets first."
Weird as this may sound to many, this isn't exactly my first time in Raiza. To be honest, I wouldn't mind if my fate brought me to the deepest pits of hell, instead. It seemed fitting for a man of my character, but I needed to come back to this world to settle some scores. I strayed a bit to get here, and knowing that kid's luck, regardless how much time has passed in Raiza, I'm certain he's grown accustomed to life here pretty quickly. He's a big boy, so I don't need to see him in a hurry.
What I am concerned about, however, is the young master that came before the kid, the one who should be the same age as him, but died in a bus 'accident' 3 years ago in Japan. Compared to the kid, the young master's a total pussy, but he has his wits, ways of manipulation, and his 'retainer' to help him get around. If he and that retainer separated upon their arrival, though, he won't last a day here, maybe a few if we're being optimistic. There's no guarantee that both of them would be in Padimon like the girls have, either, and Palonitus wouldn't tell me that much when I asked.
What's more is that the rate of time between Raiza and Earth makes things quite complicated, more so with my new look. I'm eager to see the look on that dumbass kid's face once he sees my current appearance, but the young master's life takes priority first. With little options to work with, I'll need to ask around to find where he is.
"... If the Kurokichi Clan is still thriving here, they may be my best bet in finding the young master, but I'll need to level myself back up first," I thought aloud before taking another puff from my cigarette, “The guys from Shirogechi should start making waves in this world by now. I can already see the future of it all turning red.”
I then heard a chorus of growls from a distance. I turned to the source to find a pack of sand-colored wolves, with one larger one leading it from behind. There had to be thirty of them, at the least.
These overwhelming odds in numbers, I couldn't help but smile giddily after I crushed the cigarette under my foot.
"Hee hee hee! What do we have here?! A surprise welcome back party for little ol' me? Did the big man put you up to this? Aw, he shouldn't have," I said with enthusiasm, though I'm not really sure whether the big God had anything to do with this, "It's about time I really stretch my legs again after all these years! Come on out! Kama Itachi!"
At my call, my trusty black kunai knife with an emerald sheen appeared, then split itself into multiple versions of itself as they floated above me. Two of them lowered themselves to my raised open palms, and after adjusting them to my backhand grips, I got into my fighting stance.
I can't really waste too much time here. I gotta find the young master and make my amends before he gets pulled into the oncoming war. And then …
The thought made me smile maddeningly, before cackling, "You better not have died on me before I kill you myself! Kotori-chaaaan!"
~~
{Jinma, present time}
“Haaaa.”
“That’s a heck of a sigh, Noire,” I pointed out as we walked.
“Well, can you blame me? We’re almost three floors into this dungeon so far, yet the number of monsters we’ve seen can be counted on one hand. I’m bored!” Noire exclaimed, thrusting her arms up in frustration.
Ever since we started our trek down Palocaesy Dungeon, it’s been barely a leisurely stroll compared to the first time I came here with my Familiars yesterday. Granted, Nyra helped draw the monsters out with her powers at the time, but even before then, the encounter rate was pretty active back then as it is now.
“‘Tis lack of monsters dost seem concerning, much more barren from the last time I was here. I dare say there might have been more activity on our trip over to Palocaesy, and one dost not usually encounter monsters on the main road,” Kalline said.
“I’ve smelled some monsters from some distance, but other than the few stragglers we took out, the rest dispersed before we could get close,” Ren added.
“It’s as if they’re running from us in fear …” Erizora trailed off.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I’ve read somewhere once that the dungeons in this world are alive, producing monsters and eating up corpses that stay inside for too long before the latter’s belongings are left behind, if they had any,” Ume said with a claw to her chin, “If the dungeons do have some semblance of life, which includes intelligence, could it perhaps communicate with the monsters it produces here?”
“What reason would it have to talk to monsters? Aside from maybe fetching it food?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Well, monsters do have instincts that help them detect danger to survive on their own, so unless they’re desperate for sustenance, they know when to avoid battles that could spell death for them,” Ume said, “In groups or packs, however, there’s usually no use arguing the one with highest power, which then brings a hierarchical system that must be followed to survive, or risk going out to die alone if they’re not satisfied with the leadership. The dungeons, however, stand above all monsters in the hierarchy, because who would argue with the one that brought them to this world, and provide a space that produces necessary resources? Now, what if that same dungeon is aware of a great danger to itself and knows the lowest of monsters could never hope to stand against that threat?”
“Are you saying the dungeon is telling the monsters to stay away from this unstoppable threat and save their energy for the weaker intruders?” Gabriella asked.
Ume shrugged, “It’s just my theory, but the Demon-Kin’s Territory is a land that’s ruled by the strong, and there’s no doubt that its residents couldn’t have that strength without the dungeons within to challenge them, testing their wills to survive against great odds. It’s been said that the select few whose power is acknowledged by the dungeons in this land are what makes them future rulers.”
“The Demon-Kin’s way of living in Padimon seems not much different from the Magical Beasts of the Cursed Realm. Guess I can really make myself home here,” Kenaka said.
“Oooh! Then perhaps the combined strength of Master, Lady Mei, and Lady Noire is what made this dungeon warn its monsters to stay away from us! Don’t you think so, Master?!” Ren exclaimed with glitter in her eyes, her tail wagging to match her mood.
“Well … it’s an interesting theory, sure,” I said while petting Ren’s head, smiling wryly.
If that really is the case, then this dungeon knows the monsters within the first couple floors are hopeless against us, since I came here with my Familiars yesterday and caused great genocide to its ‘offspring’. It probably won’t get serious with us until we get closer to one of the two Lesser Bosses that man this place. There are 60 floors in this dungeon, split into three sections of 20 each due to the Lesser Bosses guarding the intervals between them, along with the Dungeon Boss taking post at the very end. The adventurers called these sections ‘cells’, and we won’t meet the first Lesser Boss, the guardian of the first cell, until the 20th floor. Looks like we have quite a ways to go before we’re actually challenged.
Say the dungeon didn’t acknowledge my strength alone and really brings our combined strength into consideration, like Ren said. Aside from my Familiars to join in the club, maybe even Ren with her recent power boost, as well, I think there’s only one person’s strength that’s really pullings its metaphorical weight for the rest of us.
“It’s not just a ‘theory’, Jinma, it’s an actual fact! Of course this dungeon would acknowledge this group’s combined strength to let us pass with ease!” Sue, the real metaphorical weightlifter I was talking about, exclaimed, “At the rate we’re going, clearing this dungeon will be a breeze!”
“I just want to clear the first cell of this dungeon as soon as possible so I can take off these damn goggles,” Tyvera said as she adjusted said headgear over her eyes. Harpies, like most species of birds, have poor vision in the dark. I got her those Night Vision Goggles from my bracelet’s shop that’s better in performance than her last pair, but they were still uncomfortable to wear.
According to the intel we gathered, the first 20 floors of this dungeon are pretty dim in lighting, with some instances when the whole floor goes pitch black at random. It gets much brighter after beating the first Lesser Boss, but you have to fight it in complete darkness no matter what, so it’s absolutely essential that you have equipment or party members who can see in the dark in the first cell. Sure, you can use sources of light to help you see the path, but that makes you a bigger target for monsters who take advantage of that darkness, especially in places where that light doesn't reach. So unless you’re confident in your own strength or the range of your light source, it’s recommended that you blend in with the darkness when necessary.
I didn’t come across a pitch-black floor the last time I was here, but I have my [Night Vision] skill, as do a few others in our group, and we have magic to help us light the way. Even if a pack of monsters suddenly decide to attack us, we have the strength and resources to fend for ourselves. My biggest concern, though, is that someone in Rowling’s army will take advantage of this darkness to ambush us, perhaps to split our party into smaller, less advantageous groups like Yukino said. That’s why I’m on high alert, constantly checking my [Intuitive Mapping] skill and using all my other skills to detect any possible threats on these floors. So far, I’ve only noted one presence that’s keeping its distance while following us. I didn’t label her as a threat after using [Size-Up] on her, but I’ve been keeping an eye on it to catch any strange behaviors.
“Hmm … I get it, and I don’t mind using this time of leisure to flirt with Jinma more, especially with the darkness setting the mood a bit, but I still want some excitement in our crawl, you know?” Noire asked as she hugged my arm, trapping it to her voluptuous chest, “My body’s itching to get itself as dirty as possible. It’s one of the few excuses for a noble like myself to go all-out in a dungeon without worrying about appearances.”
“I never thought I’d hear a noble say such words …” Gabriella trailed off, shaking her head.
“Well, we don’t want to stray too far from each other, but if we come across some monsters that will bring a decent match, why don’t you and I take those on, ourselves, or even the first Lesser Boss? Whichever comes first?” I asked.
Noire clapped her hands in delight, “Ooh, I like that idea! Let’s make a battle formation and have Gabriella be our meat shield while we’re at it.”
“Uh, you mean vanguard … right?” Gabriella asked.
“Jinma and I will also take front while we’ll have our escort, Sue, close at the rear for protection and to up the difficulty. Gotta have some stakes to make things more interesting, you know?” Noire asked, ignoring Gabriella’s question.
“I can never miss an opportunity to watch Jinma’s fight from up close!” Sue exclaimed.
“In that case, should things go dark in the middle of that battle, I’ll stay with Sue at the rear and provide light,” Mametama said, “You can focus on the fight in front of you this way, Milord, and I know a few spells that can take out foes from a long-distance when necessary.”
“Sounds like we have our main battle formation, then,” I said, “As for the rest, let’s make a second formation for weaker mobs and cycle through different members to fill in roles. Ume, you can switch with Mametama in some fights, if you wish.”
“Thanks, but if you’re looking for a challenge, I’ll likely make it easy,” Ume said while shrugging, “If we want Noire to have a good time, I’ll leave that up to you, Jin.”
“Thank you, Mei! I owe you one!” Noire exclaimed.
“That leaves me looking after the rest of you,” Ume said to the rest of our party, “I can use my magic to help you in a pinch or heal your injuries, but I expect you all to do your best in the battles ahead and not embarrass our leader. Understand?”
“Yes!” the remaining members exclaimed in sync. From an outsider’s perspective, they may see us as having too much fun taking on the dungeon, but I truly believe we have a good, sturdy foundation that can adapt itself quickly to unexpected surprises. Part of me thinks that we may not have as much of an issue with our party getting separated as I feared, and if we’re lucky, their attempt to split us off could fail.
I should have kicked myself for subconsciously raising that red flag, thinking I had ‘luck’ of all things on my side to have things work themselves out.