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Rise of the Dungeon
7. Let's make a bet

7. Let's make a bet

(Uwaah, what a cute girl! What is she even doing here?)

I watched my sole visitor inspected the dungeon entrance before she stepped inside with caution. The armored beauty steadily walked with her slender legs, her sword was ready in her hand as she entered the first room. Annoyed by her presence, the creatures of the room began to attack.

Yet, she easily evaded them all while countering at the same time. Her steps was so elegant as if she was dancing with her sword. Her move often came from an unexpected angle, swift and deadly. In a brief moment, the room had become a slaughter house.

I ordered my creatures to withdraw. There was no need to rush killing or driving her out after all. Instead, to be honest, I wanted to keep her alive inside my cave as long as possible. I meant, she had a cute face AND a nice body curve. Even her light armor couldn’t hide that alluring figure. Moreover, she had my preferable breast size, big enough but not too huge. And her butt...

(Ah, I better stop, before I thought more of lewd things.)

“Hmm, what a rough welcome,” she mumbled as she swung her sword to clean it from the bloodstains. After she sheathed her sword, she took a small ribbon and tied her wavy dark brown hair into a ponytail, not interested to pursue the escaping creatures.

Unsheathed her sword once again, the girl I estimated in her late teens or early twenties moved towards the first corridor. Although she walked casually most of time, her actual speed was terrifying. I watched as she nonchalantly matched my evolved animals, now monsters, before killing them.

“So it even has things like Fierce Rats and Great Bats, interesting...,” she muttered while killing another five of my monsters simultaneously. "But to think we didn't know a dungeon of this level when it's right beside one of our bases, what are the scouts even doing?"

As she approached the second room, I was tempted to greet her personally. I considered the idea.

(To find a cute girl come to a dungeon alone is probably a once in a lifetime chance. If I don't even try to get her contact, I'm a man with no balls. Right, I should go after all.)

I moved my consciousness to the Dungeon Lord, then opened a portal to the corridor before the second room. Various conversation scenarios were being simulated in my head as I proceed forward. Finally reached the room, I found her being surrounded by countless dead bodies and the rest of the creatures were already retreating.

(There she is... -Uh?)

In the next moment, she was already gone. Instead, I felt something like a cold metal on my neck.

“Ah, hello... Sorry if I surprised you, I didn’t mean any harm,” I said while keeping my calm appearance.

Standing on my right with her sword pointed at my neck, she observed me with a piercing cold gaze. "Who are you?" she asked.

“My name is Arz. I-.”

I stopped my sentence as she pressed her sword. “Show me your Adventurer ID,” she demanded.

“Ah. I don’t have one,” I replied in honesty.

She squinted her eyes in disbelief. “You are not an adventurer yet exploring a dungeon?” she asked.

“I was on my way to [Firzoa] to register as adventurer when I got lost and found this dungeon,” I lied.

“Really? Where did you come from?”

“[Rahziel]?”

“[Rahziel] and [Firzoa] are a mountain apart, there are closer towns with Adventurer Admin Office like [Jowsar]. Why not go there?”

“I have my own reason to come this way.”

“And that is…?”

“... Why do I have to tell you everything?"

I started to feel irritated. She might be pretty, but the conversation wasn’t going anywhere I had hoped for. And what was with that interrogating tone?

Probably sensing my vexation, she changed her talking attitude and withdrew her sword.

“Sorry about that. My name is Alveria, A-rank adventurer and an Executive Member of Fantastica guild,” she introduced.

"Alveria...?" I repeated and took a better look at the porcelain-like face in front of me. "Big sis Alveria...?"

"Eh…? Hold on, what did you say your name again?”

“It’s me, Arz! We haven’t met since you left our hometown several years ago, but we used to play together when we were younger, remember?” I tried to remind.

“Arz? Is that really you? Oh my, I didn’t recognize you at all!" she said and rushed to hug me.

(Uwaah, too close! I can feel your breasts, sis, even under the armor plate.)

She looked up to my face with her hands still circling around my neck. I could feel her breath and it took all my will to resist kissing the small lips in front of me.

“Arz! I still hard to believe it’s you. Look at you, you have grown into a tall and handsome young man in these years. And with a promising magic talent too. Girls must be gone crazy on you, eh?" she said while messing with my hair. Her lovely smile shined brightly in my dark cave.

"Say, how old are you now? Fifteen? And how did you get lost in the first place?" she asked after breaking her soft body away from me, which also breaking my heart by doing so. She took a seat on the floor and gave me a sign to do the same.

I sat down and replied, "Fourteen, actually. I have... some sort of circumstances. It's a long story."

“Fourteen? I can’t wait to see when you have fully grown in several more years,” she grinned, which I could only smile in return.

(That’s, uh, probably won’t happen, sis. I got this older version body when selecting humans as my Dungeon Lord race, so I probably won’t grow anymore.)

"Let me guess, your circumstance has something to do with uncle?" she continued, showing her sympathetic face.

“Haha, you know how my father is. Anyway, what about you, sis? Why're you here? Fantastica is one of the big four guilds in the continent, isn't it? And you're one of its Executive Members? That's so cool."

"Thanks. Actually I come to look for my missing subordinates... guild mates. They were last known to be in this area around four to five days ago. Did you happen to meet them, Arz?

I had bad feeling when she said that, nevertheless I asked, “Guild mates? How do they look like?”

“They are a party of three. Rowd, the leader, is a B-rank adventurer and a swordsman. Vaiz, a C-rank adventurer and a scout. And Loen, also a C-rank adventurer, our new recruits who is a mage,” she described.

(Ah, it’s really the guys from before. To think they're part of a guild like Fantasica. This won't turn troublesome, I hope)

"So, do you know any of them, Arz?"

"Sorry."

"Eh, why are you sorry? It's okay. I just need to look a bit more."

"No, I mean, sorry, I killed them."

"... Can you repeat that?"

"I killed them, for a good reason."

"... You killed… who?"

"Rowd and company?"

“... Are you sure you didn’t mistaken them with someone else?”

I scratched my head in confusion. "I’m sure, sis," I said.

“Arz...,” she looked directly at my eyes. “There’s no way for you to kill them, you must have been mistaken,” she said. “Do you know why?”

I scratched my head again. "Why?"

“Because they’re very good. Listen, Rowd is an Executive Candidate in Fantastica, an elite amongst the elites. And Loen, he is a very talented mage like you.

I don't know, you can probably have a close win against Loen in a duel, but against Rowd is simply impossible. Moreover, Rowd is being supported by Loen. So you must have been mistaken some other people," she explicated her reason thoroughly.

"... What about Vaiz? You didn't mention anything about him," I asked.

"Hmm. He is a tracking expert and useful in many ways, but combat is just not his thing."

"... If it's you, sis, will you be able to defeat Rowd and Loen together?"

"Good question," she quickly replied. "If it's me, I will win," she said in confident.

"Even though they're as good as you said they are?"

"Because I am even better. You see, I am called 'Sword Princess' not for a reason," she said proudly.

The beauty in front of me stood up and said, "Anyway, I need to continue my search. Why don't you come with me, Arz? We can keep chatting while on it."

I followed her example to stand up. "Hey sis, do you have a boyfriend?" I asked.

"Hmm? What is so sudden?"

"Do you?"

"Not... At the moment. Why?"

I smiled and said, "In that case, let's make a bet."

"Hmm?"

"If I win, please be my woman."

"... Eh? EEHHH? Wait, please wait! Arz, I never know you have interest in older women!" she said, surprised. Squinting her eyes, she continued, "But I have to refuse. I don't sleep around with anyone weaker than me, especially if he is younger. Go find another girl at your age, okay? I’m sure there are plenty of girls waiting for you, all you need to do is ask them," she rejected.

"... Will you hear me out first?" I asked.

“Hmm?”

"Let’s make a bet. If I win, please be my woman. But if you win instead, I'll return Rowd's wind-attributed sword. How’s that sound?" I said while materializing the sword's identical replica.

(Uh, I didn't realize it before since I only made some low grade clothes, but an item with equal grade is actually cost me ten percent more than the original mana I got? I better remember this.)

1,650 mana points left me and light particles began to gather around my palm, forming a solid broadsword.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"How did you do that? Is that... really Rowd's sword?" she asked with a doubt.

I showed it in front of her, giving her the chance to inspect and have better look.

"This...," she muttered with a widened eyes, couldn't believe what she saw.

"Interested?"

"..."

"Is that a yes?"

"... Did you really kill them?"

“I did, for a good reason,” I said.

“And the reason is?”

"I'll tell you after you win my challenge."

"Haaa... Fine, I am in. What do I do?" she said, putting her hand on her waist.

I smiled. "Simple. If you can conquer this dungeon, it's your win. If you give up, it's my win. You don't have a time limit, but if you take too long the dungeon may evolve," I explained the rules. "Any question?"

"Hmm. Do you know how deep the dungeon is? I may have to return to the town and make preparation first accordingly," she asked.

"There are eleven rooms in total with corridors between the rooms have about the same distance with the last one," I said, pointing the first corridor in my back with a thumb.

"Only one floor level?"

“Yes. So, do you need to go back first?”

“No, I will be fine if it's only that much. Are you going to follow behind me, then?”

“No, I have something else to do, but this guy will accompany you in my stead. ,” I called. In front of me, rocks began to gather forming a two and half meters tall humanoid shape. Its eyes’ sockets then glowed red and it opened its mouth, releasing a loud roar.

Tilting her head, she asked, “It does look strong, but what do you make it for?”

“Ah, it’ll act as a measurement to make sure the soon-to-be-my woman stay alive until the end,” I grinned, passing the sword replica to it.

She pouted to hear my reply, cute. “Do you think I can’t protect myself in a dungeon of this level? Whatever, do as you like,” she then turned around and began to jog with her sword ready, followed by the golem.

I opened a portal to my chamber with after she disappeared. In there I had my Dungeon Lord sat on the stone throne, on a higher platform, I had prepared before and had my consciousness returned to cave view.

I found Alveria was running while slaughtering my creatures, going in much higher pace than she did in the first corridor. No creature seemed able to stop her even for a second.

(Nice, sis. But I’m just about to begin.)

The taken control creatures withdrew at once and regrouped, before they attacked again in a more coordinated way. I took her seriously without any intention to kill, considering it as a rare chance for my defense to be tested by an A-rank adventurer instead.

Once any of my army were reduced to a certain numbers, they would immediately retreated and be replaced by others from different nests. That way I could ensure no nest would be lack of population.

I also set my dungeon to absorb the dead bodies only after they weren't attended for a certain amount of time, thus the survived creatures could have more chances to eat them instead. That way they could accumulate more mana within their cores and got closer to their next step of evolution. Quality for quantity, it was a fair trade.

After several hours, the stone door to my chamber finally being opened from outside. The weary beauty who appeared was full of small cuts and bruises. The most visible was the one on her right thigh, which she got from a Fierce Rat's tail whip. Originally.

Since I had the other creatures to focus their attacks on that same spot, the final result was enough to make her walking in limp and therefore reduced her agility considerably. There was also a still bleeding cut above her left eye, which had hindered her vision to some extent.

"Took you long enough, sis," I said, from my Dungeon Lord sitting on the throne.

Finally realizing I had been in the room, she glared at me. "How did you get here before me? The door was closed," she asked.

"Let just say I know a shortcut," I replied, which made her squinted her eyes in disbelief and annoyance. "Anyway, you look more battered than I thought you would be," I said.

“Shut up. I admit the dungeon consciousness is strong, such monster cooperation can only be seen in a A-rank dungeon or above. More importantly, what is with that last stone door? I took more time to figure how to open the door than to reach it!” she complained.

“The pedestal in front of the door has said it clearly, hasn’t it? ‘You who want to challenge the Dungeon Lord, arrange correctly the elements’, which part of it you didn’t understand?” I asked.

“Like I can understand such a thing right away! In the first place, I never heard of a dungeon that demand a puzzle solving as requirement to open a door before. And it didn’t mention anything about the stone slabs. How do I know I have to find those slabs and put them inside the pedestal?

Moreover, those pest monsters never stopped bothering while I was trying to think! AAARGH! I am really pissed off! Where is that cursed demon lord!?” she let a barraging complaints out.

“Calm down, sis. Good job to figure it out in the end. Anyway, why don’t you drink these potions first? You look... bad,” I said, trying to calm the exploding Alveria. At the same time, in front of her appeared light particles that soon materialized into two bottles, a health and a mana recovery potion.

She hesitated for a moment, before obediently took and drank them. The effect was visible almost immediately after she finished the health potion, all the cuts and wounds were closing and disappearing as if they were never been there in the first place.

“Say, Arz,” she said after emptying the mana recovery potion as well. “You are the dungeon lord, right?” she asked.

“I am,” I replied, couldn’t hide my smile with her accurate guess.

“That explains your actions so far, but still not how you can become one. So, all I need to do is defeating you, right?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t forget your promise to tell me everything after I beat you.”

“I will tell you, after you become my woman.”

*Clank!*

That instant, Alveria had moved towards me but intercepted by my golem. The clashing sound of their swords were echoing in the whole room.

“Move!” she said, sending the golem’s sword away and instantly cut one of its arm.

*BANG!*

“Ouch! Wha-.”

*BANG!*

“Argh!”

*SLAM!!*

“Ugh... What was that?” she asked from under the heavy golem, unable to move. “What kind of magic did you use?”

"Magic? The only magic I used was the golem."

"Don't lie! I suddenly felt intense pain after the loud sounds. At first my calf, then my hand. I even released my sword grip because of that and allowed a mere golem to knock me down. If it's not magic, then what is that?"

“Ah, this is not a magic. It’s a weapon,” I answered, showing the result of secret project in my hand with a big grin.

"Weapon? I never heard of such weapon.”

“You probably won’t find it elsewhere. It took me years of researches before completed it just yesterday,” I told while climbing down the platform and walked towards her.

“I used to create every part of this weapon, with some compressed inserted into small cartridges. The logic is simple, it will make a small explosion that propels a rock bullet out when I pull its trigger. Years passed while I was perfecting the technique to make small yet details and very hard rock. And the explosive part, it was also very tricky to make," I explained my weapon thoroughly.

“Arz, you sound like uncle Mahza...,” she said with difficult expression.

“Am I? Sorry,” I replied, scratching my head. I squatted down in front of her and I continued. "Now, my beloved sis. Ah, that doesn't sound right. You’re my woman now, so I should stop calling you big sis. What about Alv, then?” I said, couldn’t hide my wide grin.

“... You seem to misunderstand something, Arz. I’m not your woman," she tried to deny the inevitable.

“Are you trying to take your own words back now, my beloved Alv?”

“No, I’m not. You said it's your win if I give up. Since I don’t have a time limit, I should be allowed to try it many times until I give up, right?” she reasoned.

!!

“... Ah. To think there’s such a fatal flaw...,” I was shocked by the realization.

She smiled, a victorious smile. Although it made her even more cute, I couldn’t be happy.

“Just kidding. I give up,” she said.

“...? Are you serious?”

“I do. Now can you remove the golem? It's heavy," she plead.

I had the golem moved and helped her to sit up. "Ouch, be careful," she said, when I checked her wounds. They were already closed since the regenerative effect from health recovery potion from before still applied, but a bullet was still lodged in her leg.

I used to pull it out forcefully, causing Alveria to bit her own lips while gripping my arm tightly. The new wound was quickly closing again afterwards.

“Thanks,” she said.

Our face came closer naturally and we kissed. That night, I enjoyed what many people referred as the greatest pleasure. A heaven on earth.

"But to think you’re a virgin after what you said about sleeping around, Alv..."

"Sh- shut up... Ahn..."