Published: December 17th 2024, 1:23:28 pm
Dungeon Fifth Floor: Defeating the Catacombs Boss
After resting overnight, we headed to the depths of the prison the next day.
There, part of the wall had collapsed, revealing an entrance.
So, this was the way to the catacombs.
The last time we came here, we left after defeating the knights, so we didn’t explore further.
We ventured deeper, eventually merging onto a path, which we followed.
After walking for a while, we came upon an open area with a sizable structure—about the size of the castle courtyard.
This seemed to be the catacombs.
The entrance was on this side, so getting in shouldn’t be an issue.
However, there was no key.
"What do we do, Lily? Should we go back and search for a key?"
"I don’t think there’s a key lying around anywhere. Besides, there’s no keyhole."
"True. So, what now?"
"How about we wedge the Rune Sword between the doors and try cutting through?"
"… That’s brute force, but it might work."
I think Plum was a bit exasperated, but my hunch was correct.
When I slid the Rune Sword between the doors, they opened even before activating the blade.
So, the Rune Sword was the key!
Alright, let’s move forward.
The path through the catacombs was a long, winding tunnel.
Although it was straightforward with no branches, the journey was lengthy.
Eventually, we reached what appeared to be a central chamber.
From inside, a sinister noise echoed ominously.
"Hmm, inside there are skeletons and other undead monsters.”
"Seems like it. Can you handle it, Plum?"
"Wouldn’t it be faster if you just purified them?"
"Oh, purification can be used that way?"
"That’s its intended use, actually."
Thanks to Plum’s guidance, I cast a full-powered purification spell the moment we opened the door.
The unsettling sounds within vanished instantly, leaving the room littered with loot.
I might have overdone it.
However, one monster remained.
A towering skeleton, about three meters tall, with writhing darkness filling its form.
That must be our target.
"Plum, I guess purification doesn’t work on that one?"
"It managed to endure. Let’s see if regular magic works."
Plum conjured an enormous fireball, larger than the monster, and launched it.
The fireball engulfed the monster, roaring with flames, but when the flames dissipated, the monster remained unscathed.
Hmm, how do we defeat this thing?
"It withstood that? What kind of creature is it?" Plum murmured, clearly surprised—or perhaps annoyed.
How can we bring it down?
(Lily, I’ll immobilize it. Try cutting it with the Rune Sword.)
"Can’t you defeat it by freezing it, Talat?"
(Probably not. Its core is hidden in another dimension for protection. The Rune Sword should be able to cut through that kind of magic. Give it a try!)
Ah, so it’s a type of barrier. What a troublesome defense.
"Plum, Talat says it’s protected by a sort of barrier and suggests immobilizing it so we can cut through with the Rune Sword."
"I see. That explains why my magic had no effect. Lily, may I take the task of cutting it with the Rune Sword?"
"I don’t mind, but are you sure?"
“There would be a problem if the person I'm supposed to be protecting was stepping up to fight.”
Ah, that’s true. I’m the one being protected, after all.
With our roles set, Talat ensnared the monster in threads, freezing its movements.
However, immobilizing it wasn’t enough to bring it down.
The Rune Sword was clearly needed.
"No need for extra effort to cut a motionless target. Now, vanish!"
Plum stepped forward and slashed the monster cleanly in two.
The monster began to crumble from the cut, disintegrating completely.
Talat’s theory was spot on.
When the monster disappeared, a single rainbow-colored chest was left behind.
Mission accomplished!
----------
After Defeating the Catacombs Area Boss
After defeating the final monster, we opened the rainbow-colored treasure chest.
Inside, as expected, was another fragment of paper.
How do I use this?
How exactly are these used?
(Oh, you’ve calmed the spirits of my ancestors.)
"Whoa!?"
A translucent man—the one I’d met in the throne room—suddenly appeared behind me.
You can’t just appear like that without warning!
(Thank you for granting my request. As a small token of appreciation, I’ll bestow a gift. Please, hand over the fragments you’ve collected so far.)
The fragments? Well, I didn’t mind.
I took out all eight fragments, including the one I’d just acquired.
The pieces glowed, floating up and merging into a single sheet.
It returned to my hands, and when I looked at it, I saw it had turned into a map.
What is this?
(It’s a map leading to the treasure hidden in this dungeon. Keep it safe.)
"Got it. But isn’t it possible for someone else to obtain this too?"
(The six knights will not reappear, nor will the spirits of the ancestors. That map is truly one of a kind.)
Wow, this is more important than I thought.
Melanie had once explained why no one had managed to defeat the six knights before.
They were overwhelmingly strong and could regenerate their wounds unless constantly attacked.
Even when multiple parties worked together, they’d been defeated by the knights’ heavy armor and devastating attacks.
And since the knights only stayed in specific locations and didn’t actively attack passersby, no one had gone out of their way to fight them—until us.
Most adventurers come for the items dropped by dungeon monsters.
I, however, had my sights set on Skill Crystals, so my goal was different.
Anyway, I’d secured the treasure map.
But the gratitude for calming the ancestors didn’t end there.
I was also granted permission to take any of the burial goods I wanted.
Normally, taking burial goods would involve battling cursed skeletons of considerable strength.
However, we were exempt from that, with no limits on what we could take.
Although I wasn’t particularly interested, I decided to investigate since the opportunity was there.
The burial goods were divided into two categories: equipment and ornaments placed atop the coffins, and artworks stored inside them.
After discussing it with Melanie, we decided not to touch the artworks inside the coffins.
Even with permission, taking items from so close to the deceased felt wrong.
Not to mention, it seemed like the kind of thing that could bring a curse.
We focused on collecting only the equipment and ornaments.
Even so, we ended up with quite a haul.
Every item was a magic artifact with unique effects.
For example:
- A sword that burns anything it touches.
- A bow that gathers surrounding mana and transforms it into arrows.
- A shield that creates a magic barrier when infused with mana.
The ornaments were similarly enchanted, making them unsuitable for public circulation.
According to Melanie, such items would never be accepted by the Trade Guild.
So, I decided to stash the ones I didn’t need deep in my backpack.
It’s a shame to let them go unused, but I don’t really have a choice.
---------
Map Deciphering
We returned to our quarters to decipher the map.
But before that, we opened the golden treasure chest, which contained two Skill Crystals. The skills were "Flight" and "Underwater Mobility".
"Flight" allows the user to fly, while "Underwater Mobility" grants the ability to move freely underwater without drowning.
They weren’t exactly what I’d hoped for, but Melanie mentioned they were both rare.
Since the user rights belong to whoever obtains the crystals, I decided to use them myself.
"And now, we have this mysterious map."
"Indeed. At the very least, we know it’s not a map of the ancient castle."
"There’s no writing, so we can’t tell which floor it refers to. What now?"
Neither Melanie nor Plum could make sense of it.
Accurate maps only exist for the first-floor cave and the fifth-floor ancient castle.
Comparing the map to these didn’t yield any matches.
What kind of map is this?
"If it’s neither the cave nor the castle, then it must be the grasslands, forest, or ruins."
"That’s the conclusion. But the terrain in those areas changes every few days, making precise mapping impossible."
"Still, Melanie, this map precisely indicates a location, does it not?"
"It does… which is the confusing part."
We were stuck.
Melanie, Plum, and even the others couldn’t identify the terrain.
I stared at the map, thinking hard.
The initial mark on the map seemed oddly familiar.
"Ah!"
"Did you figure something out, Lily?"
"The first mark on the map—I think it matches the entrance to a ruined temple on the ruins floor."
"Hmm. Could this be a map of the fourth floor?"
"I’m not entirely sure, but it feels like it."
"Let’s check it out. We have no reason to linger in the castle any longer."
"Agreed. Let’s head out tomorrow morning."
With no objections, we decided to leave the ancient castle floor the next morning and return to the ruins.
Back on the ruins floor, we began searching for the ruined temple.
It didn’t take long to find it, but now the question was what to do next.
At a glance, there didn’t seem to be anything unusual.
"Alright, we’ve reached the temple. Now what?"
"Should we go inside?"
"I suppose we must. But will the door even move?"
"We’ll have to try… huh?"
As Melanie approached the door, it vanished.
It was obviously an invitation.
And while I didn’t like it, we had no choice but to go in.
Inside, a path led to a chapel.
There, we found handbells for each of us.
So, the message was clear: take the bells and proceed.
"This feels like we’re being lured into a trap."
"It does, but we have to go. Besides, we’re over-prepared for whatever comes."
Everyone looked apprehensive but took a handbell and exited the temple.
The next location, based on the map, seemed to be a belfry.
Following my suggestion, we headed to the belfry, which, to our surprise, had been restored.
There was an entrance, but it wouldn’t open.
When I rang the handbell as a test, the scenery before me suddenly changed.
"Lily! Where did you go?"
"Oh, I’m here. It looks like I’ve been transported inside the belfry."
"Got it. So, ringing the handbell gets us inside?"
"Probably."
"… Alright, I’m in. And Lily, remember that you are a protection priority!"
Plum scolded me.
Fair enough—I might’ve been careless this time.
After confirming the method, everyone entered the belfry by ringing their handbells.
Inside, we found lanterns, again one for each person.
Clearly, we were meant to take them and continue.
This time, Plum took the lead, lighting a lantern and ringing the bell.
She vanished but quickly returned.
"Where did it take you?"
"A cave. Only the lantern’s light works as a guide—no magic or night vision is effective."
"I see. Then we should all go together."
"Agreed. Once everyone is ready, we’ll move."
With Plum’s signal, everyone lit their lanterns, rang their handbells, and proceeded to the next location.
We arrived in a cave, just as Plum had described.
Only the lanterns provided any illumination.
After confirming everyone, including Talat, was present, we moved forward.
The path was smooth and easy to walk but narrow, only wide enough for two people side by side.
Eventually, we saw a light ahead.
Following it, we emerged at a sparkling underground lake.
The walls surrounding the lake glittered as well… wait, are those Skill Crystals!?
Could this be a Skill Crystal mine!?