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92. Dragon and Chain

「[Blunderbuss].」

A rain of golden bullets exploded in the center of the Salamandra herd.

Because of the softness of the gold bullets, it did not penetrate the body. As soon as it hit the monsters, it broke further apart and widened, increasing its destructive power as it embedded the monsters into the wall and crushed them to death. The bloodstains left behind disappeared as if vaporized by the hot gold.

「…?」

The monster was indeed defeated. But something was wrong.

The monster that was being sucked into the wall after being defeated started moving again.

「Master, what is that?」

「No, the monster is not the one moving. It’s the wall itself.」

I thought it was a type of dungeon where the passage was automatically generated, but the wall movements were calm and welcoming, and I didn’t feel any particular danger. Eventually, an entrance opened up in what had previously been a wall.

「A passage… Is it a trap?」

Another golden path appeared, deviating to the left. It was too obvious to be a trap. In fact, the path which continued straight into the depths even seemed welcoming us in.

「It’s calling us in, huh.」

The dwarf from earlier said something similar, “It’s calling me.”

I don’t know if it’s because I heard that. However, I felt the presence of something that was quite different from a monster. I thought it might be a special “King”, but… the distance was too close. S-class dungeons have over 40 floors. In a dungeon of this scale, it wouldn’t be strange for the deepest part to be 50, 60, or even 70 floors below.

A strong presence drifted through the air, pricking my skin through my barrier, as if it were right there.

Perhaps worried about me as I remained motionless, Koe-san placed her hand on my shoulder.

「Master, what’s wrong?」

「Let’s move forward. It doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to break-out from the inside. I’m sure Angelina has tried to break through the wall from the outside with golems and alchemy, but since we can’t even hear a sound, there’s little hope of that. In that case, it will be safer to aim for dungeon capture than to wait.」

「Yes, master. More importantly, have your burns healed? You were delayed in protecting yourself due to prioritizing me…」

「I’m healed now. Thank you.」

I started walking with Koe-san.

Fortunately, it seems that the heat can be blocked to a certain extent while my [Vajra Barrier] is in place. Even so, there is no guarantee that it will last forever. We need to come up with a strategy as soon as possible.

「I’m also worried that Shizuku and others outside might have run into the Knights Order. Moreover… there might be something in here. We should not delay too much.」

「What do you mean by something?」

「I don’t know. It’s just abnormal.」

The surrounding temperature increased as we moved forward. It was so hot that when the dwarves first dug this place up, or when they pried open the seal earlier, it wouldn’t have been surprising if an incredibly hot wind blew out and burned the surrounding area.

However, only a small amount of light leaked outside. And I didn’t feel any heat at all.

「Is that strange?」

「Koe-san, have you ever seen a bread oven up close?」

「Not really…?」

I tried to make an analogy to the moment you open a bread oven, but I immediately failed. After all, the bread-baking equipment was lost in the Wolf’s Hidden Village due to failure in cultivating wheat. Wheat flour is used to make noodles, perhaps we should urgently revive that technology.

「When you open a bread oven, a tremendous amount of hot air comes out right away. It’s normal for that to happen.」

「What?」

「This dungeon does not “release” hot air or anything. It’s not just us. What’s inside will never escape, and it will absolutely seal away any mighty power. I feel like that is the intention.」

「By intention, do you mean it is someone’s intention?」

「The answer must lie deep within.」

It’s been a while since we started walking. We went through the passage while fighting off the salamandras that attack us from time to time.

It’s constantly bright so I can’t get a good grasp on time, but it must have been around two hours. I stopped in my tracks when I felt the air flow change.

「This place…… Koe-san, count to three before entering after me.」

「Yes, master.」

The narrow sight from the passage suddenly opened up. I entered into a vast space with a high ceiling, and a room with a different taste from the previous ones.

「The “King” room…?」

In the case of advanced dungeons, there is often a “General” who blocks the way to the “King” who lies waiting at the very end. It wouldn’t be strange to have a “General” even in this dungeon. Still, the reason I thought of this as the “King” room was simply because of its majesty.

Along the walls of the hall, there were golden statues in the shape of monsters that I had never seen before, and the design carved on the wall behind them…A model of the sun? A golden river stretched out between them like a waterway. The silent ripples of the river made the entire room sparkle even more.

「It’s unnatural that there’s no door either.」

「No, master. The door is over there.」

「…I wonder if Shizuku and Angelina broke it.」

There was a door. At the end of where Koe-san was pointing, in the right corner of the room laid the remains of what appeared to be a gate. I realized that it must have been broken through by someone, and finally fixed my gaze on what was in the center of the room. That must be the result of the battle.

「Chains on a dragon. I guess we can assume that it is sealed.」

In the center of the hall was an altar-like structure. You could even call it a pyramid. It laid at the very top of where a huge staircase led.

A crimson dragon was sleeping quietly, tied to golden chains.