Chapter 52
What do you think makes a person human?
Conversely, one of the factors that makes a person seem inhuman is…
…a lack of fear of death.
“Woooahhhh!!”
I was scared of these people who called themselves my followers.
“…Are they out of their minds?”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: …What’s this?]
[The middle floors of the dungeon have been cleared!]
“Whoa, hold on.”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: W-Why are they suddenly acting like that?]
“Hey, I don’t know either.”
I felt wronged too.
What had gotten into them? Why had they transformed into fanatics overnight, trying to clear the dungeon?
“Aren’t they afraid of dying?”
[Black Sun's Incarnation: …Apparently not.]
Even Constellations feared the death of their being.
It wasn’t much different for their creations or those of lower rank.
“Oh Divine Parent! Look upon me!!”
I had clearly built the dungeon under the name of ‘Black Name’, my other identity.
So why were they crying out my name there?
[Black Sun's Incarnation: …At this rate, they’ll actually clear it…?]
“No!”
What about my Constellation friends? What about the new flavors I was always looking forward to?
My wish, my yearning to trap, bind, and beat them was fading before my eyes.
First, I needed to slow down the rapidly progressing dungeon clear rate.
They had already cleared half of it, but the exploration party hadn't reached the lowest floor and its surroundings yet.
“A maze, for now.”
I deliberately added a maze-like structure to make it difficult to find the exit, hoping the followers searching for monsters to hunt would tire themselves out.
As intended, the followers who entered the next stage began to wander around, unable to find their way.
“Let’s breathe.”
I had bought some time, so now it was time for the next delaying tactic.
[Child of the Lost Star: If you don't find them soon, the dungeon will be cleared.]
“You too, stop talking and find a solution quickly.”
[Child of the Lost Star: Alright.]
The other Constellations’ followers hadn’t arrived yet.
The goal of this operation was to use the dungeon to guide the Constellations’ actions and lure them into the middle of the hunting grounds.
“Lagnis hasn’t even been deployed yet.”
Of course, I had sent her to the dungeon city as soon as it was activated.
I needed someone to closely monitor the situation there.
‘I wonder if she’s adjusted by now?’
It had been a while since I sent her, so she should have settled into a routine.
“I’m going to see her now.”
I was curious about how much she had achieved, and it was time to start the operation.
***
“Charge! Charge!”
The scene was filled with madness.
“Kiii…!”
The goblin, advancing to block the challengers, faltered at their momentum—
And the moment it turned its back, overwhelmed…
-Stab!
A blade pierced the small(?) green body.
“Kwak!”
“In the name of the Divine Parent! Uwaaaagh!”
“Kee…kik…!”
Seeing its comrade being slaughtered, the goblin couldn’t just stand by.
It shakily raised its hand and joined forces with the remaining members of its group.
“Gasp…pant…!”
It stealthily approached the adventurer, who was breathing heavily, and attacked from behind.
“…?!”
Now!
Witnessing the successful ambush, the goblins began to swarm the adventurer in unison.
Despite the adventurer’s muscular physique and overwhelming stats…
…there was no defense against a group attack.
“Y-You bastards…!”
The man who had been calling out to the Divine Parent was buried under a pile of goblins, his sweat and blood mixing—
And he breathed his last, beaten to a pulp.
-Fizzle…
However, the man's life didn’t fade into death.
Perfectly preserved and protected by divine power, he would be transported outside the dungeon and resurrected in his original form.
“Kee…kik…”
“Kiek!”
The goblins felt a sense of futility watching this, but they had to focus on the fact that they had overcome one crisis.
In other areas, fanatics like this man were running rampant.
-Thud.
Just as the goblins were about to return to their group…
“Kiek!”
The goblins’ sharp ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.
Light and nimble.
Most likely a woman.
“Kik! Kick!”
“Keeek!”
Deciding to hunt one more adventurer, the goblins coordinated another ambush.
-Thud.
One step. The footsteps approached the spot where they were hiding.
-Thud.
Two steps. Confirming that the intruder was within attack range, the goblins charged as one.
“Keeek!”
A normal creature would be startled in such an unexpected situation.
The goblins of the dungeon were seasoned hunters, evolved through a history written in the blood of their kin.
The victim who fell prey to them now should have met the same gruesome fate as the previous adventurer.
-Whoosh!
That is, until they faced an insanely hot fire that blackened their vision.
“…!”
Multiple goblins burst into flames.
As if they had been drenched in oil from the start.
The fire, fueled by their life force, didn’t stop until everything turned to ash.
Their ugly green faces, the murderous glint in their two eyes, their agonizing screams.
-Sizzle…
Only after consuming every last one of them did the black flames subside contentedly.
Lagnis, having swiftly eliminated the goblins, coldly looked down at their remains.
Unlike her initial disheveled appearance, she was now a proper member of the Dungeon City.
-That place will be your main area of operation from now on.
‘…What…should I do?’
-Live diligently there, and I will come find you.
Her god, the Master of Black Fate, had clearly instructed her so.
To become a proper member of Dungeon City and actively participate in dungeon exploration.
So she did her best to survive in this place.
She joined a large exploration party aiming to conquer the dungeon, traveled a long distance, and finally settled here.
‘I think I’ve finished cleaning up.’
Her mission today was to completely clear the already conquered stages.
Since the dungeon was unprecedentedly vast, many monsters remained even after clearing a stage.
“Good work.”
As she emerged from the dungeon entrance after completing her mission, someone greeted her.
She glanced over and saw a man, his attire adorned with the emblem of a specific faith, looking at her with a benevolent expression.
“…Yes.”
“To meet you here, Adventurer, it seems luck is on my side.”
Lagnis’ exploits were well-known in Dungeon City.
Her elven traits, coupled with her exceptional combat abilities and mastery of divine power, made her an outstanding adventurer.
“If you don’t mind, may I ask the name of the Constellation you serve?”
“That is a very rude question.”
“Ah.”
Lagnis flatly refused without hesitation and quickly left.
She had no obligation to hide Black Name’s name, but the constant attempts to convert her to the Divine Parent Order were extremely bothersome.
It was best to cut off the conversation before it even started.
“Sigh…”
Divine Parent here, Divine Parent there.
It was no exaggeration to say that this Dungeon City was already heavily influenced by a specific faith.
-Creak…click.
Returning to her quarters and unpacking, Lagnis turned to prepare for dinner.
“It’s been a while.”
However, at the familiar voice that appeared without warning, she immediately turned and bowed.
“Greetings, Constellation.”
“Yes.”
A figure wearing a black mask.
The Constellation who had saved Lagnis had arrived.
“Have you been well?”
“…Yes.”
Lagnis replied to the Constellation's friendly question.
“Thanks to your grace, I have successfully settled here.”
“As expected, you’re doing a great job. Yes.”
The Master of Black Flame patted Lagnis’ shoulder, praising her achievements.
“However, there is one thing that bothers me.”
“Oh?”
“The influence of a particular faith is… very strong.”
“…”
The Master of Black Flame was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Hmm…this is your first mission.”
The Master of Black Name got straight to the point.
“I will follow your command.”
“Cause some chaos within the dungeon exploration party.”
“I will obey… Huh?”
Lagnis, who had been listening obediently, raised her head abruptly and looked at her god.
Although she couldn’t see the face hidden behind the black mask, she sensed a bewildered aura, similar to her own.
“As you know, you don’t die in the dungeon.”
“…Yes, I know.”
“So, while you’ve been active here, mark any individuals who seem particularly dangerous.”
What was he talking about?
If the dungeon wasn’t conquered, a natural disaster would occur.
It was a disaster that could cause significant damage on a national scale.
Therefore, dungeon exploration parties were treated like heroes.
Because they risked their lives to save the world.
‘He wants me to stop them…?’
He wanted her to stand against those heroes.
Who? Her own Constellation.
“But, that’s…”
“Don’t worry about a dungeon break.”
“No, it’s not that—”
Lagnis was confused about where to even begin, as the answers flowed out effortlessly.
“Because this dungeon is mine.”
“…?”
After endless questions, a bombshell of a statement was dropped.
“Since it’s my property, you can do whatever you want inside.”