"Of course they have intelligence."
Lynn curled his lip, thinking to himself: Not just intelligence—those bastards at Volcano Manor have more schemes in their hearts than a honeycomb has holes. And Rykard, that great serpent, is the ultimate old schemer.
"But enemies with intelligence are much more interesting."
A spark of eagerness flashed in Lynn's eyes. He looked at Aiz, a confident smile playing on his face. "Aiz, are you ready for a brand-new trial?"
Aiz's golden eyes lit up, as if flames were dancing within them. She nodded slightly, her cool voice echoing in the night: "Anytime."
The expedition was set to depart one day later. This news caused no small stir within the Guild. After all, despite the Loki Familia leading the charge, having a Level 2 adventurer serve as the guide was unprecedented. However, Finn's decision was indisputable, and the strength Lynn had displayed during the warehouse battle—along with his knowledge of the bizarre Volcano Manor organization—gradually silenced the skeptical voices.
Lynn didn't overthink it. Besides his daily attribute point allocation and gear maintenance, his most important task was restocking at Patches' shop.
"Yo, Sir! You finally made it!" The moment Patches saw Lynn, a fawning smile instantly plastered onto his treacherous face. He carefully pulled an oil-paper bundle from beneath the counter, revealing several pieces of discolored, pickled liver.
"I brewed these using the materials you brought back last time, plus my own exclusive secret recipe!" Patches winked mysteriously, his small eyes gleaming with greed. "They boost fire resistance significantly. At a critical moment, they'll definitely be of great use! I've done the math, and wherever you're heading this time, there's bound to be fire, poison, and all that nasty business..."
Lynn took the liver and sniffed it. An indescribable, pungent stench hit him straight in the face. It was Fireproof Dried Liver.
"Good stuff. Alright, how much?" Lynn asked casually.
Patches immediately grinned so wide his teeth showed. "Look at what you're saying, Sir! This shop was opened with your investment. How could I charge you for these little things? Consider it a tribute to you!"
"In that case, I'll take them. I'll send some business your way next time."
Lynn dropped the line and turned to leave. These Fireproof Dried Livers would indeed be very useful if they were going to Volcano Manor. As for other simpler consumables, it was more convenient to use the system shop.
At dawn the next day.
Under the watchful eyes of the Guild's highest officials, the expedition force marched grandly into the Dungeon entrance. Lynn walked at the very front, the Carian Knight's Shield on his back and the hilt of the Bloodhound's Fang visible, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. His pace was light, as if he weren't heading into a peril-filled dungeon but rather going on a picnic.
Aiz followed closely behind, her golden hair swaying gently with her steps. Her crystal-clear eyes were focused on Lynn's back, as if she were trying to capture something from him. Tiona and Tione walked on either side of her, the Amazon sisters' boisterousness and steadiness forming a sharp contrast. Tiona looked around curiously, whispering to Tione from time to time, while Tione merely gave quiet affirmations, her gaze occasionally sweeping over Lynn with a mix of wariness and an indefinable scrutiny.
Bete walked in the center of the squad with his arms crossed, his werewolf alertness making him silent and efficient. As for Lefiya, she gripped her wand nervously at the rear of the group, occasionally casting worried glances at Lynn's silhouette.
The team descended rapidly. They passed through the 18th-floor safety zone, which was unusually loud with gathered adventurers, but the expedition members did not stop. They pushed forward without pause, their goal fixed on the unknown depths.
Once they descended past the 20th floor, the atmosphere shifted abruptly. A faint, charred smell began to permeate the air, accompanied by the stench of rotting animals, enough to make one gag. Areas that should have been densely packed with monsters were now empty, showing only sporadic signs of battle and the scorched, torn corpses of monsters. Most of these remains were mutilated—some appeared shredded by claws, while others looked as though they had been incinerated by intense fire, leaving behind black char marks.
"What... what happened here?" Tiona couldn't help but frown. She flourished her twin blades, scanning the surroundings alertly. "Have all the monsters been slaughtered? It's too quiet."
"No, not just slaughtered," Tione's voice was low and grim. "These marks... they look like they were 'cleared.' And the speed was fast, the methods brutal."
Bete sniffed the air, his keen werewolf senses capturing more information. He growled softly, his brow furrowing. "There's a fishy stench of snakes—it's strong. And... a scent of blood mixed with char, exactly like the smell in that warehouse."
Lefiya closed her eyes, her wand emitting a faint glow. She could sense the residual mana fluctuations in the air. A moment later, she snapped her eyes open, her face pale. "I detect powerful residual fire mana. This mana... it shares the same source as the Black Flame we encountered in the warehouse. Moreover, there isn't just one type of fire mana here. There's another... deeper, more sinister power, as if it could devour everything."
Lynn's expression darkened. He knew Volcano Manor had established a base in the deep floors of the Dungeon and was clearing out the floor monsters. This wasn't simply to open a path; it felt more like they were preparing for a much larger conspiracy.
"They're moving fast," Lynn muttered to himself, his sharp gaze sweeping over the scorched earth and monster remains. These cleared monsters were likely victims of Volcano Manor's "usurpation" experiments.
"Lynn, do you know something?" Aiz's voice sounded beside him, carrying a rare hint of urgency. She sensed the shift in his gaze and the gravity radiating from him.
Lynn turned to Aiz. He knew it wasn't the time to keep secrets. "These monsters were their practice targets," he said deeply. "Those guys from Volcano Manor are using these monsters to test their 'usurpation' abilities, or perhaps, they're searching for suitable 'sacrifices'."
"Sacrifices?" Tiona exclaimed.
"Yes, sacrifices." Lynn's gaze swept over the charred monster corpses again. "They worship a 'Great Serpent' capable of devouring all living things, including gods. To make this serpent descend, or to make it stronger, they need a vast amount of 'nourishment.' These cleared monsters are likely the first batch of that nourishment."
He paused, his tone becoming even more serious. "Moreover, the 'devouring' power Lefiya sensed is likely the aura of that Great Serpent. It is closer to this world than we imagined."
The atmosphere in the squad instantly became oppressive. A god-devouring serpent, cultists who usurped life and power... these terms were enough to make anyone shudder, regardless of which world they came from.
Finn's voice came through the magical communicator, sounding anxious: "Lynn, what have you found?"
Lynn briefly relayed his deductions. After listening, Finn fell silent for a moment before speaking deeply: "It seems we underestimated their mobility. In that case, you must speed up. Find and destroy their base before they complete the next phase of their plan."
"Understood," Lynn replied and cut the transmission.
"Since they've already started, we can't just sit and wait." Aiz's sword hummed, her gaze becoming even sharper. "Let's go. We move deeper."
The foul smell in the air grew stronger, and the scorched monster corpses became more frequent. Lynn walked at the head of the group, his eyes like torches, his hand lightly touching the hilt of the Bloodhound's Fang, ready to draw it at any moment. Aiz stayed by his side, her golden eyes scanning the environment alertly. Her aura seemed to merge with the cold gloom around them, ready to explode into a lethal offensive at any second.
"The smell is getting stronger," Tiona complained, covering her nose. "Have these guys turned the Dungeon into a crematorium?"
"It's not just a crematorium," Tione's face was pale. Her eyes fell on several deep-floor monster corpses that had been burned to cinders. "These monsters were high-level while they were alive. To be cleared so easily means the enemy's strength is beyond imagination."
Bete remained silent, his wolf ears twitching as he captured subtle sounds. He could feel the "life" of this area being rapidly siphoned away by an invisible force, leaving only silence and rot.
"Lynn, are you sure we're going the right way?" Lefiya's voice trembled. The glow from her wand seemed so weak in the darkness. "I feel... the mana here is very chaotic, as if it's being forcibly twisted by something."
Lynn didn't answer directly. He stopped and closed his eyes, as if sensing something. a moment later, he snapped them open, his gaze locking onto a seemingly ordinary rock wall ahead.
"It's right here," he said firmly.
The rock wall looked unremarkable, but Lynn could feel a familiar mana fluctuation—one identical to the aura from the coiled snake statue he'd found in the warehouse basement. This was the unique mana from the Lands Between, carrying the distinct mark of Volcano Manor.
"Here?" Tiona walked up in confusion and knocked on the wall. "It's hard as rock, no gaps at all."
"That's not necessarily true," Lynn grinned with a touch of cunning.
Rumble—
With a dull, heavy sound, the seemingly indestructible rock wall slowly parted to both sides, revealing a massive, pitch-black opening. Inside the entrance, a swirling purple vortex appeared, radiating an eerie light that seemed to swallow everything.
"Is this... a portal?" Lefiya gasped. She had never seen such a strange sight.
"Yes, and a high-level one at that." Lynn nodded, his tone flat as if this were the most common sight in the world. He knew this portal looked almost identical to the entrance to Volcano Manor—a means they used to connect different areas, or even different worlds.
This wasn't a challenge generated by his system. That Godskin Noble from before seemed more like it had discovered one of his instances and used it as a temporary camp.
Tiona rubbed her hands in excitement, about to charge in first, but Tione grabbed her shoulder. "Don't be reckless, sister," Tione said deeply, wariness in her eyes. "An unidentified portal like this... who knows where it leads."
Lynn glanced at the Amazon sisters. He didn't say much, merely taking the first step and walking without hesitation into the swirling purple vortex. Aiz followed immediately, her golden silhouette instantly swallowed by the vortex.
Bete snorted and strode in after them. Tione and Tiona shared a look; though uneasy, their trust in their companions made them step in as well. Lefiya took a deep breath, gripped her wand, and entered the portal.
After a bout of dizzying vertigo, the group's vision cleared to find themselves in a completely different space. The sight made everyone gasp—this was no longer the cold, rocky caverns of the Dungeon, but a magnificent yet eerie underground palace.
Towering stone pillars were carved with dense, coiled snake totems that looked so twisted they might come alive at any moment. The air was thick with a heavy mixture of sulfur and blood, making one want to retch. Dim light filtered down from cracks in the ceiling, illuminating pools of crimson blood deep in the palace, as well as the remains of unknown, massive creatures soaking within them.
"This... this isn't something that should be in the Dungeon..." Lefiya said, trembling. Her face was even paler than before, her wand clutched tightly to her chest as if it were her only comfort. This evil and twisted aura made her instinctively feel terror.
The good news, however, was that they didn't feel the power suppression they had experienced in previous instances.
"Welcome to the core area... of Mt. Gelmir."
Lynn spoke softly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. Though the sight differed from the Mt. Gelmir in his memories, the unique evil aura and the snake totems confirmed that this was indeed the true nest of Volcano Manor.
"We... we really are in the enemy's lair." Bete clenched his fists, a spark of excitement in his wolf-eyes. His blood seemed to boil in response to the evil aura.
"Be careful." Aiz drew her sword, the cool blade light reflecting off her solemn profile. "Everything here is filled with hostility."
The team advanced cautiously along the corridors deep within the palace, every step taken in an eerie silence. Aside from their own footsteps, there were only distant, faint sounds of metal grinding and low growls, as if some massive machinery were in operation.
"What's that sound?" Tiona whispered, her twin blades already drawn.
Lynn signaled everyone to slow down. His keen hearing captured more details. It wasn't ordinary metal friction; it sounded like heavy mechanical components moving with a distinct rhythm. As they rounded a massive corner, the sight ahead made everyone's pupils contract.
Two massive mechanical monsters stood at the end of the corridor. Constructed of hardened metal, each stood three people tall, with a bizarre design resembling an oversized iron maiden. Huge bladed chains were attached to their arms, the blades sharp and stained with dried, dark red blood. They appeared to be on patrol, every movement accompanied by the piercing sound of grinding metal.
"Volcano Abductor Virgins..." Lynn muttered to himself, a hint of gravity in his eyes. These things were much more troublesome than those robed cultists.
"What in the world is that?" Tiona couldn't help but cry out. Without thinking, she rushed forward and slammed a heavy fist into the metal shell of one of the Abductor Virgins.
BOOM!
With a loud crash, Tiona felt a massive recoil. Her fist stung, and she was knocked back several steps. The Abductor Virgin didn't budge; its mechanical eyes merely flickered with a red light, and its bladed chains swept toward Tiona with a whistling wind.
"Watch out!" Aiz barked, moving like the wind. Her sword precisely deflected the chain-blade's path, creating a cascade of sparks.
Lynn rapidly assessed the situation. He had seen these before; in the Lands Between, they were the watchdogs of Mt. Gelmir and Rykard's loyal servants.
"Their weakness is the belly! When they try to use a grab attack, the belly opens to reveal the fleshy tentacles inside! Also, they're weak to magic—especially Lightning!" Lynn shouted. He raised his Carian Knight's Shield, preparing for the coming offensive.
Lefiya understood immediately. She raised her wand with both hands and began chanting in Elvish.
"Light arrows of liberation, bow-staff of the sacred tree, I am the master of the bow. Strike, Archer of the Fairies! Pierce through, Arrow of Absolute Aim!"
Dozens of light arrows shot from the wand, pouring over the Abductor Virgin like rain. Though they didn't deal lethal damage, they successfully drew its attention, causing a brief stutter in its movements.
Lynn seized the chance. He blurred with Bloodhound's Step, turning into an afterimage and circling rapidly to the front of one of the Abductor Virgins. As he predicted, the machine let out a piercing mechanical shriek, and its belly slowly creaked open, revealing writhing fleshy tentacles that tried to pull Lynn inside.
"Now!" A spark flashed in Lynn's eyes. He nimbly dodged the tentacles' grab and drew his staff. A blue magical blade formed instantly.
"Carian Slicer!"
The magical blade, like a bolt of blue lightning, pierced precisely into the core of the Abductor Virgin's open belly.
Squelch!
Accompanied by a teeth-gritting tearing sound, a mixture of flesh and metal sprayed out. The Abductor Virgin emitted a piercing sound of electrical discharge, its massive body shuddered violently, and its movements froze.
Aiz and Tione coordinated with perfect timing. Aiz drew the attention of the other Abductor Virgin, her sharp sword strikes leaving countless gashes across the machine's body. Tione swung her greatsword, following Aiz's leads and searching for an opening.
Bete waited for his moment. He let out a wolf-howl and charged like a gale toward the machine Aiz and Tione were distracting. His powerful leg muscles coiled and released as he delivered a brutal kick to the Abductor Virgin's belly.
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Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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