Chapter 237: Storming the Dungeon
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou
I showed my guild card to the soldier guarding the dungeon entrance and was immediately waved in.
Elland-san waved a dungeon card he had gotten from Nadia-san. Since he was no longer an official Adventurer, he registered with the guild for a special dungeon card made available to Knights, mercenaries and other non-Adventurers to partic.i.p.ate in a dungeon challenge.
As advertised, the dungeon was the cla.s.sic stone wall type with stone floors and ceilings. [6] I’d half expected wall sconces of flickering firelight, but there was no obvious source of light here. Everything was just sort of… glowy. It was neither too dark nor too bright, I really don’t know how to describe it.
“Look, Sui. We’re inside the dungeon.”
Sui leapt out of my bag, ““The dungeon, the dungeon~””
She bounced about happily.
[Gumihou: All telepathy related dialogue will be shown with ““ ”” from now on due to Elland-san]
““Humph, just a bunch of weaklings in the first few floors. Let’s just get through this place quickly.””
I nodded agreeably, then looked at Elland-san.
[6] …who was looking back at me quizzically.
[6] Ah, right. I had forgotten my standing instruction for Fer to use telepathy with me whenever there are strangers around. Well, Elland-san already knew about Fer’s ability to speak, but there were strangers around us now.
Ahem, “Ah, Elland-san. It seems there are many people from this floor to the 8th floor as well as on floors number 11 and 12. What are the dungeon Drops and Loot like for these floors?”
“Hmm, you only start to get more valuable things on the 6th and 7th floor. However, I think it’s better to leave most of the Drops and Loot on the upper floors to beginners. Mukouda-san, since you and I are S Rankers, it’s fine to get serious around floor number 13.”
The 13th floor?
[4] “If I remember correctly, that’s an Insect Zone Floor, right? And, er, the 9th floor is the Undead Floor?”
[6] “That’s correct,”
[4] “I see. Well, I’m rather interested in the 9th floor since I have a new weapon I’d like to test out. Also, before that, could we take a bit of time on the 8th floor for me to get used to my spear? It’s something I had recently acquired.”
“Sure, that’s fine with me,”
“Fer?”
““You want to stop at the 8th floor? Tch, there are only small fries there, but I guess it’s fine. Anyway, get on.””
Oh? So we’re really speeding through? [3] In that case, ““Sui, could you carry Elland-san?””
““Sure~””
Sui began to grow, shocking Elland-san and the others around us. She stopped when she’s reached the size of Fer.
[6] I smiled gamely at Elland-san, trying to hypnotize him with my eyes. This is all normal, normal…
“We’ll be heading towards the 8th floor at full speed, so please get on Sui, Elland-san,”
“Eeh? Is that alright?”
“Of course,” I said in my it’s-all-perfectly-normal voice. “Sui is a Special Slime that has evolved to the point where she could change her size at will and carry people around.”
Elland-san stared at Sui with impressed eyes, [3] “So, contracted Slimes could develop these kinds of skills…”
“Oh, no. Sui is just special. I do believe not every Slime could do what Sui does.”
“I see. Well, to be fair, I never heard of any Beast Tamer who made a contract with a Slime. Except for Mukouda-san, of course! Hahaha.”
That’s quite true. Slimes were seen as weaklings after all. However, friend Sui is special!
““Oi, hurry up!”” [5]
Oh, right. “Elland-san, please get on Sui.”
Though he looked a little reluctant, Elland-san eventually got onto Sui’s back. [3] “Ooh, it’s a lot more comfortable than I thought.”
Of course, Sui’s body is nice and soft. Like a waterbed, hehe. Once Elland-san looked like he’s fine. I got onto Fer’s back.
““I’ve put a Barrier on everyone. Let’s go!””
“Ou! Thanks, Fer! Let’s go, everyone!” [5]
Amidst cheers, we raced through the dungeon with Fer in the lead.
He raced through identical-looking pa.s.sages and sometimes even bounding from walls, gently of course. We encountered Big Rats and Giant Bats on the 1st to 3rd floors. These small fries were stepped on or squashed by Fer and Sui as we blast through the floors.
There were Goblins on the 4th floor and we raced through them just as quickly. We also pa.s.sed by a few Adventurers. From their leather armour and plain-looking equipment, they looked like beginners. They stared at us with open mouths as we raced past.
Maa, I understand your feelings, but please pay attention to your surroundings and don’t let your guard down.
With Fer’s ability to detect monsters and Adventurers, we were able to quickly race through the upper floors.
Approximately 1 hour since we entered the dungeon-
““The 8th floor is just below these stairs.””
I got off Fer’s back.
“Wow, I can’t believe how fast we got here,” [3] said Elland-san as he nimbly leapt off Sui’s back.
“It’s all thanks to Fer. He has this incredible ability to sense monsters, right Fer?”
For some reason, Fer looked away and grumbled something like, “This is nothing much.”
“As expected of a Fenrir, right?” Elland-san was quite impressed. [5]
“Then, excuse me, but let’s start from the 8th floor.”
“Sure,”
Huhu, time to test out the Mithril Spear, made by Sui!
“Hoh, a Mithril Spear? To go with Mithril as your first spear. Well, well, I guess Mukouda-san’s earnings allow it, hahaha!”
I gave a vague answer of, “Ahaha, sure…”
For a beginner to immediately equip himself with a Mithril Spear really did seem like overkill. As for the cost, well, that’s nothing since I picked the Mithril ore off the floor and the spear itself was homemade by Sui.
The first Mithril Spear made by Sui was too slippery to hold and I nearly sliced off my fingers since the handle had no traction. I scratched my head, trying to come up with the best way to explain how to make grooves on the pole when I suddenly recalled the all-metal knives with groove handles. So I looked up a few and showed them to Sui.
It took a few tries, but in the end, we managed to settle on a grove pattern that’s comfortable on my hand. Now I could hold the spear with little risk of slippage.
“By the way, let me introduce my weapon,” Elland-san withdrew a long sword from its scabbard by his side. It was slender and made of Mithril. [3] “I’ve been using this since I was an Adventurer. However, I planned to eventually own a Dragon Sword made from the fangs of the Earth Dragon I bought from Mukouda-san last time.” [5]
Elland-san was beaming proudly, but, “Isn’t the Dragon Sword supposed to be the property of the Adventurer’s Guild?”
*Cough* “Ahem, of course! Nevertheless, using it now and then is also a good advertis.e.m.e.nt for our Guild. Gyahahaha!” [5]
“… ….” Let’s not talk about it. “Anyway, shall we go?”
“Let’s!”
““Everyone, make sure not to destroy all the monsters since I want to try out my spear, alright?””
After that final telepathic reminder, we descend the steps to the 8th floor.
[Gumihou: Oho, so the dungeon challenge starts!!]
[1] Structural Change: Combine 2 paragraphs
[2] Structural Change: Combine 3 paragraphs
[3] Structural Change: Combine paragraph & dialogue
[4] Structural Change: Change pa.s.sive sentence to dialogue
[5] Delete Repet.i.tive or Pointless Information
[6] Additional Information for Aesthetic Purpose
[7] Add Dialogue Tag