Chapter 53: Encounter with the [Guardian]

“Hah! So that beauty is your Summoned Beast, kid? Incredible. I don’t think I could win against her by any ordinary means.”

“...So you can tell, then?”

“Of course I can! She’s on a completely different level than your average Dungeon monster. And let me guess—you’ve got more of them, don’t you? So this is what the newest Hero looks like!”

Yamato-san thudded his hand against my back with a series of heavy slaps, even as he praised me.

Our first contact had been a disaster, but he seemed like a decent enough person. He had the kind of personality that made you feel it was safe to drop your guard. He didn't seem malicious, and given his reputation as a veteran who had spent his life on the front lines, he was someone I could probably trust.

And yet, the man was dangerous.

There wasn't a single opening in his posture. Even while talking to me, his attention remained fixed on Lycoris. He didn't seem to have any hostile intent, but the fact that he refused to let his guard down for a second told me he had acknowledged us as genuine threats.

“Anyway, since we’re both here, why don’t we compare notes? I’m not great at the paperwork side of things, but I remember every damn thing I’ve fought. I’ve been diving in this hole for three days, after all.”

“Three days... that’s impressive.”

“Yeah, well, a newly discovered Dungeon is the height of romance, isn't it? I’ve got to scout it out for the guys coming in behind me, but more importantly, it’s great training.”

The man is a stoic, I thought. Then again, looking at his history, that made sense. I’d looked into his records before; apparently, he spent the entire year working because he actually enjoyed it. He lived like an ascetic monk.

I understood that hunger for strength. Having survived an actual otherworld, I knew that without power, I never would have accomplished a thing. Our motivations were likely worlds apart, but I could relate to the sentiment, even if I didn't want to.

Thinking about how my time in that world ended just reminds me how different this place is, I mused. It makes me want to help out Reima’s comrades here, just to make sure they can actually handle themselves.

“Still, this is a hell of an investigation report. It’s damn thorough,” Yamato said, scanning my notes. “Oh, that’s right. Find anything good?”

“Just Goblins and Kobolds. Most of the drops were junk, but I did find a Teleportation Stone. I think I just got lucky.”

“No kidding? I haven’t seen a single Teleportation Stone yet. You’ve got some serious luck, kid.”

We continued to exchange information, and I found myself growing more comfortable with him. It was a chance to reaffirm just how rare those stones actually were.

“By the way, kid... you look like you just got here, right?”

“Yeah. It’s only been about three hours.”

“Ah, that explains the report. Though, honestly, I’m impressed you put this much together in such a short time.”

“I had help from Lycoris... but what do you mean by that?”

“This place is a specialized Dungeon. Since it’s an Otherworld-type, it follows its own rules. It’s a pseudo-world... and night is coming. Any second now, actually.”

[Time has elapsed. The world sinks into night. Alteration of the Dungeon confirmed. Name changing from [Forest of the Giant Tree] to [Night Tree Kingdom of the Vermillion Radiance].]

Just as he looked up and pointed at the sky, the Voice of the World echoed through the clearing. The atmosphere inverted instantly. The sky turned black, the temperature plummeted, and a cold moon hung in the air.

“It’s here,” he muttered. “This time of day.”

“...I have a very bad feeling about this.”

“You should. From here on out, everything is at least an estimated Rank A.”

Monsters began to crawl out of the shadows. Lycoris had spread her poison in a wide radius around us, but just beyond that perimeter, the spawns were shifting. These weren't the "gentle" threats like Goblins or Kobolds we had seen earlier. These things were in a different league entirely.

I heard the sound of singing. The air grew thick with presence, and a heavy mist began to roll in. Then, from the hollow of the central tree, the giants emerged.

There were Cyclops—the one-eyed variety—and others with two eyes that were even larger. I saw serpentine Basilisks, and a massive tiger wreathed in flickering flames. As the number of monsters grew until they filled the horizon, the sheer abnormality of this Dungeon became clear.

“This helps, though,” Yamato said, a grin spreading across his face. “With you here, kid, I think we can actually clear this. Come on, Hero. Let’s enjoy this trial while it lasts!”

Great. He’s a total battle maniac, I realized. He’s just like Creed.

“[Summon]!” I barked.

I called forth Luna and Sol. I was definitely being overworked, but as I readied my weapon, my own curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see exactly how the strongest warrior of the modern era measured up. I refused to be outdone. I stepped forward into the fray.