"That’s... incredible."
Rei couldn't help but give a wry smile at Vel’s voice drifting from behind him.
Lying before them were what could only be described as the remains of the two Skeletons that had attacked immediately after their arrival on B5F.
Their bones, which should have been bleached white, were charred black; some sections had already carbonized and crumbled into ash. The remains of two Skeletons lay scattered across the dungeon floor. This wasn't the result of a hard-fought battle, either—it was simply the aftermath of Seto unleashing a single Fire Breath. It was no wonder Vel had gasped in surprise.
Skeletons were Rank E monsters, lower in the hierarchy than the Rank D Water Monkeys they had encountered on B4F or the Lizardmen on 3F.
However, adventurers loathed them for the simple fact that they were undead. Lacking any sense of self-awareness, they never flinched regardless of how much damage they sustained, relentlessly hounding their prey until the end. Furthermore, because of their skeletal structure, their Proof of Subjugation Part was the Magic Stone. To defeat a Skeleton with physical attacks, one had to shatter that Magic Stone, making it notoriously difficult to retrieve the proof intact. For the same reason, one couldn't expect to harvest the usual materials one might find on a living monster.
If they were facing a higher-tier undead like a Skeleton Lord, the bones—strengthened by magic power—could be used as materials for weapons, armor, alchemy, or even special potions. For the lowest-tier Skeletons, however, such benefits were non-existent.
"They are certainly a reassuring pair to have when facing the undead," Elena remarked, nodding at Vel’s observation as she lightly stroked Seto's back.
"Good boy. We’ll be relying on your Fire Breath quite a bit on this floor, so I’m counting on you."
"Guruuu."
Seto gave a soft trill from the back of its throat. It pushed the charred bones and the melted remnants of swords and spears to the side of the passage before they resumed their exploration.
Incidentally, the Skeletons' Magic Stones had been scorched along with their bones by the Fire Breath, vanishing entirely.
Once they finished clearing the way, they set off again. After several minutes of walking through the corridors, they reached a fork in the road where the path split to the left and right.
"Now then... which way?" Elena mused.
Without a map, choosing the correct path was largely a matter of luck. And given their track record since entering the dungeon, it was painfully clear that luck wasn't exactly on their side.
"Rei, which way do you think is best?"
One person’s brow furrowed at the sight of Elena consulting Rei so naturally. It was Kyuste, who had been assigned to the rearguard alongside Ara.
(Elena-sama asked him for his opinion without a moment’s hesitation. It isn't strictly wrong, given that he is an adventurer, but in the past, she certainly would have consulted us first before bringing the matter to him. He really is a bad influence on her...)
As Kyuste ground his teeth, Vel noticed the display. Unlike the nobleman, Vel watched Rei and Elena with an amused glint in his eyes. He gave a wry smile, pulled a canteen from the pouch on his waist, and offered it to his companion.
"Here, have a drink and calm down. I know you don't like Rei, but we're in a dungeon. It’s only natural to rely on an adventurer's instincts."
"Hmph. If that were all there was to it, I wouldn't care," Kyuste spat, snatching the canteen to quench his thirst before glaring at Rei's back. "At this rate, he might end up exerting a strange influence on the ritual at the Altar of Inheritance."
"Your concern is valid, Kyuste, but the human heart isn't something you can just force to do what you want, is it?"
"I don't know what Margrave Larkus was thinking, sending an adventurer like that. In the first place, it's because you say such odd things—"
Kyuste was about to complain further to Vel, but Elena’s voice cut him off before he could say another word.
"We’ll go right for now. If it’s a dead end, we’ll just have to double back. Stay sharp."
"Understood."
"Well, it's all down to intuition without a map anyway. This stench makes it hard to rely on a sense of smell to detect enemies."
"True. If we try to use hearing, the sound of our own footsteps gets in the way, and vision is too limited in a place like this."
Elena nodded and began walking toward Rei—or rather, toward the path deeper into the dungeon.
Kyuste watched them go with a slight scowl before returning the canteen to Vel and following after them.
Ara, meanwhile, seemed acutely aware that she had yet to fully master the Power Axe she had borrowed from Rei. Even during their brief pauses, she continued to perform light practice swings to familiarize her body with the weapon’s weight.
Vel watched her with a faint, wry smile. He had his own thoughts about Ara’s recovery speed; despite the grueling battles on the floors above, she already seemed to have regained her strength.
"Ara, for someone who was flagging up there, you sure bounced back fast," Vel remarked, turning to her as she stood guard, watching for a surprise attack from behind as Elena had ordered.
Ara gave a small, self-deprecating smile but didn't stop her vigilant watch.
"I was thinking the same thing... but it seems this Power Axe has an effect that suppresses stamina depletion. It’s easier to handle than any longsword I’ve used. It feels as if it were made specifically for me. More importantly, Vel, pay attention to our surroundings. If Elena-sama falls into a trap, I won't be merciful."
"Yeah, yeah."
Vel caught a glimpse of the Power Axe in her hands before immediately turning his gaze forward. He replaced his usual casual air with a sharp, focused look, ready to react the moment he spotted any sign of a trap.
Satisfied with his response, Ara continued to scan their environment while stroking the handle of the Power Axe. While the Skeletons and Zombies they had faced so far had physical forms that were easy to detect, things like ghosts could phase through walls without warning. They couldn't afford a single moment of carelessness.
(Still, I really do have more energy to spare since I started using this Power Axe I borrowed from Lord Rei. I suppose this is the power of a magic item?)
While Ara didn't fully grasp the mechanics, the Power Axe possessed a Constant Recovery Effect for the user. The effect was significantly weaker than the Dropstone of Benevolence around Seto's neck—the amount of healing was truly minuscule—but for Ara, whose natural stamina was lower than that of Kyuste, Vel, or Elena, it was a godsend.
They had been traveling down the right path for about twenty minutes when a door set into the wall caught Rei’s eye.
"Just like a proper dungeon. It even has rooms."
"Guruuu?"
Seto tilted its head as if asking if they were going inside. Rei patted the gryphon's head and called out to those behind him.
"Elena-sama, there’s a door ahead. What are your orders?"
"A door... we only just reached B5F, so I doubt we’ll find the stairs to B6F immediately. Still, there’s always a chance. Vel, check for traps."
"Roger that. Sorry, coming through."
Vel squeezed through the gap between Rei and Seto to examine the handle. Rei and Seto stepped back to give him space while remaining alert for any approaching undead.
"Hmm, I see. Okay, if I move this... Whoa, that one’s a dummy. So it’s this one?"
Vel muttered to himself with a strange sense of enjoyment as he worked on the handle. After a few minutes, a metallic click echoed through the corridor.
"Phew. Trap disarmed. That was a nasty one. Pull the handle, and a needle shoots out. And look at that—it’s clearly coated in poison."
He held up the needle with a boastful grin. It was only about five centimeters long, but as he said, it was slick with a suspicious-looking liquid.
(A poison stinger, huh? Might be useful for something.)
As the thought crossed his mind, Rei spoke to Vel, who was about to toss the needle aside.
"Vel, if you're just going to throw that away, can I have it?"
"I don't mind, but what are you going to do with something this dangerous?"
"I’m not sure yet, but I have an Item Box. You don't have to worry about me accidentally stabbing myself or anyone else."
Vel considered the request for a few seconds before looking at Elena. She gave a slight nod, seeing no issue with it.
"Alright, here. Just be careful. I don't know what kind of poison that is."
"I told you it's fine."
Rei took the needle and promptly stored it inside the Misty Ring.
"Okay, let's see what's inside."
With the poison needle secured, Vel finally turned the handle. The door opened with a heavy creak, revealing the room beyond.
It was a small space, perhaps the size of a six-mat room. It felt even larger than it was because the center of the room was entirely empty, save for a single treasure chest. The party filed into the small room and approached the chest.
"This is suspicious," Vel muttered. To his eyes, a treasure chest sitting out in the open like this was an obvious trap.
"Really? We're in a dungeon. It shouldn't be that strange to find a treasure chest, right?" Ara asked.
"In a place crawling with undead? Who would bother using a treasure chest on B5F?"
"Maybe... undead with a sense of self?"
"Maybe, but even so, would they just leave it sitting in the dead center of a room? Think about it, Ara. If you had something precious, would you just leave it out in the open like this without even trying to hide it?"
Ara thought about it for a moment and then nodded.
"I suppose not. I wouldn't be that reckless."
"Exactly. That treasure chest is completely unnatural."
"So, it’s a trap?"
"Most likely. Elena-sama, what do you think? Personally, I’d rather leave it be."
"I agree. There are clearly no stairs here, so there is no need to take unnecessary—Get back!"
The moment they heard Elena’s command, the party jumped back in unison, showing the reflexive discipline of knights. Rei and Seto reacted just as quickly.
Sensing something lunging at him, Rei reflexively swung his Death Scythe. Since the threat was coming from his left, he struck with the shaft rather than the blade.
There was a dull thud as something was sent flying. Rei put some distance between them and looked over to see a creature made of bone that resembled a dog.
The creature remained silent, as was the nature of Skeletons. It hadn't even whimpered when it was struck, but since the blow had been delivered at such close range, it hadn't been enough to kill it. The Bone Dog used the momentum of being thrown to put more distance between itself and the party, bracing its feet against the wall to absorb the impact before landing back on the floor.
"See! I told you it was a trap!"
"Is this really the time for 'I told you so'?! Vel, get your weapon out! This thing is fast!"
Rei re-readied his Death Scythe. Vel drew a knife from his waist, judging that his bow would be useless in such tight quarters against such a swift opponent.
However, something else moved even faster.
"Guruuu!"
With a fierce cry, Seto kicked off the floor and closed the distance before the Bone Dog could even twitch.
The gryphon reared up and brought a massive forepaw crashing down.
The strike, powered by the natural strength of a gryphon and amplified by the magic of the Bracelet of Herculean Strength, literally pulverized the Bone Dog. It didn't even have a chance to resist as almost every bone in its body was shattered into dust.