Sazanas, Rei, and Seto—two men and a griffon—continued their investigation into the Magic Fever. After scouting the distilled liquor storage facilities in the south and west of the city and finding no substantial leads, they had arrived at the East Storage Facility, driven more by momentum than any real expectation. However, the moment Seto caught sight of the building, he let out a low, wary growl, causing both Rei and Sazanas to stiffen.
"Rei..."
"Yeah. Looks like we hit the jackpot."
Rei nodded at Sazanas’s mutterings, his expression hardening as he approached the facility.
"Captain Sazanas? And the person with you is...?"
Two soldiers stationed near the entrance watched the group approach with a sharp, tense aura. They looked suspicious, but Sazanas ignored their confusion and spoke with authority.
"Listen up. We need to investigate the interior of this building. You two, clear out and stay away from this facility for a while."
"Pardon? We don’t mind, but what exactly are you investigating?"
"It's about the Magic Fever... No, wait. Since you were stationed here, does that mean you weren't infected?"
Sazanas didn't yet know if this place was truly the source, but this was the East Storage Facility, and something was clearly wrong. It was only natural for him to ask after his subordinates' well-being. Both soldiers nodded without hesitation.
"Yes. Fortunately, it seems we have a decent amount of magic power."
"Same here."
"I see. A stroke of luck in a bad situation, then. At any rate, get back. Do not enter this storage facility under any circumstances until we come back out."
Normally, the guards might have questioned the order, but these two knew Sazanas well. They understood that his current, frantic demeanor was far from normal. They nodded and moved away from the building.
Once he confirmed they were clear, Sazanas placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Rei hesitated for a split second between his mithril knife and the Death Scythe, but ultimately pulled the familiar massive weapon from the Misty Ring. Beside him, Seto shifted his weight, ready to strike or evade instantly. Sazanas watched them for a moment, then reached for the door.
The storage facility door groaned with the screech of scraping metal as it swung open.
The moment it did, Rei and Sazanas both frowned at the heavy sense of wrongness wafting from within.
"This is..."
"I don't know if this is the cause of the Magic Fever yet, but there’s definitely something here. Any ideas?"
"How could I? This is supposed to be a regular place for storing distilled liquor."
"Guruuu."
Seto growled low in his throat, his eyes fixed on the back of the facility.
Neither Rei nor Sazanas possessed the ability to sense magic power directly, but the dense, cloying pressure drifting from where Seto was staring was an anomaly they could feel in their bones.
"Well, let's see what’s waiting for us. I'll lead, followed by Seto, then Sazanas."
"Are you sure I shouldn't take point?"
"Yeah. As you can see, my weapon has a long reach. If you're in front of me, it'll just get in the way."
Sazanas looked at the Death Scythe and nodded in reluctant agreement.
"I can see how that would be hard to swing with people around... but are you going to be okay? We’ll get a mountain of complaints if you smash the liquor barrels."
"If that happens, don't complain to me—complain to whatever's causing this. Let's go."
Trying to cut through the tension, Rei responded to Sazanas’s quip with a light tone and headed toward the back of the storage facility 1F.
They proceeded with extreme caution for about ten minutes, moving slowly to ensure they weren't caught off guard. Eventually, they reached the deepest part of the storage facility 1F.
There, embedded in the ground, sat a single pure white circular substance.
"What is that?" Sazanas whispered from behind. It was clearly his first time seeing such an object; his voice held nothing but pure bewilderment.
Rei, however, was different.
"Impossible! Why is that doing here!?"
The moment he saw the object and reflexively identified it through Zephyle's knowledge, a cry of shock escaped his lips.
"Rei, you know what it is?"
Snapped back to his senses by Sazanas’s question, Rei gave a small, sharp nod.
He knew exactly what it was. To be precise, in addition to Zephyle's knowledge, he had a memory of sensing a similar existence before, even if he hadn't seen it directly with his own eyes.
"It’s a Dungeon Core."
"What?"
Sazanas asked him to repeat himself, his voice cracking. Rei composed himself, his expression turning grim as he stated the truth again.
"It's a Dungeon Core. There’s no mistake."
"Hey, hey, hey, hold on. Why on earth would a Dungeon Core be in a place like this?"
"Don't ask me. Though I can take an educated guess."
A Dungeon Core was essentially a physical manifestation of high-density magic from the surrounding environment. It was only natural to assume that the magic power in this area had materialized for some reason to create what sat before them.
"Wait, how can you be so sure? Couldn't it be something else entirely?"
Sazanas asked with a sliver of hope that Rei was mistaken. That hope was ruthlessly crushed as Rei shook his head.
"You've heard the stories about the dungeon near the City of Gilm, right?"
"Of course, but... wait, you don't mean—"
"Exactly. I went to the lowest floor of that dungeon once for a request. I saw the Dungeon Core with my own eyes. This one is considerably smaller, but it’s the same thing. I'm certain."
Since he couldn't mention Zephyle's knowledge, Rei used that excuse to answer Sazanas, all while keeping his eyes locked on the white object.
"So, what do we do?"
"Don't look at me. I'm not a citizen of this city. Even if it is a Dungeon Core, I can't just decide to destroy it on my own. I've heard there are several Labyrinth Cities in the world. Even if it’s by accident, a dungeon might be forming inside the city walls. This could turn Baar into a Labyrinth City. I don't know if I'm allowed to destroy that possibility."
"I see your point... but do you think this is the cause of the Magic Fever?"
"I'd bet on it. You won't find many things this blatantly suspicious."
Sazanas seemed convinced. He let out a long sigh and turned back toward the entrance.
"Sazanas?"
"Sorry, but I have to report this to Lord Dialogo or Lord Seis. We can't make a call like this ourselves if a Dungeon Core is involved."
"Understood. But make it fast. This core hasn't fully matured yet, but as time passes, it will grow and start luring monsters to the area."
"I know. I'll be as quick as I can. Rei, stay here and keep an eye on this nuisance of a treasure."
With those words, Sazanas hurried out of the facility.
A moment later, Rei could hear the guards outside asking what happened, but Sazanas apparently ran past them without a word.
"I never thought I’d run into a Dungeon Core in a place like this."
"Guruuu."
Seto growled in agreement, his eyes fixed warily on the core.
Both Rei and Seto remembered the Silver Lion, the S-Rank monster that guarded the core at the lowest floor of the dungeon they had entered with Elena. While Rei hadn't seen it with his own eyes—only hearing of it from Vel—the pressure they had felt through the door had been staggering.
It was a creature that had turned even the arrogant Vel pale with terror. If a monster of that caliber were to manifest here... To Rei, this wasn't a "treasure" like Sazanas suggested. it was nothing but a seed of disaster.
"Guruuu?"
"No, it's nothing."
Rei gently stroked Seto’s head as the griffon tilted his head inquisitively. He gripped the Death Scythe's shaft firmly, ensuring he wouldn't miss the slightest change and remained ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
While Rei and Seto kept watch over the Dungeon Core, Sazanas was sprinting through the streets at full speed.
By some strange twist of fate, a Dungeon Core had appeared in a city that usually had nothing to recommend it but distilled liquor. He didn't know why such a bringer of calamity had manifested here, but it felt like a curse.
However, now that he had found it, he couldn't destroy it on his own authority.
Perhaps if the city’s leadership weren't Dialogo and Seis, he might have considered trying to turn Baar into a Labyrinth City for the sake of its future prosperity. But in a stroke of luck, the city’s actual noble Lord wasn't here. If that man had been present, he likely would have interfered in some bizarre way. In that sense, he felt a tiny, guilty flicker of gratitude toward the Magic Fever.
"Captain Sazanas!?"
When he finally reached the Lord's Mansion, gasping for air, a gatekeeper hurried over to him, looking alarmed. Sazanas looked truly desperate.
"Is... Lord Dialogo... hah... hah... here?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. He’s currently consulting with Lord Seis about our next steps."
"Good. Tell him I need to see him immediately. It's an extreme emergency!"
Sazanas shouted, his hand gripping the soldier's shoulder so hard it nearly bruised. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the soldier left Sazanas with his partner and hurried into the mansion.
"Captain Sazanas, please, drink some of this and catch your breath."
"Yeah... thanks."
Sazanas gulped down lukewarm tea from a canteen, finally starting to steady his breathing.
"What on earth happened? For you to come running like this, Captain..."
"Sorry, I can't say yet. It's a mess. I just need to tell Lord Dialogo as soon as possible. You said Lord Seis is with him?"
"Yes, sir."
"Maybe my luck is finally changing."
Initially, Sazanas had been torn between going to the Guild or the Lord's Mansion. A mage like Seis would have far more knowledge about dungeons, but as a city guard, his duty was to report to his direct superior, Dialogo. Since the mansion was slightly closer to the East Storage Facility, he had chosen it. If he had gone to the Guild only to find Seis was here, it would have been a catastrophic waste of time.
It was a small thing, but it gave him a reason to smile.
The soldier who had gone to report came running back.
"Lord Dialogo says to bring you in immediately. He and Lord Seis want to hear the report directly."
"Understood. I'm going. Is it the office?"
"Yes."
"If it really is..."
Sazanas stopped himself before he could finish the thought. The soldier looked at him curiously, but Sazanas just shook his head and stepped inside.
If that really is a Dungeon Core, we can't afford a public panic. Besides, regular soldiers wouldn't be able to handle whatever comes out of it anyway.
He reached the office, his mind racing.
"Pardon the intrusion. I have brought Captain Sazanas."
"Enter."
At Dialogo's command, Sazanas stepped into the room.
As expected, the master of the house, Dialogo, was there alongside the Guild Master, Seis. Several other influential figures of the city were also present.
"Sazanas! You were with Rei—does this mean you've found the cause of the Magic Fever!?"
Dialogo spoke with eager intensity. Sazanas hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
"I have made a major discovery related to the matter. However, I would prefer to disclose the details only to Lord Dialogo and Lord Seis."
Sazanas was implicitly asking the others to leave.
The other people in the office were all men of status and power in Baar. Naturally, they frowned at the suggestion. Dialogo, however, knew Sazanas's character well. He hesitated for a moment, then made his decision.
"I understand. We've been at this for a long time anyway. Let's take a short break. Seis, you're with me."
"Umu."
At Dialogo's word, the meeting was recessed. He led Seis and Sazanas into an adjacent room.
"Now then... you'd better have a very good reason for such a dramatic request."
Dialogo's tone made it clear he wouldn't be happy if this was a waste of time. Sazanas didn't flinch. He spoke the words that could change everything for the City of Baar.
"In the East Distilled Liquor Storage Facility... I have confirmed the presence of a Dungeon Core."