"……What?"
Dialogo found himself unable to comprehend what the man standing before him had just said. Or rather, he simply didn't want to understand. He questioned Sazanas once more with that lingering hope, but the response was merciless.
"The distilled liquor storage facility in the east of the city. There is a Dungeon Core there… more accurately, it isn't yet large enough to be called a full core, but I confirmed the presence of something that will certainly become one in the near future. Given the circumstances, there’s no doubt that that core is the cause of the Magic Fever."
"……"
Dialogo stood in stunned silence at the words Sazanas repeated.
In the midst of the quiet, Seis, who had been silent since entering the room, finally spoke up.
"Sazanas, have you ever delved into a dungeon?"
"I have not."
"Then on what grounds did you determine that the object in the East Storage Facility is a Dungeon Core?"
"Rei did. He said he had reached the lowest floor of a dungeon near the City of Gilm. I assume he saw one there."
"……I see. Well, considering his magic power and the fact that he has a gryphon as a familiar, it’s not an entirely impossible claim."
"Yes. I don't know much about magic power myself, but he’s a man capable of taming a gryphon. I believed his word was worth trusting, which is why I rushed here to report. ……What shall we do?"
At that question, Dialogo snapped back to his senses and spoke with frantic urgency.
"What shall we do? What shall we do, you ask!? That’s already been decided! If it’s the reason a plague is spreading through the region, we destroy it immediately! That is the only option!"
"I thought as much, but Rei mentioned that if a Dungeon Core exists within the city walls, there is a possibility of developing the City of Baar into a Labyrinth City. He said he couldn't make a reckless judgment and told me to confirm the matter with you, as the Acting Lord responsible for this city."
"Mm, mmuu. He has a point."
Seis nodded involuntarily at Sazanas's words. When presented with the prospect of the city flourishing as a labyrinth, he couldn't deny the allure of such potential.
However, Dialogo spoke up as if to sever Seis's hesitation.
"Don't be foolish. Certainly, if that Dungeon Core didn't have the effect of spreading disease, we might consider the possibility of developing as a Labyrinth City. But this time, it was Magic Fever—a relatively well-known disease—so we were somehow able to manage it. If that Dungeon Core spreads a different disease next time, there's no guarantee we'll be able to handle it. I have absolutely no intention of trying to develop this city into a Labyrinth City by taking such a dangerous risk and exposing the residents of the City of Baar to peril."
"……But the fact that a Dungeon Core existed isn't something that can be kept hidden forever. Especially if someone like me, who can perceive magic power, actually heads to the East Storage Facility; they'll notice it immediately. If that happens, it won't be long before word reaches the ears of the nobles who are your superiors. ……Should that happen, you might be held responsible for unilaterally disposing of a Dungeon Core that could have been to their benefit. Since the lord here is a mage of considerable skill, trying to deceive him is likely impossible."
"I don't care. I accepted the duty of Acting Lord of this city solely because I want to protect this place. It wasn't for the sake of some noble's vested interests."
Seis was caught off guard by the sheer weight of Dialogo's declaration, his expression turning to one of blank amazement. Beside him, Sazanas had also frozen in surprise.
"What is it, Sazanas? Did you not hear my order? Tell Rei to destroy that Dungeon Core immediately. Hurry! If that really is a Dungeon Core, there's no telling what might happen next even if the Magic Fever commotion subsides."
"……Ha! I-I understand. I will immediately convey your intent to Rei and……"
He likely intended to say he would return. However, his words were interrupted the next moment by someone bursting into the room.
Specifically, into this room adjacent to the office. The very room where Dialogo, the Acting Lord; Seis, the Guild Master; and Sazanas, who was acting under their orders, were sequestered.
"What is the meaning of this!?"
Sazanas shouted as he reached for the hilt of the longsword at his waist, stepping forward to shield the other two. His movements were swift, a testament to his role as leader of the Guard Force. If the intruder had been an assassin, he undoubtedly could have intercepted them.
However, the person who had burst into the room was one of the guards stationed at the entrance of the Lord's Mansion.
"I-I-I-It’s a disaster! Purple mist is rising from the east side of the city! And it’s spreading rapidly!"
It might have been fortunate that the intruder wasn't an assassin, but the report he brought was undeniably calamitous.
"The east side!?"
Dialogo shouted reflexively. It was only natural; since a mysterious phenomenon was appearing from that direction, he was certain it was related to the Dungeon Core he had just been briefed on.
"Tch, we were too late. Specifically, what kind of damage is being reported?"
Sazanas released the hilt of his sword and asked urgently, but the guard shook his head slightly.
"No, unfortunately, we don't know the details yet. But we've sent several men to investigate, so we should know soon."
"……I see. Lord Dialogo, I’m going to try to get in touch with Rei now. If it's purple mist, there's no mistake that the cause is related to the core. And Rei should be right there. If things go well, we can keep the damage to a minimum."
Hearing Sazanas's words, Dialogo nodded immediately.
Personally, he didn't want the man to do anything so reckless, but he judged it was the only way to protect the city.
"I’m counting on you. Get in touch with Rei and tell him to destroy the core as quickly as possible. ……Normally, I would have wanted the leader of the Guard Force to stay here, but considering combat strength and magic capacity, you’re the most likely to survive among the people I can dispatch."
"It's not a problem. ……However, once this matter is settled safely, you'll have to let me drink your special reserve, Lord Dialogo."
"Hah, fine. Once this is over, we'll have a victory toast with my best vintage."
"Hearing that makes me feel like I have to make it back safe no matter what. ……Well then!"
Securing the promise with a smile, Sazanas quickly sprinted out of the room.
Time rewinds to the East Side Storage Facility after Sazanas's departure. Rei and Seto were keeping watch over the Dungeon Core, their eyes fixed on the object, determined not to miss even the slightest abnormality.
That was likely why Seto noticed first—the faint amount of magic power beginning to emanate from the Dungeon Core.
"Guruuu!"
Rei, who lacked the ability to perceive magic power, tightened his expression upon hearing Seto's warning cry.
He didn't know exactly what was happening, but he could instinctively sense that something bad was brewing.
In the next moment, it manifested as an obvious abnormality visible to Rei's eyes as well.
"Purple…… mist?"
The Dungeon Core began to pulse as if it were breathing, spewing out clouds of purple mist with every throb.
It was an blatant abnormality.
Having made his judgment, Rei raised his Death Scythe to destroy the core. But in the next heartbeat—
"Whoa!?"
Giving a cry of shock, he reflexively leaped back from his position.
"Gurururuuu!"
With a roar, Seto's forepaw struck. The blow blew away the 'something' that had just lunged at Rei.
It was an entity that looked much like an opaque slime. The difference, however, was that the slime itself was generating purple mist from its body. The Dungeon Core was producing these slimes one after another, releasing them into the storage facility.
"No way… is it trying to perform dungeonization on the surroundings!?"
Slimes in dungeons clean up carcasses regardless of whether they were monsters or adventurers, dissolving and absorbing them. For a dungeon, slimes were an essential utility. And as long as a Dungeon Core possessed the ability to manifest a dungeon, creating slimes was by no means impossible.
"Damn it, there’s no time to wait for Sazanas. At this rate, the residents of the City of Baar are going to suffer massive casualties. If that's the case...!"
If this had occurred under normal circumstances, perhaps the damage wouldn't have been so severe. But the City of Baar was currently full of people bedridden with Magic Fever. Many had not yet received medicine, and even those who had—like the innkeepers where Rei stayed—were often too weak to move.
While there were plenty of ingredients for the medicine, the number of pharmacists and alchemists to brew it was limited. Naturally, the produced medicine was prioritized for those with the most severe symptoms.
"Tch, there’s no end to them! Seto, clear a path to the Dungeon Core! This is a distilled liquor storage facility, so anything other than Fire Breath!"
Rei swung his Death Scythe in wide arcs to slash through the spawning slimes as he gave the order.
The slimes vanished upon being cut, but they released even more purple mist as they died.
(Damn it, fortunately this mist doesn't seem to affect me, but considering the Magic Fever, this probably carries some kind of disease as well. I have to reach that core……)
"Guruluuu!"
Seto immediately activated a skill. A heartbeat after its cry, two water balls about 30cm in size appeared before the gryphon.
"Do it!"
Following Rei's instruction, the water balls were launched. Fired at high speed, the spheres burst upon contact, shattering the slimes they hit along with those nearby. Simultaneously, another water ball flew through the gap, wiping out the slimes that had just been born from the core.
"Good. Haaaaah!"
Without missing the momentary opening, Rei kicked off the ground and closed in on his target.
Using the speed granted by his Sleipnir's Shoes combined with his own explosive leg strength, he closed the distance in an instant.
"Shatter!"
Rei delivered a single blow from the Death Scythe, loaded with maximum magic power. The blade swung down like a flash of light, slicing the Dungeon Core in half before it could offer even a moment's resistance.
In the next heartbeat, the Dungeon Core vanished like smoke……
【Death Scythe has acquired the skill ‘Terrain Manipulation Lv.1’】
At the same time, the familiar announcement echoed in Rei's mind.
"……What?"
"Guruu?"
Seto had likely heard the same announcement. It turned a perplexed gaze toward Rei.
(Beast Magic is supposed to grow by absorbing the magic stones of monsters. Why did I get one from a Dungeon Core?)
Rei brooded for a few seconds, but he quickly realized he didn't have the leisure to verify the skill or ponder why he had obtained it.
While the core that had been spewing slimes was gone, the slimes already spawned remained. More importantly, the purple mist they had exhaled—and the mist released as a death rattle when Rei and Seto destroyed them—was filling the air. While it didn't seem to have an ill effect on Rei or Seto, he couldn't just leave such a dangerous-looking mist as it was.
"First, I should inform the guards about this."
"Guruu."
While he spoke, the purple mist filled the storage facility, already beginning to leak outside through the slight gaps in the building's structure.
Judging that seeking cooperation from someone who knew the city well was his best course of action, Rei and Seto ran together toward the storage doors.
However, when they stepped outside, what they saw were the two guards who were supposed to be guarding the facility, collapsed motionless on the ground.
【Death Scythe】 『Corrosion Lv.1』『Flying Slash Lv.2』『Magic Shield Lv.1』『Power Slash Lv.1』『Wind Hand Lv.1』『Terrain Manipulation Lv.1』new
Terrain Manipulation: When the Death Scythe's shaft is touching the ground, you can manipulate the terrain within a specific range centered on yourself. At Lv.1, you can raise or lower the ground by about 10cm within a 10m radius.