Unlike labyrinth-style dungeons, terrain-type dungeons lacked walls to obstruct the view. While the specifics depended on the generated environment, they were generally characterized by excellent visibility. The first floor Rauya was currently exploring consisted of a vast plain dotted with sparse trees, allowing him to spot various adventurers active across the landscape.
There seem to be quite a few people here, he noted.
In a true "dungeon city," where a labyrinth sat within or near a settlement, the number of adventurers would be far higher. Depending on the city's scale, the population of active explorers could exceed a thousand, or even ten thousand in a major metropolis. Compared to those figures, the number of people within God Tort's Dungeon—as it was tentatively called—was relatively small.
Still, considering the dungeon had only existed for about ten days, it had drawn a significant crowd. While the influx of Molybdenum Group remnants was part of the reason, Rauya quickly realized there was more to the story.
It seems the rumors about this being a low-risk dungeon were true.
Dende, the legendary warrior serving as the guild receptionist, had mentioned as much. Rauya had also heard it repeatedly while gathering information. He had tried to avoid any preconceptions until he saw the place for himself, but after witnessing the scene before him, he had to admit it was the truth.
Most of the people in his line of sight were dressed in ways that made him question if "adventurer" was even the right term. The majority wore no armor and carried no weapons. He saw a middle-aged man in work clothes carrying a harvesting basket, accompanied by a group of women and children who looked more like helpers than a combat party. No matter how he looked at them, they were farmers, plain and simple.
"Hey, you there. Are you sure you're okay in that gear?" Rauya called out to the man with the basket.
It wasn't that he felt a sudden urge to save them from their own recklessness. Whatever happened to them was their own responsibility, and Rauya saw no need to meddle. In his mind, if the rumors were true, they were in very little danger anyway. He had only spoken up for the sake of information gathering—to gauge how the locals perceived the dungeon.
"Oh? You new here, friend? Nah, don't you worry. We're only dealing with the weak little Daikoon and Ninjaan."
"Daikoon and Ninjaan? I've never heard of those."
"Hahaha! I suppose not. You've probably seen something like 'em, though. To us farmers, they're opponents we're used to."
The middle-aged man laughed off Rauya’s concern. It was clear these people didn’t even think of themselves as adventurers. They were exactly what they looked like: farmers. And if even a farmer didn't consider the Daikoon and Ninjaan a threat, they had to be incredibly weak. Intrigued, Rauya decided to observe the "extermination"—or rather, the harvest. He didn't have time for detours, but he justified it as part of his mission to uncover the dungeon's secrets.
"It’s... certainly unique," Rauya remarked.
He couldn't think of any other way to describe the scene. A child would pull a monster from the ground by its roots, and then an adult would bring a machete down on the exposed root-creature. The monsters were indeed weak; a single strike of that caliber was all it took to finish them. Their drops were root vegetables that looked identical to the monsters themselves.
"Hahaha, isn't it? We were surprised at first, too. But you get used to it after about three days."
The work was monotonous, yet the area was incredibly noisy because the monsters let out bizarre, high-pitched screams when defeated. The farmers, however, went about their business with practiced ease.
My understanding can't quite keep up, but this food production efficiency is astounding. It might be one of the secrets to the town's rapid development. But there must be more. This alone doesn't explain how the city was built so suddenly.
There had to be other secrets hidden here. He needed to explore further.
"I appreciate you letting me watch. I’m going to look around elsewhere, so if you'll excuse—"
"Dad! A Nofu came out!"
"What?! Everyone, fall back!"
Rauya was just about to leave when the child shouted. Following the boy's pointing finger, Rauya saw something the color of dried earth. It didn't look strong, and given the floor level, it probably wasn't. Monsters on the same floor were generally around the same strength. If it was comparable to a Ninjaan or Daikoon, it was no match for him.
Rauya decided to take care of it himself.
"Ah, hey! Wait!"
The farmer shouted a warning, but he was a second too late. Rauya’s thrown knife pierced the belly of the earth-colored creature—the Nofu Madman. There was almost no resistance. It was a swift, precise strike intended to kill before the target could react, but in its final moments, the Nofu Madman launched a spiteful counterattack.
The creature burst apart as if self-destructing. There was no forceful explosion; instead, it simply splattered its main component—thick mud—everywhere.
"Ugh..."
Rauya took the spray of mud head-on. He hadn't taken any physical damage, but he felt instantly dejected. He was in no mood to continue exploring like this.
"Oof. You really stepped in it, didn't you? Nofu Madmen spray mud like that if you attack 'em. If you leave 'em be, they just holler and make a racket, so it's best to ignore 'em."
"...I see."
"Well, can't be helped if it's your first time. There's a service at the entrance that'll give you a Clean. Go get yourself tidied up."
The farmer’s advice reminded Rauya of the offer he'd received earlier. The mention of "Clean" at the entrance was likely intended for exactly this situation.
I thought it was a strange service, but I suppose it’s a necessity here.
Convinced, Rauya headed back to the entrance. The mysterious group of four was still waiting there. As soon as she saw him, the Bunny Girl gave him a wide, cheerful grin.
"Wa! You got yourself all dirty. Want a Clean?"
"Yeah. Please."
"Coming right up!"
The Bunny Girl pointed a simple wooden stick at Rauya. A faint light immediately enveloped his body. The filth on his clothes vanished in an instant, leaving him feeling incredibly refreshed.
Hmm? This is far more potent than a normal Clean spell. No... it feels like something is being purged—
Rauya suddenly felt a wave of unease. Along with the grime, he felt a sense of profound loss, as if something vital had been stripped away from him. It wasn't his imagination.
"Oh, look! Something icky came out."
Following the Bunny Girl's gaze, Rauya looked down at his feet. A thick, viscous Silver Puddle had formed on the ground. Rauya froze, his mind unable to comprehend what he was seeing.