Chapter 136
The news reaches me while I’m in the middle layers, discussing a new dungeon trap with Tsumugi, observing the site firsthand.
Just as we’re feeling good about the completion of the new trap, Gijie’s mechanical voice rings out with an announcement.
―――A Celestial Dragon has entered the dungeon.
This isn’t like the time with Elja. It seems like the dragon is dead set on invading this dungeon.
The exact reason is unclear, but I hear there’s already significant damage in the top floor.
I bury my face in my hands.
Why, after just yesterday, is there another Dragon King today?
Why? I haven’t done anything wrong, so why is trouble coming from them?
Thoughts of what Jibru had said reverberate in my mind.
―――Even if you do nothing, calamities and nuisances are drawn to you.
My head hurts…
「…Dad, are you okay?」
Tsumugi looks at me with concern.
She even rubs my back to comfort me.
Such a good child.
Feeling a bit warmed by the gesture, I follow Gijie’s lead, moving through a nearby teleportation gate with Tsumugi, heading to Elibel’s lab in the depths.
Deep within the dungeon, in Elibel’s laboratory―――
The monitor displays a vast amount of water.
It’s rushing down to the lower floors at an incredible speed.
According to Elibel, all this water is the “Celestial Dragon.”
Oh man…
My dungeon… The dungeon I worked so hard on is being flooded…
There’s no time to get sentimental. The atmosphere is tense, and Elibel speaks up.
「The situation is as you see. The Celestial Dragon is currently invading this dungeon. He has reached the surface dungeon 16th floor. At this rate, he’ll be in the middle layer in about ten minutes.」
Seriously…? Judging by Gijie’s report, it hasn’t even been an hour yet.
Even though it’s just the surface dungeon, it’s being conquered so quickly. Well, it is water, after all.
If this is sentient water that can intentionally avoid the dungeon’s drainage system… Then maybe it’s possible.
「Ann is already preparing the monsters in the middle layer for evacuation and battle. If the opponent is the Celestial Dragon, the monsters from the Yuguru Great Forest might not be much of a challenge. First, we’ll send out golems to gauge the enemy’s strength.」
『That sounds good.』
I nod in agreement.
Elibel rapidly types on the terminal in front of her.
Wow… Her fingers are a blur.
Berg is next to her, and… Oh, Robun’s here too.
He’s back, huh?
By the way, Tsumugi is here as well.
She’s sitting in a corner.
「Earth, stay here with us. If necessary, channel your magical power through the corridor to power the dungeon.」
『Understood.』
Well, that’s pretty much all I can do.
It’s not like I’m going to be on the front lines. I should just do what I can.
…It’s not like I’m scared or anything. Definitely not.
「Master Earth, you are here!」
The Holy Dragon Elja enters through the teleportation gate.
She tries to dive into a hug with me, but Elibel grabs her by the scruff of her neck just before she can.
Despite her resistance, Elja can’t break free.
She looks like a cat. Even though she’s a dragon.
「…I’ve been waiting, Elja dear. Now, take a seat.」
「B-But, Miss Elibel… I just wanted to give Master Earth a warm embrace―――」
「You can do that as much as you want later. For now, hold off.」
「Hmph…」
Huh? Are they ignoring my opinion?
「Wait… This magical power… Lord Yamu!?」
Elja, glancing at the monitor, exclaims in surprise.
「You know him, Elja?」
「Yes! He’s the current patriarch of the Celestial Dragons! I’ve met him several times at dragon gatherings. Why is he in Master Earth’s dungeon?」
Elja speaks with growing excitement.
So, the patriarch, huh…
Does this mean he’s on the same level as Elja’s father, Harsha Lude, and Jibru?
Why did someone like that come here?
『What’s he like?』
「Well… I’ve never spoken to him directly, but I remember him being incredibly self-centered. There were dragons who were almost killed just for casually speaking to him.」
Geez, a tyrant, huh?
「So, if you’re acquainted, can you negotiate with him?」
Elibel asks, but Elja shakes her head.
「I doubt it… As far as I know, Lord Yamu has never accepted any requests. Probably only my father or Lord Jibru could persuade him. Or maybe Lord Yamu’s ch―――」
『―――Report. The target has reached the lowest floor of the surface dungeon.』
Gijie’s voice interrupts Elja.
「It seems we don’t have time for a long discussion. Tell us the details as we work, Elja.」
「Y-Yes…」
Elja takes an empty seat.
A huge amount of water starts to shift through the gate to the middle layer dungeon.
From the entrance of of middle layer dungeon, a young man with blonde hair in his twenties emerges along with the water.
Is that what the Celestial Dragon looks like in human form?
When I look at Elja, she nods.
「That… is Lord Yamu’s human form.」
「Huh… He looks quite menacing. Not my type.」
Elibel immediately snarks.
Through the monitor, the man’s lips move, and he smiles.
That’s a creepy smile.
…What did he say?
『Gijie, did you catch that?』
『―――Answer. I will relay the target’s voice directly. He said, ‘Now, show me a good time, Sage.’』
Now, show me a good time, Sage…… he said.
I look over at Elibel.
Elibel gives a faint smile.
「…I’m not sure why, but it seems like he’s picking a fight with me.」
『Do you have some past beef with the Celestial Dragon?』
Perhaps she antagonized him in the past, unknowingly attacking its nest or eating its eggs.
「I’ve never met him, not even before my reincarnation.」
I glance over at Berg, who stands nearby. He nods in agreement.
It seems she’s not lying.
「In any case, we’ll start our defenses. Gijie, begin the analysis.」
『―――Acknowledged.』
「Berg and Robun, you’ll support me, alright?」
「We’re ready whenever,」「Leave it to us, Miss Elibel.」
「And lastly―――」
Elibel looks at me and tosses something my way.
I instinctively catch it.
「…Earth, like I said before, your role is to back up the dungeon’s magical power. But just in case… I’m counting on you.」
Her last words carry genuine emotion.
It’s clear what she has given me.
I wish I didn’t understand.
『―――Ugh… I don’t want to…』
I stare at what I’ve caught.
As expected, it’s a pill made from the “Earth Dragon’s Spine.”
「Hey, this is typically where you’d begrudgingly say, ‘Fine, I get it… I’ll fight if it comes to that,’ you know?」
I’m not familiar with such cliches.
I don’t want it.
Who would want to stand on the frontlines?
…Though the worst might come to pass, I hope it doesn’t.
I turn my gaze to the monitor.
『Shall we―――begin?』
―――The dungeon defense battle against the Celestial Dragon has commenced.
The Celestial Dragon transforms his body into water once more, filling every passage of the dungeon.
『―――Measuring the target’s magical power. Generating golem.』
With those words, drawing mannequin golems start to emerge inside the dungeon.
Seven in total.
The created drawing mannequin golems dash toward the incoming flow of water―――and are effortlessly swept away by the fierce currents, colliding with the walls and vanishing.
『―――Magical power of the target has been measured.』
「Gijie, adjust the golem’s mana identification response from twelve to eight. Triple its physical resistance limit. Add counter-elemental actions from the second to the ninth.」
『―――Acknowledged. Initiating the next golem.』
「Miss Elibel, I’ll handle the speed support here.」
「I’ll take care of strengthening, and also help with spatial awareness calculations for the golems.」
The trio, plus Gijie, work in tandem.
New drawing mannequin golems are born.
The next set of golems are blue in color.
While I don’t quite grasp their conversation, these golems must have been crafted as per Elibel’s instructions.
I can sense a stronger magic from them than before.
The looming waves.
Without hesitation, the golems charge.
For a split second, as they touch the water, the flow seems to falter―――or so it felt.
But it’s momentary.
Again, the golems are swallowed by the waves and vanish.
『―――Magical power of the target has been measured. Initiating analysis.』
「Change the golem’s creation pattern up to the ninth phase. Multiply the water’s attribute value by five from the previous one. Increase the attribute repulsion strength. Equip them with everything from one to thirty-seven.」
「Magic resistance support is complete.」
「Same here. Speed improvement calculations are done.」
『―――Acknowledged. Initiating the next golem.』
Yet again, golems are crafted.
This time, there are thirty-seven drawing mannequin golems.
Each varies in color and size, and every single one holds a different weapon.
Huge scythes, swords as tall as one’s body, shields so massive they obscure the front view. There are even weapons whose purpose is unclear.
The golems charge once more, but the water’s fangs mercilessly shatter them.
However, this time, there’s a distinct moment when the movement of the waves is hindered.
Another analysis begins.
Another golem is crafted.
Swallowed by waves.
The set trap activates.
Explosions send water splashing.
A barrier activates.
Water evaporates.
The barrier breaks.
Water floods the lower floors.
A new golem is crafted.
Waves pulverize the golem.
A barrier activates.
The trap triggers.
Another golem is crafted.
「Adjust the target’s attribute values―――」
『―――Magical power of the target has been measured―――』
「Reduce the pressure from the water. Adjust the barrier’s strength from one to three―――」
『―――Initiating the next golem―――』
「Lower the resistance value against the target’s magic. Instead, add the attributes of fire and earth―――」
『―――Magical power of the target has been measured―――』
「Activate the Magical Decay Barrier. Shift golem creation from drawing mannequin to animal-type―――」
『―――Initiating the next golem―――』
「Darn it, the measured value is higher than expected. Increase the number of golems. And prepare those golems immediately.」
「Understood, I’ll handle it. Send the message to my line and everyone else.」
「Speed adjustment is complete.」
『―――Initiating the next golem―――』
「Next, set the trap with the teleportation gate―――」
『―――Magical power of the target has been measured―――』
This exchange, almost like routine work, repeats countless times.
Berg and Robun desperately support the two.
But the water―――the Celestial Dragon’s assault is relentless.
Golems, traps, barriers – it’s as if everything is futile as the water consumes and corrodes the dungeon.
It continues its momentum, flooding the next level, and the next.
Water fills the dungeon.
And then―――
『―――Report. The target has breached the first middle area.』
About two hours have passed.
Gijie’s announcement echoes.
「…Faster than expected, honestly.」
「It’s… unreal… even I ended in just a few floors…」
「Truly, the might of the Dragon King species.」
「Yeah… troublesome…」
Everyone voices their shock.
Their tones reveal astonishment and a hint of impatience.
Though I don’t voice it, I’m shocked too.
Today, for the first time since its completion, the middle area’s initial twenty-five layers of our dungeon have been breached.
The Celestial Dragon slips through a teleportation gate, moving to the second area of the middle layers.
There are a total of nine areas in the middle layers, spread over twenty-five floors.
That’s 225 floors in all.
If we can’t analyze the Celestial Dragon’s magical power before he conquers all of the floors, we’ll be at a deadlock.
Complacency due to the remaining two hundred floors isn’t an option.
After all, our opponent is of the Dragon King species, on par with Jibru.
The fact that the Celestial Dragon has begun to break through the first area of the middle layers gives a hint of reality to the situation.
However, the Celestial Dragon’s magical power must have its limits…
Either it runs out, or if Elibel and Gijie can finish analyzing it, victory will be ours.
「But, the real game is about to start. Preparations for the other battle are in place.」
『Another preparation?』
With that, Elibel connects to a channel.
「Are you ready, Ann?」
A new monitor displays.
A solitary black ant appears on the screen.
It’s Ann.
Holding a gigantic sword in one hand, she stands at the center of a spacious battle-ready floor.
『――――Yes, I’m ready anytime.』
「How’s your condition?」
『No issues. I should be fine.』
「That’s good to hear.」
The second area of the middle layers.
Known as the Multi-Environmental Floors.
An area that artificially replicates various natural environments, enabling coexistence with monsters from the outside.
「Robun, take your position. Othel’s already on standby.」
「Understood.」
With that, Robun leaves his seat, moving through the teleportation gate.
So both Ann and Robun are stepping in.
The monitor also displays my other subordinates.
『―――Report. The squad of the second area are in position.』
Upon Gijie’s report, the teleportation gate glows brightly and water overflows.
Leading the defense is my first subordinate, Ann.
Robun, Othel, Tres.
And an army composed of enhanced killer ants and golems.
The battle with the Celestial Dragon.
The second act begins.
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