Chapter 12: Dungeon Strategy (3)

What’s that?” Ketal’s eyes gleamed as he spotted the object.

Cassan glanced at the treasure chest and answered nonchalantly, “It’s a treasure chest, one of the rewards you can find in Dungeons. If we unlock it, we can take what’s inside.”

Despite his words, Cassan didn’t show much interest in the treasure chest. Without a proper party, it was nearly impossible for him to unlock it.

However, Ketal thought differently. He said with enthusiasm, “Is that so? In that case, Cassan, it’s all yours.”

“What?” Cassan froze.

Ketal spoke as though unlocking the chest was the most natural thing to do in the world, “That’s a treasure chest, and you’re a thief, right?”

“Yes, well, it’s true that thieves usually handle treasure chests, but...” Cassan hesitated.

“Then you should be able to unlock it, right? I’ll leave it to you,” Ketal said, his face alight with curiosity. For him, a thief unlocking a treasure chest was a quintessential moment in the fantasy world he adored.

Cassan was at a loss for words. Unlocking treasure chests was indeed considered a thief’s job, and Ketal wasn’t wrong. However, there was one glaring problem.

If I could do that, I wouldn’t be here in the first place!

Dungeon treasure chests were heavily secured, requiring exceptional lockpicking skills. Only experienced thieves certified by their guilds could reliably unlock them. Possessing such skills was proof of one’s status, a level far beyond Cassan’s abilities.

As Cassan lacked certification or skill, he had no chance of opening the chest. But he couldn’t admit that. Ketal’s eager expression bore down on him, and the thought of disappointing the barbarian filled him with dread.

He’d probably think of me as a completely useless thief who can’t even manage such easy tasks,

Cassan thought dejectedly.

The memory of the Skeleton’s crushed skull flashed in Cassan’s mind, and he imagined his own head suffering the same fate.

“

Haha

, I’ll give it a shot,” Cassan said nervously, forcing a smile. Approaching the chest, he pulled out his makeshift lockpicking tools—tools meant for breaking into common houses, not something as complex as a Dungeon chest.

“Oh, so that’s the kind of equipment you use for lockpicking. That’s fascinating,” Ketal said from directly behind him, his eyes fixed on every movement.

Cassan felt the weight of Ketal’s gaze and thought his heart might stop. Suppressing his trembling hands, he carefully inserted the tools into the lock.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Think! Think, Cassan!

he told himself, recalling the techniques he had seen more skilled thieves perform when he had worked as a porter in his youth.

With his life seemingly on the line, Cassan mimicked their methods. Miraculously, the lock clicked open.

“It worked,” Cassan murmured, nearly collapsing in relief.

“Excellent!” Ketal exclaimed.

“Truly amazing! That’s impressive!” Hayes added, her eyes wide with surprise. Unlike Ketal, she knew how difficult it was to open Dungeon chests without proper skills.

How did I even do that?

Cassan wondered in utter disbelief. Mimicking something he had observed felt like an impossible feat, yet it had succeeded.

“Outstanding work, Cassan,” Ketal praised him sincerely.

Steadying his shaking legs, Cassan opened the chest. Inside were a handful of silver coins and ornate but slightly rusted decorations.

“There’s a lot here!” Hayes said excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

Inspecting the items, Ketal asked, “How valuable is this?”

“Uh... A healthy adult could live luxuriously for about a week with this.” Cassan estimated.

“Not bad,” Ketal said with a grin. “Let’s organize the rewards, Cassan. That’s your task.”

“Yes,” Cassan replied, hurriedly pocketing the items. For a brief moment, he considered keeping some for himself, but the image of Ketal’s crushing palm banished the thought.

The party continued onward, eventually reaching the end of the second floor. There, they found the scattered remains of Skeletons.

“Four Skeletons total,” Cassan observed.

“I’ll handle three. The last one is yours,” Ketal declared.

“Understood.” The others agreed without protest.

As they approached, the skeletons stirred, coming to life. Cassan skillfully lured one away, isolating it from the others. Meanwhile, Ketal observed the party’s coordinated battle.

Clang!

Alexandros raised his shield, blocking an attack with a grunt. Cassan exploited the opening, striking the Skeleton’s neck with his dagger. When the Skeleton turned toward Cassan, he had already retreated to a safe distance.

Alexandros then delivered a solid blow to the neck with his sword, weakening the joint further.

Hayes contributed as well. “Shadow of Deception, disorient them!”

As she chanted, her magic distorted Alexandro’s presence, causing the Skeleton to stagger in confusion. Alexandros and Cassan seized the opportunity to strike simultaneously, shattering the Skeleton.

Watching the battle, Ketal trembled with excitement. The warrior holding the front line, the thief attacking from the shadows, the priestess providing support—it was the textbook definition of a perfect party. The sight filled him with joy.

Ordinarily, such seamless coordination would have been impossible. The party was newly formed and lacked personal bonds. Under normal circumstances, their efforts would have been clumsy at best. But this time, they were united by a singular thought:

The barbarian is watching us. If we show weakness, we might die...!

Under Ketal’s scrutinizing gaze, they achieved flawless teamwork. Soon, the Skeleton was defeated, and Ketal, who had been merely spectating, clapped his hands in satisfaction.

“Let’s take a short break,” Cassan suggested, his voice shaky.

“Whatever you prefer,” Ketal replied amicably.

While the others rested, Ketal reflected on the strength of the party.

Those men who sought me out in the White Snowfield weren’t weak after all.

With a clearer understanding of the outside world’s power dynamics, the party continued deeper into the Dungeon. The third floor also housed Skeletons, though their numbers increased. Yet, with Ketal leading the charge, they pressed forward without issue.

At least, they arrived at the Dungeon’s heart—a spacious chamber where a single armed Skeleton awaited.

Unlike the others, this Skeleton wasn’t scattered in pieces.

“That’s Skeleton Knight...,” Hayes muttered, her voice trembling. “Impossible. Why is something that powerful here?”

“How is it different from the other Skeletons?” Ketal asked.

“It’s strong, extremely strong,” she replied with a grim expression.

The Skeleton Knight was a formidable monster, capable of wielding a longsword and shield with precision. Only those with a knight’s level or higher could hope to defeat it. For their party, it was far beyond what they could handle.

“What happens if we decide we can’t clear this and retreat?” Ketal asked the group.

“In that case, the estate will send someone to verify the Dungeon. If they find our decision justified, there shouldn’t be any issues,” Hayes explained.

“Sounds reasonable enough,” Ketal said before striding forward without hesitation. The others had no time to stop him.

Recognizing Ketal as an intruder, the Skeleton Knight charged with heavy footfalls. Ketal swung his palm.

The Skeleton Knight raised its shield to block, but the force of Ketal’s strike crumpled the shield like paper. His hand continued forward, smashing through the helmet and skull in one blow.

“Is it over?” Ketal asked casually, brushing off his hand.

“Y-yes...,” Hayes stammered, her face pale.

With the boss monster defeated, no more monsters appeared. Before them stood another treasure chest, guarded until now by the Skeleton Knight.

“Cassan,” Ketal called with a big smile on his face.

“I-it’s impossible,” Cassan stammered, shaking his head. The chest emanated a red glow, indicating a high-level lock. “There is no way I can unlock that. The mechanism is far beyond my skill.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Ketal said with a sigh. “What a shame.”

“Yes, I’m sorry. I think we should just—”

Before Cassan could finish his sentence, Ketal slammed his fist onto the chest, shattering it completely. Silver coins and ornate decorations spilled out.

“There are more rewards in this chest than the other one,” Ketal remarked with a satisfied nod. “Cassan, take care of it.”

“Yes...,” Cassan replied, walking over with trembling steps. He thought as he suppressed a pang of indignation,

Why did he even bother asking me to unlock it if he could just smash it open?

With their task complete, they exited the Dungeon. Behind them, the entrance began to collapse with a deafening rumble.

“What’s happening?” Ketal asked in surprise.

“When a Dungeon is cleared completely, it collapses and disappears. I guess there wasn’t a secret room in this one,” Hayes explained.

“A secret room? Those exist too?” Ketal asked, intrigued.

“Yes, though they are rare,” she replied.

“That sounds exciting!” Ketal said, laughing heartily. His laughter sent shivers down the spines of his companions. Secretly, they were relieved there had been no hidden chambers in the Dungeon.

The party returned to the estate’s walls, where the guard commander was waiting.

“How was it?” the commander asked.

“Quite satisfying. I’m just glad we’re alive,” Ketal replied cheerfully.

“I see...,” the commander said, momentarily taken aback before clearing his throat. “I’ll need to conduct the verification process. Follow me, one at a time.”

Clearing the Dungeon wasn’t the end. Each member had to provide a report, ensuring there were no troublemakers among them.

Typically, such debriefings were rife with complaints and accusations, especially when strangers were forced to work together. But this time was different.

“We didn’t have any issues,” Hayes, Cassan, and Alexandros all said, their responses vague but devoid of complaints. Their exhaustion was palpable.

“And the barbarian?” the commander asked.

“He is... probably fine.” They all replied in a similar manner. “He doesn’t seem like the type to cause trouble.”

Though Ketal was undeniably monstrous in strength, he hadn’t harmed them. On the contrary, in hindsight, he had been quite gentlemanly—far removed from the brutish reputation of barbarians. They had been scared unnecessarily.

Ketal, meanwhile, enthusiastically praised his companions. “Cassan was outstanding, disarming traps and even unlocking a treasure chest. Alexandros held the front line as a reliable warrior. Hayes supported us with her prayers, aiding in every battle.”

“I see,” the commander said, surprised by Ketal’s glowing review. After some deliberation, he made his decision. “Permission granted. But if you cause trouble, you will be banished from the estate. Be careful.”

“Understood,” they replied.

The commander handed them a pouch. “Here’s the reward for clearing the Dungeon. Distribute it among yourselves.”

Though it was common for guards to claim the rewards for themselves, the commander decided against it this time.

“Thank you,” Ketal said, taking the pouch. “Let’s divide this fairly among us.”

“What?” Cassan asked, startled.

“No, it’s fine!” Hayes interjected, alarmed.

But Ketal shook his head. “We’re a party. We share the rewards equally. Do not refuse.”

“Understood...,” they mumbled reluctantly.

“Now, how about we celebrate? Let’s find a tavern nearby and have a drink!” Ketal suggested with a wide grin.

“What?” Cassan and the others exclaimed, but Ketal’s cheerful demeanor left no room for refusal. They were promptly dragged along, their protests muted by his enthusiasm.

Watching them leave, the guard commander sighed. “A barbarian capable of defeating a Skeleton Knight in one blow...”

Such strength was monstrous, likely at least on par with a knight. Yet, Ketal wasn’t an ordinary barbarian. He was polite, considerate, and intelligent—a true anomaly.

“The legendary barbarian...,” the guard commander muttered. After some thought, he made a decision. He ordered his men, “Strengthen the watch.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied as the commander walked away, heading toward the lord’s castle.