Chapter 37. The Reason Wings Rot in the Cave (5)

If I could meet my master in twenty years and gained the ability to protect her again, then nothing else really mattered.

"If I die in this dungeon, do I become like them?" Rena asked, pointing to the other clattering skeletons.

"Some people do. I'm not sure exactly."

At that moment, the alarm sounded again, indicating an adventurer had invaded. It was a genuine adventurer, entering without Rena's lure, something that hadn't happened in a long time. We were unfortunately in the hall. I heard the sound of several skeletons breaking.

I walked toward the entrance and encountered the adventurer. He was alone, and he was very large. He seemed strong enough to enter a dungeon like this.

"

Ha

, a skeleton wearing such ridiculous armor..."

However, he wasn't strong enough to be worth speaking to. Before he could swing his axe, I spun around and severed his neck with my bastard sword. I had killed his kind countless times before. I was tired of it and had had enough.

Thud!

The severed head rolled on the floor.

Ding!

[Dungeon Affinity has increased by 0.35%!]

[14.57/100%]

[Experience increased by 391.]

[Level Up!]

[Please distribute the points: 1]

Is it time to level up? Status window.

[Name: None

Skeleton Soldier Lv. 14 (70)

Health: 33

Strength: 40

Agility: 39

Wisdom: 11]

[Remaining Points: 1]

I allocated one point to Health. Feeling a refreshing sensation spread throughout my body, I picked up the axe the adventurer had dropped.

[Acquired: Battle Axe!]

Hmm

.

The quality of the battle was decent. I held the blade of the axe between my thumb and forefinger, sliding them along the curve. It felt sharp, which was good enough. The blade was well-honed, and the back was thick, giving it a good weight. I felt like it could cut through anything with a single strike.

Not bad.

However, something had been bothering me lately. The more I stayed in the dungeon and continued slaughtering, the more I felt like I was floating. My head felt foggy, and I was strangely comfortable. I couldn't understand why I felt this way.

Several days passed. Then weeks went by. I repeated similar tasks. The subtle floating sensation that I felt a while ago grew stronger.

While I was pondering over what this could be, Rena spoke to me. "I'll be out for a while this time. I'll be back in about a week! I have some things to prepare before we leave this place."

Rattle.

I nodded. "Do as you wish."

I was left alone in the dungeon again.

***

Several more days passed. No intruders came. The cloudy feeling in my mind and the relaxing sensation grew stronger with time. While I was lingering near the entrance, I felt compelled to venture deeper into the dungeon because I wanted to. I thought there was no point in swinging my sword or axe anymore.

As I walked deeper inside, I saw the skeletons wandering slowly and I approached them. I moved at the same slow pace as they did, walking around.

Clatter, clatter.

Thud, thud, thud.

I matched their rhythm. My head felt foggy, and I felt comfortable. I wanted to forget everything and simply wander around the dungeon. I aimlessly clattered about, leaned against walls, or lay on the floor, gnashing my teeth. It felt strangely comforting.

Ding!

[Your Dungeon Affinity has exceeded 20.]

[The dungeon is trying to consume you.]

[Rolling dice...]

[Wisdom: 11]

[You failed the resistance roll.]

[You have succumbed to the nature of a Skeleton Soldier.]

What... is this?

My consciousness grew hazy. Then, I heard a dinging sound. It seemed like... a dungeon alarm.

[Dungeon message: An intruder has entered!]

[An adventurer has entered.]

[Number: 1]

It was one person. Enduring the foggy, dazed feeling a little, I walked toward the dungeon entrance. It was Rena. She was carrying a massive backpack on her back. It looked like it was filled with something heavy, weighing down her shoulders.

I wondered what was in that backpack, but I wasn't curious enough to ask.

I slowly moved my jaw and asked, “Alone this time?"

She hadn't brought any adventurers.

"Yes, it seems like it's time to leave soon,” Rena said seriously.

She seemed quite excited, but when I didn't react, she checked my expression. She looked a little disappointed. She wanted attention, but I wasn't very interested in her.

"

Hmm...

" I was reluctant. I wanted to stay here longer. "Why don't we stay just a bit longer?"

My demeanor made Rena's expression change. Her face, which had remained unflinching even while killing dozens of men, contorted a little, as if dealing with an unexpected problem.

"

Uh, uh

..." She seemed flustered. "You really won't go? It's dangerous. Humans will invade in large numbers."

I replied, "Yeah. I won't go."

The words came out naturally. I wanted to stay in the dungeon longer. It felt as if I was wrapped in cobwebs. Each bone seemed to have decided on its own to remain in this dungeon.

A confused Rena tilted her head and asked, "How long will you stay?"

"I'm not sure."

"Oh... I really want to go with you. I'll wait for just one more day."

"

Hmm

."

She crouched near the entrance of the dungeon. With a slightly tired expression, she looked at me, weary and anxious. But her expression didn't bother me much. I was a little concerned, but I simply wanted to stay inside this dungeon. Everything else was a secondary issue.

Still, Rena waited for me. When a full day passed, I still hadn't left. Rena, too, had not left me.

Why isn't she leaving?

Until I met my master, no one had ever waited for me. No one had spent their time watching over me. The adventurers and heroes who stormed in and trampled me, and even the Demon King's army that forcibly enlisted me ten years later had never waited for me in any way.

They threw me into the front lines, discarded me when I was broken, never gave me time to grow stronger, and never took care of me. For someone to make time for me...

This was a novel, gentle, and warm situation, far from boredom. But I continued to neglect her. I continued to make her wait. In any case, I intended to remain in this dungeon.

***

Another day passed. Rena asked again, "Are you really not going?"

"I have something to check..."

"What do you need to check?"

"

Hmm...

"

I wasn't sure. I just wanted to stay here. I wanted to hide here and make clattering noises.

***

Rena waited for another day. At first, she had brought an enormous backpack, almost as big as her body, but as she went in and out of the dungeon over the past three days, the size of the backpack decreased significantly day by day.

I wondered if the backpack had been filled with provisions. However, I wasn't curious enough to ask about the backpack.

Today, after going outside once more, she urged me again. "I'm really leaving now. What about our plan?"

She complained, asking me to hurry up and go. Her complaints were quite reasonable, but I still didn't want to move.

At that moment, a message appeared.

Ding!

[An intruder has entered.]

[Number: 40 or more]

Even without the alarm, I immediately knew many intruders had entered. A loud noise was coming from the dungeon entrance. The sound of them marching in resonated throughout the place.

"

Oh...

" Rena sighed. "It's finally over."

She let out a deep breath. Only then did I feel like I was regaining some clarity. The daze that had clouded my mind began to lift slightly. Even thinking through the fogginess, I knew this was dangerous.

There were more than forty intruders. Even if we assumed that all of them were F-grade adventurers, that was a dangerous number. As the enemies approached the door, my foggy mind began to clear little by little. My vision was still a bit blurred.

The light, disconnected feeling of hiding alone in the dungeon, wanting to avoid the dizzying outside world, avoiding the sunlight and hiding from human blades, and living in concealment still enveloped me.

However, with the claws of the world now inside the dungeon, I had no choice but to open my eyes. I knew this day would come. It would be a lie to say I didn't know. There were enough signs. All crises made themselves known and always gave a warning. And yet, I just kept my eyes closed. I wanted to stay tucked away in this hole.

Why... did I do that?

The question came belatedly.

The outcome was obvious, so why did I bury my head inside?

I couldn't understand.

Is this related to the dungeon?

I thought I had regained my senses, but I still wouldn't move properly. It felt like something deep in the dungeon was still pulling me in. Thinking about going outside felt difficult. I was scared.

As I remained still, Rena grabbed me and shook me.

Rattle! Rattle!

"Look at this! What is it? You acted like you wanted to do something serious, like you had big dreams, so why are you like this now? It's over. Aren't you awake yet?"

I looked at her calmly.

What was I trying to do? Lady Succubus. Rubia. Revenge. Ember. The Tower of Azure.

Even those thoughts were clear in my memory but seemed to be coated over with a thin layer, not reaching me vividly. I looked straight at Rena. In contrast to me, her eyes were lively. She was alive. Somewhere in my head, I felt a spinning dizziness.

Clatter.

I started to come to my senses.

"I should... get out, right?"

"Do you think you can?"

"I have to try."

"

Sigh...

" Rena sighed and shook her head.

***

At the front, the first line, there were those carrying shields. They held short one-handed weapons suitable for their shields. These were maces, perfect for smashing the skeletons that lived in this dungeon.

I saw the man with the iron flail who had come with Rena and the silver-haired woman she killed. The man who wielded the iron greataxe came to mind. A dozen of such men advanced in formation. If there were only three or four, I might have had a chance, but I was not confident in breaking through that number.

There wasn't much I could do.

Thump! Thump!

Past the graffiti that read ”Trespassing: Death Penalty,” the invaders' ranks pounded the floor as they approached.

Clatter!

The skeletons rose. They walked toward the human invaders thoughtlessly and swung their swords with what strength they had.

Clang! Clang!

Not a single hit landed. The dense shields easily blocked the skeletons' attacks.

Clang!

The dull clatter of metal echoed weakly inside the dungeon. Their attacks were foolish. Even if I wanted to coordinate a flanking maneuver, the skeletons in the dungeon would not follow my lead. They just walked blindly toward the intruders and swung their swords.