"An underground dungeon?"
Why would something like that be under a temple?
[This cavity was originally created to seal and store one of my nine most dangerous relics.]
"Ah!"
Iris made a gesture as if understanding the World Tree's explanation.
"So that's why it was so difficult to grasp the magic circle within the barrier?"
[Indeed, child. This barrier does not welcome the visit of those without the royal insignia, nor does it permit their departure.]
The magic circle surrounding the underground cavity separates space, preventing those without the royal insignia from entering or leaving.
There are no fatal restrictions imposed on the interior itself. Only the restriction that one cannot leave.
"But… calling it a dungeon feels unsettling. There's nothing strange down there, right…?"
Come on, surely not.
[Monsters will block the path leading to the depths. And my avatar, asleep to protect the relic, will awaken the moment you enter the dungeon.]
"…Just asking, what are the chances of a 2nd Circle mage returning with all their limbs intact?"
[About the same as that child eating meat.]
For reference, Iris is a vegetarian.
"Iris, can elves not eat meat?"
"Yes, I can't eat meat due to my constitution."
If it were just a preference for vegetarianism, there might have been a sliver of possibility, but the peculiarities of her race eliminated any chance.
So, with my current skills, there's no way I can clear that dungeon safely.
Furthermore, Iris is unable to exert her full strength due to her restraints. In effect, I had to take on the majority of the strategy.
Of course, if I took a long time and continued to grow in various ways, alternating between Earth and this world, it might be possible someday.
But when would that be?
5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
The avatar guarding the divine relic would be at least equal to Iris in her prime, wouldn't it? At the very least, just below that.
7th Circle, huh.
Of course, I created a mana circle in half a day with the app's ability and reached the 2nd Circle in a week, but the 7th Circle was so far and high that I wasn't even allowed to look at it.
The number of 7th Circle mages on Earth is only 10.
How much time would I have to pour in to reach that level?
The thought alone made the future seem bleak.
Then, there was a warmth gently enveloping my hand.
"Hyunwoo, don't worry too much."
Iris held my hand tenderly and leaned against my shoulder.
"You don't have to be so impatient. I'll find a way to help you too."
"…"
"So, let's work together?"
I hugged Iris without saying anything.
"Thank you."
I felt like I could enter the underground dungeon alone now.
"And I'm planning to research how to remove the restraints, so if it works out, you might not even have to enter the dungeon."
"That's a bit…"
Passing the work onto a woman and just waiting in a safe place is something I, as a man, can't allow.
I'd rather die in the dungeon.
I can't even imagine thinking that way.
[Child, I apologize for interrupting your conversation, but only Kang Hyunwoo can enter the dungeon.]
"What?!"
Iris looked at the World Tree in surprise, her eyes filled with undisguised questions.
"W-Why, Mother…? If Hyunwoo goes into the dungeon alone…!"
[Because it is for his sake.]
The World Tree's following answer surprised us.
I thought she was a daughter-fool who didn't want to send her precious daughter to a dangerous dungeon, but the selection was for me?
"For my sake? What does that mean?"
[When do you think a mage grows?]
It was a simple question.
"When they study magic and acquire new knowledge, isn't it?"
Knights grow through physical training and aura cultivation, but it was common sense that mages grow through acquiring new knowledge or research.
[Isn't that only common sense when you dream of becoming a scholar?]
"…Ah."
[Whether it's a knight or a mage, they grow by navigating deadly situations, undergoing countless battles and using that experience as a foundation. I believe that you're aiming to be a mage highly specialized in practical combat.]
That was correct.
Sitting in a room and just studying magic wasn't my style.
[Kang Hyunwoo, head to the dungeon alone. Of course, with your current skills, you'll barely manage the first floor, but even so, the dangerous combat will help you grow quickly.]
"1st floor…"
The World Tree's opinion was absolute.
I was overwhelmed with the thought that I should head to the dungeon right away.
Tight-
"Hyunwoo, no…"
Iris grabbed my sleeve, her face full of worry.
"It's too dangerous. Hyunwoo, you don't yet know the special nature of a dungeon…"
"Do you trust me?"
"…"
The moment I met Iris's eyes, I was more serious than ever.
It wasn't that I didn't understand her worries. I, too, want to spend all day holding Iris.
Laughing at silly jokes and enjoying ourselves while eating snacks from Earth would be a happy enough event to die satisfied with.
But if I run away from reality like that, nothing will start.
[Remaining matching time: 11:32:47]
There were 11 hours left.
It seems that the time limit has increased along with Iris's affinity level.
It's a lot if you think about it, but it's not even a day.
"Like I said before, no matter what, I'm going to get you out of here."
I smiled lightly and stroked Iris's hair.
"Do you know what the characteristic of our people is?"
"…I don't know."
I started walking towards the stairs leading down to the dungeon.
A heavy, cold wind was blowing from the bottom of the spiral staircase.
Perhaps due to the nature of the dungeon, I felt the weighty presence of ominous magic.
"Everything fast, fast."
[Assistant Monocle is equipped]
[The flow of mana begins to be visible]
[Magic Ring is equipped]
[The power of magic is slightly increased]
[Wooden Wand]
[Casting time is slightly reduced, and the power of magic is slightly increased]
"Iris, I'll get you out of here as soon as possible too."
I went down into the dungeon.
***
[You have entered the Underground Labyrinth of Pelledia]
The stairs continued endlessly.
I seemed to have stepped down at least 500 steps, but there was still no place that could be called the 1st floor.
As that time went on, the tension increased.
In a situation where monsters could appear at any moment, there was always a blind spot in my vision.
It was because the structure of the way down was a spiral staircase.
Perhaps because of that, my senses became sharper than ever, and mana seethed fiercely as if it would manifest magic at any moment.
How much time had passed?
"This is the door to the 1st floor…"
I was able to arrive in front of a stone gate engraved with a golden tree.
Now, if I opened this door, I would be stepping into a dungeon teeming with monsters and traps.
"Hoo…"
It would be a lie to say that I wasn't nervous.
But the more I thought about Iris, the more I steeled my resolve.
I have a duty.
A duty for receiving the love of a woman too good for me, named Iris.
The duty to give Iris the chance to escape from this horrible prison, and to take revenge on Resilia and those behind her who have smeared her name and locked her up here for 200 years.
Creak-
I pushed the seemingly heavy stone gate with all my might.
Contrary to my expectations, the door opened easily.
The moment I opened the door and took my first step into the dungeon, torches lit up in order in the dark space, revealing an endless passage.
It was similar to the structure of a dungeon that often appears in games.
"I'm glad I brought my notebook and pen."
The most important thing in a dungeon that appears in creations was mapping. And this applies in reality.
Low-level hunters apparently bring mapping tools with them when they enter the gate. Rich guys carry magic tools that automatically map, but with my current bank balance, that's out of the question.
"The passage is wider than I thought."
Six adult men could walk side by side.
And the height seems to be 5M.
It didn't seem too narrow to fight while flying magic or swinging a sword.
Of course, if you ask if this is a good sign, I can definitely say no.
"There's no way they would have built this for the people entering the dungeon."
In all likelihood, it was right to assume that there was a monster the size of this passage.
The thought alone seemed to make me sweat, but I tried not to be aware of it as much as possible.
I had to avoid getting caught up in negative thoughts as much as possible.
I walked for a long time after that.
Surprisingly, no monsters appeared. But if you ask if that made me comfortable, that's not it either.
The World Tree said that there were traps inside the dungeon.
For reference, I don't know what a trap looks like or how it works. Because of that, I had to pay attention to every step I took.
Thanks to that, fatigue was building up quickly.
I was sweating like rain even though I hadn't been in battle yet.
'Hoo, if I had a lot of mana, I would have kept using Barrier while walking.'
It would have been convenient, but it was impossible right now.
I had no choice but to quench my thirst with water and manage my stamina by eating lightly and taking a rest.
How much time had passed?
Finally, the straight course passed, and the road divided into two in the distance.
"Where do I go?"
In fact, I might have to go to both sides.
But for now, I wanted to avoid the most dangerous path as much as possible.
'I definitely saw how veteran hunters use this method in the community when something like this happens…'
Thump.
"?!"
Just before the intersection, I felt a presence on the right side.
It was a clear footstep, no, a footprint that I couldn't call a mistake.
"…That's fucked up."
After that, what appeared in the strangely dark passage was a bipedal, muscular dog.
Ggrrrrrrrrrr!!!
I got goosebumps at his roar.
Mana began to roil from an undeniable survival instinct.
Reflexively biting down, I raised the wooden wand in my right hand.
It was the first monster I encountered in the dungeon.