The Infernal Salamander stared at Maira for several more seconds. Then it slowly lifted its head.
"...Did..."
"...did I pass?"
The ancient beast gave a low rumble.
GRRRRRRMMMM...
The sound reverberated through the entire mountain, Maira instinctively covered her ears.
"What did it say?"
Arcanis' pages fluttered.
"...I believe, it approved of you."
"What?"
"It didn't acknowledge your strength, it acknowledged your courage."
"My courage?"
"You entered the territory of a creature far beyond your level, yet you never once abandoned your will to survive."
Maira scratched her cheek.
"I was mostly panicking."
"Courage is not the absence of fear, it's moving despite it."
"...That's surprisingly profound coming from a book."
"I've had centuries to think."
The Salamander suddenly turned around, its massive tail swept across the cavern floor.
RUMBLE...
The ground trembled, then it slowly walked deeper into the cave.
"...It's leaving?"
"No, it's inviting us."
"That's somehow even scarier."
"You wanted shelter."
"I wanted an empty shelter."
"You should've specified."
"..."
"I hate how technically correct you are."
With cautious steps Maira followed, the deeper they ventured, the stranger the cavern became, the oppressive volcanic heat gradually faded. Instead, the walls began glowing with veins of crimson crystal. Pools of molten lava flowed beneath natural stone bridges, ancient runes had been carved directly into the obsidian walls.
"...Someone built this?"
Arcanis examined the runes.
"No."
"The Salamander did."
Maira blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
"Ancient Calamity Beasts are far more intelligent than humans give them credit for, they shape their territories, preserve history, remember."
"So...it's basically living in its own house?"
"You could say that."
"That's... oddly wholesome."
The Salamander stopped before an enormous chamber. At its center stood a colossal stone pillar wrapped in thick, glowing crimson roots, embedded within the pillar was a crystal nearly ten meters tall. Its light pulsed rhythmically like a heartbeat, Maira immediately felt an overwhelming pressure.
"...What is that?"
Arcanis' tone became unusually serious.
"...Mana Crystal? No..."
He corrected himself.
"A Primordial Mana Heart, the heart of this floor."
Maira's eyes widened.
"So this entire volcanic floor is sustained by that crystal."
"Exactly, the lava, monsters, the mana density everything originates from it."
The Salamander slowly walked to the crystal and rested beside it, only then did Maira notice the beast's body was covered in scars.
Some were so ancient they had crystallized.
"...Arcanis."
"...Yes?"
"Those wounds, they're old."
"Very old."
"Someone fought this thing?"
Arcanis remained silent for a long moment.
"...Many did. Treasure seekers, Kings, Heroes they all sought the Primordial Mana Heart but they all failed."
Maira quietly looked at the giant beast.
"...So...it's been protecting this place all this time."
"Since long before the current kingdoms existed."
The Salamander slowly closed its glowing eyes. It wasn't sleeping, it was simply resting.
For the first time since entering the cave Maira no longer felt threatened, she smiled softly.
"You know, I think I judged it too quickly."
Arcanis chuckled.
"Most people do, they see a monster."
"I see..."
Maira looked at the ancient guardian.
"...an old protector."
Suddenly, the Salamander opened one eye.
It lifted a massive claw and pointed toward a narrow tunnel branching away from the chamber. Then it looked back at Maira.
"...Is it giving us directions?"
Arcanis laughed.
"It appears so."
"To where?"
The grimoire's pages flipped as if searching through forgotten memories.
"There should be an ancient forge beyond that passage."
"A forge?"
"One built by the civilization that existed before the current races."
Maira's curiosity replaced her fear.
"What would still be inside after all this time?"
Arcanis' cover glowed faintly.
"If the forge remains untouched then you may find the first true treasure of the World-Class Dungeon."
The Salamander gave one final approving rumble, as though encouraging her to go.
Maira took a deep breath.
"...Alright."
She looked toward the ancient tunnel.
"Let's see what this dungeon has been hiding for thousands of years."
Meanwhile
Back inside the Adventurers' Guild, Zelkris closed the door to his office with a weary sigh.
"...Finally."
He dropped into his chair, the stack of reports waiting for him looked just as intimidating as before.
"Let's see..."
He picked up the top document.
"Request for reconstruction funds after a wyvern attack..."
Approved.
The next one.
"Border dispute between the Kingdom of Draxia and the Kingdom of Alveron. Handle through diplomacy."
Stamp.
Next.
"A newly discovered B-rank dungeon. Send an A-rank party."
Stamp.
For the first time that day...
Peace.
...
Knock.
Knock.
"My Lord."
"Come in."
Kaleb entered, followed by Terry, Natalia, Saria and Asura. Their expressions were unusually serious, Zelkris immediately noticed.
"You met her."
Kaleb nodded.
"We did."
"So she found you before she found me."
"Yes."
Zelkris leaned back.
"Tell me everything."
Kaleb recounted the entire encounter. How she had crashed in front of them, how Asura's appraisal had failed, how Terry had been sent flying with a single finger, how Saria's assassination techniques were effortlessly dismantled, how Natalia had struggled to keep everyone alive, how even Grand Combustion had failed to leave so much as a scratch and finally Kaleb repeated every word Ignivar had told him about fire.
The office fell silent.
Zelkris closed his eyes.
"...That sounds like her."
Kaleb looked surprised.
"You know about that?"
"I do."
"She wasn't mocking you, she was teaching you."
Kaleb frowned.
"But...she's a Dungeon Lord."
"So?"
"So why would she help me?"
Zelkris smiled faintly.
"Because Ignivar loves fighting, but more than that she loves watching people become stronger. If she sees potential she'll point you in the right direction. Not because she's kind but because stronger opponents make future fights more entertaining."
Kaleb couldn't help but chuckle.
"That... actually sounds like her."
"It is."
Zelkris stood and walked toward the window.
"You all fought well."
Every member of the party looked surprised.
"Even though none of us landed a single hit?"
Terry asked.
"No, you survived."
"They're not the same thing."
He looked outside at the city.
"You fought one of the Five Dungeon Lords and every single one of you came back alive. Do you know how many people throughout history can claim that?"
Silence answered him.
"Very few."
Natalia lowered her head.
"...Just how strong are they?"
Zelkris remained quiet for several moments, then he answered.
"The gap between an S-rank adventurer and a Dungeon Lord is larger than the gap between an ordinary human and an S-rank adventurer."
Everyone's eyes widened, Asura swallowed hard.
"So...we never stood a chance."
"No, you didn't."
Saria folded her arms.
"Then why didn't she kill us?"
"Because she wasn't there to kill you, she was just looking for me."
Kaleb suddenly remembered something.
"Speaking of that she came here to challenge you."
Zelkris sighed.
"She did."
"So? did you fight?"
"No."
Terry looked relieved.
"Thank goodness."
"The last time we fought..."
Zelkris said casually.
"...an entire continent disappeared."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Nobody laughed, Kaleb slowly blinked.
"...You're joking."
"I'm not."
Natalia looked horrified.
"Wait so the story about the Lost Continents was real?"
"It was."
"The Grand Master nearly killed both of us afterward."
Terry slowly sat down.
"I...thought that was just a legend, that explains why the ocean is so big."
"So did I."
Asura muttered, Saria rubbed her forehead.
"...Our world's history is terrifying."
Before anyone could speak again a sudden knock echoed through the office.
"My Lord!"
A guild employee rushed inside.
"We've received an emergency report!"
"What is it?"
The adventurer swallowed.
"A village near the eastern frontier has completely disappeared overnight."
The room instantly became silent.
"Disappeared?"
Kaleb asked.
"No rubble, no signs of battle, no survivors nothing, as though..."
The adventurer's voice trembled.
"...the entire village simply ceased to exist."
Zelkris' expression hardened, for the first time that day, the relaxed smile on his face vanished.
"...Where?"
"The eastern forests, the report also mentions strange bite marks on several trees."
Kaleb's eyes widened.
"The Adze..."
Zelkris slowly nodded.
"...So it's finally made its move."
He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.
"Kaleb, gather your party, this isn't a normal extermination mission."
He paused, his golden eyes becoming sharp.
"Today, we hunt a Legendary Beast."
Meanwhile
Maira tilted her head as a realization suddenly struck her.
"...Hold on."
Arcanis looked over.
"Yes, Master?"
"So wait..."
She pointed at the Infernal Salamander, who was now peacefully resting beside the Primordial Mana Heart.
"While I'm at it...i'm technically clearing this floor on default."
Arcanis blinked.
"...Explain."
"Think about it."
She began counting on her fingers.
"I entered this floor, i survived, i found shelter, the strongest monster here doesn't want to kill me and now it's literally showing us where to go."
She looked back at the Salamander.
"...Isn't it basically escorting us to the exit?"
Arcanis was silent for a moment.
"...When you put it that way, yes."
Maira couldn't help but grin.
"So I somehow skipped the hardest part? In a manner of speaking that's awesome!"
Arcanis quickly raised a page.
"Don't celebrate just yet."
"Why?"
"The Floor Boss still exists."
Maira's smile froze.
"...There's a boss too?"
"Naturally."
"I thought this giant salamander was the boss!"
"It isn't, it merely lives here."
She slowly looked between the resting Salamander and Arcanis.
"So...the thing that scared me half to death isn't even the boss?"
"No."
Maira covered her face with both hands.
"I hate this dungeon."
"The Floor Boss is responsible for opening the path to the next randomized floor, the Salamander simply chose not to eat you which, in hindsight, is a tremendous achievement."
"I'll take the compliment."
Arcanis chuckled.
"Besides if my theory is correct, the Salamander may have just given us something even more valuable than an easy battle."
"Oh?"
"It knows this floor better than anything else, it likely knows where the Floor Boss resides."
Maira's eyes lit up.
"So it's actually helping us clear the floor."
"Exactly."
She smiled at the ancient beast.
"Thanks, big guy."
The Infernal Salamander opened one eye and gave a low, satisfied rumble before closing it again. Arcanis laughed softly.
"It seems you've made quite an unusual ally."
Maira nodded.
"Who would've thought? The first friend I make in a volcanic hellscape would be a giant Disaster-Class salamander."
"And considering your luck so far," Arcanis teased, "that's probably the most normal thing that's happened to you since entering the World-Class Dungeon."
"...You know..."
Maira sighed dramatically.
"When you say it like that i can't even argue."
The Infernal Salamander let out one last deep rumble before lowering its massive head beside the Primordial Mana Heart.
It closed its eyes, the message was clear.
"Go."
Maira smiled softly before giving the ancient guardian a small bow.
"Thanks... for not eating me."
The Salamander's tail lazily flicked once against the stone floor, Arcanis chuckled.
"I believe that's the closest you'll get to a farewell."
"I'll take it."
Together, they stepped into the narrow tunnel the beast had pointed toward. Unlike the rest of the volcanic floor, the passage was eerily quiet.
No lava.
No oppressive heat.
Only the rhythmic glow of crimson crystals embedded in the walls, their footsteps echoed through the corridor. Maira glanced around cautiously.
"...It's almost too quiet."
"Which means we're either very lucky..."
Arcanis replied.
"...or something much worse is waiting."
"You really know how to ruin the mood."
"It's a gift."
She sighed.
"...A terrible one."
After several minutes of walking, the tunnel widened into an enormous underground chamber. Maira stopped.
"...Whoa."
The room was unlike anything she had seen before. Towering stone pillars reached into darkness above, ancient anvils, broken furnaces and rusted weapon racks lay scattered throughout the chamber. Gigantic gears were embedded in the walls, frozen in place after thousands of years, at the center stood a forge unlike any ordinary blacksmith's workshop. Its furnace still burned, blue flames danced silently within it despite the countless centuries that had passed.
"...It's still lit..."
Maira whispered, Arcanis floated forward.
"I don't believe it..."
"What?"
"This...is one of the Original Forges."
"The Original Forge?"
"Long before modern kingdoms existed, there was a civilization capable of creating artifacts that today's blacksmiths can only dream of."
Maira slowly walked toward the forge, everything was covered in dust, everything except the furnace. Its flames burned as brightly as the day they had been lit, she reached out instinctively.
"Don't touch it."
Arcanis' warning came immediately. She froze.
"...Why?"
"Those flames aren't ordinary fire, they're Eternal Flames that burn forever, they cannot be extinguished. They don't consume wood they consume mana."
Maira quickly withdrew her hand.
"Good thing you warned me."
"You would've lost enough mana to collapse."
"...Noted."
As they explored further, Maira noticed a stone pedestal tucked away in one corner.
Unlike everything else it was spotless, resting upon it was a single object wrapped in faded crimson cloth.
"...Arcanis."
"I see it."
"Should I open it?"
He remained quiet for several seconds.
"...Go ahead."
Carefully Maira unfolded the ancient cloth, inside rested a hammer. It wasn't particularly large nor was it decorated with jewels, its head was forged from a pitch-black metal that seemed to absorb the surrounding light.
Veins of crimson flowed through it like molten lava trapped beneath its surface, the wooden handle felt warm, almost alive. The moment Maira wrapped her fingers around it—
WHOOM!
The forge erupted, blue flames shot toward the ceiling. Ancient runes all across the chamber began glowing one after another, the entire forge awakened and Maira nearly dropped the hammer.
"W-What's happening?!"
Arcanis' pages flipped wildly.
"...Incredible..."
"What?!"
"It recognized you."
"I didn't do anything!"
"You touched it and the forge accepted your presence."
The blue flames gathered above the ancient anvil. Slowly letters formed from fire itself.
SUCCESSOR DETECTED
AUTHORIZATION... ACCEPTED
WELCOME... BLACKSMITH.
Maira blinked repeatedly.
"...Blacksmith?"
She looked down at herself.
"...I have never forged anything in my life."
Arcanis laughed.
"It appears that the forge disagrees."
Before either of them could react further a heavy metallic clang echoed through the chamber.
CLANG!
Then another.
CLANG!
The sound wasn't coming from the forge, it was coming from somewhere deeper inside.
Something was moving, Arcanis' voice became serious once more.
"...Master, we're not alone."
From the darkness beyond the forge, two bright blue lights slowly flickered open like eyes awakening after thousands of years.
Then a deep mechanical voice echoed through the ancient hall.
"Unauthorized awakening detected, beginning successor examination."
The metallic footsteps echoed once more.
CLANG...
CLANG...
Each step was slow, heavy and deliberate, the entire forge vibrated with every impact.
Maira instinctively tightened her grip on the strange black hammer.
"...Arcanis."
"Yes, Master?"
"I'm starting to think touching random ancient relics wasn't my brightest idea."
"...A reasonable conclusion."
The pair of glowing blue eyes drew closer.
Then a towering figure emerged from the darkness, it stood nearly four meters tall, its body was forged entirely from an unfamiliar black metal veined with molten crimson, the same material as the hammer in Maira's hands.
Ancient runes glowed across its armor. One arm ended in a gigantic war hammer while the other had transformed into a broad forge shield covered in intricate engravings. Its head resembled an old knight's helmet, except no face lay beneath it only two brilliant blue lights.
Ancient Forge Guardian
Aegis Automaton
Rank: High A
Role: Successor Examiner
Abilities
Living Metal Body
Mana Core Reactor
Adaptive Combat
Weapon Replication
Heavy Impact
Absolute Stability
Unique Skill: Forge Analysis
Instantly analyzes the opponent's fighting style and adapts accordingly.
The automaton stopped a few meters away, its glowing eyes fixed themselves on Maira then its mechanical voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"Candidate identified, current combat capability..."
Its eyes flashed.
"...Insufficient."
Maira frowned.
"...Rude."
"Physical capability...Insufficient."
"...Excuse me?"
"Mana reserves...Insufficient."
Maira looked at Arcanis.
"...Is it insulting me?"
"I believe it's simply being honest."
"...I hate honest people."
Arcanis laughed.
"So do many others."
The guardian continued.
"However..."
Its gaze shifted toward the black hammer in her hand.
"Authorization accepted, commencing Successor Trial."
A magic circle expanded beneath Maira's feet, she immediately jumped back.
"What now?!"
Arcanis quickly explained.
"This isn't a fight to the death, it's an examination."
"What kind of examination?"
"The forge chooses whether you're worthy of inheriting its knowledge."
"...By beating me up?"
"It was built by dwarves."
"...Fair enough."
The guardian slowly raised its massive hammer, the blue flames inside the forge suddenly intensified, the room became illuminated by countless glowing runes.
Then, to Maira's surprise the automaton drove its hammer into the ground.
BOOM!
A second hammer slowly rose from the stone floor. It floated toward Maira before gently landing at her feet, she blinked.
"...Another hammer?"
Arcanis examined it.
"It's a training hammer, no enchantments, no hidden abilities, no advantages."
"So, it's leveling the playing field."
The automaton spoke once more.
"The First Principle of Creation,a blacksmith who cannot understand a tool has no right to create one."
Maira slowly picked up the training hammer, it was surprisingly heavy, much heavier than her daggers that she nearly lost her balance.
"...How does anyone fight with this thing?"
"By not fighting."
She looked at Arcanis.
"That sentence made absolutely no sense."
"It will soon."
The guardian assumed its stance.
Not aggressive.
Not murderous.
Patient.
Waiting.
Almost...
Like a teacher waiting for a student to make the first move. Arcanis floated beside her.
"Master."
"Yes?"
"Don't think of this as defeating your opponent, think of it as understanding him."
She looked between the guardian and the hammer in her hands.
"...You know..."
She smiled nervously.
"I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."
Arcanis chuckled.
"Neither did I when I first created magic."
Maira looked at him in surprise.
"You?"
"I made countless mistakes. I failed, nearly died many times."
He smiled warmly.
"But every failure became another lesson."
He looked toward the ancient guardian.
"So don't fear losing, fear learning nothing."
Maira took a deep breath, she adjusted her grip on the hammer.
"...Alright."
The fear in her eyes slowly faded.
"...Teach me."
The guardian's blue eyes brightened, for the first time since awakening it nodded.
"Successor Candidate, lesson One..."
The hammer in its hand slowly rose.
"...Begins."
Meanwhile.
Zelkris threw on his black coat as he strode through the guild's halls. His calm demeanor had completely vanished.
"Sound the emergency bell."
The guild receptionist froze.
"M-My Lord?"
"I said..."
His voice became firm.
"Sound. The. Bell."
"...Yes, sir!"
Moments later...
BOOOOOOOONG!
A deep metallic bell echoed throughout Draxia.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The entire city came to a standstill. Merchants looked toward the Adventurers' Guild, citizens stopped what they were doing, veteran adventurers' expressions immediately turned grim.
"...Three bells?"
"No way..."
"That's Disaster-Class."
"It hasn't rung in decades."
Within minutes, adventurers poured into the Guild from every direction, the guild's enormous assembly hall quickly became packed. Hundreds of adventurers stood shoulder to shoulder.
Ranks B through S.
Veterans.
Mages.
Knights.
Rangers.
Assassins.
Healers.
Summoners.
Every elite party stationed in Draxia had answered the call, Kaleb's party stood at the very front. Nearby stood several renowned adventuring parties.
The Iron Vanguard
A legendary A-rank defensive party known for defending cities against monster stampedes. Their captain, Magnus Ironwall, carried a massive warhammer that looked heavy enough to crush buildings.
Beside him stood:
Freya — Earth Mage
Borin — Dwarf Shield Knight
Lena — Wind Archer
Father Orion — Holy Priest
Silver Tempest
An S-rank high-speed strike team specialized in hunting dragons and flying monsters.
Captain:
Lyra Stormwind
A woman with silver-blue hair carrying two elegant swords.
Her teammates:
Gale — Wind Spearman
Rex — Lightning Duelist
Mira — Ice Mage
Noah — Support Enchanter
Night Ravens
An elite reconnaissance party.
Experts at information gathering and assassination.
Captain:
Kuro
An assassin whose face was almost permanently hidden beneath a dark hood.
His teammates barely made a sound.
Emerald Bloom
An A-rank support-focused party.
Famous for keeping entire armies alive, their leader, Seraphine, gave Natalia a respectful nod, Natalia returned it.
Within twenty minutes nearly every elite adventurer in Draxia had assembled.
Silence filled the enormous hall, the doors opened.
Clack...
Clack...
Zelkris walked to the center of the room, everyone immediately stood straight, no one spoke. He looked across the sea of adventurers.
"Thank you all for responding so quickly."
His voice echoed through the hall.
"An hour ago, a village disappeared."
Murmurs spread instantly.
"There were no survivors."
"No signs of battle."
"No remains."
"No mana residue."
"The only evidence left behind..."
He held up a report.
"...were strange bite marks found on nearby trees."
The murmuring stopped, Kaleb lowered his head.
"The Adze..."
Zelkris nodded.
"Correct."
Several adventurers inhaled sharply, one A-rank whispered,
"I thought it was only a legend..."
"So did everyone else."
Zelkris continued.
"The Adze is unlike any monster you've fought. It doesn't challenge kingdoms, it doesn't besiege castles. It simply appears, feeds and vanishes. You won't find it through mana detection, you won't find it through Clairvoyance, you won't find it through Appraisal. It exists outside the reach of conventional tracking magic."
The room grew colder with every sentence.
"This mission is not about slaying it. It's about finding it first."
He looked toward the Night Ravens.
"Kuro."
The hooded assassin stepped forward.
"My Lord."
"You and your scouts will spread throughout the eastern forests. Report anything unusual."
"Yes."
He disappeared into the shadows before anyone even saw him move.
"Silver Tempest."
Lyra saluted.
"You'll patrol the skies. If it takes flight, you're the first line of pursuit."
"Understood."
"Iron Vanguard."
Magnus struck his hammer against the ground.
"We'll protect nearby settlements."
"Good."
"Emerald Bloom."
"We'll evacuate civilians and establish healing stations."
"Excellent."
Finally...
Zelkris looked toward Kaleb's party.
"Kaleb."
"You've encountered a Dungeon Lord today, i've seen how you all respond under overwhelming pressure. I want your party with me."
Kaleb nodded without hesitation.
"It would be an honor."
Terry grinned.
"Guess today's getting even crazier."
Saria sighed.
"I was hoping for a nap."
Asura forced a nervous smile.
"I'd settle for surviving."
Natalia simply tightened her grip on her staff.
"We're ready."
A faint smile appeared on Zelkris's face.
"Good, any remaining adventurers and soldiers will protect the civilians."
He turned back toward the assembled adventurers.
"There is one more thing."
Everyone listened intently.
"If anyone encounters the Adze..."
He paused.
"...do not attempt to fight it alone, not even if you're S-rank. Your first priority is to survive, your second is to inform me. I will deal with the beast personally."
The confidence in his voice erased any doubts, no one questioned the order.
Suddenly, a guild messenger burst through the doors, panting heavily.
"My Lord!"
"We've received another report!"
"What is it?"
"The village... wasn't the only one."
The messenger swallowed hard.
"Three more settlements have disappeared. All within the last thirty minutes."
The room erupted into shocked whispers.
Zelkris slowly closed his eyes.
"...It's feeding."
When he opened them again, they were filled with determination.
"No more waiting."
He drew a black cloak over his shoulders and turned toward the exit.
"All parties..."
He spoke with the authority of the ruler of the Human Continent.
"Move out!"
The guild doors burst open as dozens of elite adventurer parties surged into the night, spreading across the eastern frontier. Above them, Silver Tempest launched into the sky, while on the ground Iron Vanguard marched toward the endangered villages. At the center of it all, Zelkris and Kaleb's party headed straight for the dark forest where the Adze had begun its hunt, unaware that the legendary beast had already sensed them... and was waiting.
"Hehehe..."
"Heh..."
"I've been hiding long enough..."
He slowly raised his head, his smile twisting into something almost inhuman.
"...time for a little fun before I hide again."
His laughter echoed through the endless cavern.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"