“Ancient ruins, huh?”
“They’re very ancient relics that existed long before this village. The artifact that protects the village was also obtained from there by our ancestors.”
“Oh.”
Ancient ruins, huh?
It definitely smells like a hidden dungeon.
Just when I was having trouble finding a hidden dungeon, this is perfect.
“Where is it located?”
“It’s a short distance from here. If you’d like, I can give you a map.”
Ans said this and got up from his seat to rummage through something like a drawer.
It seemed like it had been neglected for quite some time; when he pulled back the sandstone handle, dust flew everywhere.
Even the rolled-up yellow paper was covered in quite a bit of dust.
“Cough! Cough!”
“Looks like it’s been quite a while.”
“Ahem, yes. It’s a map that existed long before my father’s time… We hardly used it since we didn’t often go outside the village.”
I opened the map Ans handed me.
It was a map of the entire desert, showing various hills, monster spawn areas, and the position of the village.
There was a mark on the map that looked like the ruins.
“Here it is.”
“That’s right. There’s a large hill there, and stepping on the pedestal should open the door. The pedestal should have a scorpion design, but… I’ve never seen it myself, so I don’t know how to find it…”
“That’s okay.”
The Pharaoh stood up with a confident voice.
As the Emperor of the Desert, he would find even a mere pedestal just by looking at it.
“What other information do you have?”
“…Um. It’s dangerous? As you can see, that artifact was brought from the ruins. Our ancestors faced many sacrifices to obtain it from the ‘3rd floor,’ they say.”
For reference, the ruins are over 10 floors deep.
“You seem quite strong, but it’s best to be cautious. The ruins have devoured many explorers.”
I nodded at Ans’s serious warning.
“This sounds fun.”
“Yes?”
I wonder how great the rewards will be. I’m excited.
“…Good luck.”
■
[Lilha!]
[ㄹㅎㅀㅀㄹ]
[Oh]
[Lily! Lily! Lily! Lily!]
[Desert, what is it?]
[Oh, broadcast]
[Ruins exploration? Did Lily find a dungeon?]
[What’s the king doing?]
[Ruins?]
[It’s the desert.]
[Isn’t this the place that guy uncle likes?]
I arrived at the ruins marked on the map and immediately turned on the broadcast.
It hadn’t been long since I turned it on, yet the viewer count shot up rapidly.
“Lilha~”
[Are you going to the dungeon today?]
[Wow, how long has it been since a dungeon? Haha]
[Are you alone?]
[Dungeon?]
“Yes, today I discovered ruins, so I’m planning to do a ruins exploration broadcast! Sounds fun, right?”
“I’m planning to do an enemy exploration broadcast! Sounds fun, right?”
My words quickly spark activity in the chat window.
Although there have been quite a few events, it has been a rare occurrence to enter a dungeon lately.
The Lasty’s castle and the ancient island I created weren’t dungeons, and the most recent one I can mention is the World Tree dungeon.
I can’t say the previous ones were boring, but Deoen is essentially a game about exploring dungeons.
More than anything, playing dungeons is probably the most fun.
“First, let me introduce someone who will help us with the dungeon exploration.”
[NnG]
[Is it a collaboration?]
[Yena?]
[A man won’t do!]
The sand covering the ground gathers into one place, revealing something golden.
It’s a statue wearing a golden mask, about a head taller than me thanks to its small size.
“I found it. It’s definitely under here…”
“This Guy Uncle!”
“… Damn it.”
[LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL]
[This Guy Uncle!]
[Predicted it]
[Statue?]
[Looks like it was found as a summon]
[This Guy Uncle teaches well, aren’t you having another class?]
[Just do it once, This Guy!]
“They want you to do it once, you know?”
“Why would I—This Guy!”
“Whoa!”
[LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL]
[LOL LOL LOL]
[Feels like it was forced]
[This Guy Uncle is acknowledged, haha!]
The Pharaoh glares at me with fiery eyes.
No, it’s not just fiery.
“Ouch, that’s hot.”
The temperature in this area is rapidly rising.
It’s on a level that even considerable freezing magic can’t stop.
Currently, the Pharaoh’s power is slightly less than Leo’s, but this is the desert.
In the desert, he can match the current Lasty’s power.
“It’s hot.”
“Is that the kind of thing you say while doing this?”
“Service is important, right? We have to have these events sometimes.”
“…… Check the door.”
The sulking Pharaoh lightly waves his hand to cool the heat, causing the ground to shift and reveal a platform.
A yellow platform with a scorpion pattern.
Stepping on it, it makes a booming sound as my vision lowers.
A square panel, about 10 meters in size, descends, leaving me and the Pharaoh standing there, looking around.
Sand seems ready to pour in from all sides, but maybe due to a spell, it doesn’t.
It’s like looking at an elevator blocked by a transparent wall.
After about 2 minutes of descent…
Creeeak…
“We’ve arrived.”
“Not as deep as I thought. Looks like it wasn’t made by some formidable beings.”
“Looks like it’s not made by some great guys.”
I arrived at the real entrance of the ruins.
[Faced with the Ancient Ruins, Scorpio’s Ruins.]
[Obtained Title: Ruin Explorer.]
I got a title as soon as I arrived.
The effect of the title… is that the rewards increase when exploring the ruins?
Not bad if you have it, but it doesn’t seem that great.
“I guess this isn’t a moving dungeon.”
[Is it a format for exploration?]
[Isn’t there something going on when we go in?]
[Let’s just bust the door down.]
[Doesn’t look like a high-level dungeon though.]
[Scorpio?]
[Not talking about the scorpion, right?]
[There’s a scorpion symbol on the door.]
Given the name and the scorpion pattern at the entrance of the ruins, it seems that the scorpion is the boss monster.
[The test of Scorpio begins.]
Clank!
Before I could even open the door, it opened itself.
As the lights lit up the dark hallway beyond the door, scorpions the size of a person began to flicker their eyes.
They were a deep black, quite different from the scorpions I saw outside, and the most notable difference is that they don’t back down even in the face of the Pharaoh’s gaze.
‘As if there’s a master behind them.’
“Your dominion doesn’t work here.”
“What a cheeky guy.”
The Pharaoh strides forward.
As I follow him, the door slams shut with a thud!
[You are currently on the first basement floor.]
[All escape-related skills are sealed until this floor is cleared.]
[The value of rewards increases the lower you go.]
[Dungeon – Scorpio’s Ruins (Basement 1)]
Objective – Defeat 50 Scorpion Guards.
Rewards – Key to enter Basement 2, Scorpio Token.
“Token?”
[Looks like a dungeon token.]
[Oh?]
[Seems similar to points, right? Just like when Lily did with the crab last time.]
[It’s the same as points, for sure!]
[It’s like climbing a tower, haha.]
[Sounds fun.]
A few months ago, I cleared a dungeon called the Crab Empire.
It was a dungeon where the story changed based on choices, and I could earn points to buy items depending on my playthrough.
I found and bought Karabus’ Hammer there.
If the viewers are right and the token is similar to points, then I might get something important again this time.
‘Assuming there’s something important to get.’
In the past, there were no ancient beasts in the shape of scorpions.
Unless something special comes up, whatever is in this place won’t be particularly related to my past self.
If it wasn’t for that, something here probably wouldn’t be much related to my past.
Crack!
Crack!
While I was lost in thought for a moment, the scorpions crumbled under strong pressure.
The cause, of course, was the Pharaoh.
He casually transformed the crumbled scorpion corpses into sand and advanced smoothly towards the end of the corridor.
[That Guy Uncle is a menace]
[Isn’t he on par with a high-tier mob?]
[The King Guy is amazing]
[Wow]
[Level 70 regular mob, and he’s turning them to dust]
[Did you see him immediately erase the monster with the command ‘This Guy’?]
[“This Guy”]
[Lily doesn’t have anything to do here]
“…I hope there aren’t any weird rumors spreading about me?”
“Of course not. Everyone thinks you’re amazing.”
“……”
“By the way, that’s quite a unique painting.”
In the dark space, the torches fixed to the walls illuminated a painting on the wall.
Countless scorpions lay below, staring up at the sky, where a giant scorpion wearing a crown loomed.
A scorpion several times larger than an ordinary one sporting a golden crown.
The scorpion is devouring something.
“It looks like a painting related to the boss, what do you think?”
“It’s just a lowly creature. No matter how strong a lowly creature gets, it’s still just a lowly creature.”
“Well, that lowly creature seems to be escaping your control, doesn’t it?”
“…If I hadn’t weakened, it wouldn’t have been a problem.”
The Pharaoh stomped ahead, seemingly displeased with the situation.
I watched his back and thought.
For Pharaoh, the ruler of the desert, his dominion over desert creatures is absolute.
Just like how Lasty, the lord of bloodsuckers, has control over all bloodsuckers in this world.
Of course, Lasty is far superior in terms of actual power, but is it reasonable that even scorpions devoid of intelligence could escape his control?
Screeee!
[Oh snap]
[Looks like a boss monster?]
[First floor boss?]
[Scorpion Guard Captain has appeared!]
[LV. 90]
Upon reaching the end of the corridor, a scorpion twice the size of a guard soldier emerged.
As a level 90 field boss, it would be difficult for an ordinary ranker to cope—
Crack!!
“Go away.”
“Are you angry?”
“I’m not angry.”
[He’s angry.]
He’s angry.
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