[The current floor is the underground 2nd floor.]
[Dungeon – Scorpio Ruins (Underground 2nd Floor)]
Objective – Destroy 3 Scorpio Statues.
Reward – Key to enter the underground 3rd floor, Scorpio Token.
I defeated the Captain of the guards and used the key to descend to the underground 2nd floor.
Unlike the 1st floor, which had narrow corridors, the underground 2nd floor was much more spacious.
The area has widened significantly, and the ceiling seems to be over 2 meters high.
There are scattered Scorpions, but based on their size, there must be a lot more Scorpions around.
Ding~
An octagonal coin floats up from my fingers and soon returns to my hand.
Inside the golden coin, a scorpion pattern is drawn.
“They just hand over the token right away. Seems like quitting halfway is an option, huh?”
Typically, in dungeons, you need to finish all scenarios and events to receive the rewards.
In the Crab Dungeon I visited before, the points were only settled when I reached the end, but now I received a token for clearing just one floor.
[ㅇㅇ]
[Looks like it]
[Let’s go all the way to the last floor]
[You’re not stopping at just the 1st floor, right?]
“Of course not. I plan to go all the way.”
Since it’s a hidden dungeon I found after a long time, I’m determined to reach the very end.
The murals on the ruins are intriguing, and more importantly, this is the Pharaoh’s territory now.
I should know what’s beneath my land.
Crack! Crack!
Unlike the underground 1st floor, the task on the underground 2nd floor is to destroy statues located somewhere in the ruins.
Since I can descend by simply smashing the statues, there was no need to kill the wandering Scorpions, but the Pharaoh crushed every Scorpion in sight.
Although the guard soldiers were about 5-10 levels higher than before, it didn’t matter if he was level 5 or 50.
Clink.
My foot slightly sinks into the ground.
As I turn my head slightly at the sound of a mechanism activating, a sharp arrow rushes past me.
A typical trap mechanism found in ruins.
Being a high-level dungeon, the arrows are no joke; if an average ranker had taken a hit, they’d be in serious trouble.
“Pharaoh?”
The Pharaoh, who was ahead of me, glanced back as he crushed a Scorpion.
I pointed at the arrow that was sharply embedded in the wall.
“I wish you had told me about that first.”
“Did it really need to be said?”
Traps aren’t a problem.
In the past, I’ve gone through ancient ruins where monsters slumber and have seen all sorts of outrageous traps each time.
I’ve faced enemies multiple times and witnessed all sorts of crazy traps each time.
Even if it were true, I wonder if they could even make a scratch.
But since I’m ahead, wouldn’t it have been better to just handle it separately?
As I said this, the Pharaoh turned his head away grumpily.
“…From now on, handle it.”
“By the way, it feels like we’ve been going in circles. Is there a statue nearby?”
“No.”
“Then why are we going in circles?”
“I’ll take care of everything.”
“Excuse me?”
What’s this supposed to mean?
I entrusted the navigation to an expert who knows this place well, yet the so-called expert was going somewhere completely weird.
While I was expressing my doubts, three scorpions turned to sand.
No matter how cocky they are, that’s a bit of an overreaction.
It’s been rare for things to be this tense in the past.
[?]
[What’s wrong?]
[Looks like someone’s sulking, lol]
[Oh, this guy uncle is angry, huh]
[You’re really pushing it, lol]
[Wait, what did Lily do?]
[She’s a bit cocky, though]
“Is it really necessary to kill them all?”
“If a worthless creature can’t even discern right from wrong, is there any reason to let it live? It’s better for them to become part of the desert.”
Saying that, the Pharaoh quickened his pace.
Is he really upset?
But I know the Pharaoh.
He doesn’t let his feelings get in the way of his work or avoid it.
He remembers the day he was stopped by me long ago when he tried to turn the continent into a desert, the day his soul was sealed.
A seal from which he could never escape or resist.
No matter how much I’m taking care of the sealed monsters, I won’t extend that courtesy to the ones acting out of line.
‘The Pharaoh knows this very well.’
As I pondered what to do, I looked down at the ground.
The traps I thought he would handle without a care.
Clack. Clack.
“…?”
Kugugugung…!
The wall painted with a scorpion holding its claws high cracked open, and a sandstone golem came thundering out!
A yellow golem guarding the ruins.
Just as the golem clenched its fist, it turned to sand and rolled across the floor.
At the same time, a chilly panel with hundreds of spikes descended from the ceiling, but it too crumbled to sand with just a gesture from the Pharaoh.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
[Oh wow]
[So many traps]
[Lolololol?]
[It feels like someone stepped on them on purpose]
“…What the heck is going on?”
“I accidentally stepped on a trap. I really wish someone had told me.”
“I accidentally stepped on the trap. Seriously, it would have been nice if someone had told me.”
“……”
The Pharaoh turns his head.
I followed behind him and activated five more traps.
The most basic trap, the pressure plate trap, and the wall-activated trap.
With each trap I triggered, the Pharaoh’s expression became more and more rigid, and I even opened a treasure chest that was clearly saying, ‘I’m a trap!’
When I opened the treasure chest, a mimic popped out, but before I could do anything, the Pharaoh acted first.
His expression was one that seemed to say he understood even with the mask on.
“Oh, what a mistake.”
[LOL]
[That Guy Uncle must be furious]
[Poor That Guy Uncle 😭]
[Look at that evil boss]
[Lily is insane? LOL]
[This is hilarious LMFAO]
[He must be so pissed off]
[Ah, come on, it was just a little mistake]
[What’s with the troll LOL]
The towering Pharaoh glared at me.
Even though he had been shrunk, he was still much taller than me, but I wasn’t about to back down.
If he had actually paid attention to these minor issues, he wouldn’t have been able to control all those countless monsters.
In the end, it was he who backed down.
“…I get it. I’ll go.”
“Good thinking.”
His behavior just moments ago was not very Pharaoh-like.
It seemed the thousands of years spent in the Space of Despair had left him confused about returning to the desert.
Above all, he must have been quite shocked that his domination didn’t work.
To give an analogy, it’s like a low-class vampire refusing to follow the Progenitor’s orders.
Rance might be a bit different, but he’d probably try to regain control somehow.
I looked at the mural.
The scorpion wearing a golden crown was devouring something and heading somewhere.
Countless scorpions followed, endlessly moving forward.
“We’ve arrived.”
We reached the statue.
The statue, made of gray stone in the shape of a scorpion, was larger than the Guard Soldier but smaller than the Guard Captain.
It looked similar to the other scorpions, but a golden band was etched around its neck.
[It’s a statue]
[Finally, a statue]
[Is it a cut?]
[It spun around, but seriously, how did it take 20 minutes to find one? -_-]
[That Guy Uncle must’ve overdone it]
[Still, summoning something of that level is quite impressive]
“I’ll smash the statue. Just sitting around is a bit boring.”
“Do as you wish.”
I took out the White Guardian and transformed it into a hammer.
Grip the hammer tightly, I swung it down on the statue.
[The Scorpio Statue has been destroyed!]
[Warning! You have provoked the wrath of Scorpio. You will be cursed by ‘Scorpio’s Curse.’]
[All Scorpios are tracking you.]
[Damage from ‘Scorpio Guard Soldier’ attacks is reduced by 70%.]
[Damage received from ‘Scorpio Guard Soldier’ increased by 70%.]
[This curse will not be lifted until you exit the underground level 2.]
“?”
A message fills my view.
It seems that the Pharaoh has only killed a handful, but I sense hundreds lurking beyond the passage.
The Pharaoh claps his hands as if pleased, but I lightly raise my hand to stop him.
“Don’t interfere.”
“How dare these insignificant beings…”
“They’re coming for me.”
Kakagak! Kakagak!
“You can’t take the prey away.”
Hundreds of lights flash beyond the passage.
At the same time, light flashes from my hand.
The White Guardian infused with pure Holy light.
The White Guardian swings and sweeps through the swarm of Scorpios.
Hundreds of Scorpios are shattered as the labyrinthine passage collapses.
A massive explosion shakes the entire floor.
[The Scorpio Statue has been destroyed!]
[The Scorpio Statue has been destroyed!]
[All statues have been destroyed.]
The quest has been cleared.
[?]
[?]
[LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL]
[Wow]
[One shot cut]
[Is this Lily? LOL]
[So refreshing]
[Why is it roaming around?]
[???]
[Penalty means nothing now]
[Lily can’t be stopped]
[Wait, what the heck, why are the walls crumbling like cookies?]
With a cheerful sound, another key and token fall from the third floor.
Receiving it, I focus on the empty underground level 2.
Walls and scorpions. Everything is vanishing, and even the torches on the walls have disappeared, leaving the space pitch black.
Holding and releasing the hammer, I look up at the ceiling and then set the hammer down.
“It’s definitely strange.”
[What is?]
[Lily is indeed strange.]
[If it’s that strange, you should see a dentist.]
[?]
[Is Lily’s existence like a bug?]
“No, not that.”
Here.
“Doesn’t it seem overly solid?”
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
