After safely wrapping up the wyvern hunt, the dungeon was next on the agenda. Sword said he cleared it all the way to the 50th floor by himself.
âIn this case, I suspect itâs got around 100 floors. Going by cliche, an ancient dragon would be the final boss,â I said, resulting in Sword becoming dumbstruck.
âFor real?â
âOf course. An ancient dragon, huhâŠ? Doesnât it get you all excited? Iâm 100% sure it can talk, so I must speak with it at all costs.â
If itâs been locked after the dungeon was completed, it probably wouldnât know about the situation outside ever since then. Oh well, Iâll get it to tell me about the genesis then.
âYou still desire more despite already possessinâ so much knowledge?â Sword asked while rolling his eyes.
âI do possess knowledge of the other world, but my knowledge about this world is lacking. Besides, thereâs lot of things I want to know. Let me tell you just in case, but thatâs what adventuring is about, at least supposedly. Scholars debate the information provided by adventurers in their chambers. Adventurers go out into the world on a quest to find out what they want to know while encountering the unknown. Occasionally theyâll hunt, collect, explore, or talk. Do you understand?â
I energetically thrust a finger at him!
âDonât worry, I got it. So, that means you also enjoy the times when hunting, collecting, and talking?â
âYaaaaaaa!â
Sword laughed at me while stroking my head.
Ah, now he finally looks a bit like youâd expect of his age. As expected, the effect of the beauty products is also showing on him.
ïŒ
On the way towards the dungeon, we were being treated super friendly for some reasonâŠ
ââŠâŠ?â
When I tilted my head, Sword caressed me with a fed-up expression.
âSure, I told them weâd explore the dungeon, but this wasnât part of it. Are they tryinâ to pressure us or somethinâ?â
âHmm? It just means everyone is excited about the dungeon exploration, doesnât it? Wouldnât it be better to greet them then? We should share the joy of being thrilled with everyone!â
I nimbly climbed atop my Ryoku, and shouted with the assistance of an amplification spell, âLadies and Gentlemen! Thank you for being so excited about the dungeon exploration together with us! Sword and I are going to go to the lowest floor of the dungeon, talk with the boss there, and take it down! If thereâs any story worthy of being told about our adventure down thereâŠIâll tell you later, so look forward to it!â
They all cheered, and for some reason, some even laughed.
âSword, you get up here as well! You have to make the same oath!â
Sword slapped his forehead, but after sighing, he apparently made up his resolve and climbed on Ryoku.
âIâm the adventurer Sword! Iâve formed the party ăAllroundersă with Indra whoâs standinâ next to me! From now on, this girl here, the golems, and I are goinâ to dive into the dungeon! Weâll definitely make it all the way to the lowest floor!â
This time we got engulfed by a cacophony of loud cheering without anyone laughing.
âWhy did people laugh at me?â
When I tilted my head in confusion, Sword laughed, âItâs cause your feelinâ of thrill is kinda silly,â and told me something awful.
ïŒ
Things were quite heated even in front of the dungeon. Kinda like when players enter a stadium under the loud applause of their fans.
âIs it a custom that you canât enter without giving everyone a high-five?â
âAs if! What kind of festival would that supposed to be!?â
âOkay, figures. If anything, Iâd like them to do this when weâve safely cleared the dungeon.â
Sword considered it for a moment, and then muttered, âAh, that might be somewhat excitinâ,â apparently having just imagined it.
ïŒ
Sword asked me in a way of making sure, âI know the answer, but Iâll ask just in case. I explored all the way to the 50th floor and I possess a magic tool allowinâ to use a shortcut to the 50th floor. Wanna use it?â
I furiously shook my head.
âThatâs what I thought. A mapâŠis unnecessary, right? The maps created by the Ryokus and you are much more accurate ânyway.â
âAre you going to be bored about passing through a route you already passed once before?â I asked him in reverse. âIf youâre not interested, you just need to go ahead to the 50th floor and wait there for me, okay? Itâs my first run, so I want to go through things in order.â
âIâll go with you! Weâve decided that weâd have fun, havenât we!?â
Oohh! He finally feels up to it!
âVery well. Since the upper levels are going to be easy anyway, Iâd like to add the rule of passing through them non-stop. You can use the rule of doubtlessly following my footsteps.â
Swordâs smile froze, ââŠAinât the difficulty a tad too high like that?â
âItâs going to be alright! Someone like you will be able to easily pull it off!â
âHold back a bit, okay? Iâm an ordinary human, you know? Donât lump me together with a superwoman like you.â
âWhat are you talking about, oh Hero!? Pffthaha.
The instant I thought that, my mouth was seized again, âMmpf!â
âThat face of yours pisses me off.â
How irrational!
ïŒ
I handed him an SF-like wristband, looking like a smartwatch.
âThis is a magic tool for long-distance communication. Itâll allow us to stay in contact, but itâs easier to talk and listen when you bring your arm close to your head. Also, if you tap the display or give it a voice command, itâll show you the map created by the Ryokus.â
Mine is blue-green while Swordâs has a white coloring.
âEvery once in a while you really produce some awesome stuff. Does it have any other functions besides showinâ the map?â
âHmm, I guess you can count the display of your bodyâs state as one. Itâll tell you your own health status. It also works as a clock. That pocket watch I got from you is nice as a retro item, but this one here is much better for adventurers. It moves through magic elements, but please press a magic stone against it for a while, depending on the remaining amount of magic elements. I can also install other appâŠerr, sorry, functions, you know? Donât be shy and tell me if you have any requests.â
âRoger!â He answered happily.
Itâs pretty obvious that Sword loves gadgets. I think heâs the type who would get totally hooked on SF anime, if he were to live in the other world.
ïŒ
âNow then.â
We began with calisthenics. I smiled at the meaninglessness of the Ryokus doing it as well. Itâs sooo cute!!
When it was our turn to enter the dungeon, Sword yelled out to boost his spirit, âAlright! Letâs go!â