R4STWH - Chapter 86
Chapter 86
In a way, it was a good thing.
An S-rank dungeon suddenly appearing like this, regardless of quest progress, was a serious matter.
This dungeon probably started as a B+ or A- rank.
“So that’s what you meant by ‘someone’s already inside,’” Elias said, frowning. “There’s someone else besides you who can raise a dungeon’s rank this high.”
The maximum difficulty a dungeon could reach, based on the entrants' levels, was S-rank.
SS-rank dungeons only appeared in conjunction with the final “Proof of Qualification” quest, and their numbers were limited.
‘Otherwise, there would be many more S-rank items.’
Perhaps even the transcendental being behind the quests considered them valuable. Though they could probably retrieve them all if the world was destroyed or their owners died.
“Elias, remember what I told you?”
He thought for a moment, then nodded. “You said to always consider all possibilities.”
“That’s right.”
There were countless other worlds besides the one he’d lived in his entire life. There was no guarantee that there weren't others who, like me, had migrated from another world.
Someone who was my friend yesterday might turn out to be one of them, or even a dragon in human form.
There might be people living their second or third lives, or those who had suddenly regained memories of their past lives.
It could even be Elias himself.
I’d given him all sorts of outlandish examples, telling him to be prepared.
The reason I'd practically brainwashed him, trying to make him more open-minded, was simple.
His friend Leonard had his body taken over by Zero!
If they were close, Elias would have noticed something was off after just a few words. I wanted to prepare him for the shock.
“So you’re saying one of those unusual beings might be here?”
“Yes, probably.”
“Indeed…” Elias nodded. “There’s no other way they could surpass me. You and I have worked so hard to get to this point.”
His explosive growth over the past month would have been practically impossible without my assistance.
He’d monopolized all the “world first” achievement rewards from the dungeon rank increases, and by fighting enemies two or three ranks higher, he leveled up several times faster than others.
If there had been anyone else in this world leveling up at a similar rate, there would have been rumors. They would have had to solo clear about 30% of the dungeons that appeared.
“Prepare yourself. So you won’t be too surprised.”
“Alright.”
In any case, this was an S-rank dungeon. We didn't have time for idle chatter.
The protective barrier dissipated, and we started walking.
As the name “Memories of the Ruins” suggested, the dungeon was desolate.
Piles of old, decaying trash, taller than buildings, lined the streets, devoid of even insects, and a reddish dust filled the air, filtering the sunlight.
“It’s just like my world. The place I lived in looked exactly like this,” I murmured, tugging on his arm to change direction.
Elias looked around, shocked. He seemed to find it hard to believe that anyone could live in such a place.
“They’ll be here soon. Get ready.”
I surveyed the piles of trash and chose a suitable spot. Elias drew his sword, ready for battle, and asked in a low voice, “What do people eat to survive in a place like this?”
“Well…” I smiled wryly.
“Things… like that?”
Tap. A light sound, then another, as something landed lightly. One or two at first, then dozens, hundreds.
“Be careful not to get bitten. They’re poisonous.”
A black wave surged towards us.
“What… are those?”
They resembled hyenas, but with three heads. Their bodies were covered in rough, shell-like armor, and they drooled a corrosive saliva.
“They used to be animals.”
The ecological collapse caused by pollution and resource depletion had resulted in all sorts of horrific mutations. These creatures were part of that.
Back then, it used to take about ten people, strengthened with toxins, to kill one of these weaklings, but that wouldn't be the case now.
Since the dungeon was S-rank, their attack and defense stats would have increased significantly, and they might have gained new skills.
And the sheer number of them was insane.
I watched them approach rapidly and started counting down inwardly.
‘10, 9, 8, 7…’
At 3, I jumped high and slammed my axe into the side of a nearby trash heap.
Then, the pile next to it, and the one opposite, all collapsing under my blows.
Crash!
Rumble…!
The debris rained down on the approaching horde.
-Kyaagh!
Their formation crumbled instantly as they shrieked, their cries like scraping metal.
That was all I’d intended. S-rank monsters wouldn’t be defeated by such a simple attack.
Now, I just had to enjoy finishing them off, remembering all the trouble they’d caused me in the past. As always, behind Elias.
The theory that the environment within dungeons mimicked fragments of our world was a prominent hypothesis among scholars.
I navigated the dungeon, a patchwork of fragments from my world, with relative ease.
Knowing what to expect brought a sense of comfort, even though I was pushing myself to the limit fighting A-rank and higher monsters.
“Elias, do you need to rest?”
“I’m fine. We only have two hours left, so we should hurry.”
“Okay.”
Although I'd fought alongside him in this dungeon, I'd been steering most of the monsters towards him. I couldn't level up from fighting these low-level creatures, but he still had room to grow.
“I think we’re almost there.”
“To where the boss monster is?”
“That’s my guess.”
He looked around again. “It’s strange. To think people actually lived in a place like this.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
Starting from the outskirts, where the abandoned lived among the trash heaps, and moving inwards, one would eventually reach a massive tower. Each floor of this tower, the size of a small town, housed the elite.
After escaping the lab, I’d had a chance to live there. But the fussy Zero had refused, saying it was filthy, and I'd been kicked out, forced to wander the streets again.
Still, looking back, I was quite lucky that he’d tossed me a bag of bread. It kept me alive.
Even if I had managed to awaken the abilities implanted in me at the lab, I would have starved to death if I hadn’t.
I cleared dungeons to survive, selling the loot and items to buy food. Living day by day like that, I somehow became one of the strongest.
Perhaps it was thanks to Elias that I could look back on those dark days with such indifference.
He was my paradise, found after a long and arduous journey.
“We’re here. The boss monster should be behind this door.”
And the “prior entrant” who came in ahead of us would likely be waiting for us there as well.
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