News of the newly discovered dungeon spread like wildfire. Adventurers flocked to Zephyr Village in droves, completely overwhelming Village Chief Shotta with the sudden influx of eager guests. The newcomers wasted no time, immediately forming parties and strategizing to brave the depths of the newly christened Yuta Dungeon.
Down in the Dungeon Control Room, Anastasya and Sylvy kept a close eye on the adventurers. The scrying mirror had been updated with a new analytical interface; hovering above each adventurer in the glass were floating displays detailing their party name, member identities, and their specific classes.
Nearby, Fenrir, Camilla, Vergil, and Mina were huddled around a workbench, completely engrossed in designing a new trap.
"What kind of trap is that?" Freya asked, walking over to inspect their work.
"It is a pressure plate," Fenrir answered proudly. "But when you step on it, it just makes a loud click."
"Just a click. Absolutely nothing else happens," Camilla added with a mischievous grin.
Mina chuckled. "I have to admit, my little twin siblings came up with a rather brilliant idea."
Vergil stifled a laugh, clearly picturing the sheer panic on the adventurers' faces as they braced for a deadly volley of arrows or a pitfall that would never come. Hearing this, Freya couldn't help but cover her mouth, holding back her own giggles at the sheer deviousness of the design.
"Do you get the point of the trap, Mother?" Fenrir asked.
"Of course," Freya replied, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "It is pure psychological warfare. It will make the adventurers panic, break their formation, and waste their energy bracing for a nonexistent threat."
Fenrir and Camilla stared at their mother in absolute awe, amazed she understood their troll logic so perfectly.
"We could install these dummy plates on every single floor," Vergil suggested, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"I completely agree with Father," Mina chimed in. "It will keep them eternally paranoid."
Noticing someone was missing from the gathering, Freya looked around. "Where is Lira, by the way?"
Sylvy glanced up from the scrying mirror. "She is down in the alchemy laboratory. She is currently researching ways to infuse different flavors into the standard healing potions."
Vergil and Freya exchanged bewildered looks.
Aria, who had just stepped into the room, clarified with a sly smile. "She wants to pull a little prank on the adventurers. Imagine the look on their faces when they desperately chug a life-saving potion, only for it to taste incredibly strange."
Vergil paused in thought, a sudden memory bringing a chuckle to his lips. When Freya asked what was so funny, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. A moment later, Freya burst into laughter as well.
"What Lira is working on right now is incredibly interesting," Freya remarked.
"Speaking of interesting," Sylvy chimed in, "there is one adventurer party currently catching my eye."
Anastasya frowned slightly. "I wonder why Vanguard and his party decided to enter the Yuta Dungeon in the first place?"
"The rumors about Kyumara must have spread," Vergil replied, "especially after Yuta's fight with him."
Just then, Kurogami returned to the group. He reported that he had been training Kyumara to hold back his strength. However, he was quick to praise the creature's abilities, noting that if any challengers actually managed to defeat him, Kyumara was authorized to raise his combat standards for subsequent battles.
Vergil nodded. "It's crucial that Kyumara restrains himself for now. As for raising the difficulty, we need to do it slowly but surely." Freya nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Sylvy kept her eyes on the dungeon's progress. "Gideon and his party have just descended to Level 4A. They are starting to get overwhelmed, but they keep pushing forward."
"Good," Vergil said. "Fenrir and Camilla's fake trap prototypes should be ready for installation tonight. Anastasya, could I ask you to scan them into the Dungeon Core?"
"Of course, I can help with that later," Anastasya replied.
With the plans set, Vergil began to gear up, preparing to slip in through the Dungeon's backdoor. Seeing this, Chloe looked up at him. "Where are you going, Father?"
"I'm going to help the golems," Vergil said, offering a small smile. "It's time to restock the treasure chests the adventurers have already claimed."
Vergil immediately asked the golems for a briefing on which floors needed to be restocked. The golems, carrying a copied map of Level 1, provided him with the specific room grids and a list of the required items.
"I will make sure the item placements are randomized," Vergil said to the Golem.
The golem nodded in understanding, gesturing that they needed to hurry.
Mina quickly followed her father toward the backrooms of Level 2. Sylvy had reported that every single treasure chest on the second floor had been claimed by adventurers. Meanwhile, Aeka made her way down to Level 3, standing by for information on which empty chests there were ready to be refilled.
Back in the control room, Valkrieya trudged in, looking utterly exhausted.
"What happened to you?" Freya asked.
"I'm just wiped out from training," Valkrieya panted, though a satisfied smile spread across her face. "I was fighting an Orc King and an Orc Champion in the training room. It feels amazing to finally go all out and fight with my full strength."
A moment later, Fenrir and Camilla hauled an empty treasure chest into the room. Aria and Chloe immediately went over to inspect it.
"The magic trap prototype for the chests is ready," Fenrir announced.
Aria and Chloe opened the lid and carefully carved a magic rune into the chest. Once they finished their intricate work, Fenrir and Camilla firmly shut the lid.
"Can we test it right now?" Freya asked.
"Go ahead," Fenrir replied.
"Just remember," Camilla added, "the side with the carved magic rune is a fake. To open the real chest safely, you have to use a lockpick."
Freya quickly produced a set of lockpicks and went to work. The chest opened smoothly, perfectly safe. Curious, Freya then summoned a shadow clone. The shadow double closed the lid and attempted to open it the normal way, bypassing the lockpick entirely.
Instantly, the magic rune flared to life, violently encasing Freya's shadow clone in a block of solid ice.
Fenrir, Camilla, Aria, Chloe, and Freya all gathered around to examine the frozen shadow, closely monitoring the trap's effects. A short while later, the ice shattered, leaving the shadow clone shivering uncontrollably from the biting cold.
"Fascinating," Freya murmured, clearly impressed.
Suddenly, laughter erupted from the other side of the room. Sylvy and Anastasya were giggling as they watched the magic mirror.
"What's going on over there?" Kurogami asked.
"One of the adventurers just triggered a Stink Gas trap," Sylvy laughed, pointing at the mirror. "He is running out of the room as fast as he can!"
Fenrir and Camilla promptly brought in another treasure chest prototype and opened its false compartment. Having just finished his laugh, Kurogami leaned in closer, his attention entirely captured by the device.
Without losing a beat, Aria and Chloe set to work, carefully etching a magic rune onto the fake side of the chest. Meanwhile, Fenrir and Camilla turned to look around the room.
"Anastasya, where do we keep the fire extinguishers?" Fenrir asked.
Before Anastasya could answer, Kurogami jumped into action and quickly retrieved three small fire extinguishers.
Freya took a cautious step back and summoned another shadow clone. The shadow double advanced and opened the chest without using a lockpick. Instantly, the magic rune ignited, and a torrent of magical fire engulfed the clone, setting it ablaze.
Fenrir, Camilla, and Kurogami immediately aimed their extinguishers and doused Freya's shadow clone. The flames smothering the double were quickly put out, and the shadow dissolved into nothingness.
"If an adventurer uses a Fire Resistance potion, the damage will probably be drastically reduced," Freya noted, dusting off her hands.
Fenrir nodded in agreement. He immediately contacted Lira through the communication line to her laboratory. "Lira, we need you to brew some Elemental Resistance Potions as well."
Lira's voice crackled back from the lab. "Do you want separate potions for each single element, or one multi-element potion?"
"Both, if possible," Freya chimed in, answering for Fenrir.
"Understood, I'll get to work on them," Lira replied. She paused, putting pieces together. "So, I take it the elemental magic traps for the treasure chests are already complete, or at least in development?"
"Still in the testing and development phase," Freya clarified.
"Got it. I'll start brewing," Lira said. Then, she hesitated for a moment before adding, "Actually... do you think you could send some help down here? To be completely honest, I could use a hand. One of Father's potions is producing a very strange effect."
Hearing this, Freya didn't waste any time. "I'm on my way down to the lab."
Vergil sprang into action, activating his cloaking ability to remain unseen. He slipped through the dungeon corridors, making his way to the specific rooms outlined by the golems. With practiced speed and absolute silence, he systematically refilled the empty treasure chests and snapped their lids shut.
Elsewhere, Mina was also on the move. She engaged her Cloaking Device, rendering herself invisible as she navigated toward the supply and maintenance golems stationed on Level 2. Slipping past oblivious adventurers, she first made her way down a dimly lit corridor marked with a sign reading Level 2A.
One floor below her, Aeka opened a communication link. "Mina, stay alert. Make sure you don't get spotted by anyone."
"Don't worry, I've got this handled," Mina replied confidently over the comms. "There won't be any problems."
Before the conversation could continue, Anastasya's voice chimed in on the network. "Aeka, I have an update. We are getting reports that several treasure chests in Level 3A have just been emptied."
"Copy that," Aeka answered. "I'm already on standby in the Level 3 maintenance tunnels. Which grids do I need to hit?"
A nearby maintenance golem held up a copied map of Level 3A, its mechanical finger pointing out the exact room coordinates that required a restock. Grabbing a satchel of required loot, Aeka prepared to head out.
"Just a reminder," Anastasya added, "the chest contents are meant to be randomized. It is entirely up to you to decide which items to place inside, as long as you pull from the stock prepared by the Level 3 management golems."
"Understood," Aeka said, disappearing into the tunnels.
Sylvy stared intently at the magic mirror monitoring the adventurers, a look of absolute shock washing over her face.
"Uncle Shiroi just entered the Yuta Dungeon!" she gasped. "And he is with his three fiancées and two Custodes Guards!"
Anastasya quickly checked her own monitors and confirmed the sighting. It was true: Emperor Shiroi and his elite entourage were already bypassing the upper floors, heading straight down to Level 2. They completely ignored the non-aggressive monsters along the way, only drawing their weapons once they reached Levels 4A and 5A. There, they effortlessly clashed with the resident Inferno Wolves, striking the beasts down until they dissipated into thin air, leaving nothing behind but glowing magic gems.
On the monitors, another party of adventurers was seen catching up to Shiroi's group. They quickly offered their assistance, announcing their intention to help the Emperor battle the legendary nine-tailed fox.
Just then, Vergil stepped back into the control room, having finished his restocking duties. Seeing the intense focus on Sylvy and Anastasya's faces, he frowned. "What is going on? You two look serious."
"Father," Sylvy said, pointing at the mirror. "Uncle Shiroi, his fiancées, and his guards are exploring the dungeon. They just teamed up with another adventurer party to fight Kyumara."
Vergil's eyes lit up with sudden interest. "Can we broadcast this? I want to see how these two parties handle going up against Kyumara."
"That is easily done," Anastasya replied, her fingers swiftly working the dungeon's control console.
Moments later on the screen, the combined raid party stepped into Kyumara's boss chamber. To the challengers, the massive room appeared completely empty. However, a low, vibrating roar suddenly echoed from the shadows, making the very air tremble.
Recognizing the unseen threat, the leader of the adventurer party and Emperor Shiroi stepped to the front of the formation. They raised their shields, bracing for impact, while the rest of the party members fell into a highly alert defensive stance.
Simultaneously, Anastasya routed the broadcast down into the Monster Hall. All the dungeon monsters who were currently resting after being defeated—as well as those waiting for their deployment in the deeper floors—quickly gathered around the massive viewing screens, eagerly cheering and waiting to watch the spectacle unfold.
Shiroi and the party leader—who turned out to be Gideon Vanguard—stood on high alert alongside their respective teams. Gideon could feel the intense gaze of the nine-tailed fox watching them from the shadows.
One of Gideon's party members pointed toward a heavy, sealed door at the far end of the chamber. "That looks like the door to the next floor," he whispered.
"It will probably only open if we manage to defeat the floor boss," Gideon noted. Shiroi nodded in agreement, tightening his grip on his weapon.
Suddenly, a massive fireball shot out of the darkness, hurtling straight toward Shiroi and Gideon. With lightning-fast reflexes, the two vanguards raised their shields, absorbing the explosive impact. Even over the roar of the flames, the low, menacing growl of the nine-tailed fox continued to echo off the walls.
In the blink of an eye, a flurry of razor-sharp claws descended upon them. Gideon and Shiroi braced themselves once more, perfectly blocking the ferocious assault.
Reacting instantly, the Custodes Guards unleashed covering fire from their heavy gun-lances, the loud cracks of large-caliber rounds filling the room. Beside them, Yuna drew her bow, firing piercing wind-element arrows followed by crackling bolts of crimson lightning.
Seizing the opening, the mage from Gideon's party chanted a binding spell. Magical restraints erupted from the ground, successfully snaring the massive nine-tailed fox.
"Keep up the covering fire!" Shiroi commanded the Custodes Guards.
The guards seamlessly alternated their shots to maintain a continuous barrage, paving the way for the vanguard. With the beast suppressed, Shiroi and Risa charged forward, followed closely by Gideon and his party's thief.
Just as they closed the distance, the binding spell shattered. The monster prepared to lunge, but Yuna reacted flawlessly. She loosed a high-speed wind arrow that pierced cleanly through the fox's paw, pinning the beast to the floor and halting its movement.
With the boss immobilized, Shiroi, Risa, Gideon, and the thief unleashed their ultimate attacks in perfect synchronization. A blinding flash of combined martial skills and magic swept through the room, cleanly severing the nine-tailed fox's head and bringing the mighty boss monster down once and for all.
The cleric from Gideon's party pointed toward the far end of the chamber. "Look! The door is open!"
The party's mage nodded, lowering his staff as the adrenaline of the fight began to fade. "Just as I suspected. Defeating the nine-tailed fox was the key to unlocking access to the next floor."
Suddenly, the thief from Gideon's party rubbed his forearm, rolling up his sleeve with a frown. "Wait... what is this?" A faint, claw-shaped tattoo had materialized out of nowhere on his skin.
Hearing this, Shiroi checked his own arm. He found the exact same magical mark freshly etched into his flesh.
Risa, Yuna, and Lucia exchanged quick glances, perfectly playing dumb. "A magic tattoo?" Yuna asked, tilting her head in feigned innocence. "Why would a mark like that appear after a boss fight?"
Shiroi immediately caught on to the act and played along, feigning confusion. "I have no idea. This dungeon is full of strange mysteries."
Before anyone could investigate the strange marks further, the heavy grinding sound of stone echoed through the room. Several hidden panels in the walls slid open, revealing four ornate treasure chests. Two of them gleamed in polished silver, while the other two shone in solid gold.
"Boss room rewards," Gideon murmured, his eyes going wide. "These have to be a much higher tier than anything we found on the first five levels."
Not wanting to let greed cloud his judgment, Gideon's thief carefully approached the first silver chest. "Stand back. If we get careless now, we might trigger a trap."
He pulled out his lockpicks and spent several tense minutes meticulously working the mechanism. Finally, with a satisfying click, the lid popped open safely.
The party's archer peered inside and gasped. "This is a Rare-tier weapon!"
Curious, Shiroi stepped closer to inspect the intricately carved weapon. "That is an Elder Bow," he noted smoothly. "A genuine Rare-class artifact."
Gideon let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, realizing the rumors were absolutely true: the boss rooms yielded the absolute best loot.
Meanwhile, the mage cast an unlocking spell to safely bypass the security on one of the golden chests. Inside rested a pristine set of Scale Mail Armor. It was forged entirely from dragon scales, making it incredibly durable yet remarkably lightweight.
Gideon stared at it in sheer disbelief. "Armor of this caliber... this is usually reserved for Epic or Legendary tiers!"
Stepping up to the second golden chest, Lucia didn't even bother with standard tools. With effortless precision, she used the tips of her razor-sharp claws to pick the intricate lock. The chest popped open, releasing a soft hum of magical energy.
"We have a Magical Staff in this one," Lucia announced, pulling the elegant weapon from its resting place. "I can feel the immense power radiating from it." With a polite, charming smile, she handed the powerful staff over to Gideon's stunned mage.
With the major artifacts distributed, they quickly popped open the final silver chest, revealing a generous, highly practical supply of Concentrated XL Healing Potions.
Shiroi quickly invited Gideon to proceed to the next floor, and the Vanguard leader agreed without hesitation. Gideon immediately rallied his party, and together, the combined raid group descended the heavy stone stairs to the next level.
Instead of a sprawling labyrinth or a hostile cavern, they arrived in a completely empty room. It was a massive, cavernous space, entirely devoid of monsters, partitions, or maze-like corridors. It was just a vast, blank expanse.
Gideon and his party looked around in sheer confusion. "Why would a dungeon have a room like this?"
One of the Custodes Guards accompanying Shiroi shifted his Guardian Spear and offered a tactical assessment. "It appears this room was intentionally left empty to serve as a secure resting area for adventurers."
"I agree," Shiroi added smoothly. "It seems this dungeon was designed to allow challengers to rest, regroup, or tend to whatever they need before pushing deeper."
"Or," the thief from Gideon's party chimed in, "the main boss of the dungeon wants to fight challengers at their absolute best."
"That makes sense," the mage agreed, nodding thoughtfully. "There are scholarly records of powerful boss monsters preferring to face enemies at their peak strength simply for the thrill of a good battle."
Shiroi looked around the vast, echoing space. "Merchants could easily set up shop in a place like this."
"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" Gideon asked.
"This location isn't just a simple resting spot," Shiroi explained. "It has the potential to be a fully functioning hub. Adventurers could restock potions here, form official parties, or even hold formal weddings. The possibilities are quite literally endless."
Gideon nodded, seeing the logic in the Emperor's words. "That actually makes a lot of sense. A fair number of adventurers end up getting married in the middle of dungeon expeditions, though it usually isn't formalized until they finish the dive or retire to settle down."
"This should definitely be reported to the Adventurer Guild," Shiroi stated.
Gideon agreed, and having accomplished their goal, the two parties decided to head back up to the surface.
However, upon ascending, both Gideon's and the Emperor's parties were caught off guard. They found themselves standing right back at the dungeon entrance.
"Ah," Gideon sighed in disappointment. "This dungeon system operates like the Arudi Dungeon. If an adventurer decides to retreat to the surface, all their floor progress is completely reset."
But the mage from Gideon's party suddenly frowned, his eyes locked onto a crystalline lantern mounted near the entrance doors. "Wait. There is a strange magical energy radiating from that crystal lantern. In fact... it feels exactly like the magic in those claw tattoos we just received."
The thief quickly approached the crystal. "There has to be a connection to that empty room." He held up his forearm, aligning the magical tattoo with the glowing crystal.
In an instant, his body dissolved into a flash of light, and he teleported away.
Shocked, Gideon and the rest of his party immediately raised their own marked arms toward the crystal, vanishing one by one.
Risa blinked in surprise. "Should we follow them?"
"There's no need," Shiroi murmured softly with a knowing smile. "Let them learn the true function of the magic tattoos on their own."
A moment later, Gideon and his party reappeared at the entrance, stepping out of the dungeon proper. The other adventurers waiting in line outside were utterly bewildered. They had just seen Gideon's group standing at the entrance, then vanish, only to walk out again. Whispers broke out, some even wondering if Gideon and his party were shape-shifting monsters playing a trick.
Emperor Shiroi approached them casually. "Well? How was it?"
Gideon's face broke into a massive grin. "The magic tattoo we got from defeating the nine-tailed fox... it's a waypoint key! It teleported us directly back to that empty safe room we discovered!"
"You must report this discovery to the Adventurer Guild immediately," Shiroi said, intentionally speaking loudly enough for the surrounding crowd to hear. "This will be a game-changer for all adventurers."
The eavesdropping adventurers couldn't contain themselves. "Is that true?!" one shouted from the queue.
Gideon turned to the crowd, his voice booming with pride. "It is! My party, alongside Emperor Shiroi's party, broke through the boss room guarded by a giant nine-tailed fox. Beyond it, we found a massive, completely secure safe zone that can be used freely without the threat of monsters! The dungeon provides a fast-travel system to get back to it!"
Shiroi, Risa, Yuna, and Lucia all nodded, publicly confirming the extraordinary claim.
The queue of adventurers erupted into cheers of sheer excitement. To fan the flames even more, Gideon's party proudly displayed the Rare-tier Elder Bow and the high-tier Magic Staff they had earned from the boss fight, sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy of ambition.
"Report this as soon as possible," Shiroi reminded him amidst the cheering.
"Right away. What about you, Your Majesty?" Gideon asked respectfully.
"I will be staying in Zephyr Village for the time being," Shiroi replied smoothly. "I have a few matters to attend to."