Kays Translations

Chapter 102: Ancient Message

The stone monument that Sakura had discovered was inscribed in the language of the Beastmen:

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This city is now at its end.

The bull-type monsters overflowed onto the surface, and the villages were attacked one after another.

This is the punishment for us, the Beastmen, who continued to violate taboos.

Do not enter the dungeon.

It was not the blessing bestowed by the goddess.

We will move to the west.

Fellow survivors, head west, as many as possible.

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"So, it's confirmed that the Beastmen lived here. They couldn't withstand the threat of the Minotaur and abandoned the city to escape to the west."

"They passed through the large forest where Nanashi Village is now, and migrated to the west of the continent?"

"If that's the case, this happened up to 500 years ago. The ancient mountain range should have been connected from north to south long before that..."

"That's strange. The records mention that the ancient group of heroes disappeared a part of the mountain range 500 years ago, right? If that's the case, why is there no mention of the taboo or the Beastmen's migration?"

"Such information is not found in the parliamentary archives."

"Then, it must be an event even more ancient than that."

"It's a significant matter concerning the survival of the races. It's strange that nothing has been passed down unless it's an exceedingly old tale."

With such a developed civilization, there should have been mediums to record information. It's hard to believe that all records from the last 500 years were lost.

However, if it's an even more ancient event, the question remains of how they crossed the vast mountain range. Did they jump from the cliffs in the south and swim across the sea? ... No, that seems quite unlikely.

"What is this 'taboo'? Is it about entering the dungeon or something they did inside the dungeon?"

"It's written about the blessing of the goddess. Maybe it refers to defeating monsters to level up or the drops they obtained?"

"Both possibilities seem plausible."

"It was said that the Minotaur overflowed onto the surface due to the forbidden act of entering the dungeon. ... It's quite similar to what happened with the orcs."

"Based on that reasoning, the ancient Beastmen must have conquered boss rooms on even deeper levels."

"The ancient Beastmen must have possessed formidable power. Otherwise, defeating a boss of that level would be unthinkable."

"Well, no matter how much we think about it, we won't find an answer."

For now, we decided to investigate the surroundings and continued to search every corner of the central area.

Near the central street, they found several larger buildings, as expected, including a church, blacksmith's workshop, and what appeared to be the remnants of waterways.

Whether they were taken away or eroded, there were no books or written materials left behind, and unfortunately, we couldn't obtain clear information about the situation at the time.

Having finished the preliminary investigation, we decided to have lunch at the site of the former city.

While organizing the information we had found so far, we discussed various theories. When the topic turned to what to do next, we decided to search for a nearby dungeon.

Although entering the dungeon seemed to be a taboo, directly investigating it was the best way to uncover the cause of the monster overflow.

"Hey, before we investigate the area around the city, there's something I want to try."

"Oh, Touya , do you have an idea? This sounds promising."

"When Touya has a hunch like this, it's always worth anticipating."

"Hey Sakura-san.. I'll be embarrassed if there's nothing."

"Sorry, sorry, just kidding. So, what do you want to try?"

"Well, you know, that stone monument we found earlier, or rather, what if we break the floor? I believe the dungeon is beneath that floor."

"Really? And what makes you think that?"

"When Sakura released that massive amount of water earlier, didn't you notice that most of it flowed into the gaps in the floor?"

"Hmm, did it? I was too focused on the stone monument at that time. Did Haruka notice?"

"At that moment, I was mostly looking at the stone monument too. I'm not sure."

According to Touya, there might be a large cavity under that floor, which would explain why such a large amount of water was absorbed.

"Also, right after the part that says 'Do not enter the dungeon,' it says 'This is not' the blessing of the goddess. That could imply that the location itself is the entrance to the dungeon, don't you think?"

"Indeed, contextually, it should be 'That is.' But if it's 'This,' it might be referring to the location of the stone monument..."

"Does that mean the dungeon was sealed under that floor...? I see, it makes sense."

"If we can move it by force, that's good, but if it seems impossible, the worst-case scenario would be to destroy it. Anyway, the final decision will be up to the Village Chief."

"Sounds good, let's give it a try. Just in case, if monsters overflow from the inside, it's okay because we'll enclose them with the barrier. Is that fine with you too, Drago and Merinard?"

"Of course!"

"I have no objections either."

With the discussion settled and the cleanup finished, we stood in front of the stone tablet once again.

After encircling the floor with a barrier around the area with a different color, we decided to try moving it together first.

As the flooring around the stone monument was removed and the ground dug, we found out that the thickness of the dark blue-black floor is more than 30 cm. Considering that the width of the stone monument is three times the height, I thought it might be impossible, but... I was able to lift it slightly.

"Tsu! Touya-san you’re amazing! There indeed are stairs, and the shape seems to be the same as the village's dungeon."

Merinard who confirmed it, says so with excitement.

"Ugh, indeed it's impossible to move this. Well then, I guess I'll have to break it."

"Please wait, Village Chief. I believe I can retrieve this using my spatial storage."

"Oh, I see... that's an option, isn't it?"

Once we understand the overall shape, we should be able to visualize and recover it using spatial storage. It seems like it'll fit size-wise, so let's get started right away.

When the stone monument was successfully retrieved, a dense concentration of magic energy was released from within the hollow. Even though I can sense it, there doesn't seem to be any particularly ominous presence, and my body feels normal. Since even dragons with acute perception of dragon energy seem to experience something similar, there's probably no need to be overly concerned.

"From here on, Touya and Sakura will lead. It's better for an amateur like me not to interfere."

"Understood. Then, let's first head to the teleportation circle on the first floor. If it's fully activated to the deeper levels, we should be able to fly there."

"The formation will be Drago, Haruka, and me as the vanguard, and Village Chief at the rear."

“"Understood!"”

As we descended the stairs cautiously, we remained alert for any early encounters with monsters since we had no idea about the situation inside. Fortunately, the interior was well-lit, and our vision was sufficient even without magic tools.

Before long, at the end of the stairs, a spacious area opened up.

The atmosphere around them was similar to the dungeon in the Eastern Forest, and in the center stood a black stone pillar for teleportation. It seemed that this confirmed it as a dungeon.

The seven of us gathered around the stone pillar, and Sakura gave the next instruction. Rather than immediately activating the teleportation circle to descend to lower levels, she intended to be cautious and investigate the first floor first.

"Before activating the teleportation circle, let's explore this first floor. The teleportation mechanism and the appearance of monsters might not necessarily be the same as before."

"I think that's a good idea. If the monsters we encounter here are weak, we can prioritize searching for the stairs to the lower levels."

"In that case, let's maintain our formation and proceed forward. We'll plan to return to the surface before dusk."

It was unlikely that we would encounter powerful enemies right away. Nevertheless, considering that a Minotaur was wandering on the surface, it was prudent to investigate carefully.

The same applied to the teleportation circle. Once activated, we could be forcefully transported to the lowest level and face overwhelmingly strong monsters we couldn't handle.

"Alright then, everyone, let's go!"

And so, we began to conquer each level, moving forward cautiously and encountering monsters along the way.

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