Chapter 179: The Desert Oasis and the Secret Elixir
The Giant Beast Desert was often known for its scorching sunlight and sudden sandstorms, but those were far from the only obstacles standing in an adventurer’s way. Vast stretches of quicksand spread endlessly across the land, ready to swallow the unwary whole. Deep ravines cut through the terrain with no bridges to cross them, as if the earth itself had split apart. Towering clusters of rock rose like mountains, blocking the path forward with silent, oppressive force. It was a land where the very environment itself seemed determined to crush anyone who dared challenge it.
There was, of course, no water. No food. Not even the slightest indication of direction. No prior information to rely on. The open terrain offered clear visibility, which meant that if one encountered a monster, fighting was the only option—running would simply invite pursuit. In this place, survival itself was a battle.
And yet, right in the heart of this merciless desert, there existed a group of individuals indulging themselves in extravagant comfort.
“Here we have a fresh seasonal vegetable salad from the Arden household, spice-grilled sand crocodile, premium bread I swiped from Marquis Grace, and tomato soup made with sandfish. Eat as much as you like. I’ll even bring out some fruit for dessert afterward.”
Stingray stuffed her mouth full of crocodile meat, his eyes lighting up as he chewed.
“Ryu-sama, your cooking just keeps getting better and better!”
“Once I realized how deep the world of cooking truly is, I couldn’t stop exploring it,” Ryu replied with a faint, satisfied smile. “Lately, I’ve been hooked on cooking meals together with Lena and Estelle.”
“Any task I share with you, dear Oni-sama, is pure bliss!” Lena declared happily, her voice brimming with affection.
“I handle the spices, you see,” Estelle added proudly. “I am, after all, an apothecary.”
Lily and the others were equally captivated, savoring flavors they had never experienced within the kingdom.
“This is amazing—what is this?! Ryu, I didn’t know you were such a cooking-type guy!”
“Captain Lily, you should really stop labeling people as ‘types’ like that.”
“I agree,” another chimed in. “That’s exactly the kind of word someone with no romantic experience would use.”
“I-I won’t give up!” Lily protested, puffing out her cheeks in defiance.
As for the heroes—
“Huh… this tastes kind of nostalgic,” one of them murmured.
“Right? I thought the same. It somehow reminds me of Japan,” another added softly.
“I don’t really get it, but it’s delicious!” the third said, grinning as he ate.
At that moment, Ryu appeared before them, wearing a mischievous grin.
“Heh heh heh… so you noticed.”
“So it wasn’t just our imagination?” one asked, narrowing his eyes.
“That’s right. This time, I used Hinomaru soy sauce as a hidden flavor in the salad dressing, and miso in the tomato soup.”
“Hinomaru… you mean Japanese seasonings? Then… is your homeland Japan? I did think your black hair gave you that kind of look…”
“Nope, wrong,” Ryu said with a shrug. “The other day, I caught Ryoma sneaking soy sauce and miso out of his item bag and quietly enjoying them with vegetables and whatever else he could find. I got curious, so I just extorted them from him and decided to use them in my cooking.”
Ryoma let out a frustrated sigh, his shoulders slumping.
“Guh… my precious private enjoyment time has been stolen by a corrupt apprentice chef…!”
“Ryoma-sama, hoarding such wonderful seasonings is unacceptable,” Alice said calmly. “They should be shared with a proper cook. This time, I support Ryu-sensei.”
As the daughter of a count, Alice had a refined palate and high standards when it came to taste. It was rare for someone with her emotionally unstable tendencies to side so firmly with someone—but this time, she did so without hesitation.
“Do you understand now? You seasoning-hoarding samurai.”
“Again with the ridiculous nickname…”
Perverted Samurai, Self-Inflicted Samurai, Overly Self-Conscious Samurai, Noble-Lady-Loving Samurai, Seasoning-Hoarding Samurai. And thus, yet another absurd title was added to Ryoma’s ever-growing list of nicknames.
(Seeing Ryoma-sama looking so dejected is adorable… I just want to hug him tightly.)
Only Alice wore a bright, satisfied smile.
◇◇◇
“When it comes to deserts, there’s always an oasis.”
The monsters that inhabited the desert knew the locations of these oases and periodically traveled to them to replenish their water. Of course, many monsters could extract moisture from other creatures or even cacti, so it wasn’t a universal rule—but even in this S-rank dungeon, the Giant Beast Desert, that basic principle still held true.
In the outside world, oases often became settlements for people. But within the dungeon, they were nothing more than sanctuaries for monsters.
On their third day, the group finally discovered one.
Numerous monsters seemed to have made their nests in the surrounding area, and the atmosphere was thick with tension—like a battlefield moments before chaos erupted.
“So they drink water here every time, even in this kind of standoff?” someone muttered.
“Life’s tough even for monsters,” Ryoma said. “The dungeon master could at least add more oases.”
“Though from the perspective of survival competition, fewer might be better,” Ryu replied thoughtfully. “There are many unique monsters here. Perhaps the dungeon evolved gradually like this… though I don’t really understand how dungeons work.”
“The fastest way would be to ask the dungeon master directly,” Ryoma suggested.
“True. They’ve probably lived a long time. If we can talk to them, we should dig out every bit of information possible.”
(Come to think of it, I still haven’t asked the heroes about Japan… I should take the time to do that. It might even help develop Arden.)
Just then—
“Hmm…”
“What is it, Estelle?”
“Do you see that fierce-looking grasshopper-like monster over there?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s one of the ingredients listed in the secret elixir recorded in the pharmacology book left behind by Sanjo Kaji Munechika.”
“Munechika’s elixir? …Which part do we need?”
“The eyes.”
“Got it.”
Ryu turned around.
“Estelle needs that grasshopper. Takeshi, give me a hand.”
“Understood.”
“In that case… Homura.”
“Gyao!”
Homura, who had been soaring through the sky, dove sharply downward and snatched the grasshopper monster with its powerful talons. The surrounding monsters, startled by the sudden appearance of an S-rank fire dragon, scattered in panic like frightened insects.
Homura flew back and dropped the grasshopper from above.
“Takeshi, cut it so we can collect the eyes. The rest doesn’t matter.”
“Roger.”
The grasshopper, intimidated by Axel’s gaze, spread its wings midair and tried to flee back toward the oasis—
“I can see it. All of it.”
Standing there was humanity’s representative.
“Chik chik chik!!”
The grasshopper clattered its fangs in warning and slashed toward Takeshi with razor-sharp wings. But with minimal movement, Takeshi effortlessly dodged and split its body cleanly in two.
“Impressive. At this point, even B-rank monsters are easier for you to defeat than twisting a baby’s arm.”
“No… I still struggle against opponents I’m poorly matched with.”
“Even so, as a party, you’re strong enough to stand against S-rank enemies. Have confidence.”
“…Yeah.”
At the Adventurers’ Guild, each of the three heroes had been recognized as S-rank. However, this did not mean each of them could individually defeat S-rank monsters. Rather, it meant that together, as a party, they possessed the strength to do so. The same logic applied to all ranks below A as well.
“So, is this enough, Estelle?”
“Yes! I got two eyes!”
“By the way, how many ingredients does the elixir still need?”
“Too many to count,” Estelle replied. “This is the elixir supervised by ‘Munechika, who reached the realm of dragons through intellect alone,’ after all.”
“Yeah… figures.”
The elixir they spoke of was none other than the potion of immortality.
To ensure that Ryu would never be left alone in the distant future, Estelle had desperately deciphered the pharmacology book left behind by Munechika. Recently, she had been secretly gathering the required materials.
Who would ultimately drink it was another matter entirely—but there was no harm in having such a legendary medicine.
…This would undoubtedly be a long journey.
With a content, almost glowing smile, Estelle climbed onto Axel.
◇◇◇
“Ever since that sandstorm three days ago, those two dragon-types haven’t fought at all! One of them doesn’t even look like they plan to fight… Did I get a dud? If anything, I was hoping for a strong dragon… I guess I’ll just have to place my hopes on the wind dragon…Well, whatever! Just being dragon-types makes them valuable. As collectibles, they’re perfect! Ahh, I can’t wait… I hope they get here soon…”