Chapter 7: Dungeon

“So, this is the dungeon…”

The ‘Heaven’s Trial’ dungeon looked like a structure similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Incidentally, instead of climbing up the tower, it seems you descend underground.

Upon entering the dungeon, there was a bright white room despite being underground. In the center of the room, a staff adorned with an octagonal decoration was embedded, and beyond it, there were stairs leading further down.

Just like I saw in the game.

When I touched the staff embedded in the center of the room, nothing happened.

I thought maybe it might have saved my clear data from my previous life, but it seems that was too optimistic.

“Damn.”

It’s frustrating that all my hard-earned clear data is gone, but I’ll just have to start anew.

“Alright, here we go!”

Telling myself this, I descended the stairs at the back of the room.

　◇

“So, this is the first floor…”

Just like in the game, it was a broad corridor made of gray stone. Despite being underground, it was faintly lit. At least, I wouldn’t need a torch.

Occasionally, angry shouts echoed from afar, making my body tense up each time.

That’s right. This is the first floor of the dungeon I’ve cleared countless times in the game. I could probably clear it with my eyes closed.

But that was only in the game. This is my real body.

Can I really defeat a monster?

“No, it’s not about whether I can do it or not. I will do it!”

When I pictured Celia’s gentle smile in my mind, I somehow felt courage welling up inside me. I couldn’t afford to stop here.

I moved deeper into the dungeon.

◇

“Huh?”

At the T-junction ahead, I heard light footsteps coming from the right. They were clearly not the sound of shoes. Could the source of the footsteps not be human?

I formed my right hand into the shape of a gun and aimed it at the right corridor.

What appeared was a smaller figure than I had expected.

A person…? No, it’s not!

About one meter tall. A bald head with a single small horn protruding. Beneath it was an ugly face with a large nose, gold eyes with goat-like horizontal pupils, and large ears disproportionate to its small green body.

A goblin!

“GEGYA!?”

The goblin, holding a club, noticed me.

“Blaze Shot!”

I used the only attack spell I had managed to learn.

‘Blaze Shot’ is a spell that shoots a fist-sized flame. Its power is not particularly high. I might need to follow up to defeat a goblin, but I chose not to, wanting to see the power of ‘Blaze Shot’ first.

The fireball I launched left a red trail and hit the goblin.

WHOOSH!!!

In an instant, the goblin was engulfed in flames and turned to ash.

“What…?”

The goblin was reduced to ash, and then the ash itself turned into white smoke and disappeared.

Even seeing it with my own eyes, I couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Was ‘Blaze Shot’ always this powerful?

Sure, the opponent was a low-level monster appearing on the first floor of the dungeon.

But the spell I used was the weakest one you learn at the beginning!

“I thought it would be more of a struggle…”

Well, it’s better to be stronger than weaker, I guess…

I continued to incinerate the monsters I encountered with ‘Blaze Shot’ as I progressed. They all went down in one hit. It felt great to be so dominant. I felt foolish for being scared.

“At this rate, I can probably handle the second floor too.”

I muttered as I stood before the stairs leading from the first floor to the second floor.

“If it gets too tough, I can just come back.”

With that light-hearted thought, I descended the stairs leading to the second floor.

“It doesn’t look much different.”

The second floor had the same stone corridors as the first floor. It was also faintly lit.

“Alright, let’s go!”

As I advanced down the corridor, I soon encountered monsters.

“GEGYA!”

“GYAGYAGYA!”

Two goblins. My first one-on-two battle. But I didn’t feel any fear. Slowly, I aimed my gun-shaped right hand at the goblins.

“Blaze Shot, Blaze Shot.”

The goblins turned to ash without even having time to cry out in agony, and then the ash itself disappeared into white smoke. Ordinary goblins aren’t satisfying anymore.

“Still, am I really leveling up?”

No matter how many monsters I defeat, I don’t feel any changes in my body. If anything, I’m just getting a bit hungry.

“Well, let’s keep going.”

Afterward, I managed to clear up to the third floor. I had defeated enough monsters that leveling up shouldn’t have been strange, but I didn’t feel any changes in my body.

Maybe I’m not noticing, but have my muscles or stats increased?

Or is it that only the protagonists can level up?

…Surely, that’s not the case…right?

With these anxious thoughts, I headed back to the mansion.

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