Ain't no rest for the wicked.
"Ahhhggg…" The Undead Mammoth groaned as it finally went down for the count after five minutes of having its stupidly thick, self-regenerating fur hacked at until they could make an opening large enough for Archer to get at it's Magic Stone.
"Finally, the first floor boss is down." Art said wiping sweat from her brow, but then she started shouting how she really felt. "...WE'RE ONLY JUST NOW FINISHING WITH THE STUPID FIRST FLOOR!" The Demoness fell to her knees. "Goddess, why did you have to allow your Dungeon Masters to turn your Dungeons into such labyrinths?"
"Time consuming." Fran agreed as she went and sat down with her back pressed against Art's.
It had been seven hours since their fight with Legendary Skeleton outside. Seven extremely long hours of first getting past the cannons and the magic barrier on the outside of the floating island, then finding the entrance to the Dungeon, then fighting their way through hallways completely jampacked with zombies while avoiding traps and running into dead end after dead end after goddamn dead end. All the while being attacked from all sides, as wraiths could come through the walls without warning and attack.
Even with how strong Fran and Art were, Archer had been made to save their lives multiple times from unspotted arrow traps and wraiths attacking their blind spots while they were distracted.
While the girls had the physical endurance to put up with it, they lacked the emotional endurance, as the stress piled up. Art in particular started to lose her shit early on after the horde wouldn't let them eat lunch in peace, resulting in her burning almost all of her Mana, destroying two entire hallways with an overcharged [Chaos Magic] spell. It didn't even have much of an effect as the wraiths just kept coming.
[We'll take another break here. Have some dinner and then come up with a plan. I'll keep watch while you eat.] Archer said, bringing out several boxes full of kipine quesadillas with spicy mole sauce out of his [Dimensional Storage].
"Dinner already sounds like a plan to me." Art said with a tired sigh.
Archer also dumped a good deal of normal rocks out and used Earth Magic to shape them into walls around their little party, putting up an area of silence over it to keep out all the groaning and wailing.
(What's the plan?) Fran asked telepathically, so that she didn't have to stop eating to talk.
[...It took us seven hours just to get this far, and we have no reason to suspect that things will get easier. The Cobweb Dungeon had five floors, and this place is likely to have even more.] Archer said, causing Art to give a groan of her own. [I'm afraid that we aren't equipped or experienced at Dungeon Dives without any sort of map. So, one plan would be retreating for now. Now that we know where we are going, we can likely do the first floor in just twenty minutes. Maybe we could go back to town and get Amanda's help. She'd have more experience with this kind of thing than we do.]
They were only two hours away from town. They go get back there before the city gates closed, find Amanda and have a good night's sleep before trying to tackle the Dungeon again the next day. Hopefully with a better plan of action.
Another option was to leave the Dungeon and then burn Archer's [Body Split] for the day to create a bootleg Noble Phantasm to blow the entire floating island out of the sky. Though that method would likely not grant them the EXP they desire, nor would the Dungeon Monsters leave behind their Magic Stones if the Dungeon itself was destroyed before they die.
So that option was on the back shelf.
(I suppose you're right. At the rate we're going, it's going to take us all week just to get to the bottom of this place.) Art agreed. They might have killed a good deal of monsters that day, but it was clear that the floor bosses were where the EXP was at. The C-rank undead mammoth had been worth as much EXP as a thousand of the F-rank zombies and wraiths they had been dealing with up until that point.
But before they could pack it up and head home, a voice caught them all by surprise. "This sauce is delicious! What do you call it!?"
Fran and Art jumped to their feet, backing away from the voice and pulling out their weapons as they turned to face the intruder. Their shock was understandable, as their magic alarms hadn't been tripped and even Archer hadn't detected the man's presence.
The man was sitting on the far side of the room with one of Archer's bentos in his lap as he used his clawed fingers to scoop the quesadillas into a mouth full of rather sharp teeth. The man wore rugged looking black robs and with his hood pulled up, might have been mistaken for a cartoon depiction of death. His skin was so pale it was almost white, and a pair of horns grew out of the sides of his head.
"A demon?" Fran said, confused.
"Fuhahaha, no. I am not a demon. Unlike that familiar of yours, I am a Devilkin." The man said as he licked his claws one by one. Not really expecting anyone to be around, Art hadn't been using her [Racial Mimicry] skill, so her horns and wings were on full display. "I must say, as one summoner to another, that I am impressed. Not just anyone has what it takes to summon a true demon. I've seen a few fiends and lesser demons in my day, but never a full fledged Demon, and a lady Baroness at that. Oh, but now I am being rude, I haven't yet introduced myself."
The man stood tall, holding his staff in hand and grinning wide as he struck a pose. "I am the Scholar of the Undying, Exploring of the Netherworld and the True King of the Dead! I am the Great, the Mighty, Jean Dovy! Fuhahaha!"
"...D-rank Adventurer. Fran." Fran said for her own introduction.
"Fufufu. I'm Art, one of the Baronesses of the Chaotic Realms and also a D-rank Adventurer." Art said, puffing out her chest and using a little illusion magic to add some flare to her wings.
The girls calmed down quickly after the initial shock of the man, realizing that he wasn't part of the Dungeon, and Art even seemed to approve of the man's theatrical nature.
Archer was the only one who recognized the man's name and took a quick peek to make sure he was who he said he was. Sure enough there luck was that chaotic.
Name: Jean Dovy
Age: 49
Race: Devilkin
Job: Dark Guru
Status : Level 45
HP:180, MP:616, STR:91, END:93
AGI:119, INT:179, MGC:226, DEX:123
Skills: Darkness Resistance Lv6, Chant Abbreviation Lv4, Appraisal Lv8, Presence Concealment LvMax, Kin Summoning Lv8, Staff Arts Lv4, Ghost Operation Lv8, Necromancy Magic LvMax, Dagger Arts Lv2, Compounding Lv7, Poison Resistance Lv3, Poison Knowledge Lv7, Fire Magic Lv3, Netherworld Magic Lv5, Medicinal Herbs Knowledge Lv4, Dark Magic Lv5, Absolute Presence Concealment, Ghost Rampage, Friend of the Dead, Magic Manipulation, Magic Power Boost
Unique Skills: Soul Eye
Titles Scales of Assassination, Undead Creator, Slaughterer of Men, Necromancer, King of the Dead
Slaughterer of Men: A title awarded to one who has killed over a thousand of his fellow men on a single battlefield.
Fucking hell.
While his stats were not high, almost universally lower than Fran's and universally lower than Arts, the man had Skills to pay the bills. Intelligence and experience were the man's greatest weapons. He had poison knowledge and stealth that could rival an Assassin Class Servant. And his skills with controlling the undead made him a one man army capable of bringing down entire legions of soldiers on his own.
Jean Dovy, better known as the Slaughter, or Death Bringer, arguably the nation's top B-rank Adventurer.
Amanda was right, the guy looks dangerous, but he acts like a goof.
"Art? What an eccentric name! I like it! And a Familiar who is also an Adventurer, I've never heard of such a thing before." Jean laughed before glancing over at Fran. "And how about you, Mr. Sword. What's your name?"
Fran and Art were surprised, but Archer was not. He had already noticed the [Soul Eye] skill and guessed what it was. Instead of bothering to try to deny it, he would just come straight out. He might not trust the guy, but trying to hide would do no good, since he had a Skill capable of seeing through [Appraisal Block].
[...Your [Soul Eye] should have already told you that I am Nameless, though if you would like to call me something else, Archer will do.]
"Holy shit, it really is a talking sword! And it's name is Archer! A sword named Archer!? What an interesting day it has been!?" Jean laughed, baring his teeth in a wide grin. "I have to thank you for your work. To think I would prepare for ten years to make a Necrophage Potion powerful enough to kill the Legendary Skeleton that has been baring my path into this Dungeon, only to have that same Demonic Beast destroyed the week before my plan came together. It was really a pleasant surprise when the bastard's horse fell through my roof, even though it did ended up destroying my supply of Ghost Grass."
"...Oops. Sorry." Fran said.
"Don't worry about it." Jean said, waving the girl off. "Needless to say, I immediately started to gather all the Dungeon Diving gear I had on hand, preparing to come up after you. I thought it would take some time to catch up to you, but despite your obvious strengths, you appear to be having quite a lot of trouble."
"Yeah, we keep running into dead ends." Art admitted, lowering her head.
"Figured as much. The first time I found this place, I was also unaware of what I would find on this island. I ran out of supplies and was forced to run for my life around the second floor." Jean admitted.
[So you've been here before. That explains a lot.] Archer said as he pieced things together. [I thought it was strange how many of the undead in this place had anti-control skills and [Magic Resistance], as well as magic and purification resistant armor and hides. The Dungeon Master must be aware that there is a rabid Necromancer nearby with eyes on his Dungeon.]
The Legendary Skeleton had nearly maxed out [Magic Resistance], along with antimagic armor, an antimagic and antipurification mantle, and the ability to create energy barriers to further resist magic. Even [Angelic Magic] couldn't blast through all those layers of resistance.
"Hahaha! Yes, he truly has been plotting against me just as much as I have been plotting against him!" Jean laughed, seemingly proud of the fact that the Dungeon Master appeared to be so frightened of him.
[You say that you discovered this Dungeon 10 years ago, and yet you never reported it.] Archer asked.
The smile left the man's face. "Yes, that's right. And I must ask you not to report it as well." He said seriously.
"Trying to keep it to yourself?" Fran asked.
"No. Nothing like that. I don't want to keep the Dungeon to myself. I wish to destroy it!" Jean said. "Ten years ago, I was called in by the Adventurer's Guild to act as an expert to deal with a mysterious rise in undead activity in the area. There were sudden, unexplained tainted mana pools in the surrounding area, causing the undead to rise with unusual frequency, and it didn't take me long to figure out why. You see, as this Dungeon travels around, it drops stones and plants down onto the surface below, infusing its miasma into ground, raising the dead. Not only that, but tens of thousands of souls are held with no chance of purification within these halls. As a Noble Necromancer, tasked with helping to purify the restless souls so that they might one day gain eternal peace, I cannot allow this to stand."
"That sounds really cool and all, but what does that have to do with not telling the Guild about things." Art asked.
"...Because while I have a duty to the dead, I have a duty to the living as well, and if the Countries discovered the existence of this Dungeon, it would be a disaster." Jean said with a shack of the head. "This floating island does not blow to any country. Instead, it floats over three nearby countries, giving each one of them a claim to it. So, if its existence was ever discovered, war would break out over its ownership and thousands more people would die. As such, it is over the greatest importance that the countries never find out. Not until the Dungeon Core is destroyed."
[Makes sense.] Archer agreed. He honestly didn't like the idea of a floating island that dropped stones that raise the dead.
"But it is as you say, the Dungeon Master has been building his army for the sole purpose of combating me and me alone. As such, I am not sure if I can conquer this dungeon alone." Jean admitted. "If it isn't too presumptuous, I would like to higher the three of you to help me attempt to conquer this Dungeon, and if that proves impossible, to capture a certain undead that roams these halls, which has the point to perhaps succeed in the future."
"Don't mind. But, what kind of undead?" Fran asked tilting her head curiously.
"It is the one that first drove me back ten years ago, the B-rank Undead, the Ghost Eater. It is an undead that has the power to consume other undead in order to mutate and grow more powerful. As you can imagine, dealing with such a beast proved… problematic for a necromancer like me, as everything I threw at it was just eaten. However, if I could capture it and convert it to our side, it would be the ultimate ally against a Dungeon of the Undead."
[...You want to capture a B-rank Demonic Beast, alive?]
"Depends on your definition of alive, but yes. Hahaha!"
[...Before we agree to anything, can you describe what exactly this Ghost Eater is capable of, besides eating other undead.]
"To be honest, I have no idea. Ten years ago, it's powers were already considerable, and it took the form of a giant. But it has been feeding and evolving over the last ten years. I can't even begin to imagine how strong it has become or what shape it will have taken."
[...You have plan of attack, don't you?]
"Of course! I haven't been just sitting on my hands for the last ten years! I have devised several possible methods for dealing with the Ghost Eater!" Jean laughed as he stuck a pose. "So what do you say? I will lead you through the second floor and share with you my methods for navigating the Dungeon after that, and in exchange, you will assist me in my indeverse. I will also pay you 200,000 gorudo for your assistance, through the Guild of course. What do you say?"
(What do you think, mom?) Art asked. She knew that Archer didn't like vague plans.
[According to Amanda, he was trustworthy, even if he does look suspicious. He already knows many of our secrets, and could have killed us at any time through poison if he had wanted to.] Archer said, keeping things between him and the girls. [I don't think we have much of a choice but to accept his deal. Unless you want to just leave and go get Amanda. But even then, she wouldn't be able to come without receiving permission from the Guild, which would require us to tell the country about what we found. Jean is right, we can't let news of this dungeon get out.]
(Agreed.) Fran said.
[...Are you alright with this, Art?] Archer asked.
(Huh? Why wouldn't I be?) Art asked with a tilt of her head.
[The Dungeons were created by the Goddess of Chaos. As one of her servants, do you have any problems with destroying it?] Archer asked.
(Not in the slightest.) Art replied. (The Dungeons were created by the goddess to motivate people to get stronger. As Jean has struggled for ten years trying to become strong enough to destroy the Dungeon, it is fulfilling its duty well.)
[Well then, there is no one against the idea of destroying the Dungeon, and in order to get to the lower levels, we will need the help of someone like him. I guess our choice is clear then.]
"Nn." Fran nodded in agreement. "We'll go. But don't need money. Instead, we keep Magic Stones."
"Magic Stones you say?" Jean said scratching his chin before smiling. "Ah, I see. This [Self-evolution] skill of Archer's deals with something called 'Magic Stone Points'. I assume that means that he grows stronger as he absorbs magic stones. Wait, that's not all is it? I thought there was something odd about your skill set. You have the ability to absorb skills from Magic Stones as well, don't you?"
[...It would appear your [Soul Eye] is even more effective than Gallus's [God Eye].] Archer said, both annoyed at having his secret revealed, and impressed by the man's insight.
"Fufufu, I am a researcher after all, so knowing how to spot such things is in my profession." Jean said, puffing out his chest. "However, I can tell you that while my [Soul Eye] does work on [Appraisal Block], it can't see through [Disguise Appraisal], like what I assume your Demoness friend has."
"You can tell that too? Wait, you just said you couldn't see through it, so how do you know about it!?" Art said, surprised.
"You forgot to change your race back after you dropped your human disguise. It still claims that you are human, even though you are definitely not." Jean said with a grin. Art's cheeks turned bluish purple as she flushed with embarrassment.
"I… wasn't really expecting to run into anyone while in here." Art said, making excuses.
"Point is, last time I was here there was a section of the second floor that was filled with 'Mimicry Spirits' which disguise themselves as normal Wraiths in order to catch people off guard, and among them are a few rare 'Disguise Spirits' which possess the same [Disguise Appraisal] as Art does. If you absorb one's Magic Stone, you should be able to obtain the skill for yourself, correct?"
[...You sure are doing a good job of tempting us.]
"You've already done me a favor by paving the way so far and I am asking for your help. It's only natural that I would be helpful as well." Jean said before stretching out his hand. "So, do we have a deal?"
"Nn." Fran nodded her agreement before shaking the man's hand.
"Great! Just let me go grab my things. I left my undead winged tigers a little bit behind so that they wouldn't spook you. They are carrying all of my gear." Jean said before vaulting over the stone wall of their little rest area and disappearing from sight.
[What a strange man.]
"I like him!"
"Nn!"