"Everyone, are you ready?"

"If Leader says so..."

"What's up with the lack of enthusiasm!?"

"Attacking an undiscovered Dungeon is not on my top-10 list of things I want to die for..."

"It's safe! The Union even guaranteed that it's just recently created!"

"That does not make it any safer. And it may be a little late to say this, but we are supposed to be guarding that guy as well."

"Problem is, he is the one who wants to challenge the Dungeon."

"......Oh crap."

---

Alf's PoV

I looked at the number that was shown on the portable Terminal.

"Seriously?" - Alf

[Right!?] sounded Garami's voice from the Terminal. These portable versions allow long-distance communication if we stay a certain distance from the Dungeon, but is there a need for her to travel the distance so she can "catch the signals", as she called it?

[Now I get why I wasn't given a raise!] - Garami

"...I was talking about how you had no clue about the Bank Union." - Alf

Apparently, Garami had learned about it for the first time from Vice-Leader Blot two days ago. Wait, she founded the Dungeon with the "loose change" she had earned from being an adventurer alone? ...I think she didn't join the organization for the money. At least, in the beginning.

And from what I'm hearing, she's now got five times that amount. Her income is equal to an A-ranker, if not better. No need for a raise there, no.

"Don't spend it all on this place. People are going to notice it if our funds get reduced and the number of Gold monsters increases." - Alf

[Yeah, yeah. Then, you want something from the auctions?] - Garami

"Nothing really. Try to find something for Mira at the weapon-auction." - Alf

[That's a no-brainer. Is everyone alright?] - Garami

"The monsters who left for the city? Yes, they arrived safely yesterday. But they seem to have been scared of something-" - Alf

[Then we're all good! Garami, over and out!] - Garami

And with that, Garami cut off the call. What was up with that last part?

I fall into the couch in my personal area located at the bottom floor of Dungeon #3, the former Lake Dungeon... we seriously need some better names for these places.

Alright, back to work... guuuuh... I don't want to work...

I've finished designing Dungeon #6, the former Temple Dungeon, and Dungeon #7, the former Volcano Dungeon, does not need any fixing at all. Garami made me a Sub-Master over the place while she was away, so I've been doing my work in leisure from this place, not caring to step out as the Shadow Familiars were good enough to gather reports from the various Territories.

Hmm? Maybe I've finished all my work? Just have to confirm the forces left in the Dungeon...

Seems good enough... not that a Sub-Master like me could create any more subordinates. We're limited to Treasure Creation and customizing the Dungeons we have been granted the responsibility for.

I still clicked on the Dungeon tabs to get more detailed information about the subordinates in each Dungeon, but there seem to be no problems. As usual, the former Volcano Dungeon is having crazy high average rankings. The construction of the Ancient City Ruins floor on the first floor of Dungeon #6 is still ongoing. If things go as planned, we can provide that as a hub area for travelers, alongside the Oasis-floor on the first floor of Dungeon #2.

It also seems like the hatchery experiment in Dungeon #4 has succeeded. More and more arachnid-monster babies are being registered as subordinates of the Dungeon. That will save us some CP in the future when we have more experience with the hatchery. Crap, I should have told Garami about that. Well, let's save that for later.

For now, I'm going to laze around for once. Damn, these other-world goods are soo comfortable. These "chips" and "soda", just to name some. Ahh, this is-

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

-life...  damn it, what is it now? Did I forget to set the alarm to only warn when enemies of rank E or above enter the... Dungeon......

WHY ARE THOSE GUYS HERE!?!?

---

Zombie Brawler (female)'s PoV:

Hee~, hee~, humans~... a group of six~... one with fur, one with feathers and small~... does not look tasty. One green~... again, not looking tasty. Female~, long-eared~, tasty? Strong-looking human. Similar to master Mira? No, weaker, but still, strong. 

To all Dungeon Monsters in Territory #1, do not engage in mortal combat with the invaders. Focus on scaring them away from the Territory. I repeat, focus on scaring them from the Territory!!

...The fake Master... the one who real Master gave the command to while away... have to follow orders... wish it was Master...

"Hey, ho, hey, ho, into the Dungeon, we go!" - Feathery one

"Gust! Be quiet!" - Female one

"Can't blame him. Seeing a forest inside a cave in the middle of the desert does fuel your adventure spirit." - Long-eared one

"Lester, be quiet!" - Female

"...Enemies." - Furry one

"Four of them, in the trees at eleven o'clock!" - Green one

Crawlers... came out... jumped at the... invaders while... using scary skills.

"Tornado Edge Buster!" - Strong one

The strong one... made a green-colored... magic circle... blew away the crawlers... no..., butchered them into pieces. What a... waste.

"L-l-leader! Warn us when you're planning on using such a big move!" - Green one

"If you're freaked out by this, then there is no way we can catch up to those guys." - Strong one

Hmph. Weak ones... thinking they can... be something by... chasing some other... weak one.

"Y-yeah, good point there. No way we can catch up to those monsters like Garami and Mira if this is all that's needed to tip us off our game." - Green one

............Those, smart ones.

"Oho? These are..." - Long-eared one

"...Figured out something?" - Furry one

"These creatures are Reha Zeras and Small Arachinaras. Both spider-shaped demons and real spider monsters." - Long-eared one

"Reha Zera? That's the race Garami used to be!" - Feathery one

"For real!? Makes me kind of bad for killing them..." - Strong one

"Yes. Even the non-demons are cute..." - Female one

...The other five... looked strangely at... the female one. Why?

The invaders... proceeded with... entering the... Dungeon. How to... scare them?

They found... the tunnel to... the deeper parts. The green one... good. Wasn't... fooled by... the stuffy... "plants".

I... follow.

"But still, first it's a cave, then a forest, then back to a cave. Will we see another forest after exiting this tunnel?" - Green one

"Not necessarily. The forest must have been a special Dungeon Room. Normally they would be found much deeper into the place..." - Long-eared one

"Then this is a friendly Dungeon~. There are even these glowing mushrooms to brighten the place~." - Female one

"No, why would a Dungeon be helpful to adventurers?" - Feathery one

"In any case, don't eat those 'shrooms. For real." - Green one

The six... kept on... walking... boring.

"Still no monsters in sight... leader, what about you?" - Green one

"Nothing's getting caught in the [Wind Radar] either... though, this place is kind of weird. What about you, Gust?" - Strong one

"I got nothing either." - Feathery one

"Which means, be on guard anyway." - Strong one

The other five... nodded to the... strong one's words... I'm too... good to... be caught. *Grin*

...? Just as... the invaders... entered the... next room... a presence... coming from... the entrance?

"...!? Everyone, we got company!" - Strong one

Hiding... hiding... hiding behind... the rocks...

Three... crawlers with... tails... entered. Not... allies. Big... with brown shells... but only... that... and four... "chop-chops"...

"We got Woopherstalkers here!" - Green one

"And it's five of them!" - Feathery one

"...E-rank." - Furry one

"Grr... let's retreat! Clearing a Dungeon ain't what we should be doing either!" - Strong one

They're... leaving... Mission... accomplished... just have to...

*BANG! SPLATT! CRACK!*

Make the coast... clear.

"WHOA-!? A Zombie suddenly attacked the Woopherstalkers!" - Green one

"Hmph. If it is an undead, then I will-" - Female one

"H-hey, there's tons of undead and Goblins coming from the other tunnels!" - Long-eared one

"What are they supposed to be!? A cursed group of miners!?" - Feathery one

Ah... today is... mining day... of the first... floor... but those... guys aren't... able to... fight...?

"Retreat! These numbers are just too much" - Strong one

"Ah! The 'Essence of Curse'-!" - Long-eared one

"Leave it be! Easy come, easy gone, remember!?" - Green one

"*Sniff*, when we are lucky enough to find something worth our while in this huge sandbox..." - Female one

The invaders... dropped something... but still fled. Smart ones... then...

*Chomp! Munch, munch, munch*

Brains... tasty. But crawler... resisting... annoying... ah, it... stopped.

?? What is... this?

Everyone, good work in scaring away the adventurers and defeating the invading scorpions. Today will be a feast!

The fake... Master... again. The green allies... are happy... same with the... crawling allies... who stopped the... invading crawlers...

*Thunk*

? This is... the thing the invaders... dropped... is it candy?

*Crunch!*

Ugh... hard... and not... tasty...

??? "Evolution"?

.........*Grin*