And just like that... I've suddenly got another companion...

You know- ordinarily, a relatable shut-in teenager like me, lost in another world, would get a beautiful slave to tag along with them.
Perhaps even a girl with animal ears... or a princess even! There ought to be a princess that's head over heels for me as well!

How did I end up with the dry heaving bird and a terrorist pensioner made of glass instead?!

(Sigh...)

We've just finished flying all over the third layer to gather chunks of materials from the dragon Alcazar defeated.

He kept gloating the whole time about how rich he was going to be when he finishes his full potion recipe.
Sounds like Alcazar's only reason for creating the potion is as a sort of get rich quick scheme.

Now that we're finally done gathering materials, I can finally go back to my main goal.
I just need to subjugate 1 more domain in the final depths.

"So? Where is it you had planned on going next?" (Alcazar)

"The final depths." (Scarecrow)

"The what?" (Alcazar)

"This is the third layer you know? The cavern doesn't go any further down than this, that's common knowledge." (Alcazar)

You're the one that summoned me into this world, why are you grilling me on lacking common knowledge...

"If I kill 1 more demon in the final depths, I'll be able to get a full potion." (Scarecrow)

"You'll get a full potion? ...Just like that?" (Alcazar)

"...You're sound awfully confident. Where are you getting this information from?" (Alcazar)

Where? By just looking at my status obviously? Isn't that what everyone does in another world?

"My status?" (Scarecrow)

"...Your status?" (Alcazar)

(Huh?)

Wait- am I the only one who can see my own status?

Ah... now that I think about it, my observation ability does have the colour of something legendary-grade.
My observation ability might be an even bigger advantage then I originally thought.

"Like your social status? What do you mean?" (Alcazar)

Uuuuh... how do I get myself out of this query...

Should I just tell him about observation?
I feel like it might be dangerous to reveal that I'm in the possession of something legendary-grade to this type of character though...

"I need to poo..." (Furby)
Furby suddenly interjected with a constipated expression.

"Huh? What do you want?" (Alcazar)

Nice timing!

"He needs to go to the bathroom." (Scarecrow)

"Huh? You can understand what this demon is saying?" (Alcazar)

"Yeah..." (Scarecrow)

"Interesting..." (Alcazar)

"Poo..." (Furby)

◇◆◇

 

"Land over there!" (Scarecrow)

Furby lands on the ground after I point down to the ground.

We arrived upon a huge opening in the cave wall.

I jumped off of Furby's back.

This must be it. The entrance to the final depth.

It's the largest entrance I've seen down here yet.

"Hey." (Alcazar)
Alcazar who's casually sitting on my shoulder interrupted my thoughts.

I somehow managed to dodge all of Alcazar's questions.

Whilst we searched for this entrance, he casually began explaining the common knowledge of the cavern.
Nothing particularly important came up, but it turns out he killed those important-sounding Flame Mother and Father guardian demons because they had expensive materials he wanted.

I feel like someone just killed an important quest-giver, but there's nothing I can do about this now I guess.

"Why are you staring at the wall?" (Alcazar)

Huh?

Is he joking? Can he not see the huge pitch-black entrance right in front of us?

Furby looked confused as well.

"Wall." (Furby)

"There's a huge opening right in front of us here though?" (Scarecrow)

"...?" (Alcazar)

I walk into the entrance.

As I cross the threshold, Alcazar seemingly crashes into an invisible wall and is thrown off my body.

"Wha?!" (Alcazar)

"Something only non-humans can see perhaps?" (Alcazar)
Pretty sure you're not human anymore either dude.

Wait- wouldn't this be a great opportunity to ditch Alcazar?

I look back at the slightly transparent cave wall behind me.

*BANG*
The sound of a small muffled explosion could be heard after Alcazar threw some sort of explosive concoction against the wall.

"Hmmm. Not a scratch huh?" (Alcazar)

Furby pecked at the wall.

For some reason, I'm the only one able to go down here?

I turn around and go further into the hole.

Not that much further in, I'm greeted by a staircase going downward. Each step looks like it's covered in scuff and claw marks.
Like several wild animals got dragged across it.

(A staircase?)

This is the first human structure I've spotted in this cave.
Am I finally entering some sort of exciting dungeon-like section?!

I'll just check out what's at the bottom real quick and return to Furby and Alcazar right after that...

(...)
I descend 1 staircase step, and suddenly feel a subtle sense of dread settle in.

There are hundreds of steps left to go and no end in sight, just pitch-black darkness.

I begrudgingly take 1 more step down.

(T- this is a bad idea...)
The sense of dread doubled.

I take another step.

Th- this is even worse than the feelings I experienced when I came face to face with that disaster-grade demon.

Just 3 steps down I can barely stand the pressure.

(Guh...)
I can't give up...

This is the only way I can get a full potion for Julia...

Another step.

Huh?

Nothing.

All the awfulness I was feeling disappeared-

I'm not sure why, but instinctively I peer down the staircase.

I stare into the abyss and finally notice the thing that's standing hundreds of steps down in the dark.

It's an anthropomorphic shape, but every part of its body is constantly moving.

I'm trying to focus on it, but it's blending in almost perfectly with the darkness.

My eyes meet it-

◇◆◇

 

"Oh? You're back?" (Alcazar)

"Noclip!" (Furby)

My two travelling companions greeted me when I reappeared through the wall.

Wha... what the hell...

Before I realised it, my legs took me back to the entrance by themselves. 

"So? Did you find this mysterious last component for your full potion?" (Alcazar)

Huh?

Ah... damn, the full potion... what do I do now.

I can't level up as long as I don't take over the final depths...

And I don't seem to be strong enough to even begin to go down towards the final depths.

Aren't I completely stuck now?

Is this a bug?

"I failed... I'm not strong enough..." (Scarecrow)

"Hmph. As expected. A dead-end huh?" (Alcazar)

"Well then. I'd be willing to give you a sample of mine when I complete it." (Alcazar)

What?

"But you'll be in my debt for life and you'll have to do some leg work for me. Fwu fu fu..." (Alcazar)

Ah... that's right... Alcazar is down here for the same reason, but he never revealed how he was planning to obtain a full potion...

"How?" (Scarecrow)

"Fu fu... so you agree to help me then?" (Alcazar)

"Yes..." (Scarecrow)
I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil.

"Right then. Lucky for you, the only material I need now is the hair of a disaster-grade demon!" (Alcazar)