It has been 8 hours since the old adventurer went to sleep, and he has finally awoken. A short sleeper, but then again, we are in a monster-filled Dungeon. In the time he was sleeping, Bee was resting atop my head. I spent the 8 hours thinking, then thinking, and then some more thinking. There were no monsters that came in, which I’m guessing is due to this being the Floor Boss room. I wonder why the boss hasn’t respawned yet? Is it because we’re here? How do I know bosses should respawn? Maybe tied to my Reincarnation.
Speaking of reincarnation, despite being a reincarnator, I seem to have no actual memory. Well, I do have memory, in the form of general ideas or common sense that I assumed previous me had that has been hammered into my soul, but for personal memories, I have none. I didn’t really think about it until now, but it’s just lingering in my mind now that I have. Why do I not have memories? Is it because of the Goddess? She seems keen on interfering with me. Maybe it was someone else.
“Hello? You awake? Can Golems even sleep?”
My Great And Esteemed Leader, we are waiting for you. We are prepared to leave.
Oh… oh… sorry, just thinking, we can go now.
Understood, My Boss. Seriously, where does Bee get all these words from? Does Hivemind secretly share our brains, making her smarter? Wait… should Bee get Cognitive Monster then? Unless the Goddess is slacking still. Bee’s Unique skill is unfinished, after all.
“I dislike silence, so I think I will tell you some tales to fill the silence. Since you two are Dungeon monsters, I’m sure you two have never heard them. Is that alright?”
“Buzz. (Yes.)” I’m interested in these stories. Maybe it’ll reveal more about the outside world. I’m curious to hear them now.
“Haha, I have no idea what you said, but surely the Golem wants to hear. They’re the curious type, after all.” I swear he can read my mind.
“Well, rather than tales, it’s more like rumours, little myths told from generation to generation. We’ve got no idea what parts are fiction and what parts are truth. The first is about the Eternal Dragon. At the highest peak of the highest mountain lives an Ancient Dragon, who has been alive since the beginning of time. The dragon is known to exist, as there are accounts of past legendary adventurers reaching the peak and conversing with the dragon. Although they all had very different conversations, they all have ended the conversation the same way each time. They would say bye, and the Dragon, in response, would say, ‘Back to waiting, I shall go.’ It is unknown what she is waiting for. Some theorised she is awaiting her death, others the end of the world, and some romantic few a lover she lost at the beginning of time. All that is known is that she has been around as long as the world itself.” What an exciting story. I’d like to meet this Dragon. I have a lot of questions. What is it waiting for? How can it live for so long? How old is this world? Why doesn’t it tell anyone what it’s waiting for?
“The second story is one about an Oni. One that had rampaged through an entire country, destroying its citizen’s homes, farms, shops, and all sorts of buildings. The singular Oni did this in a fit of rage, as in its infant age it was a mere Ogre when its village was hunted and burnt down by human hunters of the country it destroyed. From there, it continued towards the Forest of Death, an infamous Dungeon, where it is said to rest to this day. Since then, we’ve been careful to burn down random monster villages, and in fact, this incident has led to some monsters trading with us. As for the Oni… we don’t know.” Well, that was… it felt kinda standard. Why? I have no memories of stories, yet that felt… generic to me. Probably because it’s vague. Maybe that’s why. Also… what’s an Oni?
“The last one is about an Evil Goddess. She was a mortal who, through the help of the System Goddess, ascended to Godhood, becoming the first mortal to become a God. It was said she was a kindly soul who helped many on her adventure around the world, where she journeyed across the land in search of ingredients for a magic spell that would allow her to ascend. When she finally did it, the mortals of her time quickly forgot her achievements and turned on her. Some turned on her out of jealously, others due to a strong belief in the initial Gods, others because of their hubris. Nonetheless, she chose to seek peace. She had found a village that accepted her, and she acted as their protector. One day, however, when she had gone to visit the System Goddess, the village she called home was attacked by the kingdom, with their crime being labelled heresy. Enraged, the Goddess decided mortals no longer need her kindness and turned to the darkness, reanimating the village’s corpse and sending them to the kingdom. The Undead were made. Disgusted by this unnatural creation, the Gods summoned heroes from another world, and they slew the Evil Goddess. The System Goddess, who was the Evil Goddess’ friend, couldn’t believe this and took her dying friend and split her apart. It is said that these parts are spread to individuals of this world and that if they ever come together, she will rise again.”
Well, that was quite the story. So Gods exist, and the System Goddess does too. Why is she slacking? Also, that Evil Goddess, how was she split? Since it was the System Goddess who did it, was she perhaps split into the System? How would that work? Why am I thinking so hard about a story that might as well be that, a story?
“I’d tell another story, but we’re here.”
Where?
“The middle of the Dungeon. You can tell because there’s a resting area.” What? I looked around and saw adventurers sitting on benches made of rocks. There was a fountain in the middle, and I could hear some relaxing music coming from somewhere.
“We’ll rest here for a while. Maybe look around. I’m sure you’re curious about the other adventurer’s statuses.” Stop reading my mind, please.
Thanks for the chapter.