Chapter 23 Dungeon 4-4. [The Labyrinth of No Return (Part 4)]

In a semi-dazed state, Kaito continued walking, haunted by the trauma of nearly dying from carbon dioxide during a break. Resting was not an option; he had to keep moving. If he stopped, reactions would lag, and this dungeon attacked without revealing its intentions. Don't stop. Keep moving. The thought itself, like a curse, was needlessly accumulating fatigue, but Kaito, having lost his confidant, couldn't make that judgment.

Relying only on the faint glow of items emitting fluorescence, Kaito entered a place with a dusty, choking sensation. Despite the absence of Cave Bats, the fluorescence didn't reveal what was happening. After a brief hesitation, Kaito took out a dwindling torch and lit it.

...And then, it all ended.

"Oh, a really flashy explosion with just flour."

"Yeah, it's a dust explosion. When the concentration of combustible particles in the air reaches a certain level, it explosively ignites when lit. Moreover, it rapidly consumes oxygen, so even if you avoid burns, you'll be done in by lack of oxygen. Anyway, the hero is done for. Only two left now..."

The echoing roar within the dungeon was unmistakable. The source of the roar was unknown, but what triggered it was beyond doubt. His comrades were there.

Maria and Flynn, whipping their tired bodies, headed toward the sound.

"A bit of wind is blowing, but I wonder if there's an exit ahead."

"I hope so... Whoa!"

As the wall on the side of the passage suddenly opened, a steep slope like a slide appeared. Since the passage itself also inclined sharply, Flynn slid down into the abyss as if on a slide.

"Flyn!"

As if unable to leave it alone, Maria used the Fly spell, flying through the air to chase Flynn. Due to Flynn's abnormally fast sliding speed, she exerted her full speed to catch up.

Abruptly, the walls of the dungeon were nearly indestructible, regardless of their shape. Even if they were as thin as invisible threads, they couldn't be broken.

"Maria-san!"

The thin threads that had been stretched in front of Maria were effortlessly severed. The "thing that was Maria" divided into several parts, sliding down into the abyss with Flynn.

"Now, only one left..."

How long they had been sliding, whether it was long or short, time's sense was distorted. No, it wasn't just the sense of time that had gone awry. Something felt like everything up to now was either a dream or an illusion. Is this reality, a nightmare? I don't know. Where am I? I don't know... I don't know... I don't know...

Flynn, wandering like he was floating in a fever, saw something like a spring. Approaching as if manipulated, he scooped up water with his palm and drank greedily. Slowly, the fatigue in his body melted away. Sleepy. Take a short rest, and when I wake up, let's meet up with everyone. Kaito-san and the others will surely find me...

"Hey, you drank the water from the poisonous spring without any suspicion. Weren't Tentacles supposed to drag water monsters into it for disposal?"

"Tentacles were fully motivated and waiting... but it was a letdown."

"He seemed like a decent healer, but... does he have no sense of danger?"

"It seems losing comrades in succession has completely unsettled him. Quite weak for a member of the hero's party."

"Anyway, this settles the score. Congratulations, Romulus."

"Crow-sama. What will you do with the corpses of the hero party?"

"Hmm? Didn't you absorb them?"

"Yes. I thought Crow-sama might have some use for them, so I refrained from absorption and stored them just in case."

"Well, with the Dungeon Master's skills, necromancy somehow feels doable... Alright, it seems we can use their corpses as undead for something. Sorry, but can you keep them stored for a while?"

"Understood."

"Also... have you recorded the whole story up to this point?"

"Yes, I've recorded it using magic stones. If Crow-sama infuses magic, the recorded footage should appear like a floating illusion."

"A 3D movie through holograms. The folks left behind are in for a treat."