ZAP – Chapter 147: Eugene Notices Something Amiss

“Yawn…”

I woke up inside the tent.

Last night, I camped near the dungeon elevator and fell asleep there.

This is the 121st Floor.

After training with the First Knight, Claire-sama, I wanted to test my strength and challenged the Floor Boss of the 120th Floor, defeating it without issue.

It must be the result of my training.

The defeated Floor Boss was an Iron Fang Mole. A massive mole with steel claws and fangs.

Its attacks, which involved ambushing me from underground, were troublesome, but I managed to counter them using an angel’s mana detection and prediction abilities.

After that, I decided not to push myself further, camped out, and ended up sleeping until morning due to accumulated fatigue.

Although I didn’t feel particularly hungry, it was morning, so I pulled out an explorer’s portable meal I had brought with me.

It was a long, stick-shaped cookie mixed with a generous amount of white honey, making it extremely sweet.

I’m not a big fan of overly sweet things, but Sumire and Sara seem to like them.

Crunch. I took a bite.

The sweet honey flavor filled my mouth, and hunger hit me all at once.

(It seems the angelification suppressed my sense of hunger too…) (Eugene)

It was good that I ate something.

After finishing a simple breakfast, I packed the tent back into the magical storage bag.

As I ventured further into the 121st Floor, I noticed what appeared to be a monster settlement beyond an open grassland.

I remained vigilant and slowly approached the settlement, hiding behind trees and rocks.

But to my disappointment, there were no signs of monsters in the settlement.

“Is there really nothing here…?” (Eugene)

Using mana detection just to be sure, I searched for any hidden monsters, but I only sensed small animals like mice. The settlement’s owners were nowhere to be found.

Since I was here, I decided to look around the wooden and earthen houses.

At first, I thought it was a goblin or orc settlement, but the tools left behind were surprisingly sophisticated.

Knives and cooking utensils were as refined as human-made ones.

There were even tables and chairs.

“Could this be a human settlement? No, that can’t be.” (Eugene)

It’s unlikely that explorers would set up a settlement inside a dungeon.

However, this settlement didn’t match any monster settlements I knew of.

As I stood there deep in thought…

“This is a settlement of the Dungeon Folk. However, it looks like the residents have moved away.” 

“!?”

Suddenly, I heard a voice from behind.

I quickly turned around, readying my Heaven Sword.

Standing there was a middle-aged mage with an impressive beard, wearing a deep crimson robe.

“Principal Uther? What are you doing here?” (Eugene)

This might be the first time I’ve encountered him inside a dungeon.

“I heard from Media-kun that there’s something unusual about the monsters in the Zenith Tower. I got curious and came to investigate.” (Uther)

Looking closer, the Principal held a stack of papers with sketches of monsters drawn using magic.

It seemed they were records of the monsters he had studied during this exploration, easily over a hundred pages.

“President Media asked me to investigate too, but I couldn’t find anything.” (Eugene)

“That’s not entirely true. Look, this settlement of the Dungeon Folk is quite rare. Usually, they don’t leave such clear traces behind when they move. It’s certain that something unusual is happening.” (Uther)

“Huh, I see… So that’s why this is the first time I’ve seen a Dungeon Folk settlement.” (Eugene)

“The settlements of the Dungeon Folk are usually found on much higher floors. Why is there one here on the relatively low 121st Floor? And why did they leave without erasing their traces? The mysteries only deepen.” (Uther)

The Principal looked excited as he examined the items in the settlement.

I wondered if I should help, but I thought meddling might just get in his way.

I decided to keep an eye on the surroundings and practice my swordsmanship while the Principal continued his investigation. As I scanned the area…

Rumble… Rumble… Rumble…

The ground —or rather, the Zenith Tower itself— began to shake violently.

“An earthquake? It’s lasting quite a while.” (Eugene)

“Indeed, but something’s odd about this.” (Uther)

The Principal said, furrowing his brows.

“What’s odd?” (Eugene)

“Don’t you notice, Eugene? This tremor isn’t coming from the surface. It’s coming from above us.” (Uther)

“What?” (Eugene)

I tried to focus as he said, but I couldn’t perceive the difference.

“This is strange. A quake originating from the upper floors… This is unprecedented. I descended from the 400th Floor, but the abnormalities are more noticeable as you go lower. I still can’t grasp the full scope of what’s happening.” (Uther)

“You investigated from the 400th Floor, Principal?!” (Eugene)

I asked in surprise.

“Yes. I assumed something was happening in the upper floors, but they seemed normal. Instead, as you approach the 100th Floor, things become increasingly unusual. This scale of anomaly… It’s likely the work of the Dungeon Master.” (Uther)

“Principal Uther, I’ve met the Dungeon Master, but she seemed unaware of the strange behavior of the monsters.” (Eugene)

“What…? The Dungeon Master isn’t aware of the anomalies in the Zenith Tower? Are you certain, Eugene?” (Uther)

“She could be lying, but I saw a monster attack her right in front of me. She killed it instantly, though.” (Eugene)

“A monster defying the Dungeon Master…? Is the dungeon’s order beginning to collapse?” (Eugene)

The Principal finally crossed his arms and stared intently, deep in thought.

Just then…

“What are you doing here? How dare you show up so nonchalantly!”

A voice called out from above.

A young girl in a blood-red robe floated in the air, glaring down at us.

It was the Dungeon Master herself.

She directed her sharp gaze at the Principal while enveloped in an overwhelming aura of mana.

“Oh, this is bad. The ogre has found me. Eugene, you’ve been most helpful. I’ll report my findings to Media-kun. Farewell.” (Uther) 

With those words, the Principal disappeared using teleportation magic.

I was left behind with the Dungeon Master.

(Huh? He left me here?) (Eugene)

The Dungeon Master, radiating hostility and killing intent, is pretty terrifying, you know.

Her mana is far greater than Sumire at full strength or Claire-sama infused with fairy magic.

She is on the level of a Divine Beast from the Deus Disciplines.

“Oh? If it isn’t Eugene Santafield.” (Anemoi)

“Uh, h-hello…” (Eugene)

The Dungeon Master’s menacing expression unexpectedly softened as soon as she saw me.

Or more like, a cheerful one. 

“I saw you take on the 120th Floor without breaking a sweat! Great job! I hear you’re aiming for the 200th Floor next. Keep up the good work!” (Anemoi)

She gave me a hearty pat on the back while smiling brightly.

The sudden shift in her mood was disorienting.

The Dungeon Master-san is amicable towards me for some reason.

“Um, Anemoi-san, I have a few questions.” (Eugene)

Let’s try talking to her since I have the chance. 

“Hmm? If it’s about strategies, I’m not giving you any hints.” (Anemoi)

When I asked, the Dungeon Master’s expression hardened again.

“Didn’t I already mention it? That man, Uther, violated the rules over a hundred times during his days as an explorer. He destroyed dungeons, breached the upper floors of the Zenith Tower from the outside; breaking every rule imaginable. On top of that, he bribed the previous Dungeon Master to overlook his violations. Normally, a Dungeon Master can’t directly attack explorers, but rule-breakers like him are a different story. One day, I’ll make him pay for his crimes!” (Anemoi)

Anemoi-san clenched her fists tightly.

Come to think of it, I’d heard something like this before.

(So Principal Uther was a bit of a troublemaker back in his explorer days, huh?) (Eugene)

I’d only ever seen him as a composed principal or a stern yet beloved king of the Dungeon City, so this was unexpected.

Still, I moved on to the matter at hand.

“But right now, he’s investigating the abnormalities in the Zenith Tower. Can’t you let it slide this time?” (Eugene)

“Abnormalities? What kind of abnormalities?” (Anemoi)

I recounted the recent earthquake, the strange happenings in the Dungeon Folk’s village, and the peculiar behavior of monsters.

“Hmm, that does sound odd. But I haven’t done anything.” (Anemoi)

The Dungeon Master-san said, crossing her arms and tilting her head in thought.

She didn’t seem to be acting. She truly appeared unaware of any such occurrences.

No new information, then. This was about all I could gather for now.

“Well, I’ll head back to exploring then.” (Eugene)

“Alright, be careful. I’m counting on you to make it past the 200th Floor.” (Anemoi)

Her words of encouragement caught me off guard.

“You’re surprisingly kind.” (Eugene)

“Of course I am. I’m rooting for you after all, Eugene Santafield.” (Anemoi)

“Uh, I’m grateful for your support, but why me specifically?” (Eugene)

My record only reached the 120th floor.

There were plenty of other explorers ranked higher than me. Surely there were more suitable candidates for her support.

“Well, you’re currently the only explorer aiming for the 500th Floor.” (Anemoi) 

“What?” (Eugene)

Her statement surprised me, but then it made sense.

Indeed, I haven’t met any other explorers aiming for the 500th Floor.

It was a record that hadn’t been broken in 500 years after all. Just reaching the 100th Floor would earn someone a valuable position in any country, guaranteeing them a comfortable life.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel surprised.

“So, no one else is aiming for the 500th Floor, huh?” (Eugene)

I thought there’d be at least a few others.

When I said this, the Dungeon Master-san’s face twisted in irritation.

“That’s all because of Uther! With his magic academy and Dungeon Alliance sharing information and drilling caution into explorers, no one attempts to break records anymore! Since I became Dungeon Master, there’s been only one update to the top ten records. Just one person in a hundred years! That’s ridiculous! At this rate, I won’t be able to meet the expectations of the Goddess-sama who appointed me as aDungeon Master!” (Anemoi)

“The person in the top ten… Wasn’t that the Club President Media? That was about fifty years ago, right?” (Eugene)

Before her, the last record update had been over a hundred years ago by Rosalie, Melissa-senpai’s mother.

The frequency of record-breaking was astonishingly low.

“That’s right! Media is a frail girl and rarely explores, so it can’t be helped, but the number of challenges to the Deus Disciplines is far too few. That’s why I started the trial Deus Disciplines on the first floor and changed the dungeon elevator to make it easier to reach the upper levels…” (Anemoi)

“Sounds like being a Dungeon Master is tough.” (Eugene)

“Exactly! You get it!” (Anemoi)

She gripped my shoulders tightly and leaned in close.

She looked like a young girl, but the Divine Beast-level mana she exuded made her grip terrifyingly strong.

“W-Well, I’ll do my best with the 200th Floor Deus Discipline then.” (Eugene)

“Yes! And don’t get yourself hurt before then!” (Anemoi)

With that, the Dungeon Master-san vanished, likely using some form of spatial magic.

I was left alone on the 121st Floor.

(Still… to think we are the only explorers aiming for the 500th Floor…) (Eugene)

No wonder the Dungeon Master-san’s expectations were so high.

I now understood why she had been so unusually friendly.

I decided to share this with Sumire and Sara later.

With that thought, I resumed exploring the Zenith Tower on my own.

Of course, taking breaks as needed.

Eventually, I extended my record to the 125th Floor.

I headed for the dungeon elevator when my portable food supply ran out.

Descending to the first floor, I found it bustling with explorers.

The crowd included teams preparing to ascend the Zenith Tower, as well as those like me who had finished their explorations.

Amidst the noise, I overheard rumors about a joint team, including my childhood friend, the Student Council Enforcement Division, the Second Team of the Martial Arts Club, and the White Magic Research Association. They had successfully cleared the 100th Floor’s Deus Discipline.

■Comment Response:

>Oi oi!! Are you forgetting the effects of the angelification?! Rest!

-It seems he did remember it at least.

>The First-sama seems to be somewhat airheaded.

– “I am not! I am the reliable big sister type!”

■Author’s Comment:

A sketch of Anemoi. 

She looks like a creepy Dungeon Master, but she is having it decently rough.

The drawing of Eri is lewd, so I am scared of posting it here (might get banned), so I will leave the link: 

Spicy Drawing of Eri

Rei: As for me, I’m leaving it as a link since it is NSFW.

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