『…Can I have one?』
Tom Hardist.
Truthfully, it was hard to say that I had a deep connection with him.
In the 1st Regression, the ti we spent together was extrely short, and I rembered there being quite a distance between us, more so than being re acquaintances.
No, on second thought, thinking we were even acquaintances might have been my own delusion.
The period we knew each other was very brief, and the conversations we had were even briefer.
Shrug—
『Is there a need to ask anymore? It’s not the first or second ti.』
『…….』
『Just co and ask. A single cigarette isn’t that precious.』
Besides, in the 1st Regression, under the pretext of atonent, he never left the Darkest Dungeon even after his sentence was over.
He ended up staying put, guarding the inside of this dungeon until the very end, so I didn't even know what beca of him in my past life.
『…It is precious here.』
『…….』
『I’ll be sure to repay this favor soday.』
…So, the bond I had with him wasn’t much to speak of.
We just happened to fight against the sa target a few tis by chance during explorations inside the dungeon.
And each ti, I’d share a cigarette with him, and the brief exchanges we had were all there was to it.
Rummage, rummage—
『…Huh?』
『What is it?』
『It’s the last one.』
『…….』
『…….』
『You take it. I’ll ask again if I get the chance.』
『Forget it. Who knows when ‘next ti’ will be? It’s been months since we last t.』
『…….』
『Let’s just share it.』
So.
Sharing the last cigarette, sharing the dazed feeling that lingered after a battle.
『Here.』
A bond forged over smoke was the extent of it.
* * *
‘…By any chance, have you seen a Mad Dog around here?’
I asked, recalling that he once went by the nickna ‘Mad Dog’ within this Darkest Dungeon, but.
‘I don't know. I don't know. I'm sorry.’
As expected, I couldn't get any aningful information from Gilbert.
Well, in a way, it was only natural.
The ‘Forest of Beginnings’ surrounding the entrance of the Darkest Dungeon had a fine-sounding na, as if it were a tutorial zone for beginners.
But when you peeled back the curtain, it was a den of cowards who lacked the courage to venture beyond its borders.
“…Of course he wouldn’t know.”
Compared to other areas, the Forest of Beginnings had a lower density of Mutants, and thus fewer living things. Naturally, the amount of available food and drink was also relatively scarce.
Therefore, the convicts with Hero-class potential who were confident in their ability to survive encounters with the Mutants beyond the forest would have left long ago.
Only the ordinary prisoners among the convicts, who didn't know how to handle mana and lacked the confidence to survive against the Mutants, would have ford their own factions and settled down, coiling up in place.
So, although I asked just in case, it was natural that Gilbert, who had only ever stayed in the Forest of Beginnings, would know nothing about the world outside it.
‘…However, I don’t know who the person you’re talking about is, but most of the strong ones tend to stay near the Spring of Purification…….’
Gilbert, trying to make a guess, recomnded I go to the ‘Spring of Purification,’ but.
Pfft—
“It seems you really don’t know anything.”
At that very mont, I was certain that he knew nothing about the ecosystem here.
Contrary to Gilbert’s guess, the long-ti veterans of the dungeon didn't bother sticking near the Spring of Purification.
The ultimate reason people wanted to be near the Spring of Purification was because it was difficult to digest food and drink affected by the Mutants, and to avoid the Mutants' attacks.
Conversely, that ant if one could solve those problems, there was no need to stay near the Spring of Purification.
Besides, if I had to say, the Spring of Purification was a place one could visit for a short while, but not a region where one could establish a base and stay for long.
It was true that the spring in the central area, which people called the Spring of Purification, certainly gushed with pure spring water unaffected by the mutation phenonon, and those who drank it could gain a brief mont of freedom from the said phenonon.
But anyone who had actually settled down and spent ti at the Spring of Purification would probably know.
That it was by no ans given for free.
The Spring of Purification could emit its unique ‘purified water’ thanks to the mana of the foolish humans lingering around it.
It was a chanism that unknowingly stole a little bit of mana from the people who approached to drink the spring water, then converted that stolen mana to emit purified spring water anew.
If one understood that absorption chanism, they would be too creeped out to lay their head there.
…Well.
Even so, choosing the Spring of Purification as my next destination didn't seem like a bad idea.
It would be better than recklessly setting out to find Tom right away.
After the Forest of Beginnings, it had the highest population density, and I figured the folks at the Spring of Purification were probably a little better than the ones stagnating in the Forest of Beginnings, preying on others.
Cheobeok, cheobeok—
‘…….’
I didn't have much ti.
While my ultimate reason for entering the Darkest Dungeon was set, it wasn't the only reason I had co here.
Sarak—
[Bucket List #12]
『Recruit party mber - Tom. L. Hardist.』
I had three reasons for entering the Darkest Dungeon.
The first, of course, was to persuade Tom Hardist to leave this place with , as written on my bucket list.
The second was to once again temper my hardware before starting the ‘Demon King Hunt’ plan in earnest.
As one could tell just by looking at the words written in my notebook, everything I had done since leaving the Gateway Zone—wandering from place to place—was for the purpose of ‘recruiting party mbers’ for the Demon King Hunt.
It was hard to say that Tom Hardist was the absolute last one, but once he joined our party (?), the recruitnt phase would be more or less in its final stages.
The next steps were the ‘Stomping on Sprouts’ phase and the ‘Laying Traps’ phase for the Demon King's hounds.
If the period from the Gateway Zone until now was the first phase of preparing for the Demon King Hunt, then from here on out would be the second phase, where I would officially participate in the War against Demons and start laying the cornerstones for hunting the Demon King.
And one of the most crucial factors in making this second phase a success was my own personal skill.
Once I finished dealing with all matters related to the Beastkin and succeeded in establishing the guild, I planned to operate the guild by dividing it into a ‘Laying Traps’ team and a ‘Stomping on Sprouts’ team.
From then on, I would frequently encounter Magical Beasts of Titled Demon rank or higher, or at least enemies of that caliber, and there would be countless situations where I would have to directly confront Constellations in ergencies.
Before that, I needed to raise my martial prowess to a certain level.
I had been picking up whatever I could get my hands on, but my current state was still a bit crude.
I needed to organize my abilities to so extent and build up my hardware to a level where I could create a path to survival in any situation, as long as a thod existed.
And finally, the third reason was.
Seueuk—
■Na: [Fragnt of the Unnad Sword]
■Grade: [???]
■Description: [A sword hilt broken for so reason. It contains an unknown power.]
■Special Ability: [???]
[Warning! There is information that cannot be confird with your current access authority.]
[A higher level of access authority is required.]
This unknown sword that had been embedded alongside the Demonic Sword ‘Chiyou.’
It was to find out its identity.
‘…….’
This third reason was actually closer to a ‘wish’ than a ‘goal.’
『…I failed.』
『What?』
While I was imprisoned, I had already asked Jerry to find out the identity of this sword, but even he couldn't uncover it.
He hadn't spared any effort in reviving his family's unique magic, and he wasn't the type to do things half-heartedly in the first place, so even if I didn't expect him to uncover everything, I thought he might at least find a shred of information.
But the words that ca out of his mouth were quite unexpected.
『…I sent it to the research institute I run myself, and I also commissioned a professional appraiser I've had a business relationship with since before I established the institute, but neither could find any information.』
『…….』
『…However, both sides said the sa thing you did. ‘I don’t know its identity, but it doesn’t seem to be an ordinary item.’』
If he couldn't find out, it ant that I wouldn't get any results no matter which famous appraiser I went to.
In other words, I had to find out myself without borrowing the power of others.
‘…I need to find so kind of clue.’
That was the context for bringing this broken sword hilt here.
A Holy Relic should possess a special power that ordinary artifacts couldn't hope to match, and even if it was broken, traces of that power had to remain.
It just hadn't shown any power in a normal environnt, so I wondered if it might react differently in a special place like the Darkest Dungeon.
For the ti being, even if it didn't show any special abilities, I planned to forcibly use this broken sword hilt as a weapon.
Saaaaat—
As I walked while organizing my thoughts, I soon left the Forest of Beginnings and entered the territory of the Spring of Purification.
The Forest of Beginnings, the Spring of Purification—these were all nas given by people, so no system window notification rang out.
But I knew imdiately, thanks to the unpleasant dampness I felt on my skin.
The unique absorption phenonon of the Spring of Purification was occurring.
The mana drain was so subtle that even the system window didn't register a notification, despite the absorption phenonon clearly taking place.
Cheobeok, cheobeok—
How long had I walked like that?
I sensed a presence nearby.
“…….”
Puk—
Suddenly, a spear flew from sowhere and landed right in front of .
“Hey. Newbie.”
“…….”
“Walking around so fearlessly, you must have just arrived.”
The man who appeared with the cliché line approached , an amused smile on his face.
“Hmm… seeing as you’ve left the Forest of Beginnings, you’re not an ordinary person. Were you a Hero candidate on the outside?”
“…….”
“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t answer.”
Poke—
He walked up to , pulled out the spear again, and lightly jabbed my solar plexus with its tip.
“I was an official Hero on the outside. You clearly don’t look like you’re on my level, so leave everything you brought from outside and get lost.”
“…….”
“Don’t act up and get yourse—.”
…His business seed obvious, and I didn't think I needed to hear the rest of this cliché story.
I already knew that this place was no different from the Darkest Dungeon I had experienced in the 1st Regression.
Seueuk—
So this ti, I was just about to grab him and beat him down first.
…It was at that mont.
Awoooooo—
A familiar howl echoed from not too far away.
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