Chapter 194 – Disaster
All the adventurers in the guild were focused on the Guild Master.
“Ahem.”
The Guild Master cleared his throat and continued.
“I’m speaking to all the adventurers gathered here. I believe you are already aware of the situation. Yes, there is a monster surge happening in the dungeon right now. All the priests must have received a revelation from Solis.
From now on, entry to the dungeon is prohibited for adventurers below E-rank. According to the current investigation, the surge is occurring with monsters from the 1st to the 9th floors.”
At the Guild Master’s words, the expressions of the male adventurers with very good equipment and the female adventurers with very revealing outfits slightly relaxed.
“What, only up to the 9th floor? If it’s just that, we can handle it easily, right?”
“Phew, if it’s just up to the 9th floor, it’s not that bad. What, I was worried for nothing.”
However, the relief of those adventurers was instantly shattered by the Guild Master’s next words.
“According to past records, when a surge occurs, monsters become more ferocious and stronger than usual. Even a goblin on the 1st floor becomes as threatening as an orc. Many careless adventurers have lost their lives because of this.”
“What?”
“A goblin with the strength of an orc?”
“Then how strong will trolls or snakeys become?”
“And it’s a surge, right? Does that mean a massive number of stronger monsters are swarming?”
The adventurers’ anxiety grew louder and louder.
“Let me be clear. This situation is a crisis for Peldan. Goblins with the threat level of orcs, and snakeys that are as dangerous as wolf fangs. These monsters are appearing in large numbers right now.
Even an A-rank adventurer can lose their life if they are surrounded by constantly appearing monsters.”
The atmosphere inside the Adventurer’s Guild instantly turned cold.
Then, the Guild Master clenched his fist and shouted.
“But! We cannot back down! We are adventurers! We are the ones who go to the dungeon and hunt monsters while completing numerous requests! This is the city of adventurers! If we are scared of the stronger monsters and run away, Peldan will be finished!
Countless monsters will climb the stairs connecting the 1st floor and the surface, and one day they will break through the barrier and invade the surface! The moment that happens, all the residents of Peldan will die!
As the Guild Master of this Adventurer’s Guild… no, as someone who loves Peldan, I will never stand by and watch that happen!
What about you! Will you tuck your tails and run away! Or will you, as adventurers, fight against the monsters threatening Peldan!”
The Guild Master, who had seemed kind and gentlemanly at first, was now a brave and proud warrior who loved Peldan.
“I will fight!”
An adventurer who looked like a swordsman raised his fist and shouted.
“Me too!”
“Of course, we have to fight!”
“We can’t let our hunting targets defile Peldan!”
“Solis gave us this revelation to overcome this trial! We will never run away!”
“Yeah, I’ll fight!”
“Me too!”
“Me too!”
One by one, the adventurers raised their hands and expressed their willingness to fight.
The atmosphere of the Adventurer’s Guild, which had been noisy and gloomy, began to blaze with the Guild Master’s words.
“Elsie, Noah, Ms. Ninya.”
There was a fighting spirit in their eyes as well.
“Yes, Rant!”
“Of course, we’ll fight too!”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to swing my spear with all my might.”
No, I wasn’t asking about their willingness to fight.
I knew from the beginning that everyone had that intention.
“I’m going to see the Guild Master. There’s something I need to tell him.”
Elsie and Noah tilted their heads.
“Something to tell the Guild Master?”
“Are you talking about the solution you mentioned before dinner?”
“Yeah.”
Ms. Ninya smiled and said to me.
“Then go quickly, Rant.”
“Yes, Ms. Ninya.”
I pushed through the crowd, went up the stairs, and stood in front of the Guild Master.
“Guild Master.”
The Guild Master looked directly at me.
“Rant. I believe you will be of great help in this situation. Please do your best.”
“Yes, that’s what I intend to do.”
“But why did you come up here?”
“I have something to tell the Guild Master… no, everyone here.”
The Guild Master asked me without relaxing his serious expression.
“What is it?”
“Before that, may I ask you a question?”
“Ask away.”
“How long did the previous surge last?”
“According to the records, it lasted for a month. For the first week, we managed to prevent them from coming out of the dungeon, but after that, we were constantly fighting the monsters that came to the surface.
The situation was so serious that the royal army of Escal, the mages of the magic city of Mana Rune, the priests and holy knights of the holy nation of Solario, and even the knights of the Round Table of the knight nation of Bridan were mobilized to desperately prevent monsters from coming out of Peldan. And secretly, the demons of the Abyss also put in their forces while hiding their identities.”
Mana Rune is the name of a city in Escal where magic flourishes.
It seems that the dungeon surge is truly a disaster-level crisis, as the full power of all forces from Escal, Solario, Bridan, and even the Abyss were gathered.
“So, Rant. What is it that you wanted to say?”
I said to the Guild Master with almost complete certainty.
“There is a way to end this monster surge quickly.”
“Is that… really true?”
“Yes. I’m almost certain. And this is… a method that only I can do in Peldan.”
I could hear the adventurers below talking noisily.
“What? A way to end it quickly?”
“Is it not a lie?”
“No, there’s no reason to lie in this situation.”
“But it’s hard to believe!”
“Dungeon Crasher… what method does he know?”
“A method that only he can do?”
Bang!
The Guild Master slammed his staff down hard and shouted.
“Quiet!”
The guild quickly fell silent.
“Rant, what is that method? Tell me.”
“Yes, Guild Master. You remember when I broke the dungeon floor, right?”
“Of course. I can’t forget such a shocking event.”
“That day, when I showed it to you and Mr. Kelban, were there any strange reports?”
“Strange reports, you say?”
“Reports that the number of monsters in the dungeon had decreased.”
“…Indeed, that day, we received a report that the number of monsters up to the 12th floor had decreased.”
Hearing the Guild Master’s words, my thoughts turned into almost certainty.
“Guild Master, I think this. The reason why there were fewer monsters that day was… the dungeon was using its power to create monsters to repair the damage I had caused… let’s just call it magic power for convenience.
I think it used the magic power that would have been used to produce monsters to repair the destroyed dungeon terrain.
This thought came to me because when I returned from the 3rd floor that day, I encountered far fewer kobolds than usual. And now… hearing your words, Guild Master, it has turned into a certainty.”
The Guild Master nodded with a serious expression, stroking his chin.
“Hmm, that makes sense. The floor of the dungeon you destroyed was the 12th floor. And the floors where the number of monsters decreased were exactly up to the 12th floor. So, Rant… the method that only you can do is…”
“Yes. It’s to destroy the floors where the surge is occurring. Of course, even if I destroy them, the monsters that have already been produced won’t disappear, so we have to deal with the overflowing monsters first. Then, I will destroy the floor, making the dungeon pour all its magic power into terrain restoration instead of producing monsters.”
Of course, I don’t think the surge will stop just by destroying it once.
I need to destroy the dungeon floor every day until the surge stops.
The Guild Master listened to my words, then lowered his head and began to tremble.
“Guild Master?”
“Hahahahahahahahaha!”
Suddenly, the Guild Master raised his head and laughed loudly.
The volume was so loud that most of the adventurers below covered their ears with both hands.
“That’s right! Rant! You are the Dungeon Crasher! The only one in Peldan… no, in the world who can destroy the dungeon! I was worried about how to deal with the damage caused by the surge… hahahaha! Thanks to you, I feel much relieved!”
The Guild Master grinned and asked me.
“Rant. Can you destroy the dungeon?”
I answered powerfully.
“Of course!”
The Guild Master shouted to all the adventurers below.
“Now! We have found a way to overcome this situation! You must have heard of the Dungeon Crasher! With his power, we can suppress the damage of the current surge to the maximum and overcome it! Adventurers who have decided to fight! Now, let’s overcome this surge together!”
“Oooooooooh!!”
At the Guild Master’s voice, all the adventurers in the guild roared.
◈
And an hour later.
Although I had proposed a solution, we couldn’t rush into the dungeon right away.
The Guild Master had devised a plan like this.
First, I and a small number of elite adventurers would warp to the 1st floor, then defeat the overflowing monsters. Once we had cleared a certain amount, I would destroy the dungeon floor, and together with the adventurers, we would descend to the next floor and start the subjugation again.
Then, other adventurers would be deployed to the destroyed floors in order to hunt the remaining monsters.
First, we had to organize the members of the subjugation team that would deal with the overflowing monsters in the dungeon, with me at the center.
Even the goblins on the 1st floor had the threat level of orcs, and their numbers were enormous.
We needed elite adventurers who could fight against a large number of monsters.
Elite adventurers who would be in charge of the initial subjugation with me and go to the next floor together to fight countless monsters.
The number was set at six adventurers, including me.
Ms. Amanda, a female warrior wearing bikini armor.
Mr. Jason, a male adventurer who looked like an assassin, wrapped in cloth from head to toe.
Mr. Craig, a warrior with a similar build to me, wielding twin axes.
Ms. Misha, a priest I had met at the temple.
And Mr. Jen, an adventurer who used a halberd as a weapon.
Noah, Elsie, and Ms. Ninya would be in charge of dealing with the remaining monsters with other adventurers after we had dealt with the initial wave.
I walked towards the dungeon with the five of them.
I talked to them for a while, and it turned out that all the adventurers except Ms. Misha were A-rank adventurers.
“I never thought I would be working with Mr. Jen like this.”
“I also never thought that newbie back then would become the Dungeon Crasher. I thought he had a promising future, but I never imagined he would be this amazing.”
“Ms. Misha, aren’t you an A-rank adventurer?”
“No, Rant. If you were to rank me, I’m a B-rank. I’m far less skilled than the people here. But currently, the priests are overwhelmed with adventurers injured by the monster surge, so I was urgently dispatched.”
Then, Ms. Amanda asked me.
“Hey, Dungeon Crasher. Did you really destroy the dungeon?”
“Yes, although it’s just breaking the dungeon floor to go down to the next floor.”
“That’s not something that can be ended with the word ‘just.’ Hmm… I’m still doubtful if you can really destroy it. Besides, your face looks more innocent than I imagined, so I’m not convinced.”
Mr. Jason, who was walking next to Ms. Amanda, said quietly.
“…You’ll see it when we get to the dungeon anyway. Besides, the Guild Master acknowledged it, so it must be true.”
“Hahahaha, that’s true! Do your best, Dungeon Crasher. Without exaggeration, you’re the solution to this situation right now.”
Ms. Amanda thumped my chest with her fist and laughed heartily.
“Yes, I’ll do my best.”
“Hehehe, if you get tired after destroying the dungeon, rest as much as you want. We’ll protect you with our lives until you destroy the next floor.”
Mr. Craig grinned and said.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Craig. But it’s okay. I can destroy it as many times as needed.”
“Haha! I was trying to reassure you, but I ended up being reassured instead!”
Mr. Jason came slightly behind and walked next to me, saying.
“…Just in case, I’m saying this, but even in this situation, there’s no need to overdo it. For an adventurer, stamina management is very important. If you overdo it trying to do your best, you might make the situation worse.”
“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Jason. But you really don’t need to worry.”
“That’s good then.”
Talking to them, they all seemed very kind.
I heard that they also assess personality when ranking up.
As A-rank adventurers, they seem to have very kind hearts.
And we arrived at the warp device on the surface.
We all placed our hands on the orb of the warp device at the same time and said.
“1st floor.”
Emergency quest.
The beginning of stopping the monster surge.
