Chapter 117: The Dungeon Is Open For Public (part 1)

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: The Dungeon Is Open For Public (part 1)

Inside the Dead Forest, the Mad Wolves were still recovering from their battle with the Gravehorn Reaper.

The creature’s massive corpse lay among the broken trees, its enormous horns resting against the ground. The dark purple flame inside its rib cage had completely disappeared, leaving behind nothing but an empty cavity surrounded by shattered bones.

One of the mages carefully examined the remains while another checked the surrounding area for any signs of additional monsters. The Gravefang Beasts they had fought earlier had also been dealt with, but the group was in no condition to continue exploring recklessly.

Their formation had been broken, several members were injured, and one of their companions had lost his life.

The victory had come at a heavy price.

Kyle stood a short distance away, wiping the blood from his greatsword. His breathing had gradually returned to normal, but the battle had left him exhausted.

Berserker’s Might had consumed a considerable amount of his stamina, and the repeated clashes with the Gravehorn Reaper had placed tremendous strain on his body.

He glanced toward the fallen adventurer.

The sight made his expression darken again.

"Captain."

One of the Guardians approached him. His armor was scratched, and his shield had suffered considerable damage when the combined barrier shattered, but he was still able to walk.

"We’ve checked the immediate surroundings. There don’t appear to be any other monsters nearby, at least not within the area we can see. The mages are also examining the corpse, but we haven’t found anything else yet."

Kyle nodded.

"What about the injured?"

"Two have sustained moderate injuries, and several others have minor wounds. The healer has treated the worst injuries, but we’re running low on some of our supplies. The three Guardians also expended a considerable amount of mana maintaining the barrier against the Gravefang Beasts."

The Guardian hesitated before continuing.

"Captain, I don’t think we should go any farther today."

Kyle remained silent for a moment.

He didn’t need to be told that their condition was poor. Even if they could continue fighting, doing so would expose them to unnecessary risks.

They had no reliable information about the other monsters inhabiting the Dead Forest, and the appearance of the Gravehorn Reaper had proven that powerful enemies could emerge without warning.

If they encountered another mini-boss while exhausted, the consequences could be even worse.

"You’re right," Kyle finally said. "We’re retreating."

The Guardian looked relieved, although the sadness in his expression remained.

"Understood. I’ll tell the others to prepare for our return."

Kyle then gathered the surviving members of the Mad Wolves. Their expressions were subdued, and several of them avoided looking at the place where their fallen companion lay.

"We’re returning to Lufast City," Kyle announced. "We’ve already learned enough to understand that this dungeon is more dangerous than we initially believed. The first floor was manageable with proper preparation, but the second floor contains monsters with abilities we know nothing about. We cannot afford to continue exploring without better equipment, more supplies, and a clear strategy."

----

A day passed.

Inside the dungeon’s entrance hall, several groups of humans began arriving, carrying construction materials, tools, furniture, and various supplies. They were not ordinary adventurers coming to explore the dungeon. Instead, they were officials and workers sent by Lufast City to establish the facilities needed to manage the dungeon and begin collecting revenue from it.

The moment the first group stepped through the enormous doorway, one of the officials stopped and looked around in surprise.

"Good heavens, this dungeon already has a proper hall?" he exclaimed, staring at the spacious chamber. "I thought we would have to establish a temporary base outside and build everything from scratch."

Another official walked farther into the hall, examining the thick pillars and the high ceiling. "You’re not wrong. This place is considerably more spacious than I expected. There’s enough room for a reception counter, a registration area, and even a place where adventurers can gather before entering the dungeon."

He turned toward the workers following behind them and began issuing instructions.

"All right, don’t just stand there. Bring the materials inside. We’ll establish the reception counter near the entrance, then set up a registration desk beside it. We also need a designated area for adventurers to organize their parties, check the dungeon regulations, and report their findings after returning."

"Understood!"

Some carried wooden planks and began assembling long counters, while others unloaded tables, chairs, shelves, and storage boxes. A few workers measured the available space before marking the positions where the various facilities would be installed.

Meanwhile, the officials discussed how to organize the reception area so that adventurers could register without creating unnecessary congestion.

Before long, the previously empty hall had become a busy construction site.

One group assembled the reception counter, another installed several tables for registration and recordkeeping, and a third began preparing a section where adventurers could leave their equipment temporarily.

They even brought notice boards on which the city intended to display dungeon regulations, entry fees, known monster information, and announcements concerning future expeditions.

Everything was proceeding according to the city’s plan.

And from his throne room, Ragnar could see all of it.

Yet his attention was focused entirely on the humans below.

"They certainly didn’t waste any time," Ragnar muttered.

Beside him, Kaelira glanced at the screen. Her golden eyes followed the workers as they carried furniture into the hall.

"Master, what are they doing? Why are they bringing so many things into your dungeon? Are they planning to establish a base here?"

Veyra, who stood on Ragnar’s other side, leaned forward slightly to get a better look. Her red eyes narrowed with amusement as she watched one of the officials point toward a wall and order the workers to install a notice board.

"It certainly looks that way. They’re even arranging tables and chairs as if they’re opening an office." She tilted her head. "How strange. Do humans normally behave like this when they discover a dungeon?"

"No," Ragnar replied. "They’re here because the city intends to take control of the dungeon’s management."