Chapter 141: C141:Reflection in the Abyss P1.
C141:Reflection in the Abyss P1.
Overall Word count = 1552 on 9/8/2024.
Alt Title teaser: Dungeon Situation
Axel gradually gets a hold on the situation of the dungeon, The chameleon monster simply known as Cham (cha style 'ch' then like came) (it's a play on words with it's race, cham-eleon)
What he learns is that these monsters are called Xenos' and they are primarily peaceful as they try to stay out of sight and mind of all adventurers but over a long period of time, they lose one or two members to a group that captures them. The Xenos refer to the dungeon as their mother which Axel believes is the case for all monsters but only these ones have proper conscious thought.
Or at least that is the thought as their minotaur friend has clearly lost his mind. From Cham's and the other lizardmans words (his name is Lyd and is their leader), Axel learned that Asterius, the minotaur, has always been a lone wolf which is weird for why he was able to find them so suddenly and started going crazy with rage.
That is when Axel and his group stumbled upon them and helped put Asterius asleep. They mention how they lost their connection with their 'mother' (the dungeon) and a suffocating feeling that has enveloped them as the dungeon continues to retract further and further away from them. This is why they openly began to rush down all the floors.
The shocking thing that the group learned is that the chief god Ouranos had been secretly helping them with small resources or informing them when a powerful familia like Loki was beginning their expeditions so that they can hide in those times within the 'sanctuaries'. Safe zones that the Xenos believe the dungeon had purely made for them as it's very rare for adventurers to find these locations.
This is why they believe these locations were purely made for them to stay safe in, yet now they feel abandoned by their mother as all the safe zones they found have collapsed and all the food they had became poisonous or rotten.
"To me, it seems like that with the dungeon dying, it has chosen it's own survival over attempting to expend extra energy on you all. You actually have a higher likelihood of escaping the dungeon than surviving inside it. Especially if what happened to your friend happens to any one of you."
Axel's words seem to cause a tremor throughout the bodies of most of the monsters, as if seeing the outside world was a long time goal of theirs.
"But even if we left the dungeon, we would still be inside the city and surrounded on all sides by adventurers. We would be killed off, without a chance to defend ourselves." Lyd replies after some thought.
"Well I have a way around that. In fact, three ready methods."
"The easier method would be for you to masquerade as my own tamed beasts. I already have a viola and a valgang dragon so adding you all won't make a difference. You will simply require a hand print colored blue to pass it off." Axel brings out the Viola to show it off as an example.
The sudden appearance of the plant monster shocks the monster group even more than even his suggestion. They whisper amongst themselves of how casual Axel just did such a mythical action.
It takes them a moment to calm down and then properly observe the tamed plant monster. They specifically focus on the hand print against one of the bodily leaves.
"So we just need your handprint on us and we can just go?"
"A few more steps than that, probably need paperwork or something to register you all but Ouranos should take care of that. Of course the second method is easier but you all might come under threat in the future if you are found."
Lyd cant help but be curious, "What is the second method?"
"I simply teleport you all outside the city and you strive to survive on your own terms."
"Sounds good to me, I hate you humans and no way am I getting a permanent mark on my body much less being seen as a human's pet." The gargoyle finally speaks up and steps forward with evident hostility to Axel and co.
"Gros, what are you saying. They are offering to help us" Lyd responds to the Gargoyle with mock anger for foolishly aggravating the strongest group of adventurers.
"It's fine, the mark would be on your face and after some time I would make up the lie that the sign is more hidden but by that point people should already be used to your presence but I can at least respect your will." Axel explains but when he mentions marking their face, some of them are a little disheartened as they hold their looks to high quality while 'Gros' huffs at the comment.
"Sigh, you mentioned a third option?" Lyd cant help but ask as he feels that integrating with the humans would be the best option for them to not be hunted anymore.
"You all would enter my private world that is a copy of a budding city, there is not a lot there but you would get sunlight, housing and nobody to try hunting you down. That is where this guy was in moments ago" Axel points the voila as somethings begin to make some to the Xenos but other not as the very concept of a 'private WORLD' baffles them
The overall response to his 3rd solution is essentially, "Uhhhh, what?"
"Just get inside" Axel waves his hand and the entire group of Xenos, including the unconscious Asterius is sent into his Village of Origin. Axel partially splits his consciousness to help them get settled in but they are in awe of the land here.
Many of the simpler minded ones simply begin to dance in the sunlight of his inner world while the others watch. Only Gros seems to be a bit unhappy but that is because he is only a big ol' tsundere who cares too much and lashes out first to not be hurt in the first place.
After spending a bit of time to get them settled where Axel designated the South side of the city to them and the other monsters. It's also where he had placed Araba before and where he would set up his tamed monster exhibit.
He guesses that the Xenos could join that in for some favors from Axel to get them tools or special food from outside of wherever he was at the time.
When he finishes, he is contacted by [Great Sage]
["Analysis completed on the dungeons method to infiltrate your body"]
"Well, how did it do it?" He asks
["It's linked with the way that the Falna absorbs Excellia. The Falna serves as a mana core for adventurers. This is how the Excellia, which is the dungeon's absorbed energy, is stored and then constantly provided to the adventurer to keep them strong."]
"But if it's just energy then why do some people get so little after an entire day of grinding while others grow much faster"
["Talent and skills. Talent is the culmination of the person's body capacity to absorb the foreign energy. Some people reject it and require larger amounts to even make a tiny bit of progress while others guzzle it all down like water. Skills only enhance a certain aspect of the body to properly absorb better depending on very strict conditions."] [1]
["Also being a mage does not change this aspect as it just means that the person is much better at harnessing their own 'mind' to cast spells and whatnot, this does not impact their bodies absorption rate"]
"I see. And how does this all tie in with the Excellia and how the dungeon invaded me?"
["The dungeon had essentially a dungeon core shell that was created out of pure Excellia so when you absorbed it, it was able to 'jump' into you. Not enough information for further explanation but at that time it was a two way connection that I, Great Sage, was able to get a chance to properly scan the dungeon"]
"So you have a map? Also weren't you 'offline' then"
["offline to listening to you but Great Sage is still here to help Rimuru Tempest at any time until he gave you control. And no, no map."] Axel grunts at the mention of how the great sage was technically a spy controlling part of his gluttony to steal energy from him and fueling his 'fathers' return/.
"So what was the point of the connection"
["..."]
"Holy hell" The revelation of what Axel was just told makes him go wide eyed which is weird to his group that has been resting again while Axel dealt with the Xenos.
"Axel, are you alright?" Haruhime asks which causes him to snap out of his discussion as he gets up and suddenly announces, "We are leaving the dungeon"
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Alt Title: Dungeon Situation, and Study Results
[1] Bell's Liaris freese does have a high condition, it's based on the condition of both his emotions and also the gap between him and Ais in terms of level.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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