Bab 6: Behind the Scene of Dungeon discovery
Vergil exited the dungeon control room calmly, tucking a completed report into his coat. His task was finished—the exploration and clearance of the dungeon were complete. With purposeful steps, he prepared a message directed to Lord Draven.
Though Vergil had resigned as head of the Assassin Guild, he retained a unique privilege that set him apart from other assassins: a specialized communication channel exclusive to Class SSS++ members, a status he still held. This channel enabled him to send messages with unmatched speed and security.
Without further delay, Vergil brought out a special messenger hawk from its enclosure. The bird's sleek, black feathers gleamed—a mark reserved for high-level, secret assignments. Carefully, he fastened the letter to the hawk's leg, whispering instructions into its ear. In an instant, the hawk spread its wings and soared swiftly toward the Adventurer Guild headquarters, where Lord Draven awaited the report.
Vergil gazed at the sky for a moment, confirming that the hawk was no longer in sight. A faint smile crossed his lips; he knew that soon, Lord Draven would receive the message, and the next phase of their grand plan would begin.
With impressive speed, the hawk reached the Adventurer Guild headquarters, landing at the window of Lord Draven's office. Recognizing the bird instantly, Draven understood this was an important message from Vergil. Without delay, he opened the window and retrieved the letter securely tied to the hawk's leg.
Draven quickly unfolded the letter, his eyes scanning Vergil's sharp, direct handwriting. He read the message with keen focus:
To Lord Draven,
Through this letter, I report that the dungeon discussed at the Imperial Palace has been fully cleared.
You may now start sending adventurers to search and explore this dungeon.
In case you're wondering, I'm fully aware that the dungeon discovered will bear the name chosen by its finder.
This matter I will address with others in due course. Additionally, the Adventurer Guild can begin by dispatching a scout or spreading word that a mysterious dungeon awaits discovery in the Haunting Forest.
—Vergil
Lord Draven finished reading with a meaningful smile. This dungeon could become a prime opportunity for adventurers to test their courage and a strategic advantage for the guild to strengthen its influence in the world. Wasting no time, he called his assistant and set plans in motion to send an adventurer to inspect the newly discovered dungeon in the Haunting Forest.
Meanwhile, Vergil enjoyed the peaceful, shaded atmosphere of the forest. The calmness of the place filled him with an unusual sense of tranquility. Shortly afterward, Anastasya approached him, noticing the subtle contentment on his face.
"What's with the smile, Vergil?" Anastasya asked, curious.
"Oh, I'm just appreciating the calm of the forest," Vergil replied, "and I just sent word to Lord Draven that the dungeon is ready. The rest is up to him now."
"Lord Draven... he's the head of the Adventurer Guild, right?" Anastasya asked, recalling the name.
"Correct, and once, he was an adventurer who journeyed by my side," Vergil replied with a slight nod.
"Ah, I see," Anastasya said with a small smile, understanding the shared history between the two.
In an instant, a sleek black falcon arrived with deadly grace, landing on Vergil's shoulder. Vergil, moving swiftly, donned a special leather glove, and the falcon shifted seamlessly to his arm, its sharp talons carefully avoided. Vergil's keen eyes immediately recognized the official seal of the Adventurer Guild fastened to the falcon's leg.
Anastasya, standing nearby, also noticed the seal, realizing an important message had just arrived. Without delay, Vergil opened the letter, and together they read its contents intently. The letter confirmed that an adventurer would soon be sent to inspect the dungeon in the Haunting Forest. Should the dungeon prove suitable, Lord Draven himself would issue a quest for a full expedition into its depths.
After reading, Vergil and Anastasya exchanged a brief but meaningful look. Without needing to say much, they both understood the next steps were about to unfold. Vergil immediately summoned two small, sturdy golems to their side.
"Take us to the control room," Vergil commanded firmly.
The golems, short but solid in build, quickly moved forward, clearing the way for Vergil and Anastasya. Together, they proceeded toward the control room to monitor any further developments and notify the others of the incoming quest.
Upon arrival in the control room, Vergil displayed Lord Draven's letter for Dante, Aeka, and Takano to read. Dante sat cross-legged on the floor, contemplating the message, while Aeka read with a bright smile, clearly excited about the news.
"Vergil... you know the unwritten rule of the Adventure Guild, right?" Dante asked.
"Unwritten rule?" Anastasya asked.
"The location discovered will be named after its finder," Dante said.
"I don't really mind that, as long as this dungeon is busy and attracts a lot of adventurers," Anastasya replied.
"It seems it will take a day's journey for that explorer to arrive," Vergil added.
"Just let it be, then. They might reach this dungeon by tomorrow morning," Takano said.
"If they're walking, they might need a full day, but if the explorer catches a ride, they could arrive sooner. Did you forget that the residents of Astrida Town use special cargo trucks?" Dante reminded.
"Let's just watch from here; after all, we shouldn't interfere, right?" Vergil said.
After the discussion, Aeka, who was observing the B1-A area, noticed someone entering the dungeon. A dot with the name Aldi Arudi appeared on the radar on floor B1-A. Dante and Vergil kept an eye on the explorer when suddenly Aeka had a mischievous idea.
"How about we play a little prank? Since B4-A is where the Skeletons are, let's pretend not to notice him at first, and when he finds the treasure, the Skeletons can start chasing him," Aeka suggested.
"Heh… I didn't know Aeka had a prank idea like that..." Vergil remarked.
"Agreed!" Takano said, raising his hand.
"Agreed!" Dante said, raising his hand.
"Agreed!" Anastasya said, raising her hand.
"Then… let's do it," Vergil said with a sinister smile.
Anastasya quickly sat at one of the tables and focused on floor B4-A, where numerous dots on the glass indicated the patrol locations of the Skeleton troops. She opened a mass communication channel to all the skeletons stationed on that floor. Each skeleton on duty displayed what looked like a magic seal where their ears would be.
"To all skeletons, a new explorer is coming, and we have an interesting idea," Anastasya announced. "Keep patrolling as usual, but ignore him. Wait until he enters one of the treasure rooms."
"Lady Anastasya, do you have a plan?" one of the skeletons asked.
"This is actually my idea," Aeka replied. "When he enters the treasure room, please report it."
"Understood, Lady Aeka. It seems you both want to give this explorer a bit of a surprise," the skeleton responded.
All the caretakers watched from Anastasya's table as the explorer smoothly made his way to floor B2-A. Dante nodded, noting that the explorer could handle himself and the monsters guarding floor B1-A. Soon, the explorer advanced to floor B3-A, where Vergil nodded in approval, recognizing the explorer's bravery, as the floor was guarded by various mushroom monsters, some non-aggressive and others slightly hostile.
Finally, the explorer entered floor B4-A, where the skeletons, as instructed, moved slowly and acted oblivious to his presence. Before long, the explorer entered one of the treasure rooms.
"To all skeletons, prepare to scare the explorer. You may 'attack' him, but make sure your strikes miss. Skeletons nearest to the room, the stage is yours," Anastasya commanded.
"Can we project what the skeleton sees onto the monster hall screen?" Vergil asked.
"Technically, yes," Anastasya replied.
"Then do it. It's no fun if only we get to watch," Dante said with a mischievous grin.
"Alright, then," Anastasya agreed.
She stood in front of the control room panel, her fingers deftly moving across the glowing array of buttons. With a slight smile, she pressed the final button, broadcasting a live feed from one of the dungeon's corridors to the monster hall. The blurry images gradually sharpened, revealing an explorer cautiously moving through the dark stone corridors, the flickering light of his lantern casting shadows with each step.
In the large hall, monsters of various kinds—goblins, ogres, slimes, and even a few small drakes—gathered before the massive screen. They watched with eager expressions, curious and excited to see what would unfold next.
The explorer was examining the treasure chest in the room, unaware that a skeleton was creeping up behind him. He was mesmerized by the discovery of the chest.
Suddenly, one of the skeletons on the screen moved, swinging its long, thin arm as it quietly approached the explorer from behind. With a calm motion, the skeleton touched the adventurer's shoulder.
The explorer froze for a moment, then slowly turned around. When his eyes met the empty gaze of the glowing red-eyed white skull, his face instantly paled, and he screamed in terror. His scream echoed through the dungeon corridors, adding to the eerie atmosphere that suddenly turned absurd for the audience.
In the hall, the monsters couldn't contain their laughter. Their chuckles erupted, filling the large room. The booming laughter of goblins mixed with the low growls of ogres and the clattering chuckles of skeletons watching from the sides. Even the little drakes let out hisses that sounded like wide grins.
The unfortunate explorer frantically tried to escape, darting down the dungeon corridor while being pursued by a group of skeletons moving with an awkward shuffle. Some skeletons swung their rusty swords at him, but their attacks clearly missed on purpose, only hitting the walls or the ground, which made the adventurer even more terrified. Each time he managed to evade them, panting heavily, his face grew more panicked, while the watching monsters erupted into even louder laughter.
"What are they doing?!" bellowed a large ogre in the hall, laughing heartily. "Why aren't they striking him properly?"
"Look at him run! Hahaha!" mocked a goblin, clutching its stomach.
After a while, the frightened explorer finally reached the stairs leading to floor B4-A and hurriedly rushed upward towards the surface. As soon as his foot hit the first stone step, the skeletons stopped their chase, as if obeying an unspoken command.
Anastasya and the other caretakers quickly gathered in the monster hall, where the monsters were still discussing what they had just witnessed. Dante and Takano could see that the mischievous plan devised by Dante and Aeka had gone perfectly.
"That was a hilarious show, but it's a shame the skeletons' attacks all missed," said the ogre.
"Oh, that was intentional since he came alone, not with a team," Vergil replied.
"If he had a team, it might have taken longer because we could have scattered them and kept them trapped in the dungeon for a while," Aeka added.
"Besides, the explorer is recording everything that happens as proof that this dungeon is fully operational. If he dies, all his recordings would be worthless," Dante clarified.
"Is that so? It seems the caretakers' idea is truly interesting," one of the goblins commented.
"I'll head out of the dungeon and wait for exciting news from the Adventure Guild. If there are any further updates, I'll be informed," Vergil said, accompanied by a mini golem.
After exiting the depths of the hidden dungeon, Vergil arrived at a secret area located deep within the forest. This place was known only to a few, serving as a communication point and supply hub for all operational needs of the dungeon. Surrounded by tall, dense trees, Vergil paused for a moment to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that was rare amidst dangerous missions. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the chirping of birds accompanied his moment of tranquility.
After several hours of rest, a familiar black eagle swooped down from the sky and landed smoothly on his arm. Quickly, Vergil donned special gloves to prevent the eagle's sharp talons from injuring his skin, and the eagle calmly shifted to his other arm. Vergil retrieved the letter carried by the eagle and opened it immediately.
Without hesitation, he read the letter quickly. Lord Draven had sent an official message from the Adventure Guild, containing a report on the recently completed expedition of the first explorer to the dungeon.
Vergil then got up, calling the mini golem that skillfully helped him carry his belongings. Wasting no more time, he hurried back to the dungeon control room to continue his tasks.
Upon arriving in the control room, Vergil handed the newly received letter to Anastasya and pointed out the important sections of the document. There, it was clearly stated an official order to proceed with the dungeon expedition. Anastasya took the letter, and together they read it again:
To Vergil,
I have reviewed the recordings from the explorer I sent. He returned much faster than I anticipated. From the footage I received, it seems that the dungeon is functioning well and is fully operational.
For some reason, I have a feeling that what happened to him was the idea of Prince Dante or Princess Aeka.
As a reward for the explorer's efforts and your little antics, I have named your dungeon "Arudi Dungeon," after the explorer: Aldi Arudi.
I will soon begin sending adventurers to explore the dungeon.
Sincerely,
Lord Draven
Adventure Guild
Announcement
A dungeon has been discovered in the Haunting Forest.
The explorer we recently sent has provided official evidence that there is an active dungeon within the forest.
For brave adventurers willing to explore the Aruldi Dungeon, we offer an enticing reward for those who can complete the challenges within.
Sincerely,
Lord Draven
Adventure Guild
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone