To Rayne and the others' surprise, despite being an Elite-tier magical beast, this goblin had absolutely nothing on him except for a few scraps of cloth that barely fit.
Although it was strange, they quickly accepted it.
After all, if this guy had actually possessed any powerful items, it was highly uncertain who would have been the ones left lying dead here today.
“Nothing at all?”
Balen circled Zhalge's corpse, nudging the scrap of cloth around its waist with the toe of his boot. Confirming there was no glow of a magic item, he slapped his thigh in frustration.
“An Elite-tier! This is an Elite-tier we're talking about! Going around without even a decent weapon—he deserved to get slaughtered by us!”
“Well, he's a goblin,” Gerak said, squatting beside Zhalge's head, whose jaw had been blown to pieces, and tapping the charred corner of its mouth with his axe handle. “Nothing on a goblin is worth any money. Killing ten of them isn't even worth a single slime. But...”
He turned his head to grin at Rayne, giving him a knowing look. “I've heard that a goblin's... thing can... and an Elite-tier one at that... Tsk, it'd probably fetch a fortune from some noble lords. Why don't we cut it off? If we sell it to those wealthy, respectable folks back in town, it might be worth more than the bounty for this quest.”
“Can you please be serious for once?” Misha massaged her temples in exasperation.
“I am being serious.”
“There really is a magic core, but unfortunately, it's damaged.” Rayne used the tip of his sword to pry out a thumb-sized, cracked dark-green crystal fragment from the gash on the back of Zhalge's neck. The magic core had been completely drained under the burning of the soulfire, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell.
“This should be enough proof.” He wrapped the fragment in a piece of cloth and tucked it into his waist pouch, ignoring Gerak, who was still squatted nearby, winking suggestively. “There's nothing else of value here.”
“Then let's get back to business.” Rayne sheathed his sword and looked deeper into the corridor. “There's still one last altar left on this floor. While the goblins are leaderless, let's take it out in one go. Misha, do you have enough mana left?”
Misha waved her staff, and a soft, milky-white halo lit up at its tip once more. “I've recovered quite a bit. It's enough.”
The group easily cleared out the remaining goblin stragglers along the way, making their way to the heart of the ninth floor without any further obstacles.
This altar was of a higher specification than the ones they had destroyed before. The runic circuits carved into its pedestal were still glowing faintly, and a very subtle scent of sulfur lingered in the air.
With a single strike, Rayne shattered the rune stone at the core of the altar. The light across the entire pedestal snuffed out instantly, like a candle being blown out.
“Done,” Balen said, brushing the stone dust off his hands. “The quest is complete. We can head back and report now.”
“Misha mentioned you were heading to the tenth floor.” Rayne turned to Lu Mao. “Does it also have to do with the altars?”
Lu Mao remained silent for a moment, then adopted a very sincere expression.
“My previous employer wanted me to go to the tenth floor to destroy the altar there, promising a handsome reward,” he said. “But today, I've seen exactly what kind of entity these altars can summon. The altar on the ninth floor brought forth an Elite-tier beast. The tenth floor will probably be even more terrifying.
“I can't do this job alone. No matter how much money is offered, I need to be alive to spend it. So, I'm quitting.”
“Then where do you plan to go next?”
“Join you guys—if you'll have me,” Lu Mao said. “My level isn't very high right now, but I have sharp perception. I can detect the movements and weaknesses of monsters in advance, and I can handle stragglers or guard the rear when needed.
“Besides, it looks like your party is missing a ranger suited for scouting, isn't it?”
Rayne did not answer immediately. He glanced at Misha, and the cleric gave him a slight nod. Then he looked at Elliot, who simply pushed up his glasses and said, “I have no objections.”
Nearby, Balen chimed in, “I saw it all just now. You took down six goblins without even blinking. I, Balen, accept you!” Gerak patted Lu Mao's shoulder with his uninjured left hand, the force nearly sending Lu Mao stumbling.
“Welcome to the party,” Rayne said, extending his hand. “But let's make one thing clear beforehand. Our party has only one rule: we don't abandon or give up on anyone. You've proven you can do that.”
Lu Mao shook his hand. Just as he was about to speak, a system notification popped up at the edge of his vision.
【Quest “Join the Hero's party” completed】
【Rollback count +1, currently 5 remaining】
【Major historical milestone unlocked. Would you like to save?】
Lu Mao thought the word “Save” in his mind.
【Save successful. Anchor point updated.】
【Current time anchor: “Join the Hero's party”】
He released Rayne's hand and turned to the others. “Let's go. We should head back to the surface first. Your quest rewards and guild evaluation are waiting.”
“Right, right, right!” Balen sprang up from his shield, slinging it onto his back. “Gold Rank! A Gold Rank party! I'm going to think of a party name on the way back—how about ‘Balen and His Four Shield-Carrying Teammates’?”
“Five votes to reject,” Elliot said without looking back.
“We're a party of six now. Why are you still living in a five-person world?” Gerak grunted, catching up with his short axe.
“Then ‘Balen and His Five Shield-Carrying Teammates’!”
Misha walked at the rear of the group. As she passed Lu Mao, she paused. “You said earlier you were going to the tenth floor, but now you aren't. What about your employer?”
“He'll understand.” Lu Mao pulled down his cloak's hood. “If all else fails, I'll just say a passing group of adventurers beat me to it, and I had no choice.”
Misha let out a soft chuckle. Without pressing further, she leaned on her staff and caught up with the group.
The light from the moss lamps in the corridor remained dim and dying, but the sound of six pairs of feet stepping on the gravel felt much lighter than when they had first arrived.
...
The Succubus Tavern.
“Well, I'll be, you weren't lying to me! I can't believe there really is a tavern on the third floor of the dungeon! It's hidden so well!” Outside the tavern, the loud, boisterous voice of the dwarf Balen echoed.
“And a Succubus Tavern at that! Don't tell me there are actually legendary succubi inside?”
The dwarf, who was only half the height of a normal human, pushed open the tavern's wooden door. The door slammed against the wall with a dull thud. The moment he stepped inside, his loud voice boomed out.
“Got any dwarven spirits? Bring me three—” The words died in his throat.
A dozen pairs of eyes inside the tavern turned to look at him in unison.
At the table nearest the door sat two cloaked lizardmen. Their cups were frozen mid-air, their slitted pupils reflecting the silhouettes of the uninvited guests.
In a corner table, a werewolf gnawing on a bone put it down, its nostrils twitching.
A troll wiping a wooden club in the corner slowly raised its head. Its muddy yellow eyes swept across each of the adventurers before finally resting on Balen, letting out an ambiguous grunt.
Seeing this reception, the party members immediately tensed and assumed defensive stances.
Rayne silently placed his hand on his sword hilt. His gaze swept from the lizardmen to the werewolf, then to the troll in the corner—who was wider than the door frame—and the other monsters. He lowered his voice. “Lu Mao, is this the tavern on the third floor of the dungeon you were talking about?”
Lu Mao was also a bit stunned. He hadn't expected to find so many monsters drinking and eating in the tavern.
He instinctively looked toward the bar. Only when a familiar figure came into view did Lu Mao let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed the tavern's primary clientele on regular days was indeed the monsters of the dungeon.
Then again, who among normal adventurers would casually stroll into a dungeon tavern for a drink?
“Yeah,” Lu Mao said, squeezing forward from the back of the line and patting Balen's tensed shoulder. “Put your weapons away. There's no fighting here—at least not today.”
The monsters in the hall were also sizing up the six adventurers. Sensing no hostility from the party, they gradually looked away.
The tension eased slightly, but only slightly.
Chen Jiu stood behind the bar, polishing a gleaming glass. He seemed completely indifferent to the brief standoff at the entrance. He merely looked up, let his gaze linger on Lu Mao for a moment, then on each of the others, before setting the glass down.
“You did well on the quest.” Chen Jiu's voice echoed in Lu Mao's mind, sounding just like a system notification.
“Consider the items I gave you as an advance payment for your quest reward. Your second quest: find out who wants to destroy the dungeon's altars within twenty-nine days.”
The moment he finished speaking, a new system notification popped up at the edge of Lu Mao's vision—
【New Quest: Join the “Steel and Fire” Adventurer Band in Rhode City and obtain an Apprentice Adventurer Badge】
【Quest Completion Reward: Rollback count +1】
【Note: An official badge issued by the Adventurers' Guild is your legal permit to enter and exit the dungeon】
Rate on N.U.
