WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Mordor
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving the Frozen Dark Fantasy as a Genius Mage ◈
Chapter 103: Set Sail!
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A vast sea beneath blazing sunlight.
And a medium-sized ship sailing peacefully across it.
No doubt about it.
No matter how I looked at it, this was the starting point of Storm-Tossed Waters.
“Man, this place has a fucking awful air about it.”
I hated the rolling sea that made my stomach churn and the salty smell, but...
Phew.
At least those annoying hallucinations and voices were gone. I could finally breathe.
I let out a sigh and spoke.
“We’re in the Salt Cave’s Secret Dungeon. It’s safe at the beginning, so you can relax for now.”
“...Storm-Tossed Waters.”
Despite being a notorious Secret Dungeon, our surroundings were quiet and beautiful.
Daisy looked around in wonder.
“This is... the sea... It’s so much bigger than the lake at Castle or the underground Salt Cave... It’s amazing... Pretty...”
In this world where everything had frozen over, the sea was a mystery people living in this harsh place could only see after reaching the sixth floor.
Well.
Once Daisy saw what crawled up from down there, they would stop saying that...
Daisy pouted at my words.
“I feel this sometimes. Ian, you’re too emotionally dry.”
Was I?
Couldn’t be helped.
“That’s because I’m from Busan.”
“Huh?”
A true man of the sea didn’t actually like the sea.
‘It smells salty, feels gross, and it’s filthy.’
A valley with good water was way better!
“Busan? Oh, that was before you came to our village.”
“Right.”
Anyway, after catching my breath for a moment, I thought.
‘Are the others okay?’
‘I hope they escaped first.’
I furrowed my brow.
Getting out of there had been good, but now I had to think about the future.
The other two Secret Dungeons weren’t easy either, but this was especially troublesome among the three Secret Dungeons on the second floor.
“It’s only the two of us...”
Daisy looked worried.
We had ended up alone in a place tougher than most third-floor regions.
‘Whether we like it or not, we have to clear the Secret Dungeon to escape.’
I checked the time.
‘It’s six in the morning.’
And the other parties had not appeared yet.
“Let’s Memorize first, Daisy!”
“Ah, okay!”
The monsters appearing in the Salt Cave included higher fishfolk, such as merfolk warriors, and undead like drowned sailors.
‘This is a good matchup!’
I engraved spells suited to their habits and traits.
[Faint Light][4] [Electric Spark][4] [Ice Spike][5]
[Frost Burst][3] [Magic Missile][3] [Arcane Barrier][2]
[Lightning Arrow][2] [Rising Water Jet][3] [Mystic Dimensional Gate][2]
[Ice Spear][3] [Charge][2] [Water Mist][3] [Arcane Firefly][2]
[Chain Lightning][2] [Ice Weapon][2] [Arcane Doppelganger][2]
[Arcane Ray][2] [Ice Armor][2]
Out of the eighteen spells I possessed...
[Arcane Barrier][2] [Charge][2] [Ice Armor][2]
[Lightning Arrow][2] [Arcane Doppelganger][2] [Electric Spark][4]
[Chain Lightning][2] [Arcane Ray][2] [Magic Missile][3]
[Ice Spike][5]
I chose and engraved these ten.
‘I want to bring Arcane Firefly too, but...’
‘This is better if something unexpected happens.’
Phew. Once my spells were charged, my anxious heart felt more secure.
Besides...
‘We won’t be the only ones here.’
The moment I finished Memorize and opened my eyes, a portal opened and Expedition Party members appeared.
* * *
The newcomers were a party of five.
‘Two swordsmen, two archers, and that animal-bone talisman... Is that a Shaman?’
‘Their equipment isn’t inferior to mine or my companions’ either.’
What stood out was that the warrior who seemed to lead the party was a dragonkin.
After looking around and realizing only Daisy and I were there, they became even more wary.
“What? Why are there only two of you?”
This Secret Dungeon had room for three parties, fifteen people in total.
Only two people from a party that should have had five?
They probably thought the other three might be hiding somewhere and waiting to attack.
‘Fuck, that isn’t what’s happening.’
“It’s a misunderstanding. I’m just a kind genius mage who got lost.”
“...What?”
“Circumstances led to this.”
But when I humbly introduced myself first, their suspicion quickly faded.
“Argus! That man can be trusted!”
Coincidentally, there was a familiar face among them.
A large warrior wearing animal hides revealed his face and recognized me.
And you are...?
“It’s been a while, Ulric. I didn’t expect to meet you in a place like this!”
“Hahaha! Same here! Genius spellcaster Ian!”
Wild hair flared around his head like a lion’s mane. He was bare-chested beneath loosely draped animal hides, and tattoos covered his upper body.
He was Ulric, the Barbarian Warrior I had fought alongside against a Floor Master before.
The black-haired dragonkin called Argus glanced at me while Ulric greeted me, then lowered his weapon.
“That irritating way you praise yourself as a genius at the end of every sentence.”
“What?”
“But you have skills worthy of that arrogance. I know who you are. You’re the mage of Thunderfall, Ian the Floor Master hunter, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t accept the part about my irritating way of speaking, but I knew who this dragonkin Argus was too.
He was fairly famous among Expedition Party members.
“You’re Little Dragon Argus, right?”
Dragonkin were the least common race, but every individual possessed powerful Dragonblood and a strong body.
Unlike humans, elves, or dwarves, dragonkin were naturally powerful enough that some of them began their Labyrinth journeys on the third floor.
‘A strong race with enough potential to stand out not long after entering the Labyrinth.’
‘If I had started as a dragonkin instead of a human, I’d probably be on the fifth floor by now!’
“Haha, that’s right. I am Argus, the rising flame of the dragonkin. Nice to meet you.”
The young dragonkin, with black scales faintly visible around his eyes, held out his hand.
He was arrogant, but it did not feel unpleasant.
I explained the situation to them.
“I see. Things got complicated, and only the two of you were separated and came in here?”
I mixed truth and lies, saying that we had been caught up in the portal’s random nature rather than entering with a special item.
“Yes.”
It wasn’t something I could hide anyway.
Besides, Ulric was someone I knew, and Argus was a respected Expedition Party member. We could build at least a minimum level of trust.
“A Priest and a Triple Caster. Good. Leave your protection to us. Let’s join forces and crush this outer dimension.”
Honestly, I had been more worried about the other parties we would have to work with than the Secret Dungeon’s difficulty.
There could have been useless bastards with nothing but greed, or Marauders.
‘Still, this is the best outcome.’
My worries eased somewhat.
Argus, who seemed favorably disposed toward me because of my reputation, introduced his party members.
“You know Ulric here since you fought together, right?”
“Yes.”
Barbarian Ulric was a Barbarian Warrior.
In Dunz, Barbarians were also classified as a race.
Their lifestyle and culture differed from ordinary humans like me, and...
‘The nonhuman races in Dunz have traits unique to each race.’
Dragonkin had Dragonblood.
Elves had spirits and the power of the earth.
Dwarves had natural craftsmanship, stamina, and an affinity for fire.
Barbarian Warriors had the protection of the Mother, the god they worshipped.
It was a power granted only to certain special people.
Ulric possessed an ability called Mother’s Wind, which could deflect ranged projectiles.
To activate the ability, the tattoos on his upper body had to be visible, so he could only wear armor like animal hides.
Still, Barbarian Warriors were so accustomed to close combat that it was hardly a major weakness.
‘Thanks to his power and courage, we got through the Wave safely last time.’
“Please take care of us, Mr. Ulric.”
“Mm! Kind-hearted Priest! I’ll protect you too!”
Daisy and Ulric exchanged greetings.
With his bearded face and their height difference, they looked like a father and daughter.
Their ages were probably...
“Excuse me! I’m eighteen years old!!!”
“What?”
“Huh!?”
Fuck, how was that big-headed tank eighteen?
“I heard that.”
“Oops. My thoughts slipped out again.”
That was another shock.
“These are the brothers Cole and Kenny.”
The two archers Argus introduced next were twin men.
They had the same sharp eyes.
“I’m the older brother.”
“No, I’m older.”
The two men, each insisting that he was the elder, apparently possessed different Blessings related to scouting.
Lastly...
“This is Turkan, Shaman of the Frostwolf Tribe.”
He was a dark-skinned middle-aged man in a stylish cloak of tanned wolfskin, carrying a bone necklace and a ritual-shaped drum.
‘He looks like a proper Shaman.’
“Nice to meet you, Turkan.”
I had only seen Shamans in games before, so I greeted him warmly.
But he only stared at me silently.
What? Was he ignoring me right to my face?
What a rude bastard.
I furrowed my brow.
“Are you trying to establish dominance right now? Are you trying to prove that Shamanism is superior to magic through this petty emotional contest?”
How dare this mute primitive savage ignore a greeting from a genius mage...!
“That’s not it, narrow-minded spellcaster Ian.”
Before I could get angry, Ulric explained.
“Turkan is currently observing a vow of silence. It is due to the teachings of the Guardian God of the Deep Valley that he serves.”
Ah.
“...S-sorry. Ian didn’t mean anything bad...”
Daisy apologized on my behalf.
“Jeez, you should’ve said so sooner.”
I shamelessly changed the subject.
It was for religious reasons?
Humans... no, mortal beings were so fragile that they searched for something to worship in order to ease their anxiety.
Shamans followed beings who had accomplished great things in life, rather than major religions spread by churches, such as the benevolent gods of light or the gods of darkness.
‘Things like the Mother of the Swamp or the Greatest Raven.’
Some of them were as evil as dark mages depending on the god they served, but Turkan did not give off such a murky aura.
“What Shamanic magic do you have?”
“I can make it rain or stop raining. In a small area, at least.”
“Excellent.”
Controlling the weather was perfect for this Secret Dungeon.
Well, that was probably why Argus had brought the Shaman into his party.
“...”
Turkan signed something.
Ulric translated beside him.
“He says a Priest who has awakened four Divine Spells and a Triple Master who can handle three magical affinities are impressive too.”
‘For a creepy spellcaster, he seems to have decent social skills.’
‘Argus is a mid-rank fifth-grade Expedition Party member, and the rest are sixth to seventh grade.’
We did not reveal everything we had, but before beginning the expedition, we shared some of our Blessings and abilities.
Shhhhh.
Storm-Tossed Waters was a dungeon for fifteen people.
While we exchanged greetings, another portal opened, and another group entered.
No...
Not a group.
“I was separated from my companions while running away, and the portal led me h-here... Haha.”
He was a handsome man with dull gray hair.
His skin was pale, and the fangs exposed by his awkward smile were sharper than a human’s.
A vampire.
“A vampire...”
Like Daisy and me, he said he had been left behind due to unavoidable circumstances. But although vampires were not as infamous as dark elves, they had a bad reputation within the Labyrinth.
Naturally, everyone became more cautious.
But then the vampire said something surprising.
“I-I am a vampire who believes in and follows the goddess Meia!”
Amazingly, the vampire claimed to follow a benevolent goddess.
I asked Daisy, Meia’s Priest.
“Daisy?”
“I don’t recognize him. There are many temples of Lady Meia in the city, and not every worshipper who comes to pray openly shows their face.”
Dragonkin Argus widened his eyes.
“A race of darkness that follows the faith of light... Surprising. What are you good at?”
“B-blood magic. Only at a basic level.”
The funny thing was that, despite claiming to have faith, he used vicious blood magic.
‘Vampires can only manifest Blood Magic or Frost magic due to their racial traits.’
‘Unlike us, he’s probably around second-floor level.’
He was a hot iced Americano, just like Darnen.
Whether he was kind like Darnen or had some sinister hidden motive, I did not know.
“They may not be as bad as dark elves, but they are not trustworthy. You would do well not to do anything suspicious.”
Argus crossed his arms and warned the vampire man, clearly displeased.
“Haha, of course...”
The vampire man bowed and scraped without even the pride expected of a noble of the night.
Bzzzz!
Before long, another portal opened.
This time, a proper party of five appeared.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes, young master. According to the information bought from the Thieves’ Guild, it is certainly an outer dimension.”
What stood out was their matching equipment, from their armor and helmets to their weapons.
And they were treating a handsome young man with blue hair with excessive respect.
‘A family crest.’
‘He’s a noble from Castle.’
The blue-haired young man was probably the noble, and the others were his retainers.
Since we had to work together, Argus called out to introduce ourselves.
“Hey, you lot...”
“Learn the ship’s layout and prepare to set sail.”
“Yes.”
But they ignored us completely and moved without a word.
‘Damn, look how stiff that bastard is.’
Right. That was what a noble should be like.
As I admired him for an entirely different reason...
“Fucking nobles.”
“They seem unpleasant.”
The twin archers each made a comment.
Proud dragonkin Argus added his own.
“Hah. Even after being pushed out of the succession struggle and becoming a rat thrown into the gutter, he still has his pride, huh?”
He spoke loudly enough for them to hear.
“You lizard. What did you just say?”
A stern-looking middle-aged knight put his hand on his sword hilt and glared at Argus.
“It was a monologue, but I suppose you heard it. So what? Want to fight?”
This old man.
Just like a dragonkin, his personality was no joke.
He had been very gentle with Daisy and me.
“A-Argus!”
“Don’t stop him! Warriors have their own way of doing things!”
A sharp tension spread before we had even begun exploring.
Watching fights was supposed to be the most entertaining thing in the world, but...
‘A Labyrinth within the Labyrinth is more dangerous than usual.’
‘For a smooth expedition, I should stop them.’
Just as I was about to step in...
“Sir Pierre. What are you doing?”
“Yes, young master.”
Instead, the blue-haired noble stopped his subordinate.
The knight called Pierre glared at us once more, then followed the blue-haired noble away.
Shhhhh.
Perhaps that was the last of the arrivals.
The ship creaked, its anchor unfurled by itself, and it began moving.
“Just as the information said. It moves on its own.”
There was no one steering, yet the wheel turned by itself.
It reminded us once more that this place was a dimension where the laws of physics were twisted.
I spoke to Daisy.
“We still have time, so let’s get some rest.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah.”
Argus and the others seemed to have information about this Secret Dungeon as well. They went to rest on the deck or inside the cabins.
We too had stayed awake all night after killing the field boss, so this was a good opportunity to rest.
Daisy and I went into a cabin.
The interior, which had several rooms, was fairly spacious. It even had barrels of water and rum, biscuits, and lanterns, making it rather convenient.
Splash.
“Ahh, that’s refreshing.”
I was soaked by rain and covered in ash, so I first washed myself with the water inside.
Then I dried my wet hair, entered the same room as Daisy, and locked the door.
“Sorry if it’s uncomfortable to share a room. Just bear with it for a little while.”
I said this while chewing dried meat.
I had become acquainted with Argus and his group, but they were still another party.
The same went for the noble’s group, whose thoughts I could not read, and the vampire.
It would be better to stay in the same room and remain prepared in case something happened.
“It’s n-not uncomfortable... It’s just...”
“Just?”
“I’m embarrassed...”
Daisy had taken off her priestly robes and was now dressed in thin clothes.
Her face suddenly reddened, and she avoided my gaze.
When she put it that way, I became nervous too.
‘Even so...’
Gulp.
I stared at Daisy for a moment, then acted.
“U-um, I-Ian...?”
‘There’s no way I’m giving up the bed!’
I flopped onto the only bed and groaned.
“Ugh, it’s cramped. But if Daisy wants to come in, I might be able to make room...”
“Huh?”
Daisy, who had seemed tense, looked flustered at the sight.
Then she gave a small laugh, spread out a blanket, and lay on the floor.
“I’m fine. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
Yes!
Before closing my eyes for a moment, I thought.
Storm-Tossed Waters, the Salt Cave’s Secret Dungeon, was divided into three chapters.
The first involved crossing the vast sea where monsters appeared.
The second involved docking at an island filled with strange things and exploring it.
Lastly, we had to deal with the boss sleeping at the far end of the sea.
‘There are certain interactive gimmicks along the way.’
Depending on them, the final boss could become easier or harder, and the rewards along the way could change too.
Unlike the first floor, the second-floor Secret Dungeons had much more volume.
By my calculations, our combat strength was sufficient.
The problem was...
‘A dragonkin, a Barbarian Warrior, a Shaman whose faith I don’t know, and a vampire.’
‘And an arrogant noble with his soldiers.’
There were too many people in one place, each overflowing with their own personality and traits.
‘Too many sailors.’
‘We’ll be lucky if the ship doesn’t end up climbing a mountain.’
Unlike other outer dimensions, losing the ship here meant everything was over.
Phew.
‘We’ll only know after we start exploring.’
‘I’ll assess the situation and take control if I have to.’
For now, let’s rest.
I laid my head on the pillow.
“Good night, Daisy.”
“Okay.”
I fell asleep with the lamp lit and my senses sharpened.
Even if something happened, the Coin would appear, so there should not be a problem.
I had obtained Spare Coin this time too, so I had two chances.
Inside the cabin, the ship creaked as it rocked on the water.
Daisy’s and my soft snores echoed.
I was fucking exhausted, but I could not sleep properly.
Urk.
The rocking ship was making me seasick.
‘Fuck, this weak body!’
Now I was getting seasick too?
How was I supposed to handle the sixth floor at this rate?
As I barely endured it and fell asleep, I heard rain beginning to fall.
Drip. Drip.
Soon, it grew into a downpour.
Shhhhh!
The ship began rocking even more violently.
Flash!
Rumble!
When I opened my eyes, the lanterns and furnishings in the cabin were shaking fiercely.
The sea beyond the small window was already churning ominously.
Just as Storm-Tossed Waters’ name suggested, a storm had begun.
‘It’s starting.’
I opened my eyes and grabbed the staff I had left on the shelf.
As long as it was not some sponge monster from the deep sea that loved Mondays, I would smash it all apart.
Footnotes:
Ian’s “hot iced Americano” comparison is a deliberately contradictory Korean expression for someone with clashing traits.
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