The Dungeon Gallery's Terrifying Newbie - Chapter 33

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Ceaseless

◈ The Dungeon Gallery's Terrifying Newbie ◈

Chapter 33: Fucking Humans (3)

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First Attempt.

Day 1 of Dungeon Exploration.

Just as the intruders who had visited Dreamland before them had done, Yuben's expedition first checked how many people could enter, then used Detection Magic to determine Dreamland's layout.

The result was a maximum of twelve people.

Was it because this was a new dungeon? The number of people Yuben could bring was small.

Yuben reorganized the expedition.

Yuben would serve as leader, with a Third-Circle mage as second-in-command and two Wandering Knights.

Yuben entered the dungeon with eight soldiers assigned to combat, supply, and miscellaneous work.

Yuben told the soldiers who could not enter to wait at the entrance, then return to the territory if their supplies ran out.

"This is the dungeon's map. The strange thing is that Detection Magic isn't picking up anything. Not even the Dungeon Master. It's definitely not Jamming, but this is strange..."

According to the mage, Dreamland was little more than an empty lot.

'Even if it's a new dungeon, there isn't a single Minion, let alone a trap?'

Something felt off.

Yuben ordered them to stay alert as they advanced in case anything happened.

The group walked on.

Then they arrived before the elevator where so many Branded Elves had lost their lives.

Creak. Creak.

The elevator blocked the Passage.

"I can't break it, even with my sword..."

"Mage, this isn't what you said. You said it was empty."

"I-it's strange. It's not Jamming, and it clearly wasn't picked up by Detection Magic..."

It was an obstacle they could neither break nor move.

The group was at a loss.

While everyone considered what to do, Yuben recalled a line from the documents read before entering the dungeon.

'Dungeons grow stronger by using intruders as nourishment.'

That was why new dungeons were weak.

Naturally, they had to be weak. Not many intruders would have entered them yet.

'Even if they're a Wandering Knight, they can use Aura. And even their blade can't get through this obstacle? In a new dungeon?'

Hmm.

The documents had clearly said, "Every dungeon has its own distinctive traits."

Maybe this was not a dungeon where they could simply smash their way through like ordinary dungeons.

"We need to investigate the inside of that machine first."

"I'll go."

The Third-Circle mage raised a hand.

Mages were generally curious people.

The elevator, which had not appeared to Detection Magic, seemed fascinating, and the mage eagerly volunteered to investigate it.

"Be careful. We don't know what might happen inside. Hey, I'm counting on you."

"Understood, my lord."

Yuben assigned one of the Wandering Knights to guard the mage.

And then.

【Capacity exceeded】

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

The elevator began chewing.

A short while later, the mage and knight returned to the group as chunks of flesh.

"H-Henald, n-no..."

"W-what the hell is this...?"

Everyone was horrified.

One person screamed and wept on the spot as a longtime friend died.

But Yuben merely stood there, deep in thought.

'I still need to find out more, but... I think I'm getting a feel for it.'

Every dungeon had its own distinctive traits.

In other words, they were always consistent.

The knight who entered the elevator alone, seeking revenge, boldly walked into the unlit corridor and died.

A soldier who bravely stepped forward, saying they would uncover the nature of the machine, encountered an Insect Human inside and lost their life.

What they had in common was that they became corpses without even getting a chance to fight back.

Yuben was certain.

'This doesn't seem like a dungeon that requires much combat power?'

Think about it.

We've now confirmed the killing power of this machine.

If it bared its teeth and crushed every intruder who boarded, there would be nothing we could do.

But this machine did not kill anyone who boarded alone.

Whatever was in the unlit corridor killed people.

But if they did not enter the unlit corridor, it did not kill them.

The Insect Human was probably the same.

If I had to guess, the answer was either not antagonizing it or ignoring it.

This dungeon had a way to advance to the next area without killing Minions or destroying traps in the first place.

It was fundamentally designed with an exit.

This machine had certain rules.

If they followed those rules, they would not die.

The way forward was probably the same.

As stated before, dungeons were always consistent.

It was an incredibly simple dungeon.

A place that did not require much specialized skill, perhaps?

Magic and swordsmanship did not work in Dreamland.

Paradoxically, that meant magic and swordsmanship were unnecessary.

Of course, having them would naturally be helpful.

Still, did I really need to spend a fortune bringing along prideful, capable people who might become uncontrollable if displeased?

If they learned that I possessed an Escape Scroll, their response was obvious.

People valued their own lives above all else.

This place was different from other dungeons.

To Yuben, clearing Dreamland felt more like solving a puzzle.

"Ahh..."

"W-what should we do...?"

The downside was that it was a life-or-death puzzle, so morale collapsed in an instant.

Yuben looked at the soldiers, who had completely lost their nerve, and spoke.

"There was no need to spend so much money bringing in experts."

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

"It's regrettable, but farewell. I'll tell your families that you died fighting bravely."

"M-my lord...?"

They probably wouldn't keep obeying me to the end anyway.

Before anything unexpected could happen, Yuben immediately tore the Escape Scroll.

Yuben had an idea of what to do.

Yuben returned to the territory.

Yuben wrote down the information learned in the dungeon, then summoned a retainer.

"You're back already? What happened to the people you took with you?"

"They died. Send someone to offer a few words of consolation to the families of the fallen. Give them some money, too."

"..."

"Anyway, bring me slaves immediately. As young and manageable as possible. I think I've found the key to conquering the dungeon."

Though much had happened in the dungeon, Yuben simply relayed these instructions to the retainer as if it were nothing.

"Understood for now. But what are you writing...?"

"The information I found in the dungeon. Read it if you're bored. It's really interesting."

The retainer blinked.

As always, the retainer could not understand what this lord was thinking, especially when Yuben seemed so cheerful today.

"You brought two knights and even a mage, yet failed. Isn't it a dangerous place? And you intend to bring slaves who cannot fight as the expedition team. I think you should stop right away..."

"Hey, don't worry. If I die, I'll give you this territory."

"I'll bring the will immediately."

"You little shit... Bring some magic books while you're at it."

"All of a sudden?"

"I think it'd be better if I can at least use basic magic. Communication and Detection should be enough."

And so, Yuben prepared for the second attempt.

* * *

no_minions_4_me: What's with Yuben cutting them loose that fast... I'm seriously more shocked than they are...

└ skullbones: He immediately got out because things might turn weird. That judgment is crazy.

└ cowhead: He got out so fucking anticlimactically that it's kind of irritating.

└ antqueen: I told you he’s a psychopath, LOL.

└ whaleyeah: Hmm...

└ antqueen: What's wrong??

└ whaleyeah: No, I've been replaying the video over and over, but doesn't the look in Yuben's eyes seem completely certain?? Like, "When I come back to this dungeon, I'll devour everything"... It feels like that, and it's bothering me...

└ magichero: H-h-h-here you go again... M-m-m-making a huge fuss while I wasn't looking...

└ whaleyeah: No, I'm not making a fuss. If intruders come in, they could just overwhelm it with numbers... You guys said Yuben's a lord, didn't you? Fuck, then Yuben will bring tons of lackeys. Isn't newbie's dungeon weak against sheer numbers??

└ golemking: Another troll who hasn't watched the stream here, yep.

└ dip: What's a troll who hasn't watched the stream??

└ golemking: A shit-stirring bastard who hasn't watched the livestream, yep.

└ dip: Agreed, totally agreed.

└ whaleyeah: No, in theory, twelve people enter every week. Fuck, even if it's a small territory, Yuben's a rich lord, so Yuben will probably have a record number of Escape Scrolls... If Yuben sends a whole crowd into the Anomaly to figure out the rules and clear it, isn't that completely hopeless??

└ worldiscold: Ah, is that the bastard who bought Escape Scrolls from the elves this time? LOL. As far as I know, they have four, yep.

└ sealedphilo: Why aren't you dead? Did you make up with the elves?

└ worldiscold: I'm going to survive, watch newbie flex on me, then kill myself, yep.

└ kingslayer: That's an inferiority complex.

└ antqueen: LOL, I think Yuben will bring young slaves who are easy to control... Then the Wave defense succeeds right there, yep.

└ whaleyeah: Why, exactly??? Aren't you guys worried at all??? Didn't we meet our counter???

└ antqueen: Haaah!!!! Just fucking watch, you livestream-ignorant bastard!!!!

└ whaleyeah: That's so mean...

└ antqueen: Sorry for swearing, hehe;;; People who try to make easy money always get put in their place...

* * *

Second Attempt.

Day 1 of Dungeon Exploration.

With the retainer's help, Yuben entered the dungeon with slaves.

There were ten slaves in total, all young and frail.

Yuben's capable retainer had personally acquired them from another territory.

I should reward the retainer later.

Yuben was not that strong.

Of course, Yuben had received elite training from childhood, enough to toy with ordinary soldiers one-on-one. Still, Yuben was about three tiers below a knight who could use Aura.

That was why Yuben had brought young slaves.

They were still too young to know much about the world, and being slaves, they were far more obedient than soldiers.

Whatever happened, Yuben would be able to subdue them easily. That was the most important thing.

Still, Yuben could not let their guard down.

To prepare for any unforeseen incident, Yuben promised them rewards and brought one soldier to manage the slaves.

This should be enough to keep them under control.

Yuben did not bring a mage.

Other than Detection Magic and Communication Magic, it did not seem like there was much need for a mage.

Fortunately, Yuben had learned basic magical theory.

Yuben had not used it in a while, so studying it again gave Yuben a little trouble, but Yuben could still replace a mage where one was needed.

"Listen carefully. If you follow my orders from now on, you'll get to eat your fill. If you perform very well during this dungeon expedition, I might even free you from slavery. Understand?"

"Yes, my lord..."

The filthy, gaunt slaves bowed their heads, and Yuben stroked the head of the oldest girl, Heidi.

"Your name was Heidi, right? I heard the children listen to you well, so your role is very important. Stay in the back and comfort them. Take good care of them."

"..."

Yuben spoke gently.

The voice was soft, as if Yuben were being generous, but Heidi was not a fool.

This was a dungeon where people could die.

Yuben's words were no different from saying, "Whatever trials lie ahead, even if the children die while facing them, keep soothing them so I can continue using them as disposable pawns."

"You slave brat. How dare you not answer properly when my lord is speaking to you!"

"...S-sorry."

Heidi lowered her head.

She did not want to be hurt.

Because she did not want to be hurt, she had no choice but to submit.

'After dragging us into this dungeon...'

What could she do?

It was unfair, but she had no power.

She could not hide the helplessness on her face.

The reality that she could not even resist tasted bitter.

"Sis..."

"I'm scared..."