As we were making our way through the dungeon I realized how awful it really looked. This was not some hunting area. This was aermination house. I think Alice might even throw up. Even the knights were a little spooked. The only ones retively ued were the members of Prime Rib. I guess an adventuring party has destroyed rge amounts of weak monsters before.

  “Hey Brian, is it just me or were these morying to make their way deeper into the dungeon? Most of them are fag towards the deeper parts of the dungeon.” Zayaan made the observation.

  “It’s because I sneaked my way to the core room without them notig. After the core was elimihey all became aggressive towards me because I broke their food sourd home. After that I had a summoned monster make a way for me to escape.” I answered with something I came up with a little earlier. With a spell like Darkness approaches I could have do, so while it is a lie, I could do it. Probably.

  “Why would you sneak in, instead of just destroying the goblins as you go along?” It was Rico who asked that.

  “There are kobolds here as well, if you didn’t notice. But I did it that way to make sure I could save any hostages the goblins might have. I didn’t want my summon to stomp all over them.” I answered. I think that sounds like a det excuse.

  “How thoughtful of you.” Rico said sarcastically. “Or you just wahe fame of being a dungeon founder.”

  “Wow, passive aggressive much, mister ‘will do anything for money’. I didn’t even know what a rogue dungeon was until I gained system support. I thought this was only a goblin’s .” I try to bully Rico back a little. I’m actually not sure if he really loves money, or if that is just my observation.

  “You little jerk. Get over here and I’ll…” Well I might have been correct sidering Ricos rea.

  “Rico! Shut up!” Zayaan said in an angry voice.

  Everyone was quiet for a sed after that. I guess Zay be really scary.

  “Brian may I ask a question?” Alice asked me.

  “Go for it.” I answer her. “Also isn’t what you just asked a question in itself.”

  “Well, it might be.” She muttered before asking. “What kind of monster did you summon to kill all these monsters?”

  “Oh, that was Uraby.” I say. Everyone looks fused. I guess that doesn’t really tell much. “A rge lizard thing that walks on two legs. Has bck hide and attacks with sharp cws ah.”

  “Oh, I see. So you summon some powerful monsters.” Alice seemed impressed. “Could you teach me?”

  “I’m not sure. My summoning is kind of unique.” I answer.

  “Is there some harm in teag her?” The baron asks.

  “As I said, my summoning is unique. As in it inates from a unique skill. I’m just not sure I could even teach it to her.” I mean I could probably give a card to someone else and they might be able to use it, but that doesn’t really teach them summoning. It would be more like borrowing my power.

  ““A UNIQUE SKILL!?”” Both Zay and Rico yelled out. Others didn’t freak out nearly as much. I guess it would be ued that I have something like that. At least the baron didn’t freak out, but o system support, a unique skill might not be that rare.

  “Is that why you hid your skills?” The baron asked.

  “Yeah. I just really wasn’t sure I should talk about it. But I think I trust you all.” I said. Then I look at Rid say. “If I hear you leaked this information I will find you, and I will kill you.” God, I have wao say that line.

  “Why are you saying that to me? Any one of us could be the oo leak it.” Rico tried to defend himself.

  “But you are the only ohat will sell it fold .” Zay said to Rico.

  “At least some of us have standards.” Alex pressed on.—“These kobolds have been killed by a sword. How did that happen?” It was one of the knights that asked that.

  “They were ohat survived Urabys rampage. They were dealt with by another summon.” I answered.

  “So you even summon monsters capable of using ons?” The baron asked.

  “Yeah I . Prime Rib has already seen one.” I tell the baron.

  “That little imp with a spear, right?” Zayaan firms.

  “Yes, that o wasn’t the ohat killed these kobolds, but that’s not really important.” —

  “The core room is up .” I say as we make our way from the st dungeon room into the tuhat leads to the core. “There will be a lot of monster corpses here so watch your step.”

  I remember ing out of here and just walking on a carpet of corpses so I decided to warhers.

  “That really is a lot. Do you know how many there are?” The baron asked me.

  “I think it was a little over 100.” I answered.

  “That’s quite a lot. Your lizard summon must be really strong to be able to kill that many.” The baron ented.

  “Yeah, it’s strong.” I give an offhand ent to hide the fact that most of these guys were killed by Sparks.

  “It’s difficult to walk here.” Alipined. Don’t pin to me, I didn’t bring you along. I also did warn you.

  “Try to walk where you see the footprints of Brian’s summon. The ground is a little more solid there.” Zayaan gave her a tip.

  “A my boots pletely covered in blood. No thank you.” Alice refuses the advice. Miss fancy girl doesn’t want to get bloody.

  “They already are so what’s the harm?” I tell her.

  “Don’t call me dirty!” She explodes back.

  “I didn’t. I said your boots already are bloody so you ’t really prevent them from getting bloody.” I say back to her. Are we having a lover quarrel?

  “You say that as if your shoes aren’t. You are just walking through the blood with no care whatsoever.” She really wants to keep going. Luckily we made it out of the tunnel and into the core room.

  “As you see,” I say and point at my shoes. “My shoes are . So where is your excuse now?” I taunt Alice a little.

  “HOW?! That’s impossible!” Alice seemed pletely taken back by my shoes and the rest of my clothing. I mean, I’m the only ohout a drop of blood on me.

  “Magic, duh.” Another line I have wao say. Not that it’s true.

  “Your clothing must be very well ented to be able to avoid all the dirt and grime.” The baron seemed ied in my clothes.

  “I am not selling them if that’s what you want. I also don’t know who made them, sihey were a gift from my mom.” I gave him a lie and a truth. I do know what manufacturer made my clothes, but they do in this world. And the hoodie and the jeans were a gift from my mom.

  “I see. That’s a shame.” He answered.

  “ we just focus on what we came here for.” Zay said, trying to get us ba track.

  “Of course.” The baron said. “So that is the core pedestal. The rogue core seems rger than I would expect for a duhis size.”

  “Agreed.” Zay said. “That looks more like an s-rank core than a b-rank one. In a dungeon of this size the core should be smaller.”

  “Perhaps this dungeon was still in its early stages of growth.” I offer up some bullshit that sounds reasonable.

  “That could be.” The baroo agree with me. “Brian, remove the old core from the pedestal.”

  “Sure.” I walk up to the pedestal and do as I’m told. I expect it to be heavy but it really isn’t. I still enjoy the feeling of its smooth surface against my hand. I pce the old cently on the floor o the pedestal.

  “Good.” The baron said. “Make sure there is no rubble on the pedestal.”

  As I run my hand over the surface of the pedestal, it feels good to me. It’s not as smooth as the old core but still feels fine. I don’t feel anything that could get in the way so I say: “I think it’s fine. I don’t feel anything weird on it.”

  “Now Henry, bring out the monster core.” The baron gives an order to his butler. Henry walks up to me and from his item box out es a shining stone evehan the old core.

  “That’s not an A-rank core. Baron, why are you using an S-rank core for this?” Zayaan was the oo ask that. I actually also want to know. Arent S-rank cores super expensive. Where would you eve one?

  “That is the core of the lesser Behemoth that Alexander Wat hunted on the Alewatch pins before founding the town there. It has been our family treasure sihen. I decided that a dungeohe town would be the best pce to use it.” The baron gave his reasoning.

  “Are you sure this is fine?” I ask the baron to firm.

  “Do it.” He answers. e on. You didn’t do it in the Emperor's voice. I demand a redo. I take the core from Henry aly pce it down on the pedestal.

  Brian Wood has fouhe dungeon 22_090