Reborn as an Extra Chapter 611: S-rank Dungeon, A Forgotten Nation. Part-6.

~3 minute read · 790 words
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
Lia teases James about his brute-force swordsmanship, unimpressed by his lack of skill, as they approach the dungeon on the plateau. They fly across a vast lava pool, witnessing an ecosystem of lava-adapted creatures like crocodiles and lizards sustained by mana. Passing a gargoyle checkpoint that recognizes James, they enter a tunnel leading to the S-rank dungeon 'A Forgotten Nation,' which customizes its interior to challenge entrants based on their personal traits.

[I sense that I have some knowledge about this dungeon, but... oddly enough, I can't recall it clearly...]

[This feels quite strange...]

Lia felt astonishment at Kai's forgetfulness; after all, he excelled in memory and served as a mighty divine spirit.

'My dad appears to have ventured into this dungeon multiple times before, and he's survived every time. So, it should be conquerable, shouldn't it?'

[Um... it's hard to put into words... somehow, I can't assess this dungeon properly... normally, you'd detect mana waves or shifts in elemental concentration...]

[Those factors allow gauging a dungeon's danger level and classification... yet this one exhibits intensely powerful spatial ripples... they're so intense that without your father shielding them...]

[You'd get hurled away instantly upon stepping into this chamber...]

'He's shielding the spatial ripples for me? Why didn't my keen spiritual perception pick up on that?'

[Uh... it's not deliberate; he's just so bulky and robust that trailing behind him naturally provides a fleshy barrier against the threats ahead...]

Those remarks nearly made Lia erupt in laughter, yet she restrained herself to avoid upsetting her father.

'I crave a real test; regardless of the perils this dungeon holds, I must proceed inside... My goal is to attain S-rank this round...'

"It adapts to suit an individual's requirements... How did the awakeners' association allow you to monopolize such an excellent dungeon?"

James grinned in response to the query and answered,

"No one realizes it can reshape itself based on the challenger's demands... I came up with that idea personally..."

"I discovered it first and stepped inside... I've been the only one to revisit it more than once..."

James explained the dungeon's intricacies to Lia in depth, revealing that it operated under an extraordinary system of guidelines.

Should someone triumph over this dungeon, it bars that individual from re-entering alone, though accompanying a companion permits access.

Subsequently, the dungeon draws from both the initial conqueror and their partner as benchmarks to reshape itself, crafting a layout that offers sufficient difficulty for the duo!

To put it simply, by introducing a fresh companion each visit, you can repeatedly challenge this dungeon indefinitely!

Over the previous decades, James had accomplished this numerous times alongside elite guild members.

Guild members have each delved into the dungeon solely once, whereas James has explored it repeatedly; hence, he's the sole knower of its transformations. The rest remain oblivious.

Lia now becomes the second individual privy to this dungeon's hidden mechanics, besides James!

The awakeners' association views this dungeon merely as a standard S-rank one that frequently reopens at the identical spot, featuring refreshed layouts each instance.

Dungeons vary widely across the globe; certain ones manifest briefly, vanishing post-boss defeat with all occupants expelled outward.

Others persist stably following the primary boss's demise, staying accessible indefinitely for resource extraction like mining ores and similar pursuits.

Additionally, some dungeons dissolve after the boss falls but respawn in the same area, albeit with altered interiors, fresh monsters, and a new boss!

The phenomenon of dungeon portals itself remains profoundly enigmatic, with scientists and scholars debating their sources for ages, yet their true nature and beginnings elude definitive understanding.

Consequently, these peculiar occurrences and diverse emergence patterns puzzle the world's inhabitants.

This dungeon exemplifies a rare instance of such anomalous presentation.

As a fixed dungeon, it endures intact even after boss defeats, but curiously, its internals refresh continually, spawning new bosses repeatedly without the typical disappearance seen in others.

However, James has concealed this detail from the awakeners' association.

The association employs numerous SS-rank experts, enabling swift detection of potent dungeon portals emerging within the solar system!

Any A-rank or higher dungeon gate surfacing anywhere in the solar system gets spotted by top SS-rankers within mere moments!

Moreover, legendary artifacts of great power monitor the emergence of formidable dungeons throughout the solar system.

This explains why lesser gates frequently trigger dungeon outbreaks, as their faint spatial ripples make them hard to detect.

In contrast, high-powered gates seldom lead to breaks, getting identified and purged promptly before escalation.

Even in break scenarios, 'Forgotten World' stands out as an exceptional, odd dungeon unlikely to provoke a break.

Its spatial ripples stay contained, swirling locally to form this peculiar underground cavern structure.

Because of that, SS-rankers overlook it until entry attempts stir its spatial fields!

James enters sporadically, so ripples leak infrequently, alerting SS-rankers only then!

Yet, with James and his guild securing permanent rights to this dungeon and site, no one meddles.

Thereby, the Silver Shadow guild retains control over the dungeon!

"Onward! A lengthy adventure awaits; no more delaying with chatter here..."

Wearing a cheerful expression, James took the lead, and Lia soared alongside him as they ventured into the dungeon jointly!