The Ultimate Sage Who Faked Incompetence and Was Disinherited Just Wants to Enjoy His New Life! - Episode 90: The Dungeon

Episode 90: The Dungeon

We learned that the dungeon was created by the ancients. But there was still something I couldn’t quite understand.

“Hey, if that’s true, then why are there so many monsters inside the dungeon? And why are there always powerful monsters on the bottom floor?”

“That’s because the ancients were able to create a certain number of monsters by using the earth’s energy lines. Though not *all* monsters were created that way.”

“No way!?”

Everyone was shocked. The idea that the ancients could create monsters by their own power was astonishing. Their civilization had advanced to the point of creating artificial life forms?

“Then why don’t the monsters ever leave the dungeon?”

“Because they recognize the dungeon as their own territory.”

“Huh…”

Everyone couldn’t help but let out a breath of admiration. The ancients really were capable of such things. Maybe the monsters were even used for warfare? But if they attacked anyone—including their creators—that might’ve made using them in war difficult.

“Huh? But I’ve never heard of that before. Isn’t there anything written in old books?”

“Of course not. Not everyone was capable of creating monsters. Only a select few researchers or high-ranking individuals knew how to do it. And they kept it completely secret. Naturally, that ended up angering ‘this planet’ once it found out.”

It seemed that one of the reasons ancient civilization was wiped out was because they created artificial life. That was probably supposed to be the planet’s sole privilege. And having it infringed upon may have led to their elimination. Better not to mess with divine stuff.

“So that’s why no documents remain now. Actually, it’s probably better that nothing survived. We might’ve repeated the same mistake.”

“Well, we *are* about to be wiped out over another matter anyway.”

“Yeah, I guess it’s the planet’s way of saying ‘Don’t harm me any more.’”

After learning the truth, we all exchanged nods of understanding.

Next to me, Lilia looked upset and was frowning. I wrapped my arms around her gently. Lately, whenever talk of “destruction” or “being wiped out” came up, she always looked visibly distressed.

There was no doubt something had happened back then. But she probably didn’t want to talk about it. I couldn’t bring myself to ask—anything I said might just upset her more.

“So, the reason a powerful monster is guarding the final door… is because the ancients created the strongest monster they could to protect their treasure?”

Jill seemed convinced and clasped his hands, nodding. If that’s the case, it made sense that the treasure in the deepest part of the dungeon would be so valuable. I’d also heard that large-capacity magic bags were usually found down there.

“Hey, then what would the ancients do when they wanted to retrieve their hidden treasures? Wouldn’t they get attacked by the monsters too?”

“Well, they would mark the room with magic beforehand. It allows them to teleport there instantly when needed.”

*Ch-ch-ch,* Pii-chan shook the tip of its wing. It was winking too, looking quite pleased. It seemed happy to be of help.

“Ah, so that’s what the teleportation magic was for. No wonder we couldn’t use it. I never imagined they’d already placed a magical marker and prepped the spell in advance.”

Lilia raised her eyebrows, clearly frustrated. But she was also smiling slightly. It was probably because a long-standing mystery had finally been solved.

“So that’s why there are no monsters in the treasure room.”

“Exactly!”

Pii-chan spread its wings dramatically, clearly proud of itself. But one mystery still remained.

“How do *you* know all this, Pii-chan? Were you………. an ancient person or something?”

“Not at all. I’ve always been, and still am, a Fire Spirit. And wherever there’s fire, a Fire Spirit is present. I can project my awareness anywhere there’s flame.”

“I see.”

So basically, Pii-chan had been eavesdropping and peeping. You need light to brighten your surroundings, and most light comes from fire. Even magical light tools rely on fire in the end.

“Well then, now that we understand the background of the dungeon, let’s clean up from dinner. We’re heading out early tomorrow, so don’t oversleep.”

“Got it. Jill, gather the dishes. I’ll wash them with water magic.”

“Leave it to me.”

After finishing dinner clean-up, we went to bed early. If I told the researchers about what we learned today, they’d be overjoyed. But doing that would reveal Pii-chan’s existence.

If people found out that the Fire Spirit was alive, it could cause a huge uproar. There might even be those who say, “Eliminate Pii-chan.” That would be a big problem.

As valuable as the information is, we’ll keep it to ourselves. I’m sure everyone else will do the same, even without being warned.

I pulled Lilia and Pii-chan into the sleeping bag and fell asleep, preparing for tomorrow.

—

After breakfast, we did some light warm-ups and stood in front of the rocky mountain. We walked around it in a circle to find the entrance. Yeah, this must be the spot.

“Okay, I’m going to make a hole.”

“We’re counting on you. There aren’t any monsters nearby, right?”

“Not at the moment. But they might gather if they hear the noise, so be careful.”

“Got it.”

Jill already had his sword drawn. Ardan was also ready with his shield raised. Elise stood back a little, waiting in position.

I focused my magic and used the Pit spell—not vertically, but horizontally. A spell that’s usually meant for digging downward, I used to dig sideways instead. With that, I was able to dig a horizontal tunnel.

Carefully, I dug the hole wide enough for Ardan to barely squeeze through. This way, even if something happens, monsters probably won’t flood out. Although, according to Pii-chan, they’re unlikely to come outside the dungeon anyway.

“Alright, it worked. We can go in now.”

“So far, no monsters are heading this way.”

Ardan nodded firmly. Jill sheathed his weapon for the time being, and Elise stepped forward.

“I’ll use the Small Light spell.”

“We’re counting on you. Alright then, let’s begin the dungeon exploration.”

Light shone into the dark hole. The walls were a pale brown color. And there didn’t seem to be any light-giving magic tools like the ones often found in ancient ruins. Well, of course—not like the ancients would prepare lights for intruders.

Ardan entered the hole cautiously, and we followed behind.

Right after entering, the path quickly sloped steeply downward. After getting through that, it opened up into a corridor wide enough for two Ardans to walk side by side.

“Is there some standard rule about how wide dungeons are? This one feels similar to the ruins we investigated before.”

“Now that you mention it, yeah. The corridors, the open areas, the shape of the rooms—dungeon interiors often have similar layouts.”

Sounds like Ardan and the others have explored other dungeons too. Even after the treasure in the deepest part is gone, there are still dungeons left with monsters inside. Maybe they went as part of their dungeon training.

“There are bound to be similarities in dungeon design. All dungeons were built using guidebooks as references. Something this large would be impossible for one person to plan out on their own.”

“Wait, does that mean the traps in dungeons are also based on the guidebooks?”

“Exactly.”

“So that’s why we see so many similar traps.”

Ardan nodded, looking convinced. When you think of dungeons, you think of treasure, monsters, and traps. Apparently, the traps were also installed by the ancients who built the dungeon. Maybe building dungeons was a way for them to show off a bit—like how carpenters take pride in building houses.

“Shh! Monsters incoming.”

Jill sharply raised his voice. Just as he said, the monsters’ presence showed up on Analyze and they were heading our way. Seems they picked up our scent. In tight spaces like this, Jill’s nose might really come in handy.

“Three of them.”

“They’re… probably Kobolds. Not that strong, but be careful. We can’t use overly powerful magic—we might damage the dungeon.”

Lilia was right. I hadn’t really thought about that—kind of dangerous. If we’re going to use strong magic, someone needs to reinforce the dungeon with earth magic first. Otherwise, things could get flattened fast if we don’t coordinate properly.