After walking 30 minutes from the city, that dungeon was there.
Ah, Dungeon is the area where an ordinary person won’t come close to due to demons appearing and other dangers.
Not necessarily, only the places like caves or towers are called as dungeons. Places like deep forests or dark swamps which are isolated and are located in danger area are denominated as ‘Dungeons’.
……Are the words Elk said.
Of course, the places like ravines or grasslands are also included. But the places like that which are not like a building or cave are just called ‘Danger Areas’. It suits fairly well, the name that is.
Though, the place Elk decided to go this time, in other words, the place I and Elk first met is the so called “Dungeon” structure-wise.
It’s name is “Labyrinth of Naga”. It seems like a pretty old dungeon.
It is pretty bright thanks to the torches. I and Elk keep on walking through the corridors made of rock.
Of course, it has some sort of strange intense atmosphere. After all it is a dungeon.
Well, we haven’t met any demon till now.
What sort of demons might appear? I’m kinda interested.
Naturally, they will be different from the ones I have always met.
“There won’t be any strong monsters coming out. It’s still 1st floor……and the dungeon itself has pretty low rank.”
“? Dungeon also have their own rank?”
“……You really don’t know anything. Just where did you live and how were you raised?”
I was raised in a western-style house within a forest while defeating demons everyday and living with mom.
……If I say something like that, most probably an answer like “What?” will only come back, for now let’s decieve her.
“Well it wasn’t a good environment……”
From the view of a normal person with common sense it definitely is.
“!! I-I see……Sorry, for asking something strange……”
Elk shows an expression as if saying ‘Oh my!’.
Shit, she took it the wrong way?
And then Elk, starts explaining to me politely
“It isn’t that complex. You do know that monsters and races have their own rank, right?”
“…………”
“……I’ll continue then.”
Elk this time ignored my unusual silence.
Sorry, for me being unknown to things.
“The Guild decides upon the rank of dungeon based upon the the monsters that appear in that dungeon. The race of monsters and their rank and the resources or treasures one can get from the dungeon……as for historic ruins, the difficulty of traps is also taken into consideration.”
“Guild does? How does it get that information? Do they dispatch some sort of research team?”
“Yes, when new dungeons or danger areas are discovered, the guild puts out a quest for investigating them. Naturally, many voluntarily enter for gaining rewards from investigating and so the information reaches to guild.”
“Ah, I see”
Surely if they pay attention to only the credibility, the investigation will end quickly. Really clever way to do work. [Can’t make much meaningful sentence in English.]
“By the way the rank of this “Labyrinth of Naga”
“It is E”
“Hmm……really low?”
“Yeah. It pretty low-rank for it to be called a dungeon.”
From what I have heard, the ‘Rank’ given to a dungeon or danger area is made after taking into consideration of the average level or rank of monsters that appear and also whether there are any traps or not.
In other words, the monsters that appear in this ‘Labyrinth of Naga’ are mostly near Rank E.
There might be some strong monsters that that but the weaker monsters is more. Both in numbers and types of races.
“If you don’t go deep enough you won’t meet strong monsters. In the first place E and F ranked monsters are like stray monsters living in any place. But inside a labyrinth they have longer bodies and so it is difficult to run sometimes. Taking that into consideration this is E.”
I got it, I completely got it. So this only for beginners.
Well even so, due to the fact that monster’s appear here it is regarded as a danger area from the pov of an ordinary person. I have be on guard always!
Ah, now that I think about it. I have one more thing I’m kinda concerned about.
“Hey Elk, in this labyrinth……there are wall-paintings of snakes made here and there, right?”
I point at a wall painting of a snake……it’s pretty big.
There is a figure of human made besides it……on comparing both, the snake is pretty big.
“Eh? Yeah that’s right. That’s from where the name ‘Naga’ came from?”[ET: I did some search on Google-sensei’s directory. And found out Naga is another name for Snake.]
“This snake in the painting, does it appear in here?”
“No, a guy like that has not been discovered as of yet. The people from the research group of guild think that this snake some sort of god which was worshipped by the people when this labyrinth was being made.”
Hmm, So that’s what it was?
The name also represents him, as if he is the boss of the main monster of this dungeon.
“If that snake was here, then this dungeon wouldn’t be regarded as an beginner’s dungeon……or rather what is boss, that boss word.” [ET: Since the last chapter he while thinking starts murmuring.]
“Ah, Yeah, just some delusional word.”
Elk’s amazed glare falls on me who just showed off the eight-grade syndrome. [ET: In Romaji it is ‘Chuunibyou’ for those who don’t know the word Eight-Grade Syndrome.]
Oh, something came“
“Eh?”
From the insides of the corridor, the breathing sounds and footsteps of something came.
Elk hasn’t noticed it yet, though. Something is coming here.
Some seconds later, Elk also noticed the sounds and figures……from inside of the dark corridor came out some demons.
“You have good ears?”
“Ah, Yeah, Thanks. What is that?”
“Can’t you see that it’s a goblin” [ET: Here comes the poor monster who is always defeated by the MC firstly (killed not sparring partner) and that so in all the three WN’s i’m Tl’ing.]
They have green and crumpled ugly faces. Greasy Hair. Height is……around 130 cm?
They are wearing clothes made of hair and holding clubs in their hands, Just like the image of a primitive man.
It doesn’t have any horns. It really is the demon which the feeling ‘It indeed is a Goblin!’.
The other side has also noticed us and shouts out in i don’t know whether in high voice or low voice. Are they saying something like ‘Who are those people’.
At the same time, Elk shuts her mouth and takes out the dagger hanging on her waist.
“Don’t lose your guard. Though it is of low level, but there is no change in the fact that this is dangerous.”
“Yeah, that is a given. By the way what is the rank of a goblin.”
“It’s E. A group of armed civilians can hunt them down or so it is said. But don’t rely on these words.”
“Why?”
“Just like goblin, the demons in humanoid forms have more or less intelligence inside their brains and can be difficult to defeat based on the weapons they use. There are also those who use the weapons of dead adventurers.”
Ah, I see. So the degree of difficulty changes due to the weapon and experience.
According to Elk,
For example, the goblins armed with clubs are mostly under the rank ‘E’.
They can reach up to rank’D’ if they according to the weapons they use and other factors too. On the other hand an unarmed goblin is of rank ‘F’.
They have short height and are not agile but they have absurd physical strength.
Furthermore, they attack in crowds, so it’s natural to fight them by forming a team.
Goblins upon seeing Elk taking out her dagger take their combat stances.
But they only increased their shouting……It’s gotten annoying. [ET: Goblins shouting more is their combat stance….I think]
“They’re coming……you don’t need weapons?”
“Nh? Ah, you see I……”
Suddenly 1 goblin comes running towards us and that so in a pretty gross way of running.
Elk throws the dagger at once towards the goblin.
It hits the shoulder of goblin beautifully. And he only cries *Gyaagyaaa*. Doesn’t look like they can bear pain. Well, it did hit the shoulder.
However, Elk didn’t overlook the goblin’s wailing while stopping his advance, maybe becuase of experience.
She quickly approaches the goblin while evading the club swung by goblin due to pain and irritation. And she strikes the head of goblin who is full of gaps.
The goblin’s neck is cut, blood starts flowing and the goblin dies down on the spot.
Right after Elk retreated from that place. A magnificent version of ‘Hit and Away’.
“When you don’t have confidence to defeat a goblin, it’s basic to kill it slitting its throat and running away later. Just like how I did.”
“I see……You’re pretty strong yourself.”
“Well I did train myself for that……I can do something like this. But don’t let down your guard. With this the others are angry and will come at us.”
Just like Elk says, the other 2 Goblins start shouting even more. They are obviously angry, Yes.
And now I stand in the way of those goblins.