Episode 43.3 (1/2)
The entrance to Dungeon Palcimo is on the mountain side of Mt. Slinga. It's a small mountain that's more a hill than a mountain. But how everything is covered in trees makes calling it a mountain acceptable still.
Buildings housing the Information Desk, Kind Office and Trade Facility have been erected on the foot of Mt. Slinga, along with several small inns surrounded by trees. It's a compact looking dungeon environment, a far cry from the same Grand Dungeon of Tsubolt where people and buildings crowd together as far as eyes can see.
Though back at the city, every aisles is full of workshops and stores, people from all over the place looking for magic-related gear would flock there.
They bought light meals at the stalls, then the seven of them trod on a tree-covered uphill path toward the dungeon entrance. Even though it's still not yet peak time, the place is unusually sparse of people.
The entrance is about five step wide, explorers wanting to go in are neatly lining up in front of it. There's no sentries to organize or check them for permits.
Ui spoke once they advanced a bit.
”Good, this spot should do. Let us all join hands together.”
All seven of them joined hands.
”<Floor>.”
The floor graph came up on Lecan's mind in that instance. In other dungeons, reciting the Floor spell won't show you floors you haven't been to, and floors you haven't got the marks from are grayed out. Yet, floor 1 is shown brightly on Lecan's head right now.
”<Warp>.”
Once Ui recited the spell, all seven of them got warped to floor 1.
There's no one else here.
This dungeon, Palcimo has extremely unusual characteristics even outside the multishaft aspect of it. First of all, different parties can never see each other even when they're on the same floor. Not only that, you won't ever come across traces of battles or belongings left by other parties no matter which floor you're exploring.
The most plausible explanation to this, hypothesized by the Magic Research Institute, is that Dungeon Palcimo generates a new room whenever a party enters.
They got transported into a small room with five shaft openings. Each openings is covered by a mist-like matter, you can't peer inside. A familiar mechanism in Tsubolt too.
”Lecan-dono. I am sure you are aware of the traits the magic beasts spawning here possess already.”
”Yea.”
Lecan has read the document given to him.
Dungeon Palcimo is known as <Dungeon of Magic> but it's got another alias, <Dungeon of Wolves>. The only type of magic beasts that spawns here. They look similar to <Ashen Wolves> but their heads are larger with sharp fangs. As they can attack with magic, they get to be called <Magic Wolves>.
<Magic Wolves> have different traits depending on their color. The whiter they are, the more resistant they are to magic, and when they're pure white, they're pretty much invulnerable to magic. While the blacker they are the more resistant they're to physical attacks, pitch black wolves are invulnerable to physical attacks.
On shallow floors, one Magic Wolf will spawn in each shaft, ash colored more to the black side, they're also small and move slowly.
”Obaba-sama will be the one accompanying you into the shaft.”
”Got it.”
”Alright then. We're entering.”
Ui and the other three mages got in the shafts.
”Let's get moving too. Julius, you go in first.”
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”Yes!”
”I'm gonna stay still in the back. Go fight how you want.”
”I understand, master.”
Julius breathed in and out before drawing his sword and went in the shaft.
Lecan next, followed by Jiza.
The inside was surprisingly spacious. Around 20 step wide, and 100 step deep. It doesn't match the size of the shaft opening at all.
A small ashen <Magic Wolf> deep inside the room noticed the intruders and ran up to them.
It's about the size of a two-three year human child, but its face looks ferocious.
Julius charged at his opponent as well. However, Lecan sensed something off with him.
The way he carries himself doesn't have the sharpness he showed in Dungeon Tsubolt.