After spending much of the previous afternoon perusing the Dungeons he and Kaia had access to, Cairn decided their first target would be one of the most popular yet infamous C-Rank Dungeons in Cliabhaan, the aptly named Den of Greed.
What made the Den of Greed so popular, particularly among fledgling Freelancers, was the fact very few monsters spawned naturally within. Instead, the maze-like Dungeon, which changed its configuration every 24 hours, was filled with corridors lined with rooms. Peering into these rooms, interlopers would find chests ranging from simple wooden caskets to ornate jewel-encrusted troves could be found. Those intrepid or foolish enough to venture deeper would encounter one of four possibilities:
The chest and its contents were genuine.
The chest was a deceitful mimic.
Traps ensnared the chest.
The very room itself was rigged with dangers.
Alongside the rooms themselves, the Den of Greed had several additional threats to punish greedy or inexperienced Freelancers. Springs filled with a potion-like solution would appear every so often. A single handful would make a person feel completely rejuvenated, but it would cause your throat to feel parched. Further handfuls would remedy this, but depending on the true nature of the spring, you could quickly find yourself in a dilemma.
Though there were actual recovery springs in the Den of Greed, three out of four were hazards in disguise. Some were secretly an exotic species of Slime known as 'Aquaregios' while others were a slow-acting poison that caused numbness in small quantities and permanent, full-body paralysis in larger doses. The most feared, however, was the spring that functioned like a regular recovery spring but either caused you to become allergic to meat or made even bread taste spicy.
Despite the many dangers in the Den of Greed, Freelancers between the Ranks of C and B flocked to it in droves. Some chests had been known to contain items worth hundreds of thousands of Graadis and, unlike most Dungeons, there was no Guardian. Instead, a crimson chest would appear in the Dungeon's Guardian Chamber every time its structure changed.
Though the contents of this chest varied, it was common for enchanted weapons and items to appear, the cheapest of which could fetch tens of thousands of Graadis at auction. The true prize, however, was yet another trap. Roughly 10% of the time, the chest would actually be a higher-tiered Mimic known colloquially as 'Greed's End,' but its actual name was a Trove Lord. Defeating it would prevent further exploration of the Dungeon, but if you prevailed, you were virtually guaranteed a weapon, armament, or item valued at hundreds of thousands of Graadis. If you were especially lucky, you might even come across a potion known as Dragon's Blood, valued at more than three hundred million Graadis due to its effect of 'awakening' a person's bloodline, permitting even Commoners to acquire a Ruby-Grade Class. In reality, the potion simply granted whoever drank it 1,000,000XP, enough to jump from Level 1 to Level 50 in a single go, but Cairn certainly wouldn't complain if it happened to fall into his hands...
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"We definitely need to get ourselves an airship..." said Cairn, staring at the ships periodically passing overhead, many resembling fish with numerous fins and sails while one, in particular, looked like a futuristic aircraft carrier carved from alabaster stone, its golden bow fashioned into the shape of a dragon's maw, complete with a large canon in its mouth.
Following Cairn's gaze, Kaia revealed, "That's one of Runegraad's Twelve Divine Swordships, the Dawnbreaker. Even if we raided the coffers of the Silver Palace, we would never be able to afford something like that."
"Then how did they...?" asked Cairn, prompting a certain black and white-haired Elder Dwarf to appear, stating, "They are still paying them off, even after a thousand years."
Turning to meet Vira's gaze, Cairn asked, "I'm guessing the Dwarves built them...?"
"Of course," replied Vira, her black eyes narrowing as she looked up at the majestic ship with a nostalgic smile.
"Even if they had a thousand more years, Humans would struggle to build such a grand structure," mused Vira, lowering her gaze to meet Cairn's as she added, "Not because they lack the ability, manpower, and resources, but because those in power horde such things, unwilling to part with the wealth they have stockpiled and passed from one generation to the next."
"Ah..."
Though he originally thought Vira was being her usual elitist self, Cairn immediately understood what she was trying to covey once she spoke of individuals hoarding wealth. Unless the world were nearing its end, such individuals would cling to their wealth at the expense of every other living person. In his world, the so-called 'elite' had literally sacrificed billions of people rather than using their wealth to fix the problems they themselves had caused...
"If you want, we can build you one," said Vira, surprising Cairn out of his thoughts.
"Are you serious...?" asked Cairn, staring at Vira as if she had just told him she was about to shit out a star.
"Of course," replied Vira, narrowing her eyes in amusement as she said, "We built twelve for the first Champion. It's only fair we construct at least one for the second."
"What's the catch...?" asked Cairn, knowing full well Vira wouldn't offer to build him a literal city-sized airship without conditions attached.
Placing her hands on her lower abdomen in an overtly sensual manner, Vira's words hit Cairn's brain like a hammer as she said, "I want a baby. And I want you to put it there."
"You're out of your fucking mind..." growled Cairn, immediately becoming pissed off. An airship like the Dawnbreaker probably fetched a price tag of trillions of Graadis. But, understanding that Vira was just trying to see how far she could push him before he parted with his integrity, he would rather kick her in the cunt than stick his dick inside her.
"Well, the offer is on the table," teased Vira, her form disappearing as her laughter echoed like a phantom murmur.
"That woman is going to be the reason I become a destroyer..." said Cairn, exhaling a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't know Vira's true aim, but her character was similar to a Devil or Djinn. She could grant him virtually any request, but once he made a deal with her, he would lose an integral part of himself...
"Let's hope not," replied Kaia, bumping her forehead into Cairn's shoulder and keeping it there until he reached up to caress her head, a great aid in restoring his peace of mind...
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With the Den of Greed between a two-day journey from the Capital, Cairn and Kaia invariably had to stop and make camp. Instead of setting up the tent, however, they found a nice spot in the grass, Kaia lending Cairn her side as he gazed absentmindedly at the dazzling, star-filled sky.
When Cairn first arrived in Plainaire, the thought of camping outdoors all the time had seemed like a tremendous pain. However, after spending the better part of three months camping outdoors, just a few days in the city made him miss it. He wasn't at the point of wanting to become a Wayfarer or a Nomad, but once you grew acclimated to the outdoors, the hustle and bustle of the city seemed like a loud, chaotic, stress-inducing mess...
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Upon reaching Nele-Diel, the city constructed with the Den of Greed at its epicenter, Cairn and Kaia wasted little time before heading for the famed Dungeon's entrance. They were briefly stopped at a checkpoint, but after proving their identities, they were granted passage without issue, finding themselves before a large, skull-shaped entrance adorned with runes and covered with mineral veins resembling gold and other precious metals.
Though it was unnecessary, as Kaia was much stronger than him, Cairn said, "Remember to be on your guard. There's a chance we'll encounter other people inside, and it's no secret what kind of individuals are drawn to places like this..."
"People like us...?" questioned Kaia, staring up at Cairn before tilting her head to the side, allowing her ears to flop.
Understanding that Kaia was making a joke, Cairn exhaled a soft chuckle before responding, "That's right...". Then, with his Aberrant Aegis covering his left arm up to his bicep, he led the way into the Den of Greed's interior, down a long flight of spiraling stairs, and into the Dungeon's first corridor, a 200m long hallway with three branching pathways, a massive chamber on the left, and two medium-sized rooms on the right.
"Let's see if my gamble paid off..." said Cairn, peering into the first room, one of the medium-sized chambers. He expected it to have already been looted, but there was an ornate chest sitting atop an elevated platform in the middle of the room.
Activating his Insight, Cairn's eyes flashed with greed, a smile spreading across his face as he muttered, "Jackpot." He had prepared himself for the possibility that his Insight might not work, but reality proved otherwise as a blue window appeared before him.
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[Gaudy Treasure Chest]
Rank: Rare
Weight: 2000kgs
Durability: 20,000
Level: 14/40
P.Def: 500+140
M.Def: 500+140
Enchantment(s): [Monster Call], [Frenzy Pheromone]
Description: A gaudy treasure chest containing miscellaneous monster materials. Opening before disarming the trap mechanism will cause the room's entrance to close, spawning between 2-10 Bone Creepers per person trapped within.
Materials: [Faux Gold], [Cheerywood], [Faceted Quartz Crystals]
Restrictions: [Trapping], [Engineering], or [Disenchanting] Rank 20 or higher is required to disarm the attached mechanism.
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Though it was somewhat unfortunate they didn't have a Thief on hand, the fact Cairn could see the description of the chests and the associated traps was a tremendous boon. He could even use Insight on the monsters listed to ascertain their Rank, Level range, and whether or not they have any race-specific Talents or Skills worthy of note.
"If we open this chest, between four and twenty monsters called Bone Creepers will appear," said Cairn. "Furthermore, the chest itself has an enchantment that inflicts the 'frenzy' status on nearby targets, including people. Your Detoxification should be able to remove it, and your Light Healing should make short work of the Bone Creepers themselves. Their Level ranges are between 8-14, so it shouldn't be too difficult unless we get unlucky and summon twenty."
"I leave the decision to you," expressed Kaia. "But it might be safer if I go in alone. Since you'll be at the front, I'm afraid you may be swarmed, and a Bone Creeper's teeth and claws are enough to rend flesh and bone..."
"Then I just need to block them," joked Cairn, forcing a smile even though his nerves were beginning to build. He couldn't sponge off Kaia forever, and Elle had busted her ass to create a shield specifically for him. He had to familiarize himself with its use so they could both grow.
"Then I will follow your lead," replied Kaia, reading one of her arrow-like javelins and equipping her rounded, six-segmented shield. Light Healing consumed a fair amount of Mana, and while she had an excess compared to most people at the same Level as her, she didn't want to expend it all on the first of nine floors.
Seeing that Kaia's preparations were complete, Cairn psyched himself up and approached the gaudy-looking chest. He could feel his heart beating in his throat when he stepped on the elevated platform supporting it, but he didn't waver as he unlatched the chest's faux golden clasp and opened its lid, unleashing a red mist that smelled of red chili peppers.
Feeling no different from normal, Cairn was momentarily confused before remembering his Ookami's Visage had the Air Filter enchantment, making him immune to airborne toxins, spores, and other noxious fumes.
Before Cairn could celebrate his good fortune, a thunderous crack echoed through the chamber, the ground tremoring as a thick stone slab fell from the ceiling, blocking the entrance. Immediately afterward, rainbow-hued light started to 'pool' on the ceiling as the Dungeon's Mana gathered and congealed before drooping like viscous tears, releasing a total of sixteen bone-white creatures with emaciated, spine-covered bodies, long, three-clawed limbs, and elongated necks set with monstrous visages resembling a mix between a human and a snapping turtle...
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Name: Tucker
Species: Bone Creeper
Gender: Male
Age: 0
Title: N/A
Class: Scavenger(Common)
[Attributes]
Level: 11/29(32,785/36,545)[Scavenger(11)]
HP: 3,303/3,303
MP: 186/186
Str: 58
Agi: 37
Vit: 105
Int: 8
Dex: 41
Cha: 11
Talent(s): [Iron Stomach(11/20)], [Bone Eater(11/29)], [Bone-Like Hide(11/29)], [Weak Regeneration(8/25)]
Skill(s): [Lunge(7/10)], [Bite(6/10)], [Rend(5/10)], [Tail Whip(2/10)]
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(A/N: Tucker? I hardly know her...!)