The outbreak of a monster rampage in the Zenith Tower Babel, Stampede.
I have heard about it before, but I have not seen it happen in person.
(And in the middle of the school festival of all things…)
The timing is awfully bad.
"Everyone~, thank you very much for gathering in this busy time~."
The voice of the Dungeon Staff-san echoed.
At the entrance of the Zenith Tower, before the plaza, there were a decent amount of explorers gathered there.
There's barely any academy students judging from their outfit. They must be adult explorers.
At that moment…
*Poom!!!*
The sound of bursting magic rang.
When I looked, a flying monster was burned by fire magic and fell.
A dungeon monster had escaped to the outside and one of the explorers must have shot it down.
"Explorers, as you can see, the monsters of the dungeon are escaping. A horde of monsters will soon come rushing out into the plaza in front of the Zenith Tower. As you may already know, it is currently the school festival of the Lykeion Magic Academy. Please stop the Stampede here so that the guests of the other countries and the academy students are not troubled."
"""Kay."""
The leisure response of the explorers rang.
Of course they will end up taking that tone when called all of a sudden.
"The reward this time around will be 1.1 times better than normal due to this being an emergency request."
"""Gotcha."""
Their voices have more motivation than before.
But seeing how things are, I don't think the scale of the Stampede is big.
The proof of this is…
"Carlo-senpai, the ones called here seem to be explorers, not students. Was there any need for us to come?" (Eugene)
Judging from the explanation of the dungeon staff until now, the request was only for all explorers excluding the students.
It is apparently in order to have the students enjoy the school festival.
In other words, even if it is called a Stampede, it is only to that degree.
"Yeah, let's leave the dealing of the Stampede to the explorers. What we have to do is something else." (Carlo)
"A different job?" (Eugene)
I was curious about this and Carlo-senpai headed to the entrance of the Zenith Tower.
To the place where the horde of monsters is soon going to come pouring out from.
"Wait, you two students over there! It is dangerous. Did you not listen to the explanation?! Monsters are going to be rushing out from the lower floors of the Zenith Towers…"
A dungeon staff hurriedly ran our way.
"It is okay. We came here under the request of the Academy Principal." (Carlo)
Carlo-senpai showed his explorer badge with a bright tone as he answered the dungeon staff.
"King Uther?! Also, that badge…you are A Rank explorers that got through Floor 100, huh. Understood. Please be careful."
The dungeon staff easily accepted and left.
And then, I learned about what we were going to do with the words of Carlo-senpai.
"So we are going to be investigating the reason for this Stampede." (Eugene)
"Right. It would be better to do an investigation in the middle of it rather than after the fact." (Carlo)
"Charging into a Stampede with a small number of people goes against the basics of explorers." (Eugene)
It is the lower floors that have a high chance of dying, but we have been instructed to be careful of monster packs.
There's the possibility of being eaten by a monster after being killed before there's the chance of using the Resurrection Drop after all.
That's why the basic tactic when a Stampede happens is to face them with a large number of people -just like how they are doing.
"You should be fine even alone, right, Eugene-chan?" (Carlo)
"But Carlo-senpai…" (Eugene)
His skill as an insect user is high, but the combat prowess of the person himself is not that high.
"Worried about me? It is okay. I have these children." (Carlo)
*…Creek…Creek…Creek…Creek…*
There's a big insect with four legs behind Carlo-senpai by the time I noticed it.
The lower half has a strong shell like that of sturdy armor and the upper half is that of a beautiful naked woman.
"An Arachne…huh." (Eugene)
"A queen. I got along with her recently. I can call 50 more." (Carlo)
"A company of Arachne Queens?" (Eugene)
Monsters that have more mana than high rank mages.
If he can control a group of those, there should be no need to worry.
"Master, excuse me."
The blonde Arachne Queen Carlo-senpai controls spoke human language fluently, and princess carried Carlo-senpai.
And then, he went up the outer walls of the Zenith Tower.
"I will check abnormalities from the outside of the Zenith Tower. Monsters escaped just now, so there might be a hole somewhere." (Carlo)
"Then, I will search from inside, but…it is going to be tough searching without any clues." (Eugene)
"That's fine. My 'eyes' have been deployed in the Zenith Tower. Can you check the 8th Floor first? It seems like it is not the same as usual." (Carlo)
"Got it. I will check it out." (Eugene)
"Let's communicate when we learn something. I will leave one of these children with you." (Carlo)
A small Arachne clung onto me from the side.
"A pleasure to work with you, friend of Master."
"Yeah, nice to meet you, I am Eugene Santafield." (Eugene)
I would say she is around 10 years old in terms of appearance.
A cute girl with her black bangs cut straight.
And then there's her lower half of a creepy spider which is terribly contrasting.
"See ya, Eugene-chan. Be careful~~~~~." (Carlo)
Carlo-senpai went up the outer walls of the Zenith Tower while being carried by the Queen Arachne.
At a glance, he looks like a monster has kidnapped him.
"Then, let's go as well." (Eugene)
"Yes, friend of Master."
It seems like she won't call me by my name.
"By the way, what's your name?" (Eugene)
She hasn't told me her name.
I asked her this question because I felt like it would be better if we are going to be acting together.
"77o535."
"…Eh?" (Eugene)
"Master calls me 77o535-chan. A good name!"
The small Arachne-chan puffed her chest out.
Looks like the person herself likes it.
"…"
"Is something the matter, friend of Master?"
"No, it is nothing. Let's hurry ahead." (Eugene)
Please think up a better name -is what I thought as I was shocked by how he is a monster tamer who can tame more than 70,000 monsters.
This is how me and Arachne-chan headed to the dungeon elevator.
◇8th Floor◇
"This is…" (Eugene)
"There's no sight of monsters."
We arrived at the 8th Floor and looked around.
There was no sight of the monsters that should be here.
"…"
"…"
I walked around together with 77(rest omitted)-chan, but there were no monsters around.
"Hmm, what should we do?" (Eugene)
I stood in place and crossed my arms.
"Do you have a worry, friend of Master?"
"It is true that this is strange, but how did it end up like this?" (Eugene)
"Right. Where did the monsters on this floor disappear…?"
The small Arachne-chan also crossed her arms like me and furrowed her brows.
At that moment…
(Ooi, did you find anything over there?)
I heard a thought transmission.
The voice of Carlo-senpai.
Looks like he is calling me with thought transmission through his Arachne-chan.
(Carlo-senpai, I got to the 8th Floor, but there isn't a single monster here.) (Eugene)
(Yeah, the 8th Floor monsters are currently rampaging outside the Zenith Tower. Basically, a Stampede happened.) (Carlo)
(?! Then, that means there's a hole for monsters to come out from in the 8th Floor?!) (Eugene)
(I thought about that and searched the outer walls, but I couldn't find it. That's so weird~.) (Carlo)
(Master…a strange presence has been caught in my string.)
(Really, 77o535-chan?) (Carlo)
Arachne-chan interjected in my conversation with Carlo-senpai.
Or more like, he is really calling her by a number.
(There's people who are using stealth magic. They are not monsters, and they don't seem like explorers.)
(Suspicious.) (Carlo)
(I will investigate.) (Eugene)
(Let's go.)
Arachne-chan and I nod lightly.
By the way, Arachne-chan laid magic strings all over the 8th Floor with her ability.
She can apparently detect things with this.
It is originally an ability for hunting. They use that to find prey and attack them in groups.
We erased our presence as we silently advanced in the 8th Floor.
Arachne-chan told me where to go with the magic strings.
We advance for a while and…
(That's…)
(?!)
There's the small shadow of someone.
Arachne-chan saw this by my side and began to tremble.
(Are you okay?) (Eugene)
(Y-You must not! You…must not approach that personage!!!)
Arachne-chan grabbed my explorer clothes.
She is scared.
But it couldn't be helped.
The small shadow afar is…like the god of Arachne-chan.
The lord of the Zenith Tower.
The creator of the monsters.
The Dungeon Master of the Zenith Tower wearing a red robe like blood…Anemoi Babel.