Chapter 21 [Dungeon 4-2: The Maze of No Return (Part 2)]
Hero Kite was on his way back to the dreaded hollow. With the certainty that he had become separated from his companions, he decided it was better to aim for a reunion than to proceed alone. The trio had made a similar decision, but due to blindly rushing through the complex branching paths, they had gotten lost. Fortunately, Kite's path had no troublesome branches, making it relatively easy to return.
Advancing with a drawn sword in hand, Kite saw a faint light ahead.
"Stop! Who goes there?"
"Is that you, Kite? Are you okay?"
"Duncan! Where are the others?"
"I'm alone. What happened?"
The two shared their experiences, and the content was nearly identical—confusion and uncertainty.
"If I hadn't panicked..."
"No, Kite's judgment wasn't wrong. I also felt a strange headache and trembling. If we had stayed still, it might have been fatal."
After discussing, the duo decided to follow Kite's path. Returning to the original hollow was deemed a waste of time since it was unclear whether the others had returned or if they could even trace the path they took. The nature of the hollow itself and whether it led to an escape route were unknown. Duncan admitted he didn't choose his own path due to uncertainty about the numerous branches. With prayers for the safety of their companions, the two continued their journey.
"It's a bit wider here... but there's a strange smell. What should we do?"
"There's no point in turning back now. Let's proceed cautiously. The obvious stench might mean it's more straightforward than the hollow we encountered earlier."
The source of the strange smell is revealed to be petroleum. Although the attempt to lure volcanic gas failed, there was a small oil reservoir in the dungeon's location. They decided to use this for a trap, digging several narrow trenches in the passage to channel the petroleum. Along with the petroleum, a small amount of natural gas was obtained, which was packed into flammable bags disguised as rocks. Honestly, the smell of petroleum was too obvious, and whether they would fall for it was like gambling.
"Darn! It's a swarm of Cave Bats!"
"Weak, but they're poisonous! Getting poisoned in a dungeon like this is troublesome!"
"The space is too narrow for the sword to swing! I'll handle it with magic! Fireball!"
"Hey! That idiot hero cast a fireball in a room filled with accumulated petroleum on the floor!"
"Wow... it's a sea of fire... oh, and the bag filled with natural gas? It caught fire. ... It exploded one after another... incredible."
"Damn it! It was a trap after all!"
"No, if you think it's a trap, show some restraint. What are you thinking, hero?"
"Crow-sama, the essence of a hero lies in their courage. It's not about wisdom or caution."
"The fool is surrounded by flames now. Seize the opportunity and restrain him."
Due to Crow's magical revival, the dungeon cores Romulus and Remus possessed the ability to manipulate the dungeon extensively. It seemed as if they had partially inherited Crow's "Broken Dungeon" skill, allowing them to freely move the dungeon's floors and walls. They could block passages to disguise them as if nothing was there, or conversely, open blocked paths. They could also conceal magic within the dungeon. Unsurprisingly, the reason the hero party lost their way was due to this ability.
Following Crow's instructions, dungeon floors suddenly rose in various places. Caught off guard, the two had no chance of escape. The rising flames consumed oxygen, gradually robbing them of their cognitive functions.
"Oh, the wall guy got tripped and fell."
"All right, open a hole at the upper body level. Let him do a handstand in there."
Caught off guard, Duncan struggled headfirst in the suddenly opened hole. Hindered by the heavy armor, he couldn't escape from the hole. Soon, the ignited petroleum flowed into the hole, enveloping him in flames. The two legs that had protruded from the hole floundered for a while but eventually stopped moving.
"Hahaha, what a spectacle. Good job, Skekiyo-kun."
"Crow-sama, what does 'Skekiyo' mean?"
Kite ran. He ran without looking back. There was no time to spare.
So, it was much later that he realized Duncan was missing.
"Oi, Duncan, where are you?"
Kite's calls echoed in vain. Shouting loudly in the dungeon was forbidden, but there was no room to worry about such things now. Kite walked aimlessly, unguided, with heavy footsteps.