The Dungeon Core

It seems Ren and I have come into an agreement.

Vermil smiles seeing we have calmed down. "Thank goodness, I'm worried at first when Ren used a holy spell to attack you brother." She then comes to Ren and chides him. "Don't ever do that again, okay Ren?"

"Ah... Yeah, forgive me Vermil." He drawls.

"It's fine. If you understand, I forgive you."

Regardless, we have come this far and we might as well deal with this Sagus guy.

I still feel bad about what happened to Ren and his people. Even though it seems like one of those plots from the videogames or novels, I can sympathize with him.

What I went through is nothing to his.

Ren then bows to me. He looks shy. "I... I guess I still can't thank you enough."

"What are you talking about Ren? We are friends aren't we?"

Ren is one of my first few friends. I have to show my resolve on how should I treasure it.

"I'm still annoyed seeing you so carefree. Why don't you ask something in return once for a while."

"I don't need it."

"Then, someday, I'll be sure to pay you back. Just you wait." After Ren speaks, he walks away to the campfire.

Just you wait, huh?

Also, something bothers me.

What happens when we defeat Sagus? Will Ren also disappear? Is there anything I can do about it?

Vermil clings to my side. He then locks our arms together. "Isn't it great brother? We beat the quests! I'm excited to see more domains."

"I'm afraid this will be the last domain. Next, we will be dealing with the boss."

However, I gulp and blush seeing her push her soft breasts on my arm. "Ve-vermil you are too close."

"Of course! I mean, you have been hanging out too much with Ren. I can't believe you are forgetting me." She pouts.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

This girl. Don't tell me she's jealous of a ghoul?

We then make our way back to the campfire. When we arrive, we settled down for a bit.

I had enough of the debuffs of this place. I will destroy anything off I see at this point, no matter how cute.

Looks like Ren and I are on the same page. He is on the constant lookout.

Afterward, a sunflower sprouts from the ground close to our foot. It's that thing that gave us a curse!

Ha! You have the gal to show yourself!

In that split second, the three of us then point our swords unto it. We are so pissed right now that we want to obliterate it from existence.

"Keeeh!" Squeals the sunflower. "Please forgive me, adventurers."

It can talk, huh? Seeing its cartoonish face, it looks cute like those drawings from kindergartners.

However, it won't fool us!

"Wait, adventurers!" It shivers as we are very close to slicing it.

"What is it? If you put another curse on us, we will slice you into millions of pieces!" Ren speaks loudly.

"That's right! Do you have any idea how much pain we have to go through those quests?"

That's why I don't understand systems with death as a penalty. Systems with heavy penalties are more of a burden.

The flower speaks nervously. "Actually, there is a reason for that. And since you have finished the ordeals, I will give these to you as a reward."

A golden chest appears out of nowhere through summoning magic. It opens automatically and loot comes out of it.

There are nature affinity items look boots, armors, swords, and various weapons like hammers and maces. I can't bother to read them for now since they look low level for my stats. Oh well, might as well take it.

Well, I'm already used to receiving this much loot yet I still equipped Valkeryun armor and blade since they are effective against elemental affinity monsters.

I also got some EXP and titles.

[Level up...

Level 261 ]

[New Title Acquired!

+Nature Lover

+Certified Wanderer]

Nature Lover? Haha, nice joke system. I burnt the eastern forest. I think what's left in that area is charred ground now.

Regardless, it seems to be a useful title.

[Nature Lover: Territorial monsters will no longer attack the user unless harmed ]

Some monsters will only fight back since they will feel their territory is invaded. Those types of monsters won't engage in battle. However, starving monsters who hunt for food or controlled monsters are exceptions. They will attack me no matter what.

[Certified Wonderer: World Map is now unlocked!]

This is interesting. A map opens up on my system. I can see the dungeons I went through. However, the unexplored regions are still not revealed.

I then zoom out to find out where I am.

What the hell is this? Is this a joke?

There are two hundred domains connected, forming a web of dungeons.

How the hell am I supposed to escape this place?

We are found near the middle of the dungeon. However, there is still one which is the center. This location is the strongest of all dungeons, huh?

There is an indicator on my map.

[Infinite Dungeon - Mythical Ring - Tertharus Domain ]

I then navigate to the center of the dungeon, it shows a text.

[ Infinite Dungeon - Dungeon Core - Sagus' Domain ]

I see, so this place is the dungeon core. The final battle that will help us to the surface.

Regardless, I have found another essence.

[ Torteya's Essence (Mythical) ]

"So the general monster of this place is already defeated?"

The sunflower nods. "Lady Torteya died a long time ago. She tasked me to give ordeals to adventurers who come in here. If they are worthy, I will lend them these rewards."

There are even more. I look through the chest and found these.

Using [Scan] I was able to assess them.

[Pure Magnus: Mineral formed from the remains of magical creatures. Can be used for rituals, magic weapons, equipment and potion making, leveling up, and etc...]

It is a glowing translucent blueish stone. Inspecting it, I know it's densely packed with magic.

[Golden Clover: Can be used to make a golden elixir ]

"Golden elixir?"

[Answer, they are a very rare legendary level elixir that can cure any wound, curse, or illness and can even boost one's stats and level ]

"Eh?! Then, isn't this thing very, very valuable?"

Ren chuckles as though amused. "That thing is a legendary potion that has been heard to have only been produced once in a century. That's how valuable this thing is."

I gulp.

Regardless, I'll be keeping this.

Afterward, I then have my clones roam this place to grind my levels.

I hope the sunflower doesn't mind if I hunt down the monsters in here close to extinction. I still need their nature affinity skills.

A few days later, when we are ready, we then proceed to our next destination. This might be the toughest place yet. We create an opening leading to the dungeon core.

Upon arriving in the dungeon core, I take a look around. This is no doubt the place according to the [Map].

This looks like an ancient torn down city. At first glance, there is no one here as of the moment.

But using [Ultimate Long Sight] I can detect a thousand ghouls in this entire dungeon. All of them are coming to our location.

I create 5000 clones to assist us in battle.

"We need to go." We then run towards the old castle in the central portion of the run-down city.

However, I notice it's just Vermil and me who are running.

Looking behind, Ren is just standing still in a daze.

"Ren, what are you doing?!"

Not hearing me, I yell another time. "Ren!"

"Oh. Sorry!" Ren then catches up to me.

It bothers me that Ren seems disturbed. It's the first time I see him act this way. Usually, he is calm but why does he seem so out of it now.

Could it be that this place is Fardol? His home country?

[Undead Civilian:

Level: 250 ]

A horde of ghouls then block our path, they are taking over the whole streets. There are more of them that they flood the entire city.

For a ghoul, they kinda act weird.

They are holding weapons as they charge at us. They mutter which doesn't happen to the ghouls in the previous dungeon.

"This is all your fault!"

"We'll kill you for this!"

"Die, you church dogs!"

My eyes widen.

If I'm right that this is Fardol, then, these are Ren's brethren!

Did they just remember the time when the crusaders wrecked this city? Then do they still have their souls?

However, I hope the souls won't die forever since I will be dealing with them.

Vermil and my clones ready their weapons. They charge and exchange blows against the ghouls. Some of my clones are still dying since they are tough with their numbers.

It's like an army of myself against the ghouls.

However, with a strategy, I assign one division of my clones to act as Tanks. They have defensive skills to tank against their attacks like [Stone Skin]. As for the mage division, they stay behind, most uses fire affinity skills like [Fire Ball] or [Fire Jet].

A selected few uses [Cursing Flames] upon the army of ghouls. It manages to take out most of them.

And when they are about to explode, they jump at them and explode. Though some of my clones get affected by the explosion and die as well. One of the Tanks got taken. So while they are being replaced, the Fighter Division comes to defend against them.

At this pace, we can take them down easily. They seem to be weaker than expected or is it that it is I who became so strong. I also join to fight to easily lower their numbers.

In my case, however, with one kick, I can defeat them. They easily crumble.

However, my nose starts to bleed and I can feel some dizziness.

[Warning, controlling these number of clones constantly might strain the user ]

Unlike before where I give the clones simple instructions, this time, I'm manually giving them commands on what to do. Strategizing takes a lot of my mental capacity it seems.

Looking at Ren, he doesn't have any will to fight. He just parries their blows while trying to get away. He can't even touch one ghoul.

At some point, he received some attacks. Multiple ghouls swing their blades at him.

He doesn't even fight back properly.

Seeing this pains me. I then grit my teeth. "Ren!!"

I sink my blade into the ground using [Dark Catastrophy]! It sends out a shockwave of black miasma that disintegrates all the ghouls in our area.

Vermil slashes down the leftover ghouls. She needs to strike the ghoul several times to defeat them so she still has a hard time. They are high-level monsters for her.

[Vermil

Level: 180]

As for Ren, he tries to straighten up. He then takes a deep breath.

"Forgive me for holding us back. I was just shocked seeing this place. I can't believe I have returned here once again."

I sigh in worry. "I understand, but be sharp next time."

Little by little, I have my clone army advance into the Castle.

However, I notice there are still more ghouls along the way.

I ask my system about it.

[Approximately 700,000 ghouls left ]

Geh, seriously?! That was already a lot of ghouls.

Earlier, it took us a few hours since we have come across around 100,000 Ghouls. I even used up a lot of my CD.

I then leap to the roof of the building. Seeing the swarms of ghouls in this city I have decided to take them all down in one fell swoop. I create 300 clones, and along with me all of us cast our skill [Meteor Doom].

From our palms, we shoot out meteors, bombarding the city, thus various giant blasts occur that mow down the buildings in the city. At this state, I look like a certified world-class villain.

"Hahaha, how about that Sagus? Wherever you are show yourself!"

No response, huh? Then stay there in the castle and we will beat your ass.

[+ 220,000 EXP

+220,000 EXP

....]

Without my clones, it might take us a week to clear this dungeon.

We manage to take down most of the ghoul and have my clones to take care of some of the remaining.

Finally, we arrive at the castle. It is empty, unlike the streets.

Through the hallways, I followed the path where I can sense a powerful magic source. It also feels ominous. It is incomparable to the mythical beasts that we defeated.

There are two more it seems beside the dungeon boss.

Opening the large door, we arrived inside the dusty and old throne room. Looks like it has been ages since this place has been abandoned.

On the throne, a man with a dark red mask with golden outlines is found. He is wearing a purplish dark robe with golden hems.

The usual villain attire, huh?

[Sagus (Dungeon Boss):

Status: Undead

Level 350]

He is quite a high-level opponent. Damn, can I even defeat someone like him?

I'll think of a strategy to take him down with my clones.

Two figures behind him appear. One is a large man with an iron skull face mask, holding two long daggers. The other is a dignified knight with a majestic-looking holy sword.

Man, they look strong as well.

[Dervalin:

Status: Undead

Level: 230]

[Tharius:

Status: Undead

Level: 280]

Ren warns me. "Be careful, Dervalin is one thing but that guy, Tharius, is the strongest assassin from the Ancients. Said to have even assassinated strong high demons by himself."

Vermil then spins her daggers on her fingers. She then poses in her fighting stance. "I'll handle him!"

I speak with determination. "Vermil, Ren, promise me that the two of you will be alive after this."

"You don't have to say it," Ren says.

"That's right brother, we will get out of here alive no matter what."

Ren takes a deep breath. He looks determined. He readies his blade. "Then, leave my father to me."

"Then it goes without saying that I'll be handling the final boss!"