Chapter 7: Unraveling History and Dungeon Mysteries

MC POV

'Now that I've wrapped up all my business, it's time to head over to the Hephaestus Familia's weapon shop.'

As a regular 21st-century Shut-in NEET and an otaku, my obsession with swords and magic has always been very high. Magic, in particular, has a special place in my heart. So, getting the chance to lay eyes on these enchanted swords and staff has me absolutely thrilled.

As I stepped into the shop, a crazy lineup of pricey armor and weapons hit me. "A rapier for 38 million valis.....HOLY CRAP!!!" I couldn't help but mutter under my breath.

'So, now that I'm really thinking about it, your basic adventurer's long sword is going for a small fortune, like in the millions. Now, picture trying to snag a top-tier staff – you know, one with all those fancy gemstones and cool inscriptions. But hey, quality comes with a crazy price tag, and I'm realizing that being a magician without a stacked wallet is pretty much like trying to juggle fire. Seriously, not joking around here!'

I'm standing outside the shop, staring at the sky, mulling over my not-so-bright future as a magician . Then it hits me like a ton of bricks: 'Hold up, my unique skill 'polymath' lets me have two developmental abilities at the same time, and if I go for both 'blacksmith' and 'mystery,' then...'

A wild grin takes over my face. "HA HA HA HA HA, TAKE THAT, SUCKERS! I'M GONNA BE THE RICHEST GUY IN ORARIO, BELIEVE IT!!"

I started to notice that people were giving me weird looks. I cooled down and started thinking, 'Looks like I gotta fully dive into studying all my skills so I won't miss any advantages over others.' I might prefer keeping a low profile, but that doesn't mean I'm cool with being bullied.

In the end, I snagged a dagger worth 1,600 valis from some nondescript grocery store tucked away in a backstreet.

The short sword's blade stretches out to 40 centimeters, a tad longer than my forearm. The metal isn't gleaming, but it's got a decent sharpness to it.

This little weapon should do the trick against the smaller monsters up on the upper levels. As a nice touch, the store even tossed in a sword case made of some unknown leather – a pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

"Alright, got the weapon sorted for now. Time to head back to the station, gather some knowledge, buff up a few stats, and maybe dip into the dungeon before my pockets run dry."

Back at the "Manor," the sky's already painted red. Those distant mountains look like they're ablaze, a sight both magnificent and otherworldly.

First things first, I swing by my room, stash the cloak and weapons away, grab a quick bite in the cafeteria (some bread will do), and make my way to the underground library.

Being the big shots of Orario, the Loki Familia doesn't disappoint when it comes to their library. It's massive a couple of floors, stairs draped in fancy carpets winding all around.

Just standing here, you can practically taste knowledge in the air.

Eyes burning with a thirst for the unknown, I pick up a copy of "The Labyrinth City Orario and the Dungeon" and settle in for a quiet read.

Situated at the heart of Orario, the colossal chalk tower, "Babel Tower," was crafted thousands of years ago by the legendary artisan "Daedalus."

This tower acts as a kind of "seal," covering the sole exit of the dungeon and keeping the monsters at bay. I've got the lowdown on this – the monsters can't pop up on the surface thanks to the suppression and prayers of the old god Uranus. The closer a floor is to the ground, the weaker the monsters.

Underneath the "Tower of Babel," you've got the only "secret spot" in the world – the "underground labyrinth," also known as the "underground city."

Thousands of years back, this was the ancient times by our standards. Gods hadn't made their way to the lower realm yet, and monsters bred in the "Dungeon" were wreaking havoc all over the world.

It was a chaotic era, a dark age.

The people of the lower world had no way to compete with the monsters and were on the verge of extinction. Out of mercy, the Gods sent down their clones, spirits.

The great elves aided the human heroes in a desperate struggle against the monsters and finally managed to block the torrent of creatures. As time passed, the battle situation began to change.

The heroes fought with blood and will, staging a magnificent epic, and eventually, they pushed the monsters back into the dungeon, where a huge fortress was built. This is also the predecessor story of "The Labyrinth City Orario."

Then, the ancient times ended, the gods descended to earth, and the Age of Gods began, bringing forth family myths.

But the legends of ancient heroes have been handed down to this day. They are sung by bards, sung by people, and written into fairy tales, such as "The Sacred Heroes."

Closing the slightly aged parchment, a twinge fluttered through my heart. "It really stirs the blood, doesn't it? Even for someone like me, no longer a young lad, it struck a chord. Indeed, they are the heroes even teenagers dream of."

A chuckle escaped my lips once more. "Sadly, I'm far past the age of innocence." Putting the book back on the shelf, I reached for another sturdy parchment.

"Introduction to Dungeon Terrain and Monsters." I muttered to myself, flipping through the pages. "This is not bad," I thought as I delved into the content.

After thousands of years of exploration, the dungeon has been divided into "upper level," "middle level," "lower level," "deep level," and "unknown level."

The upper floor generally refers to floors 1-12.

There is no sunlight or water here; all you see are various forked roads, caves, and an endless labyrinth of tunnels.

Relatively speaking, attacking the "upper layer" isn't too challenging. Even Lv.1 lower-level adventurers can team up for small group attacks.

Things take a complete turn in the "middle level" area. The 13th-17th Floors are known as the Cave Labyrinth.

The entrance to the 13th Floor is called the First Line. Starting from the 13th Floor, the walls, ground, and ceiling become made of bedrock.

While the upper floors are just flat, circular maze, the middle floors have more complex layout which include intertwining upper and lower tunnels. The light becomes darker and the air seems to be moist.

Vertical holes leading to the deeper floors appear randomly. On the 17th Floor, a huge wall appears in the big room located called the Big Wall of Grief which spawns the Monster Rex Goliath.

Abnormal situations and terrain changes, especially large-scale collapses, are common here, blocking regular routes. The complex paths can quickly drain adventurers' stamina and supplies, leaving them vulnerable to monster attacks. Without a calm response, death is the only outcome.

As for the monsters on the upper level, they are generally smaller and easier to handle. Most lack special abilities, making them the best type to deal with. Recorded monsters include kobolds, goblins, war shadows, killer ants, and so on.

Lv.1 newcomers can complete the exploration by calmly navigating the initial floors with a relatively low spawn rate.

The 11th and 12th Floors are extremely dangerous for Level 1 adventurers because stronger monsters like Silverbacks and Hard Armoreds appear here. Infant Dragons that are categorized as Level 2 and considered as floor boss of the area also appear though rarely.

It's recommended for Level 1 adventurers to have status of at least B in their basic abilities to explore these floors. Parties that explore these floors are normally the ones preparing to venture into the middle floors for the first time.

Closing the book with a snap, I let go of my frown. "Sure enough, it's not as simple as I thought." After returning the book, I took my time digesting the newfound knowledge, opting not to rush into another read.

Much later, I picked up the next book and headed to the reading area, ready to dive into the mysteries it held.

Under the moonlight, the night dimmed. The entire "Twilight Pavilion" darkened, with scattered lights in the courtyard casting faint glows in the corners.

The castle-like residence stood quietly, resembling a giant beast lurking in the dark. It presented a stark contrast to the brightly lit downtown area and Happy Street surrounded by magic stone lamps.