Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

Grace noticed that the young dwarf standing behind him was staring intently at him.

Yugur is one of Grace's underlings, and a troublemaker who often acts without thinking and is noisy.

It was he who accidentally injured Aina, angering Riveria and thus creating a grudge between him and Finn's group.

Despite being foolish and irritable, and a real headache, Yugur is more considerate of his family and friends than anyone else. Plus, he's only fifteen years old, so he's inexplicably loved by everyone, including Grace, who has high hopes for him.

Faced with Yugur, who was usually noisy and disruptive, but was unusually quiet, Grace felt strongly that something was wrong.

"Brother Grace...you were with the dwarves last night...no, never mind."

Yugur, who seemed to have something to say, stopped speaking halfway through and fell silent.

Then he suddenly slapped his cheeks with both hands, trying to cheer himself up.

"Alright! I won't trouble you anymore today, brother! I'm determined to find the treasure!"

After saying this, Yugur picked up his lantern and pickaxe and walked deeper into the area, which confused Grace.

At the same time, a conjecture also popped into his head.

(That brat Yugul...could he have overheard my conversation with the dwarves last night?)

Given Yugur's personality, it's quite possible that after seeing Grace hadn't come out of the steam room for a long time, he might have stayed outside the door to eavesdrop, out of concern for her.

Grace didn't want her compatriots to know the contents of that night's conversation, and there was no need to rush to find Yugur to get the answers. Even if she got the answers, it wouldn't change anything anyway.

Just as Grace was suppressing the urge to sigh—

"But is it alright to send Yugur alone? I've heard that there have been frequent collapses in the mines around here lately."

"What...? Is this real?"

"Hmm, it seems that several miners have gone missing, and that's why they called us in to help because they're short-handed here."

Upon hearing the information provided by his underlings, Grace temporarily halted his actions.

The merchant who entrusted the matter made no mention of it.

Grace cursed "that damned orc," then immediately became serious and said:

"You should bring Yugur back first. Once you've reunited, remember not to act alone."

"receive."

After watching his underlings leave to bring back Yugur, Grace raised the old lantern in his hand and looked around.

The tunnel, illuminated by the lights, did not appear to have any obvious abnormalities.

(I don't see anything wrong with it; it seems like there shouldn't have been any landslides in this area...)

If you're constantly worried about the tunnels collapsing, then honestly, you shouldn't be a miner anymore.

Based on his years of experience, Grace judged that there should be no danger here, so he carefully began to work.

He instructed his men in charge of the blasting operation to be on high alert, while he led another group to begin digging.

(...Damn it, it's all those guys' fault for making it impossible for me to concentrate...)

Grace, who usually swings his pickaxe with complete focus, was a little clumsy today.

My previously dull and listless mind was unable to calm down for a long time.

It was all Finn and his ilk's fault. They always talked nonsense about "dreams" and "ambitions," which rekindled hope in his already parched heart.

Flames burst forth as if trying to reclaim what had been lost.

Grace, who couldn't help but click his tongue, began to roughly swing his pickaxe in an attempt to put his distracting thoughts out of his mind.

"Wa ...

Just then—

Yugur, who had ventured deep into the interior, and the dwarf tasked with bringing him back fled in panic.

“Eh!?”

Moreover, in the darkness behind them, a "huge creature" could be seen wriggling.

Grace's eyes widened in surprise, and alarm bells rang in her mind.

While trapped in the icy tunnel, he wanted to shout and urge the others to escape quickly.

However, it was too late.

A deafening roar erupted around them, and the tunnel where Grace and the others were located collapsed.

"He has already revealed his secrets, and as for solutions, they should be achievable if one is willing to put in the effort."

This is an underground village called Longsa.

Finn, who was watching the sisters Naru and Noru happily playing and running around, was discussing countermeasures with Loki, Riveria, and Aina.

"I think we need to rely on Loki's power."

"Hmm? My power...? Ah~ You want to do that?"

"That's right, exactly. Although it's time-consuming and laborious, I believe it's not a gamble with no chance of success if we put some effort into the nearby mines."

While Riveria looked confused and Aina tilted her head, only Loki, who was beyond existence, saw through Finn's plan at a glance.

With Grace's willingness to open up, Finn firmly believed that the "Three Girls' Attack" technique had indeed been effective, but he closed his eyes with a troubled expression.

"While it's not entirely without a chance of victory, however..."

"In the end, it all depends on whether that dwarf can overcome his inner demons, is that what you mean?"

Finn silently nodded in response to Loki's question.

"No matter how many problems we help solve, it still depends on whether he can let go of them himself."

In the end, the matter of recruiting members was ultimately Finn's own problem.

Once Grace decides not to accept the invitation, there will be no turning back. Even if all of Grace's concerns are addressed, the regret and guilt in his heart will ultimately depend on whether he can forgive himself.

Aina, who was standing next to Loki and the others, looked worried.

Riveria, on the other hand, did not participate in the discussion from beginning to end, keeping her lips tightly closed and lost in thought.

"—Hey! Is that really true!?"

"No, no, it can't be wrong! It was people from other villages who came to inform us!"

At this moment, the entrance to the village suddenly became unusually noisy.

"what happen……?"

"The dwarf who came back from outside seemed to be shouting something..."

Riveria and Aina both looked over with puzzled expressions, while Loki took the first step instead of waiting to see what would happen.

"Hey—sir—what happened—!?"

As Loki ran and shouted his questions, he was suddenly startled to realize that Finn and the others were all running towards him. The elderly dwarf also quickly approached Loki.

"Oh no! My Goddess! I heard there's been a collapse in the mine Grace and the others went to...!"

““!!””

After the dwarf finished speaking in a panic, Finn and his companions looked at each other in shock.

They quickly inquired about the details and rushed to the "Seltzerbo Mine".

"Ugh...!?"

Feeling the sounds and vibrations after the collapse, Grace couldn't help but groan.

You could see shocking blood flowing continuously from his forehead.

"Brother Grace...!?"

Yugur, who was being protected beneath his body, gasped in surprise.

At the critical moment, Grace protected both Yggdrasil and another dwarf, saving them from being ravaged by countless falling rocks.

On the other hand, Grace, who stepped forward to protect the two, was seriously injured and was struggling to remove the dirt and stones that had fallen on her back.

There's no time to celebrate my narrow escape from death right now.

All the light sources in the tunnel were extinguished, and Grace, trapped in the darkness, managed to light the lantern beside her.

Then came another impact and a loud noise.

One of the henchmen, who had been knocked away and was about to crash into the ceiling, let out a scream.

The "instigator" who had silenced the rest of his minions—the strong and robust dwarves—slowly turned to look at Grace.

"Who is this guy...!?"

Under the dim light, countless scales reflecting an eerie blue glow came into view.

A huge, long body.

Between its two fangs, a long, thin tongue constantly extended and retracted, while its six eyes were fixed on Grace and the others. Judging from its appearance, it was indeed a "snake".

"Big, big snake monster!?"

Faced with that astonishing and terrifying appearance, Yugur couldn't help but scream in agony.

A giant snake with three pairs of eyes, a total of six amber eyes, emerged from the darkness, constantly peering around, terrifying the dwarves. Its gaping maw, large enough to swallow an adult whole, had several small openings on either side.

With his head covered in blood, Grace's face contorted as he saw the colossal monster that had crashed through the mountain wall.

"Has this monster also caused collapses in other mines...?!"

This was a true monster that Grace and the others had never seen before and whose name they did not know.

"Lemton"

That's what adventurers in the labyrinth city of Orario call it.

Its official name is "Worm Well," named for its ability to drill holes in the rock face, creating massive, vertical pits like wells. It can also disregard the dungeon's floor rules, freely moving between levels, making it a symbol of tyranny and feared by adventurers. The sound of it digging through the rock face is like a harbinger of certain death (Lemton).

The reason why the mines in the vicinity often collapse is because "Lemton" uses this place as its "habitat". To this enormous monster, the surrounding mountains are no different from its "backyard" or "field". Moreover, the miners (food) who come one after another without invitation have made it taste the sweetness, so it has made this place its hunting ground.

"Hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss hiss...!"

"Damn it! It never intended to let us leave...!"

Seeing the enormous snake, its body so long it could cling to the ceiling and walls, looking down at him, Grace cursed loudly in anger. He gazed up at the monster's massive form while glancing around out of the corner of his eye.

Only part of the ceiling collapsed; the spacious mine did not completely collapse.

But I'm afraid that before long, this place will turn into a stone coffin.

Even if they turned and fled immediately—so what if they were of the Earth Clan (dwarves)—they would all become the monster's prey before they could dig through the blocked tunnel. Moreover, the "Lymton" that roamed underground was incredibly elusive; even if they managed to escape, they would ultimately be unable to withstand the pursuit from all sides. Even with Grace covering their retreat, their fate would remain unchanged.

More importantly, every time "Lymton" moves, it creates holes in the ground, making the mine itself full of pits and holes. If it continues to run rampant, the entire mine may not be able to hold on any longer, ultimately burying everyone alive.

For Grace, who lost his father and others in a mine collapse, he could not stand idly by as the monster before him was bringing back those nightmares.

(I have no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it...! I must get rid of this monster here...!)

Grace squinted her blood-stained eyes and clenched her fists tightly.

"Lambton" roared as if in response to this fighting spirit.

"Oooooo ...

It twisted its massive, scale-covered body and unleashed a simple charge.

However, that one move was enough to send Grace flying.

"Ugh ugh ...

That ferocious, long body was practically identical to a dragon's tail capable of sweeping everything away.

Grace shoved Yugur and the others aside, crossed his thick arms in front of him, and slammed them against the wall like a cannonball.

He couldn't even grab the enemy's body to slow down their movement.

The brutal force cracked his hand bones, and the ensuing excruciating pain seared his nerves.

"Brother Grace!"

Yugur and the others, their faces turning pale, gasped in surprise. Grace spat out his blood-stained saliva, raised his pickaxe, and charged toward "Lemton".

But he was sent flying again.