CHAPTER 12
UNREASONABLE THINGS
The chest opened by itself, its lid lifting slowly, without a sound. Light from the torch and Amura's fireball reflected inside, emitting a dazzling gleam.
Its contents were not just ordinary treasure. A high pile of glittering Zeyn gold coins, with some rarer Aurex coins scattered among them. There were also several pieces of jewelry and raw gemstones emitting a faint magical light. However, Kyoichiiro's eyes were not drawn to that wealth.
On the inside of the chest lid, hidden from direct view, a yellowed piece of parchment was attached. Carefully, Kyoichiiro peeled it off. While Amura and Aetheria were still mesmerized by the pile of gold, Kyoichiiro unfolded the parchment.
The writing on it used an unfamiliar alphabet, a foreign ancient or regional language. But as his eyes swept over the first line, something strange happened. The letters seemed to move, change, and his brain automatically translated them into Japanese—his native language from his previous life.
Letter Contents (as read by Kyoichiiro in his mind):
"If there is someone who has managed to find this place: Congratulations.
"And if you have managed to defeat the 'false monster' guarding this chest—which I actually killed and replaced with a magical puppet years ago—then congratulations once again.
"But don't be happy yet. You must leave. Now. Leave this place and the entire dungeon quickly before it's too late.
"As a reward, I give you 5000 Zeyn to use. Take it and go.
"The true danger is not the monsters in the corridors, but something that has awakened in the depths due to excessive magical activity on the surface. Something ancient and hungry.
"This dungeon is not for beginners. Many cunning creatures and ill intentions lurk, ready to take advantage of careless adventurers.
"Quickly. Go. NOW."
Kyoichiiro rubbed his eyes, then read it again. Yes, no mistake. His brain truly translated the foreign language instantly. Not only the common language of this world, but also this ancient written language.
What in the world is this? he thought, confused and slightly unsettled. Why can I read this? Is this an effect of 'reincarnation'? Or is there something else within me?
Amura: (noticing Kyoichiiro holding the paper) "Kyoichiiro-san? What is it? What does the letter say?" His voice was full of curiosity.
Kyoichiiro looked at Amura, then at Aetheria who was also beginning to pay attention. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.
Kyoichiiro: (calm yet firm voice) "A warning letter. From the person who left this chest. They said we must leave immediately. The true danger has just awakened in the dungeon's depths."
Amura: (frowning) "Do you believe an anonymous letter like that?"
Kyoichiiro didn't answer immediately. He stood up, folded the letter, and put it in his pocket. His gaze then focused on the pile of coins.
Kyoichiiro: "Believe it or not, it's better we don't take the risk. But the problem is, how do we carry these 5000 coins?"
Amura: (also standing, stroking his chin) "Hmm... Our bags aren't big enough for all this..."
Kyoichiiro: (already calculating) "We'll split it evenly. I'll carry 1667 coins. Amura, you carry 1667. Aetheria, you carry 1666. Is that okay?"
Aetheria: (nodding quickly) "It's okay! I can carry it!"
Kyoichiiro: (looking at her skeptically) "Seriously? It's quite heavy."
Aetheria: (cheeks reddening, but eyes earnest) "It's completely okay, Kyoichiiro-san! I'm stronger than I look!"
They got to work immediately. Efficiently, they divided the pile of coins into three portions and loaded them into their respective bags. Kyoichiiro noticed these coins felt light, almost like pure gold whose density had been reduced by magic. His previously half-empty bag was now full and heavy, but still carryable.
At least we have capital now, he thought.
Amura: (lifting his bag with a smile) "Yosh! Let's get out of here!"
Aetheria: (joining in enthusiastically) "Let's go!"
They hurried back to the hole in the wall where they entered. Kyoichiiro jumped down first, landing nimbly in the lower corridor. Amura followed. Aetheria, with a little concentration, used her wind magic to slow her fall and landed softly beside them.
They exchanged glances, then started running. Amura reignited the fireball in his hand for illumination. The corridor they passed now felt more eerie, quieter, as if the dungeon was holding its breath.
After running for about ten minutes, Kyoichiiro suddenly stopped. At the end of the corridor, a solid black silhouette shaped like a large wolf stood motionless, yet seemed to move unnaturally like smoke.
Kyoichiiro: (raising his katana) "Get ready."
However, as they approached, the silhouette appeared not to react. Quickly, Kyoichiiro threw his katana scabbard towards the silhouette. The scabbard passed through the silhouette's body without resistance and fell to the floor. The silhouette itself only vibrated then vanished, like a scattered shadow.
Kyoichiiro: (approaching and picking up his scabbard) "Just an illusion or residual magical energy. But—"
Suddenly, before he could finish his sentence, the dungeon shook violently. A tremor far stronger than before rocked the walls and floor. From unseen depths, a deafening roar thundered—a sound of anger, hunger, and ancient power newly awakened.
"ARRRGGGGHHHHHH—!!!"
Amura: (face pale) "What was that sound?! This is too dangerous! We have to get out now!"
Aetheria: (covering her ears, eyes watery) "I'm scared...!"
Kyoichiiro didn't hesitate any longer. His survival instinct screamed loudly. He grabbed Aetheria's trembling hand.
Kyoichiiro: "Quickly! RUN!"
They ran as fast as they could. Kyoichiiro pulled Aetheria along, while Amura guarded the rear. The corridor behind them began to collapse, large stones falling and blocking the path they had just taken.
Give me a break, Kyoichiiro thought as he ran, our first exploration, and we immediately get a large-scale disaster!
Aetheria cried in fear, but her legs kept running following Kyoichiiro. Up ahead, an obstacle suddenly appeared. Two Wolfmen—just like the ones they saw causing trouble at the Guild—stood blocking the way, swords drawn. Their faces were full of greed.
Wolfman #1: "Stop! Hand over the treasure you got from inside! If not, we'll cut you down right here!"
Kyoichiiro: (without slowing down, cold voice) "I don't have time for trash like you. Aetheria, wind push at our feet!"
Aetheria: (nodding through sobs) "O-okay! Ventus Accelerare!"
Magical wind swirled around their legs, giving an extra boost of speed. Kyoichiiro and Aetheria shot forward like arrows, dodging the Wolfmen's sword slashes. Amura, with amazing agility, jumped high, stepped off the corridor wall, and spun over the Wolfmen's heads before landing and continuing to run.
The startled Wolfmen shouted in anger, but they were too late. Rubble from the ceiling caused by the earlier tremors finally fell on them, burying them in dust and stone.
Kyoichiiro's team didn't look back. They kept running, hearts pounding, lungs burning. After fifteen minutes of running non-stop, they finally saw a familiar sight—the small rest chamber where they had stopped earlier, with the door now wide open.
Kyoichiiro: (panting) "Yosh! We're close to the exit!"
They pushed themselves once more. The corridor began to slope upward, and in the distance, natural light began to appear—the light of the evening sun!
Amura: (shouting) "THERE! THE EXIT!"
With a final push, they burst out of the cave mouth, tumbling onto the grassy ground outside, gasping and sobbing as they breathed in the fresh air that didn't feel damp and frightening.
The scene outside was chaos. Other adventurers who had also managed to escape looked panicked, running around, or sitting down exhausted. Roars from inside the dungeon could still be heard occasionally, though muffled.
Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, a human adventurer with green hair and claw marks on his face approached, his face full of concern.
Green-Haired Adventurer: "Are you all okay? You look very young... Managed to survive, huh?"
Kyoichiiro: (quickly standing up, flat voice) "Yes. We're fine."
He flicked Amura's arm and gave a brief, serious look. Amura immediately understood—don't attract attention, don't say anything about the treasure or the letter.
Kyoichiiro: (to the adventurer) "Sorry, we have urgent matters to attend to."
Without waiting for a response, the three of them immediately turned and dashed into the forest beside the dungeon area, leaving the commotion and panic behind. They ran through the bushes, found a small path, and finally reached a quiet main dirt road.
There, they finally stopped, bending over, hands on knees, taking deep breaths. In the evening, the orange sun was beginning to set, providing a calming warmth.
Kyoichiiro: "Fuuh... Good thing we left right away."
He gazed at the sky, digesting all the unreasonable events of the day. This world just kept getting weirder.
After twenty minutes of walking slowly along the road, the view of the city where the Guild was located began to appear in the distance. They entered the city gate, blending in among returning merchants and townspeople. The atmosphere inside the city seemed normal, as if no one knew about the disaster at the dungeon not too far away.
Kyoichiiro: (to Amura) "Amura, please give me some water."
Amura: "Ah, yes." He opened his bag, took out a leather water pouch and a small wooden cup, poured water into it, and handed it to Kyoichiiro.
Kyoichiiro drank it thirstily, then returned the cup. They continued walking amidst the city's bustle. Kyoichiiro's thoughts swirled.
A nonsensical world. A language I can magically understand. A warning letter my brain translated. An ancient danger in the dungeon. Does it have something to do with the reason I was reincarnated here?
After reaching the main city gate on the opposite side, they saw a merchant with a horse-drawn cart loading goods, preparing to depart.
Kyoichiiro: (approaching) "Excuse me."
Merchant: (turning) "Yes? What is it, son?"
Kyoichiiro: "Could you take us to Fertile Village? Are you passing by there by any chance?"
The merchant stroked his mustache, thinking for a moment.
Merchant: "What a coincidence, I am indeed heading there to deliver goods. You can ride along. But there's a fee, alright?"
Amura: (immediately stepping forward) "Of course. We'll pay."
They climbed onto the cart already full of sacks. The cart began moving, leaving the city. During the journey, Kyoichiiro noticed Aetheria, who was still quiet and seemed to be shivering.
Kyoichiiro: (softer voice) "Are you okay, Aetheria?"
Aetheria flinched, then looked at him. Her eyes were still red.
Aetheria: "I'm okay... I just... need time to get used to it. All of that... was very scary."
Kyoichiiro and Amura exchanged glances. Another wordless understanding formed between them. They needed to protect Aetheria, who, despite having magic, was still very innocent and easily frightened.
The journey lasted about an hour or more. Along the way, the cart had to stop briefly because a wheel got stuck in mud, but it was quickly fixed. Finally, the view of Fertile Village—a more fertile and friendly village than Rimba—spread out before them.
They got off, and Amura promptly paid the merchant. After the cart left, the three of them stood at the village entrance.
Kyoichiiro: (looking around) "Do you know a good inn here, Amura?"
Amura: (smiling) "There is. I stayed once before. Follow me."
He led them through the quiet village road until they stopped in front of a clean, well-kept two-story wooden inn. Its name was "Green House Inn." Lights were already being lit, emitting warmth.
The three of them stood in front of the door, looking at the building. The long, perilous day was finally approaching its end.
Kyoichiiro: (sighing) "Alright. Let's go in. We need proper rest."
Amura and Aetheria smiled, their fatigue and tension beginning to melt, replaced by relief at having survived and a sense of achievement—they had emerged from a dungeon disaster safely, and with pockets now full. Their adventure together had just begun with a very dramatic start, and it seemed the world still held many mysteries and dangers they would have to face together.