The early part of the dungeon wasn’t particularly difficult.
Poison Outer Wolves with poisonous mushrooms growing on their bodies, and packs of Steel Bugs emerged to block their path but the battles ended swiftly.
The Poison Outer Wolf was a variant of the regular Outer Wolf that could emit poison, but unlike the regular Outer Wolf, this one didn’t travel in packs.
As for the Steel Bugs, they had strong defenses but while they were difficult for level 1 fighters, their defense was of little use against level 2 fighters who could wield magic.
“Wow, the purity of these magic stones is definitely higher, probably because it’s a dungeon,”
Luke pointed to the shimmering blue magic stone after finishing off the last Steel Bug with his slender twin swords.
“Well, there has to be something worthwhile for all this trouble. Of course, our main goal is something bigger.”
Lucy nodded at one of the mercenaries’ words and said.
“That’s right. So, I hope the loot distribution goes as we agreed.”
The distribution Lucy referred to was about the loot they would come across in the future.
Unlike regular dungeons, raid dungeons had a higher drop rate of magic stones, artifacts, or skill books.
And all of these spoils were distributed according to each group’s contribution.
“Don’t worry, we won’t overlook those details.”
The point where a team begins to fracture always starts with such distributions, so Colton made a firm decision regarding this matter.
Just when it seemed like they were progressing through the dungeon without any issues, the dungeon gradually began to reveal its sinister nature.
“A mutated Outer Wolf up ahead!”
“Multiple Steel Bug swarms spotted at 4 o’clock!”
“Additional Steel Bug swarms appearing at 6 o’clock!”
A battle broke out suddenly.
However, the team members responded calmly to the monsters’ ambush. They moved as if they had planned for this.
Aiden handled the Poison Outer Wolf at the front with Jun’s support, while Colton’s mercenaries and the two adventurers took care of the threats at 4 o’clock and 6 o’clock.
The battle ended successfully.
While the other mercenaries gathered the spoils, Colton looked slightly flustered as he spoke to Jun.
“I had no idea that detection magic could be… this convenient.”
It was all thanks to Jun’s contribution during the recent battle.
***
It’s rewarding to see my hard work pay off.
Over the past two weeks, Jun had learned the detection magic of [Scan].
Thanks to it, Jun was able to detect the monsters’ ambush in advance and alert the team members.
As a result, they were able to form up and prepare for the upcoming battle quickly.
However, even such magic had its drawbacks.
“Hey, are you alright with your magical power?”
“Thanks for helping like that, but it’ll be a problem if you end up being a burden later on because you’re out of magical power!”
The issue was that, since it was a third-circle spell, it consumed more magical power than most offensive spells and the narrow range meant it had to be used frequently.
Of course, this wasn’t a concern for Jun who had the [Mana Body].
“Don’t worry about that. I have my own methods.”
But Jun couldn’t reveal the truth, so he had prepared an alternative explanation for situations like this.
“And that is?”
All eyes were focused on the ring Jun held out.
A ring with a purple gemstone that sparkled brilliantly.
The ring was finely crafted, making it clear to anyone that it wasn’t an ordinary item.
Especially in the hands of a mage, it carried an even stronger aura of mystery.
“Is it an artifact?”
Jun nodded his head in response to Colton’s question.
“It’s an item that can store magical power. Its absorption rate is good, so I won’t collapse from using Scan a few times.”
Of course, this was a lie. It was just an ordinary ring he found while raiding the goblin’s warehouse.
It was merely an excuse to conceal the existence of [Mana Body].
“If that’s the case….”
“Ahem. I’ll be counting on you in the future.”
“Alright, let’s get back to gathering the loot.”
Jun’s plan seemed to have worked better than expected. The mercenaries quickly gathered the remains of the monsters that had turned to ash.
Jun followed them from behind when Aiden quietly approached him and asked.
“Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“If you had that method, why didn’t you use it before?”
“Well, those guys are just people we’re meeting this one time.”
“Oh…?”
Artifacts are inherently expensive.
The reason Jun had supplied Aiden with gear but hadn’t gotten any for himself was simply because of money.
For mercenaries operating on level 1, artifacts were so expensive they would turn heads.
It wouldn’t matter if a lower-ranking mage without any backing was quietly dealt with.
“But still, even among mercenaries…”
“It happened to me.”
“Huh?”
“I personally went through it.”
It wasn’t without reason that Jun developed distrust toward people after being in this world for just a year.
This method was something he had used once before when he pretended a necklace was an artifact and nearly got his throat slit while he was sleeping.
And it wasn’t even a real artifact; it was just a cheap necklace he had bought on the street.
“……”
“It’s easier to live as a mage who’s just mediocre enough to be useful, rather than stirring up unnecessary trouble. At least until you’ve established yourself.”
The reason he decided to use that method again now was simple.
Everyone gathered here were level 2 mercenaries and adventurers, and while artifacts were expensive, they weren’t something they could never hope to see in their lifetime.
“Life really is tough.”
“This place is cutthroat. You’ve got no choice but to adapt.”
The somber atmosphere lingered for a moment, but the battle that soon erupted swept it away.
“Fairies!”
“Wood Ents are with them too!”
“Be careful! If you take them head-on, they’ll smash through your shield!”
Though not as sturdy as the golem they had seen in the forest, the tree giants called Wood Ents that got enhanced by fairies, were not monsters to be underestimated.
Their basic stats might be lower than a golem’s, but…
The nature of the dungeon made them stronger.
The fairies of the forest had strengthened the Wood Ents’ wooden bodies.
Moreover, the fairies had the ridiculous trait of being immune to physical damage.
“Hey, Mage! It’s time to earn your keep!”
It was Jun’s turn to step forward, as he was the one capable of using magic instead of physical attacks.
I’ve been earning my keep long before this though.
He thought to himself in response to Colton’s shout and immediately began chanting a spell.
Well, then… let’s start by trying out the new spell I learned.
[Enchantment: Elemental Armory]
[Attribute Enchantment: Lightning]
When Jun’s magical power spread in all directions, the weapons of his teammates who were fighting at the front, became infused with lightning magic.
Crackle, crackle—!
“What the hell is this?!”
“There are sparks coming from my weapon…!”
The mercenaries, who had assumed Jun would handle the fairies with an attack spell, were thrown into confusion, but soon Aiden’s shout reached their ears.
“Don’t panic, just keep fighting! It’s enchantment magic!”
“Damn it, you should’ve told us that earlier!”
While the warriors with shields held off the Wood Ents at the front, the others who had flanked to the sides started hunting down the fairies at the rear.
Since the lightning-infused weapons proved effective against the fairies, the mercenaries fought like fish in water.
Aside from their immunity to physical attacks, the fairies were nothing more than moths to a flame.
――!!
As one by one the fairies fell, the empowered Wood Ents gradually lost their strength and eventually collapsed under the relentless attacks of the mercenaries.
“Phew. You really surprised me, Mage. I didn’t know you could do something like that.”
While everyone was cleaning up after the battle, Colton looked at Jun with a newfound respect.
Detection magic was something even low-ranking mages could learn. Its efficacy was often limited by how infrequently it could be employed, which was its main drawback.
But the enchantment magic Jun had just used was different.
Casting a spell on that many people at once wasn’t something that could be dismissed as ordinary.
“The spell he used just now is indeed a third-circle spell. However, because of its complexity, most third-circle mages tend not to choose it. They’d rather handle things themselves than spend time enhancing their comrades. It’s also one way they increase their own value.”
The one who answered Colton’s remark was Lucy, one of the twin adventurers.
Oh, she knows her stuff.
Just as Lucy had said, the magic Jun used was indeed quite complex. It was from a spellbook he had purchased through Chloe before their Goblin Lord subjugation mission, and only recently had he reached a level where he could fully utilize it.
“Hmm…”
Lucy who had been twisting her gleaming hair around her finger looked at Jun with a calm expression.
“How much magical power do you have left in your artifact?”
“I just used up about 70 percent with that last spell. It’ll take roughly 10 hours to fully recharge.”
“If we’re calculating simply, we can last more than a week at this rate.”
“That’s assuming I don’t have to step in more often.”
“It’s an excellent artifact. But…”
Lucy who seemed to be lost in thought lowered her head, and Colton’s awkward cough echoed from beside her.
“Ahem! Well, it seems you’re more than pulling your weight. Just keep it up like this, would you, Mr. Mage?”
Perhaps still feeling guilty about the harsh words he’d given when they first met, Colton awkwardly patted Jun’s shoulder and was about to walk away when Lucy stopped him.
“Team Leader, how’s our progress in the dungeon?”
“Well, at this pace… thanks to Mr. Mage here, I’d say we’ll be done in about three days.”
Normally, more threats would lurk whenever they engaged in battle.
Just earlier, hadn’t they been able to prepare for an enemy ambush thanks to Jun’s detection magic?
In most cases, such battles would result in injuries which would naturally delay the dungeon’s completion.
But now, there was no reason for any delays like that.
“It might be better to slow down our progress a bit to conserve Sir Mage’s magic. Clearing it quickly to get more rewards is tempting, but… this is a raid, right?”
Lucy’s words implied that they should save the mage’s magic in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Colton found her argument to be quite reasonable and he quickly agreed.
“Well, like you said, we never know when we might need Mr. Mage again. Let’s go with that, Mr. Mage.”
“…Thanks for considering it.”
Just as the conversation wrapped up, Aiden spoke up.
“Senior, it seems like things are going a bit more smoothly than expected.”
Aiden, who knew a bit about Jun’s secret, could say this but—
“Senior?”
“…….”
Jun’s expression wasn’t as bright as one might expect.
It was because he had a gut feeling that things weren’t going to go as smoothly as they seemed.
***
Why doesn’t anyone talk about that hidden piece?
As someone who prided himself on being a veteran of the game, Jun knew about various hidden pieces inside <Blackout>.
However, that didn’t mean he was hoarding all the information.
After all, hasn’t it been centuries since Blackout was discovered in the Empire?
Naturally, the people here also knew about many hidden pieces.
And the one Jun was thinking about now was even officially mentioned by the Imperial family.
There’s no way the Imperial family would have allowed it without proper verification. So why?
His sense of unease was growing stronger. To the point where it far surpassed the anxiety he felt when the White Whale Mercenaries were annihilated during the Goblin Subjugation.
His heart started to beat faster, and he tried to understand why he was feeling this way. So he approached the matter from a uniquely mage-like perspective.
The cause of this unease was undoubtedly hidden somewhere in his memory.
And thanks to that, he was able to recognize it.
The source of his anxiety.
It stemmed from the disconnect between the game and reality.
“Damn it.”
“Senior?”
Beeeeep…
A peculiar sound echoed. It was a noise made after some weeds got trampled underfoot.
The source of his anxiety was the sound that had been bothering him since shortly after he had entered the dungeon.
“Aiden.”
“…Yes?”
Perhaps Aiden had noticed the unusual tone in Jun’s voice.
He too began to listen intently.
“It seems… this raid won’t be easy.”
***
The first day of the dungeon raid passed without any major dangers.
While preparing to set up camp, Jun approached Colton who was chatting with the others.
“Kuku, so at that time… huh? What’s this? Our Mage friend, huh? So, what brings you here?”
Perhaps Colton had been deeply impressed by Jun’s earlier performance, he no longer seemed hostile towards him.
Rather, Colton even smiled warmly, as it was best to forge connections with competent mages, while those without skill should be shunned.
“The fact that you’re engaging me in conversation like this must mean I’m pulling my weight.”
“Hmm? Ah, haha! That’s right. I’ve never seen a low-ranking mage like you in my life. So, what’s the point of this conversation?”
“I’m here to discuss the group distribution.”
“Oh…”
Colton’s once-friendly expression turned cold and calculating. This was a typical look for a mercenary captain trying to secure an advantage.
“By now, I think we’ve proven that our mercenary group isn’t just dead weight. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Well, I’m not so sure about that pretty little companion of yours yet… but as for you, Mr. Mage, I can’t deny you’re pulling at least three times your weight.”
“Then naturally, the profit distribution should be changed, don’t you think?”
“Hmm…”
Colton stroked his chin and went into deep thought.
Originally, the White Whale Mercenary group led by Jun was treated as little more than excess baggage. Because of this, they were excluded from the rights to the most valuable loot—the skill books.
Now, Jun was demanding a share of those skill books.
“Well… it’s true you’re doing the work of three men. But whether that puts you on the same level as our mercenaries or those adventurers over there, that’s something I’m honestly not sure about.”
When he heard this, Jun clicked his tongue inwardly. He understood exactly what Colton was hinting at.
The mercenaries were handling most of the monsters on the front lines, which was understandable, but it was frustrating to be outdone in contributions even by the twin adventurers.
Tsk. Damn adventurer buff.
In terms of fighting power, there was almost no difference between Colton’s mercenaries and the adventurers.
However, the adventurers had a unique ability of their own.
It was the divine power of Hermes, the Goddess of Adventure.
“Is it because of [Pilgrim’s Dawn]…?”
Surprisingly, gods actually existed in this world. They couldn’t be seen with the naked eye, but their powers were bestowed upon their followers.
Hermes’ power was simple.
It revealed the path one needed to take.
It sensed danger.
Just hearing about it made it clear how overpowered this ability was.
In the game too, if you didn’t have a map item, the minimap wasn’t available. But if there was an adventurer, things would be different.
In the game of <Blackout>, if there was an adventurer in the party, a minimap that led directly to the dungeon’s clearing objective would appear.
Of course, it wasn’t as convenient as it seemed.
The number of times the power could be used was limited to just once a day.
Also, only one of the two abilities could be used—either guiding the way or sensing danger.
And this power was only effective under the theme of “adventure”.
Still, in a dungeon like this, it would significantly reduce the time needed to clear it.
Because of this, even Jun who had been helping the team in various ways felt a bit lacking compared to them.
As expected of a team leader and a mercenary sensitive to profit, Colton clearly distinguished between public and private matters.
In response, Jun quickly set aside his greed. After all, that wasn’t his main point.
“In that case, let me change my request. I demand the right to conduct an independent exploration.”
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