arc2 · 087-ch87

Chapter 87: Dungeon Modification

The twentieth floor of Inubosaki Tower Dungeon has quite a bit of the map filled in since I explored a bit with Nishikyo-san last time. Let me fill in the rest while aiming for the twenty-first floor.

The map for the twenty-first floor was filled in quickly. Now I've got the staircase location locked down too. I immediately descended to the twenty-second floor with both drones. This area is mostly D-rank monsters. Down below, a pack of Bark Wolves chased Asahi and Hayate while barking, but they kept falling further behind. The roar skill doesn't work on drones, after all.

I patrolled the twenty-second floor using both drones. By sending them in different directions, the map was being filled in at twice the speed. This is amazing!

There didn't seem to be any flying-type monsters here either, so Asahi and Hayate weren't attacked. I was able to complete all maps in about two hours. The staircase location was pinned down perfectly too.

With this momentum, let's charge into the twenty-third floor.

Starting from the twenty-third floor, D+ rank monsters begin appearing. I'm pretty sure there were bird-type monsters too, so I need to be careful. As I was flying Asahi and Hayate more cautiously than before, Asahi immediately encountered a bird-type monster. This is a D-rank Pork Bird. Commonly known as the "Poking Bird." Its hard beak is its weapon, and it flies at quite a speed. Naturally, it can't catch up to Asahi, though.

(Huh? Something's off here?)

Just as the map of the twenty-third floor was about to be completed, I noticed something strange. The Pork Birds that had been chasing Asahi until just now had disappeared at some point, and the surroundings had become strangely quiet.

Looking closely, the ground was vibrating finely, and I couldn't see any monsters at all. Could this be a sign of Dungeon Modification!?

I left Hayate in place for filming and directed Asahi toward the Transfer Stone room on the twentieth floor. At the same time, I contacted Arihara-san on my cell phone.

"Hello, is this Soramine-san? Is something wrong?"

"Arihara-san! It's a Dungeon Modification! I'm currently on the twenty-third floor of Inubosaki Tower Dungeon! It will probably continue spreading to the floors below! I'll do my best to notify all the explorers in this dungeon!"

"Is that true!? In that case, first I'll contact the Dungeon Association staff at Inubosaki Tower Dungeon and have them block the entrance. Then I'll post that information on the Dungeon Agency website... and request rescue from high-rank explorers!"

It looks like Arihara-san will act quickly too. I'll leave the surface to Arihara-san, and I have to evacuate as many explorers as possible!

Hanging up, I immediately focused on Asahi and Hayate. Hayate would film the Dungeon Modification and save it as reference material. Asahi headed straight for the stairs and descended to the twenty-second floor.

I'm pretty sure there were two parties on this floor. I dismissed Hayate and resummoned it to search for the parties on this floor, while sending Asahi straight toward the stairs.

(Found them! First party!)

"Everyone, a Dungeon Modification has begun! Please evacuate quickly! The stairs are in this direction!"

I called out to a party that was just in the process of moving.

"What!? Is that true!? Hey everyone, hurry back!"

It was a suspicious situation where a drone suddenly started talking to them, but this party seemed to believe me right away. They ran hurriedly in the direction I showed with Hayate. Good, now let me search for the other party.

I confirmed it when making the map earlier, so they shouldn't have moved too much. I searched for the other party relying on my memory.

(Found them! Saved by it being a grassland-type dungeon!)

The other party was found quickly too. I was helped by the fact that this was a grassland-type dungeon with good visibility. However, this party seems to be fighting monsters. If a Dungeon Modification comes in this state, what will happen to these monsters? Will they rank up all of a sudden?

A question suddenly popped into my head, but now wasn't the time to verify it. First, I had to get this party to escape.

"Sorry to interrupt while you're fighting! A Dungeon Modification will reach this floor very soon! I'll handle those monsters somehow, so please evacuate right now!"

"Hah!? What are you talking about, coming here suddenly!? Can't you see!? We're in the middle of a fight here! Get lost!"

Even though I was desperately trying to persuade them, these guys wouldn't listen. What should I do, but I can't just leave them.

"Please! Run away! They might rank up!"

This three-man party is fighting two Bark Wolves. They seem to be struggling already, and if these monsters rank up, they'll be killed.

"Hey, Ichirou! Isn't this guy SS's drone? You know, the one that's popular right now."

At that moment, one of the three noticed me. While blocking the Bark Wolves' bite attacks with his shield, he was informing the leader. This might be a chance!

"That's right. I am SS. While patrolling at the request of the Dungeon Agency, I caught signs of Dungeon Modification on the floor above. It will reach this floor directly, so please escape right now!"

"O-oh. But will they let us escape?"

Good, the leader was getting on board. All I had to do now was make these two Bark Wolves flinch.

"I'll make them flinch for just a moment, so please escape in that gap!"

"Understood, I'm counting on you!"

I circled behind the three men and used the flashlight the moment both Bark Wolves were facing forward.

"GUAH!?"

The surroundings turned pure white for an instant.

"Now! Please run!"

Responding to my voice, the three turned and sprinted away. The two Bark Wolves seemed unable to see, thrashing around in place shaking their heads.

I stored the luggage the three had left on the ground and followed after them.

"This way! Please follow me!"

I immediately passed the three people and guided them by the shortest route to the stairs while checking the map.

Oh, Asahi has arrived at the twenty-first floor. There should be two parties here too, so I'll search for them in advance.

"Hey, isn't the ground shaking!?"

"It really is, hurry!"

"Crap, I don't want to die."

Bad news—the Dungeon Modification has begun on the twenty-second floor. But the stairs are just ahead. I hope they make it.

Despite their footing being unsteady on the shaking ground, the three managed to reach the stairs. Asahi also found the explorers on the twenty-first floor. Fortunately, both parties seemed to be fighting nearby.

"I'll leave the luggage here. Please return to the twentieth floor as-is and transfer to the entrance!"

After leaving just those words for the three, I placed the luggage at the stairs, dismissed Hayate, and resummoned it. Asahi turned back and hurried to the Transfer Stone room, while the resummoned Hayate headed toward the two parties.

"Everyone, please listen! It's a Dungeon Modification! Please leave the dungeon immediately!"

"What!? Really!? Everyone, leave the dungeon right now!"

It seems both parties were resting, and they immediately gathered their luggage and started moving. Good, since they weren't too far from the stairs, these two should be fine. I dismissed Hayate again and hurried to the Transfer Stone room while concentrating on Asahi's operation. The moment I arrived, I transferred to the tenth floor.

In the end, after jumping to the tenth floor and aiming for the nineteenth floor, the Dungeon Modification began on the fifteenth floor, and though I managed to evacuate the explorers on the sixteenth floor, beyond that, large numbers of rank-up monsters appeared, making it impossible to advance further.

I heard that the first to ninth floors were all evacuated safely thanks to multiple high-rank parties who responded to the Dungeon Agency's request.

Also, usually monsters would overflow from the dungeon, but thanks to high-rank parties entering ahead and thinning out the monsters, they were able to prevent a monster flood.

However, in the end, although I succeeded in evacuating more than ten parties, I heard that three parties didn't come back.

(If I could have moved more efficiently...)

My patrol debut ended up being a bitter experience.