021-040 · 033-ch29

Chapter 29: Thinking Back, It's Pretty Amazing

My health had been poor, so I couldn't write properly.

I think I'll start writing again.

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After making a massive amount of bacon garlic rice and filling up both me and Robo, I finally took out the drone from my pouch and floated it.

"Hey there, what's up."

>>"Why'd you leave your stream hanging?" >>"You seemed to be in a hurry, did something happen?" >>"Weren't you getting excited, John?" >>"Is that white thing behind you Robo?" >>"I've been waiting for you!" >>"Welcome back." >>"You were in a hurry, was something serious?"

Since I'd left the stream unattended for a while, there were more comments than usual.

While listening to them, I operated my smartphone to change the stream settings.

"Before getting to that, I've removed the stream restrictions I mentioned before, so I think more people will be coming in from now on. Well, what I'll be doing won't change, but once more people show up, I probably won't be able to respond to every comment, so please understand that in advance."

Though my exploration ended in an unexpected way, I had to follow through on what I'd said.

>>"Should we spread the word about this? Or just wait since you've opened it up?" >>"You want us to gradually spread the word?" >>"Is it okay to post this on social media?" >>"There are places offering rewards for information, you know."

From the comments, it seemed the viewers wanted me to make my intentions clear about what I'd revealed and why.

"That's something I need to think about too. As for spreading the word, feel free to do whatever you want. Since I've removed the stream restrictions, people who want to watch will find it eventually, sooner or later. As for providing information... I don't mind if you get compensated for it, but I'd rather avoid any conflicts like 'You knew but didn't tell us' happening."

I'm all alone down here, so I don't really mind what people do, but I'd rather not cause trouble on the surface or drag the people who've been watching me into any unnecessary drama.

>>"Got it." >>"I'll spread the word around after this stream ends." >>"I'm thinking of staying anonymous since people might ask why you were hiding it."

"At this point, I'll leave it to you. To be honest, thinking that far ahead is a pain, so I'll just say 'let things work themselves out' and leave it at that."

I'm not streaming to think about things like that anyway. Back when I was still on the surface watching videos on streaming sites, there were times when certain actions would lead to backlash, but for me, even if I got flamed, it was more like 'so what?'.

The people who want my information are the ones on the surface, after all.

"So anyway, first, let's recap this exploration. We'll do that and end today's stream. Next time, I'll probably do a casual chat stream after dinner or something and figure out what to do then."

I suppose I'll either go adventuring somewhere, introduce more weapons, or give a combat techniques lecture. Since I'm streaming anyway, it might be nice to go check out some beautiful scenery I discovered in the past.

"And then, after I put the drone away, I'll tell you what happened."

>>"Waiting for this!" >>"That's what I'm most curious about." >>"John was in a real hurry, wasn't he?" >>"Weren't there like a ridiculous number of monsters overflowing?"

"Yeah, that's right. It's a simple story, really. Níðhöggr was living in Yggdrasil. That's why I panicked and ran away."

I kind of like the way that sounds, so I decided to use it before properly explaining. Well, I'm a guy who can't forget his boyhood heart that yearned for fantasy, after all.

Besides, in the world beyond the dungeon, I can't judge what the fact that 'a massive dragon lives in the World Tree' means, so I want many experts to consider it once the information gets out.

Is this coincidental alignment just a coincidence? Or is there some reason behind it? I want to know not only about just exploring this world, but also about the very existence of this dungeon. I'm greedy in that way, you see.

>>"Norse mythology?" >>"I thought it was chuunibyou, but the dungeon itself is fantasy." >>"In Norse mythology, a wicked dragon called Níðhöggr lives in the World Tree." >>"Didn't it bite into it rather than just live there?" >>"Huh? Really!?" >>"What's wrong with Norse mythology?"

"No, I just thought of that expression while thinking earlier. Kinda liked it, so I used it. To explain clearly, that massive dragon that was living in the World Tree started moving. All the monsters that lived in the upper part taking flight at once was also its influence."

That massive dragon was probably sleeping all along. That's why when I did a rough search for its presence, it felt integrated with the World Tree and I didn't notice, and the other monsters living in the World Tree were able to live normally.

And then, it woke up.

>>"A dragon... a dragon!?" >>"I'm honestly getting excited." >>"So the monsters were escaping because that guy who'd been sleeping for a long time started moving?" >>"Did you see its actual body?"

"Yeah, that's right. Because the dragon started moving, all the other monsters seemed to escape at once. Man, it was something else, really. You know in anime or whatever, when there are so many monsters that from a distance they look like a swarm of black insects? It was totally like that."

I'm confident I could easily take on any one of those monsters that was there one-on-one, but with those numbers... not so sure. It'd be a question of whether wrapping them all up with magic and seeing what happens would work.

……No, really. Doesn't the area around the World Tree have way too much magic power and other energy? Having that many monsters packed in there is seriously dangerous.

"I also saw the moving dragon's actual body. When it jumped out of the hole where the World Tree was growing, I looked back and made perfect eye contact. It used some pretty intense mental interference magic on me. For a second, I almost got caught up in it, that was dangerous."

No, really. That was dangerous. Occasionally, there are monsters that use mental interference skills too. And when I say mental interference, I don't mean convenient ones like making them move as you please—they're things like making them abandon their weapons and lose the will to move while they prey on them, or the opposite, barging into their head and trying to take over. Then there are those that try to imitate the fears they read from your memories. They're the type that performs mental interference rooted in that kind of ecology.

Some of them are pretty dangerous, but until now, I've used defensive magic circles or sent clones as advance scouts and have never actually been placed under their control. This time, my mental defenses were easily breached and I was almost swallowed up.

I was honestly scared. And hey, this... isn't it here?

>>"Appearance, appearance!" >>"Wait, you said mental interference???" >>"Whoa, another dangerous term popped up." >>"I'm curious about everything, so please explain properly."

"Woah there, woah there. First, let's start with the monster's appearance. First, like I said, its face was dragon-type. And when I say dragon-type, there are various kinds, but like a dragon with a beak? Wait, since we're at it, I'll draw an illustration while explaining to keep as records."

I have pretty good memory. I went back to my hut and brought out a large notebook and a mechanical pencil. These are my favorite tools that I've been using since I entered the dungeon.

"Oh, this isn't an advertisement or anything, but I'll introduce them anyway. This here is a notebook made of something called Upo paper, which is incredibly durable. It's super sturdy—doesn't tear even when wet, and you can write on it as is, so it's my favorite. There's also a small memo pad size, which is perfect for dungeon exploration. And this here is the mechanical pencil. The lead is like 2mm, maybe? This is also a sturdy one I found online and bought. Back when I first entered the dungeon, there weren't any smartphones usable inside dungeons, so I used to use this stuff. I'm pretty fond of analog methods, actually."

>>"Ohh." >>"I'm actually kind of interested in these little props too." >>"You're serious enough to bring a notepad." >>"Is this what early dungeon explorers used?"

"Alright, I'll explain while drawing."

First, I roughly sketch what I saw. Its mouth was, well, a beak, or maybe I should say a pointed mouth. The mouth of a moray eel, but more intense-looking, might be the closest. And, true to its name as a dragon, its body had scales, and it had lots of horns growing on its head, forming something like a crown.

And its body wasn't the heavyset type of typical fantasy dragons; rather, it was closer to a Japanese dragon with a slender, elongated body, and I could see things like wings growing from it.

"Something like this? Really rough, though. The coloration was generally purple-ish, I think."

>>"Your art is legitimately good lol." >>"Why are you good at drawing too?" >>"This is where you're supposed to be bad at drawing and get excited...!" >>"A slender-type dragon, huh. Leviathan-like? Looking it up now."

"Huh? Can't remember what Leviathan looks like. Been like 10 years since I've seen it."

"Hoh? Is this my likeness?"

"Yeah, that's right. Doesn't it look similar?"

"I have never seen myself, no."

So it's you, is it.

>>"Huh?" >>"What?" >>"What?" >>"Who?" >>"Wait, when did you get here?" >>"You came in really quietly." >>"Huh, there was someone besides John here?"

I placed the notebook and writing utensils on a log I was using as a table and looked back. There, peeking over my shoulder, was an expressionless woman.