The Runesmith

“Unauthorized entry attempt detected. Please comply with identification protocol or face consequences.”

The mechanical voice emanating from the orb was cold and unsettling to the adventurers standing nearby. It issued from within the metal box, through which the strange, mechanical-looking orb's arm protruded. To the onlookers, it resembled a peculiar, lidless eye, and the words it spoke filled the two adventurers with unease.

“What is this thing? It knows my name!”

“Sir. Please just show us your identification, don’t make it more difficult than it has to. If you resist, you will be reported to the guild and also to the forces of our lord, Lord Arthur Valerian! “

The guards raised their weapons. Though they were no match for the two high-level adventurers, they stood firm, emboldened by the presence of their lord’s name behind them. For a moment, Roland feared he might need to intervene, but it seemed the situation was under control.

The construct with the orb was his creation, designed in collaboration with the dwarven union. It was a golem with limited functionality, built specifically to scan adventurer cards and verify their legitimacy. While a similar device operated above ground, this secondary checkpoint was established to track the flow of people entering and exiting the newly discovered dungeon. The system recorded not only the number of adventurers but also their classes, counting those who entered and those who perished.

These statistics were not only crucial for assessing the dungeon’s danger level and the threats posed by its monstrous inhabitants but also served another purpose: preventing murders committed by adventurers. Such incidents, like the attempt on his and Rastix's lives, necessitated stricter oversight. Through the golem’s scans and the sensors embedded in the walls, it would be possible to track individuals to some extent and confront them later if they attempted to leave the dungeon under suspicious circumstances.

‘I guess we won’t have to make a move’

Once the noble Valerian name was invoked, the two adventurers began to backpedal. They were likely unaccustomed to resistance in dungeons, which were typically lawless zones. However, the sight of the magical machine capable of identifying their names and ranks had clearly thrown them off guard. Begrudgingly, one of them fished out a shimmering adventurer’s card and handed it over to the guards. The other muttered something under his breath but eventually followed suit. The orb scanned the cards, emitting a strange mechanical noise before blinking green.

The mechanical voice stated, retracting into its housing. The guards stepped aside, letting the adventurers pass, though their expressions remained stern. Once the group was out of earshot, the two guards could be seen sighting out in relief.

“Uh… I thought we were done for…”

“Yeah, luckily the Valerian name carried enough weight to scare them off.”

The guards exchanged nervous glances, clearly relieved the confrontation hadn’t escalated. Roland, still observing from the shadows, allowed himself a small, amused smirk. He had also used this tactic in the past just like these guards. Invoking the Valerian name was a great shield and helpful in maintaining order. However, he could only hope that the men he chose and that would soon join would not abuse this power.

“Let’s move, Agni.”

Roland whispered, stepping into the open with his hood pulled low.

The guards snapped to attention as they noticed him.

“Halt identify your…”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Before one of the guards could finish the sentence, the older one grabbed his shoulder and shook his head.

“Sir! We were expecting you, please go ahead.”

Roland gave no reply and simply walked through the entrance he himself had designed. The scanning machine, which would typically activate for other adventurers, remained silent. It was then that the guard realized who Roland truly was. The man was perceptive - a valuable trait for a guard to have.

“Continue your duties.”

“Yes, my lord!”

With that, Roland strode deeper into the dungeon’s tunnels. The rhythmic thud of mining and the hum of mana-powered equipment faded behind him as the narrow corridor gave way to a vast, dimly lit expanse. Agni padded silently at his side, his ruby-hued form shimmering as he shifted into his Sun form. Flames of divine energy ignited around him, and the undead monsters lurking nearby groaned in discomfort, their decayed forms reacting to his radiant aura.

“Well, I’ll leave them to you, Agni.”

“Awoo!”

Agni charged forward, engaging a hulking Infernal Skeleton while Roland glanced at the display in his helmet. Two dots marked a hidden chamber ahead - his next destination.

“There they are. They must be resting.”

Agni was already battling two massive skeletal monstrosities and several screeching, floating skulls. Thanks to his radiant energy, the creatures’ decayed bodies were disintegrating just by being near him. It was an ideal training ground, and Roland appreciated that the dungeon’s map allowed them to avoid other adventurers, most of whom were busy exploring deeper, uncharted areas.

“I should check on those two first,”

Roland said while stepping past the crumbling remains of fallen monsters.

“Then see what’s further down. Most expeditions stalled at areas with monsters near level two hundred. There might be a boss chamber somewhere close.”

This wasn’t a baseless assumption. For some reason, dungeons in this world seemed to favor multiples of ten. Typically, monsters on each floor wouldn’t exceed ten levels, and a boss would appear on every tenth level of a dungeon containing multiple floors. This rule was quite consistent, though there were some notable exceptions. The problem with this particular dungeon, however, was its unique nature as it didn’t have a true entrance that they were aware of. Which made counting the floors difficult.

While Agni dealt with the remaining mobs, Roland advanced toward an old grinding spot he had introduced to Mary, Armand, and Lobelia. The trio had spent a lot of time here training, using his holy mana bombs to thin out the undead. Now, another adventurer was occupying the spot, and Roland was eager to assess their progress.

“Finished already?”

Roland asked with a chuckle.

“Awooooo!”

Agni howled in response.

“Haha, I suppose we’ll need to find stronger undead on the lower levels for you. But first, let’s check on those two.”

With a nod, Roland set off, weaving through twisting passages and descending deeper into the dungeon. His boots made no sound on the stone floor, and his armor - refined through countless iterations fit him like a second skin. Soon, he reached the hidden chamber. A wave of his hand activated the secret entrance, which slid open silently. Inside, two figures immediately raised their weapons, only to lower them upon seeing the glow of Roland’s visor.

“Ro—High Commander? What brings you here?”

One of them asked.

“At ease, Sir Durendal, I’m here to check on your progress. How’s it going?”

He turned to the second figure in the chamber, Sir Gareth. As his younger brother’s chaperone, Gareth was responsible for ensuring Robert’s safety against unexpected monster surges. A tier-3 Sword Champion armed with powerful runic equipment, Gareth could make short work of the undead fiends.

Robert, on the other hand, was relying on runic bombs and scrolls to deal with berserkers that continually respawned. Lucille was absent, her level not yet high enough for this area. Instead, she was working with the dwarven union, refining armor and weapons - an endeavor more aligned with her interests in crafting and runic management.

Roland had initially planned to assign this task to Armand and Lobelia, but the two had yet to return to Albrook. Though unharmed, they were taking their time wandering the kingdom. It was their first opportunity to explore freely after advancing to tier-3 class holders, so Roland chose not to press them.

He had warned them, however, that Count Graham might send forces after them due to their involvement in the recent incident. Even so, Roland refrained from dictating their actions. They were adults and capable of making their own decisions. He respected that and resolved not to interfere, regardless of their choice. Their substitute ended up being Gareth, someone who had gone through the process himself with the help of Mary.

“Sir Durendal is a natural, He probably won’t need half the time I did to advance further.”

Roland offered an approving nod as he observed Robert. His level had already increased, and it was only his first day of training here. There was no doubt in Roland’s mind that his brother would soon reach the required level to attempt his ascension trial. Once Robert reached that milestone, he would also be able to watch over Lucille when her time came.

While rapid level gains were beneficial, Roland was keenly aware of the risks. If too many skills lagged behind, the range of tier 3 class options would diminish significantly. Balance was essential, and he hoped Robert kept this in mind as he progressed in his training.

This concern was also one of the primary reasons Roland was establishing his own monster training ground. Once it was complete, it would provide his sister-in-law with a controlled environment to hone her skills. She could practice casting spells against tier-3 skeletons, pushing herself until her mana was completely drained, allowing her to develop both her power and endurance efficiently.

“Great to hear that, if you’re in any trouble, don’t forget to activate the device I gave you.”

Robert nodded while looking at a bracelet that was around his wrist. It would envelop him in a strong veil of mana for a few minutes but also inform Roland of the trouble.

“I will, but I don’t think it will be necessary.”

Roland smiled at his brother's confidence, though he couldn't entirely shake off his concerns. It was good that Robert was optimistic, but the dungeon was unpredictable. Overconfidence could be fatal. Still, Roland chose to trust in the preparations they had made.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.”

Roland said.

“Sir Gareth, keep an eye on him and keep each other out of trouble. Even if the monsters here are susceptible to holy energies, that can not be said for the adventurers, be cautious.”

Gareth nodded with a solemn expression. Even though they had the Valerian crests on them, this would not protect them from everyone. There were still people they needed to watch out for. Theodore probably had some adventurers working for him and they would be handsomely rewarded for slaying a knight commander inside of a dungeon. People were quite unaware of the monitoring system and would feel emboldened to act.

"Understood, High Commander. We'll keep our guard up. No adventurer will get the jump on us."

Satisfied, Roland turned to leave the chamber. Agni had finished clearing the nearby undead and now sat at the chamber's entrance, his tail wagging. The faint glow of his flames illuminated the dark corridor, creating an otherworldly halo around him.

"Good work, Agni. Come on, let's head deeper. I promised not to stay more than five days down here."

With everything sorted out here, he could finally begin his adventure. His goal was to explore areas that others weren’t yet prepared to venture into. While the new dungeon had attracted many platinum-ranked adventurers, most of them were still greenhorns in their new rank.

The top-tier adventurers remained in the main city, where they had access to the prestigious S-rank dungeon. There was little incentive for them to come here, leaving this dungeon largely populated by those below level 200. These adventurers focused more on grinding levels in safer areas than on delving deeper into unexplored and dangerous zones.

Thanks to his map, Roland easily avoided the usual grinding spots and encounters with other adventurers. Agni was highly effective against the monsters they encountered, leaving Roland to handle cleanup.

In the past, he would have needed a mule golem trailing behind to carry their loot. Now, there was no need. With a simple Mage Hand spell, the monster cores, bones, and weapons were swiftly gathered and deposited into his runic storage space.

As before, Agni had to relinquish most of the corrupt undead stones they encountered, their tainted nature rendering them unsuitable for eating. However, the trip wasn’t without its rewards. From one of the dungeon’s secret hidden chambers, Roland managed to retrieve a black mithril weapon - a heavy, ominous-looking mace adorned with skull motifs along its handle. Holding it was awkward due to the design, and its weight was not something a normal person could handle.

‘Maybe I could give this to Robert once he becomes a tier 3 class holder? But I guess, he is more of a sword user… but there is enough mithril in this one to make a longsword.’

He examined it thoughtfully, already considering how to repurpose the metal. Thanks to his Runesmith class, the weapons and items he received didn’t matter much. In fact, he preferred finding items like tower shields or bulky weaponry such as this one. The more metal they contained, the more enchanted artifacts he could craft from them.

They continued their journey, retracing their steps to the temple area where he had first encountered Rastix and the adventurer party that abandoned him. The altar still stood there, perched atop a flattened pyramid reminiscent of Aztec architecture. This time, however, the area was deserted as there were no people around, nor any items left for him to take.

‘Would this be a good place for some farming?’

Previously, adventurers had triggered a trap on that altar, causing a swarm of undead monsters to attack. He wondered if he could do the same and farm them for experience. It seemed like a tempting prospect, but with the item that had triggered the trap already missing, he wasn’t sure it would work. In the end, he decided against it. His primary goal was to push deeper into the ruins and perhaps uncover a boss chamber.

“Come on, Agni. The monster’s levels are only going to get higher now so I’ll be taking point. “

“Awooo?”

“Sure, I trust you but we can never be too cautious down here, this is where the fun ends.”

“Woof!”

“Good, let’s see what’s waiting for us further down.”

The pair pressed on, descending another level into the depths of the dungeon. The air grew heavier, infused with the stale scent of earth, sulfur, and even metal. The walls pulsed faintly with mana veins, their glow dim and sporadic but still able to illuminate the long winding corridors. This was now uncharted ground for him, so caution was essential.

Roland's visor displayed a detailed minimap, though its effectiveness diminished with every step deeper into the dungeon's lower layers. While parts of the dungeon had been mapped by previous adventurers, they were now venturing into uncharted territory, beyond the reach of even his advanced sensors.

Missions had been issued to adventurers to deploy mapping devices in these unexplored areas, but not all of them had succeeded in reaching their designated targets. As a result, Roland now had to handle the task himself, ensuring the devices were placed properly to extend the map's coverage.

As they delved deeper, they began encountering higher-level monsters. While the types of enemies remained mostly the same - predominantly groups of infernal skeletons - their organization and numbers became more challenging. These undead resembled twisted versions of adventuring parties, with shield bearers forming sturdy frontlines and archers positioned strategically in the back.

The frequency of liches appearing also increased, making further progress largely more tedious. However, thanks to the divine aura wielded by both Roland and Agni, they were able to advance relatively smoothly through the dungeon's uncharted depths. The corridors led them to more temples and crypts. Some were swarming with monsters, while others held hidden treasures waiting to be claimed.

Eventually, they arrived at a set of stairs, these noticeably different from the ones they had encountered before. The size of the staircase felt off - much larger than necessary for a small group of wandering adventurers. It seemed as though it was designed to accommodate a larger force, perhaps hinting at the significance of what lay ahead.

Roland’s interest was piqued. The monsters they were now encountering had reached levels in the one-nineties. If this dungeon followed the same patterns as others he had explored, this area might be near the entrance to the boss chamber.

“Probably best to be careful from now on. Let’s see what’s down there first.”

The runes etched into his back began to glow softly as he summoned a small, floating dodecahedron. Its intricate runes illuminated, responding to his command. The device drifted forward, descending the stairs to scout the area below. On three of its distinct faces, golemic eyes were active, transmitting detailed visuals of the surroundings back to him.

“Interesting. What is that chamber? Could it really be the boss chamber?”

He murmured to himself, intrigued by what he saw. The images displayed were fascinating - an expansive, ominous chamber. After his drone completed several scans, confirming the layout and presence of magical energy signatures, Roland decided it was time to proceed and explore the area firsthand.