#020. First-String Tryouts are Too Nice (1)

#020. First-String Tryouts are Too Nice (1)

The dungeon near Sodom Village is extremely dangerous.

The dungeon itself is a secret base built by mages for experiments they can’t publicly reveal, and these kinds of dungeons passively involve human experimentation.

Unlike naturally occurring dungeons, artificial dungeons are even rigged with elaborate traps to repel adventurers.

‘There were many cases where players pushed adventurers, who they worked hard to raise, into such places after only learning about the characteristics of naturally occurring dungeons. Everyone died.’

This sort of playthrough is doomed.

Fail to clear the dungeon within the time limit, and the dangerous elements within will break free, devastating the village and the guild.

Even if people dispatched from the large city clean up the mess, the player will lose their job and serve prison time with the guild master as punishment for mismanaged guild operations and loss of life.

It’s obviously a bad ending.

And if the fact that they’re being brainwashed gets exposed in the process?

It’s the death penalty.

That’s a dead ending.

Dead endings result in the forfeiture of special bonus rewards given for achieving different endings and progression rates, so it’s an ending to be avoided at all costs.

That’s why, among players, research has been conducted on how to prevent the fact of brainwashing from being exposed, even if it seems like the playthrough is doomed. But that’s not something to think about now.

‘So, it is this dungeon.’

The immediate task is the ＜Abandoned Mine Dungeon＞, which Part 3 boss, Bully Papa Ronowe, pressured the guild into attacking.

The Abandoned Mine Dungeon is seemingly classified as a naturally occurring dungeon.

There are tales from miners about encountering mineral-type monsters that emerged from deep underground, which they shouldn’t have dug into at the magic stone mine.

There were many monsters twisted by the raw, unmined energy of the mana stones unearthed in the world.

By all accounts, this was a textbook example of a naturally occurring dungeon.

But the abandoned mine dungeon harbored a hidden sector.

A mage’s laboratory.

The mineral lifeforms were creations of the mage’s hand, and the mana stone energy leak was a deliberate emanation from the secret facilities within the hidden sector.

Naturally, a true boss monster guarded those facilities.

The crucial point was how to convey this information to Mom and the party without appearing suspicious.

“Exceeding the recommended number of adventurers certainly seems to attract monsters like a swarm of bees.”

“Theresa. I know of your strength, but if that swarm flanks us through the mine’s complex tunnels, I cannot guarantee the children’s safety.”

“Scared, are ya? I can handle it, nya.”

As if she were truly a wild cat-beast, the captain of the guard suddenly unleashed a taunt.

“Quiet.”

“Nya?!”

“The children’s safety is paramount.”

Mom delivered a nuclear punch to the top of the guard captain’s head, causing her to clutch it with both hands and squeal, “Nyaa, nyaaa.”

Perhaps because it sounded like a cat’s meow, it wasn’t unpleasant to hear.

If this was the reason people tormented beast-kin, perhaps I, too, possessed the sadistic impulses of a beast-kin abuser.

Then again, my very identity was that of an inherently wicked mind-controller.

It would be stranger if I *didn’t* possess a wicked heart.

“We’ll split the party.”

The dungeon entry penalty that activates when exceeding five members includes ＜Location Detection＞.

A function enabling all lifeforms within the dungeon to sense an intruder’s location within a certain radius.

Once Location Detection activates, the number of monsters appearing triples, at a minimum.

Having to face such a sheer number of enemies at once drains more stamina and increases the number of factors to consider.

Monsters would even relocate to ambush points optimized for attacking intruders, lying in wait.

‘I don’t want to be separated from Mom… but for now, I have no choice.’

Mom and the cat-beast guard captain entered the dungeon.

For reference, her name was Hanyanya, but I thought it sounded lame so I just called her Guard Captain.

“A day off, and you’re still heading to the guild office?”

“I want to get even a little more information that could help Mom.”

“Kuh… why is she always so admirable? Makes me want to get pregnant.”

“What vulgar words to say in front of a child?”

Left on the surface with Gorgo, Nina, and Anna, instead of lazing around, I lent my ear to request information available at the guild and the rumors circulating among adventurers.

The former was information about the dungeon boss’s type.

━━━

[Rank 4 Request]

Request Name: Suppression of Malax’s Shards

Request Type: Named Target Suppression

Synopsis:

Malax’s Shards are fragments that have broken off from a massive mineral lifeform dwelling in the underground depths.

A ＜Remnant＞, devoid of the original’s strength and solidity, a ＜Residue＞ comprised of digested souls—a type of impurity far less dangerous than the primeval Malax.

Even that pettiness was deemed a threat to the miners, hence the mine owner’s request.

Reward: Tier 5 Advancement, a Malax Shard, 30 Gold Coins, a Guild-Affiliated Smithy’s Tier 5 Equipment Forging Catalogue (one-time use).

━━━

The reward alone speaks volumes.

Evidence of the danger involved.

Through this request, I also gleaned this additional intel.

━━━

[Intel Analysis]

Malax splinters, to avoid being consumed by the original Malax’s predation, typically migrate vast distances, appearing as solitary entities.

Furthermore, their cruel nature, mirroring that of the original, and their rapacious feeding habits preclude symbiosis with other predators.

Few potent specimens reside within the dungeon; no mid-boss exists, and the sole boss is but a Malax splinter.

Moreover, Ronove knows the location of the primeval Malax and may be able to influence the splinter’s movements.

For a successful raid, techniques, weaponry, or dissolving agents capable of penetrating or melting solid minerals are required.

Strength-based/blunt weapon-wielding and agile adventurers are favored.

━━━

Unless one intends to turn Gorgo into fried-eel-esque scraps, pitting her against the boss is inadvisable.

Nina’s arrows, though perhaps Power Shot techniques might be effective, would be of exceedingly low efficiency.

Adventurers of a certain caliber form clans, dividing into Party 1 and Party 2, selecting personnel tailored to the specific raid’s needs.

Gorgo and Nina are ineligible personnel.

Joining us as Party 2 was the appropriate course.

Teresa’s party, whether or not Mom intended it, naturally fell into the clan’s Party 1/Party 2 categorization system.

“Hearing there are a lot of adventurers moving into this town these days?”

“Now that a dungeon request’s popped up, bound to be many looking to dip their toes in.”

“Indeed. Dungeons offer such a bountiful one-shot deal.”

“Heard there are merchants seeking mineral monster corpses, and mado-engineers wanting to buy only energy orbs?”

“Must be making a killing.”

I gleaned this supplementary intel from the adventurers’ conversations.

━━━

[Intel Analysis]

Information leakage for Ronove’s assassin deployment occurred with haste.

No word of Beastfolk heading here directly, so a Beastfolk concealing their identity might appear.

━━━

A Beastfolk concealing their identity and betraying trust is, of course, more dangerous than one arriving openly.

Male party members require particularly close scrutiny.

Just as female physical examinations are stringent in the original world, so too are male adventurers’ here.

However, adding physical examinations to the party recruitment procedure is out of the question.

The backlash would range from accusations of excessive caution to a public outcry from adventurers under Papa’s influence.

We must increase personnel more judiciously.

Ideally, we wouldn’t recruit anyone, but that’s an impossibility.

‘Not even a guide for the moment.’

The feline security captain, acute hearing aside, wasn’t exactly guide material.

━━━

[Supplies]

Commissioning merchant’s abandoned mine map

Laid-off miner’s secret path map

Terrain-blasting dynamite

Subjugation-grade adhesive bombs

Subjugation-grade throwing bombs

Magical artifact: Oxygen mask

Magical artifact: Night vision goggles

Pureblooded human female guide party member

━━━

So much available from outside.

This was, after all, the role of an adventurer’s guild employee.

Gathering information and supplies helpful for commission completion.

And transactions.

Gorgoth’s eyes welled up, seeing me diligently composing the list.

“Poor lad. Others his age are out playing, but since his mother was busy with work, he’s been a breadwinner since he was a little boy, only increasing his skill in labor.”

“I enjoy doing this. I don’t think I’m sacrificing myself because of Mom.”

“Ha. Such humility, and the tender way he cares for Anna so she doesn’t feel uncomfortable. As a man myself, I could just snatch you up as a groom.”

At this rate, I’d end up with the title of Top Bachelor.

“But mineral monsters, you have to break their power cores to catch them, right? How can you sell them? It’d be a shattered mess.”

“Dunno. Never bothered catching those tough guys, no fun shooting at them.”

Nina shrugged at Gorgoth’s question.

*I’m just as clueless*, her gesture implied.

Unexpectedly, another adventurer provided the answer.

“Crack or pry open the metal around the power core to secure the orb.”

“Huh? And who might you be?”

“An adventurer from a neighboring city. Like the rest, highly interested in dungeon expeditions.”

A male adventurer with a headband, the result of a compromise between wanting to look stylish and not wanting his vision obstructed.

He casually slipped out a recording pen, twirling it like a top to display his dexterity, before stowing it in his sleeve and extending a hand.

“Grade 4 Guide, Javek. I can map terrain and keep logs. How about me for a dungeon guide?”

“Nah. What we need in a dungeon is a sturdy tank who can handle the volume.”

A hammer warrior in tinplate armor clanged his armor, the sound thundering.

“Mother Theresa’s party has no shortcomings. Grade 4 Tank, Urdon. Take me along.”

Following the two, a throng of adventurers, as if they had been waiting, began clamoring to appeal to us.

None of the human NPCs who held key roles, with their randomized stats per playthrough, were named.

Even if I could trust them, immediate hiring was impossible.

The authority to select party members, after all, rested with Mom.

Saying such things would make us look terribly foolish.

‘Gorgo and Nina are not people who deserve to be treated that way.’

Lono, the boss of the Third Division.

Forced into the reserves because of Bully Papa, causing Mom to be forced to raid dungeons.

Even now, there are whispers—not entirely absent—that they are merely incompetent nannies because they are separated from Mom and only take care of us.

And if a power struggle were to erupt on top of that.

The two of them might be alright, but a wicked mind-controller like me cannot allow it.

That is why I prepared this.

Even without Mom, even without the authority to recruit party members.

A very clever trick that wouldn’t make us look foolish, and would even bring in party members.

“I will recommend anyone who solves this puzzle to join Mom in dungeon raids.”

Huzzle.

A puzzle where you remove or separate pieces, and sometimes, conversely, assemble the separated pieces back into one.

In the world, the name *Huzzle* was also famous as a separate name for Huzzles made of metal rings.

That *Huzzle*’s name was ＜The Ring of Wisdom＞.

A brain tormenting device that would only shatter into pieces if you used brute force, like fitness equipment.