Returning Happens in an Instant

As far as I remember in ‘Dungeon God’, collecting the Rune of the Abyss did not unlock any special abilities or grant such effects.

On the contrary, it was full of penalties.

If a player entered a dungeon with a Rune of the Abyss in their possession, a unique monster targeting that player would appear, or the dungeon’s difficulty would increase to absurd levels—things like that.

Because of this, various guilds collected Runes of the Abyss strategically.

They would consolidate the Rune of the Abyss into the hands of one person, then have that person enter the dungeon as late as possible for safety, or sometimes use the Rune of the Abyss holder as bait at the front, luring monsters to be dealt with collectively.

That’s the kind of approach they took.

Still.

If you’re given something, you might as well use it.

I twisted my body, wanting to confirm what ability was unlocked by the Rune of the Abyss.

How do you check this? What must I do for it to show up?

“Brother Dmihtan?”

“Brother, do you perhaps have fleas on you!”

The two looked startled at me twisting my body this way and that. I made up some excuse and started investigating again.

It didn’t take long. After I twisted my body once more, it appeared before my eyes.

* 〈Rune of the Abyss Level 2〉

– Increases all faith levels by 1 stage.

Did it say it increases faith levels by one stage?

I clicked my tongue in disbelief at this ridiculous effect.

In ‘Dungeon God’, faith level is essentially the measure of combat power. The powers unlocked with ‘faith level’ not only could overturn type advantages but also drastically reverse unfavorable battle conditions.

To put it bluntly, “Dungeon God” was a faith-based gacha hell.

That’s why raising your faith level was extremely difficult.

Some gods were so finicky, it was hard to tell if they were real gods or just jerks, leaving your faith level stalled for long periods.

“Thrag, who delights in acts committed with meaning, is cute by comparison.”

One god would only acknowledge your faith if you equipped ‘cursed gear’.

Another would recognize your faith only if you sacrificed your sight.

Given that, unconditionally raising ‘faith level’ by one stage was an enormous benefit.

* 〈Faith Level: 3 [Thrag’s Missionary]〉

Really.

Originally, it was level 2, but thanks to the Rune of the Abyss, it became 3.

* 〈A new divine power has been unlocked.〉

If your faith in Thrag reaches level 3, a divine power is unlocked. This was something I knew.

【 Hardened Blood 】

– Hardens your blood with Thrag’s blessing.

– Greatly reduces physical damage taken for a short time.

– Blood stored in your Blood-Colored Awl is treated as your own.

* 【You have learned ‘Hardened Blood’.】

It’s a power that momentarily hardens your blood to increase your defense.

Unlike ‘Curse of Boiling Blood’, which promised miraculous increases in attack power, this ability simply hardens you with no risk.

Moreover, the more faith you expend, the greater the reduction in physical damage.

This is a favorite for melee classes, who are always brawling.

However.

I have no use for it.

Why? Because I’m a necromancer.

What good is a sturdier body for me?

Maybe my survival rate increases a little, but I don’t fight up close.

“Another useless ability?”

I knew Thrag was a god for melee classes, but every ability he unlocked was like this, making me sigh.

I managed to make use of “Curse of Boiling Blood” thanks to “Curse Mastery,” but this one really seemed hard to put to use.

Wait?

I read the tooltip for “Hardened Blood” again.

It said blood stored in the Blood-Colored Awl was also considered as my own?

If that’s the case, perhaps there is a way to use it.

* * *

Even without explanation, one knows that animals are at their most defenseless when asleep.

With that in mind, we agreed to take turns standing guard.

“I don’t need sleep! Even if I lose consciousness, Thrag will alert me to danger!”

Barkal, who was excited about camping, enthusiastically volunteered to take every single guard shift.

Of course, I stopped him. We didn’t know what might happen on the way back to Iushil, and if Barkal couldn’t participate in combat due to sleep deprivation, it would be a huge problem.

Besides…

“Crrroooaaaaargh!!”

He laid out a blanket in the wagon and fell asleep in an instant.

Didn’t you just say you didn’t need sleep?

“Crrroooaaaaooooorrrgh!!”

Yeah, right.

I had the first watch. Sitting by the campfire, I started keeping an eye on the surroundings.

The sound of grass swaying in the wind.

Distant cries of wild animals.

A sky full of stars.

The scenery was full of romance, but knowing the world of “Dungeon God”—where a single slip could mean death—made it feel like this peace wouldn’t last long.

Still, I was alive.

Back when I realized that my faith as a necromancer was given to Thrag, all I could think about was dying.

“Craaaaaaahhh!”

What’s with this crazy bastard?

I got up, took another blanket, and put it over Barkal’s head.

This idiot won’t even take off his skull helmet while sleeping. I tossed a blanket over his face and shoved him deeper into the wagon.

That’s better.

Now then, since both Barkal and Serena seemed to be asleep, there was something I wanted to check.

I pulled the Blood-Colored Awl from my cloak. There’s a reason it’s a divine-rank item.

Even though I hadn’t maintained it at all, the blade was still pristine.

“They said the blood stored in the Blood-Colored Awl counts as my own.”

A palmful of blood.

I gathered it in my hand and used the newly acquired power.

* 【Using Hardened Blood.】

Really. The blood in my hand hardened, even if only for a brief time.

Not bad.

Even if it only lasts a moment, if I can solidify the blood stored in the Blood-Colored Awl, there are various ways to use it.

Just for testing,

I swung the Blood-Colored Awl and fired the blood inside.

* 【Using Hardened Blood.】

Just before the blood floating through the air hit a tree, I used Hardened Blood.

The blood struck the tree like a bullet.

This is pretty good. While I wouldn’t call it a “ranged attack method” just yet, the fact that I have a “method” at all is a positive.

“… Brother Dmihtan?”

While I was testing, a voice suddenly startled me from behind. The owner of the voice was Serena.

“Serena, it’s not your shift yet.”

Why did she get up, when it’s not her turn to stand watch?

“Yes, I know.”

“Then why are you awake?”

“It’s just…”

Serena looked a little downcast. Maybe it was because of what happened in the dungeon today? That’s quite possible.

We could laugh about it now, but in truth, we almost died.

Our opponent had been a necromancer, the common enemy of the world.

And, even if only symbolically, he was also a ‘god’.

It wouldn’t have been strange if we had died. Such things might happen again in the future—so I would understand if she wanted to quit the party.

“My heart is racing… I can’t sleep.”

What?

“Today… it was a real adventure. The kind of adventure I always dreamed of!”

She pumped her fist in excitement.

“We cleared out waves of enemies, stood back-to-back with companions, and overcame danger in the end! It was exactly the sort of adventure I’d imagined!”

“I thought you’d be scared. I wasn’t going to stop you if you wanted to leave.”

“Me!? No way!”

Serena asked in surprise.

Come to think of it, she’s the same woman who enjoys breaking bones and learning joint locks.

Sorry for underestimating you.

“Brother Dmihtan.”

“What?”

“Can I ask you something?”

A question?

Seeing that I didn’t mind, she continued.

“Why did you become an adventurer?”

Me?

“I think I know why Brother Barkal left the tribe.”

True, we had talked about Barkal’s brother recently. She must be guessing from that.

Why did I leave the tribe?

And why did I become an adventurer?

Simple—I left to survive.

Who knew what might happen if a necromancer stayed in a barbarian tribe?

Especially when the priest of the Red Wolf Tribe was glaring daggers at me, looking for any excuse to get rid of me.

I had to get out while I could.

Why did I become an adventurer?

Also simple.

I wanted to achieve an unrealized dream. I wanted to see the end of a story I hadn’t yet read.

Rather than such lofty reasons, honestly, I’m curious what would happen if I became a god.

If I did become a god, at least I wouldn’t have to work six days a week.

“To become a great barbarian.”

Though I deliberated a bit, I answered Serena’s question simply.

Looking at my serious expression, Serena started to admire me, seeming as though she understood—even if it wasn’t my real intent.

“Such an admirable resolve! From the perspective of the ‘Dungeon God’ party, brother Dmihtan, you’re already a great barbarian!”

“Thank you.”

After chatting for a bit, a question formed in my mind about Serena, too.

Why would someone from such a good family choose to work as an adventurer?

“Well, for me too, it’s to become a great adventurer!”

When I asked, she answered with a beaming smile.

A great adventurer, huh.

Would you have to at least be platinum-rank to be considered ‘great’?

I couldn’t grasp her standard, but I figured Serena had her own.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing!”

“What’s that?”

“I’m also searching for an adventurer who smells of roses!”

An adventurer who smells of roses?

“Yes! When I was young, someone taught me how exciting and thrilling adventuring could be!”

She was searching for someone, too. Fortunately, unlike Barkal, she was looking for someone who was still alive.

Still, “an adventurer who smells of roses?”

That’s so vague, I have no idea whom she’s looking for.

“Serena, I wish you luck.”

Regardless, I wished for Serena’s dream to come true.

“Yes!”

Serena replied brightly.

* * *

After camping, we set off for Iushil again.

Having been through once already, I was becoming familiar with the route. We reached Iushil in no time, without getting lost.

As expected, we headed straight for the Adventurers’ Guild.

We reported that we had safely explored the “Copper Grade Dungeon,” confirmed its collapse, and discovered a necromancer inside.

“A necromancer… in a copper grade dungeon?”

The receptionist was understandably surprised. Necromancers were supposed to appear only in ‘Silver Grade Dungeons’.

From silver grade upward, dungeons rapidly grew in difficulty, their insides became more complex, and their floors were divided into layers.

So, the idea that a necromancer had appeared in a copper grade dungeon was hard to believe.

“We went because we heard there were signs of a necromancer.”

“Y-yes, but…”

The receptionist looked troubled. Hard evidence would have helped.

Tsk.

If only we were ‘silver grade’, this wouldn’t have happened. I felt a pang of regret.

“Bunch of scammers.”

I heard murmurings behind me.

“You reached copper grade in under a month, shouldn’t you just be satisfied and quit while you’re ahead?”

“Trying to con us again? The shamelessness is unreal.”

People think adventurers are dreamers, but in truth, most do it just to survive.

Since we’d reached “copper grade” so quickly, there were bound to be plenty who were envious, whispering and cursing behind our backs.

Still, I’m the type to endure insults against myself.

Why?

“Barbarians are shameless just because they’ve got two in the party. If it were anyone else… kaagh!”

“If you have something to say, say it with your fists! That’s the law of men!”

“Uwaaaaagh!”

But Barkal dealt with it before I needed to lift a finger.

“Dmihtan, my brother! What should I do with this one?”

Barkal caught one of the mutterers, grabbed him by the collar, and asked me.

No point in asking after you’ve already beaten him up…

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

Punch first, ask questions later…

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep