Too Many Suspects

As we drew closer to the dungeon entrance indicated by the ‘mana stone compass’, we glanced back at the wagon following behind us.

There were three people in that wagon, including ‘Hyrat’s Cardinal’.

Most likely, one of those three is the ‘necromancer’.

Why do I think so?

The ‘Mortis necromancer’ is now in a situation where their ‘divine item’ is about to disappear.

In such a situation, they’d naturally try to recover the ‘divine item’ at any cost, so it’s only natural that they’d approach us to achieve their goal.

In other words, you’re the culprit!

The problem is—how many among those three are necromancers?

Either way, it’s a situation where we might have to fight at any moment. I briefly told Barkal and Serena what I was thinking.

“Then let’s ambush them!”

“That’s not allowed.”

“Why not?!”

Why? Because the chance that all three are ‘necromancers’ is almost nonexistent.

The time between going to the banquet hall and departing on this quest was far too short for them to call in any additional necromancers.

So the probability that a ‘regular person’ is mixed in is high; we can’t just rush in thoughtlessly.

“B-but, brother Dmihtan?”

This time Serena asked.

“If the cardinal really is a necromancer, would he really need to follow us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… If it’s a pantheon of an evil god, isn’t it impossible to sacrifice to it?”

That’s a reasonable point.

According to Girinil, if it’s an ‘evil god’s pantheon’, you wouldn’t be able to offer the ‘right eye’ as a sacrifice, so why would he risk accompanying us?

“Do you believe what he said?”

He’s a necromancer!

Even if there’s a Thrag or Liberas pantheon, he’d lie to keep us out.

I won’t be fooled, you scoundrel. Never!

“B-brother Dmihtan.”

Serena called out to me again.

“You seem a little too excited… or is it just my imagination?”

Excited, am I?

Now that I think about it, I suppose I am. I must be excited at the thought of learning a new necromancy technique.

Calm down.

It’s not impossible for us to be joined by someone we’re meeting for the first time in this situation.

By that time, we had reached the dungeon entrance. There, an adventurer party waved at us.

“Oh, so you’re also adventurers who have accepted this dungeon quest?”

Never met before.

Same goal.

So you’re necromancers too!

“Experience points are rolling in! Get ready to fight, Barkal!”

“P-please, calm down, brother Dmihtan!”

* * *

Thanks to Serena’s intervention, I barely managed to keep my composure.

Still, the current situation is hardly reassuring.

Excluding us, there are seven others who have entered this ‘bronze-rank dungeon.’

One of them must be the necromancer after the ‘right eye’, who read my forum post.

How do we single them out?

As I was mulling over this, Barkal was the first to raise his hand.

“I have an idea.”

“What is it, brother?”

In reply, Barkal stroked his axe, Erindal, and said,

“I’ll just cut them in half! If they turn to dust when they are split, they’re a necromancer!”

It’s true. Unless it’s a special case, when a ‘necromancer’ dies, they turn to dust by default.

So, as Barkal says, if they turn to dust, they’re a necromancer.

Serena, upon hearing this ‘brilliant plan’, looked troubled and said,

“W-what if they’re just a regular person?”

Barkal only shook his head.

“It’s just unfortunate.”

That’s all? You lunatic.

“That method is too extreme, brother Barkal!”

“Sometimes, you have to be extreme! Our enemies won’t wait for us!”

You’re not sometimes extreme; you’re always extreme.

“Leave it to me! I’ll check each one personally!”

“Barkal, listen carefully to what I say.”

While Barkal’s approach is the simplest way to identify a necromancer, there’s a massive problem with it.

Let’s try to explain it in ‘barbarian logic’ to make him understand.

“Suppose, in the Red Wolf tribe, you saw the priest using revolting magic.”

“How dare a priest touch such revolting magic! I’d kill him right away!”

No, I said suppose, just imagine.

“Naturally, you’d say the priest was a necromancer, right?”

“Of course!”

“But you have no proof. Which means you could end up being attacked instead.”

Barkal stroked his chin for a moment, deep in thought.

“In the worst case, the priest could ruin your honor and have you banished from the tribe.”

“What does that have to do with this, brother?”

“If you cut an innocent person in half, we’ll have to fight the remaining six people here.”

That should get through to him. Fortunately, Barkal nodded.

At that moment, I felt that Barkal had grown a little.

In the old days, he would’ve exploded and yelled “Then I’ll kill all six too!”

“So how do we figure out who the necromancer is?”

At Serena’s question, I closed my eyes to think.

Unless necromancy was used very recently, ‘Necromancy Tracking’ is useless.

What should I do…

Deep in thought, Serena spoke up first.

“H-how about we at least go greet the other adventurers?”

Sound idea. We haven’t even introduced ourselves yet, after all.

After entering the dungeon, we unloaded our gear from the wagon and approached the adventurer party preparing for their dungeon exploration.

Noticing us, the adventurers turned their eyes to us. Among them, the most tidy and sophisticated-looking man approached.

“Greetings, Dungeon God adventurer party! An honor to be on the same quest as you!”

“You know who we are?”

“Of course! Your reputation is well known among adventurers!”

In a bad way?

“You reached ‘bronze rank’ faster than the Golden Wind who are platinum-rank adventurers! And I heard you’re aiming for a record promotion to ‘silver rank’ in the shortest time ever too!”

“I’m not really aiming for it.”

“Still, it’s an amazing feat!”

The noble-looking man offered a genial smile.

He looked so genuinely ‘kind’ that I almost dropped my guard, but something felt off.

His party members looked extremely grim, almost like livestock being marched to the slaughterhouse.

“My name is Tanis! Tanis Handin! As you can see, I’m a fighter class!”

Offering his name and holding out his hand for a handshake, I responded as I shook his hand.

“I am Barbarian Dmihtan.”

“I know you, of course!”

“What are the names of your companions?”

I pointed to Tanis’s party members as I spoke.

“Oh, those lot? They’re not my companions. They’re slaves!”

For a split second, Serena’s eyes narrowed at the word ‘slaves’.

“Normally, I wouldn’t explain—but I’ll show you why I keep slaves out of respect for you.”

Tanis, still feigning friendliness, looked at the adventurers unloading supplies from the wagon and shouted,

“Number Four! Come here!”

Obediently, the woman called Number Four cautiously approached us.

When she came near, Tanis grabbed her by the right wrist as if it were the most natural thing, and showed it to us.

“Do you see this?”

He held up her wrist for us to examine.

There was a tattoo on her wrist, quite different from the type I usually imagined.

A web and knots intertwined—ah, I remember what this is.

“It’s the symbol of Ligato—the god of connection and bond.”

“Exactly! You really do know your stuff!”

Tanis clapped with delight at my words. Then he showed us the tattoo inked on his own clavicle.

“It’s the same sigil of my faith, Ligato. And those who bear this symbol—”

Suddenly, Tanis pulled a small dagger from his pocket. Then, without hesitation, he sliced his wrist.

“Kyaa!”

The pain of blade against skin—but the scream was not Tanis’s. It was the woman at his side.

And there was no wound at all. Of course—this was the power of Ligato, God of connection and bond.

“The pain I feel is transferred to the one bonded through this sigil. That’s the power Ligato granted me.”

Tanis smiled with a self-satisfaction like he’d performed a party trick.

Frankly, when I saw Ligato’s symbol, I figured it’d be something like this.

A combat method where the strongest person doesn’t take the damage—the harm is transferred to someone else.

It’s a useful trick, even in Dungeon God.

I think it’s a neat concept, but only when everyone involved consents.

“Did your companions agree to have that mark inscribed?”

“Companions? They’re slaves.”

“Even if they’re slaves, the mark can’t be inscribed without permission, as I understand it.”

‘Ligato’s’ sigil can’t be etched without the bearer’s approval.

“Impressive. You even know that.”

Tanis chuckled, then said,

“I got their permission—with a whip. There’s nothing better for getting a slave’s consent.”

Hmm.

I sighed inwardly as I looked over the companions Tanis had brought.

Anyway, what matters is smoking out the disguised necromancer. There’s no need to get any more involved than this.

Still, there was one thing I felt I had to say.

“You probably won’t live long.”

At my words, Tanis scowled slightly. We passed him and headed toward the heart of the ‘bronze-rank dungeon’.

“What do you think of him, brother?”

Once we were out of earshot, Serena cautiously asked.

What do I think? They’re all suspicious!

From the start, the timing of our involvement with the cardinal or this adventurer party is suspicious as can be.

What if they’re all necromancers?

Shrugging off my suspicion, I surveyed the inside of the ‘bronze-rank dungeon’. Its layout resembled the interior of an ancient castle.

Inside were Girinil and his guards, who had arrived ahead of us.

“I’ve been waiting.”

If you came to purify the ‘pantheon’, why wait for us? This guy seems even more suspicious.

Just as I was thinking that, I realized why Girinil was waiting.

A massive, firmly shut door stood at the center.

On each side were three smaller, open doors.

Directly before us stood a monument engraved with text.

[First, you must seek the trace of wisdom.

Second, you must pass the trial of courage.

Third, you must prove your faith.

Only after seeing and engraving all these in your heart

shall my true face, hidden behind this great door,

greet you.]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep