Roland frowned, stepping back to examine the stubborn wall that had resisted even his high-grade runic drill. The composition of the stone was unusual; while it appeared smooth and rune-inscribed like the rest of the dungeon, its durability far exceeded anything he had encountered before. Even the Lord of Fury’s body armor hadn’t been this resilient.
"Looks like this might take some time…”
While brute force didn’t seem to be working, there wasn’t really an alternative. He had examined the runes on the walls and searched the entire corridor, but there were no hidden passages he could detect. Destroying the walls was the only option left. However, he had no way of knowing if something worthwhile was on the other side - or how far he would have to go to reach it.
“Could it be the dungeon core? Or perhaps something else?”
Roland was still hoping to find a link to a higher-rank super dungeon within the island. The monsters here were strong, but at his current level, they wouldn’t help him advance as quickly as he wanted. Installing the turrets would provide some initial experience, but once he progressed further, he would be forced to stop.
‘I might have to go with Plan B…’
He did have an alternative plan to address his leveling problem - one that didn’t rely on this dungeon leading further in. The area already provided a wealth of rare materials. High-level monsters didn’t always yield high returns; some didn’t drop anything valuable. But the elemental metals and crystals he had gathered could be forged into weaponry fit for Knight Commanders and beyond. It was enough for the next stage of Albrook’s evolution.
“Well then Agni.”
“Woof!”
“Why don’t we get some help this time around?”
Roland looked at Agni, who was wagging his tail. He had already spent a few days inside this dungeon. Normally, he would take out his entire toolbox and assemble a better drill on the spot to push into the potential new area. He had done it before—grinding to reach Tier 3 and tackling countless challenges alone. But now that he was older and had more allies, handling everything by himself was no longer the best option.
There were two paths he could take: he could keep the existence of the potential pathway a secret and claim all the benefits for himself, or he could involve others and speed up the process. The first option would likely yield greater rewards, but it would be far slower than enlisting professional dwarven miners to dig the tunnel for him. Dungeons tended to close in on themselves over time, so reinforcing the walls was essential. Doing it all alone would be tedious and he had to go back to the institute to perform another lecture soon.
“Awoo!”
“So we agree, let's just grab the loot then and go back.”
After making his decision, Roland turned away from the stubborn wall and headed back into the treasure room. He needed to transport the treasure back to Albrook. The wealth of magical artifacts, combined with the rare materials from the fallen golems, would help fund his next projects. More importantly, the Lord of Fury’s core was safely secured in his spatial storage, ready for further research. It likely contained a high-quality program - one that he could potentially implement in his own golems.
His constructs were patrolling outside, scanning the vast boss chamber, so he decided to handle the packing himself. Using his spells, he guided weapons, suits of armor, and other valuables into a neat pile before storing them away. However, only one item caught his eye - a large, ornate golden tinted axe.
| Eldergold Two-Handed Axe [ High ] [ Unique ] [ High Divine Smite ] [ Aura of Golden Glory ] |
“An Eldergold weapon? I’m sure the church would pay handsomely for this one… or should I just keep it?”
This type of weapon was favored by Paladins, but it was useless to regular warriors since it required faith to activate. It boasted two powerful enchantments: Divine Smite, one of the most effective spells against unholy beings, and Aura of Golden Glory, which created a zone where necrotic energies couldn’t survive while also boosting the strength of nearby allies.
While it was useless in the hands of most people, Roland was different. He lifted the axe and, after a few adjustments, channeled his emulated holy mana into its hilt. Almost instantly, an aura of divinity spread through the room. The Eldergold Axe pulsed in waves, illuminating the treasure chamber with a warm, golden glow.
Agni’s ears perked up, and he let out a curious whine, stepping cautiously into the aura’s embrace. As expected, the holy energy bolstered the wolf’s vitality, making his fur shimmer faintly.
“This would be a great weapon against a necromancer… and useful for clearing this dungeon too.”
He considered what to do with it. If it had been a sword, he would have given it to his brother, Robert, who needed a good weapon for his journey through the dungeon floors. While Roland lacked the faith of priests or paladins, he could design a mechanism using runes to alter someone else's mana, just as he had done for himself. However, without his specialized skills to reduce mana costs, others would likely only be able to use it once or twice before exhausting themselves. The weapon was still made from a material undead monsters were weak against and the spells were just an icing on the cake.
‘Eldergold is rarer than mithril… maybe I’ll just keep it for now.’
With the rare materials he had already gathered, his monetary worries were essentially over. Selling the axe wasn’t necessary. It had other uses - some political, others practical. He could always melt it down and experiment with the metal, testing its properties. Perhaps Rastix would even know of some alchemical recipes involving Eldergold.
Soon he placed the axe back into the spatial space and it was time to return. Roland took a moment to survey the treasure room one last time before heading back up the stairs. He had collected a wealth of items, but the nagging feeling of a hidden secret behind the impenetrable wall continued to claw at him. He knew it was something important, but for now, the time for discovery had to be put on hold. He had completed the dungeon dive, and his resources and time were too valuable to waste.
Agni followed closely behind, his fur still shimmering faintly with the residual holy energy from the Eldergold Axe. Roland could tell the wolf was feeling stronger, as if the brief exposure to the aura had rejuvenated him. The dungeon had certainly offered its rewards, but it was clear that Roland needed to move forward with his plans for Albrook. With the materials he'd gathered, he could accelerate his progress in improving the defenses and infrastructure of the city.
Once at the top, he noticed that the golems had finished salvaging the remaining materials. Their mechanical bodies clanked as they moved, their systems still functional but clearly worn from the intense battle with the Lord of Fury. Once everything was done, he retrieved his golems and let them settle back in his spatial storage with the rest of everything.
For a moment, he thought that none of this would have been possible if he hadn’t decided to visit the institute. Before, he had struggled with storage, forced to create bulky golems with enough girth to hold his items. Now, however, he could simply widen the opening with magic, allowing objects that once seemed far too large to fit inside.
He turned to Agni and gave the wolf a reassuring pat on the head.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead, but I think we’ve earned a break. Let’s go back home, boy,”
Roland said, though his voice carried a trace of uncertainty. There was still so much to do - so many variables to consider, and new obligations constantly arising. The choice to seek help hadn’t been entirely his own; he simply didn’t have enough time to do everything himself. Perhaps, once he created golems with enough intelligence, he would have other means of handling things. But for now, he had to rely on others.
Agni sneezed in response, as if to say he was eager to leave this dark cavern and get back outside. Before departing, Roland took a final look around. He placed various sensors and left a few of his floating golems behind to continue recording data. He needed to determine how long it would take for the boss to respawn - and, if possible, to gauge the true extent of that mysterious wall.
*****
“Lord Arthur, a letter has arrived… it’s from His Grace.”
“That’s certainly… unexpected.”
Arthur replied with a forced smile as he accepted the letter. The seal of the Valerian household was unmistakable - an emblem that couldn’t be forged and could only be opened through a specific procedure.
“I think this is only the second one he’s ever sent me…”
Arthur recalled receiving a similar letter when he was ordered to go to Albrook. At the time, he had assumed he was being cast away, banished to the rural outskirts of their territory - a place so insignificant that he would fade into obscurity, reduced to nothing more than a forgotten mayor. Yet, fate had taken an unexpected turn. His luck had only grown since then, and now, he could even stand in opposition to his brothers - at least to some extent.
“I never liked this part…”
Carefully, he withdrew a small, ornate needle from a carved wooden box on his desk. After a brief hesitation, he pricked his finger, allowing a single drop of blood to fall upon the seal. In that instant, the wax shimmered and softened beneath the touch of his heritage, acknowledging him as a Valerian. Arthur slowly broke the seal and unfolded the parchment, his eyes scanning the carefully scripted words.
Mary stood in silence as Arthur read. His fingers tightened around the parchment as he absorbed the contents of his father’s letter. The Duke’s words, as always, were precise - weighted with the authority of a man who commanded entire legions and shaped the course of noble affairs with the mere stroke of his quill.
“...”
“Is everything all right, Lord Arthur?”
Mary finally broke the silence. Arthur had remained quiet for a full minute after finishing the letter, his brows furrowing deeper with every line he had read. At last, he placed the parchment down on the desk, lost in thought. She hesitated to interrupt, yet curiosity gnawed at her - was this good news or bad?
“Ah… yes everything is fine, I just wasn’t expecting this to happen so early.”
Mary tilted her head slightly as Arthur spoke, his gaze still fixed on the letter. Though curiosity tugged at her, she knew her place as a maid - unless he chose to share its contents, she had no right to ask. Instead of pressing further, she studied his expression. The usual smirk that often played on his lips had vanished, replaced by something far more serious and contemplative.
“It seems an opportunity has presented itself.”
Arthur murmured while tapping the desk with his finger.
“But I’m not sure we have enough time to gather the necessary forces… this is indeed troubling…”
“Time?”
Mary replied, wondering what they needed more time for.
“Yes… We must prepare.”
He exhaled, then looked up at her his expression quite serious.
“Summon the High Knight Commander - I need his counsel.”
*****
“I really need to get that gate in there… This is far too inefficient.”
“Woof!”
Agni responded as the two made their way through the upper levels of the dungeon, now nearing the exit. Roland moved swiftly through the winding corridors, his thoughts still lingering on the mysterious wall and the hidden mana flow behind it. Though he had decided to retreat for now, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something big lay concealed beyond. However, with no immediate way to break through, he had no choice but to bide his time.
The dungeon exit was close. Upon reaching it, he slipped into his own tunnel, beginning the journey back to his workshop. The entire trip - between traveling, diving through the dungeon, and returning - had taken a little over five days. A timeframe he was determined to shorten next time.
Unbeknownst to him, his pace quickened, his feet moving faster and faster as his mouth began to water. Days of eating cold rations in the dungeon had only deepened his appreciation for his wife’s freshly made meals. He had grown quite attached to them - perhaps a little too much. More than that, he was beginning to realize just how much he missed her and the peace of home whenever he was away. Maybe he really was turning into an old fart.
‘Hm? Is there a problem?’
Just before reaching home, a flashing icon on his helmet’s display caught his attention - Arthur was trying to contact him. Though the two had grown closer, the young lord rarely reached out unless it was something important. Roland had planned to report his findings from the dungeon soon and request manpower for an expedition in a week's time. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring it up.
“Arthur?”
“Ah, it finally connected! Roland, my friend.”
“Is there trouble?”
He asked, opening the entrance to his workshop. His multiple minds were already scanning the area, checking for any nearby enemy forces. Sebastian had mentioned a messenger arriving earlier at Arthur’s estate, and Roland wondered if this had something to do with it.
“Trouble? Not exactly, but it’s best discussed in private. It’s an important matter that can’t wait.”
“I see. Give me a moment, I’ll be there in an hour.”
“Splendid.”
Arthur replied, his tone implying that it was truly something urgent. Roland ended the communication with a sigh. Whatever Arthur had to discuss, it was serious enough that he couldn't afford to delay it. Still, he needed a moment to clean up and at least grab a bite before heading out.
“Agni, looks like our break is going to be cut short or at least mine…”
While his wolf could stay here, he needed to head back into the city. Although he had grown accustomed to being around the soldiers and residents, he still didn’t like wandering through the streets where everyone recognized him.
His gaze fell on the teleportation chamber and the gate within it. He made a mental note to install a small gate in Arthur’s hidden underground training chamber, allowing him to avoid walking through the city as much as possible. Even though it would be a waste of materials and mana, he deemed it worthwhile as Arthur needed an escape route that could teleport him to a safe location if something went wrong.
‘I really have been slacking when it comes to these gates, I need to create a pocketed version, they don’t need to be as large as the ones at the mage towers.’
With that in mind, he headed into his workshop. Once there he called up Bernir to let him handle the sorting of items. Bernir arrived promptly, wiping his stained hands on a worn leather apron as he stepped into the largest chamber of the workshop. The half-dwarven craftsman had been hard at work on the latest turret schematics, but Roland’s sudden return meant that his priorities had to shift.
“Well, boss, I see you made it back in one piece.”
Bernir grinned, glancing at Roland’s armor, and could tell that it had been strained in the dungeon dive.
“Judgin’ by the look of you, I take it the dungeon wasn’t a walk in the park?”
Roland exhaled as he began unloading his spatial storage, a veritable treasure trove of magical artifacts, raw materials, and salvaged constructs spilling out onto the reinforced workbenches but also the floor. There was just not enough space to hold everything. The chamber was now lined with weapons, cracked golem cores, and various elemental ores.
“It was manageable.”
Roland replied, waving a hand as another set of neatly stacked elemental crystals appeared.
“But time-consuming. I’ve marked a possible hidden passage in the lower levels, though it’ll take more manpower to excavate… hm, maybe you’ll want to tackle it? Could use someone I can trust down there.”
“Me? In that dungeon…”
Bernir chuckled sheepishly as he had long since left his dungeon diving days behind. Working as a porter was just something he did to survive but his true passion lay in crafting.
“But… Boss, what is all of this…”
Bernir let out a low whistle as his eyes landed on the glimmering Eldergold axe, its divine aura still faintly pulsing.
“By the old gods, you didn’t happen to rob a church?”
“Hah, no… but just place this in the vault for now… I’ll leave these to you, Lord Arthur needs something from me but it shouldn’t take long.”
“Aye, leave it to me, Boss.”
Bernir eagerly began sorting the items, his eyes gleaming with delight as he examined the dungeon weapons and materials. Roland, on the other hand, prepared to leave. He needed to see what Arthur wanted, but for some reason, he had a feeling it wouldn’t be that simple.
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