The very skeleton of a dragon: "The very skeleton of a dragon. ...... Apparently, there is no doubt that the dragon has been struck down here.

　Maybe it's the white-boned dragon in front of him, but Felix, normally a calm and collected man, is more than a little excited.

　Several adventurers are gathered around the pile of dragon bones, their eyes changing color as they scrape away at the bones.

　Even a single small bag of bones can be turned into several silver coins.
　It is a valuable income for a fledgling adventurer.

　Incidentally, the absence of veteran adventurers is probably due to the unspoken understanding in the adventurer's industry that those who ruin a beginner's earning potential are despised.

Felix," he said. Felix, what's going on here? What's going on here?

　Garnett said doubtfully while Felix looked at the dragon's white bones with interest.

We were talking about killing the dragon a month ago. You can't expect such a large and stupid corpse to turn white bone in a month, no matter how much money a part of the corpse is worth. It's just a matter of time before they do.
No. That's what happens in a dungeon.

　It would be troublesome if the other knights suspected me, so I quickly interjected a denial.

I've told you that plants also have things like skills. The quick decomposition of an animal corpse and turning it into nutrients is part of that. A human being could be turned into a white bone corpse in a couple of days.

　A good example of a case I recently experienced was a white bone corpse that turned into a skeleton in a labyrinth left behind by a brave man.

　The adventurers who died there were decomposed by the magical action of the luminous moss to become nourishment, and the remaining bones turned into skeletons that attacked other adventurers.

　As expected, skeletonization occurs in only a few dungeons, but the rapid decomposition of corpses is a universal phenomenon that occurs in most dungeons.

　Of course, living animals have magical resistance, so living creatures are not affected by it - except in a few exceptional dungeons.

'So that's how flesh and entrails are lost, scales and claws are picked up by adventurers, and bones and horns are shaved off like that.

　Some adventurers might have dived into the dungeon as fast as they could and cut the dragon's flesh out of it, but it would only be a fraction of the mass of the whole.

'I'm supposed to believe that?　Don't be so random. ......
''Garnett. You'll find that out later when you check with the Adventurer's Guild. It's none of our mission in the first place. If it's too much, I'll have to report it to Lord Carmine.
...... mmm.

　Garnett was stifled by Felix's calm demeanor as he spoke back.

　As a person under suspicion, I was very grateful to have someone like Felix on my side.

　It's not conclusive; it's rational, and that's a big help in dispelling my suspicions.　

You can't be serious, Felix. I know that. That was just a small talk. Hey, white wolf.
'Well, ......, I guess it takes away the sick feeling of hiding in a dungeon.
Right?

　Garnett looks around as he blatantly distracts himself from the conversation.

　Apparently, to Garnett, someone like Carmine or something like that is quite a weak point.

'But is it reckless or brave of them to gather in such a light outfit where the dragons came out? Or is he just plain stupid?
Oh, maybe you were in full gear because you're afraid of dragons?
There's no way!
Wow!

　A sharp low kick hit my leg cleanly.

'Ouch, ...... don't worry, the guild has been on high alert since then, but there's been completely zero dragon sightings in the entire area. I heard there wasn't even one wyvern in the area.
I told you that's not true!　I'm not afraid of you!　Don't you dare f*cking lick it!

　We leave the plaza for today's destination while continuing our meaningless chatter like that.

　From here, I will be the one to guide the way, not Sakura.

　The destination is a hole in the base of a large tree.
　This is the staircase I came through when I escaped from the Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss.

　As I descend the dark staircase, I come to a short corridor-like space, and soon I hit a dead end with the same texture as the labyrinthine wall.

'Beyond this wall is The Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss.
Okay. Garnett, let's test the strength first.
Oh. If you can smash it, it's a fake. Brace yourself, white wolf.

　After receiving instructions from Felix, Garnett moved to the end of the short corridor and began to make some sort of preparatory movement.

　The sound of moving full body armor crunched in the small space.

'Let's go!　Skill activated!

　Garnett ran down the corridor with tremendous speed and aided and abetted, slamming his front kick into the dead-end wall with unseen speed.

　A gust of wind and impact shook the narrow underground space.

　Is it a high-speed movement system - or is it a gory super-acceleration through body strengthening?

　If it had been unleashed against a human opponent, it was a powerful and unmatched blow that would have crushed them into flattened pieces, even if they were wearing full body armor.

"......ch.

　Garnet clicked her tongue bitterly.

　The armor-covered legs were removed, revealing circular cracks and dents in the surface of the walls.

　But those damages were quickly sealed up and in less than a second they were back to normal.

　This was one of the reasons why the walls of the 'Millennium Corridor of the Abyss' couldn't be destroyed by even a brave man.

''How was it?''
It's just the surface that's stony. It's like a piece of metal on the inside. It's very hard, and even if it's a little bit damaged, the surface will be mended. Even a brave man couldn't break it.

　The same analysis as when I [deconstructed] was smoothly uttered and I was a little surprised inwardly.

　I felt that Garnett was like a thug because of his attitude and language, but after all, he seems to have a reasonable amount of knightly knowledge and education.

'Felix. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work on your own, even if it's broken?
'No way. Perhaps the labyrinth is enchanted. Magic is drawn from the earth vein, and Mithril has a high affinity for magic, which improves its effectiveness and duration.
Hmm. I don't know who made this but thanks for the help.

　Garnett steps back again, moving his full-face helmeted face and demanding that I make my way to the wall.

　Apparently, that means it's my turn this time.

...... I don't want to stay too long, so I'll make this quick.

　I placed my hand on the wall and activated the skill and poured my magic power into it.

　Then, just like that happened before, the labyrinth wall was [disintegrated] into fine pieces.

''Whoa!
The walls of the labyrinth are so easy: ......

　With Felix and the rest of the astonished Felix and the others at my back, I [synthesize] the knife I brought beforehand and the fragments of the labyrinth wall.

''That's how I made the white and silver swords sold in the store. I had no idea what the mithril was. And I hadn't even seen the real thing before.
'I see. ...... Bradford, retrieve the fragments. And, Master Luke, if possible, I would like to recover a sample from the wall that was used as material for the Dragon Slayer's sword.

　Ugh, I couldn't help but clam up.

　Because of my former experience, I had a tremendous aversion to stepping into the depths of the labyrinth.

'Do you really need to?'
'Yes. There is no guarantee that all the walls of this labyrinth are made of mithril. The same is true of the samples I just mentioned. It is imperative that the samples be collected from multiple locations to provide reliable proof.
......, I get it.

　I get into the spirit of the legs that want to escape and [disassemble] the wall further.

　I repeat [disassembly] as many times as the number of walls I fixed when I escaped, and I arrive at a familiar white bone corpse.

''Here it is. Let's quickly retrieve it and return to the ground.
Oh, what, are you scared?
Do you want me to leave you and put you through the same thing?

　Garnett approaches my face with an attitude that shows his smirk even through his helmet, but I'm very serious (oh, seriously).

　For once, I don't have the luxury of returning a lighthearted remark with a lighthearted remark.

'Don't do it, Garnett. Luke-dono, the collection is over, so it's time to end the search.

　I used Felix's partition to contain the spot, and then hurriedly climbed the stairs to return to the fifth level of the 'Sundial Forest'.

　Of course, I won't forget to [repair] the wall on the way.

''Phew...... finally finished......
Oh, it's so dark and cramped and depressing!
You should have some understanding of how I feel after spending half a month wandering around a place like that.
It's starting to feel like sand in my armor. I just want to get back to the inn and change.

　Garnett listens to my complaints, clicks his metal armor and stretches out gingerly, and walks ahead of me alone.

　We followed him and approached the open area where the dragon's white-boned body lay.

Felix," he said. "Felix, since you're here, why don't you take the dragon bones home as a souvenir?
'Oh, that's good. Many knights will be pleased. Let's take a small portion and give it to my men as a souvenir.

　Sakura casually made such a suggestion, and Felix and Bradford slowed their steps.

　But Garnett didn't look back and just kept walking.

"Do what you want. I'll be back before you know it.

　Immediately after, the trees on the direction of travel were blown off like a pop.

　The storm that blew through. A roar like a thunderbolt. A giant winged body as big as a craggy rock - a dragon.

　Before anyone could react properly, the dragon swung its paws as if to get rid of an obtrusive pebble.

　Its too huge claws graze the flesh of the garnet that was close by and blow it away like a piece of paper.

　The helmet, which had come off as if it were being played off, tumbled down to my feet in a great arc.

　The front of the helmet was deeply gouged out, and raw gore was stuck to it.