I used up all my potions.

First, Martina seemed to be able to move. She thought for a moment and gave them all potions.

Then I woke up, got help from Prine who was crying, and left the boss's room with Martina and Gigi who helped her. We went back to the save point.

Because there was a fountain of recovery there.

Thank God!
'Ra-kun!

My feet got tangled up and I dove in head first.

Zap!

Boo-hoo! ............ that?'

When I got up out of the water, I was fully recovered. I felt like a new man. I felt as fresh as a new year's morning.

Prine, Martina and Gigi also drank water from the spring (they were drinking the water coming from above because of my fall. I'm really sorry about that), and all HP/MP were recovered.

We went back to the boss's room and retrieved the broken pieces of the mithril sword. We open the back door.

There was a treasure chest. Two treasure chests.

Both of them contained weapons.

The staff of destruction for the mage, and the Tigger's basket for the martial artist. They were items associated with the boss.

There were no items related to Messerdevil. I guessed it was a "dungeon bug".

As promised, we took both of them and proceeded to the lower level.

We went down to a large stone room again. A large magic circle was drawn in the center of the room, which seemed to be a save point. I prayed, and the save point was saved.

Teleporting back to the second level, we exited the dungeon.

'Huh. '...

We all breathe a sigh of relief. We made it back in one piece.

Then we came to the dungeon guild.





'Congratulations on the 5th layer!

Anna, the receptionist, sounded a cracker with a pop. The adventurers around us applauded, too. It seems that clearing the fifth layer is something special for adventurers.

Well, let's go to the back and talk about it... I have something to present to you...'

And we were taken to a private room in the back.

Anna asks us how the boss battle went, and we start talking.

At first, Anna was smiling and listening, but gradually she started to get upset,

'...... what?'

'............What's that?

'The dungeon bug is ...... eh?'

'Oh,............ devil,......!

'Mastima'! That's what I said!

'The Messer Devil is out!

Finally, he stood up and started yelling.

'Oh, Anna, calm down ......'.

I said, and he came back to himself,

'I'm sorry ....... So you beat the boss and came back with the transfer crystals. No, of course not. I can't help it. The demon who works for Mastima is out there. No one will say anything bad about you guys when you run away. ......'

'We beat them, but ......'

'Yes, yes, I know. It's a demon. It's Mastima's minion. I can't help it. ......?
'We beat them.'
'Defeated! The demon of Mastima! Messer Devil ohohohoh?

Anna stands up again.

'Oh no, it's a monster like the ones in the ......50 level, the Messer Devil is ......! No matter how much the magic element of the lower levels is not showing its true power, it's still a ...... beginner who is ......!''

Anna checks our status sheet again. It should have the names of the monsters we have defeated, and Messerdevil's name should be on there.

'............ is true!
'I'm not lying.
'I'm sorry, Lana. I was doubting you again.
'I don't mind.
'Well, then--I'll say it again.

Pow! Anna raises her hand.

'Amazing! You guys are amazing! Not only did you clear the 5th layer, you even beat the Messer Devil! You really are a genius!

'It was the whole party that did it.'
'Yes, it is! Prine, Gigi and Martina, well done! Oh, I'm so sorry you two are going back to your parents' house!

The Prines smile as if they are in trouble.

I asked.

'Anna-san, you just said the devil of 'Mastima'. ......'

Then she tightened her expression,

'Yes.'

He nodded.

'Fifth level--I have something to tell the adventurers who have escaped from the novice level.

With a serious look on her face, the receptionist of the dungeon guild speaks.

In this dungeon, there is a demon sealed by God.

'That's ...... Mastima, is it?'



Anna nodded in response to my question.

Yes, that's right. Deep in the dungeon, that evil god is sealed up. We, the Dungeon Guild and adventurers, are challenging the dungeon in order to destroy Mastima once and for all. --This is not to be spoken of to outsiders and newbies. It will cause unnecessary confusion.

'To destroy the evil gods: ......'

He is an evil god whose mission is to 'choke the breath out of mankind. Though sealed in the dungeon by our god, he is waiting for a chance to come back and is having all sorts of bad influences from the depths of the dungeon. Demons and monsters are one of them.

'But the magic element is ......'

'It is also a factor that raises the job level. It was our God who made it so. To compete with Mastima.

'God wants us to destroy Mastima? Instead of doing it with your own hands?''

'They're mean, you know.'

'Such ......'

I'm only half joking. It is said that he used his power to seal Mastima and now he is regaining his power in the heavenly realm.

'So powerful an evil god in our hands ......'

'That's why I have a job - I'm an adventurer. The deeper you go into the dungeon, the thicker the magic gets and the stronger the monsters get. But that also makes it easier for the adventurer to rise to higher levels.

Indeed it is. At the 10th level, where we fought the Assassins, the level of the Thief went up at once.

But the important thing is,

Is the 'seed of the wise' under the evil god?"

Our goal is the "seed of the wise man. As much as I would like to try to conquer the dungeon, my first priority is Mary's life.

Anna shook her head.

I don't understand. It is said that the seed of the wise man is in the lowest level and that the evil god is also sealed in the deepest level. Perhaps we will have to destroy Mastima before we can go any further.

'Such ....... I thought the dungeon was for sealing Mastima. ......'

It's not like that. It is just that Mastima was sealed in this dungeon. Probably, he sealed it here where it was originally built.

'I see. ......'

'It's what I'm interested in, Rana.

Anna looks at me.

'That means Mastima's minions knew about you.

Yes, the enemy knew me. They came to the fifth layer to get me.

To kill me.

'You have the skill to breathe wherever you are.

That's what I told Gigi and Martina. To my surprise, I could really breathe in the fountain of recovery. I told this to Anna as well.

The enemy thinks you are a threat. That's why the demons have come to the 5th level, which is a shallow level. --I am worried, very worried.

'Thank you, Anna.

I said.

But I'll be fine. I have Prine.
'............ yes'

Prine nodded quietly. Concerned about her lack of energy, she continued.

Besides, you'd probably have to have a very high concentration of magical elements - maybe as high as right after defeating the boss, I don't think you'd be able to make it.

Anna asked in surprise.

''Prine, do you know how to do that?
'I'm kind of getting the idea. ....... I felt another 'wave' in addition to the elemental magic. I feel that that demon rode that wave to the 5th layer.
Do you know when it will come?
''They rarely come. That's why it may be less than a bug. ...... but when it comes, you'll know. I already memorized it.
'So ......'

Anna sighed with relief,

That's a relief for the time being. I'm only giving you a tentative idea of the conditions under which the Mastima Demon will come to us.

(1) Immediately after defeating the boss
(2) A bug in the dungeon
(3) The "wave" as Prine says occurs.

--When all three of these things happen.

I ask Prine.

Is a wave different from a magical element?

Prine shook her head,

'Yeah. Something more, something completely different. Like a different concept. ......

He looked somewhere far away.
Even Prine doesn't seem to be able to grasp it yet, but it is reassuring to know that she will be able to tell when the wave comes.

Anna said,

But there are plenty of exceptions. Rana. Be really careful. You too, Prine.

He smiled.
I nodded, and he clapped his hands and said we were done.

'Now then, I will award you the 'Adventurer's Certificate' as you have been waiting for.

Anna puts a wooden box on the table.
Inside were four medals.

Each of them has a name engraved on it.
Of course, they were the names of the four of us.

Yes, Rana. Congratulations on your graduation as a beginner. Keep up the good work.



Anna put a medal with a string around my neck.

Thank you very much.

I bow my head in thanks.
I'm a little happy. No, I'm quite happy.

Then Anna congratulated each of us one by one and handed us our medals.

Martina is proud and Gigi looks happy.

'............'

However, Prine is still listless. She is still holding the medal in her hand and looking at it. I'll have to talk to her later.

Anna..,

There will be an 'awarding ceremony' in a few days. It's a party to celebrate all the adventurers who have graduated from the novice level. You should come. You might even find some of your peers who were gifted with skills together.

He smiled happily.





That night.

The four of us had dinner together to celebrate our victory on the 5th layer.

Prine, who had been feeling down for some reason, gradually regained her energy through Gigi's magic tricks, delicious food, and talking with us, and by the end we were all laughing together.

After the meal, Martina was looking like she wanted to say something, but then she looked at me - at Prine, who was picking at my clothes behind my back,

'I guess we'll see you next time.

He smiled as if he had given up. I wondered what was going on.

I noticed that Prine bowed her head apologetically.