I Am Not Goblin Slayer

Chapter 85: The End of the Dungeon

The night sky was studded with stars.

There were no clouds tonight, allowing the silvery moonlight to pour down unrestrained.

On the clearing, orange-red flames roared as firewood in the campfire crackled and popped crisply.

The firelight stretched the shadows of those sitting around the bonfire.

Warrior Liam stirred the charcoal with a dagger, then set up the grill.

The wild rabbit skewered on the fork sizzled over the flames, its fat dripping continuously into the fire, causing sparks to leap while a rich, roasted aroma filled the air.

A flicker of anticipation passed through Gauss’s slightly weary eyes.

This might very well be the last night of their dungeon expedition.

According to the estimated progress, they should be able to completely finish exploring the dungeon tomorrow.

Therefore, Lawrence had suggested they recuperate tonight, gather around the fire for a meal—a pre-celebration of the dungeon exploration's impending success.

This trip had been quite fruitful, and everyone found it hard to hide their joy.

After a day’s toil, delicious food—especially juicy meat—was undoubtedly the best comfort.

Unfortunately, the traps they set up in the morning only caught one wild rabbit, barely enough for everyone to get a small taste of meat.

Faced with Lawrence’s suggestion, Gauss still felt something odd about it all, a strange sense of celebrating too early, but after hesitating, he chose not to spoil the mood.

Beside the fire, Apprentice Priest Adrian couldn’t help but praise him.

"Lawrence, you really know how to enjoy life."

The seasoning for the roasted rabbit had been generously provided by Young Master Lawrence.

One had to know—good spices were not cheap.

Even as Adventurers, they couldn’t afford to use spices with every meal.

"If we’re alive but can’t even enjoy the basics of good food, then it’d be a waste to have come to this world at all," Lawrence said, waving his hand dismissively.

Gauss shot him a warning glance.

That line of his had AOE-ed quite a few people.

Even without mentioning others, among those present alone, ordinary folks born into poverty likely made up more than half.

For many, simply having enough to eat was already a luxury—never mind enjoying gourmet food.

At the very least, Gauss’s original self had never had that privilege.

By the fire, aside from the roasted rabbit, everyone also brought out some emergency rations.

After all, that bit of meat on the grill wasn’t enough to satisfy the appetites of seven Adventurers, each bigger than average.

Gauss had brought coarse wheat cakes, dried meat strips, and meat paste.

The others also took out their own food to heat up.

Gauss glanced around out of the corner of his eye, taking note of what food the others had brought.

Only the Half-Orc warrior Sork’s food puzzled him—had this guy really been eating nothing but Black Bread for days?

He watched as Sork, just like usual, let the boiled water cool a bit before swallowing mouthfuls of Black Bread.

Gauss raised an eyebrow, a trace of confusion flickering in his eyes.

Logically speaking, with his strength, even just from completing commissions, he shouldn’t have been reduced to surviving on Black Bread alone.

Besides, could Black Bread even provide proper nutrition?

Did he just love Black Bread? Or was he broke?

Did people who actually liked eating Black Bread exist? Gauss found it hard to imagine. But if it was because he was broke, then it was rare to see such a capable Adventurer end up in this situation.

Sork quickly finished all the food in his hands.

"Want a cake?" Gauss subtly nudged his own food in Sork’s direction.

He wasn’t being kind without a reason.

During the past few days in the dungeon, Sork had instinctively positioned himself in front of Gauss to shield him.

Though most of the time, the dangers weren’t truly threatening—especially since he had Mage Armor—it was still a kind gesture from the Half-Orc warrior.

"No thanks. My own bread’s enough," Sork shook his head.

"Take it."

Gauss noticed the cloth bag beside him used to store Black Bread was already empty.

He handed Sork the extra coarse wheat cakes and a few meat strips.

"Tomorrow should be the end of the expedition. I brought too much anyway. Not worth much."

Sork hesitated for a moment, then wiped his hands on his clothes and accepted the food Gauss offered.

"Well, thanks then."

After thanking him, Sork tore the cakes and meat strips into pieces and chewed them slowly.

Seeing that he accepted the gesture, Gauss felt relieved.

These past few days, others had also offered to share food with Sork, but he had stubbornly refused each time.

Maybe it was because tonight was the last night, or maybe because Gauss’s food wasn’t particularly valuable—this time, he finally accepted.

"Sork, are you really that short on money?" Gauss asked softly after hesitating a bit.

"Yeah," Sork nodded after a brief silence."I send all my money back to my family. I’ve got more than a dozen younger siblings. I’m the eldest."

"Once this expedition ends, it should be enough to—"

"Stop. Just stop! Let’s talk about that after the expedition is over," Gauss quickly interrupted, finding the conversation increasingly ominous.

"Oh, okay," Sork nodded in confusion.

This brief, hushed conversation didn’t draw the attention of the others still tending to the roasted rabbit.

After finishing his meal, Gauss sat near the fire to stay warm, quietly reviewing everything that had happened in the past few days.

Tonight marked the fifth day since they entered the dungeon.

In those five days, he had killed a total of 68 monsters.

That averaged about 13 to 14 per day. It didn’t sound like a lot.

But considering there were seven people in the party, it was actually a respectable number.

One couldn’t expect temporary teammates to always leave monsters near death for him to land the final blow.

On one hand, he didn’t have that much sway; on the other, it simply wasn’t realistic.

Monsters weren’t some soft target that could be pushed around however one pleased.

So, all things considered, Gauss was quite satisfied with his kill efficiency.

What mattered most was the consistency—each day brought a guaranteed number of monster kills.

Compared to commissions that required extensive travel and monster hunting, the efficiency here in slaying monsters was significantly higher.

Each day started with waking up, washing up, eating, prepping gear, and heading into the dungeon.

Though the process was monotonous and stifling, if it could continue like this, he was actually willing to endure it.

Unfortunately, this current exploration was also nearing its end. Who knew when the next opportunity like this would come?

Chances to explore untouched dungeons of ancient civilizations weren’t common.

Once the rabbit was roasted, everyone got a share.

A simple meal together came to a close.

Gauss saw that the others had returned to their tents to rest.

He stood up and added some firewood to the bonfire. He was on first watch tonight.

"Boom!"

As he fed the flames, the fire roared upward, burning even more fiercely!

"Rumble rumble rumble!!"

The deafening rolling sound behind them grew louder and louder!

"Tatata!"

Rapid and synchronized footsteps echoed through the downhill passage.

Inside the narrow corridor, Gauss and the others were sprinting at full speed.

Beads of sweat slid off their skin, hitting the ground with wet smacks and scattering into tiny droplets!

"I knew it—we shouldn't have agreed to Lawrence’s premature 'celebration feast' yesterday. And I shouldn’t have brought up Sork’s money problems, either," Gauss muttered, running from the middle of the group, his back drenched in sweat.

But hearing the thunderous noise growing ever closer behind them, he didn’t dare stop.

That morning’s expedition had gone smoothly—until they entered this narrow corridor.

Not long after, a hidden mechanism seemed to activate, dropping a massive two-meter-wide boulder behind them.

Using the slope’s gravity, it now relentlessly pursued the party.

It forced the team to run forward without stopping.

If they stopped, they’d be flattened into meat paste.

"Are we close to the next exit?!"

This downhill passage felt endlessly long.

Driven by the pressure of the rolling boulder, the group pushed their bodies to the limit, sprinting with all their strength.

"Almost there!" Sork, who was in the lead, had already seen a faint glimmer of light at the corridor’s end.

"Run faster!!"

Lawrence shouted from the back of the group, his voice hoarse,

He had initially thought being at the rear was safe, but now he felt it was the worst position.

If the boulder rolled through, he’d be the first to die.

With the party members running desperately, the light at the end of the passage gradually grew!

"Boom boom!!"

Almost simultaneously, the group tumbled out of the corridor, diving to the sides just as the massive boulder barreled out after them.

Scattered debris flew through the air, striking the ground near their feet.

Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.

One second slower, and they would have been crushed to pulp by that giant stone.

Who would have thought the first real life-threatening crisis in this dungeon would be caused by a mere boulder?

"Thud!"

As the team lay on their backs, gasping for breath, the giant boulder fell into a central recess in the room.

"Boom!!"

The corridor they had come from dropped a massive, thick stone door, sealing their way back.

They were already used to this.

It wasn’t the first time it had happened.

So, what kind of monster would appear now?

Still lying on the ground catching their breath, the group blinked—then suddenly realized something was off.

The ceiling above them was absurdly high, easily over ten meters tall.

They turned to scan the room.

Unlike the previous rooms, which were just a few dozen square meters, this one was unusually spacious—it looked more like a small plaza.

"Something's wrong here! Stay alert, everyone!"

The team, having just survived a near-death moment, felt their nerves tighten again.

This place was clearly different.

Unlike any room they had encountered before.

"Rumble rumble rumble!"

As they scrambled to their feet in unease,

The ground began to tremble.

Those not fully upright yet braced themselves with hands and feet, trying to maintain balance.

All eyes turned to the far end of the room—the source of the tremor.

A stone cage was slowly being pushed out from the tall rock wall.

"Bang!!!"

Once it fully emerged, the stone cage shattered like an eggshell.

Amidst the dust, the grinding of exoskeletons echoed.

A towering humanoid monster stepped out from the shadows, appearing before the group!

It stood about two and a half meters tall, its entire body covered in tough brownish chitin, glinting with a metallic sheen. It had four scythe-like forelimbs and a pair of powerful, muscular hind legs.

On the grotesquely twisted mantis-like head were glowing red compound eyes and jagged, blade-like mandibles.

"It’s a Slikrin Mantisman!!"

Recognizing its form, Lawrence’s pupils shrank as he gasped in shock.

For good reason—this Mantisman was a Challenge Rating 1 monster, a deadly threat to their seven-member party!

Gauss’s throat bobbed.

Even from a distance, he could feel the overwhelming pressure emanating from it.

It felt like they were facing a towering predator—and they were the prey.

Suddenly, the Mantisman's long, insect-like reverse-jointed legs bent down, and in the next moment, its limbs exploded with force, joints cracking sharply as it propelled its body forward at high speed.

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

In the spacious room, every one of its leaps sounded especially crisp and clear.

In a few blinks, its brown-blurred figure shot across the space. When it reached the center of the room, it stomped down hard, and with the force of its leap, effortlessly landed atop the giant stone sphere at the room’s center, looking down at the seven from above.

Gauss gripped his Bone Wand tightly. He could sense a cold, emotionless killing intent conveyed through those compound eyes.

"Careful!"

The party slowly fanned out.

Weapons drawn, they cautiously watched the Mantisman's direction.

It had to be said—the sense of pressure it gave off was immense.

Whether from its exaggeratedly tall frame or the terrifying speed of its earlier leap, it clearly signaled that this was an overwhelmingly dangerous opponent—practically a killing machine capable of butchering ordinary people with ease.

Apprentice Ranger Bianca drew her longbow string taut, the string thrumming before she abruptly released.

A sharp arrow shot forth at tremendous speed, spinning as it raced toward the Mantisman.

"Swoosh!!"

Augmented by her skill, the arrow's speed was at least twice that of a regular archer's shot.

The arrow tore through the air, forming a black streak aimed straight at the Mantisman atop the boulder!

Its compound eyes flared red!

In an instant, its legs sank slightly, and its body seemed to blink sideways in a short-range displacement.

"Swish!!"

The arrow missed, grazing its body before flying far beyond and shattering against the rocky wall.

Completely unscathed!

Gauss swallowed hard.

Thanks to Bianca’s attack, he could now deeply appreciate how its agility starkly contrasted its large size.

That arrow, empowered by skill, was incredibly fast—comparable to the speed of his own Magic Missile.

Which meant, if the Mantisman could react to Bianca’s arrow, it could also track and dodge his Magic Missile!

"It’s coming."

Gauss suddenly observed the Mantisman’s telltale crouch of gathering power.

He quickly warned the team.

Everyone sprang into action.

The party formed a fan-shaped formation, melee in front and ranged in back, to allow support.

No sooner had Gauss spoken than the Mantisman launched again, leaping rapidly and crashing heavily into the spot the group had just vacated.

"Thud!!"

That sound echoed not only in the room but also in everyone’s hearts.

Such speed.

A wave of anxiety swelled within.

"Damn monster!"

The two Warriors’ hands trembled as they held their weapons and shields, but they did not forget their roles.

Raising their shields and facing the Mantisman, they shouted loudly to draw its attention.

Sure enough, upon noticing the movement of the two nearby "small figures," the Mantisman turned its head, coldly locking its compound eyes on them.

Its legs pressed down, and in the next instant, it appeared right before Liam.

So fast!

The Mantis claws tore through the air.

"Whoosh!"

Liam's forward-raised shield was swatted aside by the secondary limb. Immediately following that, a main forelimb slashed viciously across him, sending Liam flying backward.

"Puh!!!"

Liam tumbled two or three meters away, rolling twice. His face instantly turned pale, losing all color.

"Cough, cough!"

Blood dripped from Liam’s mouth as he looked at the towering silhouette of the Mantisman, eyes wide in shock!

Just one strike—and the party’s Warrior was already down!

"Magic Missile!"

Seizing the brief moment when the Mantisman stood still, Gauss finally locked onto its figure.

If the target was too far or moving too fast, he wouldn’t be able to lock on.

Fortunately, the Mantisman had to stop momentarily to attack.

A bright blue missile shot from the wand tip!

Just as it was about to execute a second attack, the Mantisman sensed a threatening magical fluctuation coming from the side, and had to twist its body away.

Its nimble secondary limb slashed into the path of the oncoming Magic Missile!

"!!!"

At the moment of contact between Magic Missile and the sharp claw blade, a heavy force suddenly pressed against the Mantisman’s forelimb.

"Crack crack crack!"

Compared to the earlier arrow, this Magic Missile came from a much shorter range—and struck with no warning.

"Boom!!"

The Mantisman dropped to a knee, forced back several steps.

But before the Magic Missile could fully explode, it managed to deflect its path slightly with a swift claw strike.

Using the gap, it leapt backward, putting some distance between them.

The deflected Magic Missile exploded in mid-air with a loud blast.

"Its claws are that sturdy? Or is my Magical Energy Quality lacking?" Gauss replayed the moment in his mind. "But it couldn’t take my Missile head-on either. Plus, it needs to crouch to charge up for long leaps, while its short-range movements require less reaction time."

He noticed the Mantisman’s secondary limb trembling slightly and silently analyzed the situation.

After being knocked back several meters, the Mantisman’s gaze locked firmly onto Gauss.

However, at that moment, aside from the Priest rushing to help Liam, the rest of the team—now properly positioned—finally began their support.

Although the Mantisman’s initial ambush was too swift, preventing anyone but Gauss from reacting in time to assist Liam, they had to restrain it now!

They couldn’t allow it to continue isolating and attacking them one by one.

None of the team members could face it alone.

"Chill Touch!"

A blue ghostly skeletal hand flew out, aiming to grab the Mantisman’s secondary limb and inject it with the energy of undeath.

"Thunk!"

But the skeletal hand was too slow.

Before it could connect, the Mantisman leapt back a few steps and dodged it.

As long as it maintained focus, its powerful leg muscles let it avoid most attacks from Low-level Adventurers.

Meanwhile, its gaze remained fixed on Gauss.

As if it had decided—he was the only one in this party who posed a real threat.