Chapter 197. Dungeon of the Four Gods 1

“We're finally here,” Ariel said excitedly as the carriage came to a stop. “The capital of the Kingdom of Discovery, one of four interconnected kingdoms with a Rank 3 industrial designation. Unlike most kingdoms that pay taxes through resources or wealth, this kingdom fulfills its obligations through mass-produced goods. Because of its economic importance, it receives far greater protection and security than other production kingdoms. Of course, the tax rate is as high as 50%, which isn't ideal, but we're not here to sell anything anyway.”

“Right! We’re here to gain some levels!” Seraphina exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air.

A year had passed since Bastion and the girls left the Kingdom of Paws, spent traveling northeast almost nonstop along the public roads connecting the many Rank 3 kingdoms scattered throughout the third outer ring. Nonstop was, of course, a relative term, as they inevitably had to stop whenever bands of brigands tried to rob them. Fortunately, the bandits were usually groups of Rank 2 fighters with the occasional lone Rank 3 mixed in, so they posed little threat.

More importantly, they made sure to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the Kingdom of Paws. The farther they traveled, the less likely Princess Aria would be to expend the effort or resources needed to hunt them down. Not that she had any real reason to do so, but given her temperament, Bastion wasn't willing to take the chance. It was simply better to err on the side of caution.

“It isn’t much to look at,” Lilia said as she disembarked from the carriage, looking around the city.

The capital of the Kingdom of Discovery was built for function with rows of brick buildings stretched along wide streets, their chimneys releasing steady streams of smoke into the sky as factories operated throughout the city. The constant clatter of machinery, the movement of workers, and the endless flow of carts carrying materials and finished goods gave the city a restless energy.

Humans made up the overwhelming majority of the population, filling the streets as merchants, craftsmen, engineers, factory workers, and laborers went about their daily routines. There were few grand monuments or extravagant decorations, but the city itself was impressive in a different way. It was a place built on industry, where progress was measured by how much it could produce.

The district the group was currently in was different, however, as they had stopped directly in front of the Adventurers Guild. Their purpose was to register and gain permission to hunt monsters within the famous Dungeon of the Four Gods. It was a massive kingdom-sized labyrinth with four floors that could be accessed from the capitals of four different kingdoms, the Kingdom of Discovery, the Kingdom of Venture, the Kingdom of Companions, and the Kingdom of Campfires.

According to history, these four kingdoms were founded by four adventurers who eventually ascended to godhood through the Adventurers Guild. Rather than remain as distant figures within the guild, they pursued a far greater ambition. They negotiated with both the guild and the Central Empire to establish a network of four interconnected kingdoms, centered around a dungeon that linked them all together and represented each of their ideals.

“Should I handle the registration?” Ariel asked.

“I’ll go with you,” Bastion replied. “I think this will be more complicated than usual. Actually, we should all go so we can discuss it together.”

“But I wanted to go shopping,” Seraphina complained.

“I wanted to see what kind of goods they produce as well,” Lilia added.

“We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Their products aren’t going anywhere. Besides, I have a feeling all of us will want to weigh in on this considering how unusual this dungeon is.”

“Fine~” the pair said together, slumping their shoulders as they followed Ariel into the guild.

Bastion smiled and shook his head before storing the carriage in his Inventory and following after them.

Once they entered, they found themselves in a mall-like open space, similar to the Adventurers Guild in the Kingdom of Brilliance. They made their way to the reception desk, where Ariel began speaking with the receptionist. After listening to her request, the receptionist gave them a strange look before simply shrugging and directing them toward a private room deeper inside the building. Following the instructions, they entered a comfortable room where they sat until a bewildered, gruff employee stepped inside and addressed them.

“The name’s Hodge,” the man said, looking over the group with a skeptical expression. “Are you the idiots looking to rent a Rank 3 army room for 100 years?”

“That’s us!” Seraphina cheered, raising her hand.

“Why in Subterra would you even want to do that?”

“So we can level up and reach Rank 3 faster.”

“Hm... at least your math is right.” Garrick crossed his arms. “A Rank 3 army room for 100 years should be enough to barely allow you to reach Rank 3. Still, that would require you to kill an army of 1500 Rank 3 creatures every week. Do you even have that capability as a party of four Rank 2s?”

“Depending on the creatures, yes, I believe we do,” Bastion answered. “If anything, 1500 a week is a bit slow, but getting two rooms would be a stretch and far more dangerous. So, we’re willing to spend a century on this.”

“Hah! The balls on you, kid.” Garrick laughed before shaking his head. “Alright, whatever. It’ll be good money for the guild either way, so that’s on you.”

The employee then pulled out a binder and began unhooking the attached documents.

Inside were records of the different types of rooms the Adventurers Guild had claimed and regulated for fair distribution. Unlike normal rooms in a labyrinth or dungeon, which only spawned a limited number of creatures over long periods of time, these special rooms were massive environments filled with powerful monsters and valuable resources. They provided significantly greater experience and rewards, meaning anyone capable of clearing them consistently could amass both wealth and strength at an incredible pace.

Chaos inevitably erupted when these rooms were first discovered, as powerful groups of parties attempted to monopolize them. Conflicts between competing groups often turned deadly whenever their claims overlapped. Eventually, the Adventurers Guild stepped in, claiming, protecting, and regulating access to these rooms to prevent further bloodshed while ensuring they were fairly distributed.

“This looks interesting,” Lilia said. “The Crystal Cavern has Rank 3 Crystal Beetles, Rock Lizards, Cave Trolls, and Crystal Golems. Plus, the environment is filled with magic crystals, armor materials, and alchemy ingredients.”

“That one’s taken,” Hodge pointed out. “Besides, you wouldn’t be able to defend it from greedy adventurers.”

“I thought you provided security?”

“Sure, but we ain’t gonna hold your hand. We have two types of patrols to maintain security. The regularly scheduled patrols that visit every day and the inspectors who show up whenever they please. If someone manages to bribe them, then you’re out of luck.”

“Ah, I wouldn’t want this one,” Ariel said. “The War Fortress is filled with an army of highly trained, well-equipped, and expertly coordinated humans. It’s one thing to hunt subhuman species, but it’s another thing entirely to become accustomed to killing your own kind.”

“That one’s actually quite popular,” Hodge replied. “The armor is pretty decent, and the fortress has enough supplies for adventurers to survive inside. The only problem is that they’re highly trained, so you need some serious assassination skills to clear them out efficiently. The kingdom’s army also comes in and trains against them every once in a while to gain combat experience.”

“Wouldn’t the Undead Battlefield fit us perfectly?” Seraphina suggested. “The room is a ruined battlefield where thousands of soldiers perished during an ancient war, leaving behind an endless army of undead. It would be too depressing for most adventurers to stay there long term, and it has plenty of rewards, including weapons, armor, death crystals, and rare undead materials. With my flames, I can burn through them all in a day as long as Bastion keeps them busy.”

“That one is shared between the four kingdoms’ churches. As you know, all it takes is a single holy spell to bring them down. Given the gods’ preference for combat, they prefer their clergy to know how to smite their enemies rather than simply kneel and pray all day.”

“Can you recommend some for us?” Bastion asked. “All our preferred choices seem to be too popular.”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Hodge replied, separating a few papers from the pile. “If you want somewhere to kill things without being bothered, these are the rooms you’re looking for.”

‘Fungal Marsh, Burning Wastes, Frozen Valley, Spider Nest, Ruined City, Haunted Manor, Flooded Ruins, Abandoned Fortress, Rotting Forest, Sky Ruins, Tremoring Mines…’ Bastion read through the list before stopping and shaking his head.

Given their requirements for producing more ammunition, the choice was obvious. Their current supply was only enough to handle roughly 10 years' worth of enemies. They either needed to conserve their bullets carefully and spend no more than one shot per Rank 3, or find a place where they could continuously manufacture more ammunition.

“We’ll take this one,” Bastion said, sliding the paper back to Hodge.

“Oh, yeah! Why didn’t I think of that!” Seraphina exclaimed.

“Ugh... I don’t want to go there, let alone spend a century there,” Ariel complained.

“Neither do I,” Lilia agreed.

“Alright,” Hodge said as he pulled out a contract and began filling in the details. “That’ll be 600 magic crystals for 100 years of exclusive use, starting from the moment you sign. You’re not allowed to booby trap the room since patrols may need to enter during inspections. If unauthorized people enter, you’re free to kill them, but you must report the incident and verify your claim with a Truth Orb when the guards arrive. The same applies if the guards themselves damage your belongings or attack you first. Sign here if you understand.”

Bastion smiled as he signed the contract before handing over the required magic crystals, fulfilling his end of the agreement and officially starting the timer. From this point onward, they would live as hunters, fighting for a century until they reached Rank 3.

Assuming trouble didn’t find them first, of course.

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