This Dungeon Grew Mushrooms

Deep within the Empire, on the official road leading toward the imperial capital, Duskmire City, the sky bled crimson. Under that blood-colored canopy, the entire road was tinted a shade of dark red.

A slave-transport convoy of more than twenty cage-wagons had stopped in the middle of the road to rest. The iron cages were packed with slaves of various races, their eyes dull and lifeless.

Four to five dozen burly guards lounged among the wagons, weapons smeared with dried blood crust. Their vicious glares alone made passing demons instinctively detour through the forest rather than take the road.

But when a luxurious carriage—escorted by eight black-armored knights—approached, it did not detour. It simply halted right in front of the convoy. The four nightmare steeds snorted impatiently, their fiery eyes glowing beneath their bridles. From their helmets and faint blood scent, it was obvious these knights were bloodborn or half-bloodborn.

A pig-man guard with a brutish face stepped forward, ready to shout at them—until his gaze fell on the emblem carved onto the pitch-black carriage.

A silver-edged bat crest.

Simple. Unadorned. Nearly plain.

But that single emblem made the guard’s knees go weak. He stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own axe haft.

The convoy leader scrambled out from his tent, plastering on a servile smile. “We did not know the esteemed Count would be passing through—this lowly one will immedi—”

Before he could finish, the lead black knight flicked out a bone-serpent whip. The tip sliced the air and lashed across the leader’s face, opening a bloody line.

The burly man didn’t dare even grunt. He bowed lower, letting blood drip from his chin onto the dust.

He turned and roared at his men, “Are you blind!? Clear the road for the lord—now!”

The guards scattered like panicked ants, violently kicking carts aside, knocking over crates, even toppling fully-loaded wagons into the roadside ditch.

Inside the cages, the slaves shrank away, chains clattering in fear. Within moments, the road was cleared, forming a wide path.

The leader wiped the blood from his face sleeve and knelt by the roadside, kowtowing repeatedly. “My lord, please—after you…”

The knights did not spare him a glance. They escorted the carriage forward at a steady, unhurried pace.

Only after the carriage disappeared did the convoy leader collapse to the ground, clutching his face and hissing in pain—yet he didn’t dare harbor a hint of resentment.

Just as their convoy could bully others off the road, a bloodborn count’s knight-commander had every right to leave scars on anyone who offended him.

Here, strength was truth.

So long as one did not violate imperial law—such as killing fellow demons openly—no one would interfere.

Yet the convoy could never have guessed that inside that black carriage…

there was no count, no bloodborn, not even a demon.

Inside the warded carriage—layered with defenses and anti-scrying enchantments—Tanaka gently lifted the rear curtain, watching the convoy frantically restore order.

“…So domineering,” he muttered.

Kiro lounged lazily on the soft cushions beside him, eyes closed. “Convenient, isn’t it? That’s why I agreed to help that bloodborn crack the secrets on his treasure scroll.”

“But…” Tanaka lowered the curtain, frowning. “If that set of legendary gear really falls into the count’s hands… wouldn’t that be terrible for humanity?”

Tanaka wasn’t passionate about saving humanity, but he certainly wasn’t willing to help destroy it either.

“Demons are also a power we must rely on to save this world,” Kiro replied, opening one eye with a sigh. “Them growing stronger isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, because they’re not strong enough yet, everything has become troublesome.”

“You’re supporting demons?” Tanaka gaped.

“No. I don’t support anyone. I just want to prevent this world’s collapse.” Kiro paused, then added, “Besides, you don’t need to worry. That treasure set is buried in the Northern Region. And the Northern Region… can no longer be excavated by anyone.”

Tanaka nodded. The Northern Region had indeed become frighteningly cold. Before they left, the border city was nearly uninhabitable.

He’d heard several border lords had sent teams into the north to investigate the abnormal climate. But Tanaka doubted something on that scale could be fixed so easily.

With the region frozen solid like it was, even with the treasure’s approximate location known, no one could gather the manpower needed to dig it up.

And by the time the weather changed, the war might already be over.

Tanaka looked up at the crimson sky. In his eyes, a panel flickered over the blood-red veil.

【Artifact: Bloodcalamity (Eternal life is a curse without an afterlife)】

It was the first artifact he had ever seen. The moment he crossed into Duskmire City’s territory and realized the entire sky had a visible status panel, he had nearly jumped—thinking the heavens themselves were a living being.

Only after opening the description did he understand his mistake.

Even so, an artifact capable of covering an entire capital—its power was staggering.

He had asked Kiro about artifacts. Kiro told him this was the only complete one left in the world.

All others were either shattered and scattered, or their whereabouts were unknown.

Under the black knights’ escort, the carriage finally arrived at the Empire’s capital—Duskmire City.

The gate guards checked only the crest on the carriage and waved them through. They didn’t even look inside.

Despite being the imperial capital, Duskmire’s entry procedures were surprisingly lax—lighter than many frontier cities.

Partly to speed the flow of people.

Partly because nobody could pull off anything suspicious beneath that artifact-sky without being detected.

However, shortly after Tanaka and Kiro passed through, the guards received new orders:

The entire city was to enter lockdown.

All future entries and exits must undergo strict inspection.

Naturally, none of this concerned Tanaka and Kiro anymore.

“Lord Kiro, these locations are all the master’s properties. Before departing, the master instructed us that if you require anything, you may use this ring to command their cooperation.”

The lead knight handed Kiro a note and a black gemstone ring engraved with a crest.

“Give him my thanks.” Kiro nodded casually and accepted it.

Once the knights departed, he tossed both the note and the ring straight into a roadside drainage gutter without even looking.

“You’re just throwing them away?” Tanaka winced.

“We won’t need them,” Kiro said, unconcerned.

To him, the bloodborn count’s only purpose had been to provide transportation.

“…So can you finally tell me,” Tanaka asked, “why exactly you brought me here?”