[So you got that as a reward? Wow. G.o.ds are also shameless. Shouldnt you get a different reward in exchange for being entrusted with the holy sword?]

[Thats what Im saying.]

[So how long have you had that holy sword?]

[TL Note: I a.s.sume hes talking to the girl whos currently going through h.e.l.l Difficulty.]

* * * * * *

[Rather than that, wouldnt it be better to slash downwards more heavily?]

Maybe. If I consider the next motion, I think itd be better to swing lightly.

Seregia acknowledged my opinion.

Therefore, our three opinions were divided 2:1.

However, the holy sword wouldnt accept it.

[Just slash downwards with all your might. Everything will be taken care of if I use my Barrier Magic. Summoning a Fire Wall or a Wind Wall to block their approach works too. If not, then even if you just shoot a lightweight magic like Magic Missile, youll be able to block the enemies that are trying to aim for your weak spot. Of course, you have to wield a magic sword that can do that first. Hoo hoo. However, where would you find another magic sword as great as me in the world? Haha.]

He really is a natural at getting caught up in his own boasting.

I got irritated every time I heard the holy sword bragging.

This guy would boast all the time.

Hes at the level of a narcissist.

[Warrior, youve been extremely lucky. Theres not another sword like me in this world. Hahaha.]

I cant snap at him in times like this.

I realized that in the past few days.

If I say something, the holy sword wouldnt accept it and wed start arguing.

And that argument would usually be sprinkled with the holy swords boasts.

If I didnt want to hear that, the answer was to just ignore him.

So I just stayed silent.

Seregia stayed silent for the same reason.

[ Huh?]

n.o.body responded, so when I heard the holy swords fl.u.s.tered voice, I felt a little more cheerful.

I stood up.

I think Ive rested enough, so shall we go?

[Yes. I believe three days rest was enough. Lets depart.]

After Seregia calmly spoke, the holy sword, whose humility had reached its limit, spoke.

[At last, this is the start of a new journey. Warrior! Adventure! Friendship! Love! Justice! New bonds in a new world! And those new bonds will create a new legend of the holy sword! Ah these are words from my early childhood, travelling here and there on the continent was my hobby.]

d.a.m.n it.

I want to sew his mouth shut and throw it away.

Ah, that guy doesnt have a mouth, does he?

I want to infuse the Thousand Arms sheath with a Silence Magic.

In truth, I had checked the store to see if there was anything like that.

If the holy sword didnt have a Dispel Magic function, I definitely wouldve bought it.

I ignored the holy sword that refused to stop boasting and stood atop the portal.

I pa.s.sed a bonfire room and was transported to the stage.

I explained to Seregia and the holy sword that I travelled between dimensions and that like the mercenaries who worked as Warriors, I would travel to this or that world, and my job was to accomplish a specific goal.

Because of that, the t.i.tle of Warrior was quickly discarded.

Also, I told Seregia to use my name and speak informally.

In truth, it didnt matter if they disregarded my t.i.tle, but since Seregia personally insisted that she was more comfortable with the t.i.tle, we just decided to keep it as is.

The holy sword had also told me to call it by its name Ahoubuch, or whatever, but it was hard to p.r.o.nounce so I just decided to call it the holy sword.

The holy sword was disappointed as expected, but I ignored him.

Other than that, Seregia and the holy sword couldnt perceive the portal, the waiting room, or the Tutorial at all.

They could only understand to the extent that they were a means of transportation and safe lodging.

It was unfortunate, but since they cant even perceive it, I did not pity them as much.

[Welcome to the 27th floor stage.]

There was a village built in front of a large cave on the 27th floor.

No, I should call it a town instead.

There was a fairly large number of people walking around and I also saw a lot of buildings compacted together.

But from just a glimpse, it was a town so squalid that it seemed to be more of a village for natives of a jungle.

[Warrior, what is your objective here?] Seregia asked.

The holy sword maintained his silence.

The holy sword had to be alert when he went outside, so I told him to talk as little as possible.

Maybe its because I stressed it several times, but the holy sword was silent just as he promised.

Honestly, it was because of this that in this round I canceled my plan to rest and hurried into the stage instead.

I dont know how long the holy sword will be silent and keep his promise, but it was a relief he was well-behaved, even if it was for only a short while.

Im not sure. Lets wait for a little bit.

I couldnt immediately respond to Seregias question, since I dont know yet.

I briefly stood at the center of the town and waited.

[The 27th floors challenge is starting.]

Explanation: To the east of Gravia , there are two trade routes to the western continent. The first route is the sea route, crossing the sea between the continents, and the second is via the enormous subterranean cave beneath the ocean. This subterranean cave that is well-known as Gravias underground dungeon, is made up of three stairways. Also, there is an existence that is occupying the lowest floor alone. In the lowest floor of Gravias underground dungeon, please vanquish the ruler of the lowest floor and seize the earthworms treasure.

You will need a special guide in order to reach the lowest floor of Gravias dungeon.

Please enter the building made of red bricks and obtain a guide.

[Clear conditions]

1. Defeat the earthworm.

2. Acquire the earthworms treasure.

It was a fairly comprehensible stage.

So I attack the underground dungeon and defeat the boss mob.

Plus, I also have to acquire the boss mobs loot.

The clear condition concerning the existence of the earthworm caught my attention more than the stages concept.

An earthworm, huh.

But an earthworm normally refers to an actual worm.

However, if it were just the average earthworm, there would be no way it would have a treasure worthy of being the stages clear condition.

In any case, isnt it a dragon?

[TL Note: The previous section is the authors wordplay. The Korean word for earthworm can be taken apart and literally translated to mean earth (dust) dragon, though it is not usually used this way. This is Ho Jaes perception of the term, not what the clear condition actually says.]

Didnt it say that it was on the lowest floor of the underground dungeon?

Didnt it say that its occupying the lowest floor alone?

Perhaps exactly as its written, its a dragon living underground?

I was a little excited.

Seregia and the holy sword had also learned of the clear condition through the message.

[Im looking forward to it. If possible, I hope that there will be a lot of enemies on the path leading to the lowest floor.]

[To defeat a wicked evil dragon]

Seregia also showed her antic.i.p.ation.

In the holy swords case, it was excited about something and started talking, but when I gripped the hilt, it immediately stopped talking.

[Um Warrior.]

The holy sword that had been briefly silent spoke furtively.

What?

[Cant I just speak casually with you as well? I wont be too noisy.]

You cant. I dont trust you.

[Youre too much. Isnt this favoritism?]

It is favoritism.

If you dont like it, then you can go back into the inventory.

[Yes. Ill remain quiet. I love you, Warrior. You know that I always respect you, right?]

What are you talking about?

After we finished our conversation, I walked towards the red building.

I didnt walk that far before I reached the front of the buildings made of red bricks.

It should be sufficient to simply pick a guide from here and travel to the dungeon.

Kiri Kiri had advised me to pick my guide carefully.

However, what did she mean by pick carefully?

I have no idea.

I confidently shoved the door open and entered without much thought.

The scenery inside the building was typical.

An adventurers guild inside of a game would look exactly like this.

They were selling alcohol and plain food and the people sitting at the tables all looked like vagrants.

There was a large wooden block situated in the middle of the buildings interior, pinned with information notices and advertis.e.m.e.nts regarding this and that.

[Its a noisy place.] Seregia commented.

It was actually really noisy inside the building.

[It also reeks.]

After she said that, the holy sword beside me commented as well.

I have no idea how the holy sword could smell it when he didnt have a nose, but this place honestly reeked of a disgusting smell.

I briefly looked around the building and found a person who looked to be the front-desk clerk or a worker.

She was a fairly old-looking middle-aged woman.

She was sitting at the counter and either telling people about this and that or diligently writing something down on paper.

No matter how I look at it, she didnt act like a customer at all.

If I were to point a out a peculiar point, it was just that she had a red eye tattooed on her forehead.

I approached the middle-aged woman at the counter and asked outright.

Im looking for a guide that can guide me through the dungeon.

Youre that dual-wielding swordsman that I saw talking to himself over there.

Im sorry?

Its nothing. You said you were looking for a guide?

It seems like she had seen me talking to my swords outside the building a little while ago.

Then again, it mustve looked a little strange.

If you just look at me, I carried around two conspicuous swords and I had stood in the middle of the street muttering to myself.

What is your destination?

The lowest floor.

Are you by chance looking for a spot to kill yourself?

No.

Her voice that abruptly asked whether I was going to kill myself was sad, but I calmly responded.

Im visiting.

Immediately after I had told her that I wanted to go to the lowest floor, the woman began furrowing her eyebrows right in front of me.

If I had told her that I was going to kill the dragon, it seemed like she would call it a bluff and chase me out of the building.

As you may know, even if we can guide you there, we cannot guarantee your safety. That is

I dont need it.

When I bluntly told her that, the woman retained her crumpled face and pondered for a long while.

Then she pointed to a corner of the building and said, Ask that child over there. That childs probably the only one who will guide you.

I saw a kid that didnt even look ten in the corner that she pointed at.

Are there no other guides?

Im not sure. That childs probably the only guide who needs to make money today or else hell die tomorrow.

I had no choice but to accept this guide considering the circ.u.mstances.

I roughly said my goodbyes and I approached the child squatting in the corner.

Right when I was about to introduce myself and raise the child up, the child abruptly stood up.

h.e.l.lo, Swordsman. Did you say you were going all the way down to the lowest floor? Woah, youre an amazing person. Youre manly, youve got courage, and moreover, you have a couple of swords. You dont have to worry too much about the lowest floor. Especially since the scary rumors regarding the lowest floor were made up by all sorts of people. But for a swordsman like you whos the real deal, it wont be a very dangerous place for you. Haha.

Perhaps he was listening to my conversation with the middle-aged woman, but the child already knew about my destination.

Because of that, it seemed like I wouldnt have to separately explain it to him.

Strangely, the child had a red eye tattooed on his forehead just like the middle-aged woman.

[In his first meeting with you hes smoothly flattering you; hes an unusually rude little kid.]

The holy sword muttered.

Look whos talking.

[Rather than flattery, I also hear it as sarcasm.]

It was just as Seregia said.

Thats how I heard it.

This little kid wasnt sincerely being sarcastic with me.

Thats just how I heard it.

Since I heard the kids words that way, it seems like his expression was hugely affected.

His thin voice that hadnt yet gone through p.u.b.erty was also probably disturbed as well.

This young dirty kid revealed his white teeth and was smiling brightly.

However, his smile only formed on the sides of his mouth.

He bowed his forehead slightly and the eyes that looked up at me werent smiling at all.

He was repeatedly rotating between observing my facial expression, my clothes, and my weapons.

Seeing as how hes repeatedly looking at the places hes observed before, I could tell that the childs mental state was extremely anxious.

[Hes a child without much attentiveness. His focus is also terrible.]

Seregia criticized.

I agreed with everything she said.

[If he wielded a sword, hed die outside of his home within a month.]

This time, the holy sword commented.

It was a little uncertain, but I agreed.

The child seemed to be an existence that exhibited all the habits or peculiarities that you cant have as a swordsman or a warrior.

His intentions are written all over his face.

His attentiveness and his focus are lacking, and he wasnt even sure of what he had seen himself.

He looked around carefully for other peoples gazes, but he turned his eyes towards too many things, and he couldnt identify what was most important.

For example, my eyes that are looking straight down at the kid.

His breathing was so erratic that he may as well have had tuberculosis, and his standing posture was terrible.

Even if you look at his build from the outside, its terrible; the s.p.a.ce between his legs when he steps is erratic.

No, the angle that his feet are touching the ground is strange.

There may be some kind of problem with his feet.

[Warrior. I maintained my ego for a considerably long time, but this is my first time seeing such an untalented human in the world.]

The holy sword didnt drop its criticism.

This kid isnt even a swordsman, so why do his talents matter?

Its fine as long as he guides me well.

[Yes. He really does have the worst ability. Even in the academy where numerous students gather, there wasnt anyone that bad. Hes still young and he doesnt seem to have been given any particular education nor has he been trained. Even if we consider his malnourished and unhealthy state, its really hard to find a human like that. Hes a dunce sent by heaven.]

Seregia supplemented.

The holy swords and Seregias criticism combination was too cruel that even I, the one listening, felt sorry for the kid.

Swordsman? Is there any problem?

No, theres none. Then, can you give me an explanation regarding the dungeon? I need to test whether you have enough knowledge as a guide.

Yes. First, please sit over there. Ill explain after you sit down.

I had thought of this before, but it came up again.

Kiri Kiri had advised that I need to pick my guide well.

I dont really understand the meaning behind that.

The only option I had was this kid.