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In the middle of the square, the presence of something enormous was radiating an aura so overwhelming that it could throw the entire city into chaos. Each beanstalk growing from the tiny beans was thicker than most ordinary trees. These beanstalks intertwined and supported each other, growing thicker and taller with each passing moment.

The growth rate was undeniably abnormal. With every breath, the beanstalks added another floor’s height to their size, growing thicker and taller at an alarming speed.

The late-arriving Plymouth security forces were frozen in shock at the sudden appearance of this colossal plant. Among them, only those with a strong will could even muster the presence of mind to ask Hildegard, who was already on the scene, about the situation.

“What on earth is going on here?!”

But even those with the mental fortitude to inquire couldn’t maintain their composure when faced with a beanstalk that seemed to reach the sky, growing wildly in the middle of the square. Hildegard, sensing the soldiers’ psychological state through their wide-eyed expressions, realized there was only one way to calm the situation.

She quickly pulled out her official identification from the Church Order and shouted, “I am Hildegard Ritter von Wolfstein, a Nun Knight of the Paladin Special Response Unit! From this moment on, I will take charge of this abnormal situation! You are to assist me in stabilizing the citizens’ unrest!”

Her commanding voice, combined with the overwhelming aura of Light Power radiating from her, swept over the guards. Bathed in the platinum glow refined to its utmost by the Immovable King Wisdom Technique, the guards felt their inner turmoil settle and their minds clear. They immediately understood that obeying this extraordinary Nun Knight was the right course of action.

“Plymouth 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Guard Units! We will follow the Nun Knight’s command!”

The guard captain, John Strongstout, struck his chest with his right fist and responded. With the highest-ranking officer on the scene making the decision, the command of the Plymouth guards was temporarily delegated to Hildegard.

Under Hildegard’s command, the Plymouth guards began to move with purpose, unlike their previous state of confusion. They quickly dispersed into groups of five, calming the panicked citizens and ensuring no further unexpected damage occurred. The arrival of monks from the monastery further eased the process.

Once the ordinary citizens, excluding those with significant strength, had dispersed, only those with the discernment to understand the situation remained.

Those who had been carefully observing the direction of the beanstalk’s growth since it first appeared sensed something amiss. Alexander Dean, the manager of Plymouth’s Spell Tower, put this unease into words.

“This beanstalk isn’t just growing aimlessly.”

Alexander Dean, a third-tier Spellcaster, pointed to the tip of the beanstalk and said, “The top of this thing is clearly connected to another dimension.”

“Another dimension?”

“Yes. Hmm… If I had to describe it, it feels like a dungeon.”

The word “dungeon” sent a ripple of tension and confusion through the crowd.

While the dictionary definition of a dungeon refers to the exposure of historical or supernatural layers from a previous era, it also carries the connotation of a Pandora’s box—a place that might hold ancient knowledge or treasures, or conversely, dangerous and terrifying calamities sealed away.

Among those related to dungeons, some seek the knowledge and treasures of the past, while others wish to seal away ancient disasters forever. There are even those who seek fame and glory by exploring dungeons.

If the top of this beanstalk truly leads to a dungeon, then the city must decide whether to lament the dungeon looming overhead or to hope that it might be a treasure trove. The complexity of the situation was unavoidable.

Sensing the crowd’s mood, the guards and monks began to subtly increase their vigilance. Those remaining were all individuals of considerable strength. If they were to act recklessly, the situation could become even more difficult to manage.

‘By the way, hearing that this plant’s upper part is like a dungeon reminds me of something…’

Suddenly, Conra, who had been listening to Alexander Dean’s words, recalled a certain memory.

{Are you thinking of that dungeonization phenomenon from before?}

‘Ah, yes. We really struggled back then. Doesn’t this feel similar?’

Conra remembered the decisive battle with Kukunis on Menorca Island. At that time, Kukunis had become the core of a dungeon, possessing a host and turning the entire island and nearby maritime area into a dungeon.

Since dungeons manifest and are maintained around a dungeon core, if they hadn’t stopped Kukunis, he would have led a fleet of dungeonized ships across the seas. The sight of ancient wraiths, governed by different laws, running rampant would have been closer to a “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons” or a “Wild Hunt.”

Now, as the subdued spirit Lucas-Kukunis under Sophia’s control, Kukunis lived quietly. But as a dungeon boss and core, he had been a formidable threat.

{That’s a bit different. The ‘dungeonization’ back then was entirely under that pirate captain’s control, but this dungeon was just inactive until it found the right key to activate.}

‘Hmm? So you’re saying…’

{Yes. The sky above this land has always been a dungeon. It’s just that, after being inactive for so long, it malfunctioned for a moment due to some sudden, nonsensical weather anomaly.}

‘And now, thanks to the beanstalk, it’s finally functioning properly?’

{Exactly. But because it’s been neglected for so long, it seems a bit unstable.}

Hearing this, Conra felt a chill run down his spine. ‘Surely not…’ The worst-case scenario flashed through his mind, and he urgently asked his spirit.

‘Surely, the situation I’m imagining isn’t about to happen, right? Dangerous calamities or monsters aren’t going to burst out of the dungeon and wreak havoc on the surface, are they?’

As if following some universal law, Conra’s worst fears were confirmed. Esras-Hermes, his spirit, grinned with undisguised excitement.

{Heh, exactly that. If you don’t act quickly, you’re in for quite a spectacle.}

{Old man, cut it out and start giving proper advice. As a spirit, you should be advising your caster.}

Esras-Hermes’s somewhat flippant remark prompted Rugus-Artaeus, another spirit, to interject.

{Tsk, this is why fighters are no good. They can’t observe things calmly.}

{It’s better than indulging in personal desires and plunging the world into danger. Conra has the makings of a hero, unlike you.}

Rugus-Artaeus retorted with clear displeasure.

‘Enough! I get that you two don’t get along, but what we need now is cooperation, not arguing. So, Hermes? You seem to have some idea of what to do. What’s the plan?’

Quickly stepping in to mediate, Conra then turned to Esras-Hermes and asked about the plan for dealing with the dungeon at the top of the beanstalk, which could erupt at any moment. Seeing Conra’s calm demeanor, Esras-Hermes clicked his tongue and reluctantly answered.

{Well, in cases like this, there’s only one real solution. There’s no other way.}

‘So, what is it?’

{It’s obvious. You just have to enter the dungeon and conquer it.}

‘What?’

{And just so you know, you can’t mess with it from the outside. As I said earlier, this dungeon is ready to burst. If you try to interfere with it in any non-standard way, it’ll be irreversible.}

‘I see…’

Conra immediately thought of informing his mentor, Sophia, about this. However, his thoughts were momentarily halted by a question from his spirit.

{But, do you really think you can easily proceed with a dungeon conquest in this situation?}

‘What do you mean?’

{Look around. All the so-called strong people of the city are gathered here. While the citizens might see the dungeon above their heads as a threat, do you think these people feel the same? I guarantee you, to them, a dungeon is more like a treasure trove than a disaster.}

Esras-Hermes didn’t need to elaborate. If a treasure trove without an owner appeared before those confident in their own strength, it was obvious how they would act.

Like predators eyeing the same prey, the crowd was sizing each other up, their eyes darting around. Conra felt a sense of helplessness and closed his mouth.

{Think about it. I’m sure your mentor has already figured this out. But if she’s not stepping forward, it’s because she doesn’t see the need to raise the flag herself. She’ll probably just watch for now.}

{That’s right, spellcaster.}

Suddenly, Lucas-Kukunis, Sophia’s spirit, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

{The spellcaster is right. She has already accurately assessed the situation. If she wanted to, she could easily resolve it. But she won’t step forward.}

‘Why is that?’

{From what I’ve heard, humanity is preparing for a rematch with the Demon Clan. In my time, there were no such things as demons, but I’ve heard about the source of their power. Fighting them will undoubtedly be a hassle. In that sense, the current human society, where a few devoted superhumans handle all the trouble, has some structural issues.}

Conra roughly understood. As Sophia’s disciple, he hadn’t spent all his time training and adventuring. He had also studied, so he knew how the Demon Clan could affect humanity.

While demons were individually powerful, their very existence was troublesome. Just by being present, they distorted concepts and corrupted minds. Their way of existence, which twisted space, objects, concepts, and souls, was utterly alien to normal beings.

They actively used their influence to target people’s vulnerabilities, tempting and corrupting them, eventually turning them into their own kind. To counter such foes, individuals needed to cultivate noble inner qualities, or the societal structure itself needed to be mature enough to minimize individual corruption.

In that sense, the way humans lived was too vulnerable to the influence of demons. Outside of the Church Order, which had a guaranteed spiritual foundation, ordinary people lacked sufficient defenses against corruption.

‘If the Great Sage hadn’t existed during the last war, humanity would never have been able to expel the demons. And now, the Great Sage is gone…’

Conversely, if humanity had possessed even a bit more spiritual resilience back then, the Great Sage might not have needed to sacrifice themselves. This was the recurring thought that always lingered in Conra’s mind whenever he heard the legends of the Great Sage.

{So, your mentor wants to test humanity. With the war against demons approaching, she wants to see if humanity can mature through trials. And this dungeon is the perfect opportunity.}

{Indeed. She must have foreseen what might emerge if the dungeon erupts.}

{Hmm. She mentioned that a giant army might descend.}

{A giant army?}

Rugus-Artaeus reacted to Lucas-Kukunis’s words.

{Now that you mention it, the city’s name does feel familiar. Is this the site of Hendros Albion (the ancient giant kingdom of the highlands)?}

‘Hendros Albion? Albion was a country located in the northern part of Caledonia, wasn’t it?’

{Originally, Albion referred to the land of the giants. It derived from the name of the giantess Arvione, the mother of the giants. So, the entire giant kingdom became a dungeon? I see. This level of challenge would be sufficient for a preliminary test.}

Rugus-Artaeus, who had been negative until now, finally nodded in agreement, seeing this as an appropriate trial that wouldn’t cause irreversible damage, allowing intervention if necessary.

But Conra was conflicted.

‘But is that really okay?’

Choosing to leave a smaller ‘disaster’ unattended for the sake of ‘preparation’—was that truly justifiable? Did they have the right to make choices that could affect those who might be sacrificed in the process?

Such anguish and worry wouldn’t leave Conra’s mind.

As the boy agonized, the situation continued to stagnate. The mutual wariness and probing among the gathered strong individuals became more overt, turning the scene into a muddy, cutthroat competition for interests.

As the situation remained at a standstill, the time limit drew closer. Finally, just as Conra decided he couldn’t stand by any longer and resolved to do something, the moment arrived.

 

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