How a Wizard Lives 20

Chapter 20- Final room.

The night quietly receded.

But the darkness did not disappear.

The sky was heavy with dark clouds, as if it could burst into tears at any moment.

The expedition team busily prepared to depart before the rain poured down.

The noblewoman changed into exploration attire, fixed her hair, and even applied a light layer of powder to her face.

They ate salted pork and soaked dry bread, and without a moment’s rest, they shouldered their packs.

Raindrops had already begun to fall, one by one.

“We’re entering now!”

The expedition team took out their staffs and attached mana orbs to them.

Three mana orb staffs lit up the front, middle, and rear of the group.

The passage leading underground was so narrow that they had to descend one by one.

The walls, smelling of old dirt, had roots sticking out like whiskers, and insects scurried about.

The noblewoman gasped softly when she saw a centipede as thick as a thumb crawling along the earthen wall, but she didn’t scream like a typical noble lady.

She truly had the courage to invest heavily in an uncertain expedition.

As they descended the dark, narrow passage, Yurik felt as if he had been swallowed by a giant snake.

After what felt like an eternity, a voice from the front announced they had reached the bottom.

Soon after, Yurik stepped onto flat ground.

The walls here were no longer earthen but made of polished stone. Judging by the texture and material,

It was granite.

The stairs had ended, but the passage continued.

However, the passage had widened significantly.

Lekadi, the leader, now ordered the team to form two lines.

Of course, Achota, the self-proclaimed trap expert, stood alone at the front.

Her role was to detect physical traps that mana detection couldn’t find.

Yurik was positioned around the middle of the line.

Next to him was Dymnos, the archer.

Her hawk-like eyes constantly scanned their surroundings.

The long passage echoed with the sound of dozens of footsteps, but no one spoke.

Occasionally, a hand signal from the front would order a halt, and the team would freeze in unison, nervously glancing around.

If a trap were triggered, they needed to react immediately.

Yurik frequently used mana detection to scan the dark passage ahead.

So far, there were no threatening mana reactions.

“Let’s rest here for a bit!”

Though they hadn’t come far from the entrance stairs, the cautious pace had drained both time and stamina.

Still, safety came first in an expedition.

“Don’t touch anything! Stay exactly where you are and rest!”

Lekadi warned the team.

In dungeons, not touching anything was a basic rule.

The team sat down and chewed on dried meat and fruit.

“Something should show up soon. It’d be nice to get a bonus.”

Viktor, the bald man, seemed hopeful for treasure that would earn them an extra gold coin or two.

Of course, not all dungeons were jackpots.

Some were completely empty, filled with worthless junk, or rigged with deadly traps.

After a short break, the team continued down the passage.

With each breath, the cold air stabbed their lungs.

The air smelled damp and earthy.

After walking for a while longer, they finally emerged from the passage.

“……It’s a room.”

The space had widened, but the dungeon couldn’t end here.

Naturally, there was no treasure in sight, not even a scrap of junk.

It was a massive chamber, about the size of an inn’s common room.

However, the arched ceiling was so high that it would take several men standing on each other’s shoulders to reach it.

Of course, this was all the work of ancient mages.

If building a dungeon underground required countless laborers, there wouldn’t be so many dungeons in this forest.

Back then, most mages were verbal mages, capable of carving earth and granite with just their words.

“I’m glad I came to the dungeon. It’s different from just reading about it.”

Yurik realized just how incredible verbal mages were.

Perhaps it was their existence that allowed civilization to flourish despite the constant threat of demons.

He wondered if modern mages, bound by runes, had their potential limited.

“Leader, I don’t see any other passages.”

The underground chamber had no visible exits other than the one they had entered.

“There must be a mechanism. Everyone, look around. But don’t touch anything!”

The leader had the noblewoman and the two laborers sit in the center to rest while the others searched for anything unusual.

While meticulously examining the surroundings, Yurik noticed a section of the wall that was slightly indented.

It was so subtle that it would have gone unnoticed without his keen eyes.

If not for him, they might have spent hours searching.

“Over here! There’s something!”

“What’s there? I don’t see anything.”

The team gathered at Yurik’s call, but to them, it just looked like a plain wall.

“Is it magic? I don’t see anything.”

“No, the wall is slightly indented. It seems like a pressure mechanism.”

Some pressed against the adjacent wall to check for height differences.

“It’s true. It’s just a tiny bit lower!”

“No wonder mages have such sharp eyes.”

Lekadi gestured for Achota to inspect it.

She pulled out a brush made of deer hair from her tool belt and gently dusted the area.

There was indeed a gap.

She inserted a thin rod and carefully checked for any mechanisms.

So far, there were no traps.

Achota also thoroughly examined the floor and ceiling. S

He was checking for pitfalls, falling ceilings, or other deadly traps.

“It seems safe for now.”

In dungeons, nothing was ever completely safe.

Only varying degrees of safety.

Achota signaled everyone to step back and continued to inspect the area before slowly pressing the wall.

With a creak, the wall opposite the entrance began to open.

“It’s done-!”

Fortunately, there were no traps, only a passage leading to the next area.

The team advanced down the dark passage once more.

Cobwebs hanging from the ceiling added to the eerie atmosphere.

The air, which had been filled with excitement moments ago, quickly turned cold.

Then, for the first time, Yurik sensed a mana reaction. It wasn’t far.

“Leader.”

Yurik quietly called out to Lekadi, who nodded in acknowledgment.

The passage ended shortly, opening into another chamber.

This one was much larger than the previous one.

The light from the mana orbs barely reached the opposite end.

“There’s a door over there!”

This time, they didn’t need to search for a passage.

A door was clearly visible on the opposite side.

But their eyes didn’t stop at the door.

Beside it stood a stone statue, easily three meters tall.

The three mages immediately used mana detection and sensed a mana reaction from it.

“…It’s a golem.”

A golem, an ancient weapon created through verbal magic.

Even the Magic Tower could create small golems, but one of this size was unimaginable.

These were made purely through verbal magic, and no manufacturing methods remained.

They were great relics of an era modern mages couldn’t even decipher.

“Damn it, a golem right from the start…”

Golems were notoriously tricky opponents in dungeons.

“Everyone, form up!”

The team quickly formed ranks.

Those who couldn’t fight retreated to the passage they had just entered.

At the same time, the golem awakened.

A massive mana wave surged, and its eyes glowed red.

Yurik noticed that its mana wavelength was slightly unstable.

The mana orb inside the golem, having endured centuries, seemed to have developed issues.

A well-placed shock could shatter it.

The two vanguards, Engelgard and Madarot, stepped forward with their shields raised.

Behind them, Haral gripped his sword, ready to strike.

The three mages also prepared their spells.

However, considering the golem’s defenses, their effectiveness would likely be limited.

“We need to deliver a shock to its core to shatter the mana orb.”

As Yurik thought this, the golem charged forward with heavy steps and swung its massive fist.

—!

A deafening crash echoed as Engelgard, holding his shield, was sent flying and slammed into the wall.

Immediately, mana bullets struck the golem’s head, exploding on impact.

Yurik could have used stronger magic, but he had to consider the risk of the ceiling collapsing.

They couldn’t bury the entire team while trying to destroy the golem.

“A mass magic hammer would be better than mana bullets that might miss.”

The golem, its head partially shattered, swung its other fist.

This time, Madarot was sent flying.

The golem’s strength was beyond what any individual could handle. Each punch carried the destructive force of a spell.

Then, old man Haral swiftly dashed forward and swung his sword.

But unless one was a master swordsman, such attacks were ineffective against a golem.

The match-up was simply too unfavorable.

—!

The golem swung its arm again, but Haral ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Dymnos, the archer, seized the moment and fired an arrow straight into the golem’s eye, but it had no effect.

She had hoped it would be a weak point, but she was mistaken.

Seeing Haral dodge the golem’s attacks, Viktor cursed and charged forward.

But before he could land a single strike, the golem’s fist sent him sprawling.

He groaned in pain, clearly heavily injured.

The leader and the middle-aged mage fired mana bullets at the golem again, this time aiming for its torso.

As the mana bullets struck, Yurik swung a mass magic hammer at its head. The golem staggered forward and fell, but it seemed largely unharmed.

“Destroy it!

Engelgard and Madarot, having recovered somewhat, rushed forward and began hacking at the golem’s body with their axes and shields.

But before they could deal significant damage, the golem rose again.

“Move aside!”

At Yurik’s shout, the two quickly stepped back.

Yurik swung the mana hammer with full force at the golem’s chest.

Crash!!

The golem was sent flying backward by the powerful impact.

This time, it was clearly damaged.

Its mana wavelength had become significantly unstable.

Its arm twitched as it tried to rise, but its movements had noticeably slowed.

The mercenaries seized the opportunity and began pounding its chest. With each strike, the golem twitched.

Finally, they shattered the cracked core in its chest.

Only then did the golem cease functioning.

The mercenaries cursed and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Achota and the laborers rushed over to check for injuries.

“Damn it, my whole body hurts!”

“I think my left arm is broken.”

The three mercenaries who had taken direct hits from the golem had multiple fractures.

Yurik quickly pulled out a potion from his bag and had them each take a sip.

“Ugh, damn it! What the hell is this?! Did you scoop this out of a sewer?!”

“It’s effective, so don’t spit it out. The fractures should heal quickly.”

“My arm feels like it’s dangling.”

“It’ll heal, though it might take some time.”

Everyone carried a potion or two, but free potions always tasted better.

…Though this one tasted like sewage.

Still, the potion’s efficacy was undeniable.

Engelgard and Madarot, the vanguards, quickly got up and waved their arms as if nothing had happened.

“The taste is crap, but the effect is amazing. I feel like I’m already healed.”

“It’s not fully healed yet. Take it easy for a bit.”

“Damn it, you tough bastards.”

Viktor, still in pain, clicked his tongue at the two who had already recovered.

The noblewoman, who had quietly emerged from the passage, seemed to finally grasp the dangers of the dungeon after witnessing the battle.

“The leader’s got a good eye. Yurik, you’re pretty impressive. We got through that thanks to you.”

Engelgard ruffled Yurik’s hair.

Honestly, no one had expected him to perform so well.

Only Lekadi, who had already recognized his genius, remained unfazed.

The team took a long break to eat and recover.

After reorganizing, they opened the passage leading to the next chamber.

This time, there was no mechanism.

The door opened normally, though it was made of granite, requiring Engelgard and Madarot to push it open together.

Of course, they could have broken it with magic, but there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

The dark passage that appeared was considerably longer.

“……How much time has passed?”

“It’s definitely past noon. My belly clock is accurate.”

Unless something major happened, most dungeons could be cleared within a day.

Smaller ones could be done in half a day. Of course, ‘small’ was relative—all dungeons were massive.

Achota, walking at the front, finally found a trap.

She immediately signaled for everyone to stop.

The team froze in unison.

“Don’t step here.”

She wet a piece of paper and placed it on the unsafe area as a warning.

The team carefully avoided it.

“The final chamber should be coming up soon.”

Traps usually indicated something important ahead.

Especially before the final chamber, traps were almost guaranteed.

This was Achota’s time to shine.

“Be careful from now on. It’d be a shame to die right before the treasure.”

As expected, there were many traps.

The ones on the ceiling were particularly deadly.

After passing through four traps, they finally entered the final chamber.

…Ah…!

This chamber was distinctly different from the others.

Made of luxurious marble instead of granite, it was so vast that the light from the mana orbs couldn’t reach the opposite end.

They lit a few more mana orbs to brighten the area.

“Where’s the treasure?! Where’s the treasure?”

“Shh. Calm down. It’s not over yet.”

The leader reassured the noblewoman.

The mercenaries remained on guard.

If this was truly the final chamber, there had to be some form of defense.

If they had a golem earlier, there would be something even more formidable here.

They advanced in formation.

……And slowly, something came into view.

……!!

What caught the team’s eyes was a pure white marble statue.

It wasn’t a golem. It was closer to treasure.

“Oh…!”

The marble statue stood behind an altar.

The team cautiously approached the altar, constantly scanning their surroundings.

Yurik used mana detection several times, but the chamber was empty. It felt as if this wasn’t the final chamber.

“Ah…!”

There was indeed treasure on the altar—dozens of gold coins and three gemstones.

But that was all.

Disappointment was evident on the noblewoman’s face.

Compared to her investment, this was a pittance.

Though the gemstones were valuable, it wasn’t worth the ordeal.

“Don’t touch it yet. There might be a mechanism.”

The leader naturally didn’t touch the treasure.

The altar looked suspicious, likely rigged with traps.

“Achota, investigate.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Achota meticulously examined the altar and its surroundings. It would take time, but there was no other way.

While she worked, the team sat on the steps leading to the altar and rested.

“This is underwhelming.”

“Maybe this isn’t the final chamber.”

“It’s too lavishly decorated for that.”

“Maybe someone already looted it.”

“Then why leave this behind?”

“Too heavy to carry, maybe.”

“Bullshit. Mercenaries would shove it up their asses if they had to.”

“True.”

The slightly relaxed mercenaries chuckled.

Meanwhile, Yurik approached the marble statue and examined it.

There was clearly an inscription.

Though some parts were unreadable, it mostly resembled modern script.

It commemorated the achievements of a hero named Tubalu. The statue depicted three figures: Tubalu in the center, a mage named Titon on the left, and a priest named Norbert on the right.

“…Is this their tomb?”

Yurik read the inscription attributed to Titon.

“He always showed the path forward. To you, the future generations. Behold!”

At that moment, someone gasped softly.

“Look at the statue in the center. It’s holding a sword. Is that a real sword?”

The leader brought a mana orb closer to inspect it.

Indeed, it wasn’t carved from marble but a real sword.

The blade’s pale color had made it hard to notice at first.

The noblewoman’s eyes lit up.

If this was a hero’s statue, the sword had to be a priceless treasure!

“That must be the real treasure of this dungeon. We must take it!”

The gold coins and gemstones were no longer of interest to her.

Even to her untrained eye, the sword was clearly extraordinary.

“We need to check for traps.”

“Even if there are traps, it’s worth the risk! A sword like that is invaluable.”

The leader instructed Achota to inspect it.

She climbed onto Viktor’s shoulders to reach the sword.

“Damn, it’s heavy!”

“Stop wobbling, you idiot!”

After a thorough inspection, Achota found a mechanism in the hand.

However, she couldn’t determine what it was connected to.

“Pulling this might trigger something.”

The rule was to avoid touching such things.

But the noblewoman was adamant.

She was determined to take the sword, no matter the cost.

“This might be the mechanism to access the true final chamber. How do we know this is the end?”

Her argument wasn’t entirely baseless.

The leader looked to Achota for her opinion, and she admitted it was possible, though unlikely.

“I want you to try it, Leader.”

Ultimately, the decision lay with the noblewoman who had hired them. The leader nodded in acknowledgment.

“Then we’ll pull the sword. Since there’s a mechanism, everyone get ready for anything.”

The team formed up.

The laborers gathered the gold coins and gemstones, which had been deemed safe.

Once everyone was ready, the leader instructed Achota to pull the sword. She carefully tugged at it.

“………?”

But nothing happened.

“The mechanism… must have rusted and stopped working!”

At Achota’s shout, everyone sighed in relief.

Just then, Haral shushed them.

“……Old man, why?”

“Don’t you hear that?”

Everyone listened.

…There was definitely a sound coming from the passage.

And then.

Crash!!

A massive torrent of water began pouring from the passage.

“Damn it!”

Everyone was too stunned to react.

Water began filling the chamber.

Could the trap really be drowning?!

“Damn it! I told you not to touch it!”

Curses erupted.

The noblewoman panicked, trembling uncontrollably.

Yurik, too, was momentarily stunned.

“It seems like pulling this might trigger something.”

“No, no! Pull yourself together! Calm down! It’s not over yet. There must be a way out. There has to be.”

Yurik took deep breaths and shook his head vigorously.

By then, the water had already reached his ankles.

“Leader! What do we do?!”

“Shut up and let me think!”

“Damn it, put the sword back! Put it back!”

“I already did, you idiot! It’s not stopping!”

The water continued to rise.

The mercenaries climbed onto the altar or the marble statue.

Though it wouldn’t save them for long.

“Damn it, I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die like this!”

Yurik racked his brain, recalling everything he had seen from the passage to the chamber.

“Think. Calm down. Think. Just think…!”

There must be a way.

There has to be a solution.

There’s a way out…!

—

At that moment, something flashed through Yurik’s mind.

The words of Mage Titon.

“He always showed the path forward. To you, the future generations. Behold!”

And then he saw it.

Mage Titon’s outstretched arm and the finger pointing at the end.

The path forward.

The final chamber.

“Everyone, get ready to move!”

Yurik shouted at the top of his lungs, snapping everyone out of their panic.

He then swung his mana hammer at the wall where the finger was pointing.

Once, twice, three times…!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With a loud crash, the wall crumbled.

“Run that way! Move!”

The team ran.

Through the passage revealed by the collapsed wall.

Toward the final chamber.