Chapter 38 Subjugation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The great jungle spread out before them, and when Yuuri finally stood at its edge, a shiver ran through his body. The wide exit of the safe zone opened into a dense tropical forest. Compared to the crushing darkness of Floor Fifty-Seven, the soft sunbeams filtering through the leaves offered an almost gentle relief.
But beyond this point lay only a handful of old notes—an unknown land.
A dungeon’s danger never matched its appearance. Even a calm-looking floor could wipe out a party if they acted carelessly. That was true in the upper layers; here, at the deepest point humans had ever reached, the truth was harsher still.
The mere fact of the jungle’s unknown nature was enough to make Yuuri fear it.
”Let’s go over it one more time,” he said. “First, Marina will go out alone and fight in the area we can see. While she does that, Ashley stays with me inside the safe zone—don’t step out. If Marina gets into trouble and can’t return, I’ll call her back to the workshop immediately.”
He repeated the key points of the longest briefing they’d ever prepared.
He hated sending Marina out alone. Thanks to her null-stone blessing, she shouldn’t meet the same fate as the scout left behind on this floor. Even so, attempting a floor that top adventurers had abandoned filled him with a quiet, constant dread.
If something happened to Marina—something he couldn’t fix—would he stay sane?
The dark thought kept circling.
”I know, I know. …Look, your brow is all tight again. You worry too much, dear. Here, chu♡”
”Hey! Princess, no sneaking ahead of us! Yuuri, I want one too, please, please!”
He had been trying to stay serious, but Marina seized his collar and planted a quick kiss on his lips before he could react. She pulled back instantly, winking, her golden hair shimmering with mischief. Yuuri understood the unspoken message well enough: don’t make a bigger fuss than the one taking the risk.
He tried to settle his nerves—only for Ashley to suddenly slide her tongue into his mouth.
”Well then, let’s begin. …Ashley? Save the rest for when we’re back at the workshop.”
”Y-yes…♡”
Yuuri glanced at the one member who was visibly not calm and signaled the eager young knight forward.
Marina drew her golden sword in one smooth motion. He had seen her draw countless times, but the clean, effortless motion and the radiant glint of the blade still stole his breath.
”I’m off. You two, cover me.”
”If it gets bad, I’ll pull you back right away.”
”Leave the magic to me.”
With confident steps, the golden knight crossed the boundary.
Yuuri watched her back, forcing his thoughts to stay cool as he mentally re-checked their preparations.
They had an answer for the stone curse, the worst threat of Floor Fifty-Eight. They had given Marina a trap-sense skill, removing the risk of a warp trap scattering them. Only raw monster strength remained a concern—especially the basilisk. Marina carried buffs for attack, defense, and speed; Ashley’s magic and Yuuri’s emergency recall ensured they could avoid disaster.
It should work.
Nearly three weeks had passed since they committed to fully clearing the royal capital’s dungeon. Only a single day had passed outside. Fried-kyo was still somewhere inside, and no one outside seemed to have noticed the strange event. Progressing to the next floor now was not a bad outcome.
”Wow, it’s really hot and wet here.”
Marina joked as she stepped fully into Floor Fifty-Eight. The safe zone blocked heat and pressure between layers, but the moment she crossed the border, the steamy rainforest air washed over her.
”Any traps?”
”No. Looks like none at the entrance. Nothing yet.”
Her trap-sense was working.
Relief loosened Yuuri’s shoulders—tinged with a hint of envy. Seeing traps clearly was a dream for any guide. He wished he could share the skill, but unfortunately, it was an active one only she could use.
”However, enemy sense reacts. A big four-leg beast… most likely the basilisk.”
Her voice dropped as she stared into the jungle. From the safe zone, Yuuri could only see towering trees wedged tightly together.
The ground trembled. A heavy step shook the soil, enough to transfer vibration through the barrier. They could still speak across it—normal—but it made Yuuri wonder if the barrier would truly hold against a direct attack.
A shadow lumbered into view.
Huge. Not as tall as the moss golem from Floor Fifty-Seven—only half its height—but more than three times its length. A long tail, thick legs, grey scales like stone. A narrow mouth filled with neat rows of fangs. And its most striking feature: large, bulging eyes.
A giant lizard, like those from the upper layers—but the eyes were different. The scout, famous for her speed, had failed to dodge the stone curse. She’d turned to stone simply by meeting its gaze. Those eyes were the weapon.
”Yuuri, hide…!”
Ashley’s urgent voice snapped him back. He had stared too long—almost met the basilisk’s gaze. A freezing shock ran through him, and he ducked behind the safe-zone’s stone pillar.
A sharp crack like lightning split the air.
Even with a null-stone skill, he couldn’t trust it blindly. They needed proof. If they rushed now, they’d eventually make a fatal mistake.
Keeping low, he and Ashley checked their surroundings.
Inside the safe zone nothing had changed—but every plant at the border had turned to stone.
”H-Princess!!”
”Hey, don’t stick your head out!”
Realizing the lightning-like gaze was the stone attack, Ashley rushed to the edge. Another crack—she remained unharmed. Yuuri peeked out. Marina still gleamed with golden protection. A third blast hit her squarely, yet she showed no sign of petrification. Her gear remained normal.
Even after a fourth and fifth strike—nothing.
”…Huh? Is it just going to keep staring until the curse works?”
”If so, that makes it kind of cute, doesn’t it?”
Yuuri didn’t share Ashley’s tastes. She had always been fine with bugs, but apparently bizarre lizards were included too.
Still… after witnessing the basilisk’s frightening appearance, its futile insistence was almost absurd. The scout who’d turned to stone had not been shattered immediately. Perhaps the basilisk petrified every intruder first, then dealt with them at leisure. Maybe it lost its chance to finish her off when the survivors fled and forgot the statue remained behind.
Even after that, the useless gaze struck two or three more times.
Marina didn’t attack.
”…Ah. Ashley, step out of the safe zone and take one gaze,” Yuuri instructed.
”Eh? Ah—training the null-stone blessing, right?”
Marina stayed tense, ready to strike or retreat. If she repeatedly resisted a strong stone curse, her blessing would grow quickly. Ashley seemed to understand and stepped across the border with care, the stone plants cracking under her boots.
For over ten minutes the basilisk continued firing its gaze. Marina and Ashley stayed ready to leap back, but the monster showed no intention of switching tactics.
It was good training—but they came here to save the petrified scout, who had to be nearby. The notes said the party had been chased off right after entering, so she shouldn’t be far. Their limit for outside activity was only about an hour a day; lingering just to farm blessing growth was wasteful.
”Marina, start the attack. Yuuri wants to see how long it takes to beat it!”
”Got it! Ashley, if I miss, finish it!”
”Understood!”
The basilisk remained motionless despite their voices.
Yuuri could guess why. Its stone-like scales looked incredibly tough—probably harder than the moss golems. With its trusted gaze and sturdy body, it likely believed nothing could threaten it.
But Marina didn’t need to approach or worry about its guard. She had the Holy Sword.
”Yaa! Seeei!”
A shining arc sliced through the air. Marina’s blade cut across the basilisk’s front legs. All four weren’t in range, but removing the front pair toppled the beast. As its massive weight pitched forward, she twisted her stance and delivered a second golden slash to its neck.
The basilisk crashed down, head tearing free and tumbling until it struck the white safe-zone wall—without leaving a mark.
”I… didn’t need to help at all,” Ashley murmured.
”To be honest, I wanted to finish it cleanly without scattering debris. If the scout were caught in the crossfire, it’d be a nightmare,” Yuuri said.
A monster that had driven elite adventurers to retreat had fallen with shocking ease. Marina stood beside the fallen body, alert and composed like a knight out of legend.
While Yuuri remained stunned by the swift victory, Marina spun and sprinted toward them with a radiant grin.
”Yuu-ri! Did you see? Did you see!?”
”H-hey, careful! Put your sword away first!”
The golden glow faded from her armor, but she dashed toward him waving the bare blade, forcing Yuuri to step back. Even as he scolded her, her beaming smile didn’t falter. She wiped the spotless blade and sheathed it with practiced speed.
”Come on. Without the skill, this sword is dull. You learned that with your own neck, didn’t you?” she teased.
”That’s not funny. …Anyway, stay alert. Let’s talk inside.”
They were still outside the barrier; another monster could ambush at any moment. Yuuri guided them back inside. From safety, they looked upon the basilisk’s remains. A swell of accomplishment rose in Yuuri. They had passed Floor Fifty-Eight’s first major hurdle.
”You’re incredible, Marina. You really are getting stronger,” he said.
”What are you saying? It’s because you give me skills. The null-stone blessing was needed, and my Holy Sword wouldn’t grow without you and our training.”
Marina clung to him, elated, and Yuuri stroked her head. Seeing her shine in this strange, isolated situation filled him with quiet pride.
”Still… could it be that I’m the first person to ever defeat a basilisk!?”
”Oh, right… Very likely in this dungeon. Hardly anyone reaches this deep. Basilisks are rare, and maybe only a handful have been killed in the last century.”
He hadn’t thought about it, focused as he was on the scout—but of course Marina would be thrilled. It was a foe worthy of boasting.
”All right. Should we take a fang as a trophy for the workshop? If we leave it, the dungeon will reclaim it.”
”Really!? Yay! …Sorry, Yuuri, I know you want to find the scout right away.”
He patted her head again and stepped out to begin extraction. A first-kill basilisk was priceless—worth more than gold. If they had the tools and manpower, not even the blood would go to waste. But Marina could defeat more at this rate. A single keepsake would suffice.
They spent about an hour removing the fang, chatting about monster parts as they worked. It didn’t make them stronger, but the shared moment felt precious. Marina worked carefully to claim her trophy, Ashley watched with bright fascination, and for a little while, they let themselves enjoy the victory.
Notes:
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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