The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter

The dungeon’s fifth floor.

There was a black lion called Toramaru who had a tulip growing in the head waiting for me in the fifth floor.

Why is he called Toramaru?

If you are normal, surely you want to make a joke or two about his name.

I did it too, but just moments after he told me about his precious elf friend.

Then, for some reason, I became friends with Toramaru, and moments after he gave me such a request.

I want you to find my elf friendー

It seems that he never received any news once his friend descended to the sixth floor.

Despite wanting to go looking for him, he received an order saying that he should not go down to the sixth floor. He dutifully keep fulfilling the order for 350 years…

He told me that since he can’t disobey the order, that if I could go for him.

Moments after accepting his request, I stepped timidly onto the sixth floor. What was waiting for me was… A zombie able to separate itself into six parts, a monster called Six Zombie

At first I was scared, since it had the skill 【Immortality】. But then, I found out that it was weak against the light and saint attribute.

In other words, the monster was burned using my 【White Flames】.

As I was capturing the sixth floor other type of zombie appeared. This one was wearing clothes and was equipped with a bracelet.

When I used appraisal on it, the 【Zombification】 skill appeared. That’s right, he was bitten by another zombie and infected.

I thought, maybe this is the person that Toramaru was looking for. I used the 【Edit】skill, and released him from the zombification.

Before my eyes, his appearance changed, from zombie to elf.

◇ ◆ ◇

「ーUm, I’m wondering if you are you Bachel-san?」

「Yes, that’s right, you?」

I’ve finally found the elf called Bachel-san!

Moments after I made a triumphant pose, I answered his question.

「Nice to meet you. I’m called Noir Stalgia. There is something I want to confirm, do you remember something that happened recently, anything?」

「Something recently… Aaaaah!? That’s right, I was attacked by a creepy zombie so I ran away desperately… After that, nothing」

「You become a zombie」

「Eh, what did you say?」

「You became a zombie after being infected for over three hundred years. I cured you using a special skill」

As I explained what had happened, Bachet-san was shocked.

He wasn’t able to stop his tears and mucus from flowing after receiving so much information at once…

「Then, I’m… I’m three hundred and eighty years old already? Am I an old… man? It’s a… lie… right? 」

「You look quite young, appearance-wise, so you may not have physically aged」

「Is that the truth! Then that’s good news. You said you were called Noir-kun? I’m sorry, but could you help me get to the first floor? I’m already sick from this dungeon」

「Of course. First, let’s go to the fifth floor. There your friend Toramaru is waiting for you!」

I tell him in a cheerful tone. After all, it’s the long-awaited reunion. I thought he was going to be happy, but for some reason Bachet-san’s body became rigid.

ARE YOU JOKING?

He moved his mouth. He didn’t even let out a small voice.

Then he held his head and leaned his ass on the floor and started *Waa waaaa* weeping.

This person… Could it be that he is the type of person who has strong emotions? I thought elves were the calm type.

「He is still waiting for me? It has to be a joke… Please go back, I beg you. I… I was scared, so scared, that I went away from him…」

「What do you mean, by that?」

「Before entering this dungeon, I was fighting monsters, that’s when I met him. I was scared and I couldn’t move. He said 『Do you need something?』. I thought I’d get killed. Then at that moment I said, ‘I want to be of help’」

I want to be your friend.

When Bachet-san said that, Toramaru began to think for a while. Then he said with a happy expression, 『It’s the first time in my life to have I’ve ever had a friend』.

Even in this harsh hidden dungeon, Toramaru possessed ample power, and finally they reached the fifth floor.

But Bachet-san’s mind reached its limit.

「I wanted… to get away. But I even gave him a suitable name such a Toramaru… After that, once in a while he looked at me with a smile on his face, you know why he looked at me like that, right? I was his emergency rations!」

That’s impossible. Toramaru never considered Bachet-san as food, but as a precious friend.

The reason why he always smiles every time he saw you was because he was happy you were his first friend.

「Noir-kun, no, Noir-san, please. Please don’t let Toramaru see me and send to the first floor, please!」

Bachet-san clung to my leg.

I can only sigh now.

Does such a sad truth exist?

After all, Toramaru thought about him for hundreds of years.

「I can’t do such a thing. Please explain the situation to Toramaru properly」

「If I do that, I will be killed」

「That’s impossible」

「But if I say the truth, Toramaru’s heart will be hurt, and he may never trust humans again. On the contrary, he may go berserk and attack me…」

I don’t think he will attack humans.

But, it is very likely that upon learning the truth Toramaru will feel betrayed.

Then, should I say that he died?

That should hurt him even more.

「No, you have to properly talk to Toramaru. After all, I promised him. That I would save you」

「…Uu, I guess there’s no other… option」

「If Toramaru were to attack you, then I’ll help you escape」

「I understand. I’ll believe in you」

I took Bachet-san with me and went back to the fifth floor.

As soon as I climbed the stairs, Toramaru was there waiting.

Sitting down. Cute…

『Gaoo, gaoooo… My friend… You’re safe!』

As Toramaru let out shouts of joy, he was patting Bachet-san head. It must be an expression of love.

I send a glance to him.

After nodding, he opened his mouth.

「Please listen to me, Toramaru」

『Why such a meek face, my friend Bachet!』

「It’s regarding the word friend… Never in my life I thought of you as a friend』

Toramaru became serious.

Bachet-san looked at us with a crying face.

Good luck! After all, everything that happened it’s because of you!

「A-About that. The first time we met, I said that I wanted to be of help, to be your friend because I thought I would get killed. But the truth is that I’m not good with wild beasts… Moreover, you are so big… The reason why I told you to wait for me here was because I wanted to get away from you」

Even though he left the explanation short, he was able to transmit the true intention. Even me who is not related made my head hurt.

There is no painful expression in Toramaru. He just listened quietly.

『Was like that? No, somewhere inside me I knew it. Then my journey with Bachet-san ends here』

「…Sorry」

『I don’t mind. ――Noir. Thank you for listening to my wishes. I want you to come see me another day. I want to thank you』

「I don’t need something like a reward」

『Then you two, later』

After saying that, Toramaru disappeared in the depths of a passage.

「You did well, Bachet-san」

「I’m sorry for having caused such feelings…」

「It is true that what you did was terrible, but it is also true that you armed yourself with courage and spoke. I really appreciate what you did」

「If you were not bad with wild beasts, I would have liked you to get along with him」

「Then, shall we return?」

【Transfer between floor】skill made a black hole on the floor. There, I entered together with Bachet-san.

I escaped from the hidden dungeon from the first floor.

When we are outside, he told me.

「I can’t bother you anymore. This is enough」

「The world has changed a lot since you entered, are you sure you’ll be fine?」

「That’s something I’m looking forward to. I want to see Noir-kun again. Thanks for the help, until we meet again!」

After saying goodbye to Bachet-san, I continued waiting for Toramaru at the entrance.

I thought that he wanted to talk with me.

But even after three hours, Toramaru doesn’t appear.

「It’s strange」

He has not been defeated by other monsters, right? No, with his strength, that’s impossible.

I wonder if he got lost. Or could it be that he’s still on the fifth floor waiting for me?

Either way, I decided to go where he is.

I moved to the fifth floor using the skill.

While being wary of giant ants, I proceed through large passages.

「I wonder if Toramaru is the one who did it…?」

The corpses of monsters are scattered everywhere. While trying not to step on them, I continued through the complicated passages.

On my way, I heard *Ooon oon* such voice.

Following the voice wIth stealthy steps I ended in a dead end. Toramaru, who was facing a wall, was looking towards the ceiling and roaring.

Of course it is.

Of course, this is not a roar.

It’s a cry.

I touch his back.

It’s really bushy.

『…Noir…?』

「I’m sorry about Bachet-san」

『I was the idiot. Waiting hundreds of years for a person who is not even my friend…』

「I don’t think so. I think what you did is something amazing. It made me think that I wanted to be your friend」

『Friend… with someone like me?』

「Yes. It’s not a lie. If Toramaru is fine with this, I really want to be your friend. It would be a great honor for me to be your first friend」

After being silent for a while, Toramaru turned his eyes toward me.

He stared at my face seriously, and spoke with insecurity in his tone.

『With someone like me… are you serious?』

「You said that you were going to thank me, right? That’s what I want as a reward」

『I see… I see. Then, from now on, Noir-kun and I are friends. Then you can ride me』

Toramaru crouched down and let me ride him.

Hyaaー As expected, this is a nice view!

『I feel good. I will run, don’t get shaken off』

「Okay! You can run!」

Toramaru runs through the dungeon vigorously.

I enjoy the sensation of Toramaru’s mane from time to time while I grasp firmly from it.

As I thought, fluffy is the best.