Earth Dungeon 115.1

Test

Chapter 115.1. Experiment

The wind blowing was warm. Serika looked up at the sky, stretched her arms with a satisfied "Hmm.", and felt the pleasant air entering her lungs.

"Ah, as winter ends, spring comes. The wind that announces its arrival is truly heartwarming."

She twirled around, turning her cute face into a smiling one, and spoke to the man before her. Her figure was picturesque, like a fairy celebrating the arrival of spring.

"Even in such a bloody place, can't you feel it? Don't you think so?"

If she wasn't dancing on the blood-soaked ground.

She flipped the hem of her lovely pink dress and spun around again, dancing as the snow melted, and fresh green grass began to sprout from the muddy ground. Serika looked around happily as she danced in the open space.

"Darn it, I didn't expect it to be this powerful!"

The man in front of her shouted as he observed the scene. Many people who were once present in the area were now lying motionless, and only 4 remained standing.

All of them wore black combat uniforms and carried automatic rifles, military knives, and even wands. Their gazes towards Serika filled with resentment and fear.

They had been confident moments ago, some even smirking, but now that confidence was nowhere to be seen.

"Of course. Did you really think I went out alone to experiment with the [Wooden Doll Crafting Scroll]? Laughable. Did you think I'd do something like that? Without any weapons or armor?"

The girl with pure white hair and ruby-like eyes teased, looking down at the remaining humans with indifferent eyes. Serika, with her mocking words, stared at the unharmed humans as if they were insects.

Rumors had spread about Serika investigating the newly acquired items from the Core Store and traveling alone to the inner town's forest district. Such gossip was typical during the winter social season when people were idle and engrossed in rumors.

Truth and falsehoods intertwined in these rumors could sometimes bring benefit or disaster. This season, with influential families like the Ashikaga, Minamoto, and Miyoshi losing many talents in the snowflake event, whispers of power shifts were inevitable. Amidst this, the rumor of Serika, who could potentially control Japan, circulated.

Even though they lost some talents, they weren't experts in politics or skilled in making money; they were just individuals capable of fighting, armed with nothing more than substitutes for weapons. As they had generals who could mobilize the military, the impact got somewhat limited. After all, individuals with skills got treated as commodities.

That was the general perception until now. Even if they lost several top-tier skilled individuals, there was no need to panic.

Until the beginning of the year.

Last year, the Core Store suddenly appeared. With the new year, magic items got added to its lineup. Lower-grade potions and the [Wooden Doll Crafting Scroll], a magic item, were introduced. People who had not realized the potential of the Core Store began to understand.

In the future, and perhaps not too distant, it'll sell items that could bring health or even possess the power of rejuvenation. Golems that could work in place of humans might also be available.

Ashikaga Kuro, the head of the Ashikaga family, had noticed this, and others had speculated that as well. However, most people thought it would take decades for such items to appear and did not worry too much about it. Why? Because their established privileges might get significantly eroded. People tend to look away from things they don't want to see and think optimistically, especially when it comes to things with mysterious reasons like magic.

However, in less than a year, low-grade potions were introduced. The [Wooden Puppet Creation Scroll], a magical item, was added to the lineup.

Within 5 years, potions desired by people for health and rejuvenation might be introduced, and items capable of working in place of humans might be sold.

Why did people finally start feeling a sense of crisis and anticipation? Especially those in the inner city, wealthy and powerful, leading luxurious lives. In short, what such people desired and feared was clear. They sought eternal youth and longevity, and they feared their decline.

Currently, there weren't many high-ranking dungeon cores. It would be accurate to say there were almost none. Cores, even those of magical creatures, boasted high hardness as long as the creature was alive. However, once the creature died, the core became as fragile as glass or quartz.

High-level dungeons could be destroyed with missiles or explosives, leaving the equipment intact but causing the dungeon core to melt and disappear, and most monster cores shattered. It was unattainable.

Until now, that was fine. There was no use for monster cores, and the materials of monsters were materials for the equipment of skilled individuals. The military, equipped with missiles and tanks, didn't value them highly.

But if items requiring high-level cores were introduced into the Core Store lineup, the situation would change dramatically. Those who could invade high-level dungeons, defeat monsters, and obtain cores would become crucial.

This inner city and, possibly, control of Japan might become possible. It might be an exaggeration, but realistically, they would undoubtedly become a significant force.

Therefore, powerful families began to generously treat and scout powerful individuals 1 after another.

One rumored group was the Jester Knight Order. Whether it got raised by the Taira or a special forces unit of the Minamoto was unclear. However, it seemed to be a loose organization, with internal disputes rumored to exist. The Knight Order harbored several powerful individuals, with Serika's rumored lover being the most prominent. Some thought, "If we coax or threaten Serika, can we keep her as our own?" Others speculated that killing Serika would lead to her distancing herself from the Ashikaga, eventually defecting to another family.

Various calculations were made, and amid these rumors, Serika conducted her experiments outside alone. It was only natural that someone would take the bait. Even if they knew it was a trap, they believed they had the strength to crush it.

Assassins attacked with unexpectedly heavy equipment and numbers. There were twenty of them. As expected, they had seen her head to the deserted area alone, and they believed that, even if it was a trap, their group, which included skilled individuals, and two snipers in a distant location, could handle it even if a few high-level skill holders were present.

Now, however, the mud was not muddy but bloody. There were corpses with gruesome deaths scattered around – lower bodies separated as if exploded, hearts with holes in them, necks severed.