MTLNOVEL Chapter 7
“What is this place?”
I found myself in a space that resembled a temple.
A long staircase stretched ahead, sloping gently upward like a mountain. The distance to the far end was considerable.
The area was wide open, and there was no sign of any other creatures. It was such a drastic change from the tense atmosphere I’d been in that I exhaled in relief, letting my guard down for the first time in a while.
The survival rate for a novice explorer going solo into a dungeon was notoriously low.
To put it bluntly, it was practically hopeless.
So, when I was first thrown into this place, a fleeting thought crossed my mind: “Ah… Is this how I’m going to die?”
“I guess I owe my Blessing an apology for calling it useless.”
In hindsight, it was probably better that my Blessing wasn’t something specialized in magic or weaponry.
Those kinds of specialized abilities take time to hone and master.
Sure, with enough training, I might one day be able to conquer a dungeon like this, but right now, such a thing would only lead to my demise.
When I thought about it that way, my Room ability, though lacking in combat applications, was undeniably useful.
Selene had once shown me her Item Box skill, and I remembered her saying that its capacity was fixed, and living creatures couldn’t be stored inside.
In contrast, my Room could expand its space using magic cores, and even a living human could safely enter it.
Even if I had no combat power, in this world filled with countless dungeons, my skill still had immense utility.
For instance, it could facilitate large-scale dungeon expeditions by transporting a massive amount of supplies. Or, by resting inside the Room, I could fully recover without worrying about monsters.
“…But those are things to think about after I get out of here.”
I had gotten a bit lost in thought, but my priority was to escape this place.
In dungeons, locations with a sudden shift in atmosphere like this often held something important.
As I surveyed my surroundings, I spotted what looked like a pedestal at the top of the stairs.
With nothing else in sight, I made my way toward it.
“There it is. A teleporter!”
Behind the pedestal, I saw a familiar magical circle.
It was a teleportation device for escaping the dungeon—the same kind of circle I’d tried to step on earlier but couldn’t activate.
“Finally, I can get out of here.”
I couldn’t suppress the mix of anxiety and excitement bubbling within me as I stepped onto the teleporter.
But…
“Huh? It’s not working.”
Sweat trickled down my cheek.
I forced myself to calm down and think rationally.
“This is definitely a teleporter.”
In this world, teleporters were an integral part of dungeon exploration lore.
I’d even seen a similar magic circle just moments ago.
“Wait… It’s not glowing.”
That’s when I noticed—the magical circle wasn’t emitting the faint bluish-white glow I’d seen earlier.
“Why…? What’s going on?”
I had to think. If I couldn’t figure this out, the only thing waiting for me was death.
Shaking off the panic, I focused all my mental energy on finding the answer.
“Hm? That thing embedded in the pedestal…”
Distracted by the teleporter earlier, I hadn’t paid much attention to the pedestal itself.
“Could it be… the Dungeon Core?!”
The realization hit me like a lightning bolt.
Dungeon teleporters only activate after the Dungeon Core has been removed, signaling the dungeon’s completion.
Before me was the most beautiful red gem I’d ever seen—likely the Dungeon Core.
It was the size of a soccer ball, and its deep crimson glow resembled molten lava sealed within, perfectly matching the fiery nature of this dungeon.
I carefully removed the gem from the pedestal, and as soon as I did—
Bwoooom
A sound came from behind me, prompting me to turn around.
“Bingo!”
The teleporter had activated. This time, there was no mistaking it—I could finally go home.
“Guess I’ll take the Dungeon Core with me.”
As much as I wanted to admire it a bit longer, I couldn’t afford to linger here.
I opened my Room and stored the Dungeon Core inside before stepping onto the teleporter.
This time, I successfully escaped the dungeon.