Chapter 393: Rank B Dungeon [Menagerie of Golems]. [Release Version] (Patreon)

<3798 humans, elves, dwarves, beastmen have become your followers>

<Total follower count updated. Total followers of [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]: 22447>

<2 humans followers lost>

<Total follower count updated. Total followers of [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]: 22445>

<Multiple proficiency requirements fulfilled. [Unarmed Mastery Lv. 10] [Scale Manipulation Lv. 4] gained>

<Skill requirement fulfilled. [Unarmed Technique Lv. 10] [Unarmed MasteryLv. 10] merged into [True Unarmed Technique Lv. 1]>

<Custom spell gained: [Sun, Consume All]>

“Mhmm, an accident happened in Elyonda today. With Yeos’s royal family in the city and the guards having to stay with them, that meant less people around to protect everybody from the roaming monsters,” Rita gave me a report of what caused the loss of two of my human followers. Even after the grounds in Elyonda were cleansed from the overabundance of mana, there were still accidents.

Neill, hearing this, nodded but frowned a bit as she noticed I felt sad hearing this. “People die all the time, Sis. Elyonda is just in a very tricky situation, you can’t do everything. Don’t let it bother you.”

“I know,” I replied, but it didn’t mean I felt any better. Well, I guess this was why I didn’t promote myself as a hero, but more as an entertainer.

… Even if I am a Champion, who is supposed to protect Aurena’s followers.

The concert was a massive success.

The whole square was filled to the brim with people who listened and watched my concert and collab with Rosserto, allowing me to gain a whooping 3798 followers during the whole process. Naturally, a lot of them were dragonewts and since they knew who I was, they were easy to convert to the [The Light] cult—Ahem, my fandom. Honestly, though, the people from Elyonda and Artorias have mostly turned into real stans—overzealous fans.

Well, it did mean they didn’t believe any of the lies the Empire produced with that damn newspaper. Oh, speaking of newspapers, from what I remembered from a report from Shaturein’s spies, one of Saori’s students was actually responsible for creating the newspaper printing press and also for the newspaper defaming me as an ally of the grimgarians. Sure, the church probably misconstrued the story, or outright lied, but reading it calling me a menace did make me a bit angry.

Not only did it attract dragonslayers and make my existence known to them, but now the Empire had a bad impression of me. It made it far harder to negotiate with them until my reputation was cleared. Idols shouldn’t get into these issues, and I’ve been a good girl wherever I went, but this was just the problem with the media. Always targeting cute girls like me!

“Well, it doesn’t really matter now, considering ya goal is deep in the ground, lass. Only think about finding them, hopefully ally with them, and don’t get into any problems,” Grimnir reassured me and helped me refocus with a hoarse voice, before he banged his hammer on my chest. However, it didn’t hurt as a loud metallic sound was produced. “… You like it?”

“I LOVE IT!”

I smacked my chest with both of my hands, one again producing that metal sound. With a wide smile, I looked down at my torso. I couldn’t see my usual adventurer clothes, as they were hidden behind a white-black chestplate with red and gold tints. A dragon head emblem with flames formed in a crescent moon was embedded on the left side of my armor—the Kargryxmor clan’s sigil.

Sadly, as Grimnir mentioned, there was only enough rhytilic alloy for the breastplate. Normally, it would have been enough to create another exosuit like Ellaine’s, but in my case, I needed it for my dragon form. And, outside of Mom, I was the largest member of Aurora. Similarly, I was also a member who couldn’t get any armor as, once I transformed, anything not moldable or made from mana threads would just break.

This was why the form-changing rhytilic alloy came into play, as it had a “dormant” form as my dragonewt breastplate, while its “unleashed” one could cover up my entire dragon torso. This not only increased my defenses, but also protected my two “hearts.” My actual one and my sun core. My Vifi’Yok fight proved that, if somebody were to target it, it could break and that would really doom me.

Identify.

<Crimson Dragon Princess Exoarmor: A rhytilic armor made using materials from a [Sunfang Dragon] and [Violetshock Kirin-Dragon], vastly increasing both fire and arcane corruption resistances. Laminated with cockatrice feather resin, reduces the effect of anti-draconic blood coatings, while also preventing dragonkin pheromones from spreading too far. By ingraining a [Sunfang Dragon] solar core into its creation, allows absorption of solar energy and will glow a radiant crimson if mana is channeled through the armor.

Intelligence Power: 29

Vitality Power: 3080

Wisdom Power: 3090

Skill: [All-Damage Reduction Lv. 1] [Inferno Resistancel Lv. 8] [Lava Resistance Lv. 8] [Terra Resistance Lv. 5] [Lightning Resistance Lv. 5] [Arcane Corruption Resistance Lv. 10] [Water Weakness Lv. 5] [Ice Weakness Lv. 5] [Mana Conductor Lv. 10] [Mana Efficiency Lv. 10] [Aerial Fighter Lv. 5] [Mid-Air Maneuvering Lv. 8] [Durability Reduction Lv. 10] [Wind Pressure Nullification] [Explosion Pressure Nullification] [Anti-Draconic Resistance Lv. 5] [Pheromone Reduction Lv. 5] [Rhytilic Alloy Transformation] [Solar Energy Absorption: 0%] [Sorcerer’s Power Lv. 3] [Prime Vigor Lv. 5] [Sage’s Wisdom Lv. 5]

Rune: [Dhuinn Rune: Fearless Defense] [Utility Rune: Weight Reduction] [Utility Rune: Mana Leech] [Defense Rune: Pavise] [Defense Rune: Auracoil]>

Armor made from not only my but also Sis’s materials, meaning that not only did I have my usual defenses but the armor also reduced arcane corruption accumulation. Considering how much mana I use up during a fight, especially through my supportive songs, this was a real boon. Honestly, I could kinda understand why dragonkin slayers existed when a smith like Grimnir could produce something like this.

One of the broken solar cores I had lying around was used to make this armor, allowing the armor to act as a secondary solar energy source if I ever needed it. Sadly, it couldn’t store as much solar energy as my ever-growing core, but if I ever ran out of solar energy in my core, I could use the armor to refuel it. Accidents like me overheating shouldn’t be possible any longer, as long as I kept my core safe.

Aside from the amount of benefits already clear to see in the description, I was especially excited about Grimnir’s prized creation in the form of this [Dhuinn Rune: Fearless Defense]. Called the epitome of rune smithing, dhuinn runes consumed three rune slots all at once and only one could be embedded onto a piece of equipment. Since we used my blood to make them, I had seven total rune slots available in total.

<Fearless Defense: Turns the vitality and wisdom bonuses on the armor into strength and intelligence respectively. These stat bonuses will count as base stats for buffs and magical effects. Mana is continuously consumed until turned off>

Not only was the creation of dhuinn runes strenuous on a blacksmith’s voice and body—this was why Grimnir had lost his voice and sounded extremely hoarse right now—but they also required an object large enough for it to be placed on. It couldn’t be placed on smaller weapons like rapiers or lances, or stuff like gauntlets, as such. Mine, for example, had to be placed on my back, underneath the open slots for my wings.

Thankfully, the effects of the rune did excuse its more problematic requirements. While the rune itself sounded pretty since it added over 3000 in my offensive stats once activated, the actual benefit was the fact it counted as a base stat, meaning it stacked with my numerous buffs like [Symphonie des Feuergottes], [Solar Beam], [Prayer], and my spell songs.

Speaking of the other runes, they were really the standard ones dwarven smiths usually placed on their equipment. Pavise, auracoil, and mana leech to cover defensive utility, while the weight reduction rune was actually a necessity in this case. Just a reminder, this armor was made to transform into my dragon form, meaning, there was a ton of bulk condensed into this human-sized armor piece.

For reference, if the rune wasn’t active, it would be like strapping literal boulders onto your body and trying to run around with it. It was impossible for a normal person to wear it, let alone walking around without breaking your back.

“And now, the finishing touch.” Grimnir smiled as he opened a box, revealing a beautiful red catalyst. Gently placing it in the middle of the breastplate, the alchemical stone looked like a simple gem to elevate the luxurious status of this already illustrious piece of armor.

This was my third catalyst, and it was made from another one of my broken sun cores to act just like my armor—as an additional solar ray absorber. After all, my destination now that my concert was over was the rank B dungeon [Menagerie of Golem].

<Core of the Sun: A simple catalyst made from the solar core of a [Sunfang Dragon], allowing the owner to store a massive amount of mana and some solar energy for later usage

Owner: [Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]

Skill: [Inferno Amp] [Sacred Amp] [Solar Energy Absorption: 0%]>

“I hope it’ll be useful, Lady Hestia … Ooh, it didn't turn out too well, huh?” Tasianna grimaced after Grimnir finished putting my armor on for me, looking mortified while still wearing the idol outfit for our concert as an idol group.

However, I shook my head, telling her it was all fine for her first real go on making a catalyst all by herself. After all, when she made Saori’s and my catalysts, she had the help of a meister alchemist in the form of the dark elf Krymdar. Neither Cernust or Rita knew how to make one, so this was just another step in her journey as an alchemist. I was proud of her.

<Heart of the Volcano Catalyst: An alchemical orb created using the volcanic heart of a [Volcano Furnace Volchark]. If mana is registered to this catalyst, it will levitate and float around the owner using stored mana. An aura is emitted from this catalyst, reducing any fire or lava element damage by 50% against the owner. This reduced damage will be turned into Health for the owner. Significantly reduces Health, Mana, or Stamina cost of any fire elemental attacks and its compound elements.

Owner: [Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]

Skill: [Resource Efficiency Lv. 8] [Magic Power Enhancement Lv. 8] [Chant Revocation Lv. 10] [Flame Furnace Aura] [Cast Activation Speed Increase Lv. 7] [Inferno Amp] [Lava Amp] [Artillery Spell Enhancement Lv. 1] [Explosion Spell Enhancement Lv. 1]

Enchantment: [Flame Accumulation] [Heat-Mana Transmutation] [Spell Song Amplification]>

This was my primary catalyst made by Krymdar with Tasianna’s assistance. There was a night-and-day difference, of course, but Tasianna didn’t have his years of experience.

<Zazail Orb of Sealed Shadows: A black orb that can absorb a tremendous amount of mana for future usage. As a catalyst, it would prove to be an inefficient tool as it cannot aid the magician in their spell cast, however, as a source of mana, it is an ideal tool. The true power of this orb was sealed by the God of Darkness, Marsven, preventing anybody from releasing its true power, so it is safe to use

Mana Capacity: 10000/10000>

And this was my third catalyst, which usually acted more like a mana battery to help others fast travel without dying from the insane mana costs. It was just a more elaborate mana potion, essentially.

However, that was exactly why I was bringing it with me to the dungeon. No sun meant no constant solar energy to feed me, which meant mana potions, dragorades, and catalysts like these gained in value. Honestly, for the dungeon raid, Tasianna and Grimnir were probably the most important contributors.

“… That’s good to hear.” Tasianna let out a small sigh of relief, before her face suddenly beamed up, again. “Thankfully, these have turned out far better.”

<Major Health Potion: A very potent health potion>

<Major Mana Potion: A very potent mana potion>

<Major Stamina Potion: A very potent stamina regeneration potion>

<Moderate Strength Elixir: Raises strength by 5% for a limited time. Only one strength elixir may be active>

<Moderate Intelligence Elixir: Raises intelligence by 5% for a limited time. Only one intelligence elixir may be active>

<Winter’s Gift Antidote: A tonic made from cockatrice egg yolk and hydra venom as its base with vulotie herbs mixed in to warm up the imbiber’s stomach. Slowly alleviates the effect of the winter’s gift poison>

After Tasianna finished placing all the potions and tonics on a table, she began to explain things to everybody in the room. “Twenty of each resource potion. Five strength and intelligence potions. I also have resistance potions, but by your wish, they will be distributed to the expedition force instead of yours, Lady Hestia. Now, this is probably the most important part—six antidotes against the Winter’s Gift poison.”

“Winter’s Gift,” also known as the fire dragon killer. A venom that only worked on fire elemental dragonkins and their close relatives, like lava and magma dragons. While the poison was rather rare, it was potent enough to heavily cripple even rank A fire dragons since it caused their body to experience hypothermia, nullifying their fire attacks. As such, dragonslayers usually brought some with them on their hunts for fire dragons.

Six were made using our connections in Shaturein and Estralia, as the vulotie herb only grew in the inside of volcanoes, not to mention, we also needed stuff like cockatrice eggs and hydra venom. Not only did I have to increase our party’s debt even further for them, it was also quite hard to make as our alchemy team failed in the process of making three of them.

Three for me and three for Neill, since there was always the chance of meeting a dragonslayer. Without this antidote, we probably would die even against a weak slayer, according to Yorshka and Farron.

Well, this isn’t even considering the cost to make the manatech for my concert. Ahhh, so much money lost even if I know it’s all worth it! Thank goodness we managed to recuperate a ton through the concert.

I didn’t really want to speak too much about the profit margins and stuff from the concert, but with Amelia selling my party and my merch to everybody who attended my concert, I did earn quite a bit back. It helped us pay back my debt to King Drangleic and Duke Greenveil, but the thing was that I had to make another loan to get all the things before me.

Alchemy ingredients and also the creation of the streaming devices for my concert. Ellaine, Daichi, and Haruka did a grand job as we not only managed to record my performance but it was also streamed at specific locations in the city. These “streaming cameras” as Haruka called them, cost a lot of money to make, since items using the [Crystal of the Divine System] usually required dungeon core pieces.

I just learned this recently, but my special ID and party bracelet had dungeon core pieces in them too. Which was why they would have cost me an organ or two if I hadn’t asked Ellaine’s dad to buy them for my party. Rough times, honestly.

I had to rely on Reajaen in the end for the money, especially since she had her own connections for some of the stuff we needed. Honestly, the days leading up to the event were more stressful than ever, and I was just a small time indie idol!

“Ready. Tatsuya? Kyouya? Rajah?” I called out to the people who would accompany me down into the dungeon, as the others had to prepare for the Event Quest in a few days.

All three of them nodded, shouting in support as they wore brilliant armor, all created by Daichi and Grimnir. This was, after all, still a rank B dungeon we would be diving into, so any protection we could get was incredibly important. After Grimnir’s moment in Gazahan-Orn where he managed to get some closure to his cousin’s death, he had only been working harder and harder.

The “power armor” design of his own armor influenced Tatsuya’s and Kyouya’s, as they looked more like those super ancient, but technologically advanced, warriors in some of those fantasy novels. Brimming with blue mana lines, they looked extremely capable.

Rajah, though, shared my armor design instead, as his looked more grounded and elegant. He was already large enough for me to ride him, but in his battle cat armor, he looked like a mount some hero would be riding into battle. Honestly, if I wasn’t wearing my breast plate, I honestly thought I looked pretty underdressed to be riding him.

But this just meant I was even more confident we could do this.

“Keep her safe, alright, boys?” Yorshka tapped Tatsuya’s and Kyouya’s shoulders. “If something were to happen to my great aunt, I will … actually, I wouldn’t need to do anything considering we have a horde of dragonewts ready. Right?”

“… Yes, Ma’am,” both answered sheepishly, clearly intimidated by Yorshka’s care for me. Even if she didn’t need to say anything, Tasianna, Neill, Shay, and Beth were all glaring at them to take this seriously.

Poor boys.

[“Master, should we go?”] Rajah asked me, to which I nodded.

However, before that, I had to address everybody in the room.

Tasianna, Ellaine, Grimnir, Neill, Shay, Beth, Yorshka, Farron, Rita, Daichi, Haruka, Tamae, Nishio, Misaki, Kazumi, Kohaku, Master, Krim-Slak, Grazlahta, and Akast. Twenty people, and while Rita, Daichi, Haruka, and Tamae wouldn’t join in the Event Quest, there were still so many. All of them were my allies, and once again, I wouldn’t be able to lead them into our next adventure.

Due to my agreement with the members of the summit, I couldn’t join them. Not to mention, I already had a unique Job, so me clearing the Event would be a waste. As such, in place of Kyouya, Tatsuya, Rajah, and me, three representatives from the summit alliance would join them.

The dwarves, Artorias, Saelariel, Loatryx, Caedhul, Estralia, and Yeos; all of the members for the alliances were in the city, with the Loatryxian diplomats having just arrived yesterday. It was certainly a surprise to see all of them, and while I haven’t met any of their leaders yet—like the King of the Saelarian elves—I would soon. Just, not today.

For today, I had to find those students who entered the city yesterday and went into the [Menagerie of Golems].

“I will be back and watch all of you! All you, this is an order, come back alive!” I demanded from everybody as all of them were [Hestia’s Retainer].

[“We will come back as your imperial guards, Princess Hestia!”] Shay and Beth announced, kneeling before me with Tasianna.

“I’m stronger than ever, Hestia! We will get through this!” Ellaine, still in her idol outfit since she and Tasianna were my group partners, reassured me.

Grimnir bashed his fist against his chest, grinning widely. His grumpiness was nowhere to be seen. “We’ll bring back the goodies from Goddess Chihiro’s vault, lass! You can count on me!”

“Leave it to us, Hestia. We’ll keep them safe,” Yorshka and Farron declared, seeing as they were the highest leveled fighters in this group.

The next were, of course, the saurians, as Master Kush couldn’t help but join in. “And you will have my magic for that! For Xohulotel, I shall become a stronger Saint!”

“Aye! And he ain’t dying before he gets to that point!” Krim-Slak announced with Grazlahta nodding to it.

On the other hand, the giant sarcosilian heaved me up onto his shoulder, letting me see everybody inside the room on his massive body. “You … Hestia. Speak from … up here. Strong. Proud. Akast … protect all.”

I know you will, you big dummy! I couldn’t help but caress his head, finding this giant always reliable. Not much of a talker since he couldn’t pronounce things well, you could still feel his big heart.

“Don’t worry, Hestia-san. We got it. We’ll make sure to get strong in there,” Nishio answered me, adjusting his glasses as the rest of the Magical Biscuits supported him.

“We’ll protect the fort! Come by if you need to!” Daichi said with Haruka and Rita to his side.

“Hesti-chan!” Haruka, though, called me out, offering me the video recorder. “Make sure to record things! I can keep everybody informed of your status whenever you open the portal to your subspace.”

“Record everything, Hestia!” Rita cried out, urging me to film things to quench her thirst for knowledge.

Since Haruka’s additions, the video recorder now immediately sent whatever was recorded to our crystal, so it was possible for her to keep watch over us. Only if I opened the subspace, of course, since they were connected by mana. Well, there was more complicated stuff about it, and I didn’t fully listen to Haruka’s long-winding lecture about it.

Maybe she could explain it to me again … but only after she learned how to make it digestible. She might be smart, but she was a terrible teacher.

“I will win.” Neill gave me one last thumbs up as I was about to leave. “Even if I face a dragonslayer … I’ll make sure to beat them up until they’re dead.”

I grinned. “You better!”

In any case, the potions and other consumables were divided and our portions were given to us. After I gave Tatsuya and Kyouya the winter’s gift antidotes, I told them I would trust them to give it to me if I were poisoned. With a fist bump to seal it off, they all joined my party.

Now ready, we left the subspace and departed for the entrance of the dungeon, which was actually outside the city, located right underneath the two giant dwarven statues next to the valley entrance towards Loatryx. My concert lasted until just before midnight, so the queue was nonexistent for us this late at night.

However, there were a couple of dwarves and dragonewts waiting there for me. As I approached them, the dragonewts bowed down while the dwarves saluted.

“Are you really sure, Princess Hestia?!” Skardrvo, the silver dragonewt I came to meet two weeks ago, showed up with a worried face. He looked mortified as he blocked our way forward. “We can join you! You don’t need to risk yourself.”

I let out a sigh in exasperation, feeling a bit bad he was so worried about me. “Skardrvo. Does Yorshka have to speak with you again?”

“Grruek!” He stiffened up, looking ill as he heard that name. He didn’t speak anymore.

Fun fact I just learned after I met him. He was actually Yorshka’s cousin, and she used to bully him since Yorshka was essentially the Nordor dragonewt clan’s golden child. Before she developed her more milder nature when she became a wife and mother, she was a pretty prideful tomboy, who would challenge anybody to a fight.

Skardrvo, sadly, was still traumatized to this day. Although, it did help that Yorshka introduced herself as my knight, since that meant he couldn’t impose himself without getting in her line-of-sight.

Knowing this, I didn’t want to scare him off too much. “However, while I won’t need too much help, I don’t know what will happen during the Event Quest. Dragonkin slayers will join it, and my sister with my two wyvern retainers are joining it. So—”

“By your will,” he interrupted me with a nod, before kneeling down. “… But, I cannot and won’t order my men to hold back against them. Princess Fargryneill nearly died to one of them, and that is something neither Pradreo nor I can forgive. Nor any of the many true dragonkins who died during the Adulthood Pilgrimage.”

The Adulthood Pilgrimage of Kargryx; sending out young, adolescent dragonkins out to the world to explore and get stronger. It sounded smart, but the main caveat about it was how it sent you out alone. Without any help from other dragonkins or dragonewts. You were allowed to ally with anybody else and even others of those on their own pilgrimage, but dragonewts? Your parents or siblings? Nope.

As such, it wasn’t uncommon for some true dragonkins to just die. Cernust and Neill had been the only ones I met up until now, and neither were sure how many more were out there. Both had mentioned how if they were to die out here, it was likely their parents would never know about it, especially if they didn’t send back letters.

I didn’t know my dragon father, and while Mom always kept putting him on a pedestal, I couldn’t imagine how. Sure, he suffered and did what he could during the civil war, but what was this bullshit rule? Dragonkins had to hide themselves when out in this world, all ‘cause they didn’t have proper support and were vulnerable to dragonkin slayers. It was stupid.

Hmph.

However, I only had to worry about her once it was the tenth. Until then, it is training time.

<You have entered the dungeon [Menagerie of Golems]>