Side Story: A Certain Ordinary Dungeon

A story from around the time Kehma was busy with the Dungeon Battles and whatnot.

A certain Dungeon Core, Core 629, was leisurely managing his dungeon, which was set up in a grassland.

He was a rabbit-type Dungeon Core. An orange-colored rabbit, and the first floor of his dungeon was this surrounding grassland itself.

"Haah, no adventurers coming today either-kyu. So booored."

Core 629 hopped about among three other rabbits.

These rabbits were dungeon monsters, technically. Unlike ordinary rabbits, each had a single horn growing from its forehead. They were Horned Rabbits… Aside from the horn, they weren't much different from normal rabbits.

"I caught a grasshopper! Look, look!"

"Nom nom nom… grass tastes gooood."

"Ow!? Who bit my ear!?"

The rabbits were frolicking about without a care. It was quite a heartwarming sight.

As for communication, since Core 629 was a rabbit-type, he could understand them perfectly well. However, because the rabbits weren't particularly intelligent, there were times they didn't listen.

"Hey, you guys. Patrol the dungeon properly-kyu. Don't you want carrots-kyu?"

"But you're not motivated either, 629-sama."

"It's such nice weather, and the grass is delicious."

"I want to polish up my fluffy tail."

Core 629 sighed at the carefree rabbits, wondering what to do with them.

It was peaceful here.

Lounging around in the sun was nice, but that wouldn't earn him any DP.

By the way, defeating a grasshopper gave 1 DP. A locust gave a whole 5 DP. In this grassland where humans rarely came, grasshopper hunting was valuable pocket money.

"Ah—"

Just then, he spotted a hawk flying through the sky. Hawks, being birds of prey, were the natural enemy of rabbits.

They saw rabbits as nothing but food. When this dungeon first started, there hadn't even been an underground floor yet, and many of his fellows had been attacked, becoming rabbits who never returned home.

"You lot! Enemy's here, we're gonna counterattack-kyu!"

"""Roger!"""

If they got caught by that thing, it would be the end. They assembled into their anti-hawk combat formation.

Of the three Horned Rabbits, two formed the base while one climbed on top.

"Well then, I'll be running away, so I leave the rest to you-kyu."

"""Whaaaat!?"""

"What-kyu? If I get taken out, this dungeon is finished-kyu, you know?"

"That's true, but…"

"Seems kinda cold?"

"Ah, wait, the hawk's coming. Intercept, we're intercepting!"

The hawk lowered its altitude and swooped in to attack. Aiming for it, the three rabbits leaped.

Two served as the platform while one was the attacker. The platforms jumped, then the attacker jumped again on top of that, blasting toward the enemy like a multi-stage rocket in a super body slam!

This was the anti-air ultimate technique developed for use against hawks: the Pyon Pyon Attack!

"Ah, missed."

"Oops."

"We're dead."

However, it was a single-shot technique, and missing meant the attacker just sailed high into the sky. A highly risky ultimate move.

Having been counterattacked even if the attack missed, the hawk returned to the sky to reset.

"Don't give up! We can still do this-kyu!"

"629-sama, you look ready to run!"

"Just go again! I'll be a platform too-kyu!"

They quickly reformed their formation. This time, Core 629 also participated as a platform. A Horned Rabbit placed its feet on Core 629's head and they got into position.

The hawk descended again, taking aim.

"Now! Pyon Pyon Attack Number Two!"

"Ah, wait—"

"Whoa, what-kyu!?"

They stumbled and nearly collapsed. The hawk dove, sensing its chance, but right at that moment, the rabbit that had been launched earlier came falling down and delivered a headbutt from above.

The hawk was knocked to the ground, and with various unlucky impacts, it breathed its last right there.

"Shamefully, I have returned."

"Good work. As a reward, I'll groom you later."

"We brothers can hold our ears high."

The three Horned Rabbits nuzzled together. Core 629 scratched the dirt off his head.

Including collecting the hawk's corpse, his DP increased by 150. A good income.

"Hmph, that was nothing-kyu. Easy win, easy win."

"629-sama, you were trying to run away."

"Yeah, you were totally trying to run."

"… You lot and your nagging about what's done and past… Fine, I'll give 'em to you! Strawberries as a reward!"

"""Strawberries!"""

Strawberries were a rare delicacy for rabbits. Eating too many would upset their stomachs, but in small amounts, there was no greater treat.

He'd gotten some unexpected DP income, so splurging a little would be fine. Core 629 looked at his three Horned Rabbits with a sigh.

"We usually only get to eat spawner grass and weeds."

"Those are pretty good too, but strawberries really are the best."

"Hehehe, strawberries, gimme strawberries. This is why I can't quit patrol duty."

"… Come on, let's head back already-kyu. Don't you want strawberries-kyu?"

"""Strawberries!"""

By the way, this dungeon, [Rabbit's Paradise], was quite well-made below the grassland area, in the underground floors.

There were Magic Rabbits that had mastered spells, Armor Rabbits clad in hard plating, and Soldier Rabbits that walked on two legs and wielded weapons. Occasionally, novice adventurers would chase a rabbit, wander in, and never return… The non-return rate was 99%, and for the underground floors specifically, it was 100% so far.

Thanks to that, it was still a wild dungeon whose location remained unknown even to the Guild. But among certain adventurers with a fondness for fluffy creatures and a love of rabbits, the existence of this paradise was whispered about as if it were gospel truth.