The "Red Cavern" Dungeon

• Dungeon Information: "Red Cavern" — Multi Type (ends when first player clears)

  Type : Cave

  Attribute: Fire

  Prize : 250,000 yen total (split by contribution)

  Rate : 1 HP = 100 yen

  Entry Requirements: HP 100+, DEF 50+

  Additional Rule: PvP Attacks Disabled

Karona's first-ever multi dungeon turned out to be a scorching cavern where magma raged.

The walls and floor were a dark, angry red that looked like they'd deal damage just from brushing against them. Everything glowed as though perpetually on fire, the outlines of the stone shimmering like flame…Magma block was probably the closest way to describe it. True to the name, magma also pooled and ran in small streams through the cavern.

The temperature was outrageous, too. Her skin stung with a faint prickling pain. Without a DEF of 50 or higher, just standing here would have cost HP.

"Hot! What is this, it's insanely hot in here～! Beyond 'toasty,' this is outright scorching～!?"

"info screen said red cavern, right. fall into magma and the damage is huge, so watch out"

"bit late to bring it up, but the fact that vr can make you feel 'hot' is incredible tech. science really is something"

"Eek! So everywhere here is a damage floor type dealio～!?… Whoa!!"

As she walked, a column of fire abruptly erupted from the floor right in front of her. One more step and she'd have been charbroiled.

"H-h-how terrifying! How much money would one of those cost me if I took it head-on!? Is Estimated-Damage-niki in chat today～!?"

"yo yo. estimated damage: 10. so about 1,000 yen a hit"

"Thank you for your comment～! …1,000 yen per shot! I shall avoid those at all costs～!"

And so Karona crept forward, inching her way deeper into the dungeon.

That said, despite this being a multi-type dungeon, she couldn't see a single other player anywhere.

"Oh dear, what's going on? Did I pick a solo dungeon by mistake?"

"prob means the others are on the front line. gotta catch up or you won't get any of the prize"

"classic multi dungeon stuff. go ojou, go"

Indeed. The moment Karona had found the listing, the dungeon had already been open. In other words, clearing was already underway.

And since the prize is split by contribution, falling behind means a straight hit to your income.

"Oh! I see, that sort of thing! Understood, I shall make haste～!"

Just then, particles of flame began raining down. Looking up, she spotted a Fire Spirit. Its body was flame. A monster with no physical form. Touching the body, or even the stray particles, would burn.

"An O-Zako-sama, is it. I'm in a rush today, so I'll just ignore it."

Karona opened her parasol and warded off the particles. An ordinary frilly parasol would've had its fabric burn right through, but this was technically a "weapon," so a little heat was no problem.

"didn't expect ojou's parasol to come in handy like this"

"i thought it was just a flavor bludgeon"

"Ohohoho, for Mary-chan is my pride and joy of a parasol～! Not a sun parasol, but a fire parasol～!"

"…"

"…"

"Hey! Don't go suddenly silent on me～!?… Hmm? What is that over there?"

Karona spotted what looked like a broken-down waterwheel.

Unlike a waterwheel, though, it was carved from a smooth, fire-resistant stone.

"normally that'd be a 'fire wheel' trap that rolls down the hall at you"

"what is that, a panjandrum?"

"Either way, the people ahead of me took care of it, so I shall simply breeze on through… Seriously, at this rate the dungeon might end before I get to do anything, mightn't it?"

"that's what i've been saying. get moving, ojou"

Prodded by the comments, Karona quickened her pace. The path, however, was genuinely empty. The treasure chests she passed were all already opened, with nothing worth showing on stream.

Looks like this'll just end up as a stroll-stream, she was starting to half-resign herself… when the clang of metal on metal rang out from up ahead.

At the end of a magma-block corridor, past a huge black door thrown wide open, seemed to be where the "action" was.

"There we go～! Have I caught up to the front line at last～!?"

"i mean, looks like a boss room to me"

"oh, if it is, that's front line for sure. or is this the climax?"

Buoyed by the comment, Karona bounced happily into the room. And she had indeed stepped into a boss room.

What greeted the young ojou-sama's eyes was a dome-shaped room larger than a gymnasium, and…

"Gwaaaaaaaaaaah——————!!"

"Eh?"

… another player, swarmed by red slimes, dying right in front of her. And, hovering near the ceiling, a battered dragon looking down on the whole scene.