'I can't just assume it died of old age.'
The last time an intruder had been allowed through was supposedly four hundred years ago—but I couldn't think about this place using Earth's common sense.
In this world, you couldn't be certain about any creature's lifespan. This thing was a monster, sure, but it had been alive for over five hundred years.
And if that intruder had taken the gold coins sitting here on floor 100 and climbed upward, they could still be alive even now—buying food from the Golden Carriage and sustaining themselves for four centuries.
I questioned it like I was holding it accountable.
"Answer me. Who did you let through?"
The creature deflated completely.
It seemed like it had reacted so strongly when it realized I was a superior precisely because it had feared being called out on this.
It had a guilty conscience.
Soon it began confessing in a remorseful tone.
⟨Well, the thing is…⟩
…
..
.
I heard it out to the end.
I was utterly appalled.
"So you're saying… you've been killed over a hundred times up to now?"
⟨Please punish me. It is the result of my own weakness…⟩
Apparently it had been breached time and time again.
It had spoken as though it bore tremendous responsibility, so I'd assumed it was a capable gatekeeper.
That meant there was no way of knowing how many people might have made it to floor 101.
⟨However, no one has come in the four hundred years since, so I have not allowed a single one through.⟩
After that, it began making its case for how hard it had trained all this time.
It hadn't been resting for four hundred years—it was stronger now, it said, and would never lose again.
"You already said that."
⟨I apologize… Might I say one more thing?⟩
"What."
⟨As many times as I have died, I suspect very few actually made it up to floor 101.⟩
I understood what it meant the moment I heard it.
It would be because of everything scattered around this place.
"Most of them left with only the gold coins?"
⟨Yes, exactly! The majority were those whose goal was the gold coins. Most of them didn't even duel me—they simply stood at the door, filled their sacks with gold coins, and left.⟩
That made sense.
Just scooping up a handful at the entrance would net you dozens of gold coins.
*The intruders I met on floor 60… they were after these gold coins too…*
This place seemed to be the root of it all.
I chose my words carefully.
"…Then you failed to protect that chest as well?"
When I asked that, the creature spoke quietly, as though stricken with guilt.
⟨That Golden Chest was opened only once…⟩
"Once?"
⟨Yes… Please believe me! It has not been taken since!⟩
Those words gave me two pieces of information.
1. The contents of the Golden Chest are refilled.
2. Simply killing this thing isn't enough to open the chest.
I didn't let my satisfaction at learning this show, and instead spoke in a tone that suggested I found its report suspicious.
"You're certain it was only once? What was that intruder like?"
⟨…A man wearing a hood, carrying a curved blade. He had several subordinates with him.⟩
It was describing the person's appearance.
That answered my question, technically—but it wasn't what I actually wanted to know.
What I wanted to know was how that hooded man had opened the chest.
But I couldn't ask outright. Right now I was playing the role of an inspector.
So I had to probe once more, working from the information I'd gathered so far.
I threw out a slightly bold question.
"That hooded man depleted all of your keys, didn't he?"
The creature didn't answer immediately.
An unnatural silence fell.
For a moment I tensed, wondering if it had figured out I wasn't actually an inspector—but fortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.
It answered.
⟨…That is correct.⟩
The hypothesis I'd been turning over in my head had hit the mark.
*Just as I thought…!*
The way to open the chest was to exhaust all of the Treasure Keeper's keys.
The keys it was holding were the keys to that Golden Chest.
And as I'd seen earlier, when it used its pulse, a key was consumed.
It was a remarkable detection technique. It had precisely determined how much of these countless gold coins had gone missing.
So how would I get it to use that ability again?
*Maybe I should make it fight…*
Spatial awareness would be critical in combat.
"You said you've been training for four hundred years?"
When I lowered my voice into a stern register, the Treasure Keeper dipped its body as though nodding.
⟨Indeed I have. It was a time of bone-grinding endurance.⟩
"Anyone can talk. As your inspector, I'll be verifying your martial ability firsthand."
As I said this, I gestured toward the Blood Knight standing at my side.
"Fight my subordinate—the Blood Knight."
⟨I receive your command! I shall prove how much I have grown.⟩
I was also genuinely curious about how capable this thing was.
The Treasure Keeper turned its back to the chest and stood facing forward.
Of its six arms, the one empty hand not holding a key it stretched out long in front of it.
Strange. Was one hand enough? Was it reluctant to dirty the keys? Or was that simply its natural stance?
I gave a small nod.
"Blood Knight. Don't kill it—just spar."
⟨…By your will…!⟩
Thud!
The pile of gold coins below cratered as the Blood Knight launched forward.
It leapt into the air and brought its greatsword straight down in a vertical strike.
Whoooosh—!
The Blood Knight's crimson blade came crashing down toward the Treasure Keeper's head.
The Treasure Keeper didn't move an inch from where it stood.
It simply held that grey arm stretched out long in front of it.
And then, the next moment.
The Treasure Keeper swept forward lightly, as if shooing away a fly.
And then—
Crack—!
The Blood Knight's armor crumpled, and—
Shwaaaaa—!
It was sent flying hard.
Thud!! Thud! Thud!
It bounced three times, rolling across dozens of meters of the gold coin field.
Clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter!!!
Crash!!
The Blood Knight swept through a mound of gold coins in the distance and slammed into the marble wall.
Clank, screeeech.
The Blood Knight struggled to pull itself upright, but its armor was in a catastrophic state.
The gauntlet on its right shoulder—the point of direct impact—was crushed beyond recognition, and a faint mist of blood was leaking out feebly.
*What the…*
Shock surged all the way up to my throat.
The Blood Knight had never been beaten this badly before.
But I didn't let a single trace of alarm show, and walked toward the Blood Knight.
I rotated the circles in my dantian.
"Blood Command."
I quickly channeled mana through, restoring the Blood Knight's crushed armor and skeletal structure.
At the same time, I kept my expression composed and pulled my lips into a smile.
"Looks like you really have gotten stronger!"
⟨I am grateful!⟩
The Treasure Keeper gathered its remaining arms and bowed politely at the waist.
It was unsettling, even now.
⟨If it had been me from the past, I might have struggled considerably against that knight's strike just now… but four hundred years of training were not in vain!⟩
"How wonderful. No need to worry at all when intruders come now!"
⟨Of course. I shall defend this place even at the cost of my life.⟩
It answered boldly.
Through its disheveled hair, it seemed to radiate an aura brimming with confidence.
I gave it a nod and thought to myself.
*I have no idea how to pull this off.*
I had no clue how to get rid of five keys.
I had some vague ideas for one or two, but I had no idea how to exhaust all five of the remaining ones.
And it might not even be a question of whether I could claim the chest's reward at all.
*Will Death Mark actually kill it?*
I wasn't even sure of that.
Death Mark was a derivative Black Magic of the second-tier instant-kill skill, so it had its limits, as I'd been told.
*Let me pull up the Gallery.*
Getting some advice seemed like a good idea.
But first.
"Look over here."
⟨Yes!⟩
Click!
I activated the hologram and took a photo of it.
I stepped back slightly behind Barang and opened the Gallery.
At the same time, I said to the Treasure Keeper:
"I need to write up a report for my superiors, so wait over there for a moment."
⟨I receive your command!⟩
It stiffened again like a statue and stood guard in front of the Golden Chest.
*There's probably still information I need to extract before I kill it.*
I decided to borrow the wisdom of the crowd.
I wrote a post about everything that had happened up to now.
______
Title: guys i just met the floor 100 mob need some advice…
Author: Anon (99F)
{Image of a grey giant with six arms, holding 5 keys}
i have so much to say just hear me out.
first as you can tell from my username and the title i still haven't cleared it…
……
……
……
……
……
______
I hit the post button.
Then refreshed.
[Comments]
Anon (321F): ???
Anon (456F): holy shit that gold coin field what the hell
Anon (167F): wait you're on the same floor as the monster rn lmaooooo
Anon (643F): pretending to be a high-ranking officer < what the actual hell is this
Anon (244F): wtf are you even doing
Anon (643F): what do you mean floor 100 was breached;;;;;;;
A rainbow of bewilderment was pouring out.
*I need to get advice fast…*
I was a little exasperated.
I'd posted to get advice, but apparently they needed time to be shocked first.