Chapter 35: Dead or Alive

“……Did we take it down?”

I swallowed dryly and looked over the dungeon’s owner collapsed on the ground.

「Grrr… grr…」

The Asura Beetle writhed, exhaling painfully as if its breath hadn’t yet left its body.

Soon after, Jeanne d’Arc also dropped to one knee and slumped down heavily.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Just in case, I had brought the Emergency Kit with me.

Jeanne d’Arc lifted her head and opened her mouth in response to my question.

「I-I’m fine, God. Thank you for your concern. It’s just… I guess I was more tense than I thought. My legs gave out…」

Jeanne d’Arc had performed a flawless sword dance against the Owner of the Verdant Dungeon, ultimately felling the enemy.

But she was still just a rookie with painfully little real battle experience.

The physical and mental pressure, the tension, and anxiety must have been overwhelmingly intense.

…Yet she did well on her own.

I looked at Jeanne d’Arc and faintly smiled.

–Ding!

[Quest]

Clean and Clear

• Assist Jeanne d’Arc in clearing the Greenwood Dungeon……. [Complete (V)]
• [Special conditions exist] …… [Complete (V)]

[System]

Quest complete!

• Special conditions achieved!
• Special reward acquired: Orb of Verdure!
• Experience +50, Divine Power +5P

The quest completion window marking the end of the dungeon exploration popped up.

Though I had helped by handing over weapons midway, it seemed they generously considered that.

“Alright, now it’s time to receive the special reward, this Orb of Verdure or whatever it’s called!”

Soon, a baseball-sized orb appeared in the palm of my hand, glowing with a green light.

The smooth orb, flawless in every way, radiated a brilliant gleam.

Looking closer, it resembled the fortune teller’s crystal ball you often see on TV, with a restless green magnetic field flashing at its center.

“…But what exactly is this for?”

Now that I had it, curiosity about its purpose welled up.

The system window answered for me.

—Ding!

[Orb of Verdure]

• The core that constitutes the Greenwood Dungeon infused with verdant energy.
• The Creator can use the Orb of Verdure to purify the dungeon.

※ Try using the Orb of Verdure to purify the dungeon! You will reveal the Creator’s power to the world!

“…I can purify the dungeon with this?”

Meanwhile, Jeanne d’Arc was gathering the Asura Beetle’s horns that had fallen to the floor.

「With these horns, we can prove that the dungeon has been cleared, God. As for the emerald-colored carapace of the Asura Beetle, I shall gather it with the villagers later to craft a relic honoring You.」

I quickly scanned the inside of the dungeon, and not far away, a red arrow appeared at the dungeon’s center.

Examining the ground carefully, I saw a chaotic array of geometric patterns sprawled out.

At the center, there was a round groove just the right size for the Orb of Verdure.

“…So if I insert it here, the dungeon gets purified?”

I slowly brought the Orb of Verdure to the groove.

—Ding!

[System]

• Would you like to purify the Greenwood Dungeon? …… (Y/N)
• 100 Divine Power points will be consumed.

※ Once purified, no more monsters will spawn in the dungeon. After the clearing comes prevention of reappearance…? Congratulations! You’ve scored a perfect 100 on the cleaning score!

“Scored a perfect 100 and you congratulate me… Why does that sound so annoying…?”

The system’s message still had a knack for ruffling nerves.

Anyway, simply put, purifying the dungeon means it will become an ordinary cave where monsters no longer appear.

Even if it consumes a lot of Divine Power, creating a safe zone meant there was no reason not to do it.

Without hesitation, I reached toward the system window and pressed the button.

Then.

—Ding!

[System]

• Monsters still exist inside the dungeon. If you purify the dungeon, those monsters will be eliminated. Would you like to proceed? ……. (Y/N)
• 4 monsters including the Asura Beetle remain.

‘Monsters still inside the dungeon? Wait, wasn’t the Asura Beetle just defeated…?’

At that moment.

Vwoom~! Vwoooom~!

The Asura Beetle I thought was dead suddenly jumped up, spread its wings, and took flight.

Now that I thought about it, the special condition of this quest was to ‘defeat’ the dungeon owner, not to ‘kill’ it!

「I’ll give chase!」

Jeanne d’Arc quickly drew her sword and started pursuing the Asura Beetle.

Fortunately, the beetle’s flight speed wasn’t very fast.

It seemed heavily damaged, fluttering precariously as it flew.

“…Since the quest is over anyway, should I just grab it with my hand?”

But I couldn’t just reach out easily.

The Asura Beetle’s movements didn’t look like a desperate fight for survival.

Rather, it was a pitiful struggle soaked in despair.

After a while, the beetle landed just below a nearby cliff.

It struggled to push a large rock blocking the way.

But with its horn broken, it was hard work to move the rock.

Eventually, the Asura Beetle wedged its head between the rocks and forced the obstacle aside.

Kugugugu-!

Once the rock was moved, a deep, dark burrow was revealed.

“…So you were hiding here all along? No wonder we couldn’t find you despite searching the dungeon thoroughly.”

But the Asura Beetle was exhausted and collapsed right in front of the burrow.

Then, creatures appeared from inside the burrow.

「Kkiik-! Kk!」

A hornless female Asura Beetle crawled out swiftly and anxiously circled around the injured male.

Looking closely, small beetle-like creatures resembling the Asura Beetle toddled about inside the burrow.

The reason it risked its life fighting Jeanne d’Arc—

It was to protect its family from the intruder.

—Ding!

[System]

• Monsters still exist inside the dungeon. If you purify the dungeon, those monsters will be eliminated. Would you like to proceed? ……. (Y/N)
• 4 monsters including the Asura Beetle remain.

The system window popped up again.

‘If I purify the dungeon, the monsters will disappear… Does that mean these little ones will die too?’

Jeanne d’Arc, who had arrived late, also seemed to understand the situation and hesitated to swing her sword.

But she soon wore a resolute expression and quietly asked for my command.

「God, if You give the order…」

She meant to finish off the monsters.

Looking down, the female Asura Beetle was trembling and blocking Jeanne d’Arc.

There were two choices.

Kill or not kill.

The easy choice was obviously to ‘kill.’

All I had to do was reach for the Y button in the system window, and it would be over.

Besides, if I didn’t purify the dungeon now, it would become a nuisance to Ribera again someday.

However.

“Is killing really the only option?”

I slowly lowered my hand.

Without a word, I carefully opened the Emergency Kit.

Then I squeezed some Medicasol Ointment onto my finger and brought it to the male Asura Beetle.

—Ding!

[System]

• Would you like to intervene physically? …… (Y/N)
• 5 Divine Power points will be consumed.

The female beetle trembled violently as the giant finger suddenly appeared before her.

Still, she quickly stepped in front to protect her husband.

「Kki… kkiik!」

“I’m not going to harm you. Don’t be afraid.”

Slowly applying the ointment, the Medicasol began to absorb into the beetle’s body.

Ssssss-

The broken horn began to regrow, and the wounds all over its body started to heal.

「Kkiik-! Kkiik-!」

The female Asura Beetle joyfully spun around in place.

A moment later, the male beetle sprang up.

「Grrk! Grrk~!」

It breathed heavily and suddenly charged toward my finger.

Jeanne d’Arc, watching the scene, gasped and drew her sword.

「…God! Be careful!」

But.

「Lick lick lick lick」

The Asura Beetle gently rubbed its horn against my finger, then began to lick it.

Then, as if to show gratitude, it wagged its horn and its rear wildly from side to side.

“…Hmm. Seeing it like this, it’s kind of cute.”

It vaguely reminded me of the beetles I raised in my childhood.

At that moment.

Ding!

[System]

• Would you like to designate the Asura Beetle as a Holy Relic? …… (Y/N)
• 100 Divine Power points will be consumed.

“…A Holy Relic?”

A Holy Relic must be a sacred animal or plant imbued with divine energy.

But what I was more curious about was something else.

“What exactly happens when you designate a creature as a Holy Relic?”

Ding!

A new system window appeared before my eyes.

It listed the notes regarding Holy Relic designation.

[System]

• 1. When designated as a Holy Relic, the energy of Darkness (魔) is purified.
• 2. The creature’s temperament becomes gentle and hostility toward humans disappears.
• 3. The Creator can summon the Holy Relic into the real world at will.
• 4. The Holy Relic transferred to the real world will have size and stats similar to living creatures of the same species.
• 5. A constellation shaped after the designated Holy Relic will be created in the small world.

※ Did you know? Many legends tell of heroes and Holy Relics who became constellations lighting up the night sky!

Creator, if you find a creature you like, turn it into a star!

Summarizing the notes roughly:

First, the Asura Beetle ceases to be a monster and becomes a Holy Relic.

Second, I can bring the Asura Beetle into reality at will.

Third, in the real world, the Asura Beetle will be about the size and abilities of a normal beetle.

“…Also, a constellation resembling the Asura Beetle will be created.”

When I put my palm down on the ground, the Asura Beetle hesitated, then suddenly leapt up.

It slowly looked up at the sky.

Watching it, I slowly parted my lips.

“…I’ll take these children with me.”

「You mean… You will bring them to the celestial world?」

Recalling the system window’s comments, I smiled.

“The Asura Beetle will become stars shining in the night sky.”

Jeanne d’Arc bowed respectfully in response.

Somehow, she looked a little relieved.

「Understood! I am Your apostle. I will always follow Your will.」

Then, I reached out toward the system window’s Y button.

Flash!

Immediately, the entire Asura Beetle family was transmitted onto my palm.

“Well then, problem solved! Now, shall we purify the Greenwood Dungeon?”

I inserted the Orb of Verdure into the dungeon’s center.

Then.

Phaaah!

A clear, warm pillar of light soared up from the dungeon’s heart.

—Ding!

[System]

• Greenwood Dungeon is being purified!

Pure white light quickly spread throughout the dungeon, gently touching every corner.

Places twisted by monsters, traces left by them, their corpses—

All the filth inside the dungeon began to be purified in an instant.

Jeanne d’Arc, watching the scene, knelt down reverently and prayed.

“Almighty God, the sacred miracle You have shown today, that exists upon this land…

Aaah…….

Everyone

will

know.”

That day, the Greenwood Dungeon located in the southern region of the Kingdom of Franz was completely purified.

And in the night sky, a new constellation was born.

It resembled an emerald-colored beetle.

The day a dungeon, a den of Darkness, was purified and a new constellation appeared in the night sky was recorded for posterity as the ‘First Day of Purification,’ when the Creator appeared and exercised His power.