Of Traps, Squirrels, and a Very Dangerous Mage
Noah was gradually starting to get used to the idea of being the dungeon's core. After all, he had no choice. Sitting there waiting for death simply wasn't an option.
He reflected on the idea the ninja squirrel had suggested. The new dungeon room was a long corridor — the perfect setting for traps. The logic was simple: any adventurer who entered would have to get through the traps first. If they reached the end, only then would they face the monsters Noah summoned.
Curious, he opened the system shop and found the option [Create Trap]. Just like with the creatures, the system offered a few pre-made traps.
Among the available options were:
[Arrow Wall]
[Poison Gas]
[Spikes]
Each one cost 10 Soul Essences.
Noah thought for a moment and decided to buy all three. As soon as he confirmed the purchase, something strange happened: as if the dungeon's structure was being altered by an invisible force, the ground began to tremble slightly, and the bricks in the corridor shifted to make space for the traps.
He watched as small round holes appeared in the walls — likely where the arrows would be fired from. He didn't fully understand how they worked, but the system seemed to know what it was doing.
What was interesting was that, by looking at the corridor, only the arrow trap was visible. The other two — the poison gas and the spikes — were completely camouflaged. Not even Noah could spot them.
That was perfect.
It meant adventurers would have a harder time spotting and avoiding the dangers, making it far easier for them to fall into the traps he'd set up.
Noah was lost in thought, unsure when the next adventurers would try to invade his dungeon, when suddenly he heard a strange sound — as if something had been triggered.
Then came the sharp whooshing sound of blades slicing through the air.
Instinctively, he shifted his vision just in time to see a bizarre scene: the ninja squirrel was caught between the spikes in the corridor. One of the blades had grazed the bandana around his neck, leaving him dangling like laundry on a clothesline.
The squirrel slowly turned his face, looked seriously at Noah… then raised one little finger in a thumbs-up of approval, as if to say: "Worked perfectly."
"I deserve this…" Noah sighed, shaking his head — though he couldn't hold back a laugh at the absurd scene.
A few seconds later, the spikes retracted into the floor, and the holes sealed up as if they'd never existed. Now free, the squirrel did a graceful backflip and vanished into the shadows as if nothing had happened.
In a nearby village, there was a small branch of the Adventurer's Guild.
Inside, three figures sat around a table: a mage, an archer, and a warrior. The hall was filled with other adventurers who chatted, laughed loudly, and clinked beer mugs, filling the place with energy.
The trio discussed their next steps seriously.
The mage, spinning her new wand between her fingers, looked at her companions and said:
"I think we should report the dungeon to the guild. We might even get a reward for it."
The archer simply nodded in silence.
Kael, the broad-shouldered warrior, crossed his arms and replied:
"Alright. Let's inform the guild about the dungeon near the village. It'll probably start spawning monsters soon, and the guild can profit from that. So can we."
"I agree," the archer said, leaning forward. "Low-level dungeons like this are rare. Usually, powerful people — even kingdoms — fight over them. After all, they're easy sources of resources."
After the brief discussion, the three stood up and headed to the main counter.
A lovely young receptionist greeted them with a gentle smile. When she heard their report, her eyes widened, and she quickly went to call the guild master.
Moments later, a short, elderly man appeared — so old it looked like every step was a challenge. The girl relayed the details to him.
With a raspy and slow voice, the guild master replied:
"I see. I'll send someone to verify it. If it's true… you'll be properly rewarded."
Some time later, in the guild master's quarters, a woman entered, her footsteps silent as she crossed the room.
"You called, guild master? Do you need my help with something?" she asked with a faint smile.
The woman had long scarlet hair, a seductive face, and intense eyes. Her outfit resembled that of a seasoned adventurer. Floating beside her was a small glowing orb, like a magical companion.
The old master turned slowly, leaning on his cane.
"Zyra, I need you to confirm something for me. It's about a recently discovered dungeon near the village. I just want you to take a look and tell me what you see. No causing trouble, understood?"
He looked at her with tired but firm eyes.
"There's no one better than you for this task."
Zyra smiled slightly.
"So that's it? No action? Shame… but alright. It won't be a problem." She turned gracefully and descended the stairs toward the guild hall. "I'll be back soon."
Noah was analyzing the dungeon traps with the squirrel, who lay groaning on the floor while gas dissipated in the room. Even lying down, eyes rolled back and body limp, the little guy still managed to raise a thumb of approval.
Suddenly, Noah's crystal moved on its own, redirecting his vision to the dungeon's main hall.
At the entrance, a beautiful woman stood out.
It was Zyra.
As soon as the squirrel saw her, his fur bristled and he jumped to his feet in panic. Like a prey fleeing its natural predator, he bolted straight into the shadows.
Noah didn't understand the little ninja's reaction — he was usually fearless.
Zyra stood before the door and spun her finger in the air, the magic orb beside her following the motion perfectly.
"Interesting…" she murmured.
With a simple snap of her fingers, the orb glowed. Suddenly, as if the entire dungeon had been scanned, a map appeared in her mind. All three rooms of the dungeon were revealed like a magical blueprint.
"That alone would be enough to report back to the guild master… But… let's explore a little more," she said, her voice laced with curiosity.
Zyra walked gracefully through the dungeon corridor. Her sharp eyes quickly noticed the small holes in the walls.
"Low-level traps. Not even rookie adventurers would fall for this… Only the desperate," she murmured.
She touched one of the walls, and the temperature dropped instantly. The contact point froze, sealing the arrow trap.
Zyra continued through the corridor with firm, elegant steps. The ground beneath her feet froze with each step, and none of the traps activated. She simply neutralized them with ease, as if strolling through a garden.
Noah watched it all, growing more tense. Now he fully understood the squirrel's reaction. The woman before him wasn't on a playable level — there was an abyss between her and what he had prepared.
Upon entering the second dungeon room, Zyra examined the space without any concern.
"Hmm… some skeletons… some zombies… Interesting. Now I understand the guild master's interest in this dungeon. Right after this comes the boss room, right?"
She turned, preparing to leave.
"I've seen enough."
A bright blue glow appeared in her hand, and she murmured:
"Freeze."
In an instant, the room was engulfed in a wave of cold. Ice covered everything. The zombies, the skeletons, even the demonic rat hidden underground — all were frozen where they stood, like crystal statues.
Noah's current view was devastating: all his monsters were dead, frozen without even reacting.
If she decides to come to the core room, no reward I offer will be enough to stop her from destroying me, Noah thought nervously — his heart would be pounding, if he had one.
But to his relief, Zyra simply cast one last glance at the room and left the dungeon in silence.
Back in the guild master's office...
"So that's what you wanted to know. But I didn't sense the presence of a boss in the dungeon," Zyra said, her expression neutral.
"Then the information from those three was correct… except for the part where they didn't mention the trap corridor," the guild master replied, frowning in confusion.
"I assure you, my information is absolutely accurate," Zyra said firmly.
"Hohoho! I know, I know it is," the guild master chuckled, nodding in approval. "Now I need to reward those kids… And also register that dungeon as guild property, before someone tries to take it from us."
He leaned back in his chair, thoughtful, running his hand through his long white beard as if savoring the idea.
"For a small village like ours, we've never had a dungeon. Having one now could attract adventurers, merchants, maybe even representatives from factions. It could change the fate of our village… Hohoho!"