DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON
Hey, are you sure we're on the right path?
Yup, these are the stairs we need to take.
After these steps, we'll reach the fifth basement floor,
close to the orc settlement.
At least that's what it says on the map.
How are we supposed to go down these steps?
This is incredible.
There's a wide variety of Tentacles growing here.
The orcs totally made a fool of us.
They kindly laid a trap for us.
I'm not so sure.
This route leads to their settlement.
It's ideal for keeping away outsiders at least.
Let's try moving forward.
Given the time and effort that would take, taking a detour might be a quicker option.
Marcille, don't get too close to the walls.
These creatures lurk within the walls.
Places teeming with Tentacles have just as many cavities.
It also means there are many traps and devices.
The Tentacles crush and break these devices
and they even grow on treasure chests, working mischief together with the traps.
They're monsters I want to see exterminated next to Mimics!
There.
I think we made some pretty good progress...
Strange.
The orcs must've used this path to climb to the third floor.
How did they manage to navigate this area?
Something's here.
Be careful.
Kensuke!
It's a Giant Frog!
Ugh, so gross!
No way!
I got this! Aslam!
No!
Ambrosia!
Senshi, behind you!
Don't let go!
Hang in there, Senshi!
M-Magic...
-It should be close enough. -No! It's too close!
This is bad.
What do we do?
Is that a trap?
There's a Tentacles growing unnaturally from the wall next to the frog.
It's probably growing out of the exit of a trap.
If I can extract it, I could trigger the trap.
But...
how do I pull it out?
If I touch it directly, my hands will get swollen.
Laios!
Why are Giant Frogs safe even when in contact with the Tentacles?
Huh?
No idea.
Maybe it's their biological makeup.
So, you don't have any info on this?
Children can be inquisitive regardless of the situation, huh?
Fine!
Chilchuck!
It doesn't hurt!
I can do this!
Huh?
I can't pull it out!
-Chilchuck! -Chilchuck!
Chilchuck!
He's alive.
Show me your hands!
Huh? They're unhurt.
I see.
He wrapped his hands with the skin of a Giant Frog.
Well done!
Chilchuck,
this is a really great idea!
Dissect a Giant Frog
and remove the skin from its body.
U-Um, hey...
Peel the Tentacles
and save the narrow sections for later.
Boil the thicker portions,
then, after boiling, mash them and knead with flour.
Shape the mixture into sticks, and slice them into bite-sized pieces,
and boil once more.
Hey...
Lightly dry the Giant Frog skins,
take various measurements, and sew.
Heat olive oil, garlic, and hot pepper in a pan,
then add the thigh meat of a Giant Frog and sauté them together.
-It's done! -It's done!
TENTACLES GNOCCHI, TENTACLES PASTA, FROG SUIT
Ugh, just great!
Bring them to me one person at a time!
You guys finished your tasks while I was debating which of you to stop!
Come on, now, just give it a try.
Yes, give it a bite at least.
I said one person at a time!
And who knows whether they're really safe or not?
WHISPER
I think you'll look really cute in it, Marcille.
You look so cute!
The color really suits you.
I like how your ears are contributing to that frog-like silhouette.
Let's get moving.
Right.
Wow! It doesn't hurt at all!
Ugh, this is so disgusting!
How beautiful.
It's delicious.
Kensuke!
Thank goodness!
Look!
It's the castle town.
We're already on the fifth floor!
There are signs of people fleeing in panic.
It seems the orcs were speaking the truth.
It's certain that there's a Red Dragon around here.
Let's stay vigilant and ready for combat as we move ahead.
Huh?
It seems like the Giant Frog's blood
has congealed inside and got stuck to my clothes.
We didn't have enough time to dry the skins, after all.
Are we going to fight the dragon like this?
How am I supposed to reunite with Falin now, huh?!
Answer me!
-It feels like my insides are spinning. -Kiki, Kaka.
Show Namari to the guest room so she can rest.
I will go to report to the Lord of the Island.
So, how was it inside the dungeon?
The most concerning thing
is that it has become a rough place.
All the treasures down to the third basement floor
have been plundered.
And there are now more hangouts for outlaws.
What's worse,
orc hordes have started appearing on the upper floors and causing trouble.
You should consider deploying a troop or offering rewards to deal with them.
I wonder where the orcs entered from.
I suspect that some old dwarf mines might be connected to the dungeon.
Orcs tend to inhabit such passages.
Dwarves, huh?
How abominable.
They're like moles.
No matter how you seal off their passages, they keep making more.
A long time ago,
the elves and dwarves divided into the east and west in conflict.
They say the dwarves hid in these lands and waited for the arrival of the elves.
Even after the war, they continued to dig tunnels,
eventually swallowing the Golden City and turning it into a dungeon.
I hear that the surviving dwarves are responsible
for the dungeon's ongoing expansion.
That rumor cannot be trusted.
Anyhow, here is the magic circle I copied.
It's in Elvish, like all the others.
And based on the handwriting, the author is likely the same individual.
There are absolutely no traces of anyone tampering with it.
The lord of the dungeon,
the lunatic magician, is most certainly the one who made this.
Is he an elf?
I can't be certain,
but this magic is beyond the capabilities of a tall-man or a dwarf.
What a tricky situation.
The thing is, I received a letter from the western elves the other day.
It said, "The dungeon is our heritage. Return it to us."
What a selfish demand!
They're the ones who took this land from the dwarves
and handed it over to humans because they didn't know what to do with it!
Ignore them.
This land was granted by the king of the elves himself.
I can't just do that.
They'll take this island, too.
That won't do.
There must be great treasure still hidden in that dungeon.
Lord of the Island,
the elves aren't after the treasure.
They're after the spell of immortality that is cast on the dungeon.
The magic that ties the soul to the body is still a big mystery.
When that mystery is solved, its worth will far surpass that of gold.
We must figure it out before the elves do.
Are you suggesting we copy every single magic circle to study them?
Listen carefully!
When such great magic is involved, there is always a blueprint.
Get your hands on it!
As long as you have it,
you can give up the dungeon or anything you please.
Once the elves know you possess it,
they will finally treat you as an equal,
no, they will kneel before you to negotiate with you.
I-Is that so?
So? Where can I find this blueprint?
That's simple.
It's likely in the possession of the lord of the dungeon.
In other words, you want me to keep backing the explorers?
Precisely.
Don't bargain down the prices for hunting monsters
and the loot from the dungeons.
Don't hoard your wealth and provide even more support.
Very well.
I'll offer rewards for taking down orcs.
What do I say to the elves?
I'll help you buy time.
Laios, was it?
He was a skilled adventurer,
but I wonder how far his party can advance.
Good morning, Namari.
How are you feeling?
My axe!
Your stuff is right here.
And
here's money from Grandpa Tansu.
It's more than I expected.
There might be a little break,
but he said he wanted to request your help again.
T-Thanks.
I owe you.
I'll walk you to the street.
Do you have a home?
Or do you stay at an inn?
Neither. I'm heading toward the dungeon.
Why?
You're going under again?
No.
I have an errand to the nearby temple.
An errand?
It's the resurrection office.
Namari!
Is it true you left Laios' party?
So, what are you looking for? An item or a person?
A person.
A female tall-man with light brown hair.
It's around shoulder length.
She's somewhere between...
her teens and her forties.
Wait. Do you mean Laios' sister?
She's in her twenties at most.
You should get your eyes checked.
It's hard to guess the age of people from other races, okay?
We have no corpse here that fits that description.
I see.
On the fifth basement floor,
outside the Golden Castle, lies the castle town.
The streets, expanded and warped by magic,
show traces of a time when they bustled with activity.
Figures pass by the edge of your vision.
You hear whispers.
Such peculiar sensations wash over you.
Seems like this was the location for the orc settlement.
They must have left in quite a rush.
The pantry doors are left wide open.
What an awful stench.
Looks like the monsters in this area scavenged this place.
It seems the flour and alcohol are safe, though.
Let's make bread.
The orcs won't be happy when they come back.
We gave them vegetables, so it's a fair exchange.
Wargs.
It wasn't a fire, was it?
No.
They were defeated by the Red Dragon's fire breath.
The dragon passed through here not too long ago.
H-Hey.
You mentioned before
that dragons sleep most of the time and rarely move about.
But based on what the orcs told us and the current situation,
it's still on the move.
It's likely roaming around this area even now.
We might've had a chance against a sleeping dragon.
But do you really think we could defeat it with our current strength?
What if we lose again?
What if she's already digested?
Calm down.
We don't know that yet.
Let's figure out a plan first.
But taking on the dragon
with just the three of you is gonna be tough.
The three of us?
I keep telling you this, but don't count on me to help in combat!
My only job is to get you to your destination!
We know that.
We're not blaming you.
M-My mistake then.
How have you defeated dragons in the past?
It depends on the time, circumstances, and the type of dragon.
But usually, Falin casts a spell to protect against fire and harm.
Then, Namari, Shuro, and I work to slow it down.
Marcille weakens the dragon with explosive spells.
Finally, Shuro strikes the killing blow when the opportunity arises.
I think that's how it usually goes.
Of course, it was only possible because of that team.
Now, we have to figure out a plan for just the three of us.
Dragons are resistant to spells and weapons.
It's because they're covered in steel-like scales.
Their only weak spot where you can land a killing blow
is the underside of their neck.
Stab it there, and we win!
The underside of their neck, huh?
How large is this Red Dragon?
Let's see...
Look over there.
See that half-collapsed walkway?
It's about that tall.
I mean,
isn't it broken because the dragon bumped its head on it?
You're right.
It's massive.
Striking it at that height is almost impossible.
That's exactly the problem.
Let's make our way to the walkway.
It's so high.
What if we try jumping onto the dragon's neck from here?
-No way! -Forget it.
I can cast defense spells,
but I'm not as skilled as Falin.
I can't protect you from a fall from this height
or from fire breath.
Yeah, what about its fire breath?
Up here, there's nowhere for us to run.
And according to Namari,
Senshi's axe won't even make a dent in the dragon.
Are you sure your sword can hurt it, Laios?
To cast an explosive spell strong enough to stun a dragon,
I'll need you to buy me a lot of time.
On top of that, someone needs to land the killing blow.
Can you and Senshi handle all that?
We'll find a way somehow.
How?
Rather than aiming for its head,
what if we blow up a building?
There are a lot of bridges and walkways between buildings here.
We could set off an explosion just as the dragon passes underneath.
The debris will trap the dragon,
bringing its weak spot within reach.
Then, we could strike without worrying about a counterattack.
It's true that the two of us can't buy you enough time to set up your spell.
But we could make a run for it and lead the dragon on a chase.
The streets here are too narrow for the Red Dragon,
and it's probably feeling worn out after all its activity.
If we lead it along the right path, we could tire it out even more.
I see.
I could help with that.
Really?
Thank you! You're the best!
Still, why isn't it sleeping?
Its appearance on the fifth floor is a mystery, too.
It's persistently prowling these narrow streets that it dislikes.
Could it be its mating season?
No...
Hey, didn't Namari mention something
about Senshi's pot being made of seriously tough metal?
What was it again?
"It shields against a dragon's something and can shatter a dragon's something."
You're right!
She said every blacksmith dreams of it!
If it shields against a dragon's something,
it's gotta be fire breath!
Well, that solves the fire breath problem.
Isn't your cooking knife made from special metal, too?
We should've had Namari take a look at it.
I'm feeling pretty hopeful now.
When you put your mind to it, a way opens, huh?
All right!
Let's do our research to map out our luring route!
So, you're back.
Senshi, you slipped away without a heads-up!
I was making bread.
Did you have to do it right before we're facing a dragon?
Absolutely.
We have a big mission ahead,
and the most important thing is to fill our stomachs.
We lost to the Red Dragon because of hunger once.
We shouldn't make the same mistake, right?
Wine!
I humbly took some from the pantry.
Save it for after we defeat the dragon.
We're missing eggs,
but these should be enough to make that dish.
Grate the bread into crumbs,
and marinate the Giant Frog meat with salt and pepper.
Dip it in a water and flour batter,
and coat it with bread crumbs.
Heat up some olive oil, and deep fry.
Boil down red wine with seasoning to make a sauce.
It's done!
CUTLETS TO CONQUER THE RED DRAGON
That looks amazing!
The smell is making me hungry.
-Let's dig in! -Let's dig in!
It's so crispy!
Are you okay, Marcille?
The thought of not having to eat monsters soon
is making me emotional.
There's still the Red Dragon, though.
Listen,
there's something I want to say to you all.
I doubt I could've made it all this way on my own.
Senshi, thank you so much.
You were kind to complete strangers like us.
Your excellent cooking not only satisfied our hunger
but it lifted our spirits as well.
Chilchuck, without you, we would've had to take multiple detours,
which would have caused days of delay.
Above all, you were dependable.
And Marcille,
I'm sorry for the tough time you had on this unfamiliar journey.
When you said you'd join me, I was so moved.
Everyone, thank you so much.
-S-Sure. -S-Sure.
Poor timing!
Sorry.
What's this?
Seeing it again, it really is huge.
Could we really defeat it?
Don't worry.
The four of us have made it this far.
As per the plan, Marcille will take her position,
and we'll lure the dragon!
Is everyone ready?
Is everyone in good shape?
All right.
Let's go!
Subtitle translation by: Ai Matsuoka