I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 23

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[023] Canyon Where Stars Never Set
After another half day of walking, as the sky deepened into twilight, we finally reached our destination—not before encountering several magical beasts along the way.
A place where the elongated gorge created the illusion of an endless cascade of stars pouring down from the night sky.
This was why it earned the name “Canyon Where Stars Never Set.”
Ancient trees scattered throughout the gorge spoke of countless ages passing, while lush moss blanketed the earth like a natural carpet.
A small stream branched through the valley floor, and from somewhere distant, the faint sound of a substantial waterfall echoed through the air.
Radi let out a soft sigh as she watched a swan leisurely preening its feathers on the water’s surface.
“Really… no matter how many times I see it, I can’t get used to this dungeon’s scale… It feels like we’ve stepped into another world entirely.”
“Indeed. Who would have thought such a space lay hidden in a corner of Layer 1? I’d heard it was suitable for camping, and while it’s somewhat remote, the scenery is certainly magnificent. The air is pristine too.”
“….”
“Doran, are you listening?”
“Hmm? Oh, of course. It’s truly a wonderful place, just as I’d heard.”
I offered appropriate affirmations while quickly surveying the canyon’s surroundings.
Though I’d subtly guided the group here, my mind had been racing since we arrived.
As I observed the canyon carefully, I noticed the glint of polished armor and the glow of campfires scattered about.
Evidence that other adventurers had already settled in and dispersed throughout the area.
The fact that combat-capable adventurers were lingering in such a remote place at this particular moment….
‘…So there really are other reincarnators mixed into this world besides me.’
Either they’d infiltrated the group, or they’d leaked information discreetly.
With a new dungeon opened, one would expect them to rush about hunting rare magical beasts and extracting materials, yet here they were loitering in this isolated place—it was unmistakable.
They were likely anticipating some event that would unfold here soon.
But this is a place few reincarnators would know about….
Could they all have received Quests to come here?
‘…No, that doesn’t seem right either.’
If they’d all received Quests, this place would be far more crowded than it is now.
Moreover, I sensed none of the distinctive tension that accompanied Quest execution.
Players seasoned by Belheim’s malice would have grown suspicious the moment they saw the System Message, just as I had.
I approached a group of shabby-looking adventurers to eavesdrop on their conversation….
“I heard the Fishing Guild next door caught something massive here last night. They said its body was as thick as an ogre’s forearm….”
“But isn’t that penetrating too deep? We’re not confident in combat… If we actually encountered a magical beast in a place like this….”
“Don’t worry. They say only Soul Rabbits appear at worst in this canyon. Instead of worrying about that, just check if the line’s getting any bites.”
“….”
It was clear I had no idea what would unfold here.
As I continued analyzing the adventurers, Malton called out from where he’d been climbing the slope.
“Doran, what are you doing over there? We need to hurry if we’re going to set up the tent before sunset.”
“Just leave him be. He’s probably lost in pointless thoughts anyway. …But I’m curious—how does this dungeon manage to grow dark and bright?”
“I heard there are luminescent plants attached to the dungeon ceiling that emit light.”
“Is that so? Perhaps rare plants that feed on the dungeon’s mana and grow… Artificial cultivation would be difficult, wouldn’t it? It would be wonderful if we could carry them in lanterns….”
We found a suitable spot and completed our camp preparations simply.
Yet even after laying out her sleeping bag, Radi continued bustling about restlessly around the tent.
Bells hung from silk threads dangled overhead, while blades were embedded into the pathways where monsters might approach—a comprehensive trap installation in progress.
‘Remarkably meticulous… and quite versatile with different trap types.’
The tedious guard duty that should have been divided among us all was being handled willingly by this one, which honestly made things incredibly convenient.
Despite the youthful appearance, I could sense the accumulated experience of someone who had been operating solo for a long time, building their adventurer credentials through years of solitary work.
Yet watching this display, an unsettling thought began to creep into my mind.
‘If I were to simply detonate all these carefully installed traps…’
I could raise my stats in one fell swoop, couldn’t I?
I’d felt it back in Radgit Cave when I’d caught those novice adventurers off guard—I didn’t necessarily need to disturb enemies to use my [Chaos] skill.
Sometimes, simply catching allies off guard was enough to inflate my stats significantly before entering combat.
And from what I’d observed, this one had a rather rigid sense of propriety, so the shock value would yield considerable stat gains.
The amusement of pranking them would be quite satisfying too.
“…What is it? I suddenly felt a rather sinister gaze.”
“Nothing at all. Just keep going. …Want help with the traps?”
“No way. If a beginner helps, it’ll only get in the way… Wait! What are you doing?! I worked hard to secure that!”
“Oops, my mistake.”
「Your Wisdom has temporarily increased by 1!」
As I grappled with Radi, who was kicking at my shins, Malton chuckled and yawned.
“Well then… I’m exhausted, so I’ll get some rest first. Oh, and that’s the pocket watch you asked for.”
“Thanks. I’ll take the first watch, so get some sleep.”
“Understood. …But why do you need that watch? It’s different from a regular timepiece, so it wouldn’t be suitable for actually telling time….”
“Oh, just… standing watch gets boring. It’s nothing special.”
“I see. Then rest well and recover your strength.”
Not long after Malton crawled into the tent, the sound of snoring echoed out.
* * *
In this world, there exists a concept called “Mage’s Time.”
Events that affect magic at specific intervals are woven together like the Gregorian calendar.
For example, during the Week of Fire, flame spirits rampage and wildfires occur frequently, or mad mages commit serial arson across the land.
Conversely, during the Week of Water, floods occur and beaver-kin become busy, or fish-folk wage wars, or graduate students from the Magic Tower who failed their exams throw themselves into rivers, causing water levels to overflow.
And the week approaching soon is the Week of the Blue Comet—the period when a blue comet passes near the planet.
Occasionally, “special creatures” influenced by the comet awaken.
“It’s about time it started.”
I withdrew Malton’s pocket watch, crafted with dwarven precision.
Click—as I opened the brass cover, countless reliefs modeled after stars and planets began rotating via the mainspring.
Killing time quietly by the campfire, the needle that had been motionless suddenly began to move.
And finally, the moment the watch’s thin iron hand reached its proper position—
Boom—!!!!!
As a blue comet model rose to the watch’s face, the dungeon trembled violently, and the pitch-black night sky underwent a transformation.
Like a tidal wave, blue flames trailing long tails cut through the darkness beyond my vision and approached.
“Doran, what’s happening! I heard a loud noise just now…!”
“Is it a monster?!”
As Malton and Radi scrambled out of the tent, I silently pointed toward the sky.
“Oh my, is that a meteor shower? That massive one looks like a comet!”
“Wait…! We’re inside a dungeon, but we can see a comet….”
“Could it be a perfect recreation of the surface sky? How extraordinary…!”
Malton and Radi gazed upward, their voices trembling with wonder.
The dungeon pulsed with beautiful luminescence centered around the comet.
Bioluminescent plants glowed softly throughout the canyon, and fireflies startled by the commotion erupted into the air simultaneously, creating an incomparable spectacle.
The entire valley seemed to flow with the Milky Way itself.
But….
‘I need to move quickly from here…!’
Anyone mesmerized by that light would meet a gruesome end.
I hastily gathered my belongings and stood.
“Malton, something feels wrong. We need to leave.”
“Hmm…? Understood.”
“Kid, you collect the traps too. Now.”
“What? Where are we going in the middle of the night… Understood.”
Radi looked reluctant, but upon seeing my expression, gathered his things without protest.
As we retrieved the sleeping bags and tent, heading down into the canyon, the area was already bustling with mercenaries and adventurers who had awakened.
“What is this…! Suddenly light from all directions….”
“It could be an attack! Everyone stay alert!! Wake up all the sleeping ones over there!”
“Oh great mage! Magical energy is surging from the earth around us! What is happening right now?”
“How should I know! Quickly get the parchment and record everything that happens without missing a single detail! This is incredible… a chance to escape the Magic Tower researchers!!”
As people descended into chaos and shouted, the light surrounding the canyon grew steadily more intense.
Soon, thick moss was torn asunder as blue crystalline formations writhed and crawled up from the ground.
An unidentified monster composed entirely of blue crystal.
At that moment, a new notification appeared in the log window.
Ding—!
「The Age of the Blue Comet has begun!」
「Abnormal phenomena are appearing everywhere! Exercise caution!」
「You have encountered [Cerulian Golem], a being infused with the power of stars!」
「Nearby adventurers have been invigorated! Your stats increase due to the [Chaos] skill.」
‘As expected, you were the ones responsible for annihilating the vanguard.’
I twisted my lips into a cold smile, glaring at the golems with icy eyes.
[Cerulian Golem]
A rare monster that appears only during the Age of the Blue Comet.
During my time playing Belheim, I had encountered records from the first exploration team that entered the dungeon.
Their account described how, when a comet appeared in the night sky, countless crystal golems of unknown origin poured forth from this canyon, causing massive casualties.
At the time, unable to identify the creatures, it was filed as an unsolved case, but now, having come to the past, I face their true form.
The moment I witness with my own eyes the trap that the malevolent Quest had laid to kill me.
‘Damn Quest… this was clearly an outright attempt to kill me.’
I suppressed the fury rising from my core, and as I did, the Cerulian Golems stirred from their long slumber, slowly rising to their feet before beginning to pace through the Canyon with ponderous, heavy steps.
“W-what is that… a golem?”
“I’ve never seen a golem made of crystal before…”
Several Adventurers approached the golem with eyes mingling curiosity and caution, but Malton held them back.
“It would be wise not to approach so recklessly. With such a rare monster, there’s no telling what abilities it might possess.”
“But… if we could just take down one of those, we’d make a fortune, wouldn’t we?”
A Mercenary gazed at the golem with greedy eyes, licking his lips.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
‘Foolish. Does it really look like just a hunk of crystal to them?’
Cerulian Golems are monsters that boast a hardened exterior and tremendous strength.
A reckless charge would likely leave one as nothing more than scattered flesh.
And there’s one more particularly troublesome characteristic.
“Cowards! Get out of my way! That thing’s materials are mine! Flames of fury, blaze eternal, descend upon this blade…”
As a Mercenary chanted the incantation, crimson flames erupted along the longsword’s blade.
With confident stride, he charged forward and drove the blade into the golem’s head—
「The Cerulian Golem nullifies the magic!」
「Low-tier spells have no effect on the Cerulian Golem, a creature born of magic itself!」
「The Cerulian Golem absorbs the magical power and prepares a devastating strike!」
“Wh-what…?”
The golem, unmarred by even a scratch, brought both arms crashing down.
As the audacious Mercenary instantly became a mass of blood, the Adventurers, drained of all color, scattered in every direction.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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