I had heard of dungeons before. They were some type of area where prisoners were kept, or were a known commodity on many online games. If I had to put money on it, though, something was different in how Minamoto said the word.

Nearby Samurai and Exorcists were looking over at Minamoto with desperate gazes. The word Dungeon held a magnetism to it. They hadn't spoken up, but anyone could tell there was a sort of silent plea directed at Minamoto to continue.

Nishimuro sighed as he quickly caught onto the mood of the group. I had no idea what a Nurarihyon or why he was so apprehensive about the Dungeon, but the Samurai were obviously asking for something with their gazes. Minamoto wasn't helping things either, too. After his declaration, his whole demeanor changed at the drop of a hat. He was focused on looking up at the floating mountain with enough concentration to burn a hole in it.

Yet, I felt his gaze was vastly different compared to the Samurai.

Slowly, I shuffled over to the Samurai commander, hoping for someone to clear up my confusion. My current exposition friend had suddenly come down with something that seemed serious. Honestly, I was a bit worried for him.

"So…" I whispered to Nishimuro, getting a sideways glance. Apparently, he both understood what I wanted and ignored me because he focused more on the Oni head in front of us.

Nishimuro pulled out one of his swords, and I flinched as he swung it fast enough that I couldn't see it accurately. A silver blur outlined its path, disappearing into the Oni's head without any apparent resistance. Before I knew it, the Oni's head was split in two with its halves sliding apart along a seemingly polished cut.

I was unsure of what to say. This had to be a warning, right? I swear I'm not a dangerous person! While I haven't seen much of this world, I'm like seventy percent sure that there are rabbits stronger than me!

Unaware of my inner turmoil, Nishimuro pressed his palms together and bowed.

[Shuten Doji watches your actions]

Another god? I stared at the notification in the middle of my vision, putting together what just happened. Shuten Doji was a name that I slightly remember in my memories of Japanese legends. Something about a very powerful drunk, I think? Then, why was he watching us? Or how exactly was he watching us?

"Bow as well." Nishimuro said, continuing to bow. I looked around to see that other Samurai and Exorcists were doing the same. Awkwardly, I copied them, clapping my hands together and bending my waist.

[Shuten Doji accepts your actions]

I paused as I felt something pass by. It was like I was suddenly in an ocean and a whale had snuck by me without my notice. Goosebumps broke out on my arms as I felt that I had unknowingly just walked by a precipice I didn't know was there.

My gaze traveled over the rest of the group and I saw only Minamoto was not getting out of a bowing position. If there was any doubt in my mind that the old man wasn't someone important, that thought was gone. I might not know what just happened, but there was some importance in our actions. For Minamoto to ignore that and still nothing happened, the old man who I thought I knew was growing more mysterious the more I knew about him.

Plus he had a cool title! I mean, no one with the name Exorcist of the Sleeping Woods can be a normal guy!

Finally, whatever was going on had ended. Nishimuro confidently reached inside the head of the Oni that he had split earlier, and when his bloody hand came out he was holding a dark green marble within his hand. Everyone's eyes turned to the commander as he inspected the marble.

The commander glanced between me and Minamoto, and cleared his throat as he bowed to the old Exorcist. "You wouldn't mind me taking this skill jade? A rare vocal-based skill from an Oni Variant is something that can be used to promote another commander."

Minamoto's rictus of fury seemingly eased up as he glanced at the marble in Nishimuro's hand. "What's the rank?"

"... F." He answered after a pause, glancing at me.

"Mister David, you are almost Life Rank F, right?" Minamoto asked as I tentatively nodded. "I would say that you can reach it after we head to the Dungeon."

"That is…" Nishimuro was at a slight loss for words, and I suddenly felt everyone's gaze on me. The commander turned to me. "Could you perhaps give this to me? An Oni Variant's skill jade is important, but I can reimburse you in exchange."

My teeth clicked in my mouth. Being suddenly put on the spot was always a nerve wracking experience, and that went doubly so when I knew that I could probably be twisted into a pretzel by anyone here. Why Minamoto felt so much responsibility for me was something I didn't understand. However, his words were directly putting me against the Samurai and Exorcists who risked their lives fighting the Oni before. And while I was certainly in need of skills, techniques and everything else, taking their hard work would be something I wasn't shameless enough to do.

Awkwardly, I just nodded my head, stuttering out, "P-please take it. You guys deserve it more than me."

Nishimuro gave me a knowing glance before he slipped the marble into a pocket on his armor. I heaved a sigh of relief as the gazes sent my way were not as intense as they were a second ago. Minamoto, my friend, I feel like you're trying to kill me in overly elaborate ways…

"Then, we will split up in order to get ready for the Nurarihyon's Hyakki Yagyo. I fear that leaving the village might cause them to target the undefended peasants." Nishimuro said, nodding to the unlistening Minamoto. "I trust you will handle the Dungeon."

Minamoto nodded. "Give me those you want to raise."

Nishimuro immediately went about, commanding the Samurai and Exorcists to split up. Several of them sighed and slumped their shoulders while others shot up and moved closer to Minamoto with slight smiles on their faces. A couple of the Exorcists with slumped shoulders moved around the Oni's body before blue flames shot out from their palms, cremating the body slowly.

"Then, we'll be off. I will give you her highness' order when you get back." Nishimuro said, beginning his march back to the village. He paused for a second, and locked eyes with Minamoto. "I understand your prejudice for Dungeons, but try to figure out which god this one is tied to, please."

Minamoto didn't audibly respond, but I caught a slight nod of his head. Nishimuro just sighed and went along with his march, leaving me along with fifteen others with Minamoto in order to challenge whatever a Dungeon is supposed to be.

"Hey!" Matsumura, the friendly Samurai from last night, came over and tapped me on the shoulder with a smile. "I saw what you did earlier. No offense, no one here would have blamed you for taking a skill jade as rare as that."

I gave the man a wry smile. For as nice as this guy was, he didn't seem to see much negatives in people. He struck me as a sort of naive guy. However, that wasn't too bad. "Still, I would feel bad if I took it."

"Ah, I see. You're a good guy, David."

"Right, anyways, can you explain what exactly everyone is so excited about the Dungeon for?"

Matsumura gave me an odd look before he seemed to understand. "Your odd kingdom again? Well, I'm sure you already know how important skills and techniques are. And while you can get skill jades from yokai and other creatures outside of Dungeons, technique talismans can only be found through Dungeons. Other than gods sponsoring their priests with techniques, Dungeons are the only ways to get them."

"I see." I nodded. So, Dungeons were pretty much the kingdom's way to create stronger soldiers. They were important force multipliers that any kingdom would pay top dollar for. It was no wonder that the Samurai and Exorcists were excited to go into one; they were getting to basically 'level-up' within a Dungeon while the others were going back to work.

And because of my relationship with Minamoto, I was getting to go into a Dungeon without much issue.

"Follow me." Minamoto suddenly said, moving to where he would be underneath the floating mountain. Everyone who was left by Nishimuro shared a look before silently following along with the irate Exorcist.

"David." I snapped to attention when Minamoto said my name. "You must have questions about what a Dungeon is, don't you? I know you must be curious why I am so angry."

Pursing my lips, I walked away from Matsumura to Minamoto's side. "I am… a bit curious, yes."

Minamoto chuckled hollowly. "You already have an idea what gods are. Evil, kind, generous, mischievous, you name it. There are gods of every personality with different powers that define them. However, where do you think they are?"

"Somewhere like heaven or something?"

"Something like that." Minamoto said. "Their version of a physical realm is where their bodies normally reside, but like our souls, their souls, or Spiritual Selves, reside in the spiritual realm. It is how they can offer contracts to us and proceed to affect our physical world. This is normally how priest classes are made. However, there is nothing to say that they cannot offer a contract to yokai or creatures like a Nurarihyon. Except now, instead of a priest class that forms, that creature can make a Dungeon. A Dungeon where said god can influence our physical realm with their own agenda. Those agendas normally…" Minamoto grimaced before continuing, "Are nothing good."

I swallowed from how grave he made that sound. It was something that confirmed something had happened in Minamoto's past. As much as I wanted to know, antagonizing Minamoto was something I wouldn't want to do. Though, I wondered why the Samurai didn’t share his thoughts. They made it seem like Dungeons were the next best thing after sliced bread.

Without another word, I accepted his words as we trekked in silence. Though, compared to the march to get to the Oni, it was much shorter. We were only walking for around an hour or so before Minamoto stopped underneath the floating mountain, shrouding us in its shadow as the sun slowly went over the horizon.

Minamoto frowned as he looked up at the flying ground and pulled out the white branch from his sleeve. "Dungeons normally take on the characteristics of the god and its sponsor. Since a Nurarihyon is a yokai, the Dungeon can hide itself during the day. Of course-"

With a wave of his branch, we all jumped as the trees around us began growing rapidly as if the seasons were passing by in the blink of an eye. They grew and curled around each other, taking away the little light that still existed in the evening. Soon, the setting sun was blocked out entirely, and where the shadows touched, suddenly we could see something.

Connecting to the ground from the mountain above was a large cylinder with an empty archway that invited us on the ground. I carefully watched everyone as they didn't react to the sudden appearance of an odd entryway. It was a seemingly black abyss where I could see nothing inside no matter which angle I looked.

"Be careful when you are inside, David. Yokai are often invisible within the daylight, and there is no way of knowing which god the Nurarihyon has contracted." Minamoto said before he walked inside. Other Samurai gave me odd looks before following in, and Matsumura slapped me on the back, hurrying me inside.

With a disgruntled sigh, I stepped through the abyss into the Dungeon.