"Because it isn’t your average dungeon."

"I’m listening," Jake said.

The system pulsed in his awareness with the low, attentive hum it produced when incoming information was relevant to something it was tracking. He let it settle in the background and focused on Ankerita.

"Not a standard dungeon," she said.

"We’ve been investigating a location in the deep forest northwest of Roakan, beyond the forest—three days’ travel at standard pace. There’s a structure there that predates the city by several centuries. Older records mention it in terms that suggest it was significant enough that people actively avoided discussing it in writing."

"Avoided how?" Jake asked.

"References that stop mid-description," Maudlina said, leaning forward now, the teasing dropped in favor of genuine interest.

"As though the person writing decided partway through that committing the details to paper was inadvisable. We found fourteen separate historical documents that mention the location and all fourteen do the same thing - approach the subject, begin to describe it, then redirect to something else entirely."

"Is that really a dungeon?" Jake asked.

"Yes, it is. I have confirmed it," Ankerita said.

"We sent scouts. Three separate groups over two months. The structure is active - monsters, floors, and the complete dungeon architecture. But—" she paused, and something in her expression shifted to something more serious, "—none of the scouts came back."

The sitting room held that information for a moment.

"None," Jake said.

"Twelve scouts total across the three groups," Ankerita confirmed.

"All experienced. The first group we assumed encountered something they were individually unprepared for. The second group we sent was specifically because they were stronger. The third group—" she stopped.

"We didn’t lose them immediately. We had communication crystals with the third group. They went in. They reported for the first six hours - standard dungeon progress, early floors, nothing exceptional. Then the crystals went silent."

"All at once?" Jake asked.

"All at once," Ankerita confirmed.

"Whatever happens in that dungeon, it happens at a certain depth, and past that depth people stop returning."

The system was more active now, screens appearing at the edge of Jake’s vision with the excited energy it produced when encountering something it considered significant.

[DUNGEON IDENTIFICATION COMPLETE]

[DESIGNATION: THE IRON WARROOM]

[CLASSIFICATION: S-RANK - EXTREME DANGER]

[DUNGEON TYPE: MILITARY FORTRESS - FULLY OPERATIONAL]

[PRIMARY INHABITANTS: IRON BLOOD LEGIONS]

[NEW TASK ASSIGNED]

[TASK: CONQUER THE IRON WARROOM]

Jake read through the notifications with the part of his attention he kept available for the system while appearing to focus entirely on the conversation.

"I heard that there is an artifact that is said to be forged by gods."

"A rare treasure in this world."

"There’s treasure," he said. It wasn’t a question.

Ankerita’s eyes sharpened.

"The oldest records - the ones from before the deliberate obscuring started - mention it. Inconsistently, fragmentarily, but consistently enough that we believe it. Something in that dungeon was placed there by a divine entity, either as a weapon or a tool or something else entirely. Something significant enough that the god who placed it wanted it difficult to reach."

"Or wanted to keep it safe from other gods," Maudlina added.

"Which is why the obscuring started—someone powerful noticed the records and started making them less accessible."

"Which god?" Jake asked.

"Unknown," Ankerita said.

"The divine signature is old enough that it predates the current divine hierarchy’s structure. Whatever put something in that dungeon did so before the current covenant system existed."

Jake looked at his hands for a moment, thinking about twelve dead scouts and communication crystals going silent and historical records that stopped mid-sentence because whoever was writing them decided finishing the thought was inadvisable.

He thought about the All-Glory Battle in one year. About Vikram’s ambient pressure crushing his breathing at five meters. About Kunther, whose nose he’d broken this morning and who was already planning how to come at him differently.

He thought about what a divine artifact from a pre-covenant god might do for a Serpent King with a bloodline that the system kept telling him interacted with things in unexpected ways.

He thought this might be his chance to get stronger; if the artifact were something that could give him power, he would certainly take it.

"When do we go?" he asked.

Raani made a sound that was not quite a word but communicated extensive feelings about the question.

Ankerita looked at him steadily.

Raani then said, "My lord, you need to think carefully. She says that a lot of people died and no one had come out alive."

"It is worthwhile to try and see for ourselves," Jake said.

"Besides, we aren’t simple people." Jake looked at Ankerita and she knew what he was saying.

They were chosen, Goddess, and Jake had a system helping him. He was confident he could uncover the secrets in the dungeon.

Jake stood, his ribs reminding him of their current opinion on sudden movement.

"Give me two days to recover from this morning and handle the villa’s immediate needs. Then we go."

Maudlina looked at him with the expression she wore when she was genuinely pleased by something rather than entertained by it.

"You didn’t even hesitate," she observed.

"People going in and not coming back," Jake said.

"Someone should find out why. Might as well be someone who’s interested in what they left behind."

Ankerita studied him for a moment longer, then nodded once.

"Two days," she agreed. "We’ll prepare what we know about the layout from the scouts’ reports and meet you here."

She stood to leave, Maudlina rising with her.

"Jake," Maudlina said at the door, her voice carrying that warm amusement again.

"Try not to acquire any more women in the next two days. The villa is starting to feel crowded."

"Maudlina," Ankerita said.

"I’m just noting the pattern—"

"Walk," Ankerita said, and steered her sister through the door with the ease of someone who had been managing Maudlina’s observations in public spaces for decades.

Their footsteps faded down the corridor.

Jake sat back down carefully, his ribs registering formal protest about the standing and sitting cycle he was putting them through, and looked at Raani, who was watching him with the expression she wore when she had many things to say and was choosing between them.

"The dungeon," she said finally.

"Yes."

"That no one has survived."

"Yes."

"Two days after you fought Kunther."

"Correct."

Raani looked at the ceiling briefly.

"I’m coming with you."

"You should probably stay here."

Jake raised his hand, stopping her. He said, "You said Kunther is dangerous. So you should stay here and protect the villa while I am away."

She didn’t argue further, which he appreciated.

The system pulsed one more time, quieter now, the attentive hum of something that had received a decision and was already beginning to process what it would need to prepare.