Chapter 3
**Inside the dungeon**
Ryan stepped forward taking in the fresh air 'An island environment' he mused.
They were on the beachside of an island-like structure "Let's head inside, does anybody have a spell to spot a person".
"No".
"not here either ".
"I can help, I can talk to these trees, they might have an insight," said Kevin .
He then proceeded to put his hand on the nearest tree while holding onto his grimoire in another
"Hmm I see, it seems it's been 14 days since those stepped into this dungeon "
Since the time flew faster inside a red gate, 14 days had already passed inside whereas only 7 hours had passed in the outside world.
"We need to hurry, they must be running short on food supply," said Ryan
"Let's go deeper, everybody follow me," Kevin said.
He again went to another tree and repeated the process "this way "
After repeating the 'tree talk' process many times they chanced upon the rotting body of one of the students "Hey check his face "
Kevin hurriedly checked the face 'not Jason whew' "does anybody know him? No? Ok keep moving forward "
They then went deep into the woods "How have we not encountered any beast yet ?" questioned one student "Hmm suspicious, it only happens when someone has found dungeon core and the dungeon tries to protect itself calling all the beasts towards its core " said another
"Oh shit we need to hurry up, the surviving students might be facing the bulk of the beasts," said Ryan.
Ryan then started running in what seemed to be a random direction." Hey where are you running we don't know their position yet !" said Kevin trying to stop Ryan in his endeavor
"I have my ways " replied Ryan before running into the distance
"Let's follow him," said one student
"If he could why was he hiding it till now" said Kevin while staring daggers into the distancing back of Ryan before running towards him.
After running for 2 hours, the squad of 4 heard a wolf howl, suddenly Ryan halted and checked his surroundings with hostility in his eyes
"It seems we are near," said one student
"There in that direction, I think I see a silhouette of a lying body," said another
Hurriedly reaching the body's position Kevin took out a low-grade healing potion from his dimensional ring " The wound is deep on his chest, its bleeding hasn't stopped yet . Where are the rest of the students " asked Kevin before pouring its content on his chest
"It..it ate them ..most of them ....Brock, Jason, and Addy together entered the lake ..."
"What ate them? Describe his appearance " asked Ryan with a hate-laden voice
"A.. A bipedal wolf .... it attacked us out of nowhere .. and chased each student one by one ...It even killed professor ...." The wound on his chest was closing at a fast pace visible to the naked eye.
"It might be the 'Boss' " said one student
"Then how are you still alive "asked Kevin thinking something was amiss
The student lifted his upper half after the wound on his chest closed.
"It was about to pounce on me when a bullet wheezed past him, he then quickly headed in its direction "
"It must be Jason! quickly tell me the direction "
" there "
"hurry up it seems the dungeon core is situated near the lake," said Ryan
------------------
Surrounding the lake which seemed to be situated at the island's center, a horde of beats stood. The beats were black, four-legged with red spikes protruding from the spine and reaching down all four limbs, their mouth split in two vertically.
"Hmm, all the beasts have surrounded the lake and.... are looking at it ?"
"It seems the dungeon core is situated below the lake and these beasts are not capable of surviving underwater "
"talk about bad design, inhabitants can't even protect the core, but why haven't they broken the core yet ?"
"Either they are fighting against the boss or something unforeseen happened
"We need to quickly dive in," said Kevin
"We need to distract the beasts for us to safely dive in, I mean look at the sheer number, we cannot face them "
"You are right but who will do the job to distract them " asked Ryan
"I can do it, I have fire affinity so I will cast a fire shower spell but how am I meant to survive after I take their attention?" said one student
"I will cast a flight spell on both of us, by the looks of it none of them is capable of flying but the flight spell will only last us 10 minutes, you will have to destroy the core by then," said another
"Very well then Kevin and I will dive in," said Ryan
"alright," said Kevin
------------------
On an island full of greenery a fire shower erupted causing the horde to direct its attention towards them "Aahrowoww" they together roared before running towards the source of shower which started rising in the air
"Keep showering they are leaving the lake"
"I will but better focus on the flight if we fall we are dead !"
"It's clear now hurry," said Kevin before entering the lake together with Ryan.
Right off the bat, they could sense aura being used in the depths of the lake."Arurrruri" muttered Kevin facing Ryan before forming a water sphere around both of them which hurriedly took both of them below.
Reaching the floor of the lake, they soon saw an ancient-looking trap door, with the water sphere taking them directly above it, they soon channeled their mana in the door after which they were teleported below the trap door.
"It seems this is the boss floor and where the core is situated too," said Kevin.
"Yeah it seems," said Ryan before staring into the air.
DING!
*System prompt: Quest - Kill the werewolf 'ALLEN'*
*Reward - +100 Gu*
*Failure - Confiscation of shadow veil(D-rank)*
*Quest - Save Brock, Jason, and Addy from the clutches of the dungeon*
*Reward-Shadow hop(G-rank)*
*Failure -Lock on shadow eater(B-rank) for a week*
'A new quest and it seems it is important for me to complete it or else I might lose my skill shadow hop forever, well I was going to kill that mutt either way ' thought Ryan
"howwwwwllllll" They soon heard another howl.
"From that direction!" they both hurried
They soon reached an ancient-looking gate which was blasted by them. Upon entering their eyes laid on Jason holding onto the severed head of what seemed to be an unnaturally large wolf.
"Just a bit late," said Jason while holding onto a katana in one hand and a head in another, his gun placed in its scabbard on his waist.
"Aura?" asked Kevin
"fuck!" said Ryan
*System prompt: Failure to complete the quest*
*Shadow veil(D-rank) will now be confiscated*
'oh no ' cursed Ryan
Kevin lunged from his position landing beside Jason "Are you ok?"
"Yeah... I am mostly fine, running a little low on stamina, can you give me a stamina potion "
Kevin hurriedly took out a low-grade stamina potion.
"You can use aura, Jason ?... Where are the other " he asked
"...They must be fighting the boss right now .. probably in the altar room "
"Fighting Boss? then what do you have in your hand? "
"Oh this, it's just the head of a mini-boss I guess "
"Hmm I see let us hurry to the actual boss room, Brock and Addy need our help"
"We need to destroy the core, it is situated in the same altar room "
"Then what are you waiting here for "
While all three of them ran towards the altar room Jason informed them "We would have destroyed it but the mini-boss interjected and prevented us to, I had him follow me while Addy and Jason engaged with the boss "
Upon reaching the altar room, they saw a similar black- beast with red spikes but bipedal and had two more vertically-splitted mouths instead of hands fighting Addy and Brock.
"You both take his agro, and I will destroy the core," said Kevin
"Alright " replied Ryan and Jason.
Kevin soon reached the altar which stood in the middle above which a golden sphere hovered.
"Earthen spear " he shouted to which with the help of his grimoire a spear materialized in his hand out of thin air "Hya" he hit the core but upon collision, his spear cracked while the core stood spotless
'It has a high defense and a large amount of vitality, it will take me some time to destroy '
"It will take some time hold the boss till then!"
As if the core called out to him the boss turned its attention toward Kevin
"Oh you don't," said Addy. He was holding onto a machete with a green aura surrounding it
"Cleave " he muttered
"Dismantle " Brock shouted to which his red aura lingering on his 'talwar' responded
Both of their attack hit each of the mouths present on his forelimb before disconnecting them
"This boss can heal " shouted Brock
"Shadow slash," said Ryan before coating his 'shiny sword' and slicing the Boss's torso.
"...."
"....."
"I guess I am not needed," said Jason before throwing his hands up in the air in an Italian way, what was he trying to convey only an Italian would know
Addy quickly sliced off the boss's head from his already sliced torso which lay on the floor defenseless.
"Well that was easy," said Jason before patting Ryan on the back to which Ryan glared in his direction.
'what did I do ..oh wait I already know silly me '
"Let's destroy the core together it seems my brother is having a hard time," said Jason before all of them went towards the altar.