Shaun disappeared

As anguish coursed through his entire being, he instinctively clung to the compass.

Gripping the compass firmly in his hand, he unconsciously pressed a button.

A searing sensation spread throughout his body, as a luminous glow enveloped Shaun, beginning at his chest.

<<Fortuitous Discovery: Lucky Dungeon>>

<<Entering Lucky Dungeon in... 3... 2... 1...>>

The room's radiance vanished along with Shaun.

Just as he disappeared, Reika entered the room accompanied by the doctors. "Doctors, please examine his entire body!"

Unaware of Shaun's disappearance, her gaze was fixed on the physicians.

"Ms. Reika... Mister Shaun is not here," one of the doctors declared.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Shaun is right—" Reika's voice trailed off as she noticed the vacant bed.

"Where is Shaun?" As Shaun was not in his bed, she immediately looked at the guard who stood outside for the whole time.

Perplexed, the bodyguards were at a loss for words. They had not witnessed him leaving, apart from the doctor who had come to check on him earlier.

"Young miss, Mister Shaun did not exit the room," they refrained from mentioning the doctor, assuming she was already aware of it.

"How is it possible... Did... Did he vanish into thin air?" Reika never entertained the thought of Shaun would be escaping through the window, as it was equipped with an invisible security system that would alert the entire hospital to any intrusion or patient escape.

As Reika and the others embarked on the search for the missing patient, Shaun found himself in a wide room of pure white. He lay on the ground, enduring the excruciating pain that he felt in his entire body.

<<As the first to discover the Lucky Dungeon, you shall be granted ownership once it stabilizes. Only those you authorize shall gain entry.>>

"What... is... that... sound?" Shaun struggled to make sense of his surroundings as the agony dimmed his consciousness.

After enduring it for ten minutes, he succumbed to unconsciousness.

The poison was highly toxic, prompting his body to instinctively repel it. The pain he was currently experiencing was a natural consequence. Had he not felt the pain, the assassin's poison would have swiftly claimed his life.

An hour passed, and Reika's bodyguards still could not locate Shaun.

They stationed themselves at all the hospital entrances and exits, hoping to intercept anyone resembling Shaun, but to no avail.

They even resorted to impudently barging into each room, neglecting to knock.

Returning to Shaun's room, they delivered the disheartening news to Reika.

"Young miss... Mister Shaun is nowhere to be found..." one of the bodyguards confessed, his guilt evident.

"Oh no! My fellow fans will be furious with me for failing to care for Shaun! They entrusted me with him, and yet... I have let them down!" Reika's distress was palpable, as Shaun remained nowhere to be found within the confines of the hospital.

Morning arrived, yet Shaun remained missing. Dark circles under Reika's eyes were apparent to any observer, evidence of her sleepless night dedicated to finding Shaun.

These past few hours had been filled with misfortune for Shaun. He was either asleep or wracked with pain throughout his body.

Awakening in a state of disorientation, Shaum struggled to discern his whereabouts. "Where am I...?"

"Am I still trapped in a dream...?" Rising from the ground, he ventured around the white room.

Along one of the walls, he discovered a peculiar monitor, perceiving it as a computer, he made his way towards it.

"How does this computer operate? There is no manual to guide me in open —" As he uttered the word "open," the monitor sprang to life. "Ah, so this is a voice-activated computer. I've heard these kinds of computers can be quite costly."

He examined every aspect of the computer, realizing it lacked a central processing unit and only possessed an exceedingly thin screen.

"Hmm... This computer is undeniably cutting-edge, resembling an oversized tablet. But how does it function? I uttered 'open,' and it came to life. What other functionalities does it possess?"

Lost in contemplation, Shaun attempted to recollect the actions demonstrated by individuals in computer advertisements. However, no mouse or keyboard were present, and the screen did not respond to touch.

"If voicing 'open' opens the screen, perchance this is a voice-activated computer!"

A sudden realization brightened Shaun's countenance, as if a light bulb had materialized above his head.

"Settings!" A series of labels promptly appeared on the blank screen.

<<Maps>>

<<History>>

<<Rewards>>

<<Monsters>>

<<Backgrounds>>

<<Settings>>

He tapped the first label denoting "Maps," yet the screen remained unchanged. Recalling that voice command was necessary, he exclaimed, "Maps!"

Once again, the screen changes, revealing another list. Only the topmost label displayed a name, while the others remained blank. Familiar with the computer's function, he called out, "Lucky Dungeon!"

A map materialized on the screen. "Let's see..."

A blinking blue dot caught his attention at the far edge of the map. "This blue dot must represent me! So, this is a map of my surroundings. But what is this? Lucky Dungeon? Have I stumbled upon a modernized dungeon? Aren't dungeons meant to harbor monsters? And... Lucky Dungeon?"

Shaun began recollecting whether he had ever encountered a dungeon by that name, but none came to his mind.

"I cannot recall any dungeon named as Lucky Dungeon. If the description is true, then... this dungeon must house unseen treasures!"

His eyes gleamed with excitement at the mention of riches, yet immediately dulled at the thought of his mother.

"Ah, but my mother is no longer alive... She was the one who possessed a fondness for treasure in the first place."

Casting off the sad thoughts, he exclaimed, "History!" The screen transitioned into yet another list akin to the maps.

Once more, the first entry was Lucky Dungeon, while the others remained vacant. "Lucky Dungeon!"

The screen turned black, and soon a voice emanated from the device.

<<Welcome! This is Lucky Dungeon! Conceived by the most brilliant entity in the universe, it embodies his pursuit of technological prowess.

The vast expanse is teeming with technological marvels and hidden teleportation devices, which he scattered throughout the labyrinthine maze. This creation represents his magnum opus, a testament to his ingenuity.

To enhance the thrill of the dungeon, he incorporated virtual reality, yet another of his remarkable inventions. He sought to confound adventurers, blurring the lines between real and illusory adversaries.

Upon completing the dungeon's construction, he was ready to disseminate it across the universe, allowing others to marvel at his unparalleled invention.

However, in his fervor, he seemed to have overlooked one crucial detail—the absence of monsters.

Determined not to lose face by creating a monster-free dungeon, he ensured that the virtual reality experiences were treacherous, meticulously crafted to deceive visitors into believing they battled genuine beasts. This ploy led countless adventurers to devote their lives to vanquishing these lifelike, yet illusory, creatures.

This dungeon is christened Lucky Dungeon, as it tests one's fortune and fortitude to overcome its trials.>>

"What an unforgiving dungeon! Compared to those that require confronting actual monsters, this poses even greater danger! But why am I here? Could this be the entrance, perhaps?"

Shaun found himself bewildered, uncertain of his exact location within the labyrinth.

"If I recall correctly, the maps indicated the presence of virtual reality and teleportation throughout the dungeon. Is this some form of cheating...? Let's explore the other settings labels."