Statue

Shriek!

The dying wail of a Tailed Bat reverberated through the cave.

Dex and his companions stood back-to-back, three or four Tailed Bats circling above. One of them, a mustachioed man, advanced, delivering a forceful punch to the air. A crimson shockwave erupted, striking one of the Tailed Bats and sending it hurtling into the distance.

"Nice!"

The lone girl in their group raised her hand and brought it down with sudden force.

Bang!

A Tailed Bat plummeted to the ground, its bones splintering.

The last two Tailed Bats swooped in, wings beating with fury.

Dex lunged at the creatures. His hands gleamed with a cerulean light as he impaled one Tailed Bat through the heart, while his other hand sought the neck of the second.

Dex landed and he returned to his squad, the blood on his hands evaporating.

"Are we halfway through yet?" Mailey inquired, while taking out a drink.

"I don't know," Dex replied, his gaze scanning the area. He spotted a Holder weighed down by bags.

"Hey, you! What was your name again? Oh yeah, Lance, right? Go collect the monster cores!" Dex commanded, pointing to the Holder.

Lance hesitated, but the memory of the pain he felt last time he objected was still fresh. He didn't dare to refuse.

"O-Okay!" Lance gingerly approached, gathering the cores. His hands trembled with nervousness, fearful that the tailed bats might awaken at any moment. Thankfully, they remained dormant.

"Saves me from using my mana for such tasks." Mailey remarked, relieved she didn't have to rely on her Skill to retrieve the cores.

After a brief rest, they continued their journey.

"There's another tunnel up ahead. Let's head in that direction," Dex instructed. Being the leader, the squad followed without a word of protest, falling in line behind him.

They veered to the right, heading towards the tunnel.

***

"Fireflies?" Dante mused aloud. The glow of the fireflies illuminated the solemn underground cave, lending it an unexpected vitality. Their movement seemed random, casting dancing lights throughout the space. Even the plants here had their moments of bioluminescence.

The fallen bodies of tailed bats lay behind him. Though the battle hadn't been without its challenges, Dante found himself growing more adept at dealing with them over time. He had even leveled up, allocating the gained stat point to Defense. Dante resolved to systematically improve his other attributes to complement his Strength.

He plucked a 'firefly' and examined it, using the medal to scan it.

An intricate image of the insect appeared, accompanied by its detailed description.

"Treasure Fly. A highly rare insect typically found in dungeons. When sighted, there's a 99% likelihood that a treasure is nearby."

Dante regarded this revelation with keen interest.

"So, that explains the traps." he concluded, a gleam in his masked eyes. The notion of an imminent treasure thrilled him. What if this discovery could significantly bolster his abilities? Or perhaps its value in the market would relieve his financial worries for good.

Securing his medal back inside his suit, Dante pressed onward.

Treasure Flies were strewn about in every direction. As he continued, the cave gradually curved, the ceiling disappearing from view entirely.

Abruptly, the normally erratic movement of the Treasure Flies synchronized. They converged into a single stream, directing their luminous paths toward the center of the circular cave. Illuminating the surroundings, they revealed a massive stone slab, nearly three meters in height.

The Treasure Flies circled the slab briefly before dispersing, resuming their capricious dance.

Dante stood before the stone slab, its surface adorned with an intricately carved sapling. Every detail, from the delicate leaves to the sinuous curves of the young tree, was painstakingly etched, capturing the essence of nature's enduring beauty within the unyielding stone. Oddly, the image felt strangely familiar to him.

As Dante ran his fingers over the engraving, a sudden, grating noise emanated from the stone. Startled, he took a step back, watching in awe as the slab shifted, revealing a radiant white light.

After a thorough scan of his surroundings to ensure there were no hidden dangers, Dante stepped into the light. Who could resist the allure of a place where treasure was nearly guaranteed? With a heart filled with anticipation, he embraced the unknown.

A sensation of weightlessness embraced him, reminiscent of the moment he stepped into the dungeon.

Gradually, Dante regained his sense of footing. It was a different sensation from the rugged, uneven terrain he had traversed earlier in the dungeon.

Here, the ground beneath him was soft, carpeted with lush grass that spoke of fertile soil. The surroundings formed a dome, a verdant sanctuary.

Though Dante began to walk forward, his gaze was irresistibly drawn to a particular feature of this place: a statue.

This sculpted figure bore the likeness of a female, crowned with a wreath of vines. Her hand was raised, as if bestowing a blessing upon the land. Surveying his surroundings, Dante noted other statues adorning the walls. They varied in age, some youthful, others aged, and a few bore features that transcended mere humanity, taking on the visages of angels and devils.

Taking a deep breath, he approached the statue. It loomed above him, its height far surpassing his own. He came to a halt when he stood directly beneath the raised hand.

Dante scrutinized the towering statue, a sense of déjà vu tickling at the edges of his memory.

'I've seen this before, but where?' he pondered, running his hand along the cold surface. Cracks webbed across the stone, testament to the statue's age.

The figures carved into the walls, all with eyes fixed on the central statue, displayed an array of emotions. One in particular stood out: a palpable, unsettling bloodlust. Dante, standing at the heart of this eerie congregation, had to steel himself against the overwhelming sensation.

His gaze darted around, searching for the treasure he sought and a possible exit. Yet, nothing revealed itself; there seemed to be no way out.

'All I see are statues. Wait, what's that?' Dante wondered, fixating on a circular stone jutting out from the statue's chest. 'Looks like a button.' After a brief contemplation, he decided to push it.

Instantly, the statue before him blazed to life, forcing Dante to squint against the brilliant light. It emanated from the chest, coursing through the entire sculpture before returning to its origin. Then, as suddenly as it began, the radiance receded.

Dante braced for a transformation.

Slowly, the chest began to crumble, piece by piece, until it revealed a cavity within.

"A gem." Dante breathed, spotting the softly glowing green stone nestled within the statue. He extended his hand into the opening and retrieved the gem, holding it up for closer inspection. Within the gem, he discerned a delicate pattern—a small stem, barely visible.

Ding!

A notification chimed as Dante inspected the 'gem'.

"You have found "Protector of Gaia" (Fragment)"

"Protector of Gaia (Fragment): A fragment of the long lost artifact, Azkh. Once all the fragments are assembled, a change will occur that can influence the very fabric of the universe."

Dante absorbed the description of the item he held. It sounded monumental.

"System, how many fragments do I need to collect to complete this artifact called Azkh?" Dante queried, his curiosity piqued. He couldn't fathom why such a significant item would be found in a D-Class dungeon. Usually, the most extraordinary treasures were discovered in higher-class dungeons. Yet, the gem in his hand—its specific purpose unknown—was clearly no ordinary artifact. The phrase "a change will happen that can affect the very fabric of the universe" spoke volumes.

"You have 1 out of ten," the system's emotionless voice echoed in his mind.

"Only ten? But it's not that hard to acqui—"

Bang!

Dante was suddenly sent flying, crashing hard into the wall!