Chapter 190: {Murim’s Abandoned Temple}

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[You have copied the [Divided Ego (S): Lv1] Innate Skill from [Character: Annabelle]!]

[The [Divided Ego (S): Lv1] Skill has begun to scan your existing Abilities and Skills.]

[Many potential Synergy Effects have been detected.]

[Several Divided Egos have been detected.]

[Processing…]

Well, this was a bit weird. But it seems that I have too many… Divided Egos? But why? I don't feel like there's anybody else inside my head. Are they taking Sepa into consideration in the Divided Egos because she's technically my Heart?

But then, who else? That only makes it two! Hmm, maybe there are other abilities and skills that give me a second appearance? Oh… The Demon King Transformation Skill! It does have three forms. Do they count as Divided Egos too? But they don't talk!

[Due to the sheer quantity of Divided Egos and the nature of your abilities, the Skill [Divided Ego (S): Lv1] will require further modifications.]

[Your Specialization has begun to affect the Skill's modifications.]

[Please, wait patiently until the Skill Modifications are over.]

[Estimated Time: 12 Hours.]

Wow, okay, I guess I'll wait. This feels similar to when I got that Smithy Skill! It ended up changing and becoming much more incredible, so I guess it was worth the wait! Also, my specialization will affect the Skill, so it might end up stronger, maybe.

Anyway, once we were done with our meals, we decided to quickly set off into the "secret dungeon" I had in mind. I checked the Hourglass of Calamity, which showed me the Dungeon I was looking for.

[The Dungeon {Abandoned Temple (??? Rank)} will open in 23 Minutes, 19 Seconds…]

[Warning: This Dungeon contains unusual properties from a foreign worldline; caution is advised.]

"So this is where we should get going? A-Are you sure?" Kevin was slightly afraid because we were trespassing through "unauthorized property" or whatever.

We were currently treading our way through the underground areas of the city of Stronghold. As advanced and pretty as the city is, not everything is nice. There's a whole underground area where the worst of the city lives… and prospers.

And of course, it is where the ruins of New York are located, all destroyed and ruined after the First Awakening began. But even then, some people made this place their home.

While being eyed by all kinds of people, who mostly didn't get closer after detecting our strong auras, we reached an abandoned railroad, which led to an underground metro that once ran all across the city, transporting the citizens anywhere they wanted to go.

There are trains now, but they're mostly high in the sky and cost like a hundred times what these underground metros cost. Yeah, inflation's a bitch. But well, that's how a post-apocalyptic world is.

"What? Are you getting afraid of traveling around these areas? Kevin, you're strong enough to handle literally anything." I sighed. "Look at Baihe and Annabelle; they're totally okay with this place."

"Well, I used to live in the poorest streets of Stronghold. Many of the alleyways of those streets led to these underground areas," Baihe said. "I have to admit, I have come down here to buy cheaper products for the restaurant many times."

"I used to live around here with my big brother," Annabelle said nonchalantly. "I like the cold and humid air around here! It makes me feel right at home~"

"Um, okay…" Kevin sighed. "I guess I am the weird one here, being golden spooned most of my life… I never ever visited this part of the city."

"Nah, don't sweat the details, man." I shrugged. "You'll get used to treading in all kinds of places eventually!"

"I am more impressed YOU know how to do so; I am fairly sure you were in a coma not so long ago!" Kevin said, rubbing his chin.

"W-Well, I got this little thing guiding me." I giggled, showing him the hourglass.

"What's that?" He wondered.

"It's some sort of relic she has; she uses it to find dungeons, apparently!" Said Annabelle.

"Woah, that's a thing?!" Kevin asked.

"It doesn't work all the time, and it's kind of unstable by itself," I said. "But at least it is showing me the thing I want to find, for once."

The Hourglass of Calamity was indeed a weird Relic. Sometimes it would simply stay inactive and do nothing, and other times it would activate in the last moment, when a Dungeon Break happened right in front of my face. Very annoying.

But now, for some reason, it was responding to my request and showing me the details about the Dungeon I wanted to explore. I was imbuing it with Mana and everything, but even then, I don't know if that would have been enough to make it work.

It feels like this little Relic has a mind of its own now that I think about it.

"We're almost there, a bit more."

I led them across the very dark areas of the underground metro until we heard some footsteps approaching. It was not some random little rat; it was a group of people. They appeared from the left intersection, as if they had been guarding the place, and then, after hearing us, rushed in.

"Hmm? What the hell? Where are all these chicks coming from? Did you lose something, lasses?" A bald guy, probably around his late twenties, greeted us, accompanied by four thugs. Most of them were wearing black facemasks and carrying simple-looking bats.

"Uuh, you guys don't want to mess with us. Really." I said, looking at them and feeling a bit sorry.

"HUH?! What did you say? You just walked straight into our turf!" The guy said.

"She's kinda hot, not gonna lie."

"I like short stacks, yeah."

"Hey, that girl with the short hair's my type."

"I'm not a girl!" Kevin roared angrily. "Do I really look like one?! Big Sis always says I look like a handsome dude!" He still has a baby face; I can't blame these guys.

"Alright, are we doing this the hard way or the easy way?" I asked, suddenly revealing a mass of light from my hands, my Aura spreading out.

"What if you're Awakened? We're Awakened too!" The bald guy roared, and everyone inside his team released small little Auras. Incomparable to our own.

"So what?" Baihe asked from behind me, stepping forward. The air suddenly became increasingly cold. Ice started forming around the thugs—dozens of spears of ice, in fact.

"W-Wha…?!"

"Shit!"

"They got two mages on their team?!"

"Hey man, I'm getting out of here. The weed you brought is not even worth it."

"Don't be such cowards! They're just showing off! I'm going to beat their asses and then rob those bitches!" The bald guy ran forward, ignoring Baihe's warning.

It turns out that when you get stabbed in the legs with icicles, you can't walk anymore. It also happened to be when I temporarily blinded him with my light.

Oops.

"AAARGH!"

He dropped to his knees and started crying. He had tried firing a fireball at my face, but I blocked it with my bare hands.

"Hey, I told you that you should have just let us pass- Ah, they're fast."

While I talked, they grabbed the baldie and ran away as fast as they could… Well, at least they still brought him over; they had some loyalty as friends, maybe.

"Well, that was a bit anticlimactic; I was expecting such a big fight…" Kevin sighed.

"That usually won't happen outside of Dungeons. It's very easy to call for backup. If I wanted, my brother would come here in like ten seconds at most." I shrugged. "Battles end quickly. Before anybody gets too hurt, the other runs away. It's never truly worth it to risk your life."

"Well, he risked his legs." Baihe said with a slightly sadistic smile. I can't say I don't like that smile.

"Anyways! We're here." I walked to the left side; there was a huge hole in the wall where we got inside, leading to the abandoned sewers, full of rats and nasty-smelling ponds of sewage water. "Around… here."

"Oh, so we just wait…?" Kevin wondered.

"Yep, we wait." I nodded.

"Hm…"

"…"

"Oh, a rat!"

Annabelle caught a rat that was wandering around. The little rodent squeaked and struggled. The girl opened her jaws and was about to eat it whole before Baihe stopped her, slamming her hand and then dropping the little guy, who ran away faster than ever.

"No, Annabelle, don't eat rats! That's gross! Eww!" Baihe reprimanded her.

"Wait, why not?! I used to eat them all the time! Free meat bags full of juicy innards!" Annabelle pouted; she was being real.

"Just when you make me believe you were just a normal girl, you come out with shit like this, Annabelle…" Kevin was facepalming. "If you want to live among humans, please don't eat rats."

"Anna!" Annabelle called for my assistance.

"Sorry, but they're not wrong; you shouldn't eat rats; they carry diseases." I said. "I'll give you a snack if you're hungry. Look, I got potato chips of several flavors, some soda... Oh, even some ice cream and chocolate cookies."

"Soda! Give me a soda!" She asked happily. "Lemon flavored!"

"Sure, here." I giggled, giving her a can of lemon-flavored soda. "Do you guys want something to drink while we wait? It should be here in about three minutes."

"Okay, do you have Bepsi?" Asked Kevin.

"Is that the only thing you drink?" Baihe sighed. "I want some cold tea."

"And you only drink tea…" Kevin said.

"I can't handle sodas; they're too gross." Baihe muttered.

"Sure, sure, I know your preferences, my friendos." I quickly handled their cans as I opened a strawberry flavored one.

Crack!

The sound of the can opening and then the fizzing, bubbling, and sweet liquid in my mouth made me feel full of energy. Ah, this is what the Isekai protagonist can't enjoy. Just hanging out with your friends in an urban city, eating and drinking snacks, and waiting for a dungeon right after beating some random thugs. This is life.

Crack… crack…!

Suddenly, cracks in the fabric of space started appearing in front of us. A dungeon gate opened in just a couple of seconds, the Hourglass of Calamity notifying me as the portal opened, releasing a wave of powerful Ki, not Mana. It glowed with a golden light, something that no dungeon has ever done before. My friends naturally gasped at the dungeon's portal.

[The Forgotten World Fragments are colliding with your own World's Dimensional Pillars.]

[The B Rank Dungeon: {Murim's Abandoned Temple} has been brought upon this world.]

[Warning: Unknown Energy from the Murim Worldline has begun leaking into your world through the opening of this Dungeon Gate.]

[Never seen before, lifeforms may be lurking inside, caution is advised.]

So it's B Rank at the end; alright, we can handle this much.

"So the Dungeon's name is Murim's Abandoned Temple." I said. "Let's get inside, it's only B Rank anyway."

"Only B Rank? That's still dangerous! Didn't I almost die in a B rank dungeon?" Kevin asked.

"It was increased to A Rank, but it looks like that's not happening right now. Maybe the Constellations are being merciful this time." I shrugged. "Let's go, I think we could even handle S Rank Dungeons."

"Aight~" Baihe walked in with me. "Annabelle, come in too!"

"Kay!" Annabelle leaped in with me and Baihe.

"W-Wait!"

Kevin ran behind me and leaped inside the dungeon at the same time.

FLASH!

A bright golden light engulfed us completely, as we felt our entire bodies phasing through the membranes of another world. Or, well, a fragment of a forgotten, ruined world. One of the many within the Murim Worldline.

When we opened our eyes again, we found ourselves inside an oriental, Asian-themed temple. It was finely decorated with all sorts of paintings depicting dragons, clouds, and men wearing ancient Chinese clothes, wielding swords, and unleashing strange powers.

The entire temple was almost perfectly cubic in shape, and there was only a single golden gate in front of us, finely decorated with coiling dragons and with a Buddha in the middle of it.

"We're finally here! The first ever Murim Dungeon!" I celebrated.

"Murim… Dungeon?" Kevin asked. "The hell is a Murim?"

"Murim like… those Martial Arts books?" Baihe wondered.

"Yep, a Murim world is a world different from other worlds connected through the dungeons. It is a world of martial arts, millenary cultivation techniques, and Ki!" I explained.

"Huh, that's a bit weird." Said Annabelle. "Hmmm…"

We analyzed our surroundings as we stepped forward; the only way forward was through that gate. Once we reached the door and I touched it, a voice reverberated.

"Welcome to the First Trial of the Heaven Above All Heavens, Golden Sun Venerable!"

"I can see that today's participants have already started their path of Cultivation! Good! You're perfect… Except that brat, he seems lacking."

"Hey!" Kevin complained. "Who the heck is talking right now?!"

The voice ignored him as it continued talking.

"A group of four seems rather nice, yes. Let's stop dilly-dallying and go to the point. You must complete the five challenges of this trial, so you'll have an opportunity to acquire a treasure from your great master, me! Amazing, isn't it? Aren't I as generous as I am handsome? Hahahaha!"

"What's the first trial, Great Venerable?" I asked respectfully.

"Eager, aren't we? Very well! There you have it!"

Suddenly, golden light spread around the entire hall as several humanoid figures were summoned. These figures looked ghostly; their eyes were made of completely white light, and their bodies were of phantasmal golden essence. They wielded swords, spears, and axes. And looked similar to the men and women in the painting.

"These are the Martial Souls of my disciples. Prove your worth in battle and defeat all ten of them! Don't think they're just ghosts, or you'll get killed."

The ghostly cultivators instantly set their gazes on us, flashing through as if they walked in midair and immediately pointing their weapons at our heads. They were incredibly fast!

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Can't wait to see what's next? You can join my Patreon: 

https://www.patreon.com/pancakeswitch 

and gain access to all these Advanced Chapters:

62 Advanced Chapters of

The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest

40 Advanced Chapters of

The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns

17 Advanced Chapters of

Fantasy Story Online: The Crippled Vampire Prince Walks The Heavenly Demon Path