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"Wake up everyone, its morning!" (Sj)
I opened my eyes. It was light now. From the colour of the sky, it wasnt exactly dawn but a bit after.
Morning.
We had divided the night watch into 3 parts. It was necessary to train these 2 for the future. Of course, since it was their first time I stayed awake the whole night just in case the one on night watch fell asleep and something happened. Luckily things went without a hitch.
Su-jin did get drowsy half way but Jungkook did fine.
And now they had sunken eyes. They were very tired. But they would acclimatise over time. This was necessary.
Is this how a teacher feels while teaching students? I don't know, maybe.
As for breakfast, we had already detoxified a lot of goblin meat, so I decided to roast some of it directly on the fire.
Although you couldn't buy food with points, you could buy condiments, spices and herbs!
Unfortunately, I found out after dinner last night so I couldn't have used them back then. But this time was different.
I added a little salt and spice on the meat and then I cut it in to pieces. I stabbed the metal skewers into the pieces, and then stabbed the metal skewers into the ground in a circle around the fire. I made enough for all of us.
As for water, it too could be bought with points in bottled form.
While the meat cooked, we decided to use a cloth each, wet it and wipe ourselves of sweat and dirt.
Also me and Jungkook had our backs turned to Su-jin, as we all were shirtless.
I usually wouldn't care for such useless things but Jungkook insisted we maintain a bit of our comrade's privacy. I guess it's the mindset from Earth. Maybe my thought process is just different now.
Su-jin also disappeared for somewhile to take care of 'private things'.
While she was gone, I pulled out the skewers from the fire so that they wouldn't get burned.
They had already been somewhat cooked when we boiled them to remove the toxins, so further roasting would only end up burning them.
Me and Jungkook dug into our skewers while Su-jin had hers when she returned. They both ate 2 each, while I ate 6.
Hey, I cant help it, I couldn't have decent food for 500 years or more.
It may seem like that I'm becoming a glutton, eating so much food in such short time.
But hey, what can I do? I finally found such good food after so many ages, I can't help it.
After we finished our meal, we packed our belongings up. During the packing, Su-jin asked a question.
"Oppa, what do you think happened to the ahjussi from the train?" (Sj)
"I dont know.. He was stalking us yesterday."
"Ehh?! Why didnt you say anything!?" (Sj)
Su-jin rubbed herself as if she was both concerned and disgusted.
"Cause he didnt interfere with us. Plus, he disappeared after we entered the tunnel. Most likely when the secret trial began. He probably got beat up before following us, and then later he must've run away after hearing the Dzoavits' roar."
"Do you think he's alive?" (Sj)
"Maybe... but I do know one thing", I turned in a specific direction far from the tunnel "Things might get a whole lot interesting not long from now."
"Because of the dungeon?" (Jk)
"No"
"Then why?" (Sj)
"Just cause."
"?" (Jk)
"?" (Sj)
"Something special has risen."
* * *
After packing things up in the bags (that we also bought with points) we headed out in the direction of the vine covered skyscraper.
Along the way we came across a few, albeit weak, monsters too. Some rogue goblins, a strange type of light green poisonous grubworms and even a few wolves.
The skyscraper wasn't very far, but it wasnt very near either. It took 2 hours just to walk to the skyscraper.
Right now Ms.Fairy was back on my head. And the thing I detected before, whatever it was, had started moving.
But it was going in the opposite direction to us. If I'm correct, it was heading in the direction of the train.
I wonder if the gangster group relocated or not.
Also during the whole time, I was eating goblin meat.
Well, not voraciously, just putting small pieces of chopped meat in my mouth once in a while.
I wonder if I'm really turning into a glutton.
I might like the texture and flavour, but I should try to control my urges a bit.
Wouldn't wanna look like a pig when I fulfill the promise I made "her".
Even now she feels close at times, very close.
Moving on from this topic, after the aforementioned time, we finally reached the skyscraper.
Upon closer look the vines covering the entirety of the skyscraper were constantly moving and squirming. The vines were very thick, as thick as a human torso.
They also gave off leaves and branches. Each leaf was thin and long like a finger. While the branches were also long but were thicker, they also bent at a portion halfway along the length of the branch.
Another interesting fact was that the leaves only grew at the ends of the branches in groups of five only per brach.
All in all, they looked like human arms, and they were moving about too.
"Neat."
That is not the correct reaction!!|
"Hey, it not my fault that they look cool."
They're supposed to be unsettling and fear-striking!!|
Ignoring Ms.Fairy's anger, I decided that we check all four sides of the skyscraper. And we found a huge hole. Mana with smell of rain and forests was flowing out of it.
This was the entrance of the supposed 'dungeon'
*ding* *ding*
A system message popped up.
"Discovered [Ent's Dungeon]"
"5,000 points awarded each discoverer."
"So it is a dungeon. Plus that's a much better name than green dungeon."
I nodded my head at the message.
"Do you guys want to enter?" I asked the others.
"I guess so.." (Jk)
"Ofcourse!" (Sj)
"Great then, onwards!"
Aren't you going to ask anything about it first!|
"Dante, I think we should learn a few important things before we enter." (Jk)
"Oppa, I think so too." (Sj)
"Ok then, lets ask. Ms.Fairy, if I go into the dungeon but don't clear it, will the monsters respawn or something?"
Jungkook facepalmed at my question, maybe he wanted to ask some other question.
Yes, if you enter the dungeon but dont clear it, monsters of cleared floors will respawn after 20 minutes of clearing that floor.|
"Meaning, if we clear the 1st floor and go on to higher floors, 20 minutes later all monsters if the 1st floor will have respawned?" (Sj)
Yes.|
"But what would happen to the dungeon if we cleared it?" (Jk)
It will become inactive for 1 day and then it would activate again, creating monsters on its floors. But there will be no boss monster and no special rewards. They are only available for first clear if the dungeon.|
"Meaning we can grind it again and again."
Yes. But–|
"But?"
That is the case with dungeons, but this dungeon is a bit different so as to adjust to the Tutorial settings.|
"Different. How so?"
There's only one large floor here. A huge area filled with monsters with a boss monster in the centre or the far end of the area.|
"Ok, is there anything else that's different?"
No.|
"Great. Any other questions? Jungkook, Su-jin?"
Both shook their heads.
With questions out of the way, we decided to enter the dungeon. But as we were about to enter,
"Do you wish to form a party?
Y / N
Participants (3/10)"
There was an option for party play, just like in videogames.
I click on 'N'.
The others were confused at my action.
I asked the fairy, "Uh, one more question. Can more than one party enter the dungeon at the same time?"
Yes, upto 3 separate parties can join THIS dungeon at the same time. But some dungeons also have party limits too. Some don't even allows party formation.|
I nodded my head at Ms.Fairy's reply and turned towards the others.
"You guys wait here first. A few moments after I enter, form a party of 2 and follow me in."
"Ok, I guess..." (Jk)
"Can't we be in the same party?" (Sj)
"No."
Su-jin pouted, but I ignored her
Then I walked into the dungeon entrance.
"You have chosen to enter solo. Are you sure?
Y / N
This option cannot be changed in the dungeon."
This time I clicked 'Y'.
I would prefer solo play over party play so that my rightfully earned exp and rewards are not divided and shared among others, even if they are my comrads.
I need to gather as much as I can to complete my plan. I, simply, can just give away the stuff that I dont need.
So it's a good thing they didnt protest too much to go as single party. If it came to it, I wouldn't hesitate using force to convince them.
I may be helping them, but I don't exactly need them.
I can dispose them if I want, but keeping them by my side had a few benefits. That's the only reason I'm helping them and training them.
The most important things to me are first "her", then those who I consider my family, those who are my companions and those who follow me with heart.
These kids aren't exactly qualified as my 'companions', but since they are following me without bad intentions, I'm accommodating them for now.
*
A flash of light engulfed me and then I was standing on grass rather than crumbling concrete.
After I had entered the dungeon, I walked a few steps forward to make space for Jungkook and Su-jin.
The dungeon was flowing with mana. It didn't look like an apartment building from the inside either, instead it looked like a clearing within a huge forest area..
The forest seemed quite large. As a matter of fact, it seemed enormous. It seemed wider than the skyscraper itself. Magic must've used to increase the space.
The ground was laid with a thick carpet of grass with shrubs here and there.
There was no ceiling, only a big blue sky above. There were clouds and a sun in the distance. It seemed as if the clouds were slowly getting darker, like it would rain after some time.
As for monsters, I didnt spot them yet. But, there was a huge forest all around the clearing. I bet monsters would spawn there.
As for the other party of Jungkook and Su-jin, they were nowhere to be seen. I had waited for them, but they didn't arrive even after 10 minutes.
They're not the type to run away at a moment's chance. If they were, they wouldn't have stuck with me till now.
I wonder if they were transported elsewhere. Maybe in another copy of the dungeon even. It could also be, that there's a time difference between the inside and the outside of the dungeon.
I mean, I did return from another world with a time difference of 1:100, maybe more.
Whatever the reason maybe, let's wait for a few more minutes.
And so I waited.
But they still were nowhere to be found. So I decided to move on. I'll meet them later, this much waiting is already generous.
But before I even got up, the ground shook and rumbled.
The earth underneath my feet tore open and a humongous green snake flew out. It tried to eat me whole.
Before I was completely inside its mouth, I kicked off the roof of its mouth.
I put alot of force in that kick so that I would propel out. At the same time the snake was pushed backwards.
I landed on the ground and rolled. While the snake too twisted to regain balance.
It was humongous. Remember the Dzoavits, how it was 7m tall normally and then even became 10m tall too. Well, this snake was longer.
It was nearly 15m long. It was so big that it could swallow an alligator in one bite. It would weigh nearly 600 Kg (~ 1300 lb).
Not only that, its scales were surrounded by a layer of mana.
*ding*
— — — — —
"Hidden Boss"
Kill the hungry Titan Boas, that have been blessed by nature.
Requirements : Remain alone in a clearing for more than 20 minutes without encountering monsters.
Success : ???
Failure : Get Eaten
Condition : None
— — — — —
"Titan boa? Isn't that an extinct species from earth?"
This keeps on getting more and more interesting. I didnt know that I would be seeing extinct species in the Tutorial.
Maybe I'll see mammoths and dinosaurs in the future too.
We'll see when the time comes. For now, I've got a snake to fry— I mean kill.
I draw my dagger. The snake observes my movements carefully. It gets ready to attack too.
I activate my skills as it compresses its body like spring.
I jump towards it as it releases the compression and lunges at high speed.
We clash together.
The starting area was annihilated in the impact.
The titan boa hisses violently as it crashes against trees of the forest. The force of impact causes the dirt to get uprooted too.
But as if nothing happened, it lunges towards me once more hissing loudly. I dodge it while slashing at its scales.
Its scakes were tough and were even covered with mana. But my aura combined with miasma and flames was much more powerful.
I cut through its scales like butter and even made a big cut on its flesh.
It hissed again.
It was very angry now.
It glared at me with eyes full of anger. It was not hiding its killing intent one bit.
It may be hiding its strength, but it wasnt stronger than the Dzoavits at all.
Atleast alone.