–Chapter 8
"ANOTHER PARTY HAS ENTERED THE DUNGEON!"
The rooms then shuffled themselves and before we knew it, we were back at the tile room. In the real world, once a party enters a dungeon, that dungeon can't be entered until the party is wiped out or their time limit has run out (usually an hour or two). So in this realm multiple parties are allowed bu--
"Woah Hitoshi! The rooms are ch-changing again." Aiko said as she used her staff as support to stand still.
Multiple parties are allowed but the rooms shuffle every so often. Dang it, who the hell entered?
"Aiko, let's go find the boss room before the other party does. For now I'll keep count when the next the room shuffle is." I said as I stepped out the tile room.
The other room was different, we were in some sort of library. I was counting in my mind while walking in the library looking for clues where the boss room is.
1 minute passed...
30 seconds...
2 minutes passed...
Another 30 seconds...
3 minutes pass--
"Heeeere weeee goooooo agaaiii— woah!" Aiko said as she lost balance and fell on the ground.
After the rooms changed again, I helped her stand up and looked at my crafting menu.
"If my counting was correct, we have a 3 minute interval. Grab me some grass you picked up, I'll craft a stopwatch or something."
Aiko then tossed me some grass and I synthesized them and turned them into a basic watch with a timer feature. I waited until the next room shuffle to start the timer. We stepped outside the library to find ourselves in another different room. This time it was full of mirrors, we walked around the disorienting labyrinth until I lost sight of Aiko. All I can see is her reflection from the mirrors, I tried to find her until I heard her voice. She was talking to someone?
"Aiko who are you talking to?" I asked.
"Eh? H-Hitoshi? B-but you were right here." Aiko pointed.
"STAND BACK THAT MIRROR IS A—"
The mirrors then shattered and a monster came out. It's a Reflection Gargoyle, a really powerful monster. This is a good chance to capture one since this is an overrated and overpowered pet in the real world game. I grabbed a cube and casted Attract to taunt it. It then fell for it and charged at me, wait for it... Just a little more... and... NOW!
"Tamer Skill: Capture!"
"Water Javelin!"
Crystal Gargoyle Killed
+70 Party Exp
+0.2 Points
"That was a close one Hitoshi, you shouldn't try to att— EH? D-did I i-interrupt s-something?" She said while hiding behind her staff.
*sigh* What a waste, they can create perfect mirror clones of us and that would've been useful in battles. But before I could say a word to her the room then shuffled and when it stopped I turned on my automatic timer. Now we have something to notify us when the room changes. We stepped out the broken mirrors room and we were back at the tile room. Our RNG is bad today...
[Note: RNG means Random Number Generator and is a term used by players that indicates good luck or prosperity in some randomized patterns. Example: When playing a Tower Defense level, if you replayed the same level you might get weaker waves at the start rather than stronger ones. The waves are all random but if you have quote unquote "Good RNG" you might get the one with weaker waves.]
"Wait, shh I hear a voice."
I said as I peeked around the door.
I saw about 3 knights with black armor, they must be HKP. Those idiots! We were this close to fighting the first boss! Why did they have to enter the dungeon no--
"We must find that treasure room!"
"But Sir Allan is lost, we must find him first."
"Let's split up, I'll go find Sir Allan and you two search the tile room."
That cocky Allan is lost huh? Good riddance. Little do they know we already found the treasure and the dungeon map. Wait, tile room?
"Psst... Hi...to..shi...come here quick..." Aiko whispered.
I turned around and saw a tile was missing. If I remember correctly, the tile missing was the Coin tile. I looked at the hole and saw a different room. It was a corridor with red carpets, IT WAS WHERE WE FOUGHT THAT MINOTAUR.
"That's the Boss Room entrance! Flip the switch Aiko!" I said as I checked the timer, we still have a minute and 42 seconds.
"The lever is broken Hitoshi, but I think I can crush this whole floor with my skill." Aiko said as she prepared to chant.
Wait, should I stand close to her—
"WATER JAVELIN, CONTROL FORM: HAMMER LANCE!"
"AIKO CHECK YOUR SURROUNDINGS BEFORE YOU CAAAAAAAAAST!"
*thud*
We fell down the floor and we were on the said corridor. I stood up and helped Aiko to stand and ran to the door. Once we were in the end we saw a figure. It was...ALLAN?
"Good grief, first I get lost now I run into you? Well if you noticed this room it's the Boss Room, and I'm here standing." He said with an annoying shit eating grin on his face.
"Get out of the way before the rooms change again!" I shouted.
"Hahahahaha! You won't last a minute in there, the boss is hard as solid, get it? It took us too many healing potions that we nearly exhausted 19 stacks of it. Just give up trash-kun" He said.
I gazed in my watch and we had less than 20 seconds. That damn Allan is hogging the boss menu, there's no other choice then.
"Allan, get out or I'll have to—"
"Heh, now you're going to say; Get out or I'll have to use force!"
"—use force! WHAT THE?!"
"Hahahahahah! I can't believe you fell for a simple trick I got from a certain anime. Now what show was that again? I think it was Weird Adventure something? Ah I remember it was J--"
"JUST GET OUT PLEASE!" I said as I pushed him aside.
I quickly opened the boss menu. Select difficulty, Easy. And press star--
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"What's that annoying sound? And where's it coming from?" Allan said as he swinged his sword in the air.
"The only thing annoying here is YOU! Now the rooms are shuffling again *sigh* we were right there, so close!" I said as I looked around the room.
We were in a dining area now. We moved really far away from the boss room, I looked at the map. Damn it now Aiko, Allan, and me are completely stuck in this neverending dungeon loop. Then an arrow flew past me and hit Aiko. She then collapsed and was inflicted with a paralysis status ailment. She really gets paralyzed a lot huh? I turned around and saw a Goblin Shaman with some Goblin Archers. They were sending barrages of arrows at us. Allan struggled, instead of using his shield he used his sword to deflect the arrows. His expensive ass armor deflects the arrows though. I grabbed the Magic Sword and turned it on. I rushed at the Goblin Shaman while casting Boost on my arms to increase my swing speed. The arrows are getting burned as it touches the blade and with one swing I chopped of the Shaman's head. The archers then retreated back into the dark. I turned off my Magic Sword and put it in my bag, I looked for some loot dropped by the shaman guy. Nothing. I then casted Enlighten on Aiko and tossed Allan some healing potions.
"That's weird, goblins should be near forest type rooms." I said.
"I saw Ghost monsters in the forest room a while ago. Uh o-of course I beat them all! Haha! I didn't r-run away because I got scared or something! Haha! Oh what's that over there? A rock, I'll inspect it okay? Haha!" He nervously said. He ran away from those ghosts didn't he?
"Where are we now Hitoshi?" Aiko asked as she woke up.
"In some dining room, and in about 7 seconds it should shuffle again." I replied.
Then once the clock alarmed again, the room then changed. But this time we were in some room with black and white floorings. We heard some voices and it was the HKP members. Allan ran back to them and laughed as he told them that we were crying because of ghost monsters. Ironic.
"Now that everyone is here, LET'S START THE GAME!" A voice said.
The room then became bright. Some spotlights where turned on for some reason, and a figure was hanging from a chandelier.
"The name's Magnis. And today all of you shall play a game or else you'll DIE!" A man said, he was wearing some formal attire and a top hat. He was also sipping some tea.
"The game is simple, it's CHESS! But the twist? HAHAHA! This!"
Suddenly all 6 of us were pushed by some invisible force and placed on certain tiles. We tried to move but we couldn't, it's like something is preventing us from moving. The timer on my watch stopped counting down it's as if time itself froze.
"You can't move because it's not your turn yet! The rules are simple, 6 against 16. Just checkmate me and you'll win! The obnoxious knight shall be the King. The mage will be the Queen. The three party members *sips* are Rook, Bishop, Knight, and you there, you are a pawn." He said as he summoned 16 huge white chess pieces in the opposite side of the room.
"Now, let's start! Pawn to D3."
A pawn then moved and for a moment we were free to move. But our Bishop moved forward once and we were stuck again.
"N-not fair! We can't move!" Allan said.
"Y-yeah!" Aiko also replied.
"Tsk tsk. You just did, after my turn it's your turn. Your Bishop moved to F7 see?" He said as he sipped his tea.
"Knight to H3." Magnis said and a horse piece moved.
Then the invisible force was then gone for a split second until our Knight moved again. They were wasting our moves.
"Pawn to G4." Magnis said as he giggled at us.
"Guys, stop wasting our moves. We have a disadvantage here but I once saw an internet video about a guy actually winning with few pieces. So let's use our moves wisely." I said as I moved to E6.
"That's right trash-kun." Allan nodded.
"Got it." Aiko said.
"Pawn to E3." Magnis replied.
And this where the game begins!
"Let's do this guys! Aiko, E6!" I said.
"Okay!" Aiko replied as she moved.
"Goodluck, Pawn to D4." Magnis said as he sipped more tea.
"Knight, B4 !" I said.
"Got it." He said as he moved.
"Pawn to A3." Magnis replied.
"Knight again! D5." I yelled.
"Pawn E4." Magnis replied as he refilled his cup with tea.
"Let me guess, your next move will be to retreat your knight haha--"
"Rook! Take Knight on H3!" I shouted.
"Alright!" He said as he pushed away the piece. The piece then evaporated.
"DAMN IT, I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING!" Magnis replied as he spilled some tea out of his mouth.
"Queen F3!" He replied.
"Rook return to H8." I said.
"Don't fall back now! Bishop B5, CHECK!" Magnis said.
"Oh! You came to attack me? Hitoshi should I-- Eh? I can only move in one direction?" Allan said.
I'm guessing he never played chess before...
"Just go F7 Allan. You are disgusting but you are the most important piece here." I replied while trying not to gag.
"I see? Hahaha! I am important after all. F7 here I come!" He said as he stepped on it.
"Queen B3." Magnis said.
"Yo rook, go H4." I said as I pointed to it.
"Okay!" He replied.
"Rook.....F1." Magnis replied with an angry tone. He seems pissed off because we were starting to get the hang of this.
"Rook take Pawn on H2!" I shouted.
"Alright! Out you go!" He replied as he pushed the piece.
"GAH! Rook H1 NOW!" Magnis said as he threw away the teapot. He's pissed alright.
"Now Aiko! F2." I said. Aiko then nodded and pushed away the piece.
"Check!" Allan shouted.
Magnis grinded his teeth and thought for a moment.
"King D1." He said.
Now we should fall back for a moment and think of the nex--
"You're not getting away!" Aiko then moved to E2.
"Checkmate! Haha!" Aiko then cheered. Allan also cheered but they forgot about the bishop on B5.
"AIKO WATCH OUT!" I said.
"HAHAHA! Foolish mage! Now pay the price! Bishop to—"
"Blade Blessing!" Aiko then summoned blades to take out the enemy king. It worked?
"How? Your magic should be suppressed right now! IT SHOULD BE!" Magnis cried as all of the opposing white pieces faded into dust.
"You cheated, you cheated! I'll come back... I'LL COME BACK AND END YOU!" Magnis said has he opened a portal and escaped.
The force stopping us to move suddenly disappeared and we can move freely again. The timer on my watch finally continued to countdown. The 3 other party members then cheered and gave thanks to us but Allan on the other hand...
"We'll use an Escape Krysta, party members let's head out. The treasure was already claimed by Hitoshi here." He said as he grabbed one. He was looking sad?
The 3 members were shocked by this but had no choice. They took out their Krysta's as well and before they left Allan said something that sent chills down my spine.
"You were always better at everything Hitoshi, even at chess when we were little..."
Allan and the other members then warped outside the dungeon and my timer stopped counting down. They left but whatever Allan said was still with me. When we were little? That could only mean...
"Hitoshi, you know him in the real world?"
—To Be Continued in Chapter 9