Winning the tournament also brought the class a week worth of break. So the first thing Adam did was call Felix to hang out.
"Yo Felix!" [Adam]
"Did we really have to come here?" [Felix]
Adam called him out to a nearby park.
"Why not? It's sunny today." [Adam]
"Can't we just go to your house? The park doesn't have any video games." [Felix]
"...You're beginning to sound like your brother." [Adam]
The thought of being like his brother sent a chill down Felix's spine.
"...You know what? Let's stay outside for today." [Felix]
After they reached a conclusion, the two began to wander around.
"Hey, Adam…" [Felix]
"Yeah?" [Adam]
"Is it just me or… are less people are starting to appear even though it's the middle of the day?" [Felix]
Adam scanned the area, but didn't notice anything strange.
"...It might be your imagination." [Adam]
But as time passed, the area started to look empty.
"I… think we should leave…" [Felix]
He turned back and increased his pace.
"Wa-wait!" [Adam]
"Oof!" [Felix]
He bumped into something, causing him to fall on his bottom. Upon looking up, he faced a little girl staring back at him. It was strange, she was holding an umbrella during the day with no rain in sight.
"You cannot leave." [Little Girl]
("What? Is she talking to me?") [Felix]
He got back up while Adam stood behind him.
"Are you talking to us? Where are your parents?" [Adam]
She turned her head, piercing Adam with her gaze. It was as if he was staring back into a void.
"Bye bye." [Little Girl"]
She waved her hand at the two.
"What ar-" [Adam]
Adam felt a force pulling him backwards, but reacting quickly, he set his feet down and resisted it.
"Adam!" [Felix]
He pointed behind Adam revealing a void opening.
"I think I'm being sucked in!" [Adam]
Felix grabbed Adams arm, pulling as hard as he could.
"Ow ow ow ow ow!" [Adam]
The unknown force intensified. It did not want to let Adam go.
"I don't think I can hold on any longer!" [Felix]
The two began to lose their footing.
"Huh?" [Felix]
Felix felt a push from behind. Without any ground, the two flew into the void. As the void closed on them, Felix saw the little girl with her hand out and realized she was the one who pushed him.
"Guh!" [Adam]
"Ack!" [Felix]
The two landed in an unknown area.
"Where are we?" [Adam]
He scanned the area. Their surroundings were all rock with a hint or crystals here and there that gave off a purple luminescent glow.
"I think… we're in a dungeon." [Felix]
"A dungeon? Shouldn't there be voidlings here?" [Adam]
"They should appear further in. But I think we should find the exit first. As we are now, I don't think we have the ability to clear a dungeon." [Felix]
Adam seemed a bit dissatisfied.
"But it's a dungeon man. Remember what Mr. Frank said? There's loot at the end." [Adam]
Felix put on a serious look.
"Loot isn't worth our lives. We're champions, so we can just go to a dungeon when we're stronger." [Felix]
"Fine…" [Adam]
Felix took the lead. The two cautiously made their way throughout the cavern checking if there were any voidlings in sight.
"Have you seen anything yet?" [Adam]
"Wait, shh." [Felix]
He put his hand back. motioning Adam to lean against the wall. Peeking around the corner, he spotted three voidlings.
("Those are the ones shown in class. We can take them.") [Felix]
"Adam, there are three voidlings. The level one guys. Let's take them out before they notice us." [Felix]
Adam nodded and prepared a Pressure Cannon in advance.
"On the count of 3, we rush them." [Felix]
"3."
A bead of sweat dripped down Felix's face.
"2."
They both hunched over, preparing themselves mentally and physically.
"1."
They came out sprinting, alerting the three voidlings. As a battle cry, they screeched at Adam and Felix. Not giving them a chance to fight back, Adam and Felix released their attacks as soon as they were in range.
"Spatial Slash!" [Felix]
"Pressure Cannon!" [Adam]
The power of Pressure Cannon completely crushed one of the voidlings, while one of the others were sliced in half. The remaining one was capable of comprehending the danger and flew away frantically.
"We can't let it get away!" [Felix]
"Why? It's just one voidling. [Adam]
"You don't understand! It's going to call for reinforcements!" [Felix]
"What's the problem? If it's only those level one voidlings, we can handle them no problem." [Adam]
"That's the problem! It's only IF it was level one voidlings!" [Felix]
"GROARR!" [???]
A roar echoed from the direction the voidling fled. The floor began to tremble and the cluttered rocks rattled.
"Oh no…" [Felix]
A voidling three times the size of the average man appeared. Instead of it looking like the level one voidlings, it had the head of a lion, the body of a man, bat like wings, and was equipped with a wooden club.
"What the hell is that…" [Adam]
"Spatial Slash!" [Felix]
He made the first move hoping it would finish it.
BOOM!
Dust particles sprayed in all directions, but the voidling emerged from it unscathed.
"I'm supposed to be level 8! It should at least be bleeding!" [Felix]
"Uh… Hey voidling, I see that your body is part human. So I'm going to assume you can understand me. Can we just uh, talk this out?" [Adam]
It simply raised its club preparing to bring it down on the two.
"I'll take that as a no!" [Adam]
They both dashed in opposite directions, barely able to dodge the attack.
"Did you really think that would work?!" [Felix]
"At least I tried! It might have wor- huh wha-?" [Adam]
The floor's shaking increased tremendously upon impact. The floor began to crumble and caved in slowly.
"AHHHHH!" [Felix] [Adam]
All three of them, including the voidling, fell into the hole. The darkness of the pit swallowed them as they fell.
THUD!
"Ow…" [Adam]
He had miraculously survived the landing.
"Where am I now?" [Adam]
He was answered with silence.
"Felix? Where are you?" [Adam]
There was still only silence.
"This isn't funny man! Where are you?!" [Adam]
"Gruh…" [???]
Adam turned towards the noise and approached it.
"Felix?" [Adam]
When Adam finally got closer, he backed up instantly.
("T-thats not Felix!") [Adam]
It was the previous voidling that fell down with them. It was laying down as if it was asleep.
("Since Felix isn't here, I'm going to just… leave…") [Adam]
He stepped back slowly and carefully.
Klack!
Adam pushed by a rock causing it to fall over.
("OH SHI-") [Adam]
The creature's eyes shot wide open and darted around before it located Adam. Realizing he had been found, Adam made a run for it.
("I'm so screwed if that thing catches me!") [Adam]
The rumbling of footsteps could be felt following him.
"I'm done for…" [Adam]
He stops in his tracks. In front of him was a dead end that spelled his doom.
"Walk through the wall…" [???]
A voice resonated within his head.
"What? Who?" [Adam]
"If you want to live, go through the wall!" [???]
Boom… boom…
The rumbling was getting closer, and that meant his death was as well.
"Make your choice!" [???]
Adam bet his life on it and sprinted full speed into the wall. Closing his eyes, he prepared for impact. But… he felt nothing. Slowly opening his eyes, he found himself in a different cavern with even more crystals than the first.
"Welcome." [???]
Music began to play out of nowhere. The sound echoed throughout the cave as if it was an orchestra.
"What… is this place?" [Adam]
"This is my dungeon." [???]
Adam gazed upwards. There was a set of stone stairs revealing a man sitting on a cracked marble throne. He had short white hair, and eyes that shone amber.
"This guy looks suspicious…") [Adam]
"Were you the one that saved me?" [Adam]
"Saved isn't right in this case." [Suspicious Man]
"What do you mean?" [Adam]
"I will tell you in a moment, it appears we have a guest." [Suspicious Man]
A voice sounded from above.
"WAAAHH!" [???]
THUD!
A familiar silhouette appeared on the other side of the room.
"Ugh…" [???]
"Felix?" [Adam]
The person who had fallen turned around.
"Adam?" [Felix]
"Now that the two of you are here, can you please die?" [Suspicious Man]
"...Care to run that by me again?" [Adam]
"Die. Both of you." [Suspicious Man]
("He's dangerous!") [Adam]
"Pressure Cannon Version 2!" [Adam]
("Unlike my usual Pressure Cannon, this one blasts air hard enough to attack from a distance!") [Adam]
Just like Felix, he took the initiative hoping it would take his opponent out.
FWOOSH!
"HOW?!" [Adam]
The pressurized stream of air split in half just before it reached the suspicious man and trailed off behind him.
"It seems you don't understand the situation you are in." [Suspicious Man]
"What's that supposed to mean?" [Felix]
"Have you noticed that the music in this room has not changed upon entering?" [Suspicious Man]
"Huh? How is that related?" [Felix]
"The music in this room is played from the soul. And it only plays music for the strongest in the room." [Suspicious Man]
Realization dawned on Felix's and Adam's face.
"Now do you understand? I AM THE STRONGEST ONE HERE!" [Suspicious Man]
The suspicious man stood up and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Whew~, it's been awhile since I last raised my voice." [Suspicious Man]
"Why do you want to kill us?" [Felix]
"Kill you? I'm not going to kill you." [Suspicious Man]
Felix felt a small amount of relief, but stayed cautious.
"You both will be sacrificed. Did you really think that I would see you as a threat?" [Suspicious man]
A chill ran down Adam's and Felix's spine.
"Time to prepare the two of you for the ritual that is about to begin." [Suspicious man]
Sensing imminent danger, Felix immediately used his trump card.
"Domain Expansion!" [Felix]
He ran up to the suspicious man instead of using warp to conserve his mana.
("I need to keep him frozen!") [Felix]
"This is quite the interesting ability. This can hold me at bay for a while, but how will you defeat me I wonder?" [Suspicious Man]
Felix came up close and used the usual combo attack.
"Full power Spatial Discharge!" [Felix]
The domain vanished and the suspicious man was sent flying. Or that's what should have happened...
"What?! How?!" [Felix]
The Spatial Discharge did not send the suspicious man flying. In fact, it only pushed him back a few feet. The shock of seeing his ability ineffective paralyzed Felix with fear.
"No more tricks? How disappointing." [Suspicious Man]
He slowly swept his hand at Felix while uttering a single word…
"Begone." [Suspicious Man]
Felix felt an unknown force hit him from the side sending him flying into the cavern wall.
"Gah!" [Felix]
He fell down to the ground with a thud and laid there motionless.
"Felix!" [Adam]
He turned towards the suspicious man and glared at him.
"How dare you…" [Adam]
"HOW DARE YOUUUUU!!!" [Adam]
"Oh?" [Suspicious Man]
Adam no longer cared about mana conservation. The amount of mana he had currently after training with Sebastian's method for about a week was tremendous. His mana capacity was already the level of an elite soldier. The second highest ranking after a hero in the military. He spent all of his mana to make the most powerful Pressure Cannon possible. If measured properly, it could be said that the power inside is equivalent to half of Mr. Frank's Deus Ex Machina. Which is the same as blowing up an entire town.
"GRRR…" [Adam]
"Entertain me, show me what you can do." [Suspicious Man]
"PRESSURE CANNON, FULL OPEN!" [Adam]
A beam of condensed visible air shot out of Adam's palm in a flash. The room was filled with a violent torrent of air upon release.
"Well… This attack might be a problem…" [Suspicious Man]
He raised both arms to block and the same phenomenon happened again. The blast split apart hitting the cavern's walls and creating an incredible amount of rubble.
"Haah… Haah…" [Adam]
He looked up at the spot the suspicious man was previously, but he was nowhere in sight.
"You almost had me there." [Suspicious Man]
He reappeared from behind the throne, but instead of having a somewhat dignified appearance like earlier… His clothes were in tatters.
"That really packed a punch. You almost broke through my defense skill." [Suspicious Man]
"I-impossible… That was everything I had..." [Adam]
Unable to muster up any strength, he fell to his knees.
"Out of mana are you? Then it's about time I put an end to this performance." [Suspicious Man]
He raised a hand at Adam, preparing an attack.
"That attack has made me recognize you as an enemy instead of a sacrifice. As a sign of respect for someone who was able to put a scratch on me, I gift you a painless death." [Suspicious Man]
Adam closed his eyes. On the brink of death, he thought back on the first days of his school life.
("I'm sorry Felix, I'm sorry sis, I don't think I'm going to make it back this time. I'll be going on ahead without you…") [Adam]
And he resigned himself to his fate.