Nealite.
That is the name of the place I am currently at.
A public garden. It was said that if you throw yourself in the pond you might disappear to another world.
That was nothing but just a small rumor in the beginning but soon became the center of all talk.
The possibility of a hidden dungeon being there excited many.
One day, in the hopes of finding a hidden dungeon, the government deployed the forces to see if there was a hidden dungeon.
In the end, they didn't find any hidden dungeon.
But I knew better than anyone, there 'is' a hidden dungeon inside the pond.
Deep, deep into the pond
I knew because I had seen it.
Remembering that time, I rubbed my legs while sitting in the wheelchair.
There was once a beast that lived in the pond and stopped anyone from entering there.
The same happened the day I fell into the pond.
Down and down, deep into the pond before the beast crushed my legs, I saw the hidden dungeon.
I was saved, fortunately, the day it happened was the same day when the government had deployed the forces.
And so, they had simply concluded that it was a beast that resided down there, it was designated as an S- ranked beast.
But they failed to notice the hidden dungeon.
They all did.
I never told a single person about it.
Deep down, I wanted to go into the hidden dungeon, into another world but I knew better than anyone that weak cripple like me would just die.
Hidden dungeons are far more dangerous. That was their nature.
I remember the news of Humanity's strongest coming battered from one of the hidden dungeons.
And yet, I couldn't let go of the desire.
I come here every day, at night, contemplating whether to go or not.
But I knew, it wasn't just about me.
When you fail to clear a hidden dungeon, the repercussions are far too great.
I had heard it in the news and studied about it in the books.
The 7 failed hidden dungeons and the tragedy that followed.
Hundreds of millions lost their lives, caught up in an explosion that destroyed everything.
To this day those places are restricted, the mana, aura, and demonic energy all have far too great of an intensity for anyone to be able to live in that place.
They would simply die.
I didn't want others to suffer for my selfish desire.
So, I simply came here, every night, when it was peaceful and calm, and watched the pond in silence, alone.
'It's time to go home'
I thought to myself, prepared to turn around, and just then, I saw 'him'.
A boy who emerged from the hidden dungeon.
The moonlight reflected on him, his chiseled features, his black hair reminiscent of the night sky, and his black, empty eyes locked with mine for just a second.
Around 15 or 16, I tried guessing his age.
The next moment, he shifted his gaze and jumped into the air, traversing through it, it was as if he was running in the air.
I felt my heart skip a beat.
I went home after that, thinking all day about the event that transpired.
When the next day arrived, the mysterious aspect of the pond that everyone had once felt was gone, for more than a week there was talk about it online about how the pond had become dull or should we say, it had returned to being normal.
It didn't take long for me to realize, that 'he' must have cleared the hidden dungeon, a teenager, not even humanity's strongest came back unscathed from a hidden dungeon.
People won't know about it.
No one will.
But I won't forget him or the day it happened.
Because I learned something, there is someone out there who was selfish enough to put everyone's life in danger to have his own goals and desires fulfilled.
Clenching my hand, I made a decision I probably would have never made.
'...Maybe, it's okay to be a bit selfish. If not me than someone else would be'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Noah's Pov)
Bang!
The voice reverberated throughout the castle.
Yes, castle, this hidden dungeon is an aristocratic society of humans.
Yes, no other specie shit to deal with.
But what's more interesting is that there is no system in this world. No one has a system.
And for whatever reason I was in prison, once again!
So, I break through.
And now I am on my way to the place I should be, all the while the knights are chasing after me.
"System-san, you fucked me up good"
[It's not my fault TwT]
System replied.
What am I talking about? Welp, it seems like the system can't make me the map of anything in this world.
Why? Because there are no other systems in this world, thus, the system can't go around either.
Something like a network tower problem or some shit.
I don't understand much either.
But it is what is it.
This was NOT supposed to happen.
I am being nerfed!
I have no fucking idea where I should run to anymore.
Damn it.
Where do I go!?
Should I take a turn or not?
My google map isn't working.
Fuck it. Fuck it all!
"There you are! You bastard!"
Shit.
Her again?
"For the love of all that's Holy, I am just a kid, have some shame lady, is that the language you take when talking to kids?"
"You deserve to rot, you filthy criminal!"
Our swords clashed with each other.
Yes, I had taken a sword, dagger, and scythe from that world in my inventory and currently am using the sword.
Oh wow, this time I am a criminal. Damn, y'all. Can't you make me the king?
Since we are on the topic of the king, the mission of this hidden dungeon is to make someone a king.
Bringing someone back to the righteous throne he belongs to.
Fuck it.
"Help the captain!"
Where did you people come from?
Spikes emerged from the ground surrounding me, protecting me from the hoard of knights, the person they called captain stepped back and started to will aura into her sword, preparing for a powerful strike that I could feel would be dangerous to take on.
I willed mana into my legs and kicked the floor, breaking it, and falling to the floor below me.
"Don't run away!"
Her shouts reached me but I still decided to run away.
Like hell, I won't.
She is waaay better at using aura than me and way stronger than me.
Nah, I ain't fighting a losing battle.
My skills are better than hers but she ain't the only person I am fighting not only that I 'can't' kill others.
I am good at killing others but incapacitating them? Nah, hell naw.
Enyo taught me to kill.
And I am not risking ranking up.
I know, I need to give my consent before I rank up to the system but still.
I just don't wanna enter that risky territory for the time being.
Turning to my left, I saw a huge gate and without question, I entered.
What I saw was astonishing.
A maid with two babies. One in her hand and the other in the cradle.
She seemed startled as she looked at my blood-drenched sword, I didn't kill anyone, just a few cuts but of course, it's enough to scare normal people.
I surveyed the room and remembered the room that once belonged to Enyo.
Damn...
I hope I am right about this.
That captain of theirs will be here anytime soon.
In a normal situation, I wouldn't be this troubled, I simply would have used my system to get out of here easily but the system betrayed that expectation in the middle of stuff that made it hard for me.
In the end, it all comes down to skills and my skills are superior to hers, I am taught by the best but the problem is Enyo taught me to kill others, well, that was exactly what I asked her but right now killing wasn't an option as I have said.
'And even before what Enyo taught me, I have only been good at killing not incapacitating.'
I don't like playing stupid games.
"D-Don't come near!"
I went towards the kid in the cradle, the maid tried to stand between him and me and I took the baby kid from her gave her the kid inside the cradle, and pushed her on the ground.
From her body movements, it was clear she had given birth just recently.
She should be taking some rest but that's not my problem.
I made sure to grab the newborn chick delicately enough to not cause any problems or unrest, and let him sleep.
I mean, I don't want to deal with his crying and shouting.
Newborns are annoying.
You can't change my mind.
Soon after, the captain entered the room with the sword in her hand, behind her was her entire platoon.
Her face filled with fury.
"You!"
"Think again, I will kill your prince if you take another step," I said pointing my blade at the sleeping newborn.
The maid was startled, tension filling her body as she shouted
"NO!"
"Stay down"
I used the same way Enyo, and Pinky have used their 'components' of 'World's Power' on me to suppress me, on her.
She crumbled down to her knees.
Simple, I am stronger than her.
She is but a maid.
Well, the last maid I saw was a fucking SS+ ranker.
Fucking finally, some normalcy in my life.
"You wretche-"
"Yeah, yeah, how about you escort me out of here? I will give you back the baby, don't use your aura, and put your swords away."
I made it so the maid didn't speak a single word with my increased pressure on her. The baby in her arms must have felt uncomfortable as he started to cry.
I am trying my best to keep the pressure off of him.
I looked towards the captain.
The decision was hers, her anger was palpable, sword clenched in her hand with enough grip that I could see a teensy blood coming out.
Damn... that's scary.
She is gripping a sword's hilt hard enough to cause blood!
This ain't normal.
I wanna get out of here so bad.
"Fine but you leave her alone too," She said gritting her teeth as her aura subsided and she put her sword back on the ground while looking at the maid.
Oh, so she cares for others too not just the prince.
Good people are useable.
"I am cool with it"
It didn't matter to me, there's a fucking window in the room, I just wanted to do this.
Now that I have achieved what I need to, it should be enough.
Thinking so, I threw the baby in towards her with wind magic surrounding him, should take care of him and I jumped out of the window, leaping and traversing through the very air.
I gritted my teeth as the pain coursed through my body but I made it out somehow.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And that is how I made it out. The maid wouldn't be able to tell the king that the baby was hers, if she did she would be punished for trying to save her own child and letting a criminal like me escape, stupid but it is what it is and now the baby has been swapped, I mean newborn looks all same, right?"
I said sipping on the coffee, in front of me was a boy of my age, the true heir of the throne now living in an abandoned palace.
It took me about 3 days to find this place even though it's a pretty famous place.
Without my system making maps, it's been such a pain.
This is not what I signed up for.
"Tell me you are screwed in the head without telling me you are screwed in the head," He said, letting out a sigh as he scruffled through his hair.
Why do people try to keep picking fights with me?
"Yeah, you are right. The plan would work. No, let me correct myself, 'I will make it work'"
He said in a firm voice, the pair of his silver eyes gleaming.
Great.
Let's play the role of kingmaker now.