Meanwhile on Ignis's side.
Ignis strutted down the corridor like a peacock flaunting its feathers, admiring his new equipment as he went.
He paused at the sight of numerous magic crystals littering the floor and immediately ordered his summons to start collecting them.
Deino and Bell obediently scurried to gather the crystals, while Ignis stood back and basked in the glow of his own awesomeness. Once the crystals were collected, Ignis led the way forward, his summons following close behind.
As they approached a fork in the path, Ignis halted dramatically and surveyed the options. "Hmm, decisions, decisions," he muttered, stroking his chin in mock contemplation.
He turned to his summons with a flourish and exclaimed, "My loyal minions, which path shall we take?"
Deino and Bell exchanged a puzzled glance, unsure of how to respond to Ignis's sudden burst of theatrics. Ignis chuckled at their confusion, realising he had been a bit extra.
"Okay, okay, no need to panic," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Let's just pick a path and see where it takes us."
Ignis and his summons took the left path and found that it led to a dead end, but at least it had some magic crystals. The summons began collecting them, and Ignis watched with amusement as they scurried around like busy little bees.
As they collected the crystals, Ignis noticed some that required mining, and he got to work on them. With each crystal he absorbed, he felt a surge of power coursing through him, making him feel invincible.
The summons brought the collected crystals to Ignis.
After they finished collecting all the magic crystals at the dead end, they headed back to the main path and continued their journey, now on the right path.
As they walked down the corridor, Ignis noticed that the path ahead diverged into four different routes, and each route had a unique symbol etched on the wall.
The first path had a ⨹ symbol, the second had a ⨺ symbol, the third had a ⨻ symbol, and the fourth had a ⩒ symbol.
Ignis rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Hmm, what do these mean?" he murmured to himself.
Bell and Deino looked at him, waiting for his decision.
Ignis stroked his chin some more, then, with a sudden spark in his eyes, he shouted, "You guys live here, don't you know what do these mean? Don't you come to take a stroll?"
Bell and Deino exchanged a glance before responding through their mental link, "We only have memory from when we met you, master."
"We don't have any knowledge of this place beyond what we've seen with you."
Ignis sighed, realising that he was on his own in making the decision. He took a few moments to study the symbols on each path, trying to decipher any clues as to where they might lead.
Ignis scratched his head as he stared at the symbols on each path. "Not a magic symbol, or any symbol I remember matching these symbols," he mumbled to himself.
Ignis furrowed his brows, his eyes fixed on the symbol of the second path. He bit his lower lip, lost in deep thought, considering all the possible meanings of the symbols. Then, a glimmer of realization appeared on his face as he nodded to himself.
"Alright, let's take the second path."
"Lady Luck favors the bold," Ignis announced with a smirk, feeling confident in his decision.
Meanwhile, Bell and Deino didn't know why, but they felt a chill go down their peaches as they heard the luck part, but they didn't have the time to dwell on it much.
As they made their way down the path, Ignis noticed that the rocky terrain grew rougher and steeper. The path seemed to lead them upwards, and the air grew thinner as they ascended.
Ignis glanced over his shoulder to see the ground far below them. The view was breathtaking, but he quickly turned his attention back to the path to avoid losing his balance.
Ignis and his summons reached the end of the path, and as they stepped into the massive hall, their eyes widened with shock.
The room was enormous, and the decor looked like it was made for the noblest of nobles. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings, and the floor was made of marble tiles, shining brightly under the light of a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
As Ignis looked around the hall, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw several dinosaurs seated at two long dining tables. They were all different from Bell and Deino, with varying sizes, shapes, and colours. However, what was most surprising was the fact that they were all dressed in coats and pants as if they were human nobles attending a formal dinner.
Ignis could feel the tension in the air as he noticed two particularly intimidating-looking dinosaurs seated at the head of each table. Their auras radiated power, making it clear that they were the leaders of this group. Ignis couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he wondered what they might be capable of.
He was amazed to see the maid-like dinosaurs serving the food in a human-like manner. They were dressed in white aprons, their tails were tucked in, and they had little caps on their heads, just like human waiters in fancy restaurants.
The aroma of the freshly baked pudding and the sizzling meat made Ignis's stomach growl, and he couldn't resist taking a step forward.
He wondered what kind of meat it was and how it tasted. He also noticed that some dinosaurs were eating salads and fruits before the main course, which made him wonder if they were health conscious.
Ignis and his summons hesitated to step inside the luxurious dining room, fearing the powerful auras emanating from the dinosaurs. They decided to hide on the path they came from to avoid detection.
Ignis didn't dare appraise the Dinosours, not wanting to alert them of his presence. He knew that the dinosaurs he had encountered so far were all above level 15, and he could only assume that these were even more powerful.
And right now, both Bell and Deino understand why they felt a chill in their peaches when Ignis talked about how Lady Luck favours the brave.
They looked at their master with scepticism as he seemed really favourably inclined, but they weren't sure if it was lady luck or a cursed rabbit's foot.
As Ignis retreated, he felt the glares of Bell and Deino on his back, and he could almost hear their thoughts. So he turned around and said, "Hey, don't look at me like that! I'm the one who let you meet your long-lost relatives, and you should be grateful!" He then gave a smug grin and sounded as confident as someone who had done something wrong would sound.
Bell and Deino, on the other hand, couldn't help but roll their eyes at their master's arrogance. They exchanged a knowing glance, which said it all without words: "Here we go with luck-based decisions."
"Ahem… ahem…" Ignis then let out some fake coughs, cleared his throat and was about to speak when a commanding voice boomed through the hallway, interrupting him.
"Why don't you all come inside?"
The voice was so regal and powerful that it echoed throughout the entire space. It didn't sound like an invitation but more like a demand that could make them obey instantly if the voice had that much power.
As soon as the regal and powerful voice echoed in the hall, Ignis and his summons froze. Their eyes widened as they turned their heads towards the hallway, and they could see all the dinosaurs looking in their direction.
Some of them seemed surprised as if they hadn't noticed Ignis and his companions before. Others were eyeing them with hunger. And there were those whose eyes glinted with pure evil and nasty intentions, making Ignis shudder.
"Come, my friend." The voice resounded again.
Realizing that they had been found, Ignis's expression turned 180 degrees. The playful twinkle in his eyes was replaced by a cold, calculating glare as he scanned the room, assessing the situation and searching for any potential threats.
Ignis' eyes scanned the room before landing on the source of the commanding voice. His gaze locked onto the dinosaur at the end of the right dining table, who seemed to be the boss. He stared at it without even a trace of fear.
Ignis stood tall and composed, his posture confident and unwavering. His eyes were fixed on the boss dinosaur, and not a single muscle on his face betrayed any fear.
His expression was one of cold determination as if he were ready to face any challenge head-on.
As he took in the boss' appearance, he noticed the dinosaur's regal appearance. It wore a golden tuxedo with a 1-metre-long neck and scales of a slight red hue.
Its head was adorned with pentagon-shaped scales, giving it an even more imposing presence. But what really caught Ignis' attention were its hands, each one built with tough muscles and scales, not resembling anything like a typical dinosaur's limbs.
The hands even had four fingers, adding to the creature's otherworldly appearance.
Ignis now, without hesitating, scanned the boss dinosaur's stats.
*
[Monster Information]
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Name: Lazer
Species: Lesser dromaeosaurs
Bloodline: Mediocre-Superior
Race: Dromaeosaurid
Level: 21
Rank: 2-Star Initial—Gold-E?
HP: [5,500/5,500]
MP: [300/300]
EP: [10,000/10,000]
Attack: 420
Defense: 350
Agility: 250
Skills: Razor-Sharp Claws, Serrated Teeth, Agile Strikes, Rend, Ferocious Roar, E???
Description: The Lesser Dromaeosaurs are a highly dangerous and intelligent pack of dromaeosaurids, known for their superior bloodline and their ability to hunt and defend their territory.
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