I recalled the backstory of Jin. At that time, in his early years as a hero, he got trapped in a flash dungeon for a week. Unfortunately, because all of the civilians were killed in the dungeon, the heroes who were also trapped there were criticized.
The heroes concerned were given enormous sanctions. Not only paying compensation money but their status as heroes was also revoked. Those ex-heroes then joined the villain's side except for Jin.
Unlike the rest of the revoked heroes, Jin was the only one who stayed on the hero's side even after all of that. The reason for it was, he registered as a new hero with a new identity using the artifact he got from the dungeon.
Avatar Mask.
That artifact was an ego artifact; once it chose its owner, no one else would be able to use the artifact except the rightful owner. It could create an avatar or character just like the character creation in games or simply duplicate one current appearance and save it to the avatar slot that was limited only to 3 slots.
So, with that artifact. Jin has four identities including his original appearance; The big and charismatic commander, An agent in the black market, A popular singer, and the original Jin the ex-heroes.
Now, I was on my way looking for that artifact in this dungeon. In the middle of the night, surrounded by trees and a chill wind that brushed against my skin.
It was a little weird for me to behave like this even though I never had ambitions or was determined to do something in my previous world, but just like magic, when I lived in this world and became quite adapted, my behavior slowly changed.
It was just me assuming myself though. From my perspective, I have changed.
I chuckled when I thought about it.
Looking at my surroundings, the trees have become larger than before.
"I think I almost reached the center area of this forest…"
The atmosphere was so gloomy because of the larger and taller trees that covered the forest from the moonlight, and not even the sun's rays could reach this place if it was daytime.
But, thanks to the glowing mushroom that grew in this area, I could see well in this darkness.
The scenery of this dark forest combined with glowing mushrooms made me recall how beautiful a fantasy world was. It felt like I was really inside a fairy tale world, a fantasy world. Everything before me was almost similar to every fantasy or fairy tale book I'd read, the precise description of the magical dark forest fantasy was always the most fascinating place for me.
"If only I could live in this place…"
It has always been my dream to live in a fantasy world full of magical things like this. It's just too bad that I was still living in the modern era of the earth despite it having a magic component.
"Why didn't I make it so that people could occupy a dungeon and live there in my novel?" I sighed.
My sigh was full of regret. Truly, it was a regret that I couldn't live here…
"But… Where exactly am I though?"
I looked around again and again, but everything my eyes captured was trees and vines.
"I guess I got lost?"
Fuck it. I just remembered that I never really described or wrote anything about this dungeon. All I did was 'Jin found an artifact when he got trapped in a flash dungeon'. Hell, even if I was to write it, I doubt that I could remember it. That was why I kept on looking for information, to refresh my memory as well as to see if there was any difference in information from what I knew.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, damn it. What should I DO?!
"Let's relax first, Zio. Don't let emotion get in your head… huuu…"
Suddenly, the bushes made a sound. As soon as it reached my ears, my body flinched instinctively.
Looking at the bushes with narrowed eyes, I carefully took steps back. Mind you, it's not because I was afraid or something, I was just being careful.
But, when the bushes suddenly quieted, my curiosity took over. I looked for anything that I could use as a weapon, and I grabbed a tree branch on the ground.
With the legendary tree branch in my hand, I felt like I could face anything, even a dragon. Now, let's see what was behind those bushes!
I walked forward very slowly and carefully, minding my steps to not make unnecessary sounds like stepping on the tree branches or something.
I could see something behind them now that I'd closed my distance with the bushes. It truly shocked my heart when I saw what was behind the bushes.
It was corpses. Those couldn't be identified corpses were lying in their own pool of blood.
"Huek!"
I almost threw up because the scenery was so horrible. Their organs and features were in no way able to be identified, they had been broken. Sliced here and there just like animal meat.
Apparently, I vomited. I couldn't hold on seeing those horrible scenes even though I'd already turned around.
After calming down, I dared myself to go back to that place again. I promised that I won't vomit anymore now.
"So disgusti– huek!"
I almost vomited again but thank God it won't happen anymore.
"Fvck. I almost emptied my stomach…"
Covering my nose–my nostrils with my hand. I examined the corpses while keeping my distance from them so I won't risk myself to vomit again.
Amongst those corpses, there was a dead body that even though it was ruined from top to bottom, I still could guess who that corpse was thanks to my skill.
Window screens popped up above those corpses.
"Goblin butcher… Hormone or something is his name, right?" Although his name was clearly written on the window screen, I couldn't help but tease him even though the person was already dead.
I was sorry but not so sorry.
It was the guy who left the group along with the other twenty or so on the first day, just because he didn't get the role of the group leader.
"Oh, right. They said I should cast flare magic if I found his group…"
I looked around, it was dark but thanks to the glowing mushroom I somehow felt safe in this darkness. The trees surrounding me were also like a fortress wall, I doubted I could find my way out of there.
"Hmm, how do I cast a magic spell?"
I dived into my memory, looking for the data about the 'how to cast a magic spell for a beginner' thing and the 'how to release or circulate the mana in the body for a beginner'.
— I sat with my legs crossed, just like how people were in a meditating position. The way of circulating mana inside my body was just like how people usually did a meditation. Manually controlling my mana consciously would have an immediate effect on how to feel mana flowing in my body. Once I felt the mana stranded randomly in my body, I just needed to focus on circulating it at one point, my magic core. After I finished gathering mana to my magic core, the last step was to open a small pathway to my palm so I could release the mana outside.
"That is what I remembered …" I said. "I'm not sure about this but let's give it a try."
I looked for a comfortable place, there was no way I would start a mana meditation in this place full of corpses.
After looking for it, I sat under the big tree surrounded by the brightest glowing mushroom. I didn't prolong it anymore when it came to experiencing something out of the world like magic and mana, hehe.
"Huuu…"
Sitting in a meditation position, I circulated my mana following the guideline of the memory I knew.
'Control my breath consciously and feel the mana inside my body…'
As soon as I did that, I could really feel the mana flowing in my body. It was warm yet at the same time cold. I felt my whole body temperature go up and down alternately, it was because of the mana that scattered everywhere in my body.
'I need to gather it in my magic core, but where is my magic core?'
Every Enhanceds has a magic core to store their mana, and where the magic core placed in each of them was completely different from the other.
It was up to one's type. The type who used their head more has their magic core nested in their head and those who prefer a more physical action usually have their magic core placed in their body, and precisely around their heart.
Now then, what about me?
While in a trance of circulating my mana to my magic core, I also focused my mind to look for where my magic core was located. After some time, I detected the location of my magic core was close to the heart, but there was something odd about it, though I didn't care about that as I was focused on circulating my mana into the magic core.
"Huuu…"
It was cold when the mana was filling the magic core but after it was filled, my body felt warmer afterward.
"Is it done?" I asked myself.
Looking above, tall trees and their leaves covered the sky, I raised my hand up with an open palm.
'Open a small pathway and guide my mana to my hand…'
Feeling the mana rushing toward my hand, I start to chant the magic spell under my breath.
The spell
I was not sure if anyone could see my signal but I'd already done my job.
"Now that it's done, I should go with my original goal."
Without waiting for the rest of the search team to come here, I immediately went on my way to search for the Avatar Mask, my original target for me to come this far.
***
In the camp, full of unconscious civilians.
"Hey, look. That light, isn't that the flare?"
"You're right, but. Is it just me or that magic flare is bigger than normal?"
"Hmm, now that you mention it, it does look bigger!"
"Is it Jin's?"
"Probably."
Somewhere in the east part of the forest where Jin just encountered the hero who was part of a search team, they both noticed the flare and were looking at it together as if they were watching a fallen star.
"Woah. Whose magic flare is that?!" Jin said enthusiastically.
"I'm not sure who it is but they must be a high-ranked Enhanced or maybe a wizard. But…"
They looked at each other.
"Was there such a thing like that in our group?"
They both left dumbfounded by the person who cast that