A/N: Hello, testing... testing. Can you guys hear me? Lol, just kidding. I know you can't, I just don't know how to begin this author's note. Hehe... So yeah... Anyway, I'm sorry for interrupting your reading. I just want to warn you that I edited this chapter. Just a little bit, don't worry. I just changed the title from "In the Dungeon" to just plain "Underground." I realized Cloud wouldn't yet know that the place he is in was called a dungeon, which you might notice from how he keeps referring to it as a cave. Hence prompting the title change. I also changed warg to Kalm Fang, since wargs don't appear in FF7. With the number of RPGs I played, and considering how long ago since I played FF7, I admit I'm no longer as familiar with monster names existing in each franchise as I would like. Anyway, those were just the noticeable changes I made to this chapter. Oh, also! This chapter might seem shorter than the first, but it's not! It's actually 907 words (excluding this A/N) - longer than the prologue's 867! I was even a bit surprised, as in the prologue I kinda ran out of space to continue. I think webnovel has some sort of limiting function for its chapters. Maybe in the number of lines? Idk, I might figure it out in the future as I keep writing. Alright, sorry for bothering you. Thank you for your time. Enjoy the chapter~
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*click~* *crunch~*
Out of a dark passageway, a boy with spiky blond hair emerges. Standing at around 5'6" - 5'7" in height, he can be seen carrying a large sword on his back, which appears to be too big and too heavy for his stature.
He looks around calmly as he trudges on, surveying his surroundings.
He arrives in the middle of a spacious hallway stretching into two separate directions. The darkness impeding further scrutiny as to where both paths could lead to.
Although he did notice that one direction was decorated with the same blue crystals present on the walls of the previous room he appeared at, faintly shining, the other side showed the crystals were scarcer.
So, trusting his knowledge about how crystals usually worked on his world - yet at the same time doubting whether the same rule applies wherever he's been sent to, he arrives at a momentary impasse. However, it was not for long before he ultimately trusted his gut and proceeded to follow where the crystals were more abundant.
Along the way, he encounters various obstacles barring his path. What obstacles, you ask? Monsters. Lots of monsters.
He should have guessed. Oh, he was no stranger to facing monsters, no. On the contrary, he was used to fighting them. So used in fact, that the monsters he faced in this cave - he assumed this was a cave, gave him no trouble at all. Just an inconvenience.
He slew each monster with apparent ease, one might assume he was fighting puppies.
"GRAOooOH-" *slash~*
A howl was cut off by a slash from a massive sword and the head of a large dog-like monster separates from its neck, and flies through the air before vanishing into a puff of dust and leaving a dull crystal - the same with countless others before it. Simply effortless. At least that's how it would have looked if someone was around to see its execution.
The monsters were strong, don't get that wrong. It's just that he'd fought stronger.
Cloud Strife. That's who he is.
SOLDIER 1st Class, he'd used to call himself. He'd call himself that for so long that even he started to believe it. But a 1st Class, he was not. Not even a SOLDIER, had he ever been. Born from a wish - a dream he had as a kid, he claimed the title to hide his failure and to avoid embarrassing himself in front of his childhood friend.
Yes, there were the lingering side effects from a madman's experiments, which were messing up with his head at the start.
But that should not have been an excuse for him to keep up with the act after his head got fixed. Or to keep his friends at arms length for so long, even after all the things they've been through. Oftentimes, ignoring their calls. Well it was mostly just Tifa calling him, checking up on him. But after everything that happened, he didn't know how to face her. He didn't know how to act around her, how to talk - what to talk about. Now, he'd never be able to talk to her again - of that, he was sure. For they were now worlds apart.
This wasn't his first time being summoned. He'd been called upon multiple times that he should not have a need to worry, as those times he always had a chance to meet with someone he knew. But this time, it feels different somehow. This time, he feels like he's on his own.
Not to mention he still had his memories - as in his previous summonings those were always taken from him.
The monsters here are a bit different. He noticed that. They would scatter into fine powder when slain, before dropping crystals which he assumes are the monsters' cores. And sometimes there would be a fang, or a pelt - as was the case for a few of those dog-like beasts he'd slain.
They kinda reminded him of Kalm Fang or a Nibel Wolf, though Nibel Wolves are admittedly larger and stronger than these monsters. At least these can spit out fire from their mouths - not that it gave him any trouble. Just more of a challenge.
'Anyway.' He clears himself off of his stray thoughts. 'These monsters are different from what I'm used to facing against.'
Not their strength, nor how they behave - what all monsters have in common is that they'll attack on sight. No. These monsters are different because of what happens to them when they die. They turn to dust. Especially after a fatal blow. Almost none of the monsters he'd encountered before were like that. Well, except in some worlds. Or the corrupted ones in Gaea.
'And these ones... don't show any signs of corruption or encroachment.' He concludes.
Accepting the fact that his circumstances are indeed a result of another summoning, he continues on his way onwards the long corridor toward where the blue crystals on the wall were more common. Not before he finished picking up his loot, of course. Gotta keep up the tradition, yes.
"I miss my bike."
...
Moments later.
A new challenger appears.
Or shall we say challengers, as Cloud comes face-to-face with a herd of bull-headed monsters reminiscent of Magnades from his home world.
Immediately, he prepares for combat as he draws his trusty Buster sword and levels its tip toward his foes.
"Come!" He shouts, before preparing to lunge at his challengers.