An endless vortex of golden energy constantly pulled me forward, illuminating my face and completely dominating my vision. That was the portal that was supposed to take me back to Earth.
"I have no regrets in leaving them behind. For starters, I never considered them my friends."
I didn't hesitate and took a step towards the portal, my vision being consumed by its light as I felt my body dematerializing.
"[Wishing you a safe journey, Noah]"
Listening to the last words of the cruel goddess who, without our consent, summoned me and all my classmates to the battlefield, I couldn't help but mock the situation.
"Who would have thought. Maybe I was wrong about her; after all, if she were truly like my uncles, she would have punished me for defying her authority."
I was used to being mistreated by my guardians.
No matter what I did, or why I did it; if I confronted them or their children, I would be punished until I bled.
That woman had a similar gaze to theirs, a judgmental look of someone who treats people according to their worth.
"I was sure that if she found out about my E Rank, I would immediately be used as an example; on the other hand, probably the only reason for her to dismiss me was because of my low Rank."
— How bad can it be to be of the lowest Rank? — I spoke, feeling my body taking shape.
Slowly, my vision cleared, and my body materialized.
One by one, I felt the parts of my body returning to their proper places, as if small pieces of light were organizing and recreating my original physical structure, in a completely unknown location.
— Where am I? — I spoke, looking forward and seeing nothing but darkness.
"This is not the classroom!"
The air was putrid and smelled of feces and urine, to the point of making anyone vomit.
"Ugh... What a horrible stench!"
The environment was damp, cold, and at the same time, thin, making it difficult to breathe.
— Huff... Huff... Is anyone there!? — I shouted into the darkness.
And the wind echoed from all directions, as if telling me that I was trapped in a dead-end.
"SOMEONE THERE..."
"SOMEONE THERE..."
"SOMEONE THERE..."
There was no doubt, I was trapped somewhere that certainly wasn't my school.
"That mother goddess! She lied to me!"
I wasn't wrong; she was as bad an existence as the people I was used to dealing with.
She deceived me and betrayed me just like those bast*rds who ruined my life.
"But damn it. Why is it that every time I let my guard down I'm betrayed?"
I was angry and felt like a fool, not only because of the goddess, but with myself.
I should never have trusted her in the first place.
— Haa... It's too late to cry over spilled milk. First, I need to figure out where I am.
Before I could have any reaction, a semi-transparent golden screen appeared in front of me, explaining my situation.
================================
Dear Noah, you were the first mortal to resist my "Lust", although you did not escape my "Pride".
It is imperative that someone of your level did not succumb to my charms.
Despite being a Rank E soul, you survived the dimensional transfer. Therefore, I decided not to kill you immediately, but I cannot allow a black sheep to mingle in my flock.
Thank me for not removing my blessing, while you enjoy your miserable life sealed for all eternity in Tiamet's Dungeon.
From Freya.
================================
Freya's letter was clear. I was trapped and being kept alive out of pity, but what really scared me was something else.
"Dungeon? Am I in a dungeon?"
When I was younger, I sometimes came into contact with manga, more specifically fantasy manga.
In all these works, dungeons were seen negatively, clearly being a place of life or death.
— I need to find a way out of this place — I said, worried about my situation, and walking straight ahead with my arms extended.
A wall. I needed to find a wall to guide me in the darkness.
"If only there was a light."
Another reason to look for a wall was to find a torch. If I had one, I could easily find a way to set up camp in a room.
"The only light I've seen since I got to this place was from Freya's message."
The system message screens shone with a golden light.
"Wait? Do they shine, don't they?"
A crazy idea came to my mind, so crazy that it would certainly go wrong.
— Status.
Suddenly, a large semi-transparent golden screen appeared in front of me, but unlike the previous one, this one had been made entirely by me.
================================
[Status]
Name: Noah Elísio
Age: 17 years old
Level: 01
Race: Transmigrated (Human)
Rank: E
Strength: 7.1
Intelligence: 15.8
Resistance: 9.3
Speed: 8.1
Divinity: 0.5
[Abilities]
"Divine Eyes Lv1"(EX)
"Status Lv Max"(C)
[Blessings]
"Freya"
[Curses]
================================
The golden screen shone like a beacon in my vision, and I could clearly see what was written on it, but that was all that happened.
Its light existed only in my vision and nothing more. The statistics screen was an existence that only existed in my mind.
"Haa... That was a really stupid idea."
I couldn't help but mock my own ignorance.
"If only my ability could create fire or something like that, it would be much easier.
As if to answer my question, a new semi-transparent blue screen appeared in front of me, announcing the activation of my ability.
================================
["Divine Eyes Lv1"]
RANK: EX
DESCRIPTION: Matricial ability of all ocular abilities and source of all knowledge in the world.
Existing since the beginning of the universe within a paradise fruit, patiently waiting for its vessel, it will grant its user all its abilities.
EFFECTS: Grants its host an inexhaustible source of knowledge and creates auxiliary abilities that are necessary for them.
TYPE: Passive/Active.
CONDITIONS: No activation conditions.
================================
The system message basically told me to activate my ability; and more than that, it was saying that it could answer my questions.
Of course, at that point in the story, I wasn't sure if I could trust golden screens, but I still decided to take the risk.
"It won't get worse than this."
— Divine Eyes.
One second passed, then two, and then three, but nothing happened.
Not a light or feeling that something had changed. The only thing I continued to feel was the damp and thin air entering through my nose and the sound of water drops dripping on the ground and echoing off the walls; walls that no matter how much I walked, I never found.
"Could the way to activate this ability be different from the "Status"?"
Suddenly, a sequence of semi-transparent blue screens appeared in front of me, announcing the activation of my ability that did not appear on the "Status" screen.
[Continuing...]
[Starting...10...20...50...100%]
["Ability: Divine Eyes "activated !]
[Pleased to serve you, Noah Elísio]
"...Did it work?"
[Affirmative. I am fully operational.]
"...Did it just read my thoughts?"
[Affirmative.]
It was working. More than that, it was communicating with me as if it were a real person and reacting to my thoughts.
Basically, it was like talking to an artificial intelligence.
"How exactly do I use this ability?"
[Simply give your command and I will work on the possibility of carrying it out.]
"Huh. As if something so good could exist."
The ability description said it was an EX Rank ability and that it was the matrix of all ocular abilities, but I didn't know exactly how good an ability of this Rank could be or what it could do.
"The way you speak, it makes it seem like your power is unlimited."
[Affirmative. Your power has unlimited potential, as long as you fulfill the necessary conditions.]
Regardless of the power of this ability, it couldn't change the fact that I was in danger and my life was at risk, so how could it possess unlimited power.
"Alright then. Show me what you can do and help me find a wall."
[Analyzing...10...20...50...100%]
[Analysis completed !]
["Ability: Night Vision Lv1" created!]
As if by magic, my vision, once obscured by the veil of darkness, was now slowly clearing, to the point where everything was slowly becoming visible.
Giant brick walls were on both sides creating a corridor, covered in moss and insects.
A stone floor, full of bones of small animals and putrefied meat remnants.
And on the ceiling, mold and drips, which slowly dripped onto the ground and seeped into the soil.
"What happened?"
Beside me were still the semi-transparent blue windows, announcing the activation of an ability that did not appear on the "Status" screen.
[According to the user's needs, a new ability was created based on the database.]
"Can you create new abilities?"
[Affirmative.]
[As long as the data is available in my database, or if its operation is linked to the inherent power of your soul, it is possible to develop any Rank D or lower ability.]
"You are more useful than I imagined."
A spark of hope had arisen. A means of locating myself within the Dungeon had been created.
As long as I made an effort, I could get out of that place.
— Can you also help me find a way out of this place? — I asked, hopeful to find a way to survive.
[Analyzing...10...50...100%]
[Analysis completed!]
[Negative.]
[Insufficient data to create a map !]
[Analyzing...10...50...100%]
[Analysis completed!]
[Wind current detected !]
[Suggested that the user walks northward.]
I didn't hesitate. Although I didn't understand how my "Divine Eyes" worked, it was still my best clue on how to get out of this place.
Therefore, despite being concerned about what I might find ahead, I followed the corridor walking straight, in the direction it had indicated to me.
It didn't take long, and the previously disgusting and stinking scenery had become eerie and frightening.
Corpses of small animals were all over the place, among them it was possible to see small human bones, such as skulls and femurs.
Armor remnants were also scattered around, stained with blood and residues of other animals.
On the ground, weapon remnants were also scattered, such as spears, daggers, and even swords.
It was obvious to me that I was walking in an old battlefield.
"As I thought, this place is dangerous."
If I continued to follow that path, I would certainly end up encountering the same fate as those warriors faced, which would probably lead to my certain death.
Therefore, facing that repugnant scene, I crouched down and picked up a sword, which seemed to be in good condition, from the hands of a skeleton that was thrown to the side against a wall.
— Forgive me for dishonoring your corpse, but I'm only doing this for my survival — I said, in front of the mortal remains of the ancient warrior I had looted.
I'm not a religious person, but I don't like the idea that my actions may disturb the peace of mind of those who have already died.
The corpses that were there fought to the end for their lives. If I wanted to take the items that belonged to them to fight, I should, at the very least, do the same.
— If I survive, I promise to come back one day to bury them — I exclaimed, standing up and looking at the mortal remains of the ancient warriors, before continuing my journey.
"I must be crazy for talking to inanimate bones and thinking they're still listening to me."
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
It didn't take long, and I reached a fork in the road.
On my left side, there was a dark and silent corridor, so dark that not even with my "Night Vision" could I see.
To my right, a corridor that smelled of rat excrement and echoed a sinister sound of the moans of hundreds of small animals.
It was obvious that what killed the warriors I had found along the way was on the right, which left me with only one conclusion.
"They risked their lives for some reason. Right must be the right way if I want to get back home."
As soon as I took my first step towards the right, the walls behind me moved, leaving me trapped.
It was as if the Dungeon itself was telling me that there was no turning back.
Forcing me to move forward, with no other alternative, and no place to hide.
"GLUP"
I was scared, scared to continue and face my own death; but I knew better than anyone that when we're in trouble, only our own efforts can save us.
"I've faced death once, and I can face it again."