"Ah!" The sudden and forceful kick sent me through the car door and into the unfamiliar surroundings outside. I squinted against the sunlight as I tried to regain my sight.
"Well then, happy hunting!" the blonde lady shouted sarcastically before swiftly closing the car door. The vehicle sped off, leaving me stranded.
Staring at the speeding away car, I turn back to notice that the bucket-hat-wearing lady now sat on a freshly laid mat in its stead. She maintained an elegant posture with her legs tucked under her thighs.
"Umm, aren't you gonna go with them?" I asked, pointing at the disappearing car on the horizon.
"Hmm," the woman said, taking a soda can from her coat and cracking it open. "No." She gestured towards something behind me, causing me to look back.
"Find and rescue the people who went into that dungeon," She declares, taking a sip of the soda "I'll wait here to make sure you don't run away."
"And what if I don't come out?" I ask, staring into the abyss with a twitching eye.
"Then you will be presumed dead." She takes another sip.
"And what if I'm not dead?"
"Then I will kill you myself to make sure." She takes another sip.
"...What is my time limit?"
"One day." She takes another sip.
"Just one!?" I observe her in shock as she, again, casually takes another sip. Does that aluminum can hold an infinite amount of soda or something!?
"Could I have a sip too?" I plead.
"Fuck off." Taking another sip, she hands me a flashlight.
Taken aback, I inhale a deep breath, turning to march into the dungeon. I had traversed these realms countless times in my previous world, this was nothing new...
'How did I even get myself into this mess?' I wondered as I took my first steps into the darkness, with nothing but a flashlight.
For the initial few minutes, it was surprisingly calm. Though, hot, there are no signs of menacing creatures. Encouraged, I started to walk more boldly, taking larger steps. That was until I was reminded of a cautionary saying: "The calm before the storm."
A familiar burning smell tickled my nose, freezing me in my tracks, my widened.
My first obstacle.
I clutch my flashlight like a makeshift dagger, aiming at the source of the sound. I wait for the thing to step into the light.
"It's... It's... a slime!?"
Moving sluggishly, a small, blue, transparent blob inches toward me, but quickly withdraws as soon as it detects the warmth of my light.
Although I had encountered them many times in my previous world, I knew better than to underestimate their potential danger. Calmly, I moved around it, pressing on.
Slimes were generally laid-back creatures, only retaliating if provoked. Fire is often the most effective means of dealing with them.
As I continued my journey, I came across more of these creatures, some small, some large, all of which I navigated around. The dungeon appeared to widen the deeper I ventured. Unfortunately for me, this expansion meant that I may encounter even larger monsters ahead.
"Speaking of which..."
The revolting, yet familiar smell engulfed the air. Shedding light on it, I was certain.
"Monster excrete."
This should be their dumping area.
"An opportunity like this is hard to come by..." Using the long sleeves of my borrowed coat, I carefully scoop up a portion of the waste and rub it onto the fabric.
Just then, it dawned on me—I'm still, only wearing a coat, and it's not even mine. I hope Luna won't be too upset with me for destroying her garment.
After sufficiently covering myself, I continue my journey. The sound of splashing water begins to permeate the surroundings. Eventually, I reached a point where I no longer needed my flashlight.
The dungeon's walls were littered with gem-like stones that emitted a soft, enchanting glow, illuminating every nook and cranny.
"Damn."
Back in my previous world, these gems would fetch extraordinary prices due to their extreme rarity. In fact, I had only laid eyes on two of them, and I hadn't even discovered them myself. But here, their abundance was beyond count.
Despite my strong urge to pocket some of them, I resist the temptation and press on. I had only one day, after all.
With a clear objective in mind, I continue my descent into the dungeon. Although, It didn't take long before I stumbled upon another unexpected encounter.
Nestled against the cavern walls, a few wolf-like beasts rest soundly, completely unaware of my presence.
I guess my strategy paid off.
At a glance, these creatures might resemble wolves, but the familiarity ends there. Despite the markings that might pass for eyes, they were merely coincidentally placed patterns. In reality, they were blind and relied heavily on their acute sense of smell and hearing.
Carefully, I tiptoe through, making sure not to step on anything that might give away my presence.
Not going to lie, I'm pretty smart. Good thing I covered myself while I had the chance.
However, my progress is abruptly interrupted by an unexpected visitor.
"Look at what we've got here!" The loud, obnoxious voice of a young girl echoes through the dungeon, waking up every living thing in the vicinity. "A helpless human in need of assistance, it appears." I glance upwards, and there she stands, perched atop a massive rock formation, her arms crossed and a confident grin on her face as she looks down at me.
"Are you out of your mind!?" I exclaim, my gaze returning to the spot where the monster had rested. It now stood on all fours, alert and ready.
Taking a step towards me, it was quickly overshadowed by the girl as she plunged from above, stabbing her bare hands through its thick skin before placing her leg on its body, pulling out her blood-covered arm, and then her hand, now holding the beast, still pumping heart.
"Fear not, human. I shall rescue you, for the bargain price of a mere three gold coins," she declares, her head tilted back as she glances at me with her sharp amber eyes and wide grin, effortlessly crushing the heart in her grasp, coating herself in its blood.
"No, why would you destroy a perfectly good heart? That could have fetched a high price..."
Landing her gaze on another approaching beast, she fearlessly hurls herself into its gaping maw, thrusting her carefully positioned arm into its throat, hysterically laughing in the process.
At this point, I wasn't even sure who the monster was, I just wanted to get out of here.
Taking a few steps back, in an instant, I completely freeze still, holding my breath. Moving my pupils, I could make out from my peripheral vision the beast. Almost feeling it's coarse fur. However, It's growls were not directed towards me.
I glance ahead at the psychotic girl as she glances back, quickly closing in with just a few steps, at demon-like speeds. She skewers her arms from below through the monster's jaw, placing her other arm through its fur-covered neck, suffocating it till it could no more. Similar to my style of killing.
Panting, her sweat mixes with the blood on her face, making for a grotesque look. However, that quickly changes.
"Hmph, there you go, you're welcome, unknown human," she says with a blush, nodding her head proudly.
"...What in the world are you?" I ask, my voice monotone.
"Ha! An excellent question, human!" She tosses back the hood of her cloak, revealing her curly, shoulder-length auburn hair. But almost camouflaged within it were a pair of long, drooping ears.
"A beast girl?" I answer.
"Correct! But you have to be more specific." She lifts the bottom of her cloak, revealing her fur-covered tail, wagging it excitedly.
"A dog girl?" I take a guess.
"Ding ding, you got it!" She responds with brightened eyes, her tail wagging even more enthusiastically. It was hard to believe that just moments ago, she had committed a full-blown massacre.
I guess reading all those fantasy novels paid off, somehow.
"Now, about my compensation for saving you," she says, extending her hand with pride.
Ignoring her, I scrutinize her face more closely, there was no denying it. I pull out a missing poster, catching her off guard.
"Huh!? What's this?" She tilts her head in confusion.
"These are pictures of people who have gone missing in this dungeon. I'm here to rescue them," I explain, pointing to one of the pictures. "And this one, it's you, isn't it?"
Squinting at the picture of herself, she exclaims "Hell no, I ain't that ugly!"
"But that is clearly you."
"No... you are clearly blind, human."
I bite my lips in frustration "This is most definitely you, you went missing for a week!"
"But I'm not missing, I have been hunting for only a day."
"Stop lying already."
"You stop lying!"
Throwing a tantrum, she takes out a pocket watch and shoves it against my face. "I have been checking the time, it has truly been only a day!"
"But then... this missing poster of you..." I looked closer at the watch, it seemed to be working normally. I rub my head, staring at the poster. "How about this, just come with me outside--"
"No, you look like a creep."
I look at myself, gulping my spit. She had a point.
With furrowing brows, I strain my head in thought "How about money, if you come out with me, I will give you double the compensation."
Intrigued, she stares at the ground, pondering her thoughts.
"If I feel suspicious at any moment, you can just kill me at any moment. I'm merely just a human after all."
She lets out a soft smirk, showing her true colors. "Very well human, you have to pay me six gold coins--"
"Done!" I didn't know the worth of six gold coins in this world, and it sounded expensive. But I just wanted to be done with all of this as soon as possible.
Navigating my way back, I turned to look back at the mesmerizing, illuminated area one last time as she followed me with her hands behind her back at a distance.
"You know, you can come closer," I remark.
"No way, you smell like shit."
"Gotcha."
At least she was following me.
With the dungeon now getting darker, I take out my flashlight to see better. But the thing refused to turn on.
"Did it run out of battery already?" I hit the sides of it, but nothing happens.
"Ha! Imagine needing to use a flashlight to see in the dark." She remarks, quickly taking the lead. "Allow me to help you, poor human."
Suddenly, she didn't mind being near me. I think I'm starting to understand her now.
Trailing right behind her, my gaze was quickly drawn down to her tail with a sudden urge of wanting to touch it. However, she suddenly stops as I bump my head into her, hampering the urge.
"Why did you stop?" I could see light coming from ahead, we were almost there.
"Hey, human, what did you do?"
"Hmm?" nudging to the side, I walk closer to the light, the familiar sound of splashing water permeating the area.
A... pile of turd. But behind it, the same area where we left from. The positions of the rocks, the remains of the monsters, it was all the same.
"We... are back."
"Hey," she called out to me, looking at me with sharp eyes. "You're being pretty suspicious right now."
"What!?" Taken aback, I continued. "How am I suspicious?"
"Just before... you were ogling at my tail, and you also bumped into me!"
"You are concerned about that!?"
"Tch, I knew it, you really are a creep." With a frustrated look, she turned to run back the way she came. "I will never let you take my dignity!" her footsteps faded into the darkness, but not for long. Emerging from the shadows, an astonished dog girl almost fell to her knees in disbelief.
"You... are back--"
"No!" Interrupting me, she runs back, disappearing and reappearing again. "How did you!?" She repeats the process, but returns back in vain. "You... you really want me that bad!?"
A supernatural phenomena; that is how I would describe this situation. However, what was even more supernatural was this girl herself. How could someone be so utterly clueless!?