"FUUUUUUUUUUCK!"
A cloud of birds scattered up into the sky as the loud yell echoed through the dense jungle.
The entire area was a carpet of green, with tall trees of every species packed tightly together.
Curtains of vines hung from their branches, and brightly colored fruits and flowers were scattered throughout.
Sprinting along the forest floor, smacking vines and leaves out of his way, was David. All around him, countless animals and beasts were crying out, somehow, the jungle was more chaotic than normal.
The reason was behind David, an enormous bird, at least thirty meters tall, was chasing him. There were loud crashing sounds as it ran into trees, knocking them over.
David glanced back for a moment, then swore again. The ground shook under him as the birds large clawed feet slammed into the ground.
The bird had gotten close enough that he could see its enormous wide open beak. He could even see the saw like edges of the beak, and smoldering heat at the back of its throat.
[Unfortunately User, I could not locate any relevant information for this species.]
The system's voice rang out in his head, it seemed to David that there was the slightest hint of laughter in its voice.
'THAT'S VERY HELPFUL!'
David yelled internally. He took another look at the route the system had traced out for him, everything had been going perfectly fine.
The first couple days of his journey had been uneventful, he had fought a few weaker Magical Beasts, and absorbed their mana, this was the final stretch.
"Just you wait bird, wait till I form a core, then I'll be back and make a rotisserie chicken out of you." David muttered angrily.
[User, we are nearing your destination.]
David didn't even bother responding to the system, the bird was so close that he could feel the heat from its beak on his neck.
"SQUUUUUUUAAAAA" The bird let out a loud squawk, and the heat coming from behind started to scorch David's hair.
Another squawk, this time louder, sounded out. Warning bells rang in David's head.
A sudden blast of hot air, exploded through the air. Not able to catch David, it seemed like the bird wanted to cook him instead.
"FUUUUUUUUU-" David yelled, throwing himself off to the side, wincing as he tumbled down a hidden slope. Sticks and rocks poked him as he rolled down the hill.
David glanced up the hill, and he cursed again as the chicken like head of the bird peeked down at him. Its beady eyes darted around, the fleshy comb on the top of its head wiggling around.
David held his breath, he was hanging upside down inside a bush, the thick mess of leaves and twigs had broken his fall.
He waited, motionless, hoping to the bundle of blue feathers disappear.
"Why the hell is it even after me? I didn't do anything." David whispered to himself, grabbing a branch tight as he began to slip down out of his hiding place.
"Go away."
"Please go away."
David's whispers grew more and more desperate, watching the bird stalk back and forth at the top of the hill, seeing it cock its head.
"No!" David whispered furiously when the bird raised a large clawed foot, about to step down the hill.
"ROOOOOOOOAAARR!"
It felt as though the air was splitting apart, a deafening roar came from the jungle behind the giant bird.
It immediately let out a deafening screech, and ran towards the sound of the roar.
"Good, pick on someone your own size." David gave a sigh of relief, falling out of the bush and climbing to his feet.
Around David, the jungle quieted down, the loud howls and hooting fading away into the normal noise of the jungle.
Without wasting a moment, David turned in the direction of the ruin, speeding through the jungle, he didn't want to wait around here for that oversized chicken to change its mind and come back for him.
Soon enough, he came across the first crack in the ground, which was a clear sign of a ruin upheaval.
The noises of the jungle faded away, and the mostly flat jungle floor changed to a jagged and broken ground.
The air was thick with mana, and the greenery became thinner. David stepped out of the dim green glow of the jungle into the sunshine, and the familiar smell of the ocean.
"This can't be right." David muttered, ahead of him he could only see a cliff, beyond which was the open ocean and a clear blue sky.
[User, according to the map provided, this is the correct location.]
The system reassured David, showing him the map once again.
David looked back to the jungle, surely the entrance wasn't hidden there.
He started to wander the area, taking in the many cracks in the ground, the more cracks there were, the more likely a ruin had surfaced.
But there was no sign of one.
'He didn't lie to me did he?' David thought back to Rosr, the couldn't be any reason for the dwarf to send him on a wild goose chase out here.
Growing frustrated David walked over to the edge of the cliff, the rolling waves stretching out endlessly beneath him.
The soothing sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below and the warmth of the afternoon sun would have been relaxing, if he hadn't just ran for his life.
"Don't tell me..."
David sighed, and set down his pack. He lay down at the edge of the cliff, wiggling forward like a snake. After an upheaval, the ground was often unsteady.
There it was, David spotted a small shelf on the edge of the cliff below, and next to it, was a tall oval shaped rock, covered in strange carvings.
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy."
From his backpack, David took a long rope. Before setting everything else aside, he would only keep a couple days of emergency food and water on him, he needed to be light for this.
David tied the rope to the most sturdy of the trees, looping the remaining part over his shoulder, and tying a harness around his waist and shoulders.
Then, he made his way to the edge of the cliff, and took carefully made his way onto the first hold.
[User! Please place your hands and feet on the highlighted locations.]
For once, David was glad to hear the system's voice, as it highlighted the safest hold for David to use.
Loose rocks showered down the cliff as David made his way down towards the ledge he had spotted. But the path the system had outlined for him was safe.
"Still alive." David had a sarcastic smile on his face when his feet landed on the thin ledge. He undid the rope from around his body, he was in the right place.
To his right was the strange rock he had spotted, it was covered in geometric patterns that formed a sort of maze, which looked nothing like any design that David had seen before.
And right in front of him, a tall cave, completely dark, without even the slightest glimmer of light.
Without even a shred of doubt, David stepped into the darkness.