It has been 4 days that they've been in the dungeon, especially on floor 20, where a lot of labyrinths exist with various dangerous dead ends and one way to escape from floor 20. Yet the environment on this floor is surprisingly quiet. No monsters have been seen when they are deeper on floor 20, but it makes the air stiffen and intense like the monsters can attack them anytime they want, or if they have intelligence, then they are probably waiting for the perfect chance to strike their prey. They've walked deeper again and again yet still haven't seen any Monsters; Jonathan begins to be suspicious about this quiet environment. He told Mary not to let her guard down because he had suspicions about this, which led to a bad thing; she nodded in response.
Jonathan and Mary walk in the long hallway of the cave, with various hallways connected to this while leading into unknown places. But they kept walking straight, and then, at the end of the hallway, there was a light waiting for them; Mary noticed that, and she excitedly told Jonathan that they'd be out of this cave – and onto another floor.
Jonathan had a suspicion that every time they delved into another floor, there should be a stair that led to the below floor. But no, this is different because it was a straight line while there were no stairs seen. Only light blocks their vision, and they cannot tell whether it is truly an exit or not. With hesitation they delve into the light to see what's waiting for them after passing the light, once they've passed they see a very large landscape of rock caves, along with small lakes filled with clear water – not contain any dangerous contents that could harm their body, they also can see a massive ravine whose are very deep that even connected into the floor below, if they jumped – they immediately descend to much lower floor in instant, but it's too dangerous for adventurer to just jump straight.
The Fly Skill is rare and also very hard to train, requiring a master-level of Wind Magic to even unlock that Fly Skill. Thus, all adventurers prefer using an enhanced speed skill or just walking, Jonathan moves forward and peeks down – seemingly, this abyss connects this floor to 5 floors below. Estimate floor 20-25, with the same environment as floor 20; Jonathan turns his head and suggests to Mary that they should straight jump for a quicker route rather than pass another cave to just go down. With a high chance of Monsters appearing when they use that path. Fidgeted her hair with her index finger as she revealed that she was unable to control her Fly, but assured him that she could just use her teleport skill to go down there.
He thumb up as an accepted response, and he suddenly leaned himself to the back literally behind him was an abyss, fell into the abyss – she was shocked to see Jonathan recklessly fall clearly worried about his safety, but the worried that she felt suddenly stop, she realize why she should need to worry about Jonathan, he surely able to survive that height using Constant Sword. She sigh approaching the abyss to see how deep it is – also seeing Jonathan fell down, slowly, and slowly shrinking on her vision. Meant that Jonathan was far away from her, through the cold air filled and surrounded the cave, she can feel how fierceful of this cave was. Might countless adventurers may dead inside of this madness Dugeon, though it was her thought but she would hoping that this wouldn't had a lot of dead casualties.
Mary casting her magic, an air begin to swirl near her as a glowing color appear beneath her foot. Slowly increasing it's brightness, her hairs start floating up like some wind has burst up under her hairs to make them raisen up. Then she vanished into thin air, suddenly reappeared below the abyss in instant. While Jonathan uses his Constant Sword to levitate his body, slowing the flows of wind and gravity to make him slowly falling down. Safely descended from above, then, Jonathan approach her as she clear an dust on her clothes.
They've now reach on floor 25, the deepest floor of cave environment level, also the final floor of cave level.
"Mary, we've gone into 25 floors now, only 75 floors remaining for us to venture."
Jonathan said, with a confident and impatient, his cheerful expression linked that he's not tired. Mary sigh, they begun their walks into below. Foreshadowing of an likely long explore to conquered the Dungeon. Thus they're not backing off from it – move forward and face all the threats that may dangerous enough to exhaust them.
An hour has passed, they've found an stair that lead down into next floor, when they step into next floor, they see an different environment yet again; countless hallways that connected to each other with vary of paths that are possibly an downstair to next floor. The Monsters are consist of Goblins, Werewolf, Slime, Cryo Snake, and Golem.
Those monsters had an advance intelligence, they goes in grouped whenever they going also this floors has an each Monster's Base in reign of their leader. In that moment, Jonathan and Mary doesn't know about this level the reason why, it's because the Dungeon in entire world has different levels of danger and environment on each of their floors level. It make all informants are crucially hopeless to helps all adventurers to gave an such important information, causing much death casualties across the world.
They're encounter a group of Goblins wearing an full iron-armor with a swords and spears on their hands, Jonathan felt unusual scene in front of him, he sense that Goblins aren't noticing them so it better to attack first when they are lowered their guard, Jonathan begun to slowly mid-crouch align forward toward the Goblins, then draws his Sword and launched himself to those group immediately piercing through their group – slashing their body in half in millisecond. Mary stood there in unsurprised reaction to which she had been seen much more destructive from him, so the encounter of those goblins is only like some toys that get destroyed by the kid. It is not much an threat to them after previous encounter with the Dragon once they enter that dangerous forest.
Looking down to see the goblin's corpses laying down in cold floor, a bloods are everywhere – warmth and still flooding from the bodies. She walked passing those corpses while her boots are stepping into the pool of bloods. They continues to explore this strange floor level that which filled with mystery, Jonathan walk in front of Mary while his pace are steady and calm – ready to attack or counter-attack from monsters roaming within this level. Step by step, the sensation of this environment are intense possibly make an average mental person broke down. Scared and nervous, that's the adventurers feel when they discovered or found themselves in new mysterious floor of Dungeon.
When they took on right side, they saw a horde of Werewolf eating the Goblins – the Werewolf sense their presence quickly turn their gaze into them. Jonathan prepare to launch an attack again, he can feel the murderous and hungry intent on their red-eyes. Slaughter and eat their prey. They charge toward Jonathan that stood straight, Jonathan notice that the Werewolfs are quite fast than Goblins, but it was not enough to hurt him. Without any second Jonathan launches himself toward those horde of Werewolf, attacking each of them in a speed that even looks like the time stopped on Jonathan perspective.
Slashing their chest in deep cut, making much bloods that came out from it. Slowly and slowly dying, they roar in pain then become an corpses. Mary once again can't even take an action, she just stand there watching those Monsters died, it goes continuously in each encounter the monsters. After walking for about 2 hours, they rest on the empty room. She casted an protection magic from monsters and poison air that maybe exist in this labyrinth.
Jonathan kneels down while taking out a kitchen stuff to prepare an meal for them to eat, making a circle using nearby rocks then used his Constant Sword's abilities to create a fire on middle of circle, after that, Jonathan placing down the frying pan filled with an oil into the circle – also put a meats on that pan, sizzling sound heard as the meats is slowly cooked, the smoke from that are wandering with a good and delicious scent that could attract anyone.
Once the meats is cooked he put the frying pan aside – replacing to a steel of pot, to make a soup for side dish. A few minutes later, Jonathan served the meal to Mary. She was reading her book that had an mysterious and immense Aura in it, the pressure was nullified as long as it near the Constant Sword.
She notice the fresh-delicious meal served by Jonathan, and thanks at him while grabbing her meal. She put the book aside her – raising her spoon to take an spoonful of the food. When she's eating Jonathan noticing her book on her side, revealing the page that she was read earlier. Curious, Jonathan take that book and looked at the page, the page says:
"100 years later, the time has come – all of Overseer are fully prepared to surpass multiverses, they only had discovered the multiverse and universe inside of Universe continuum. They've trained so long that few of them are enough to make a universe alone, which indicates that the Overseer of Mages are now much powerful. It was a first line of defense of Humanity, serving as an protector and guidance to lead the Human into Great Race. Overseer of Mages ascended from infinite multiverses to see another endless of infinite of infinite multiverses formed into foams. It becomes tiny and tiny when they goes above, keep seeing foams and foams that connected each other. Looking left and right just to see a foams, looks like it was an endless foams in this continuum. They keep going above and above but it felt that they still on same spot, nothing changes nothing happens. They frustrated due to stuck in same place, but when they descend they actually move down. Although they sense that they actually goes up, they've seems stuck on the same spot it's because the space was endless, not a endless but rather surpassed the concepts of endless even infinite piles of infinite Cantor's Attic stacked upon Absolute Infinite piles of infinite Cantor's Attic. Meanwhile they're not even reach those level – they might need to trained whole several decades again. In such a time, they couldn't catches those level – it was nearly impossible to them to reach that level. But everything will constantly changing, the Human will evolve into stronger version, it is depends on the evolution of them. Over 5 decades later, a new member of Overseer of Mages has made everyone shock and disbelief, he successfully transcend that level to which enough to pass through those Cantor's Attics. He was 26 years old – the first young man has transcend Cantor's Attics in Overseer of Mage history, so every Overseers learned and also trained from him in same training and knowledge as him. Now they once again gained much power that even surpasses that level coursing through their moral into above, with that training they immediately descended again like they won't give up until they revealed the Universe."
The hardwork and determined from Overseer of Mage has made Jonathan astonished, they've not even backing off slightly rather move forward facing their future. When he's about to read again, the sound of bowl and plate place down into floor. Jonathan turned his gaze seeing Mary has finished ate her meal, she felt full and relief – eat some delicious meal again and again.
Jonathan give her book back while took his own meal, and start eating. When Jonathan handed her book back she realize that Jonathan had reading her book, which is okay. It's only contains the knowledge from Overseer of Mage and their experiences, she closed that book – putting back into her backpack and changing her book into different one. Outside of Dungeon which on the other side of the world, The Hero along with his party and all Royal Knights in the world combine has reach into the deepest territory of Demons. They'll going to strike further, but they didn't expect that The Demon King has sended his one of General Demon toward their way, The Hero knew that he alone wouldn't enough to beat or even eliminate the General, even all of them attack together, still won't be able to defeat him. But then the General of Demon known as The Darkness of Knight appeared, with a darkness fog trailing behind him. All alive things slowly faded – turning into dusts, it was resemble as an Nightmare of Life.
He's wearing a full black Armor with an Darkness Aura filled around him, his eyes fierce easily to scared all of Low Spirit of enemies. A Red-Eyes staring at them – hand was gripped on his massive sword behind him while slowly approaching in menace. They are scared and hopeless to see the General, some of them running away from the battlefield as their vigor has reduced. The Hero shock to see his army slowly fleeing – only left him, his party, and remaining strong-spirit Knights. Stood in front of incoming danger. They raise their weapons with determine to defeat him even though they know that they will absolutely loose, but for Humanity they will not flee, die in honor or escape and life in embarrass and guilt. They belief it, but they also need to not let The Hero and his party died.
"We shall no fear! We must fight to protect Humanity! And regain our peaceful World!"
Says the leader of Knight in confidence and believe of them to win but The Hero was slightly sweat, staring directly at his enormous enemy. A single enemy can make almost whole armies running away, the Hero's Party are also skeptical about the chance of live or died. But they'll will fight along with The Hero, preparing their weapons while slowly stand beside The Hero. Ready to face the Nightmare at once, for greater good.
Fast forward, they lost completely – nothing couldn't even scratch the armor from him made by the Demon King itself, with a fine and strongest material known for earth. Hero and his party lay down in the dead grass, heavily injured and nearly died. He slowly walk forward, approaching in immense pressure filled the battlefield. The Hero whose still had a consciousness immediately casted an Holy and destructive spell directly to him, unfortunately it didn't work. A smoke from it slowly faded as it revealing him in unscratched and unharmed form, when he about to approach the Hero – a brave Knight thrust his sword to back of that enemy, yet the sword instantly shatters. But he kept attacking using a nearby items, making the enemy annoyed – turning his attention toward that brave soldier. Making enough time for The Hero and his friends retreat, looking at the situation and the Knight intent he nod with a respect of his sacrifice, he stand up silently to approach his party when the brave Knight busy to attract the enemy. The Hero immediately use an teleportation spell – with a consumption that drain almost whole of his Mana. But successfully retreating to nearby Kingdom, Nightmare of Life surprise by an Teleportation's Aura from that spell, he turned around seeing the Hero retreating with his friends. Thus, he immediately dash toward them desperately to catch him before teleport away from this. But a luck was on Hero's side, The Hero and his unconscious friends teleported away – he was missed in just a second away. He frustrated – letting all his anger out, destroying everything around him even that brave Knight died by him.
Now the news of The Hero and their armies lost to General of Demon has spread rapidly across the world, many people shock, and some others was terrified by how Demon General are powerful able to defeat an Hero himself, now The Hero and the rest was been treated – healing their injuries that are potential lead into death. And recovering in some place that kept secret so that the Demon cannot find The Hero location.
One day passed, in Dungeon that couldn't even know what's happen out there. Jonathan and Mary woke up from sleep, they've had been sleeping after while on the dungeon, it isn't a cozy place because of cold and hard floor with a unpleasant smell. They eat breakfast, preparing their stuffs, and more, Mary turn off her barrier around this room. As the barrier off they're walked out from it progressing their venture and conquer this place, on an hours they found themselves into strange hallway, it was empty but there is a skulls of humans, Werewolf, and more. It may an battle between Human and those monsters dwelling within this floor before them. But there's some strange thing, when Jonathan and Mary goes deeper and deeper seeing much more skull of human then slowly skull of another monsters laying down.
Then it shows more and more skulls of monsters, compares to human where it was small amount of skull while monsters are much more. Atleast 5 times more. Those human might been slaughtered by that monsters, though now it became a skulls. And there no single goblin's skeleton, not even a mere bones of them are found. Usually Goblins would joined the war eventually died miserably. It was common to see goblin intervened or joined, it's none.
Jonathan thought something that will be revealed soon as they kept walking forwars into the hallway, then something unexpected happens – a laughter echoed through the end of hallway, making them stop in track, laughter sound are louder and louder even it seems multiplied. And more they realize what this situation they become alert as there sense a dangerous on the end of it.
They are getting closer and now the laughter are increasing again, it became clear as Jonathan hear that laughter was identical as an Goblin's laughter, and when they almost closer to the end, it become more clear to hear – making it easy to identify whose laughter it is.
"Mary, stop."
He command in whisper, Mary whose was right in front of him turn her gaze behind her, stop and stare at him in confuse.
"What is it? Come on Jonathan we've almost there."
"No, didn't you hear that laughter too?"
Jonathan said, Mary look in front of her and goes back to stare at him and nod.
"Yeah, I heard that. Is that an problem? We should be fine you know."
She reassure him, reminding him that he has Constant Sword. Jonathan wasn't scared nor even sweat little bit, he just curious on such strange laugh.
"You really are rely on me much huh?"
She giggles then pat his back, replying his words.
"That's correct."
Thus they step forward to face the danger before them, as they out of the hallway they sees something bizarre. A whole massive chamber filled with a kind of something like a town, there's a monsters living this town – a goblins, it is rare discovery as they are alike human, it's unusual for the monsters to have such intelligence as a human thought is only their life instinct from human. But when they see Mary and Jonathan stood before the town, they behavior become same as normal goblins, grab any items nearby to use as a weapons to attack them. Jonathan quickly unsheathe his sword and Mary ready to cast her magic, looking hordes of seem countless goblins toward them. It's gonna be tired once it is done dealing those pesky monsters.
Jonathan launch himself toward them, Mary assist him by casting a rapid fireballs toward goblins, annihilated instantly once touch the fireball. Jonathan swiftly attacked them one by one, they can't see Jonathan's movement it was too fast for them to react. They keep attacked again and again, endless and endless hordes are coming to attacking them, the population began to decreasing drastically. Forcing Jonathan to use a area of effect – attacking multiples targets at once, he keep swing his sword so fast that 1 second is equal to 1 thousand swings of sword, Mary in other hands uses all elements skilled to attack alongside with Jonathan, she was far behind from Jonathan taken every goblins with her skill while make sure her location are safe.
All goblins are focusing on Jonathan, completely surrounding him and attacked consecutively at once, almost overwhelmed Jonathan in quantities. One of goblins blow the trumpet calling an reinforcement, in same time the ground begin to shaking, from the town appeared a bunch of orcs emerging, they're giant and their strength are enchanted purely. Mary aimed her magic toward the orcs, a lot of explosions everywhere – including those orcs, their durability are impressive they've tanked her magics and keep moving like there's no injuries despite an explosion and injury on them. Her attack only just slowing them down, when Jonathan on Orc's range attack.
One of the Orc that was near Jonathan swing his enormous sword – blowing in half everything in his path including their own kind, Jonathan manage to dodge it with ducking his body to kneeling. Then continues with reckless attack – swinging the sword around like a mad-man. The goblins near that Orc scared and backing off from the Orc to safe distance from his attack, Jonathan dodge and dodging again and again, the relentless strike made by the Orc shall make Jonathan tired and will not let him destroy their home. Then, Jonathan see a gap on his head – quickly strike it and successfully piercing through the skull of the Orc instantly died and fall above the goblins, crushed under Orc's dead body. Jonathan use the dead body to jumped higher toward another Orcs, striking down multiple of them. Jonathan landed into the floor while still surrounded by horde of Goblins and Orc, but then something screams throughout the room – shaking whole room as the above almost crumble down, that sound was a threat to anyone whose tresspassed Goblin's Area.
Jonathan gazes the town while the ground begun to trembling again, this time much shaking. The massive shadow on town can see with a clear eyes but not yet revealed, every step is like a maker of earthquake easily to tremble the floor. A shadow slowly and slowly faded away – emerging through the shadow, fully revealing that was a King of Goblin. The leader of whole Orcs and Goblins in this base, a crown attached on his head. His gaze are something that can terrified every adventurer, this wasn't a Boss nor even a Mini-Boss but this was ordinary monsters dwelling within this floor. It is the part of the dungeon itself, upon seeing the King of Goblin he felt that his excitement are building up. Fueling his spirit to above facing, only one time he felt scared or nervous or feeling that he's about to die or something. It was on encountering with Dragon, especially Red-Dragon.
He smiled widely, revealing his teeth as he looked at the enormous creature. The King of Goblin was armed with a massive sword, imbued with enchanted strength and sharpness. His body was so thick that any magic or skill below level 10 would not affect him. Suddenly, the creature roared loudly, causing everything around to tremble with the pressure of the sound, and the ceiling seemed on the verge of breaking.
Then, he struck with his massive sword in Jonathan's direction – a blow so immense that it made the ground shake, instantly killing all nearby monsters with the debris and the sheer force of the attack. When the dust settled, only a line-shaped crater remained, and Jonathan had narrowly dodged the assault with his extraordinary speed/faster than speed of light. The King of Goblin resumed his attack, relentlessly pursuing Jonathan in an effort to kill him, but Jonathan's agility was far greater than that of the King or anyone else. He moved as if he were surpassing time itself, the air parting around him as he executed his maneuvers. To him, his body felt as light as nothing, swift and flexible, almost as if it had its own mind, reacting instinctively to threats.
Meanwhile, Mary was busy dealing with the smaller enemies – Orcs and Goblins – making sure they wouldn't interfere in Jonathan's battle with the King of Goblin. Jonathan searched for any opportunity to strike, but there were no gaps in the chaos; the chamber was intensely crowded, the air growing stiff with the tension from the explosions that erupted everywhere.
Suddenly, a fissure appeared in the center of the town, initially unnoticed by the inhabitants. A peculiar tremor began to resonate through the ground, causing the crack to rapidly expand. Without warning, a formidable creature emerged from this opening: a Black Dragon, one of the most powerful dragons known to exist on Earth. The Dragon swiftly identified the King of Goblins, who was paralyzed by fear at the sight of such a powerful entity. In an instant, the Dragon lunged towards the King of Goblins, consuming him as if he were a mere snack.
Jonathan, positioned near the King of Goblins, observed in horror as the Dragon devoured him. The aura emanating from the Dragon was overwhelming, exerting a pressure that felt capable of collapsing an entire building. In a state of panic, the Goblins and Orcs fled, seeking to escape from their own stronghold. Mary, witnessing this encounter with yet another powerful Dragon, was left in shock. At this juncture, only Jonathan and Mary remained, aware that they might have a chance to confront the Black Dragon; however, they recognized that this task would be significantly more challenging than confronting any other type of monster.
In that moment, a profound silence enveloped the air, creating a tense atmosphere among Mary, Jonathan, and the Black Dragon. They understood that retreat was not an option, as the Dragon would relentlessly pursue its prey until it was defeated and dead.
-To Be Continued.