THE SYSTEM I MADE
Chapter 27
"The illusory Labyrinth"
"Slaying these goblins was a good exercise" Said Alex stretching his muscles.
Alex stood amidst the pile of goblin corpses, The air in the underground chamber was still and dank, but his adrenaline rush kept him alert. A familiar ping echoed in his mind, and a system notification flashed before him:
System Notification:
- Victory! You have successfully slain 15 goblins.
- Points Earned: 150
- Total Points: 2300
Alex grinned. "Alright, time to put these points to good use." He thought back to his previous life as a game developer, where he had designed intricate systems and balanced mechanics, and to mention he was obviously a gamer. "I have been meaning to purchase something," he muttered.
"Store," he commanded, triggering the system interface.
A holographic display appeared, showcasing a plethora of items and gear. "Thanks to the daily quest rewards, I have enough points to purchase my favorite gear. I really liked using this in 'Starforge Legacy'." He scrolled through the items, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Item: Assassin's Gauntlets
- Type: Armguard
- Points Required: 1000
- Description: Retractable blades, built-in lockpick, poison injector, and enhanced grip strength. Grants +20% critical hit chance and +15% attack speed.
- Special Skill: "Deadly Embrace" - Enemies grabbed with the gauntlets' enhanced grip strength have a 30% chance to be instantly killed (cooldown: 5 minutes).
"This is a very useful gear indeed, it really has some nostalgic feeling in it somehow" Alex murmured.
"Select."
System Notification:
- You have selected 'Assassin's Gauntlet'. Would you like to purchase?
"Yes," Alex confirmed.
System Notification:
- Your purchase was successful. 1000 points have been deducted. You have acquired the Assassin's Gauntlet.
He felt a tingle as the gauntlets materialized around his forearms, fitting perfectly.
Item: Grapple Hook Watch
- Type: Accessory
- Points Required: 800
- Description: A wrist-mounted grappling hook with a retractable cable, enabling swift scaling and traversing. Grants +20% movement speed and +10% jump height.
- Special Skill: "Quick Escape" - Allows the wearer to rapidly grapple to a nearby surface, gaining a temporary shield (absorbs up to 200 damage) and increased movement speed for 5 seconds (cooldown: 2 minutes).
"This one is useful as well," Alex noted. "Purchase."
System Notification:
- 800 points will be deducted. Do you still want to continue with the purchase?
"Yes," Alex said decisively.
System Notification:
- 800 points have been deducted. You have acquired the Grapple Hook Watch.
"Now that I got the gear that I wanted, I should head to the Boss Monster of this dungeon through this underground chamber and regroup. I'm sure there is a way out," Alex said as he moved forward.
Meanwhile, Kaidën and the others were still surrounded by the crawlers. "So let me guess, these monsters are called crawlers," Lucien said, getting into a fighting stance.
"Yes, though they may be inferior creatures, their numbers pose a problem. Let's just quickly annihilate them," Kaidën replied, one hand in his pocket showing no worried expression, the other hand glowing with magical energy.
The crawlers started approaching them. "How arrogant of these monsters, approaching us as if we are inferior to them," said Lucien with disgust.
"These monsters lack intelligence. They'll attack once they see a threat," Kaidën said calmly.
"I wanted to reserve my magic for the boss monster, but you seem too unreliable, so I'll offer my support," Kaidën added.
"Arghh, you bastard, I didn't ask for your help," Lucien replied, visibly irritated.
"Here they come!" Lara warned.
"Star Magic: Constellation, Andromeda's Chains," Kaidën cast a spell. Stars began to appear in a series, creating a pattern. Lines connected from star to star, forming the Andromeda constellation. As the constellation completed, celestial chains bound the crawlers in place.
"As expected from a Grandmaster's magic. That's some insane magical abilities," Lucien admitted, a rare compliment coming from his mouth.
"Are you going to keep talking, or are you going to end these monsters? If you don't want to, I could just crush these lil f*cks with my chains," Kaidën said, triggering Lucien further.
"Don't even think about doing so. These are mine," Lucien said, raising his hands to the sky.
"Light Magic: Blades of Judgement!" As Lucien chanted, multiple light blades appeared in the sky. "Descend!" he commanded, and the light blades rained down on the crawlers, successfully annihilating them.
"Wow, so this is the power of an Expert student combined with a Grandmaster," Lara said, impressed.
Outside the dungeon, Councilor Elara Winters watched them through magic alongside the principal and other councilors.
"The Ravenwood family raised one heck of a strong student; his magic is equivalent to that of a Master student, close to a Grandmaster," said Elara.
"Lucien and Kaidën, these two are practically unstoppable. Defeating an army of crawlers in a few minutes is no child's play," said Councilor Roderick, nodding in approval.
"Indeed," Principal Thaddeus Hawke added, his voice measured. "Their coordination is impressive, and they complement each other well. However, we must not overlook the importance of their teammate, Alexander Eldraine."
Councilor Gideon Ashcroft scoffed slightly. "A freshman? He might drag them down."
Councilor Lysandra Voss shook her head. "We must wait and see. The dungeon has a way of revealing the true potential of our students."
Meanwhile, in the dungeon, Kaidën, Lucien, and Lara moved forward, the glow of Lucien's light magic illuminating the path ahead. The chains of Andromeda faded, releasing the remnants of the defeated crawlers.
"Alright, let's keep moving," Kaidën said, his eyes scanning the area. "We can't afford to waste time. The boss monster is likely deeper within."
Lucien nodded, his pride momentarily set aside. "Yeah, let's finish this. And remember, don't rely on me too much. I don't like having to carry the team."
"Heh-you are joking right?"Kaidën asked as he tilts his head looking at Lucien , he felt a sense of confusion and laughter simultaneously.
"....." Lucien said nothing as he let out a cocky smirk
"How arrogant" Kaidën thought to himself.
They continued to traverse the dark and eerie corridors of the dungeon, their path illuminated only by the faint glow of Lucien's Light Magic. The air grew colder, and the sense of foreboding thickened, weighing heavily on their shoulders.
Lara's voice trembled slightly as she broke the silence. "This place is giving me the creeps. Do you feel that? It's like we're being watched."
Lucien rolled his eyes, attempting to mask his own unease. "Stop being so paranoid, Lara. We're alone here, just us and some crawlers."
Kaidën, ever the vigilant leader, kept his eyes scanning their surroundings. "Stay alert. This dungeon is known for its tricks and traps. The lack of enemies is concerning."
As if in response to Kaidën's words, the walls around them began to shimmer and distort. The trio found themselves standing in the middle of a dense, foggy forest, the dungeon's stone walls replaced by thick trees and underbrush.
Lucien's voice carried a hint of disbelief. "What in the world? Where are we?"
Kaidën's eyes narrowed, his mind racing to comprehend the sudden change. "An illusion. The dungeon is trying to disorient us."
A faint whisper echoed through the trees, a haunting melody that seemed to come from all directions at once. The sound sent chills down their spines.
Lara's eyes widened in fear. "Do you hear that? It sounds like... singing?"
The ground beneath them trembled slightly, and the melody grew louder. Out of the fog emerged ghostly figures, ethereal crawlers that moved with unnatural grace.
Lucien's face twisted in anger. "These aren't real. They're trying to mess with our heads. Light Magic: Radiant Burst!"
Lucien cast a burst of light, attempting to dispel the illusion. The figures flickered but did not disappear, their ghostly forms persisting despite his efforts.
Kaidën's expression remained calm but focused. "They're not just illusions. There's something else here, something powerful."
"Yeah, I sense some strange magical energy from all over this Damn place" said Lucien, looking around the entire area.
As if responding to Kaidën's words, the ground split open with a resounding crack, revealing a massive, glistening centipede-like creature with multiple glowing eyes. The creature's body was covered in thick, segmented armor, and its pincers clicked menacingly, sending a shiver down their spines.
Kaidën's voice was steady as he identified their foe. "A mini boss. The Centipede Matriarch."
Lara's eyes filled with dread. "It's enormous! How do we fight that?"
Lucien's smirk returned, though it was tinged with the seriousness of the situation. "With everything we've got. No holding back."
Kaidën's eyes narrowed. "Give it our all, huh? We still have to fight the dungeon boss. Wasting our entire magical energy on this centipede is not wise. Even if we manage to defeat it, what about the dungeon boss? And we don't even know how Alexander is doing right now. He doesn't possess the skills to defeat a boss—he's a freshman."
Lucien's face twisted in frustration. "What do you think we're supposed to do then? Do you even know that if we lose, we fail the first term examination?!"
Kaidën's voice was steady but firm. "That's not what I meant. Lucien, take Lara and find the dungeon boss immediately."
"And what about you?" Lucien asked, suspicion evident in his voice.
"I'll take this one on my own," Kaidën replied, tilting his head left and right, the sound of cracking bones evident as he stretched.
"No way I'm letting you have all the fun. This prey is mine," Lucien retorted stubbornly.
"I think Sir Kaidën is right. We should let him handle this. He is a Grandmaster, after all," Lara interjected.
"Tch, Grandmaster my ass," Lucien muttered, ignoring her.
Kaidën sighed internally. "Fine then, you take the centipede and I will deal with the dungeon boss myself, who is stronger than the centipede."
Lucien's eyes flared with anger. "Arghh, no way I'm letting you do that! Fine then! I'll take Lara with me and I'll show you I'm way stronger than you. Lara, let's move!"
Lara followed behind Lucien as he stormed off, a mix of relief and concern on her face.
Kaidën watched them go, shaking his head. "What an idiot."
The Centipede Matriarch made a loud, guttural noise and launched itself at Kaidën. He quickly evaded the attack, his expression neutral and unsatisfied.
"Now to deal with this thing," he muttered to himself, golden energy materializing all over his body.
The centipede lunged again, its multiple eyes glowing with malevolence. Kaidën's movements were fluid and precise, a testament to his Grandmaster status. He extended his hand, magic swirling around him.
Meanwhile, As Lucien and Lara ventured deeper into the labyrinth, the air grew heavier and the darkness more oppressive. Their footsteps echoed in the silence, the only sound in the seemingly endless corridors.
"Stay close, Lara," Lucien said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We're nearing the heart of the dungeon. I can feel it."
Lara nodded, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "I hope Kaidën is okay..."
"He'll be fine," Lucien replied, though his tone betrayed a hint of uncertainty. "He's a 'Grandmaster' , after all."
They turned a corner and found themselves at the entrance of a massive chamber. The walls glistened with a strange, bioluminescent moss, casting an eerie, greenish light over the room. In the center of the chamber, an enormous creature lay coiled, its segmented body stretching across the floor in an undulating mass.
"Is that...?" Lara began, her voice trembling.
"The Elder Centipede King," Lucien finished, his eyes narrowing.
The creature was even more imposing than he had imagined. Its carapace gleamed with a metallic sheen, and its numerous legs, each ending in a razor-sharp claw, twitched in anticipation. Its eyes, multifaceted and glowing a sinister red, fixed on the intruders with a malevolent intelligence.
The chamber itself was devoid of any signs of past battles or adventurers. Instead, it was meticulously maintained, with runic symbols etched into the floor and walls, pulsing with magical energy. This was a controlled environment, designed by the academy to test the mettle of its students.
Lucien readied himself , his mind racing. "We're not here by accident. This is a deliberate challenge."
Lara nodded, her hands glowing with healing magic, ready to support Lucien. "Let's hope we can rise to it."
The Elder Centipede King uncoiled itself, its massive form towering over them. It let out a guttural hiss, the sound reverberating through the chamber, a clear challenge to the intruders.
Lucien took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving the beast. "This is the real deal, the dungeon boss,the Elder centipede king"