As Len and Miyoyu strolled down the forest path, the dense trees gave way to a clearing. Miyoyu led the way, his golden eyes scanning their surroundings with casual disinterest, while Len followed behind, still pondering the events of the previous day. His attention was pulled away when a massive door appeared before them, embedded in the side of a cliff. The door was covered in glowing runes, and gemstones protruded from its surface, pulsing with an otherworldly light.
Len's eyes widened in awe.
Len: "W-wait... Is that... a dungeon..? Fascinating! I haven't seen one up close before. This... the runes are activated, meaning it's a new one, right?"
Miyoyu smirked and nodded, though there was a slight glint of amusement in his eyes.
Miyoyu: "Good observation. Yes, this is a dungeon. Do you know the basics?"
Len straightened up a bit, eager to show what he knew.
Len: "Yes, I do. A dungeon is a type of interdimensional portal that appears randomly in areas rich in magic or energy. They're likely to contain shadows or souls of dead beasts, or maybe copies of mythical creatures powerful enough to destroy a continent!"
Miyoyu raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
Miyoyu: "Hm, well, some things you said are wrong. I guess they feed you a lot of misinformation."
Len frowned, his confidence shaken.
Len: "Huh? Like what…?"
Miyoyu shrugged, dismissing the topic with an air of mystery.
Miyoyu: "Nothin'. Just stick to what you believe."
Len: "...Alright..."
Before Len could probe further, Miyoyu continued, his tone becoming more business-like.
Miyoyu: "Okay, I'll explain the rules. You have to go in there, and I will spectate everything. Don't ask how. You'll need to use your abilities to fight, but the only weapon you'll have is... this."
With a casual flick, Miyoyu grabbed a nearby branch and tossed it at Len.
Miyoyu: "Good luck."
Len caught the branch, his expression rapidly shifting from confusion to frustration.
Len: "W-WAIT! You can't just send me in there with a stick! You need at least seven people to clear a one-rune dungeon! And this dungeon has three runes!"
Miyoyu rolled his eyes, completely unfazed.
Miyoyu: "Lol, I literally soloed an 11-rune dungeon the first time I gained my abilities. Cry about it."
Before Len could argue any further, Miyoyu raised his hand and muttered a spell under his breath.
Miyoyu: "AgtoNah."
The runes on the dungeon door flared to life, glowing bright as the door creaked open. A gust of wind pulled Len toward the entrance, the magic drawing him in against his will.
Len: "AAAHHHH YOU BRAAA—"
His scream was cut off as the dungeon swallowed him whole.
---
Len tumbled into the dungeon, landing unceremoniously on a pile of flowers. He groaned, pushing himself up and taking in his surroundings. The place was teeming with life—vibrant plants covered the floor, walls, and ceiling, though some of them were clearly moving. In the dim light, he could see plant-like monsters shuffling around, some sprouting large, gnashing teeth.
Len: "A floral-type dungeon... great..."
As Len stood, one of the plant monsters locked its beady eyes on him, letting out a guttural roar. The creature lunged forward, teeth bared, chasing him across the field.
Len: "AHHHH GO AWAYYYY!"
Panic took over, and Len sprinted, wildly swinging his stick at anything that came too close. The monster roared in frustration as it chased him, and before long, a horde of plant monsters joined in, teeth snapping as they ran after him.
Suddenly, Miyoyu's voice echoed in Len's head.
Miyoyu: "Use your abilities, dummy. Aren't you a Herald?"
Len blinked, realization dawning.
Len: "Oh right... AHHHH TAKE THIS!"
Without hesitation, Len focused his energy. His body began to glow, the light intensifying until it became a blinding flash, brighter than the sun. The plant monsters screeched as the light burned their eyes, many of them collapsing and writhing in pain.
Len: "Oh wow... I didn't expect that to work!"
Miyoyu's voice returned, sounding both amused and bored.
Miyoyu: "Convenient, huh? This dungeon's weak to light. Looks like all the monsters here can be easily defeated with a strong source of light. Lucky you. All you have to do now is finish off the flowers you blinded and make your way to the soulcore of the dungeon."
Len wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved that the light had worked.
Len: "Maybe God does love me after all... Okay, so I just need to find the soulcore where the most monsters are, right? The soulcore's the boss monster that I need to defeat to clear the dungeon and claim the rewards."
Miyoyu: "Yeah, but don't get cocky. Even though it's weak to light, be careful. I'll be waiting outside."
Len groaned. Miyoyu's voice faded away, leaving him to handle the rest on his own. The plant monsters, still blinded, lay scattered across the dungeon floor. Taking a deep breath, Len approached one of the writhing creatures.
Len: "Sorry, lil' buddy, but I have to do this."
He raised the stick and brought it down hard. The flower monster let out a scream of agony, its cries echoing through the dungeon. Unfortunately, the sound didn't go unnoticed. The other blinded monsters, though they couldn't see, heard their companion's screams and responded in kind. A deafening, unified scream filled the dungeon, the sound so intense that it pierced Len's mind.
Len clutched his head, staggering backward as the unbearable noise overwhelmed him. His vision blurred, his body collapsing to the ground. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the blurred image of the plant monsters surrounding him.
---
Len woke up in his hotel room, groaning in pain. His head throbbed, his ears still ringing from the monsters' screams.
Len: "AUGH... My head... What happened...?"
Miyoyu, sitting casually at a desk with a laptop, glanced over his shoulder.
Miyoyu: "Oh, you almost died again. But that's not really new for you. I healed you enough to pull you out of the dungeon, but your headache? That's probably because you haven't eaten in almost 11 hours."
Len sat up, wincing as his head spun.
Len: "I knew it was a bad idea! Why'd you throw me in there with just a stick?!"
Miyoyu chuckled.
Miyoyu: "Well, you didn't die, so you did fine. Besides, the plant monsters are permanently blind now thanks to you. But you're going back after your classes today to finish the dungeon. No excuses."
Len groaned, his eyes scanning the room. To his surprise, the hotel looked cleaner, the yellow walls brighter, and the floors polished.
Len: "Wait... now that I look at it, the hotel does look different. Did beating the monsters actually do this?"
Miyoyu smirked.
Miyoyu: "Yep. The more monsters you defeat, the better this place gets. So keep fighting, alright?"
Len frowned.
Len: "How am I supposed to fight them if their screams can kill me with sound alone?!"
Miyoyu shrugged, typing away on his laptop.
Miyoyu: "Skill issue. Earphones won't work, either. Their screams are so intense they vibrate your brain. I'd suggest learning some attack skills and killing them quickly instead of relying on that stick."
Len sighed in exasperation.
Len: "I know that! But how the hell am I supposed to learn attack skills?!"
Miyoyu laughed.
Miyoyu: "Aiyayay... You seriously don't know any attack skills yet? That's... ironic."
Len glared.
Len: "Elaborate."
Miyoyu waved him off.
Miyoyu: "Don't worry about it. Just train, and you'll figure it out."
Len threw himself back onto the bed, utterly exhausted.
Len: "Whatever... What time is it?"
Miyoyu glanced at the clock on his laptop.
Miyoyu: "12 PM. Well, 12:02 if you want to be specific. Why do you ask?"
Len groaned again.
Len: "I'm starving, but I'm too tired to eat. I'll just sleep and eat extra tomorrow."
Miyoyu chuckled.
Miyoyu: "Suit yourself. I'll be on the computer all night. Maybe I'll join you in bed later."
Len scowled, pulling the blanket over his head.
Len: "Don't join me later."
Miyoyu smirked.
Miyoyu: "Hah, no promises."