Three months… we had been relentlessly training for three whole months, preparing for this day.
The day we went inside the wrought dungeon.
We walked through the forest, it was a bright day. The sun was shining, it's light rays disturbed by the canopy of the trees. The wind was gently blowing, the sound if the wrestling leaves and the fragrance of the colourful flowers. It was almost a subtle reminder to when I first came in this world.
"This is your first time out of the town right?" Selene asked in her usual cheerful tone.
"Mhm" me and Fara replied almost in perfect unison.
"What about you? Have you left the village yet?" Fara asked, curiously.
"Well I did once run away from my house with Varal when we were five." Selene replied, her finger resting on her chin.
"Ran away?" Fara gasped. "With this guy? He serious has it in him to run away from his house?"
Varal turned to Fara, his eyes narrowing in as his hand moved to his blade. It was a quiet gesture but one enough to silence Fara. Within these three months those two had budded heads more times than I can count. Of course the instigator was almost always Fara.
"Hey hey. No taunting or I'll not let you go in." Uncle Neryx, who was walking just a few steps ahead of us grumbled. "Teamwork is the basic skill that every one must know before entering a dungeon."
"Yeah yeah…" Fara mumbled to herself.
I tuned to Fara to give her a lecture on why teamwork was important, but I don't know why. Whenever I face her I feel this chill crawling up my spine. Like something bad is gonna happen. It's like my voice dies out in my throat even before I open my mouth.
"What?" She asked nonchalantly.
"Meh nothing, I was just noting how idiotic you look with those fuzzy hair." I smirked turning back to the dungeon.
"You little—" Fara started, but Neryx eyed her to stop.
After walking for a while, the dungeon finally loomed ahead. It was in the middle of a large clear patch of grass sticking out in the middle of all the trees. In appearance it was rather similar to the ones i had read about. A cave like entrance made of rocks and mud leading deep underground. Almost like a mines entrance.
The actual stairs to the dungeon on the other hand were sealed off. Two guards clad in bright silver armour stood in front of it, lazing about but straightened up the moment they caught our glimpse.
"Adventurer ID." One of them spoke out. His voice was rough and deep.
Uncle Neryx shuffled in his back pocket and finally took out a crude looking locket made of wood and stone. It had a single gemstone in the middle of it glowing in green colour. Another rune I presume.
The moment they saw the locket the Guards seemed to get way more formal and polite as if a company worker talking to their boss.
"This way please…" the other guard shifted his hand pointing us downwards into the dungeon. I peeked from behind uncle Neryx. The entrance was completely dark, and not just any dark it was… inviting. As if begging me to go inside.
I shifted, walking in front of the group as I paced down the stairs. The rest followed me quickly as we left uncle Neryx behind on the stairs. Entering the first floor, it was a sight to see. The ground had been carved out, it was humungous. Almost as big as a few football fields, the ground was for the most part even and plain, the walls were made of similar down coloured rocks we had seen at the entrance. But that wasn't the exciting part, the truly exciting portion were the goblins in the middle. Ahh classic isekai starter monsters.
It seriously feels like I am living in a game.
"Now." Uncle Neryx's said, approaching the ned of the stairs, his voice echoed through the dungeon pulling the attention of the green devils as they rushed to us, or well . "As we discussed earlier. I will not be helping out, try to use essence as little as possible for this fight. You have to conserve the atmospheric essence for the next floors."
Uncle Neryx turned his face, his eyes darting to Selene. "I am looking at you kiddo." He said in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh come on. Who doesn't love exploding water?" She nagged, stomping we feet.
"I for one don't." I said, raising my hand in a mocking way. "It gets us all wet and well those monsters are E tier so I don't even think they are worth it."
Selene passed me a side eye as she took off her bow from her back and primed it with a normal arrow. "You were supposed to follow me up idiot." She whispered barely loud enough for me to hear.
Letting go, the arrow moved swiftly through the air, curving mid air as it hit one of the zombies straight through the chest. The pack of instigated goblins that looked small from a distance now looked like an entire stampede rushing to crush us underfoot.
The rest of us prepared for battle as me and Selene moved further back. She continued her relentless barrage of arrows while Varal took out his sword. Fara took a weird stance with one hand in the air, her palm open facing the goblins while the other curled into a fist near her side, balancing on one leg. It almost looked like a weak imitation of something out of a martial arts movie. Not that something like a movie or for that matter a television would exist in this world.
I peered my eyes open, looking at the approaching goblins. The whole group was in formation. The fight would begin any moment now. It was a little scary but more than that exhilarating. To think I'd be able to do something I only read about in mangas.
Taking a deep breath an array of words left my mouth, my fingers glided through the air almost subconsciously, leaving behind a trail of golden forming unique symbols. This trail was 'essence' the building block of the entire universe. Three months ago I had no idea what it was and how would one use it. But now? Not to brag but I could even consider myself equal to a C rank weaver.
As I approached the end of the chant I started to concentrate more. The chant and the symbols weren't something really all that important but they did help focusing your mind. If I had to compare it to something, it like rewriting the concept of reality itself. Almost like how a developer codes a game.
The monsters were dangerously close now, Varal took his stance and Selene stopped firing.
The first goblin swung a bone at Varal as if it were a hammer.
Quickly weaving, Varal sidestepped and with a single smooth slash cut of the goblins head. It's body fell down with a wet, sticky sound. There was no blood, no screams. It didn't even feel like I was watching someone die. Guess that's monsters for ya. Or maybe I am the true monster for not feeling any different.
No, now wasn't the time for these thoughts, the rest of the goblins shivered a little before rushing at us with all their might. One or two were easy to handle but a horde? To block all of their attacks one would need someone like me.
Someone with the essence of the barrier.
There goblins went after Varal, four after Fara. I quickly turned my focus over to Fara, Varal was more than capable but Fara? I want so sure if she could actually handle them all.
They attacked her at high speeds, one with a bone shaped like a spear two with more clubs and one with a stone. Fara kicked the one with the club while I focused my attention on the rest.
With a single thought, the air around her vibrated. Followed by a
Thud!
As if something hollow had hit a wall. Well that is technically what happened… the moment Fara turned she saw the three golden walls I had conjured, shaped in a circle, glowing as they gave off small golden particles of essence.
Without a moments delay, an arrow zipped past me straight into one of the goblins head, piercing its eye. I turned to Varal. He had already picked out the three he was facing.
Given the experience I just had, I was confident.
This was… quite damn easy.