Chapter 5 - Dungeon And Beasts

After about one hour walking they finally entered the town, John took in the surroundings, noting how familiar it felt in a strangely distant way.The town was just as he'd imagine a medieval fantasy village to look. They have stone buildings with timber beams, narrow cobblestone streets full of people, and a lively marketplace filled with carts overflowing with fresh produce, fabrics, and the occasional shining piece of armor or weapons.The residents walked with their own activities, many of them flanked by a Beast companion. Yet, despite the strange creatures alongside the people, John wasn't all that surprised because this looked like the classic medieval settings he'd seen in countless books and games back home, with the presence of magical Beasts beside them.Irene, Marik, and Amel led him through the busy streets and finally stopped at a cozy small inn on the corner of a bustling square. As they stepped inside, the warmth of a crackling fire and the scent of roasted meat greeted them.John glanced around, thinking he could get used to this place. But a realization hit him as he reached for his purse: it was gone."Ah... seems I don't have any money on me. My previous party took it all," he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. He managed a small grin, hoping they'd let it slide.Amel raised an eyebrow, her expression turning to one of mild disdain."Great, a freeloader," she muttered.John look at her but held back a retort, feeling it was better not to push his luck.Irene, however, waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I'll cover your meal for now. You can pay me back when you got the money," she said, offering a reassuring smile.John relaxed a bit and nodding gratefully."I appreciate it, and I'll make sure to pay you back," he replied, grateful for her kindness. She gave him a nod and a small smile, and John found himself like her presence even more. She not just cute, but also kind.They enjoyed a hearty meal together and once everyone had eaten their fill, John decided to explore the town a bit with his hound.Wandering through the streets, he amazed at the sights. He noticed how important those Beasts were to daily life and labor in this world. Each creature had a unique role based on its abilities and physical characteristics.In one corner of the bustling square he saw a group of massive muscular Beasts with thick hides and towering builds used to pull to carriages. They pulled large loads with ease, their powerful bodies ideal for transporting goods and people through the town's narrow streets.Nearby, smaller and more agile Beasts with sleek feathered bodies darted between rooftops and windows with something in their beak or neck, maybe delivering messages from person to person.By the blacksmith's shop, John noticed a scaled Beast that look like a lizard with ember-like eyes and a slight glow emanating from its mouth. The smith called out a command and the Beast exhaled a controlled burst of flame over the forge, heating the metal to a perfect molten glow.With these powerful fire-breathing Beasts on hand, the blacksmiths were able to work with consistent, intense heat, refining their craftsmanship. And the Beasts seemed obidient, which is pretty awesome considering it can breath fire.It seemed that everyone had their own unique partner, each one suited to a specific task that made life in the town more efficient, productive, and even a little magicalJohn strolled on and his thoughts turned toward finding a library. He hoped to learn more about this world.John arrived at the library. The building was not hard to find at all. He then get inside the quiet, almost empty space.With no one else around, he felt a sense of freedom as he browsed through the shelves, running his fingers over the spines of thick, leather-bound books.He selected a few promising books and settled at a large wooden table, opening the first volume. To his surprise, the letters on the pages didn't look foreign at all despite the fact that he'd never seen this language before.Words and sentences flowed into his mind as easily as if he'd studied them for years. This new ability caught him off guard but he quickly set aside his curiosity and focused on the content.The first book explained the intricacies of Dungeons. According to its pages, Dungeons were classified into various Ranks, ranging from the basic Level One Dungeons with minimal danger to the rare, deadly Level Ten Dungeons that only the most experienced adventurers dared to enter. Each Dungeon rank came with its own array of challenge from the types of Beasts encountered to the complexity of navigating the space.Dungeon is more than just a maze of tunnels and chambers. It's almost a living entity with its own mysterious essence. They're often described as having "moods" that can shift unpredictably.Some Dungeons feel calm and inviting almost like they welcome adventurers, while others feel hostile and filled with an oppressive atmosphere that warns of dangers. It's as if each Dungeon has a unique personality.The source of this life-like presence is a powerful object known as the Core. This Core is essentially the Dungeon's heart, and as long as it remains intact the Dungeon will still exist. If someone wishes to truly destroying a Dungeon, they must destroy its Core. Doing so will cause the entire Dungeon to collapse or fade away.However, not all Dungeons are considered threats. Some are viewed as valuable, providing a renewable source of magical Beasts and rare resources that are highly beneficial to society.These Tame Dungeons can produce useful creatures or resources and becoming economic hubs for nearby towns. However, there is a darker side to these mystical spaces.Some Dungeons are inherently malevolent, creating what are called Cursed Dungeons. A Cursed Dungeon harbors only violent and contain only destructive Beasts that bring ruin to the world outside.These Beasts have no other purpose besidee to devour, destroy, and spread chaos wherever they go. Such Dungeons are viewed as dangerous blights on the land and they must be destroyed before they unleash further devastation.Next, he opened a book on Beasts.These creatures were organized by ranks as well, from Common Beasts suitable for daily tasks to Rare powerful beings often bonded to high-ranking adventurers as their companion for battle. The Beasts as divided into few categories:Ranks and Rarity.1. Common - Found frequently, these Beasts are weaker and generally limited to single elemental affinities. They're often domesticated for labor or simple tasks but rarely have significant combat ability.2. Uncommon - Slightly stronger and less abundant, these Beasts may serve for both work and lower-level combat. They're sometimes capable of learning techniques associated with their elemental affinity.3. Rare - These Beasts are harder to find and often more specialized. They are stronger, sometimes with two elemental affinities or even advanced affinities, making them valuable assets for skilled Tamers and adventurers.4. Epic - Rarely seen and highly sought after, these Beasts are strong, frequently wielding multiple elements. They possess unique abilities and can only be Tamed by the most experienced and skilled handlers.5. Legendary - The rarest of all, these Beasts are incredibly powerful and nearly impossible to Tame without powerful artifacts or skills. Often, they have up to three or even four elemental affinities, advanced affinites, as well as extraordinary physical and magical abilities.Elemental Affinities.· Basic ElementsFireWaterEarthAir – Often appear in Common or Uncommon Beasts.· Dual ElementsIce (Water and Air), Lava (Fire and Earth), Storm (Air and Electricity), etc. – Seen in Rare or Epic Beasts.· Advanced ElementsShadowLightPoisonMetalElectricitySound , etc. – Rare and above.· Mythic ElementsTimeSpaceVoidLifeDeath , etc. – Incredibly rare, appearing only in Legendary Beasts. These elements grant extraordinary powers, and their Beasts are considered treasures.John amazed by this information. He look at his hound who sit beside him and ask him."So, which one are you, boy?"-----Then he heard a voice ringing in his head. Saying, "You have read the suitable information! Beast Insight Vision updated!" --------