Chapter 127: Double Dungeon Returns: trapped in a time chamber[2]

Chapter 127: Double Dungeon Returns: trapped in a time chamber[2]

The campfire's scorching heat danced on my face, my gaze remained fixated on the flames, and my mind was lost in thoughts.

Everything around me was engulfed in a sea of darkness, sporadically punctuated by the faint glow of mana stones protruding from the ground.

Seated on the rocky terrain, I softly clutched a ring between my index and the thumb.

The ring's band was adorned with runic inscriptions that would glow in golden hues before diminishing. And a strange S-shaped mark graced the inner side of the ring, like a hallmark.

The S mark...it felt like I had seen the symbol somewhere, but the memory just wouldn't surface

"Status," I exhaled, my voice tinged with weariness.

Before long, a ghostly, white hologram materialized before me, hovering in the air.

──────────────────────

┌─────────────────┐

│ ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?

└─────────────────┘

????????: Noah Grey ? ????????: (??)

??????: 17 +(24?)= 41?

??????????????: Homosapien

??????-??????????????: [Meta-Huma...]

??????????????????: [Technokine...]

??????????: Marksman/Tank

■?????????????? ?????????? →

? ?

Health: D 550/ 550(+20)

Mana: (E+) 400/ 400

Strength: D 600/ 600(+45)

Dexterity: D

Intelligence: ???

Mana Capacity: Undefined

? ?

■?????????????????? ??????????→

? ?

Armor: (E+) 35

Resistance: (C-) 55

Stamina: (C-)

Charm: (B+)

Durability: (D+) 50

Flexibility: B

? ?

????????????:

Momentum Transfer [Info...]

Perception [Info...]

????????????: None

??????:

Consecutive Archery ┃Bronze ?

(100%)

????????????????????: None

???????? ???????????????? [Info... ]

??????????????????????????????: 0.50% [Info...]

??????????????????:

[Mystery of Teleportation]

[Solaris Amulet]

??????????????????????:

[3x Legendary Achievements!...]

──────────────────────

With a swift gesture of my hand, I swiped over the status display, navigating to the notification section.

──────────────────────

???????? ??????????: Find the throne room.

???????????? ??????????: The one who can survive the test of time!

"Ask?"

"Can I ask somethin-" Aeravat initiated, but paused mid sentence as I cut his question before it even began.

In the distant backdrop, I could make out Riley and Sylvie near the subterranean lake—our makeshift oasis spot.

"Fire away, fire away," I uttered, prodding at the crackling flames with a stick, coaxing out showers of airborne embers.

"That bracelet," Aeravat pointed his index finger at the mystery of teleportation, "where did you get...buy it?"

A glint flickered in Aeravat's eyes—a subtle something...some emotion, it seemed premature, out of place, and looking at it left me warring between a disdainful sneer and a wistful smile.

'Fate has a way of guiding us to our destined end, doesn't it?' I inwardly scoffed at the cosmic irony. 'Aeravat asking about a mystery...a twist of fate indeed.'

What was I suppose to even tell him?

I had no answers for him.

"It was a gift from my mother," I lied, scratching my cheek absentmindedly.

My lie was the only firewall against any probing questions he might throw my way.

"Is that so?" Aeravat arched his brows softly as he smiled. "Must be precious."

"It certainly has some personal attachmen but, why the curiosity? You like the bracelet or something?"

I feigned ignorance.

"No, just..." Aeravat eyed the bracelet for a good moment before exhaling a fatigued sigh. "Forget it. Forget it, it's a stupid reason anyway..."

"Don't worry, I won't judge."

For a few moments Aeravat just went silent, and that silence was heavy.

Finally, he broke the silence. "I actually feel some kind of connection to that bracelet."

"Connection?"

He cleared his throat and stumbled through his words, hesitating with each syllable. "Yeah, like...a soul connection, if that makes any sense, you know-"

"Did you guys figure anything out on your part?" Riley's voice suddenly cut through the air, breaking our conversation. Sylvie was sharpening her dagger with a stone by his side.

Right, we needed to figure a solution to complete the quest. To find the throne room.

"Nope, not a single idea." I spoke truthfully.

Riley sighed in defeat and looked at Aeravat.

Strangely, the later just smirked in response.

"I think I know where the throne could be," Aeravat revealed with a certain confidence which gave me some unexpected hope.

***

Noah, Aeravat, Riley, and Sylvie—the determined party, delved deeper into the unknown, hoping to find the throne room.

The terrain was rugged, and the constant spawns of monsters were extra troublesome, eating away at their already limited time.

But the fact that none of them was a supporter was especially worrisome in this place.

Potions were limited. Without a supporter, there was no special method to heal.

This also meant that damage in a battle, no matter how small, would accumulate over time. Weakening them bit by bit, until that bit would be too much to handle.

The party had yet to figure out what level the 'double dungeon' even was.

They constantly came across monsters ranging from G rank to C rank.

This place did not follow the typical logic of a world either, and there were no directions.

Noah took out his machete—the grade type 3 razor-sharp weapon, now etched with cracks and hairline fractures, its edge dulled.

The double dungeon took a test of their weapons as well. And Noah did not bring any spare blades with him.

It seemed like today even his machete would break.

But how were they suppose to find a 'throne room' in a place they didn't even know directions?

Aeravat actually came up with a clever solution to the prob-

"Wait a minute, did that tree just... move?" Suddenly Sylvie exclaimed, her extended finger pointing towards a cluster of dried logs in the distance. They stood upright, devoid of leaves or branches. It was difficult to classify these brown husks as 'trees', but they were.

"T-trees? What tree-" Riley stammered, bewildered, as he followed Sylvie's gaze.

In that moment, he realized something eerie—they were somehow surrounded by trees.

"How come I missed them?" Noah gasped, now disturbed and alarmed.

It was true. There weren't supposed to be trees in this pedosphere.

How did he managed to overlook something so glaringly out of place?

And it seemed like the trees just appeared out of nowhere.

Aeravat drew his talwar, sensing something 'off.'

In that moment, one of the trees 'moved'.

Slowly, the upper part of the tree shifted, unveiling a face-like structure—but without eyes or a mouth.

Its body morphed further, revealing hands, and its roots surprisingly turned into legs. The face split open with petal-like sections, revealing a mouth filled with hundreds of bony spines. And in the place of a tongue, it had human-like fingers. Even more unsettling, its limbs—displaying...tongues? instead of fingers...

"What the fuck?!" Noah exhaled, thoroughly grossed out by the unsettling display. He quickly pulled out his magic revolver, ready to take a shot.

—"Over here!" At that very moment, another cry echoed from a distance, originating from the hills the party had previously passed.

Noah turned his head, only for his whole body to freeze in fear.

Two humanoid figures stood there. However, it was the horns on their foreheads that revealed their true identity.

Aeravat, having noticed the scene, gritted his teeth. The entire party became dead serious, each drawing their respective weapons.

The demons locked eyes with the party, acknowledging the presence of these four humans for the first time.

In that pivotal moment, the question of 'Will we survive?' that had plagued Noah's thoughts was swiftly replaced by a far more chilling inquiry— 'Will we die?'