Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 119: [Core Dungeon] [6]

[Event <Core Dungeon>]

Slash!!

The sound of flesh being cut cleanly echoed within the seventh chamber of the Core Dungeon.

Akamir flicked his sword, shaking off the blood before sliding it back into its scabbard with a dull click.

It only took them four hours to cover the entirety of the sixth floor.

And just when they had stepped into the seventh, they were immediately attacked by mushroom-like creatures.

’What a pain,’ he thought.

Their bodies were soft, but they released clouds of spores with every strike.

Breathing them in made the air feel heavy, like a weight pressing on their lungs.

Luca coughed and waved his hand. "These damn things don’t even bleed right."

Ronin had tied a cloth around his mouth, eyes narrowed as he shot down another one before it could release more spores.

"They’re not even strong, but they are seriously annoying."

"They’re called Mourncaps," Zaina said as she struck one down with a burst of flame from her staff. "They grow from leftover corpses and feed on decay."

"That’s disgusting," Ragina muttered, smacking one with the flat of her sword. "Why does this place keep getting worse?"

"Because we keep going deeper," Viros grinned as he stomped on a twitching stalk, crushing it underfoot.

The area was damp and narrow, the walls lined with glowing fungus.

Some of the spores clung to their clothes, making the air shimmer faintly around them.

Akamir walked ahead, unbothered by the spores, his coat fluttering behind him.

He paused near a fork in the path and glanced down at the ground. "Tracks."

Zaina stepped beside him, her gaze following where his finger pointed. "From a fight?"

Akamir nodded. "It’s old boot prints, might be from the previous party that entered to raid the place."

Everyone glanced at Lyselle who silently stood on the side without a word.

"Wait, we are the group with the lead, right?" Ronin asked in confusion.

"Let’s hope we are," Zaina said under her breath.

Akamir kept walking, now a little faster.

The group followed in tighter formation than he had planned.

After twenty minutes of walking, they reached a clearing.

The spore mist had thinned out and the mushroom creatures were gone.

Instead, a circle of stone pillars rose around a dry basin.

In the center lay something strange.

A thin red line ran across the stone, like blood drawn into a perfect circle.

Akamir narrowed his eyes.

"I don’t like this," Luca said, frowning. "Looks like a trap."

"It is a trap," Nayomi whispered near Akamir’s shoulder.

He didn’t move, just quietly nodded to himself.

Zaina stepped forward, raising her staff slightly. "Should I dispel it?"

"Wait." Akamir raised a hand. "Not yet."

He crouched near the circle, studying the markings.

Old runes, but he could understand them.

Maybe it was from far back in time.

Akamir let out a sigh as he noticed a faint glow.

"Someone’s been here recently," he muttered. "This circle was activated not too long ago."

"Could it be another beast?" Luca asked.

"Possibly." Akamir stood back up. "But it seems they didn’t die or maybe the dungeon swallowed them."

Akamir looked around the place, finding a clearing spot on the side with no grass.

’...Hmm?’

He rubbed his chin for a moment before he looked at his group.

"We have been traveling for almost twelve hours." He said, looking at them.

"Now, do you guys want to take rest for a while or do you want to continue?"

"We should rest." Zaina said, looking at him. "It’s better for all of us."

Others nodded to her words, and even though Viros looked reluctant, he didn’t speak up.

Akamir turned around. "Alright, let’s have some rest."

They moved towards the area and immediately fell down on the stone floor.

"Urgh, my body feels sore." Viros groaned, laying on his back. "I need some milk."

"Can you shut up?" Luca groaned, rubbing his temples. "And stop talking about milk all the time."

Viros lay spread out like a starfish, muttering something about back pain and revenge on mushrooms.

Luca sat with his back to a pillar, trying to rub the ache out of his shoulders.

Zaina quietly set her staff beside her before sitting cross-legged.

Akamir sat on the side as he looked around the place.

Nayomi floated beside him.

"When did the Bloodhound attack Zaina in the novel?" Akamir asked, glancing at her. "Like which floor?"

"Tenth floor." She replied, looking at him. "They ambushed her after the boss fight."

Akamir nodded his head softly. "And she survived by throwing herself in a pit?"

"Yeah." She replied, nodding her head. "She did that in order to save herself."

Akamir nodded in response as he placed his head on the stone.

’Why am I even doing this?’

He wondered to himself, glancing at Zaina who sat quietly on the side.

Akamir would be lying if he said he wasn’t fond of the girl.

Even though she wasn’t really nice to him at the start, the girl has opened up to him a lot.

She isn’t a bad girl; on the contrary, she has a good soul.

’She became a tyrant villainess because of her circumstances.’

Had she not been so unlucky, she might really have a normal life.

’Either way, I hope she gets stronger and remains an ally.’

She was still his fiancée in name.

’hmm?’

Akamir tilted his head in confusion as he found Lyselle walking towards him.

’What does she want now?’

He looked at her in confusion as she sat beside him.

Lyselle didn’t look at him but kept on staring at her legs.

"What happened?" Akamir finally asked.

"Do you think..." She hesitated before sighing. "That my father is alive?"

Akamir looked at her. "Why are you asking me?"

"I...I just, you are strong." She whispered. "I want to know your opinion."

"I have no way to tell you that." Akamir replied flatly. "But he should be safe."

"...."

Lyselle didn’t say anything for a while as she stared at her hand.

She finally looked at him.

"My father used to send his bond animal outside of the dungeon every week." She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"It’s been half a month and we have no information about them."

Akamir didn’t answer immediately. He watched her quietly, taking in the way her hands trembled slightly.

"He might be trapped." Akamir replied, looking away. "You can’t be certain if something did happen to him or not."

"Just tell her that he is dead." Nayomi said, clicking her tongue. "Why give her false hope?"

’Because that’s what she wants to hear.’

Akamir thought, glaring at Nayomi.

’And I don’t want her to cry here inside a dungeon.’

Even though she wasn’t much of a help, Akamir doesn’t want her to become a liability.

Lyselle nodded slowly. "I just... I hope he is safe."

Before Akamir could say anything, Zaina stood up and walked towards him.

He barely controlled another sigh.

Zaina stood in front of them, glaring at Lyselle.

"He is my fiancé." She said, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stand up. "Don’t try to take him away."

Akamir blinked, caught off guard as Zaina pulled him up.

Lyselle looked up, surprised. "I wasn’t—"

"You were." Zaina cut her off. "I don’t care what you meant. Just keep your distance."

Lyselle’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t argue back.

Akamir let out a sigh as he stared at Zaina.

The girl looked into his eyes. "What?"

Akamir shook his head. "Nothing."

He looked around the place before he said, "Go rest, I will look around."

Zaina wanted to argue, but she didn’t say anything.

Akamir walked away from her as he inspected the place.

He moved away from the group as he looked at the stone monuments.

Nayomi floated closer to him. "Akamir."

"I noticed." Akamir said, as he looked up. "That thing..."

On a large branch of a tree, a half-bat and half-wolf sat there.

Its face grinning as it looked at Akamir.

Akamir began to draw his weapon.

"Oh, a Faithless, I see."

Only to stop when that thing spoke.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel