Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 120: [Core Dungeon] [7]

[Event<Core Dungeon>]

"Oh, a Faithless, I see."

Only to stop when that thing spoke.

Akamir froze.

His hand hovered near his sword’s hilt as his eyes locked onto the creature above.

The thing on the branch didn’t move.

Its wings curled lazily behind it, and its long, furry arms draped over the branch like it had all the time in the world.

The head was mostly wolf, but the ears were long and pointed like a bat’s, and its glowing red eyes shimmered with an eerie intelligence.

"Relax," it said, voice deep and slow, like thick honey poured over gravel. "I’m not here to fight."

’The fuck is even this thing?’

Akamir didn’t loosen his grip. "Then why are you here?"

The creature tilted its head. "Curiosity. It’s not every day a Faithless walks into the dungeon."

Akamir frowned. "Faithless?"

Nayomi floated in front of him, her expression was tense.

"He can see your soul signature," she whispered. "This isn’t just a dungeon beast... something has possessed that thing."

The creature chuckled. "You don’t know?"

Akamir’s grip tightened. "You’re not supposed to be on this floor."

"Oh, I know," the beast replied, unfazed. "But this dungeon is old. It doesn’t care if I broke some rules."

’Should I kill this thing?’

"You can’t," Nayomi informed him. "His soul will simply transfer to another thing."

’What a pain.’

"What do you want?" Akamir asked again, more sharply this time.

The beast’s grin widened, showing rows of jagged, uneven teeth. "A trade."

Akamir didn’t speak, waiting for him to continue.

"I’ll give you information," the creature said, tapping a claw to its chin. "In exchange... I want a story."

"A story?" Akamir asked, confused.

"Yes," it purred. "One that doesn’t end in survival. One with failure, tragedy... and blood."

Akamir raised an eyebrow. "You want me to tell you a sad story?"

The beast laughed, a dry, hollow sound. "Not just any sad story. One real enough that I can taste it."

Nayomi leaned closer.

"Don’t agree," she said under her breath. "Creatures like this feed on memory and regret. If you give him too much, he can enter your soul."

"I’m not interested," Akamir said flatly, turning to leave.

But the beast spoke again, this time more serious.

"The last party... the ones whose tracks you saw... They made a deal and now they’re part of the dungeon. A few of them still breathe, trapped in the **** floor."

Akamir stopped.

’Did his voice just glitch?’

Akamir couldn’t understand what he said as he glanced at it.

"You’re lying," Akamir said.

"Am I?" the creature grinned. "Then go down there and see it for yourself."

Akamir stared at him. "What’s the catch?"

The creature leaned closer from the branch, claws curling against the bark. "Nothing, I just like watching."

It let out a low laugh before leaping off the tree.

It didn’t fall.

It simply vanished into the shadows like it had never been there.

Akamir stood still for a long moment, listening to the silence it left behind.

Then he turned and walked back toward the group.

Nayomi followed beside him, silent for a while.

Akamir glanced at her. "Do you think—"

"Yeah," she replied, nodding her head. "A human possessed that thing... perhaps to gain immortality."

Akamir rubbed the back of his neck. "I don’t like it," he grumbled. "I should have killed that thing."

"It could have been a trap," Nayomi said, looking at him. "There are so many things that you aren’t aware of."

Akamir looked at her but didn’t say anything.

’That thing could have tried to possess my body.’

But Akamir couldn’t help but wonder.

’Whose soul was inside that thing?’

As they reached the group again, Zaina looked up at him from where she sat.

"Anything out there?"

Akamir hesitated before shaking his head. "No. Just... strange carvings."

Zaina didn’t question it.

But Lyselle watched him carefully, a faint crease forming between her brows.

They had rested enough.

It was time to keep moving.

Akamir turned toward the tunnel. "Get ready," he called out. "We’re going deeper."

They stood up and began to walk towards the next floor.

Viros and Luca were taking the lead while Akamir remained behind looking around.

"Do you guys think we will meet other students?"

Viros asked, glancing back at everyone.

"Like anyone?"

"I don’t think so," Zaina said, shaking her head. "The place is too vast for us to find anyone."

"Fair," Viros mumbled, not hiding his disappointment. "It would be great if we could find some."

"Why though?" Luca asked, looking at him. "Do you want to fight with them or what?"

"Something like that," he shrugged. "Man, I am bored."

Akamir began to walk towards them, passing Lyselle on the way.

"Can you smell that?" Akamir asked, looking at him.

Viros sniffed the air before his expression turned serious. "Something is in the air."

"No... what?"

Akamir frowned, looking at him.

’I was about to make a joke.’

"Viros is right," Luca replied, his expression serious as well. "I can smell something close by."

Akamir gave them both a weird look.

’How fucking good is their sense of smell?’

He wondered before he looked forward.

Just as they had predicted, a poisonous gas began to fill the place.

"Get in formation,"

Akamir said, taking out his sword.

"We got company."

---

[Sixth floor.]

Arthur walked along with his group as he looked around the place.

The previous charm on his face was nowhere to be seen as he looked more depressed now.

Even though the prince said he had his back, Arthur was still unable to do anything.

’Why?’

He thought grimly.

’Why is she behaving like this with me?’

Arthur couldn’t understand what happened to Zaina.

The girl who used to do everything as he told and behaved properly was now actively ignoring him.

’It’s all that fucker Asher’s fault.’

A burning desire for revenge crawled in his mind, but he wasn’t sure how he should do that.

’I can’t just kill a duke’s son.’

Arthur never felt as worthless as now.

’Should I ask the prince?’

He quickly shot down that idea.

Arthur wasn’t really sure why, but he could never believe in the prince.

’He may be using me to keep Asher away from Zaina.’

Perhaps that’s what he was doing.

A bitter feeling rushed through his body as he thought about Zaina.

She hadn’t even looked at him the last time they crossed paths at the academy.

It was like she didn’t even know him anymore.

"She used to smile just hearing my name," Arthur muttered under his breath.

"Hmm?" one of the girls behind him asked.

"Nothing," he said flatly.

"Arthur," a boy at the rear called out. "We found something."

The group had stopped in front of a collapsed chamber.

The wall had caved in partially, revealing a hidden corridor behind it.

One of the students, a tall kid named Rurik, pointed to the faint glowing symbol etched on the wall.

It pulsed slowly, like a heartbeat.

"What’s this?" Rurik asked.

Arthur stepped closer and studied it. "...I don’t know, maybe a rune?"

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet trembled.

A sharp crack echoed through the air as another piece of the wall broke open, revealing a staircase leading down.

"Should we go down?" one of the girls asked nervously.

Arthur hesitated.

He should turn back or report this and wait for support.

But instead, he smiled.

A slow, twisted smile.

"No," he said. "We go in."

"But—"

"If Zaina’s group is ahead of us," Arthur said, his voice cold, "we’ll cut the shortcut and I’ll show her."

His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.

"I’ll remind her who I am."

Arthur began walking inside the hidden path.

Never noticing....

...A giant half bat and half wolf staring at him with a grin on his face.

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