Crownless Reincarnation: New World? Nah I'd win-Chapter 124: [Core Dungeon] [11]

An entire abandoned place.....

...With hundreds of dead bodies lying all over the place.

"..."

Akamir quietly looked at the dead bodies, taking a step closer.

The others also turned silent as the sickening smell of death and decay burned their nostrils.

Akamir stopped just in front of a body as he looked at the man, wearing an armor.

....The armor of Polmona Dukedom.

"...Oh, G-goddess."

Lyselle whispered as she fell on her knees unable to handle the shock.

The moment everyone moved out of the platform, it levitated back to its original place.

Now, they were all left alone without a way to go back.

’...What the hell happened here?’

Akamir wondered as he examined the monster’s bodies.

They didn’t have a single scratch on their bodies, not any marking of any resistance.

Every single one of them had died in the same manner.

Something killed them and they couldn’t even fight back.

Akamir crouched beside one of the bodies, his eyes scanning the details.

The man’s eyes were wide open, lips parted like he had been trying to scream.

"This doesn’t make sense," Luca muttered behind him. "They’re all just... dead. I don’t understand how?"

"It’s like they just dropped." Viros stepped over a fallen spear and looked around. "They didn’t even unsheathe their weapons."

"W-why?" Lyselle asked, her voice trembling. "T-They weren’t supposed to be here."

Akamir glanced back at her as he saw her crying.

’Her father must be somewhere here.’

Akamir thought as he looked around the dead bodies.

Nayomi floated beside him, her eyes looking forward.

"You should keep on moving." She advised, glancing at him. "It’s better to not stay here."

Akamir nodded in agreement, he too had noticed the weird feeling this place was giving him.

He looked back only to find Zaina staring at a dead body.

"Zaina?" Akamir called, making her look at him.

"Their bodies are empty," she said softly. "I can’t sense anything left inside them."

"Isn’t that what happens when someone dies?" Viros asked, his brows knitting together. "Mana leaves their body right?"

"I...I mean, I..I can’t explain it." Zaina said, her voice meek. "It’s like something sucked out their soul."

The words hung heavy in the air.

"Like some soul-eater?" Viros asked, looking around quickly. "Those are just myths, right?"

"We should start moving." Akamir said, looking at them. "It’s not safe here."

The others nodded in agreement as Akamir once again took the lead.

Lyselle hesitated for a while before she pushed herself up as well.

Akamir glanced at Zaina who didn’t even try to help her.

’Is she upset for the bullying Lyselle did?’ he wondered but didn’t ask aloud.

They moved forward slowly, the heavy silence following them.

The sound of breathing echoed strangely in the vast chamber.

The corridor stretched ahead, winding past collapsed pillars and broken stone arches.

More bodies appeared as they walked, some slumped against walls, others lying face-down with arms outstretched.

All of them untouched and all of them dead in the same way.

"Do you think it’s still here?" Luca asked, his voice low, eyes scanning the shadows.

Akamir didn’t answer right away.

He kept walking, hand near the hilt of his sword.

"I don’t know," he finally said. "But we won’t wait around to find out."

Lyselle glanced at him, as if trying to decide whether to respond.

Akamir could clearly see the fear on her.

’Well it’s obvious, her life is pretty much over now.’

Eventually, the path split into two.

One side curved upward, the stone cracked and narrow.

The other sloped downward into a darker stretch of ruin.

"Go downwards." Nayomi said, floating beside him. "Upper one will only lead you to a dead end."

Akamir examined both the paths on his own before he made the decision.

"We go down," he said.

"What? Why?" Viros asked. "The higher route might take us out of this floor."

Akamir shook his head. "There’s no airflow up there. It’s sealed but there’s a faint draft coming from below."

Luca stepped closer to the edge and peered down. "You’ve got a scary sense for this stuff."

Akamir slapped his back. "Let’s go."

They descended, one step at a time.

The deeper they went, the colder it became and the light almost gone.

The blue glow from the insects faded until they were walking with only the faint shine of Zaina’s light spell to guide them.

Then, without warning, the narrow corridor opened up into a massive underground hall.

The ceiling arched high, covered in half-faded murals.

Strange symbols were etched into the floor, still pulsing with a faint silver light.

At the far end stood a black obelisk, cracked down the middle.

’Hmmm, this feels odd.’

Something about the place made Akamir’s stomach twist.

He stared at the thing, trying to understand what that even is.

Zaina stepped forward slowly, eyes locked on the obelisk. "I think... I think this is where it escaped."

"You mean whatever killed them?" Lyselle asked, her voice brittle.

"Yes." Zaina swallowed. "And if I’m right, it’s still in this dungeon."

Viros swore under his breath as he roughly messed his hair.

"What are we supposed to do now?" He asked, looking around. "And damn this fucking smell is killing me."

Akamir wanted to ask what smell but his mind was completely occupied with that thing.

"You should keep moving." Nayomi said, her voice soft. "Things will only get weirder from here."

Akamir looked at her. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"I told you how things go in the novel right?" Nayomi asked, floating closely. "How someone will meet with Zaina and guide her."

"...Yeah." Akamir replied, remembering her words. "You said, one of the surviving members of Polmona—"

"Well, he wasn’t a random person." Nayomi said, looking at him. "...I didn’t think it would be important but he was...someone you know."

"..."

Akamir stared at her without any words.

It didn’t take him long to understand who she was talking about.

He let out a sigh as he glanced at Lyselle.

’Things are only going to be more painful for her.’

He fully turned to look at the group. "There is no point of standing here." Akamir said. "Let’s keep on moving."

The others though doubtful still followed behind him.

They moved past the cracked obelisk, the air growing colder with every step.

Even Viros stayed quiet, his usual sarcasm toned down by the heavy tension.

The corridor ahead narrowed again, turning jagged and uneven.

Strange carvings stretched across the walls—old, worn-out depictions of people kneeling beneath something massive and dark.

Some of the carvings were made with dried blood.

"This place is cursed," Luca muttered under his breath. "I’m telling you, we shouldn’t be here."

"We don’t have a choice," Akamir replied without looking back. "The only way out is through."

"Still feels like walking straight into our grave," Viros added, his hand resting uneasily on his weapon.

They kept walking until they reached a wide chamber—larger than the one with the obelisk.

Its roof was cracked open just enough to let a dim blue light pour in.

At the center stood a statue, broken at the head and both arms.

Around it were more bodies.

Older this time, bones and dust, robes faded and torn.

Zaina stopped near the statue, lowering her light spell.

"There’s something here," she whispered.

Akamir walked over to her, kneeling down beside the cracked base.

Symbols were carved all around it, but unlike the ones before, these were recent.

Someone had added them after the original carvings faded.

"What does it say?" Lyselle asked, stepping closer despite herself.

Akamir frowned. "Some type of warning."

Zaina placed her hand near one of the symbols. "Can you read it?"

"Some of it," he said. "It talks about... a prisoner and something breaking free."

"Let me guess," Luca said, rubbing the back of his neck, "we’re standing on its doorstep?"

Akamir stood up, brushing the dust off his palms. "We need to move again."

"Are we even going on the right path man?" Luca asked, his voice filled with anxiety. "You do know, I am still a virgin."

"Want my help?" Viros asked, biting his lips. "I can tap that as—"

"Alright guys, pay attention." Akamir said, looking at them.

They both nodded and the group began to move again.

They continued forward, following another descending path carved into the wall behind the statue.

The air turned damp and metallic, and the silence felt thicker than before.

Then they heard it.

Akamir raised his hand to stop everyone from moving.

He glanced at Zaina and she nodded before raising her staff.

"Arghh!!"

The sound came again, this time more clear.

Without a word, Akamir stepped forward, hand ready on his sword.

He approached the source of the sound slowly.

.....And then he saw him.

A man slumped against the wall, wrapped in bloodied bandages, his armor torn and scorched.

The symbol of the Polmona Dukedom was still visible on his chestplate, though barely.

"...He’s alive," Viros said, blinking in disbelief.

The others rushed forward but Akamir stopped them.

"Stay back." He ordered before he looked at the man.

"Hey! Can you hear us?"

The man’s eyes fluttered open slowly.

He looked at them and then at Lyselle.

His lips moved, cracked and dry.

"...Lyselle?"

She froze in her place.

"...Father?" she whispered, stepping back in disbelief.

Zaina cast another spell to shed more light on the man.

"Oh, God!"

"Wait, What the fuck!?"

"No way!!"

Different reactions escaped everyone’s lips as he looked at the man.

Who had one of his hands placed on his stomach.

....Bloated stomach.

’Ah, What the fuck am I seeing?’

Duke Vareon of Polmona....

....Was pregnant.

New n𝙤vel chapters are published on fre(e)webnov(l).com