The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 59: Inside the Dungeon
The wheel was right in front of him on the screen, glowing softly to blend with the day’s light.
Another screen had appeared, the warning screen.
[Five seconds left to spin the wheel!]
As if controlled by reflex, Buji immediately placed his right index finger on the click of the wheel and allowed it to whirl with maximum speed before finally slowing to a stop.
[Item Unlocked!]
The screen flickered off and came to life again, with its screen showing an item on it. It seemed to be the acquisition item.
Buji, however, clicked on it and it blew out into reality, hovering in the air before him.
The item, whirling in a circular motion was a small metallic orb that glimmered faintly in the unbright light of the day. It pulsed as Buji stretched out his hand to hold it but before Buji could get hold of it, it began to transform.
It made clicking sound as its surface shifted and rearranged itself, forming into a vertical object that was rather rough in texture.
Buji’s heart raced as he realized what the orb had transformed into—a slender, ornate key that flew with fiery inscriptions.
The inscriptions on the key clearly read "Infernal Forge", emitting an ominous crimson light. The name along also sent a chill through him.
"Infernal Forge?" He whispered with his voice tinged with shock. "This name, should I still go on?"
The inscribed name on the key 🗝️ seemed to be the name of the Dormant Dungeon he was going to raid. He focused his gaze on the key for a moment before finally holding grip of it.
As Buji held the key, a sudden wave of heat washed over him.The air around him shimmered, and faint embers danced in the breeze.
The energy from the key’s glow was peak. The glow itself intensified, projecting an image in front of him. The image came in different slides and it acted as a recap of areas Buji was going to wander in the dungeon. It maybe, was a map.
He looked closely at the first image that had popped up and saw that there were three ways that led into deep darkness. His eyes widened in u expectation, as he sampled other images.
’Is this really what the system classified as a Dormant Dungeon?’
The appearance alone were already discouraging enough. Buji’s finger tightened around the key. He could almost hear the roar of the Dormant Dungeon stirring to life.
However this may be turning out, Buji had already decided that he was going for the raid. He was no exactly confident again, but he wanted to take on with the ritual.
The screen popped up in his sight with a notification:
[Acquisition Item unlocked!]
[Acquisition Item: Infernal Forge Key.]
[Rank: Dormant]
[The key will only be of use this one and will disappear once the Player makes use of it to gain entry into the dungeon.]
Another screen replaced the one that was before, with its own clarification clearly in place.
[Tracking Dungeon...!]
[... Dungeon tracked]
[Location acquired]
[THE INFERNAL FORGE]
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[Rank: Dormant]
[Time Limit: 24 Hours from Entry]
As if detecting what possible decision Buji was going to utter, the system was faster.
[The Player should be able to gain entry into the dungeon.]
[Few more minutes for instructions to materialize]
Tick... Tick... Tick...
The hands of Buji’s wristwatch made the sound as Buji glanced at what the time was.
He still had 30 minutes before the hour of seven. He needed to round everything up to prevent conspicuous looks and suspicious intentions against him.
Buji knew better than to rush headlong into the dungeon as it’s. He needed to check how ready he was going to be, his Acquisition and skill. He was to know if both can help really this time.
His Acquisition housed different objects. The Slayer sword he had gotten, Aetherfang and the magic staff were all he got in the meantime.
He checked his skills too and nodded.
"I hope things turn out well."
He had limited time now. He needed to get on into the dungeon before students began to gush out for their early activities.
The key which he already placed in his pocket pulsed as if urging him to hurry. The clock was ticking, and the dungeon wouldn’t wait.
He pulled out the key, only for it to immediately release a massive glow of dim light that almost seemed as if it was creating its own domain.
When the glow calmed, Buji found himself in front of a door. He found himself in front...
From the name of the dungeon, he has thought this. That he was gonna arrive in front of maybe a gateway that was massive, and has molten arch carved into the side of a volcano. But his presumptions were wrong.
He found himself in front of a tall glittering door that stood out in the middle of nothingness. With blue fire burning at its edges. He raised the key in his hands and stared at the door for a while.
The key in his hands suffered from his tight grip, his heart pounding with fear.
’Am I still dreaming?’
’Or is this one of my imaginations?’
Somehow, he wished it was reality. And yes, it was just as he wished. Everything was real.
His feeling of fear was real. The blue fire embedded at the edges of the door were real. The door which stood invincible in the middle of nothingness was real. And the key he had in his hand was real too.
But why should he wished for reality at his current condition of fear?
He didn’t want to waste much time, so, he inserted the glowing keyhole at the center of the doors. The ground trembled as the door began to open, finally revealing what Buji has seen in the images created by the key’s glow earlier.
He had been thrust into the dungeon. Standing in a hallway that had three routes, all leading into utter darkness.
The first was a straight path by his left that had an entrance. Around the large arc opening of the entrance, were shackles of blue flame.
Earlier outside in front of the door, Buji had noticed the flames were not intense with heat and as such, were not as harmful.
’But why the name, Infernal Forge.’
He didn’t want to think forward. He dropped his gaze on the second way that appeared right opposite him, in his front. It was a staircase.
A staircase that went upwards, and suddenly vanished into darkness.
He thought he had seen it all, until he moved closer to the third way by his right. He wasn’t having a clearer view from where he stood.
The third way seemed to have nothing as assistance for entrance into it. It was cover with blackness and this made Buji swallow his saliva into his stomach.
The setting was odd.
First, it had the name Infernal Forge but from what he’s seeing, it didn’t seem anything like a forge. Or is this the system’s way of making my luck from the wheel less severe according to my class?
’Whatever.’
Another thing that sparkles his amazement was the fact that the hall where he stood was brightly lit and he imagined the rays from the light piercing into the dark paths, providing even a glint of illumination.
But the reverse was the case. The brightly lit hall had no effect on the paths. They all led seriously into darkness, and this kept Buji thinking in confusion, which should I follow?
He exhaled deeply and stepping forward he muttered, "here goes nothing."
With his hands he flinged at his left, threw it to his right and pointed to the middle. Just, which way?
He wanted to choose the right way but it looked more dangerous. It was not a straight pathway, and he didn’t notice any stairs or slide leading downwards.
The middle, and the left... No go areas too.
By theory, right hand situations when involved in seemed to contain luck always, left hand situations contained mostly bad luck. And the middle, he guessed the middle will thrust one in between.
For this reason, he stepped forward to his right, halting immediately in front of the entrance of the path. He was already engrossed in darkness.
But then, something changed. It was after the bright screen appeared with a notification.
<Quest Activated: Raid a dungeon all by yourself!>
[Quest Objective: Retrieve the emberheart core from the Forge’s depths.]
[Time Limit started: 24:00:41]
After the notification, the pathway suddenly was dimly lit by rays that entered through the walls.
’So, the walls have pores?’
What confused him more was the system’s notification.
’Why does it still refer this place as an Internal Forge when all he could feel here is cool breeze which brushed against the skin?’
Whatever, he still needed to continue deeper.
He called on the screen and drew out the Slayer sword from his Acquisition. That was the first time he was letting it out. Its balde shimmered with a silvery enchantment and glistened sparkles at different spots on its surface.
Buji took a deep breath, positioning the sword 🗡️ in his hands to his side.
With a mockery voice, he muttered, "Alright, Infernal Forge."
And with the statement, and with the stances of a swordsman in an ambushed area, he plunged deeper into the dungeon.
’Slow and steady wins the race.’ He thought as he demonstrated it with his movements.
He continued deeper and deeper. Now, he thought about nothingness but about what he was awaiting him.
