Chapter 4: It's Not a Dream

Running across the streets like a monday typhoon, I slip my arms inside this black hooded robe I found sitting on my inventory. Thankfully, the streets are empty because of the disturbance, allowing me to increase my speed even more. My body has never felt this light. The air constantly slapping on my face makes me think I’m running on double digits.

[Sprint Learned]

I hear the same monotone voice clicking in my head but have no time to check the status screen at the moment. In an instant, I reach my destination — the giant obsidian obelisk. Using one foot as a brake pedal, I stop and screech my sneakers aflame.

“Hot, hot, hot, hot!!”

[Fire Resistance Learned]

As soon as the fire quiets down, I learned another skill. Intriguing.

It doesn’t seem like any type of combat occurred here — judging from the eerie silence — so I assume that all of the explorers, including Rosalia, are currently inside the labyrinth.

I frantically run a hand through my hair. So even with that speed, I’m still too late? I dawdled too much! I enter the main entrance of the obelisk, which is at least six meters wide. Glimmering crystals adorn the darkened tunnel, reminding me of a horrible experience.

I shake my head. I stand there, trying to figure out where to go next. The reception inside is abandoned with no traces of soul left. There’s a wide, stone staircase leading to the lower levels and spiraling stairs going up. Where to go?

Footsteps erupt behind me, I turn to look. Several people geared for combat walk in front of a stone monument. One of them places her hand on the stone, then some sort of light develops around their footing, and one by one, they all disappear within its casing. My instincts tell me to follow, so I enter just in time before the light closes in.

[Magic Map Learned]

Magic map? After a few tense seconds, I’m standing in front of some ruins. Two classic pedestal torches lighted by azure flames exhibited the stone doors ahead. A man with short brown hair is standing in front of the doors and he seems to be giving the explorers here a moving speech.

“Now, everyone, this is our chance to make a living! Let’s not fall behind any longer than we already have!” He clenches his fist as he tap his sword on the floor once, and loud voices blare in response.

While his manly speech continues, I search the crowd for Rosalia — that white robed idiot, where is she? I mow my way, twisting and turning against the crowd, searching both ends of this vast corridor, and yet my endeavor remains fruitless. Could there be another group that has progressed beyond this door?

I lean my back against the wall, away from the crowd to fiddle with my skill list. As I won’t be needing [Sprint] with my current speed, I max the mastery for [Fire Resistance] and [Magic Map] right away.

The Good Lord hasn’t abandoned me! With magic map, I can see the overview of the entire floor — with the list of all the monsters in each room, the traps, the secret doors, and even including the explorers scattered around the labyrinth floor along with their names and levels.

The numbers at the top right of the map indicates that this is floor number four. Scanning the names one by one, I find Rosalia in a zigzag pattern thirteen rooms ahead of me.

[Stalker Acquired]

This system is having fun, huh? Nonetheless, Rosalia’s surrounded by a large group, and judging from their levels, an experienced group of explorers without a doubt. Their leader, [Martin], is level 18 while the rest of the group ranges from 12-16.  

I guess that explains their speed. The regular mobs in this floor are merely 6-10, but this giant red dot on my map overwhelms everything else. The monster, [Tiamat], is surely unrivaled at level 44. Rosalia’s group is still far away from this fearsome foe, yet I’m worried that she'll reach it before I reach her.

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Then I hear something wheeze and creak. I look at the source, and the group of explorers I’m currently with enters the room with a large roar.

“Shit, let’s do this.”

I pull out two bundles of throwing knives from my inventory. It even comes with their own leather pouches, how handy. After attaching the pouches on my back hip, I enter the room myself. Everyone is busy fighting, the mages on the sidelines are busy murmuring an incantation.

I have this inkling to watch them fire but as I’m out of time, I sneak past all of the fighting and head straight to the next room. There’s twelve skeletons inside according to my map. From the darkness, skeletons comes out holding a variety of weapon in each hand and from the gap of their bones is some black mist spilling out.

The best way to destroy them bones is to crush, I guess? Forgive me for this.

I pull out a large sledgehammer from inventory. By accelerating my legs like a whip, a single swing of this hammer make an instant kill. The poor skeleton crumbles to pieces, its bones smashing the next door open.

[Sledgehammer Mastery Learned]

The remaining skeletons clamber around, intent on taking my life. But I have no reason to clear this room as my quarry lies elsewhere, so I push my way past the skeletons and enter the next room.

Surprisingly, the other skeletons didn’t pursue me any further after I stepped past the threshold. One lone skeleton stands in the middle of this room. Contrasted to his naked buddies, however, he’s well equipped and with two swords hanging on his waist.

Every muscle in my body tenses. Aside from his absurdly high level of 25, this skeleton knight seems to differ from the other ones. But how did I miss this? As I wrack my head for an answer, I notice two blue dots disappear on my map.

Wait… That’s the room where Rosalia is! Her group’s under attack by a skeleton similar to this one. Shit, I have to hurry. There’s no time to lose here!

But in the midst of my confusion, the skeleton jumps towards me.

With the monster’s flawless aim, it manages to scratch my cheek and there’s even another one incoming! To dispel the other blade aimed at my neck, I twist my body sidewards. I roll on the stone floors, avoiding the sparks of metal coming from his dual swords.

“Shit!!” With swordsmanship skills and speed to match, it is giving me a headache. My hp drops another five after suffering a well prepared strike on my knee. His blade breaks as it tries to enter my flesh, and I use that chance to get on my feet.

Pulling out a one handed sword from the abyss that is called [inventory], I step forward and swing my blade downward. The skeleton successfully raised his sword to intercept, but my strength cuts him and his weapon in twain.

[One-handed Sword Mastery Learned]

Not wasting any chance, I press my weight on its skull on the floor, crushing it, and with that, I can assure its defeat.

I breathe a big sigh as I wipe the sweat blotting on my forehead. “Whew.”

To think that I, your average and somewhat self-centered jerk, would come running here and put his life on the line just because of a single woman doesn’t really sit well with me. I mean, one’s own safety should be his highest priority, right? I still don’t know why, but there’s something inexplicably bad about this that I can’t describe.

I check my map again. Another five blue dots disappeared while I was fighting; two were from the group behind me and the other three were in another separate group. This is foolishness, madness even. Is a person’s life as cheap as this? I’d like to think differently but I also have to remember that this is a different world.

Yes, it’s not a dream.