"Huh?” Blue mumbled.

“I'm not a rock.”

“It seems I am also still unpetrified...” Arbur added.

Micro glanced back at his nervous friends, then continued to address the angered basilisk staring at him through the barrier.

“Thanks for not turning us to stone.” Micro said, but Lo's expression soured further.

“Ray gave you that skill, didn't he?!” Lo growled.

“That spiteful, arrogant, imposter...!”

“He did mention you would react a certain way when I used it.” Micro said apologetically.

“Well go back and thank him, now.” Lo seemed to roll his eyes as he backed away.

“Be gone!”

“But I-” Micro started.

“I cannot petrify you while you remain behind that barrier.” Lo explained, his tone bitter.

“May you be the first to leave me in peace!”

Micro raised an eyebrow, then turned to Blue.

“I do have to fight Lo, right?” He asked the pixie.

“That's what the dragon said...” Blue answered, slowly turning to face the creature with her own eyes.

“Dragon, you say?” Lo suddenly roared.

“You make me laugh!”

Though Lo said that, he didn't laugh. Rather, his growling seemed to deepen.

“He definitely looked like a dragon...” Blue replied without thinking.

“Many know of the dragon called Ray...” Lena added, her curiosity piqued by the conversation which had suddenly developed.

“His legends extend beyond this kingdom’s borders.”

“What would a dragon be doing in a Serpent Art Dungeon?!”

“Huh...” Blue paused, then nodded slowly.

“Good point.”

“That fool is a basilisk, No different than myself.” Lo growled.

“Well, anyways...” Micro suddenly stepped forward, through the shield of his own making, and stood before the giant serpent with a small shield in front of his face.

“Here...”

Without further warning, Micro suddenly reached up and slapped Lo's snout with his hand, causing the confused creature to recoil in surprise.

“What...” Lo mumbled.

“A spell? A curse…? But there is no effect. Did you…”

“Ah...” Micro sighed, ignoring Lo's baffled growl as the pressure in his chest was suddenly relieved. Though the protective ring of water remained in place around his core, it no longer felt like it was about to strangle him. It now felt like a calm barrier between his core and the outside world.

“Is that all?!” Blue blurted out.

“It seems like it worked.” Micro shrugged.

“Ray wasn't too specific about how to attack Lo, so...”

“So that petty worm bound your core to the task of assaulting me in my own home, threatening your existence should you fail to carry out the task…?” Lo growled.

“Typical!”

“What did you do to get the both of you kicked out of your dungeon, anyway?” Micro asked as the other members of his party continued to cower in the shield behind him.

“Kicked out, you say?” Lo tilted his giant head.

“I left as soon as I was able. Ray's expulsion was the result of his own shortcomings.”

“You left, but by choice?” Micro asked.

“Is that a thing?” Blue added.

“I grew weary of seeing countless mortals barge into the room where I waited, only to be petrified, turning to dust as the centuries went by...” Lo replied.

“There were many of us in that dungeon. Our number grew quickly as boredom prevailed in our endless duty.”

“That does sound very unpleasant.” Micro said sympathetically.

“It's nice that you escaped.”

“It was glorious to escape that horrible place!” Lo cried out.

“The creator must never have intended for such weak humans to find their way into our dungeon. And they only grew weaker as time went on. Ray and his brothers sent many cultivators away, but still they flocked to our dungeon, running rampant through each room until they found me. I wondered if anybody would ever master the Serpent Art at all…”

“Fascinating.” Lena gasped, though her eyes remained closed.

“The fact that the Serpent Art is so prevalent today may be a result of its strongest guardians abandoning its dungeon!”

“Cool, I guess.” Micro shrugged, then continued to speak to Lo.

“Was it easy to escape?”

“Not at all! It was never intended to be possible.

“But I grew to understand the nature of a dungeon.”

“I can't believe what I'm hearing...” Arbur mumbled to himself.

“A dungeon guardian's own testimony...”

“Draw no further attention to yourself, boy.” Lena quipped.

“Micro's ability to defy logic and fate itself may not extend to those around him.”

“Understood...” Arbur nodded soberly.

“The eldest guardian of the dungeon is most bound by the will of the dungeon's creator. But since none of us were capable of willingly passing through the gate to the outside world, I knew that the only way to escape was to be sent away.” Lo explained, closing his eyes as he recalled events with nostalgia.

“I begged my siblings to expel me from the dungeon as they could do for any human, but they were unable to defy her will.”

Lo suddenly began to glow, then transformed into a middle aged man with a bushy beard and dirty robes. He stood before Micro with a lethargic expression.

“I learned to disguise myself as on of the cultivators who became petrified in my presence, and I challenged Ray, the least observant of my brothers and sisters.” Lo explained, his voice now that of a human man.

“I fought so feebly that Ray ejected me from our dungeon without a second thought. I was almost offended that he had so completely failed to recognize me, but I am proud of my disguise.”

“So Ray helped you escape?” Micro asked.

“He wouldn’t have helped me willingly, but I do owe my escape to his negligence.” Lo replied.

“His negligence was a betrayal of his duties, however. As such, he was exiled as soon as my absence was realized by the eldest.”

“Huh...” Micro frowned.

“Well, I guess it worked out fine. Ray looked healthy.”

“Masquerading as a dragon… Pathetic...” Lo rolled his eyes.

“Umm...” Kira suddenly spoke up, apparently less fearful of Lo in his human form.

“Why are you in this mountain now?”

“I only ever desired a place to be alone!” Lo cried.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“I have no desire to see mortals seek out death in my presence. Those with the power to withstand my gaze, such as you do, had no reason to find me in the first place. Those arrogant youth who fear nothing... So many wasted lives.”

“So, you came here to hide?” Kira asked.

“You just didn't want to hurt people anymore?”

“That is correct.” Lo answered.

“That doesn't sound like something a dungeon monster would do.” Kira chuckled.

“There are lots of different guardians, Kira.” Micro replied before Lo.

“Some are mushrooms, and some are turtles. Some dungeons are just a mountain…”

“I see!” Kira answered with bright eyes.

“Ura was very friendly too.” Micro added.

“She helped me a lot in her dungeon.”

“She is not known to be excessively kind to you humans, but...” Lo said in surprise, but his eyes narrowed as he looked more carefully at Micro.

“But, you are not quite human... Interesting. You're a rather easy creature to speak with. A pure soul, but strong…”

“Thanks, Lo.” Micro smiled.

“I came here seeking an abode with an abundance of energy in which to slumber for an age or two, but those cultivators with their crystals started bothering me recently.” Lo lamented.

“Recently?!” Arbur blurted out.

“It was like being back in the dungeon again, people rushing to a dusty death...” Lo shook his head.

“I wonder if it was bad luck or karma which caused so many dungeon portals to manifest in this hill. The Crystal Art appealed to a particularly large number of arrogant young masters...”

“We were actually going to drop by a few dungeons on our way out.” Micro went on.

“I hope you don't mind.”

“Oh, by all means, enjoy yourselves.” Lo replied.

“Your company was not unwelcome today, despite Ray's involvement in your arrival.”

“I'd invite you to join us, but I suppose it would be a problem if you turned everybody in the world to stone.” Micro said.

“Not all basilisks are cursed with such a nature. Many can control their power, but even closing my eyes is futile. And the skill you now wield to protect yourselves from my curse is rare among the weak.” Lo explained.

“Can you not use the skill yourself?” Micro asked.

“Of course I can.” Lo scoffed.

“But what need is there to defend myself from young cultivators who turn to stone in my presence?”

“No, I mean...” Micro pointed at his eyes.

“It's just a windshield... wouldn't it block the curse both ways...?”

Lo raised an eyebrow, looking at Micro as though he were looking at a small child who was confused about something very simple. However, as Micro waited for Lo's reply in the increasingly silent cave, Lo's expression evolved. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

A familiar yellow glow formed around the man's head as he transformed back into his original form. Like a helmet, the amber shield formed a translucent barrier around his face.

“Using a Spirit Shield, to protect your enemies...?” Lena whispered.

“Such a perversion of the sacred technique...”

“What's sacred?” Micro asked.

“It's just a windshield, and what enemies does he even have?”

“You!” Lo roared.

“What is your name?!”

“I'm Micro.”

“You are wise, Micro!” Lo shouted.

“Strong, wise, kind...”

“Thanks, Lo.” Micro smiled.

“To think Ray would send me such a gift!” Lo laughed so loudly that small rocks fell from the ceiling, landing on the shield around Micro's friends.

“I don't think that was his intention, but I’m glad I met both of you.” Micro smiled.

“No reward I can offer will suffice!” Lo shouted, bowing his head to Micro.

“All I have is...”

Micro watched happily as two Core Cards materialized in front of him, but as he reached out to grab them, he was distracted by an odd sensation in his chest. He looked inward to see the rings around his core were in a state of chaos. Energy was flowing into their orbit, causing a storm around his core. However, after a moment of feeling like he was about to explode, the energy of both the ring of fire and the ring of water had dispersed and formed a spherical barrier around his core. A large amount of energy from Lo continued to flow into the spherical barrier even as he watched in surprise.

“The rings are gone, but...?!” Micro wondered.

“The bindings of a guardian's oath are strong, but I assure you an outer core will serve you better.” Lo explained, his head still bowed.

“It is a far more efficient use of energy.”

Micro’s face brightened at the mention of efficiency, and he continued to look inward at the beautiful globe which surrounded his garage-shaped core.

“Honourable Imperial Guard... Was there ever such a thing as an outer core?!” Arbur whispered frantically to Lena.

“I i know only of stories about the rings a guardian may grant to cultivators who prove themselves worthy, but I have heard no mention of such a technique in all my years...” Lena replied, equally baffled.

“Ah, you're only an Amber Core, of course.” Lo said apologetically.

“An external core is most often cultivated by those of a more advanced stage. It’s a far more reliable means of strengthening and protecting your soul.”

“Oh?!” Micro's eyes widened at Lo's explanation.

“Greatly so, in fact.” Lo continued.

“Your soul is robust for its age, otherwise it would not be possible to maintain. The external core I have created should be quite easy to utilize. It seems like you've had multiple encounters with a source of chaos energy. Is that correct?”

“You're right.” Micro nodded.

“Magicians are all over the place these days.”

“Magicians? I haven't heard of them. Must be a newer sect...” Lo replied.

“The external core should protect you from the harmful effects of chaos energy until you are able to utilize it properly.”

As Micro looked inward to confirm the nature of the new layer of energy surrounding his core, the shield protecting his friends dissipated. Arbur and Lena let out a gasp as they braced themselves to be turned to stone, but the group was relieved when Lo's barrier seemed effective in blocking his petrifying gaze. With renewed confidence, Blue took her place on Micro's shoulder with a curious expression.

“You sure have gotten chatty since we met.” She remarked to Micro.

“I'm starting to understand why the old man enjoyed meeting new people so much. Even if it made him late to something, he never hesitated to enjoy a conversation.” Micro explained with a warm smile, then turned to Lo again.

“It was very nice to meet you. I hope we can talk again soon.”

“Oh, are you leaving so soon?” Lo smiled back.

“Yes, but I'll be back.” Micro replied.

“There is a lot of metal in this mountain which is going to waste. You wouldn't mind us mining here, would you? I'm going to be on this world for a long time, and there are some things I’d like to make with the iron here.”

“Not at all!” Lo laughed.

“I'd enjoy the company! Were you more interested in iron than gold? How novel!”

“See you soon, then.” Micro waved, then turned around to face the nervous group behind him. He placed the two Core Cards in his storage, then placed his hands on his hips.

“Let's enjoy some dungeons!”

Micro began to lead his party away from Lo, back into the tunnels. However, Lena stopped and turned to face Lo once more.

“You said something…” Lena spoke timidly, bowing her head deeper as she spoke.

“About strengthening the soul… What does that mean?”

“Hmm?” Lo tilted his head.

“If you didn’t do that, you’d only be able to master a few Core Cards.”

“But even two Core Cards can grant one immense power, if you’ll excuse my insolence.” Lena continued slowly, her curiosity just barely outweighing her anxiety.

“If our creator only wanted you to get that strong, why would he have made so many dungeons?” Lo frowned.

“Don’t tell me the mortals give up after finding a few cards these days!”

“Give up… No, but a sect specializes in only one or two arts. To learn more…”

“Oh my…” Lo gasped.

“That explains a lot actually. I did think it was strange for that one sect to use only the Crystal Art. To think they just didn’t bother learning more.”

“The creator’s intention was for us to master such a variety of Core Cards?” Lena looked up in shock, her reverent tone fading.

“That child called Micro is well ahead of you, but even he has only taken the first of many, many steps.” Lo answered.

“I may have run away from my duties in the dungeon, but it pains me so, to see the creator’s gift to you mortals wasted in such a way. Your soul is as weak as your will. Go now. You should follow the child’s example. Your core is currently wasted on your soul.”

~

After the shocked and dumbfounded Lena rejoined Micro and his friends, Micro decided to lead his group back the way they came, toward the Mountain Art Dungeon they had passed by earlier. Kolt and Kira were excitedly recalling their encounter with the transforming basilisk, though Arbur and Lena were having a more serious discussion about what they'd witnessed.

“Have you heard of cultivators conversing with dungeon guardians...?” Arbur asked quietly.

“No.” Lena replied, her eyes fixated on Micro as she walked far behind him.

“Guardians rarely reply to the appeals of mortals.”

“Are dungeon guardians easy to find in mountains...?” Arbur asked.

“No. Such legends are rare.” Lena answered.

“Could the basilisk be much less strong than we assumed?” Arbur asked.

“It spoke of the dungeons' creator so casually... Could it have been lying?”

“Had you possession of an advanced version of the Spirit Vision Skill, you'd have witnessed the unimaginable power that dwells within that creature.” Lena replied, turning to face the young cultivator.

“Its relation to the dungeon's creator is genuine. And have you considered the power required to create a Core Card?”

“What do you mean?” Arbur looked confused.

“You have held a Core Card in your own hands, have you not?” Lena asked.

“You understand their power.”

“I've heard they can't be broken, though their power can fade with time.” Arbur nodded.

“Imagine the power needed to create such an artifact.” Lena continued.

“The basilisk created two such things in an instant, and I noticed no change whatsoever in its energy. I don't know if there is a single cultivator on this world which that basilisk could not smite with ease.”

“Surely such a legendary existence is not normal!” Arbur said, increasingly flustered as he understood Lena's explanation.

“I dare not say what is or is not normal in the presence of your new master...” Lena sighed.

“The world is indeed wide, and I fear I may know much less about cultivation than I believed…”

“Master was such an amazing person?!” Arbur exclaimed.

“What's that?” Micro called back, having caught mention of his name.

“It's nothing, master!” Arbur humbly replied.

“Excuse me!”

Micro smiled, and then looked ahead toward the glowing portal in the cavern where they had arrived.

“It's time for some offroading.”