The seven of us stood in place while the mages finished setting up the Portal. They then placed several reagents and began a chant. Whatever this dungeon was, this entrance was far different than anything I had ever seen before.

There were many things about entering this dungeon that I didn’t think the other gladiators had thought about. They were blinded by being so close to winning, and also the promise of rewards. After all, they had all been battling for months now, and they were so close to the end. Just three more days and a winner would be announced. Furthermore, this was some unvisited dungeon unlike anything ever heard of, so the awards had to be immense. Even without them, Lord Reign had managed to put his rewards in there for the taking.

For me, my thoughts were on the lack of Resurrection, the build-up of miasma, and the level of monsters. What was the point of these rewards if an undefeatable dungeon boss was in the way? I wasn’t scared, but I was cautious. I didn’t like the idea of jumping into the unknown. I couldn’t even understand how just a couple days ago, I had been so impulsive as to enter the castle. I wouldn’t be captured right now if I had been keeping a cool head.

I was very curious why he decided on this method for the finals. I almost felt like he had done it specifically to entrap me. I also had a feeling that even if I jumped through that portal, he wouldn’t just let me go as he promised. That means that I needed to find some way to escape while I was still in the dungeon. For everyone else, this was a three-day scramble to be the first. For me, it was a three-day trek to find a way to survive.

“You will all be teleported to a different corner of the world. You must trek across the world to reach the center castle and defeat the Demon Lord before the time is out. Once the portal closes, you will have no way to return to this world. This cursed lore is very special. It bubbled off and broke away from our world ages ago. That’s why it’s more of a world onto itself. This portal is the only way to travel between them. You may be the only humans to ever travel to this dungeon again, so make the best of it.”

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As if he had timed his words perfectly, it was at this moment the portal opened. It opened a bit like a flower, the edges unfurling out far past the gate itself. It was alluring and welcoming, but this was a dungeon, so that was likely done on purpose as a calculated trap. Dungeon’s fed on mana. A detached dungeon like this… I didn’t know how it sustained itself. Its miasma had to be compromised. It might even be dying and desiccated much like Terra’s dungeon had been.

Either way, it would want to suck in and consume any creatures it could find to consume their mana. It was a dungeon trap like a Venus flytrap.

“Is three days enough?” One of the men said nervously as he looked at the glowing entrance with awe.

“Oh… I forgot to mention that part.” Lord Reign let out a laugh. “Time moves differently in this world. You’d never be able to reach the exit in three days. However, three days out here… are three months in there!”

“W-what?”

“S-seriously? I didn’t sign up for this!”

“Oi! What are you doing!”

While we were focused on the pulsating flower of light, a line of guards assembled behind us. They were now moving forward with their pikes down. They were forcing us into the dungeon. These men had already given up their chance to escape. As for me, I never had a chance. I wasn’t impulsive, but since I had no choice, I might as well get on with it. I met Carmine’s eye once, and then I took three quick steps and leaped into the light. I was the first one to enter.

[You have entered the Twilight Dungeon. Destroy the lore to break the curse, or complete the lore for extra dungeon points and a blessing!]