"I'm.... I'm s...sorry." Tom apologized while making sure his eyes never made contact with mine.

I murmur something incomprehensible in response.

We are now walking through the usual passage. Rocky walls, ceiling, and ground, illuminated by the faint glow from the cyan vines.

The goblins are walking behind me while trying to suppress their laughter. They ended up snickering instead.

Clammis had not leave me out of her sight since that change. 

Muo Li glances over to me every few minutes. I can't tell if she's worried or curious about my recent condition. I then figure out she just finds it amusing when I noticed she held back a giggle.

Why are they all behaving in such an odd manner?

It all started about an hour ago.

After I went to get some shut eye, encouraged by Muo Li, a change happened to my body.

The change had awoken me from my slumber. Needless to say, everyone else could only stand by and watch as the change took place. Although I'm impassive to most physical torment at this point, the pain of having your body forcibly undergo physical changes is quite something else. I almost fainted a few times from it.

What changes have I undergone?

Well.....

I grew a tail.....

The tail resemble's that of a reptile's. It's about a little more than half my height. 

My nails are now able to grow even sharper and tougher. I tried it against a rock. The rock broke but my nails didn't but I did broke my nails after a few more test. Being dulled to pain, I barely felt anything from the pain but.... the sight of my fingers without nails is still not something I can stomach.

Aside from those, my eyes have gained thermal vision.

Yes. Thermal vision.

And my tongue.... my tongue....

It grew in length. It grew to about six inches long....

Why did such thing happened?

It is because of the meat I ate. The meat I got from Tom the personality-shifting orc.

Once in a while, the goblins and orcs, through the teleportation formation, they will head outside of the dungeon and hunt for food. The most common prey they would come across are the Tree Lizards. They're carnivores but only prey on smaller animals. They have heat-seeking vision and bears vicious and tough claws. They can also regulate their body temperature and adapt to the climate. Which is why they are in abundance. They're about two feet in size. They are magic beasts but only a G rank, the lowest.

They aren't just hunted because they are convenient to be hunted but also they can be eaten raw. If my theory is correct, the changes are more intense if I ingest it raw instead of having it cooked. Which is maybe why I only grew claws from eating those centaur-scorpions. 

Since the thermal vision works the same way as [Mana Perception], I have no trouble with its activation. I have ample practices with retracting and extending my claws but the other two are the main concern. My tongue kept slipping out whenever I breath out and my tail can't seem to calm down. It appears my tail reacts in accordance to my emotions.

I wondered if "Poker Tail" will become a word.

Great. Not only do I need to watch out for my facial expression but my tail too.....

From what I know from Clammis, most people can die from eating flesh of magic beasts. If one's lucky to survive that, they will be living the rest of their live crippled by a disease. The only records of someone eating magic beast's meat and survived are the Majins. Besides the Majins, only magic beast eats magic beast.

Great....

Although, it's not all that bad. The thermal vision improved my cognitive abilities. I respond quicker to dangers and my anticipations of monster's actions and behaviors has also improved.

But my tail.... It had gotten me into quite a lot of trouble. We were planning to sneak past a Goliath but my tail disturbed a pebble and attracted the monkey's attention. Panic and frustrated, I spend half of my Mana into firing multiple [Abyssal Javelin] continuously until I completely shredded the Goliath into hundreds of pieces. As a result,

[Abyss Magic: Lv. 3 increased to Lv. 4]

[Abyss Magic: Hell Spikes - Acquired]

This ability erupts a spike of purplish dark energy from the ground. Pouring more Mana into this ability increases the quantity of the spikes and its size. I used this against against an old friend, the Wights. It skewered them nicely. 

Fancy meeting you all down here but you all should have stayed back at the upper layers. Please don't tell me you all purposely came down here looking for me. Please don't let that be the case.

There was a time when we almost fell into a pit of sharp stakes but I finally able to experiment what I have been wishing for. Turns out, I can use [Plane Displacement] as a foothold but the durability depends on the numbers of people on it. Two is the maximum load for [Plane Displacement]

The goblins are surprisingly useful. Since they're small, most of the monsters gave me, Tom, Clammis, and Muo Li the priority in their offences, it allowed the goblins to sneak up on them. They have saved our lives a few times using this tactic. Such nice and handy fellows. 

We once again came across a field of Gray Spores but this time, I purposefully crushed some and keep the spores in a sack. I planned to use it as a make-shift grenade. Hope this would work out.

And just a little bit of distance after the Gray Spores, we arrived at a small abandoned village. It looks just like the one I have encountered previously. Although, this one is a lot more smaller as oppose the upper layer's. The other difference is that this village isn't overgrown with Red Crystals everywhere. 

 Since I have already witnessed the existence of a village in the upper layer, I wasn't as entranced the to others. It seems that Tom and the goblins didn't even knew of such place existed. Instead, my focus is on the field of herbs that have grown in abundance in this area. I almost jumped in joy from that discovery. 

Without wasting any more time, I get to work, neglecting the confounded glances of my party, I begin concocting as much reagent as I can carry. At first, Clammis was skeptical and questioned the purpose of this reagents but I proved it to her the effectiveness of this reagents. 

Although she believes me now, she also distrusts and dislikes me even more. Why? Simple. In order to prove it to her, I pierce through her palm with my claws and then made her ingest the red reagent. It worked but she is scarred from that. Good cause I'm getting sick and tired from her second guessing me at every turn. Hope this can shut her up.

Putting that understandable distrustful bitch aside, I found a lot of other various herbs and I got creative. I even managed to create a peculiar reagent. By mixing the yellow flower with seven petals and a pink flower with twelve petals, I created that "reagent". A pink reagent and it burns like white phosphorus. I was happy when I discovered something akin to white phosphorus but I wasn't so happy when I discovered it in a first hand manner. A good part of my body suffered a six degree burn or worse as a result. Of course, I healed back over the course but I have discovered a new level of pain. Clammis looked satisfied after that incident. She now smirks whenever she looks at me. 

This bitch.

By the way, we aren't heading towards the teleportation formation anymore. Every route that could have took us there were blocked either by monsters or debris and rocks. We even considered tracing back our steps but we decided against it when I reminded them of the Serrators. As much as I like to think they died from that spectacle, I strongly doubt that. 

In simple and short words, we are lost. As far as I'm concern, we now just merely looking for a way to get to the upper layers. The others seem to have an unspoken agreement of me taking the lead. I don't want to crush any more of their hopes but I'm heading to where my feet takes me. 

When I asked Muo Li and Clammis they remember how they got to these layer. they told that they were knocked out cold by the goblins and when they woke up, they were already there in the lairs of the goblins. 

Apparently, Tom wasn't part of the group who abducted the adventurers.

Tom and the goblins are indifferent to the fact that we're lost. It is natural after all considering they have been living here for their whole lives but Muo Li and Clammis had been very disheartened when such hopes were crushed. I consoled them by telling them what I have went through when I woke up in a cell. I don't know if it actually did the job but their facial complexion look better than before. I say it worked but I get the feeling I have just upped my creepy factor furthermore.

----------------------------------------

After some time we left that area, Tom have finally worked up the courage to ask me about a certain thing. If I have to compare, he looked like a schoolgirl from Animes that's trying to confess to her crush or in this case, his. I sure hope he's not actually thinking about confessing because that will be too weird, even for my taste.

"About what you did the other time...." Tom slowly trails off.

Bruh, don't make this anymore awkward."You mean when I tempered with your Mana flow?"

"Yes. And I was wondering if you could...."

I don't like where this is going....

"Is it possible that you can...."

Could you just spit it out already?

"Can you temper with my Mana flow again?"

Okay. I wasn't expecting this but.... why? I tilt my head in response.

"What I meant is that can you make it so that I can use magic chantless too?"

I stop walking. "Make you able to use chantless magic?" I don't know why but I said it out loud in Common.

Muo Li and Clammis heard my words and stop in their tracks and glance at Tom.

Wait.

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They're not glancing at Tom. They are glancing at me. Um.... why?

"Can you?" Muo Li asked. Are your eyes sparkling or is it just me?

Even Clammis is glancing hard at me.

"No. It doesn't work like that or at least, I don't believe so. Even if it's possible, I don't know how." I reply back in Common to dispel any false hope for Muo Li and Clammis. Does chanting has something to do with them being unable to use magic? I'll ask them later.

"Oh." One word was all I got from the dejected Tom.

But why are you two dejected also? Aren't you two swordsman or swordswoman, whatever.

"Ngeh? Something there?"

"Something there!"

"Humans?"

"Two?"

Somehow, the goblins keep speaking in this sequence. I wonder if they did it deliberately or it's just their natural way of talking.

But anyways, it seems they are correct. There's two individuals just in front of us. Two males. Stained with a lot of blood, monster blood.

"What are they saying?" Muo Li asked.

"There are two people just around the corner in front of us."

"More survivors?" Clammis asked.

"Does that included those with their mind intact?"

Both Muo Li and Clammis hesitated to answer.

"As far as I can tell, their flow of Mana seems normal. So they might be sane but I can't be sure and if that's truly the case...." I glare at all of them while extending my claws, making sure they understand what I'm liable to do should the individuals be in any other state than sane.

They all nod in assent. By they, I don't included the goblins of course. They are always in their own pace. Which is kinda nice.

As we advance nearer to the corner where two individual awaits, a ball of light roll from the corner to my feet.

When I realized what it is, it was too late. The ball explodes and let loose the amassed blinding light within. The ball of light is a spell. And since it is a spell and I have [Mana Perception] on one eye and thermal vision in the other, the results aren't pretty for me. No. I should say the results are too pretty for me that it blinded my eyes. 

Okay.... that was terrible.

In all seriousness though, if the light was anymore intense, I would have actually went blind. It goes without saying that the rest of my party was also stunned by the flash.

Right after that flash, someone darted out of the corner and dashed straight at us. How do I know this despite being blinded? I have a keen sense of hearing and smell. In addition, I have [Clarity Field]. 

The assailant is wielding a greatsword. He is going for a thrust. I clad my body with [Magic Enhancement] and deflects the blow with my elbow. I can hear his faint utter of surprise. He goes for a swing which he raises his sword overhead in preparation. He then swings it down at me but the blade snaps into two upon contact with my head. [Magic Enhancement] clad my whole body not just parts of my body. This time, I heard him mutters "How?" 

Without giving him a chance to recover from his shock, I push my palm at him with a controlled [Spatial Magic: Force Push]. It sent him almost crashing into his mage ally. 

"Element that incinerates and obliterates...." 

The mage begins chanting. He's chanting in Common. 

....fire that engulf my enemies in a flash...." I let him chant. What's next? Firebolt?

"...firebolt." Oh, I'm right.

Bolt of fire rushes towards me. I respond with my forefinger pointing at the fire bolt. A small blue flame manifests on the tip of my finger. When the blue flame and the fire bolt collides, the blue flame grows in size and completely swallows the fire bolt. After that, the two flames burn out as one. That's one of my new ability, [Mana Overseer: Mana Burn]. It creates a blue flame that is able to burn anything made of Mana. In other words, it cancels magic.

"What? Impossible. Chantless and....." The mage finds it hard to accept reality. Perhaps they could help measure my ability in comparison to the outside world?

"Commander Maelock?"

I glance at Muo Li over my shoulder who blurted out. 

"Who is he?" I already figured out that they would know about each other since there couldn't possibly be anyone else here besides the expedition party.

"Zhang?" The commander responded to her call. If I remember correctly, Zhang is Muo Li's family name. Don't mean to be rude but it's pronounced as *Zhang* not *Zheng*.

"Thank the goddess, you two are alive." Clammis said as she steps forward to make her presence known to the two.

"Who are they again?" I asked.

"This is Commander Maelock. He's the one that leads the expedition team. Well, except the Templars." 

Hmm? There's a different leader for the Templars?  I suppose it make sense.

"And this here is Lord Lubac, a Court Alchemist."

Alchemist? A medicine practitioner of this world? Or just a magic chemist?

"I thought.... I thought none one other than us survived....." He breaths a huge sigh of relief. "You have no idea how glad I am....." Commander Maelock suddenly stops speaking when he saw those who are behind Clammis. 

Wait....

No....

He's also looking at me.

Oh right. I have a tail now

Before things get complicated, Muo Li jumps in between. 

"Stop! They are friends." Muo Li told the commander and the alchemist.

"An orc and goblins? And a..... whatever this creature is." The alchemist named Lubac isn't buying it.

How rude. What do you mean by "whatever this creature is"? 

"Our words maybe odd but it is the truth. This orc and the goblins saved our lives. We are indebted to them."

Uh.... no. Technically, they didn't. I did. They just plunged you into a deeper shit but it's the thought that counts, right?

After glaring at Tom and the four goblins and also me for a while, Maelock finally sheathed his sword. "Fine." He said. 

What are you so dissatisfied about?

"I don't believe such a distorted truth but the larger our numbers, the better odds of us making it out of here." Lubac said. 

I don't like this two already but Muo Li and Clammis seem content with the situation, so I'll just leave it at that.

"That creature.... that boy...." Maelock pointed at me. "Isn't he the scholar, Atlas?"

"What of it?" I omitted the "I am?" part. I purposely let loose my tongue, literally, to intimidate him. Don't ask me why I did something that can only worsen the fragile situation. I might be a conscious idiot.

"What happened to him?"

"It's a complicated story."

Let's hope that vauge explanation works, Muo Li.

"I see they have another great fighter besides Nineheart. And they even kept it a secret."

I'm assuming he's referring to me. Apparently, this is how the commander interprets it. Not illogical. Anyways, who's Ninehearts again?

Muo Li saw my face which is plastered with a question, she kinda figures it out what I want to ask. "Vira Ninehearts, the captain of the Templar Knights. She's an Arch Knight herself. A rank below a Knight Commander. She is also the one who leads the Templar Knights in this expedition. Your boss, so to say."

Okay.... why does she sounds like someone that's going to be a huge pain in the neck? Yet, I somehow want to meet her. The name, Vira, it sounds so familiar.

"What's with him? Lost his memories?" Maelock asked.

"Yeah." Muo Li answered.

"How?"

"A fifteen year old in a god forsaken place, I'm sure you can think up plenty of reasons for it." Muo Li looks like she's about to loose her patient. This could get interesting but giving our current status quo, the outcome might be unfavorable.

"Are you perhaps suggesting that someone that proficient in the arts of combat lost his memories due to being unable to cope with the nightmares of this place? What's more, look at him. How is he what you think he is?"

You know what? That's is an interesting theory. I completely agree. Clammis thought that way too. So, Muo Li, why didn't you suspect me in that way? 

Still, doesn't change the fact that the commander is already and still a phobic asshole in my mind.

"We saw his status card."

Uh huh? I can sense a counter-argument incoming.

"His job says scholar and he doesn't have an ECP."

"Those high preachers might be just covering it up. A secret weapon."

"They are not. The status card was mine. I gave it to him and I saw his status. Nothing there tells me to doubt him. No one is covering up anything. The magic that tricks the status card applies to the card itself. If he is indeed what you implied him to be, than his status should have show otherwise on the my card."

Huh. So, that's the explanation.

Wait.

What about my race?

Are you excluding my race?

My race is an ample reason in itself to have you suspect me. 

Why didn't you?

But anyways, it seems the argument is too valid that the silent is the only response the commander have.

I'm glad that she covered me but I don't think it's a good idea. While it may be hypocritical of me to say this but withholding the truth would only make it worse over time.

When I glanced at Muo Li, she gave me an expression that said not to worry.

How could I not?

"If such bizarre story is indeed the truth, then you might a very interesting subject." The alchemist started looking at me in an interested way. "I have come across so many but you are the most different. This is something I must not let go. How about you come join me in my lab after we get out of here." Lubac said something that sounded dangerous.

"How about no?" I retorted, putting my strange speech pattern into the max. I also look to Maelock for an explanation for this weirdo's abrupt declaration.

"He's like that whenever he found an interesting subject." Was the explanation I'm given by the commander. No shit. I want further details, dumb ass.

Then, I feel a tug on my shirt. I look back.

"Are we perhaps causing some huge inconvenience?" Tom asked.

"You and me both, brother." I replied.

Tom looks puzzled. Of course he does. I just forgot I ain't on earth again.

"Is alright. Look at me, I'm might just be causing inconvenience as much as you are." In fact, I think I am.

Tom smiles wryly at my words.

Hmm? 

Is the ground shaking?

No one but me seems to feel the ground is shaking.

And what's that?

I can feel a faint presence. It's still far but I can sense it's coming from the direction where the commander and the alchemist came from.

"Is there anyone else with you?" I asked.

"No. It's just us two." he answered.

Hmm. Strange. 

Mah~

I might just be too sensitive right now. 

"How are you two faring?" Clammis asked.

"Better than most of from the part, I can say." came the grim answer from Lubac. What the hell's wrong with you?

"When we got split up, the one tasked with the provisions followed right on our tail so, we were faring well. Our luck didn't last forever. We got soon chased by a worm."

A worm? A giant worm? I find it strange he's not using the word "giant". It's not plural so it's just one worm. I suppose he has just forgotten about the "giant" part.

"We lost our provisions along with the one carrying it in the ensuing chase. And we have been running ever since."

Ah....

Is that it?

Hmm.... Is the worm you're referring to perhaps a thousand feet long creature that's coming towards us at a very high speed as we speak which kinda explains the tremor that I'm feeling?

Yeap. That's seems to be the most likely possibility. 

"We got a monster approaching." I told them and they froze when they heard my words. "It appears to be the worm you mentioned."

"Really?" Lubac the Alchemist doesn't look like he's taking my words at face value. "How can you tell?"

And the moment he finished his sentences, the tremor becomes real apparent. 

I give him a look that said "Still doubting me?"

A loud sound follows after, the sound of the place collapsing.

When we look to the direction where the sound came from, we see the worm, heading straight for us.

Oh.

A Wyrm.

Not a worm.

Right.

This is really bad.

"Quick!" The commander yelled. "We have to...."

Why did the commander stop his sentence halfway?

Well, the ground beneath us gave out. The Wyrm is so massive that just from a simple wriggling, it can destroy an area. Imagine it moving at a considerable speed.

Now, we are falling through the air.

Huh. Déjà vu, right here. 

This might hurts but it's better than meeting face first to the bottom at such speed of falling.

I cast [Plane Displacement] to ease our fall. I cast it again after the former broke. Just like that, I'm slowing our speed of falling by casting [Plane Displacement] repeatedly.

I don't know about the others but I barely feel anything from the successive crashes through [Plane Displacement].

Oh. That don't look good. Everyone is bleeding from crashing through multiple [Plane Displacements].

Apparently [Plane Displacement] is not a very good idea but it's the only one I have right now. There might be other ideas but I can't think of any others right now. Please endure this. 

----------------------------------------

And just like that, we arrived at the bottom. 

Falling is not a good way to travel, for christ's sake.

Good. Everyone made it, I think.

.

.

.

.

What the fuck? 

I am suddenly overwhelmed by a indescribable sense of dread.

I didn't spend my time groaning and flipping on the ground. I immediately get up to my feet. Something dangerous is lurking in this area. I don't know what it is but the ominous presence that I felt ever since I'm fell into range is something I have never felt before. This intimidating presence even beats the Alpha Serrator. It even surpasses the ghost of the cyan vines.

What the fuck is this?

What the fuck is this?

I look around. Everyone is not moving but since they're groaning, they're alive. Muo Li is breathing hard. Hyperventilating I could even call it. 

"Muo Li? Are you okay?" I didn't ask her what's wrong because I can tell what's robbing her of air. The ominous presence.

{Has the time finally come?}

I hear a voice spoke out.

No, it's not the loli voice. This voice is deep and sinister and it's in Helix. And it isn't coming from my head. It's coming somewhere in this area.

I traced the voice. Followed it through a short passage that extends for a hundreds of feet. I didn't know why but I can't stop. Something is attracting me to the voice. 

There, I came to a spacious area. 

There, some objects seems to defy gravity.

Yes. Defy gravity. Some stones, pebbles, and rocks are floating and drifting in the air. It is also at this place where the ominous presence feels the heaviest.

At the center of the room, a lance of some elegant but simple design is inserted in a pedestal. That lance seems to be the cause of the ominous presence.

{Are you the one?}

The voice asked.

{What might this "the one" you are referring to is?}

Damn. Helix language is hard. I can barely speak it.

I'm answered by silence.

Hello?

{You are the one that has been foretold, are you not?}

{Forgive me. I do not grasp the intents of your words.}

{Are you the Harbinger?}

At that moment, I have the biggest chill sent down my spine ever since I arrived here in this world.

Everything that I have encountered just seems to keep besting the previous one in terms of unpleasant factor.

Although I provided neither an answer nor response, the voice seems to be able to read my mind. 

I felt like the voice is wearing a smile when it said

{I have been waiting for you.}