Proofreader: Me!

Whoosh!

Rushing gusts of air blew past me, as I finally made my way into the cave. Here, lay the final herb. However, this was not my current priority, rather it was the small descent to the left of the entrance.

“Cowabunga!” I screamed a nostalgic show’s line.

I ran down the flight of rocky stairs, blasting past any of the intended eeriness created by the developers. Flings of spiders, floating lights, the whole army of scary setting tropes.

The bottom led into a pitch-black room, holding the hidden piece I had searched for.

“Who dares to approach this room?”

“Me!” I joyfully exclaimed.

“Return, or die.”

Just to make sure, I summoned an appraisal stone.

[Duke Razel]

* The remains of a fallen noble.

No attributes were shown, but a small line describing him. It was exactly like the game, which meant I could proceed normally.

“It seems you have chosen death.”

While he smiled, so was I. This event, I replayed this many times as Serina within the game with a one hundred per cent clear rate. The character’s memories would be used as a hell, to create an unescapable torture chamber.

However, I brought a countermeasure.

Everything around me was filled with a shining light. In the distance, spectator seats, walls, and an open gate appeared.

‘A colosseum.’

It was the same as the game, where I would be put to the test.

“Prove yourself, or die a dog’s death.”

The gate on the other side ascended, and in its wake, three dire wolves appeared. I could at least complete this wave, right?

A dire wolf leapt with two others, aiming at both my sides. I readied my sword, slashing to the right.

“Tch.” The wolf caught it with his teeth, and the other two bared their fangs. They leapt once again, as my teeth clenched.

‘Enhance!’

I enhanced gravity around me, causing them to fall short. Using this opportunity, I kicked the dog who bit into my sword.

ARrrrr!

They approached from all directions. I conjured three magic missiles in an attempt to save more for later. They circled me, not moving, only waiting for my next move.

My eyes darted across their bodies, analysing the red spots provided by the Enigmatic Chance.

“Uuup!” I breathed in the air, preparing to move.

The front wolf jumped backwards while the other two came at me.

“You’re too predictable!” I chuckled.

Two magic missiles were unleashed from my hand, targeting their weak spots.

[Critical Hit!] x2

Their heads exploded into mosaics, with no blood being shown. It was as if a censor bar had been applied to real life.

“Was that a mechanic of the game?”

Grrr!

The dog that retreated made a last-ditch effort. I slid forward, as it jumped mid-air, and I unleashed the last one.

[Critical Hit]

A red spot had been right under its head, and just like the others it blew up.

“No warrior would die on the first wave, but will you survive the next?”

I wiped the sweat off my forehead, “Of course, I can.”

With my level of abilities, I could probably only complete this one wave. The only reason I have to continue with this fiasco is for the small stat absorption I get for killing these monsters.

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The next monster revealed itself, it was a singular orc. Not on the level of a troll, but still owning massive strength and vitality, at the exchange of no agility. All I had to do, was get past its thick skin.

Its pig eyes stared at me, holding a menacing two-metre-long battleaxe. I took the initiative, slamming a magic missile at its forehead. No red spots were available yet, so it did nothing but cloud its vision.

I ran forward, past its blind swing. Enhancing specifically only my legs, I jumped vertically. Then, switching the target of my buff, I gave it to the gravity around me.

The orc gave one last look at me, snorting as it raised its arms. However, I had already fallen. With my arms in front of me, I jammed a sword straight into its skull barely passing its skin.

“Second wave done,” I muttered.

It took only ten seconds, but the energy it took to do such actions sapped the energy out of me. In comparison to the Requiem battle, it was a lot less, but to continue this for multiple waves…

I sighed, only to lock eyes with the next monster. It had two long horse legs, the torso of a gladiator, and the head of a cow.

‘I might be cooked.’

It was time for me to give up. Yet, it didn’t care about my internal white flag. In the game the protagonists have enough strength, or some cheese to simply win all these waves.

I only had enhancement and basic abilities! I’m an extra, not an overpowered character! The best I’ve done was unexpected things, and leading the protagonists to victory.

Steam puffed out of its nose, as it leaned forward, arm in front.

“We can't talk about this!” I screamed, desperately spreading my arms wide as I dived to my right.

In a flash, the minotaur’s horns jammed into the wall where I had just been standing. I couldn’t even see its movements.

It was time to use the item I received from Abel, one to dispel illusions.

‘Activate, Horizon Beauty!’

…

The only thing that happened, was the unjamming of the Minotaur’s head. I wanted to raise a white flag, but dying here would mean everything I’ve done so far was useless.

I enhanced my agility twofold, dashing once again. I couldn’t keep this up forever, but I had to figure something out. Even in this dream world, I had a limited mana capacity.

Dodging would lead to death eventually.

“Fuck!” I swore, as within the game you could use items inside perfectly fine. “This cursed world and its stupid changes!”

-x-

Third Person POV

Despite Uriel experiencing exhaustion, Lisana had kept up with Luke just fine.

“Where is he going?” Lisana murmured under her breath.

As Luke turned into a speck, she jumped off a ledge, swinging into the cave. Lisana opened a small pocket, pulling out a lantern. The size of the item was far larger than the place she pulled it out of.

Step! Step!

She turned to the left, seeing an unnoticeable opening to a flight of stairs down into complete darkness.

‘...’

Lisana’s mind blanked, a fear from her childhood now overtaking her current self. But, the thought of who went down there forced him to move forward.

“Eep!”

A spider fell on her shoulder.

“Kyah!” Her normally empty face was coloured with various expressions.

A spirit-like entity brushed past, causing her to flinch. Ghostly groans echoed in her ears, but she moved onwards.

‘This time, I’ll save…’

The thought was cut short. In front of her, was a translucent figure of a man hovering over Luke’s body.

“Uwaaaaaaahhhh!” Lisana screeched, pulling out a capsule filled with holy water at the apparition.

“Urgh!” The duke’s form shimmered, some parts vanishing from the material realm. “Who are you!”

Lisana cowered, stepping back on her hind foot. She took the chance to look at Luke, his expression filled with an uncharacteristic despair. His breath was short, eyebrows furrowed, and she understood the emotion immediately.

“You too will experience the void!”

She stood still, “Hmmm?”

Unbeknownst to the duke’s spirit, Lisana already experiencing all kinds of horrors, already trained her body to resist illusions. Such was another reason why Luke viewed her specs very highly.

“What?” They stammered, “How are you resisting me!”

Lisana ignored the spirit, realising it could not harm but simple illusions. Her fear now dissipated, thanks to the urgency of seeing her party member in clear distress.

“Wake up.”

“Useless, he’s stuck in the infinite void of his memories.”

Lisana paused and then rummaged through her bag.

“There’s nothing that could purge him of this curse!”

Ignoring him, she kept searching, as if desperation fuelled her. However, Lisana noticed something, the strange man that emanated from Luke’s pocket. She reached out to his dirtied academy trousers, finding a strange sphere.

‘Maybe, this could work?’

“Did you not hear me? Your little partner will never awake again!”

“...”

Refusing to listen to the ramblings of the spirit any longer, she put five vials of holy water into her hand. Shock immediately found itself on the duke’s spirit.

“I understand!” The duke bent over mid-air, prostrating his entire body. “Please spare me!”

Lisana stared at him blankly, cocking her hands back ready to unleash it.

“Wait! Wait! I know how to wake him up!”

She halted, “How?”

“That sphere you picked from his pocket, it holds anti-magic properties, it will remove the curse!” The duke felt the need to speak more, “I didn’t cast it by the way, I just experienced the same thing and was forced to be here until someone else undertook it!”

Lisana looked at him with a renewed sense of pity, now holding the sphere in her hand.

“Time to wake up.”