The system had its scary moments before, bringing undead hordes - albeit not the visceral kind.

This, this right here is by far the worst place though.

The eerie broken concrete structure doesn't resemble anything else from this world.

It looks and feels a hundred or two years old, not a thousand as the rest.

A revolving beacon light defines the lower level, a pulsing red that makes the walls look alive.

It's hard to see, and there's a high-pitched creaking sound as if someone scraped the insides of the skull.

Talk about ringing ears, this multi-layer tone could drive anyone crazy in minutes.

Except whales as it sounds like they're singing deep in the ocean.

This strange, dissonant melody repeats over time.

Despite the dripping water and the musty smell filling the halls, every step kicks up dust.

Others left their mark in the dirt too.

Footsteps go in every direction without a clear aim, or revealing the numbers of who left them behind.

Thanks to that counter stuck on the number six, the minimap helps to guess that.

No matter how old these tracks look, they're nearby. Are they also aware of the avatar?

A hum drowns out the rustling of movements, still letting the weirdest noises through.

Nothing here sounds or feels anything the previous three days have shown.

It's no longer medieval, the loudest sound comes from a diesel generator.

It could be right next door or kilometers away, both in real life and in this bunker.

And what is this creaking? Steel doors, screams of the damned?

The broken concrete walls all resonate with them, and it's hard to guess the true size of this complex.

And that six on the counter, where the fuck are they? And what's more important, what are they?

Could the avatar take on them in the current gear if they're bandits?

The bow could work if there's enough distance between us, though I haven't shot it in this Brigandine yet.

As stiff as this armor is, it might get in the way. And the spinning red light wouldn't help either.

Let's hope they can't beat up the character in a melee as fast as before.

There was a lot of practice and fighting for survival since that bandit encounter.

The number won't change, they could be anywhere above or below, or behind the next corner.

Broken glass and crates litter the ground, and in this low and changing light, you'll never know what you step on.

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How would the NPCs react if you brought back some of these items?

Are they aware of these dungeons and that one of them takes you to a whole other dimension?

Can you sell these fragments? Of course, you can't if you don't take them, and there's still no chance of survival.

Did others gather them, or were too scared to bother?

Why the fuck can't you focus on the present, Arnim?

Isn't this place horrifying enough? They can ambush you any second, and there won't be another chance.

Stay hidden, and spot them before they do, that's the only way to survive. In this, the clutter doesn't help at all.

There's broken glass and moldy wood all over.

Some go out with cracking noises to give away the avatar's position so stealth won't be a thing.

The bandit cloak over the Heavy Brigandine would help if the noise weren't an issue.

Even static objects look alive, and the heart rate increases with every step forward.

It's a small hall, there's a broken double-winged door ten meters from the ruined elevator shaft.

Six meters from one concrete wall to the other, the ground covered in ankle-height dust.

The door looks jammed in a half-open position, and more light seeps in from behind.

For a split second, it disappears, then it's back to illuminate the last few steps of this hallway.

Was it a flicker, or did someone run past? Oh, fuck, which weapon loadout to use?

The bow or the shield? Should I wait here to see if they come in, or go out to meet them?

Does the avatar shake too much, or is it me behind the controls?

A heart attack might be deadlier than the first encounter, damn it. Sword, the gladius it is.

If they wait behind that door, it has to be ready to deflect any attacks and strike back.

It's a few steps away when there's a loud crack coming from behind.

The character spins around as fast as possible, only to hear two dull thuds on the brigandine.

Two arrows stick out right in the middle of the chest, no, these are too short, these are bolts.

Fuck, so crossbows are a thing in this game too? Why wouldn't they?

They hit hard and square on, but thank God for this expensive piece, they didn't make a dent in the HP bar.

Where the hell did the shots come from?

There's a dark silhouette in the elevator shaft. The light from above illuminates him for a second before he disappears again.

It was foolish to think the players are the only ones who can be sneaky. And there has to be a second guy here, who's still out of sight.

It's not the right moment to appreciate their skill and look for them. Another crack from the door indicates that they're on the move.

Are these the Guardians? They sure look almost invisible, and they're fast.

That'd match the description, but they aren't exactly ghosts.

Seeing two rush the avatar from behind with arms raised, they're as human as they get.

They have dark cloaks too, and different pieces of equipment. One wears leather armor, the other full plate, and both have two-handed weapons ready.

Oh shit, is that a greatsword and an axe? Those will cut through even the plus-five armor like a hot knife through butter.

They yell too, looking committed to the attack, and the shield can only block one of their strikes.

Wait, why is this the battered one?

Bam. Well, it was the battered one, now it's no more than a few splinters of wood.

That axe must be the arch-nemesis of every shield, cutting the poor thing clean in half.

The huge blade comes down from the other side.

Even putting the full weight of the gladius in its way will only deflect it enough so it won't take my head off.

"Argh!" Shit, let's not do that again, these guys don't fuck around. Bandits looked like children playing with sticks in comparison.

And would this thing even penetrate their armor?

It's my fault, DragonS recommended blunt and armor-piercing weaponry as a backup.

The best this inventory has is one pickaxe and that won't do. Is this already it?

The Guardians will wipe the floor with the avatar in the first room?

Well, the guide did say this is the worst dungeon, and DragonSlayer failed here too.

It would be a shame though, I'm not ready to give up the fight yet.

They don't wear helmets, so that's a nice open target to aim for.

They got their first strike out, but how long will it take to swing those things a second time?