Chapter 415: Dungeon Experience IV

[Dungeon]

When the flash of light ended, the whole group then found themselves in a wide circular hall with only one door leading outside. When they noticed the arrangement and shape of the whole room, everyone then panicked a little thinking that they had once again trapped in the same room, when suddenly another group of people approached them from the side.

Upon seeing another group approaching them alongside some other groups sitting around the corner, everyone then finally released a sigh of relief as Gus the de facto leader of the group approached the other party.

"Hey! You've arrived! then this means that you guys have passed the hurdle on your side of the passageway"

"Huh? Ah yes we did! well barely... anyway what is this place?" asked Gus

"Oh this place is some kind of a checkpoint"

"Checkpoint?" 

"Yes! after successfully passing through the second phase of the raid, we were then transported to this place... by the way you guys are the 8th group to arrive at this checkpoint"

"8th?"

"Yes! currently including you guys, we have 8 groups in this checkpoint gathered together and apparently the only exit to this room is the door over there" said by the guy pointing at the only door of the room

"Is that so? then why aren't anyone of you guys tried to open the door?" asked Gus

"Well we did tried to open it, unfortunately it wouldn't budge an inch at all, thus we concluded after further discussion with the other group that the door will only open if all the groups are present"

"I see"

While Gus was talking towards the guy from another group, the rest of the group then begun tending to themselves as they all plump down unto the floor, after all fighting the boss like spider had literally taken a toll on their concentration and stamina. Speaking of exhaustion, even Lilia and Shelly were exhausted in their own right.

As Lilia pulled out a bottle drink from her storage and started to drink it, Shelly herself then pulled out some biscuits from her own storage as she begun replenishing her energy. The other members of the group likely did the same, all except for Kaido.

Speaking of which, Kaido himself was currently looking out towards the whole group when suddenly Gus tapped his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hey!"

"..."

"Thanks for your contribution back there... if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have found the boss and the exit of that room... worst case scenario we might get wiped out" said Gus

"Its not a big deal" replied Kaido

"Man of few words eh? anyway can i ask what is your class?" asks Gus

"Class? I'm an Esper" answered Kaido

"An Esper! i didn't expect that! based on how you dealt with those spiderlings, i presumed that your were a fighter" said Gus

"Well your presumption is wrong" replied Kaido

"Maybe... anyway that's all i came here for, once again thank you for your contribution"

With that Gus then left the site as he then begun checking out the conditions of the other member's of the group. With that guy out of the way, Kaido then breath a sigh of relief as he sat down unto the floor to catch his breath. Nevertheless he still did learn  thing or two about the players of this world.

From his observation, he can safely conclude that the player of this world only grows stronger through the completion of their missions and leveling up, most likely a parallel representation of an RPG game. What's more the scale of the power's of the player seemed to be balanced out for each people present, most likely this is done so that teamwork may be possible to each and every people despite the level differences.

One can even say that such a system is well appreciated to every person involved in a group, but such a system was useless to people like him. Compared to this world's balanced power scale, his own powers and abilities are off the charts, one can even say that he is breaking the normal norm of physics of the world.

For a power that can create anything out of thin air based on the movements of matter, such an ability can be considered as an ability of a god or a monster, unfortunately he is regarded as the latter. With his own ability alone, Kaido is confident that the can murder everyone inside this dudgeon including the boss.

The only people that he can see the potential of going beyond the norm and becoming the best of what they do is both Shelly and Lilia herself. But despite the praise it will still take a long time for them to reach his level. If permitted Kaido wishes to meet Lilia farther into the future and test her own wits against him, unfortunately no matter how broken he is, Kaido can't manipulate time.

In addition to that he is still unclear of the concept of death inside the dungeon, so much confusion that question such as their survival and permanent and reset were even possible. Nevertheless if he experience death at least once inside the dungeon, then he might arrive at the conclusion. After all he did died 2 times already, thus he isn't afraid to die a third time.

In that moment Lilia then came over to his side as she asked him openly.

"Hey! what's bothering you?"

"excuse me?" asks Kaido

"Well you seem to be in a deep thought, perhaps there is something bugging you?" clarified Lilia

"Well not much, but almost all of the questions i had a few minutes ago had already been answered through my observation" answered Kaido

"Observation? are you saying that the reason why you didn't even help us out in handling that huge spider back then was because you were observing us?" asks Lilia

"... Yeah!" replied Kaido

"Don't you even care if we die?" asks Lilia

"That's what I'm curious about, just how does the concept of death works inside a dungeon... aren't you curious about that too?" asks Kaido

"Honestly no!"

In that moment Kaido suddenly smiled evilly as he put his arm over Lilia's shoulder, pulled her close, and slightly pinched her cheeks.

"Ah! your naivety! If only i could crush you up into crumble, that would have satiate my desire to destroy, unfortunately your the only person who can connect to me in this world, thus you worth much more than a bug"

"For that part... you do sound evil" replied Lilia as he pushed away Kaido's face

In that moment Shelly saw their actions as she then pointed out.

"Are you sure both of you are not in a relationship?"

Upon hearing Shelly's words, both Kaido and Lilia stared blankly for a moment, before the latter suddenly pulled herself away in bright flush red, showing a somewhat shocking strength. In fact even Kaido was surprised that Lilia was able to escape his grasp despite strengthening his hold of her with his psychic ability. Even thought she showed such strength unconsciously, Kaido couldn't help but be amazed at her capability.

"We're nothing like that at all!" denied Lilia in flush red

"Right... but that doesn't how it looks like to me" insisted Shelly

"That's all because of Kaido's mischief! I swear... we are not a thing" said Lilia

"Yes! She's right! we are not a thing, we're just acquainted" followed up by Kaido as he showed a nonchalant expression

Upon realizing that both of them had no intention of digging through this misunderstanding any deeper, Shelly then had no choice but to give up on her notion as she sigh out a deep breath. After that Shelly then took her sit as she amicably asks about Kaido's identity, while bringing up interesting topics to pass the time.

*********

~2 hours later~

When about 2 hours has passed, the only door of the circular room then finally glowed to the point that everyone in the room had taken a notice of it. After that the door then slowly opened as it revealed a long dark hallway, leading to the only exit at the other end of the hall. Due to the darkness that covered the hallway to the point that even the light in the room couldn't pierce through it, everyone then couldn't help but sucked out a cold breath as they grew afraid of the darkness.

Adding to the fact that the path in the dark hallway leads to only one exit surrounded by exuding darkness, everyone couldn't help but felt the dread of fear, after all in the dark anything can be hidden. Due to the darkness, they wouldn't know what is hidden in it nor what is lurking in the hallway. If they tread this path carelessly, then there is a possibility of a wipe out. No matter what everyone begun to grow fear of the dark.

What's more all in all there are 10 teams present in this area, ever since the 8th group had arrived, two teams then followed soon after before the time became stagnant. If what they concluded were right, then the other teams that weren't here must have been wiped out in the different parts of the dungeon.

Following the rules of the dungeon, any people that were killed inside would then be kicked out of the dungeon and return to the outside world safely with no injuries whatsoever. Its like a part of save and load type in games. No matter if you get killed, as long as you've load back to the point where you are alive, then everything would be well and that person would avoid a bad end.

However since 10 teams only managed to live through the dungeon, then the whole raid army which consisted of more than a hundred player were now then reduced to mere 81, Kaido included.

With such a drastic drop of raiders, everyone then became wary of the dark hallway as they grew afraid to even enter it. However in that moment a certain priest from another group then called out.

"Everyone! the hallway is exuding a fear ailment to the remaining players, Priests use your recovery to all of us, Saints use your anti-mental corruption on top of recovery!"

Hearing that command, everyone that are priest and saint class then casted their spell as they got rid of the fear ailment to the whole player base. With such spells covering everyone that is present, they naturally got rid of their fear as they all were able to think clearly and sigh in relief.

Soon after voices of players then rung all over as they gave out their impressions on the hallway.

"So that hallway exude fear ailment? That is so broken"

"Now i can think clearly"

"Well that was one hell of an unexpected trap"

"Your right! if we somehow go mad from fear, i don't know what we could've done anything at this point"

"Good thing we managed to get rid off that ailment"

"Your right! so how should we do this? should we just pass this hallway like its nothing?"

"Do you really think that its that easy? maybe there is a catch? or maybe something out there is hiding and waiting to ambush us"

"But what if that is also another type of trap to make us hesitate to walk in?"

"Great! now its playing with our decision making, should we go in or not?"

"..."

As they discussed on what to do in this kind of situation, Kaido together with Lilia and Shelly then walked in front of the dark hallway, as they observed the path itself. However no matter what they do, they just cant see through in the darkness. Even Kaido usual detection doesn't work on such place.

No matter how many times Kaido sent out his waves to detect any hostiles within the darkness, his sensors couldn't pick on anything at all. For the first time since forever, Kaido himself was surprised from this kind of phenomenon

In fact they were not the only one's who's checking the hallway out, some of the players from other groups were also observing the hallway, much more to the people that they are already acquainted with.

In that moment after awhile of discussion, someone finally step up from the group as he boldly declare his preposition.

"Alright! listen up! My profession is an assassin/ninja, meaning i am quick on my feet and i can take on any surprises and come out unscathed... if were going to check whether this hallway is safe or not, then we have no choice but to let me test the waters right? Plus we don't have any summoners nor tamers in this place, thus I'm the only option we have"

Upon hearing the suggestion of the person who claims to be quick on his feet, everyone then begun murmuring for a bit as they all hesitated to agree to let one person sacrifice his safety just to test the waters. After all despite not actually dying when a player gets killed inside a dungeon, the pain that accommodates to it is real. It is like playing a virtual reality with 0% pain resistance.

In that moment as if worried on that particular person, some of the players presumably his group, then came up to that said person and began talking him out of this situation. Unfortunately despite their plea, that person himself seemed firm on his decision.

"What are you guy's worrying about? C'mon!!! Just let me do this"

After hearing this reply, Kaido then seemingly notices the way that the particular person react as he draws his sight towards one of the girls from his group. Upon seeing that, Kaido then knew that such a person was only trying to impress a girl from his group through showing his bravery in dire situations.

Even though such an act was commendable, it was still kind of stupid. After all for Kaido, using means to impress a girl of some unknown origin, was already the height of stupidity. If given a chance, then Kaido wouldn't hesitate at all to sacrifice the majority of the people in the room to meet his goal.

In a world full of cruelty and unjust, it is either you use or be used.

After what seems like awhile of back and forth debate, one particular person on another group who wore an armor with a blue cape attached to his back then spoke out.

"Why not let him do it?"

In that moment many people were then alarmed at such words as they all turned their gazes towards the owner of the voice. But the moment they met the gaze of that particular person, they then couldn't help but stay silent as they hesitate to say some offending words.

Apparently based on stats and list, the person who spoke out was the strongest among the players gathered in this room. With a job title named Grand swordsman, a rank far above than an ordinary swordsman, it was then natural that such a person could stand high almighty against such people. Unfortunately such a person who is considered the strongest among the gathered people, is nothing to Kaido at all.

If given time, Kaido was sure that Lilia could surpass such a person. By that the strongest assassin would then be born.

If that time ever comes, Kaido could only wish that he could fight Lilia on such stage. The strongest Assassin against a dangerous Esper criminalized by the whole world, a battle to the death if presumed. Such a wish can only be a wish, after all Kaido couldn't stay in this world.

Even now Kaido was still sending out navigating waves through space, but till this day he just couldn't determine the exact location of this planet. However such a story would be for another time.

After awhile the rest of the people who denied such an idea  at first, then begun giving up upon realizing that the strongest among them agreed to such proposition. Naturally the person who claims to be an assassin was grateful towards such a person, but due to that incident which literally showed his authority, some of the girls then begun fawning over the person who was a grand swordsman and one of them was the girl that the assassin guy like

"Talk about back firing" muttered Kaido as he laughed silently in this scene

After all the assassin guy naturally took this chance to make himself look cool in front of the person he liked, but due to the fact that the grand swordsman guy showing off his authority and stealing the spotlight, the girl that the assassin liked naturally fawned over to the opposite guy. Such a scene was just hilarious.

Gritting his teeth in jealousy for having his spotlight taken, the assassin guy then took everyone's attention once more as he stepped in front of the dark hallway as he smiled back to the girl he likes. Naturally this causes controversy's to rise, but due to the fact that the grand swordsman guy was there, that particular girl then naturally shy away.

For some reason at that moment, Kaido somehow heard something being broken metaphorically. Nevertheless he ignored such a thing as he concentrates back to the dark hallway. 

"Do you sense something?" asks Lilia

"Truth be told, i cant sense anything at all... Its like there is nothing there at all" answered Kaido

Hearing Kaido's answer, Lilia was then assured that something is wrong with this hallway. After all Kaido has the most sensitive senses in this room and if he says that he cant sense anything at all, then there is really something wrong inside the hallway.

While this is going on, the assassin guy then took a deep breath to calm his nerve as he get into a running position and fully concentrate towards the the other end of the hallway brimming white light. At that as if time had slowed down, everyone then held their breath as they watched the whole process of tackling this hallway.

In an instant the assassin guy then launches himself through the dark hallway as he runs along the long pathway ahead of him. From that the assassin guy felt like nothing could stop him at the speed he is currently running. To be precise he is currently running at the speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

If such speed was kept stable, he was then sure that he would be able to reach the other end of the hallway in about a few seconds.

At that moment as if something brushed pass him, a sharp swing of metal was then heard in that split second as he felt his stiff smile suddenly spatting out a mouthful of blood and a shadow monster in a form of a knight then had just finished decapitating his body clean.

He doesn't even know when the shadow monster was able to get near him nor even when it had managed to pull out its weapon which decapitate him. Everything happened so fast, even his mind couldn't process everything  fast enough for even he could understand.

It was as if for a second he was just standing at the starting line and the next second he was killed. Nevertheless with just that showcase alone, the assassin guy then finally fell down unto the floor as he died and his whole body dematerialize back outside the dungeon.