Chapter 18: Found A Cave

The air is cool and fresh, carrying the earthy scent of the surrounding wilderness. Outside the city, the landscape stretches into a vast expanse of trees and mountains, untouched and tranquil.

Alix pauses to take in the scenery. "Just trees and mountains as far as the eye can see," he murmurs.

He opens his inventory, scrolling through his arsenal of items. His gaze lands on a pair of shimmering black wings with intricate silver etchings—an item he hadn't used in ages. Equipping them, he feels a faint hum of energy as the wings materialize on his back.

With a few experimental flaps, he takes to the sky, albeit slowly. "Guess it's a good thing I didn't scrap these," he says to himself, chuckling. "The best decision of my life to hold on to all those 'useless' items."

The wings feel different now, less of a luxury and more of a necessity. His level is locked, preventing him from using his natural ability to fly, but the items in his arsenal—once mere trophies of past exploits—are now invaluable tools in this new reality.

As he soars over the forest, the morning light filters through the dense canopy below, casting shifting patterns of gold and green. The wind rushes past him, cool and invigorating. For a moment, he allows himself to enjoy the freedom of flight, the capital shrinking in the distance behind him.

After a while, something catches his eye—a dark opening nestled in the side of a rocky mountain. A cave.

He hovers above it, tilting his head in curiosity. "It'd be good if this is a mine or something," he muses aloud, descending toward the entrance.

Landing softly on the rocky ground, Alix folds the wings back into his inventory. The cave's mouth looms before him, dark and uninviting. A faint draft carries the scent of damp stone and minerals, confirming that it does lead deeper underground.

Alix stands at the entrance of the cave, staring into its shadowy depths. He crosses his arms, tapping a finger against his elbow as he thinks.

"Should I go in?" he mutters, his voice echoing faintly against the rocky walls.

The cool breeze from the cave brushes past him, carrying with it the faint promise of something unknown. He smirks, his crimson eyes gleaming in the dim morning light.

"I'm prepared enough," he decides. "Even if there's a level 800 waiting in there, I can retreat without a scratch."

His confidence isn't unfounded. Years of experience as both an adventurer and a king have sharpened his instincts. Alix takes a step forward, then pauses. A flicker of excitement rises within him, and he can't help but laugh quietly to himself.

"This feels just like the old days," he murmurs.

"Back when I was just a wandering adventurer. Grinding levels, exploring caves, finding treasures… all before I can build a kingdom."

The memory is oddly comforting, and for the first time in a while, Alix feels a genuine thrill, being out here, in the wild, facing the unknown—it feels raw, unpredictable. And he likes it.

Alix steps into the cave, his boots crunching softly against the uneven ground. The faint glow of his orb illuminates only a small radius around him, leaving most of the cavern shrouded in darkness. He pauses, opening his inventory and scrolling through the countless items he's amassed over his adventures.

"Where is it..." he mutters, his eyes scanning quickly. "Ah, there you are."

He selects an item—a small, unassuming crystal orb with intricate carvings. The moment he activates it, the orb floats out of his hand and hovers above his head. It emits a brilliant, golden light that floods the cave, banishing the shadows and making the surroundings as bright as daytime.

"Much better," he says with a satisfied nod, taking a moment to admire the illuminated cavern. Streaks of minerals glint in the light, and the rough, jagged walls take on an almost otherworldly beauty.

He presses onward, his steps steady and deliberate. The silence is almost unnerving; no creatures stir, no sounds echo back except the soft scuff of his boots.

"Not a single enemy," Alix remarks under his breath.

The cave widens as he continues, and soon, he finds himself standing at the entrance to a massive chamber. His eyes widen slightly as he takes in the sight. The walls are lined with gleaming veins of minerals—gold, silver, and even rarer metals he can't immediately identify. The floor is uneven but glittering with fragments of gems scattered like shards of glass.

"Is this… all minerals?" he says aloud, his voice echoing faintly in the vast chamber.

He steps closer to one of the walls, running his fingers along a vein of gold embedded in the rock.

"This... this could be worth a fortune," he mutters, his lips curling into a small, incredulous smile. "If I had found a place like this back in the game, it would've been an absolute jackpot."

Alix turns, letting his gaze sweep over the chamber again. "So much potential," he muses.

"I could turn this into a mine for the city. The resources here would be invaluable."

Suddenly, a rushing sound fills the air, echoing through the chamber like a distant waterfall. Alix freezes, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword. The sound grows louder, accompanied by faint skittering noises that seem to come from every direction.

"What the…?" he mutters, his crimson eyes scanning the room.

Then he sees it—a pile of monster bones tucked into a corner, partially hidden behind a cluster of jagged rocks. His eyes narrow.

"Figures," he mutters. "This place was too perfect to be unguarded."

Before he can inspect further, the skittering becomes a cacophony. From the dark holes lining the walls and ceiling, spider-like beasts begin to pour out. Their black, chitinous bodies glint in the light of his floating orb, and their glowing red eyes lock onto him. One, two, ten… no, at least a hundred of them.

"Really?" Alix says, raising an eyebrow as he pulls up the system interface. He glances at their levels—around 50.