Chapter 44 – Treasure Hunting and a Well-Timed Power-Up

Meeting the Explorer Girl

The girl turned around the moment I stepped closer, lantern light flickering against the cave walls.

She blinked in surprise before grinning.

"Oh! Didn't think I'd run into someone else down here!"

Her voice was lively, full of excitement.

Not exactly the reaction I was expecting.

I narrowed my eyes. "You come here often or something?"

She laughed. "Not here specifically, but I do explore a lot! Name's Lyra, by the way. I'm a treasure hunter!"

Of course she was.

I sighed. "Let me guess. You're after something deep in this cave?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yep! I've been chasing rumors about an ancient relic buried in this place! Supposedly, no one's ever managed to retrieve it."

I raised an eyebrow. That sounded way too familiar.

It had to be the same item I was looking for.

Before I could respond, she clasped her hands together.

"Hey, wanna team up? This place is huge, and honestly, I wouldn't mind the company!"

I acted like I was thinking about it.

But in reality? This was perfect.

She could do all the trap-checking and extra work while I used my knowledge to stay ahead.

I smirked. "Alright. Let's do this."

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"

I wasn't sure about fun, but whatever.

"Let's just get moving."

---

Deeper Into the Cave – A Labyrinth of Challenges

As we ventured further in, the passage widened into a massive underground chamber.

Carvings covered the walls—ancient symbols of monsters, warriors, and something… unnatural.

And then—

A giant stone door blocked the path forward.

Lyra whistled. "Ooooh, this is one of those dungeons, huh?"

She turned to me. "Well? Any ideas?"

I smirked. "Yeah. Watch and learn."

Because I already knew exactly how to get through this bullsh*t.

---

Puzzle 1 – The Pressure Plates

On the ground, a set of stone tiles stood out from the rest.

Some were cracked, others perfectly intact.

I tapped my foot against one—it sank slightly.

Lyra leaned forward. "Huh. Some kind of pressure plate puzzle?"

"Bingo. Step on the wrong one, and we probably get skewered or something."

She grinned. "Oh, exciting!"

I gave her a look. "You're way too into this."

She laughed but gestured forward. "After you, oh wise puzzle solver."

Tch.

I stepped forward, carefully navigating the safe tiles based on what I remembered from the game.

One wrong move, and spears, arrows, or worse would've filled the room.

But thanks to my knowledge—we passed easily.

Lyra clapped. "That was awesome! How'd you know the right way?"

"Instinct," I lied.

She grinned. "Man, I knew teaming up was a great idea!"

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Let's keep moving."

---

Puzzle 2 – The Rotating Pillars

After another long hallway, we hit another obstacle.

A room filled with massive stone pillars, each with carvings of different creatures.

Lyra squinted. "Hmm. These look important."

I nodded. "They are. We have to rotate them into the right order to unlock the next path."

She blinked. "Wait, how do you know that?"

I coughed. "Lucky guess."

She gave me a suspicious look but shrugged.

"Alright, brainiac, tell me what to do."

I quickly rotated the pillars in the correct sequence—matching the carvings of a beast, a warrior, and a crowned figure.

A deep rumbling echoed as the next door slid open.

Lyra whistled. "Okay, now I'm getting suspicious."

I smirked. "Too late to back out now."

She grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."

---

Resting Before the Final Fight

We finally took a break after hours of moving through the cave.

The air was thick with dust, and we were both exhausted.

Lyra stretched. "Man, I love this kind of adventure! There's nothing better than tracking down lost relics!"

I raised an eyebrow. "You do know most relics are cursed, right?"

She shrugged. "Eh. That just makes them more fun!"

I sighed. This girl was insane.

She looked at me curiously. "So, why are you after this artifact?"

I leaned back. "Personal reasons."

She pouted. "Ooooh, so mysterious."

"Just shut up and get some rest."

She laughed but didn't push further.

---

The Guardian Appears – And It's F*cking Strong

After resting, we continued deeper—until we reached a massive chamber.

At the center, resting on a stone pedestal, was the artifact.

Lyra's eyes shone with excitement. "That's it! We found it!"

I tensed. "Wait—"

A low growl echoed through the chamber.

The shadows shifted.

Then, it appeared.

A guardian beast.

It was massive, covered in dark armor, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp claws.

Lyra took a step back. "Uh. That thing looks mad."

I sighed, gripping my sword. "Yeah. That's because we're about to steal its sh*t."

The beast lunged.

And the fight began.

---

Fighting the Guardian – And Losing Badly

At first, we were evenly matched.

My speed and new abilities let me keep up with its movements.

Lyra's agility and quick strikes helped wear it down.

We were doing fine.

Then—

It transformed.

Its body grew larger, spikes emerging from its back.

Its armor thickened, and its attacks became faster.

The moment it struck me, I knew we were screwed.

I crashed into the wall, coughing up blood.

Lyra's eyes widened. "Leon!"

I groaned, struggling to get up.

Sh*t. I can't keep up.

---

The Random Potion – A Last-Ditch Effort

Lyra looked around frantically.

Then, without thinking, she grabbed a red potion from her belt and chucked it at me.

I caught it midair. "The hell is this?"

"Just drink it!"

I frowned but uncorked it and downed the whole thing.

The second it touched my throat—

A burning sensation spread through my veins.

My vision blurred—then sharpened.

Power surged.

I gasped. "What the hell—?"

Lyra blinked. "Uh. Oops?"

I clenched my fists. My body felt stronger. Faster.

And then a notification appeared.

---

[NEW ABILITY ACQUIRED – ???]

I blinked. "…What the f*ck did you just give me?"

Lyra laughed nervously. "Uh… some blood I found in another dungeon?"

I stared.

She shrugged. "Hey, it was red! I thought it was a healing potion!"

The guardian roared, preparing to strike again.

I smirked, rolling my shoulders.

"Well. Guess we're about to find out what this stuff actually does."

I charged forward.

---

To Be Continued…