บท 3: The Hidden Dungeon
After a comfortable hour-long journey on the Red Star Air Train, Derek disembarked at the Yellow Sun Station in the Northernmost Olympia.
Stepping off the train, he surveyed his surroundings, greeted by a picturesque mountainous landscape that evoked memories of a serene country he had only glimpsed through internet images in his previous life.
However, the atmosphere of this rural region possessed a distinct futuristic allure, coexisting harmoniously with the untouched beauty of the mountains that stretched into the distance, undisturbed by human intervention.
His gaze roamed the surroundings, absorbing the grandeur of the scenery. With admiration lingering in his eyes, Derek wasted no time and set forth on his journey.
Though the afternoon sun cast its radiant light upon the land, there was an undeniable chill in the air, the cold winds gently caressing his skin.
Derek accessed the holographic screen of the System's Map, his eyes focusing on the digital display as he charted his course for the upcoming adventure.
...
"The mountain range seems to stretch endlessly," Derek mused softly as he reached the foothills. He was far from the rural region of the Northernmost Olympia at this point.
After a brief contemplation and recalling the direction he needed to head to find 'that' particular object, he proceeded northwest, guided by the System's map.
As time passed, the transition from afternoon to night cast a shroud of darkness over the landscape.
The sun dipped below the horizon in this region, while the bluish moon and the twinkling stars unveiled themselves in the sky.
Derek retrieved a disc-shaped metal object from his Dimensional Inventory and pressed a button located at its centre.
With a swift motion, he tossed it onto the rich soil beneath him. Within seconds, the disc transformed into a compact, single-person tent—a perfect accommodation for his solitary journey.
Recalling the System's information on the Portable Tent, Derek noted the two illuminated magic circles adorning its sides, each bearing distinct structures.
He settled comfortably within the tent, his hands interlocked behind his head, gazing up at the breathtaking expanse of the starry night sky.
...
[Portable Magic Tent]
– A magical tent offering modest comfort for aspiring adventurers.
Rank: F
Classification: General Goods
Enchantment:
– Lowest Light Magic
Effect:
Illuminates the interior with a soft glow, providing adequate lighting during nighttime adventures.
– Lowest Heat Magic
Effect:
Maintains a cosy warmth to regulate the body temperature within the tent.
Intrinsic Effect:
– Portability
Designed for easy transportation, making it convenient for adventurers on the move.
– Transparent Eye
Provides a clear view of the surroundings from inside the tent, as if it were transparent.
...
Derek ate some beef jerky, and gulped a mouthful of water, setting the indicator of the Dimensional Water Bottle's volume to 15L.
"What a world…"
He muttered as he fell into a daze with the night sky that seems to pierce his soul with its beauty, and unconsciously made him fall asleep after resting.
Bring-! Bring-!
The sound of the alarm clock on Derek's smartwatch persistently invaded his ears, attempting to rouse him from his peaceful slumber.
After a few minutes, he finally succumbed to its persistent calls, waking up from his deep sleep.
Stretching his arms and letting out a yawn, Derek rose from his resting position and performed a brief exercise routine to invigorate his body. Following his morning routine, he enjoyed his breakfast of beef jerky, noting the elapsed time since he had fallen asleep.
"Almost 8 hours," Derek murmured, checking the time as he compared it to the moment he had drifted off.
With his morning rituals complete, he tidied up his camping spot, organized his tent, and prepared to embark on the next leg of his journey.
"If my calculations are correct, it should be a few kilometres from here," Derek muttered to himself, continuing his stride in the northwest direction of Armageddon Mountain while periodically consulting the System's Map.
His mind recalled a passage from his unpublished novel, describing inconspicuous trees leaning against each other, forming a mysterious arc.
This served as a clue to the entrance of the Hidden Dungeon, his current destination.
Originally, the Hidden Dungeon was intended to be stumbled upon by certain Stella students during exploration, yet remains undiscovered.
As an aspiring author, Derek had categorized it as one of the "Untouched Elements" within his narrative.
The more he delved into the reality of this world, the more he realized the flaws in his writing.
"Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise that I never managed to publish it," Derek mused with a chuckle, his smile growing.
As he continued walking for an undisclosed period, the time approached twenty-eight minutes before 9 A.M., bringing him closer to his sought-after destination.
...
The System's Map could not provide the exact location of the Hidden Dungeon, as revealing such information would create an unfair advantage and lead to a race among players to discover it.
However, Derek had a strong intuition that he had arrived at the correct place. He observed the seemingly ordinary small trees, standing around 15 meters tall with trunks about a meter in width, from a distance.
On closer inspection, he noticed that the trees were bent and faced each other as if drawn together by an unusual gravitational force.
While it was possible for someone to accidentally pass through the arch formed by the trees, Derek had designed the Hidden Dungeon in his unpublished novel in a way that it could not be stumbled upon accidentally.
A person would need prior knowledge of its existence or keen observation skills to notice the peculiar arrangement of the trees.
"Let's proceed with caution," Derek muttered to himself, quickly checking the contents of his Dimensional Inventory.
Despite the remote location far from the Northernmost region of Olympia, he still scanned the surroundings, ensuring there were no unexpected individuals nearby.
Feeling reassured, he took two deep breaths before stepping into the space between the arching inconspicuous small trees.
...
[You have discovered a Hidden Dungeon.]
[The dungeon "Ancient Depths of Mystara" has been discovered.]
The System messages appeared in front of Derek's eyes as he stepped into the entrance and was transported to an unknown location.
Judging by the dungeon's name, "Ancient Depths of Mystara," it seemed to be a reference to the profound and mysterious depths of the world.
The name indicated that this Hidden Dungeon had existed since ancient times, predating the creation of everything else in the world.
Derek walked through a 7-meter-long hallway before entering a circular hall with a diameter of 20 meters.
The hall was constructed entirely of thick, interwoven roots, resembling the branches of a colossal tree.
In the centre of the hall, there was a stone table altar, devoid of any objects. The ceiling, also formed by the intricate network of roots, allowed a soft glow of moonlight to filter through, creating an ethereal ambience.
Despite the absence of visible monsters or signs of life, Derek remained cautious, gripping the Crude Shortsword (Normal) that he had purchased from the Player General Store.
He didn't draw his weapon because he knew there would be monsters or guardians within the Hidden Dungeon, but rather as a precautionary measure, unsure of what awaited him in this enigmatic place.
With little knowledge of the dungeon's contents, except for the item he sought, Derek observed his surroundings for a minute or two before embarking on his search.
...
Ding-!
A notification sounded in Derek's ears just a minute after he began his search, halting his movements abruptly. He quickly glanced at the System message that had appeared before him.
[The Constellation, 'Stella of Eternal Twilight', observes your very being.]
The unexpected System message sent a shiver down his spine, causing his body to tremble involuntarily.
In his startled state, his grip on the weapon in his left hand loosened, and it slipped from his grasp, producing a resounding clang that reverberated through the silent dungeon.
It was an instinctive reaction the moment the System message registered in his mind.
'C-calm down... c-calm d-down...'
Derek repeated these words to himself, his voice trembling with anxiety. He fought to regain control over his racing thoughts and racing heart, aware of the immense significance of the presence observing him – the Stella of Eternal Twilight.
With a determined effort to steady himself, he pushed aside his fear and focused on the task at hand.
The weapon, momentarily forgotten on the ground, lay untouched as Derek searched for the object he sought.
His hands and knees trembled as he fumbled through the ancient depths of the Mystara Dungeon, driven by the desperate need for the item that would grant him the strength to face the challenges of the future he had glimpsed.
Yet, a nagging uncertainty gnawed at the back of his mind. Would the future align with the events he had foreseen in his unpublished novel, or would unforeseen deviations lead to unforeseen consequences?
Only time would reveal the true course of fate, whether it would guide him towards triumph or plunge him into the depths of despair.
'Fck... Fck! Where is it?!'
Amid his frantic search, Derek's desperation reached its peak. His mind raced with panic and urgency, each passing moment heightening his anxiety.
Suddenly, a new System message appeared this time from the Stella of Eternal Twilight. The constellation directed its ethereal gaze towards him, inquiring about his identity and presence in this sacred realm.
"Russell Moon," Derek blurted out without hesitation, his focus consumed by the urgency of his task. He had little time to consider the potential consequences of his impulsive response.
While he was answering "Stella of Eternal Twilight" he blurted out the original name of the body he was inhabiting without him realising.
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