บท 20: [20] Dark Ages
In a world that was once devoid of monsters, during the ancient times whose exact era remains unverifiable, countless creatures suddenly emerged. Lacking in rationality, they roamed the earth, sky, and sea, swiftly seizing dominion over the entire world.
All intelligent races... humans, dwarves, amazons, and even kitsune, elves, and spirits, known for their abundant magicians... found themselves living in fear under the domination of these monsters, akin to the Eldians after their defeat in Attack on Titan.
These once-dominant inhabitants of the land, who had built magnificent civilizations across the continent, were swiftly pushed to the brink by the monsters, almost to the point of extinction, facing the imminent demise of their races.
Undoubtedly, it was a dark age, but also the era where legends began. When all paths seemed blocked, new ones emerged in the darkness.
The human race, regardless of the world, always seems to unleash unimaginable power when pushed to the brink. In the face of this crisis of extinction, a group of people emerged, hailed by future generations as heroes.
Under the leadership of these great figures, driven by their own hatred and the crisis of extinction, the intelligent races of that era broke free from the shackles of factors such as race and nationality. They united elves, spirits, amazons, dwarves, and pallums, casting aside hatred and prejudice, rallying together to wage a war against the monsters that lasted for countless years.
Ultimately, after enduring years of warfare, people temporarily repelled the monsters' onslaught. Moreover, they inadvertently discovered the lair of these creatures.
It was a cave, a passage to a vast underground world. Like a manifestation of this world's malice towards all living beings, countless monsters continuously spawned from the cave, pouring onto the surface to wreak havoc. That marked the beginning of everything.
Beneath this cave, people discovered a world utterly distinct from the surface... the Underground Labyrinth, divided into countless layers, each with its own bizarre landscapes. People referred to it as the Dungeon.
Subsequently, in order to withstand the continuous onslaught of monsters from the dungeon, the various intelligent races united to establish fortresses and castles at the entrance of the cave.
For over a thousand years, when the gods descended to the lower realm, their seals prevented the monsters from leaving the dungeon. Their blessings bestowed upon everyone the chance to gain power. Although the heroes who once led all intelligent races to drive the monsters back to the dungeon became increasingly scarce, the monsters within the dungeon continued to spawn incessantly.
Within the dungeon, although there was no sun, it was filled with various magical light sources, such as crystals emitting dim light and mosses emitting faint fluorescence... sources of illumination that defied comprehension. Various magical plants, unseen on the surface, thrived, and some floors even contained freshwater resources vital for life, along with rare minerals found exclusively within the labyrinth.
The world revolves around profit. In any world, in any era, driven by self-interest, there will always be individuals willing to risk everything.
The allure of riches has historically driven humanity to great feats, such as the Europeans' quest for gold and spices, which spurred them to overcome the threat of death, ushering in the Age of Discovery and centuries of Western prosperity.
Moreover, within the bodies of those countless monsters lie magic stones. In the guilds established in Orario by Ouranos, these stones can be directly exchanged for money. Furthermore, monsters sometimes drop various rare materials, each serving different purposes. Some can be used to craft weapons, like the secondary sword Ushiwakamaru wielded by Bell, crafted from materials dropped by the mutated Minotaur. But regardless of their use, they all share one common trait... they're valuable. This further entices adventurers.
Although the dungeon continues to produce dangerous monsters unabated, for adventurers who have gained possibilities under the gods' blessings, the dungeon is also a land of endless treasures. It offers not only wealth and fame but also the chance to acquire power.
This is the demons' lair, but it's also a blessing from the gods... so say the adventurers who come here.
Although it's still early, the Amor Square in front of Babel Tower has already gathered many adventurers. They gather in groups, with dozens of people from the same familia, or in teams of three to five friends walking together. Lone wolves like Aiden are truly few and far between.
There are so many people. He wonder how many of them will return safely. Watching one adventurer after another being swallowed by the abyss-like mouth of the dungeon, it wasn't long before it was Aiden's turn to enter.
Gazing at the entrance to the dungeon so close at hand, despite being adequately prepared and mentally prepared, Aiden still felt nervous.
But it's only natural to feel nervous. Apart from true warriors, how could a normal person with no combat experience, venturing alone for the first time against inhuman monsters, remain calm? This is a real world, not a virtual reality online game.
Aiden took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, gripping the Durandal in his hand tightly. Stepping forward, he entered this underground dungeon, suffused with bone-deep malice toward all life.
As he stepped onto the stairs leading to the dungeon, Aiden felt the light fading away from him. His eyes could still see, but he could sense the thick, enveloping darkness all around.
Even though Aiden has a quarter of demon blood, there's still an uncomfortable feeling, like the tentacles of an octopus, impossible to shake off no matter how hard he tries, and the more he struggles, the tighter it becomes.
Continuing deeper, the entire field of view is filled with walls and ceilings stained dark blue. The natural labyrinth, devoid of any sight of the sky, stretches endlessly in all directions. Forks in the road, intersections, gentle slopes, and steep cliffs.
In this meticulously spaced underground space, even though he hasn't encountered a single monster yet, all these elements are speaking volumes... this place is fraught with danger.
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