บท 37: The Dungeon
"...Each participant will be given a space ring to keep the heart of each monster they kill. Throughout the seven days you are to stay in the dungeon a minimum of 7 hearts is required."
The elder's voice, deep and grave, echoed across the clearing.
His words were meant to arouse fear or motivate the participants. But all Jason was interested in was getting a space ring.
A ring that even the lowest rank allowed someone to store 100 items inside, being given such an item was a good thing.
When he finished the clan trial he wasn't going to return it.
Jason nodded to the thought.
He mostly dozed through the elder's speech when he was listing out the rules for the trial.
There was only one rule he remembered, and even though he knew that everybody would ignore it.
'Killing fellow participants is not allowed and if found out they would face the same fate as their victim.' Jason smiled.
That was just a threat.
If someone witnessed you killing a participant, to silence him or her you could just kill them.
After everyone had collected their space ring it was finally Jason's turn, he went to the elder to get it.
The elder regarded him with disdain as he handed him the ring.
It was clear that he did not like his presence.
Jason did not care.
He was used to this kind of behavior, even before he turned 10, disdain had been a constant in his life.
If anything the most he wanted to do about it was to make it neutral, it would be good if he was regarded like a normal human being.
'Then again, I have more pressing issues than someone's opinion about me.'
He had to take care of Emily, had to find the elder who wanted to capture her and had to prepare for the plot of the novel to begin.
In other words, he was busy.
Jason observed the space ring as he tried to figure out how to use it.
The space ring could only be activated when strong stimuli was used.
For that people used mana, Jason had to mana, so he had to provide any other kind of sensation that would activate the ring.
Jason's first thought was to wear it on his index finger and squeeze it to activate it.
To his surprise it actually worked.
'I guess I must be a genius.' Jason mused as he sent his katana into the ring.
'To bring it out I need to communicate with it using my will.'
This too was done with mana.
'Perhaps I can do that naturally. Without magic.' Jason wasn't in a hurry to try, if he could substitute magic with brute strength it should also be possible to use his pure will without magic.
He at least had hope that it would work.
"Next, you'll choose your weapon of choice." The elder's voice had disinterest in it, as if this arrangement was simply a waste of time. "There are all the weapons you can think of in the space ring, as long as you say the name of the weapon it will be provided."
"First up, Zane Hachiman." The elder announced.
Zane came.
He wasn't rushing but rather, taking his time.
He sported an orange training gi over a blue shirt, a blue belt tied around his waist and blue shoes.
'Reminds me of a particular somebody.' Jason shook his head at the thought.
"What weapon do you need?" The elder asked.
"None. I have what I need with me." Zane replied.
He did not wait for the elder to permit his leave, instead he walked away instantly as he had found someone.
'I wonder what weapon I'll choose.'
He already had his Katana and the dagger Zane gifted him, but one more wouldn't hurt.
In the end it may reach a time when he would require this weapon because it would be easier to handle it.
He was thinking more of a pole.
It had to be either a pole that extended to about 20 meters or a pole that amplified his strength, even by 1.5x.
If there was no such pole he would take a chain that could supposedly extend infinitely as long as its base wasn't revealed.
"Jason, are you listening?"
He blinked, tearing his gaze away from the distance and focusing on the figure that had called him by his name.
There weren't a lot of people that knew and would call him by his name, the amount of people could be counted on one hand.
Furthermore, the voice sounded familiar.
Zane.
"Not at all." Jason responded.
"Wait..." Zane paused as if trying to find something that was different from Jason since the last time they met.
"What happened to your arm?!" His voice was one filled with confusion.
Zane had taken out a finger. It wasn't an entire arm.
"I lost it." Jason's reply was short.
"That doesn't explain anything." Zane shook his head.
"It turned out that the poison that you put in my system had mixed with my blood and was slowly moving towards my heart so I cut it off." Jason lied.
The clan guardian could supposedly watch everywhere in the clan building everywhere – from the main clan residence to even the edge of the market that was situated at the edge of the territory – he couldn't afford to tell Zane because it would get him involved.
That and he didn't know how the clan guardian would react, she could kill him at any time.
"Well you should have come to meet me for an antidote." Zane laughed.
Even when he was implicated he acted like he didn't care.
He probably didn't.
"Jason Hachiman..."
Everywhere went silent after the elder called his name.
Their conversation was cut short, it didn't matter since they weren't talking about anything important.
Jason walked towards the old man calling his name.
"What weapon do you need?"
"Do you perhaps have a chain that can extend infinitely?" Jason asked.
He was always carefree when talking to the elders, he held no respect for them.
The elder eyed him annoyed.
"No."
"What about a pole that extends for about 50 meters?" Jason asked again.
"No."
"Then what about a pole that amplifies my strength about at least x2 the original without using magic?"
The elder's lips twitched into an unusual smile.
A red pole with three sections appeared in his hand.
"This matches your description." He said before thrusting it into Jason's hand.
'Indeed.' It did really match his description.
He walked away to rejoin Zane.
"Now, you are to enter the dungeon." Saying this something appeared before their eyes.
It was a swirling mass of blue and green energies taking the form of a portal.
"This is a rank 4 dungeon."
'Rank 4!'
Jason calmed down, it did make sense...
Somewhat.
"Now, without further ado you may begin to enter the dungeon." The elder was tired, his lack of further enthusiasm in the young one's was proof.
But no one moved.
"Move!" The elder's voice was much harsher now.
Many young people were in a daze as they hadn't expected it.
After recovering a single soul sprinted towards the swirling blue and green energy before jumping inside.
After his bold decision several other people ran towards the portal before jumping inside.
They didn't know what awaited them but went anyway.
Heading towards their death.
"See you later." Zane said before walking towards the portal, he entered it.
It was only Jason remaining.
He walked solemnly towards the blue and green swirling energies before putting the three-sectioned-staff in his space ring and retrieving his Katana.
It came out without the hilt.
As he arrived there he noticed that the colors seemed more alive when he was closer to it.
Jason smiled before turning to face the elder.
He gave the man a salute just for a laugh then turned back to the portal.
He stepped into the swirling mass of energies.
'It's time I really see how a dungeon looks like... from a first person point of view.'
A/N: Thank you Youngboss for the golden tickets
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Jaxon235
Jaxon235 Thank you Youngboss for the golden tickets
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