ch 4: The Hidden Dungeon
Elias walked out of the Academy gates as the sun leaned toward the horizon.
His body was still suffering the aftereffects of the illusion test. Not physical exhaustion, but a sensory "hollowness."
A nagging craving gnawed at his stomach. A desire to taste something sweet. He had sold the memory of the cake's taste, and now his mind was trying to fill that lost void with instinctual gluttony.
He headed to the upscale market district in the capital and entered a café overlooking the main street, famous for its desserts.
He sat at a prime table by the window and ordered a Strawberry Cream Cake.
While he waited, the door chime rang.
A group of girls entered, wearing the distinctive white Academy uniforms, but with a key difference: long swords hung at their waists, and metal insignias adorned their shoulders.
Second-year students, Knight Division.
Leading them was a girl with an overwhelming presence. Her golden blonde hair was carefully styled, and her eyes were a sharp emerald green. She was beautiful, but her beauty was tainted with innate noble arrogance. The girls behind her followed like bees trailing their queen.
The girls froze when they saw Elias.
"Ah... our table..." one of them whispered.
The waiter noticed the situation and ran nervously toward the blonde girl. "Miss Isabella! I apologize profusely. We reserved the large table in the back for you today; we didn't know you would be coming at this..."
Isabella raised her hand slowly to silence the waiter. She didn't shout, nor did she get angry.
Instead, she painted a calm, poised smile on her face and walked confidently toward Elias's table.
Elias lifted his head from the table to look at her.
"Good evening," she said in a soft voice that nonetheless carried unshakable confidence. "I apologize for the interruption. My friends and I usually sit here to enjoy the sunset view."
Elias looked at the empty tables, then at her. He expected her to rudely demand he leave, like Cedric.
But she continued with excessive politeness: "It would be rude of me to ask you to move. Would you mind if we joined you? The table is large enough for everyone."
Elias was silent for a moment, assessing the situation. Refusal would draw attention, and he just wanted to eat quietly and leave.
"Go ahead," he said curtly.
The girls sat down, ordering tea and cakes. Their conversation revolved around sword training and second-year duels. Elias was silent, as if he didn't exist.
Suddenly, Isabella turned to him, her emerald eyes examining him with curiosity.
"I didn't catch your name, junior."
Elias set his fork aside and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Elias Reinhardt. First year, Magic Division."
Isabella's eyes widened slightly. "Reinhardt? So you are the new Junior everyone is talking about because of today's test result."
She smiled a smile that seemed warm and extended her hand toward him.
"I am Isabella von Valerius. Second year, Knight Division. Nice to meet you, Elias."
Elias shook her hand coldly. "The honor is mine, Miss Isabella."
Inside, the feeling was entirely different.
Valerius.
The name rang in his head like a funeral bell. The Marquis Valerius family. The Empire's Swordsman, and the Royal Family's loyal dog. The family that led the purge campaign ten years ago. Her father was the one who burned the villages Elias had fled from.
He was shaking the hand of the butcher's daughter, while she smiled at him with artificial kindness.
Elias finished his cake quickly. The taste was dull, just sticky sugar with no pleasure, exactly as he had expected.
"I'm done. Thank you for your company," he said, standing up.
"See you later at the Academy, Elias," Isabella waved gently as he left.
Once he stepped out of the café, Elias’s neutral expression vanished, replaced by a face as cold as stone.
He walked quickly away from the commercial district, heading toward the capital's southern gate.
As soon as the road was clear of pedestrians, he opened the connection with the Merchant.
[New Deal?]
I need speed. Wind magic, Elias thought. I want to reach the Southern Forest in less than ten minutes.
[Price: 10 Gold Coins.]
Done.
Elias felt a sudden lightness in his body. Air currents wrapped around his legs, propelling him forward at insane speed. The scenery around him turned into blurred lines.
He dashed through the fields, away from prying eyes, until he reached the edge of the Black Forest.
Elias stopped to catch his breath.
According to his information, there was a hidden Dungeon here that no one had discovered.
He ventured into the forest, stepping over roots and thorns, until he found it.
A massive dead oak tree. In its trunk lay a dark hollow that looked like an animal burrow, not a magic gate.
Elias crawled into the narrow hole.
Inside, he found a faint purple light. An oval portal of raw mana spinning silently.
"Found you," he whispered.
He entered the portal without hesitation.
The air changed suddenly. It became humid and heavy with the smell of mold.
Elias found himself in a vast rocky cavern, lit by faint blue magical torches hanging on the walls.
He drew his sword from its sheath and moved cautiously.
It wasn't long before he heard heavy footsteps.
A massive monster emerged from the darkness. Dark green skin, protruding fangs. A Hobgoblin.
The monster raised a bone club and attacked.
[Deal?]
Double arm strength for one strike.
[Price: 5 Silver Coins.]
Elias dodged the club with a simple duck, and with a strike enhanced by the deal, severed the Hobgoblin's head from its body.
The monster turned to ash.
Elias continued to advance. He faced groups of three and four goblins.
His style was economical. He bought only what he needed for instant kills. "Shadow Step" to get behind them. "Steel Skin" to block a stray arrow.
The fighting was bloody and fast.
Finally, he reached the end of the cave. A massive wooden door reinforced with iron.
The Boss Room.
He pushed the door open and entered.
It was a wide circular hall, filled with bones and skulls.
In the center, on a throne of rocks, a terrifying monster slept.
The Red Ogre. Standing over three meters tall, muscles rippling like rocks, with a massive double-headed axe beside him.
The Boss sensed the intruder. He opened his yellow eyes and rose slowly, exhaling hot steam from his nose.
[This Boss has very high physical resistance and thick skin,] the voice warned.
Elias took three bottles from his side pouch. Fast-igniting oil.
Give me Fire Magic. A concentrated fireball.
[Price: A minor burn on your fingertip + 50 Gold Coins.]
Accepted.
The Ogre screamed and roared with a force that shook the cave, then charged at Elias, raising his giant axe.
Elias didn't retreat. He threw the three bottles into the air with precision toward the Ogre's chest and face.
The bottles shattered, covering the beast's body in black oil.
In that instant, Elias fired the fireball from his hand.
BOOOM!
The oil ignited instantly. The Ogre turned into a moving torch.
The beast screamed in horrific pain, rolling on the ground and slamming into walls, trying to extinguish the flames eating his skin.
"Now!"
Elias charged toward the burning monster, aiming for his neck to end the fight.
But the Ogre, despite the pain, possessed beastly instincts.
At the last moment, the monster raised his massive arm to block the sword, then swung the back of his hand violently.
BAM!
The strike hit Elias in the chest. His body flew across the room and slammed into the rocky wall with enough force to make him spit black blood.
Elias fell to his knees, gasping. His ribs screamed in pain.
The fire had died down, and the Ogre—burned and disfigured—was standing again, eyes dripping with madness and pure rage.
Elias wiped the blood from his mouth. "Strong..."
[Do you want to escape?]
No... 'Sense of Smell'. Take it for 5 hours.
[In exchange?]
Comprehensive boost to speed and physical strength.
[Deal.]
The smell of smoke and mold vanished from Elias's nose, replaced by a sudden surge of power in his muscles.
He launched like an arrow.
The Ogre's axe crashed down to split the earth, but Elias had already jumped over the blade. Spinning in mid-air, he brought his sword down on the Ogre's burned shoulder.
SLASH!
The massive arm flew into the air, blood spraying like a fountain.
The Ogre howled a heart-wrenching cry and stumbled back. But he didn't die. With severe burns and one arm, he gathered all his remaining strength for a final suicidal attack.
Elias realized his ordinary sword wouldn't penetrate the Ogre's hardened chest muscles to reach the heart.
He closed his eyes for a split second.
I want absolute penetration. One strike to end it all.
[Price: One Platinum Coin.]
Take it!
Elias felt his sword blade vibrate, as if wrapped in an invisible layer of energy.
The Ogre charged at him.
Elias charged at the Ogre.
They crossed paths in the center of the room.
Time stopped for a moment.
Elias landed on one knee behind the monster.
The Ogre remained standing for a moment... then his chest split open in a fountain of blood, and he fell face-first to the ground with a thunderous thud.
The Boss was dead.
Elias breathed deeply, sweat covering his bruised body. "It's over."
He heard a mechanical grinding sound.
In the back wall of the cave, a small stone door that hadn't been visible before slid open.
The Treasure Room.
Elias dragged his exhausted body toward the room.
There were no mountains of gold, just a small, dusty wooden box in the center.
He opened the box.
Inside sat a simple silver ring, set with a small black stone.
"A Spatial Storage Ring," Elias muttered, a rare smile appearing on his face.
Such tools were incredibly rare and essential for a merchant like him who needed to transport gold and weapons without drawing attention.
He put the ring on his finger and immediately transferred the contents of his bag into it.
A shimmering exit portal appeared.
Elias returned to the forest; night had fully fallen.
His clothes were torn and stained with the Ogre's blood and his own.
"Cleanse," he whispered, paying a few silver coins for a quick cleaning spell to remove the blood and smell, then took out spare clothes and put them on.
He sneaked back into the Academy through the side gates and went immediately to the Dormitory Administration Office.
He received a heavy golden key.
"Wing S," the official said with respect mixed with envy.
Elias walked toward the Elite building. It was a luxurious detached villa, surrounded by a private fence.
He opened the door and entered his private suite.
The room was spacious, with a king-sized bed, luxurious carpets, and a private bathroom with magical hot water.
Everything screamed of the luxury he had been denied all his life.
Elias bathed, letting the hot water wash away the fatigue of battle, then collapsed onto the plush bed.
He closed his eyes, his finger touching the cold silver ring.
Another step taken. The Merchant gathers his weapons.
And he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
