We continued down the underground corridor, our footsteps lightly echoing on the damp ground as we followed the creek's path. The decision to take this route was simple, almost instinctive: even though the world had become chaotic and unpredictable, the principle that every body of water has a source still held true.
In other words, if we kept following the flow of this creek, there was a good chance it would lead us out of this place, maybe even guiding us to freedom. The sound of the water rushing beside us felt almost comforting amidst the oppressive silence of the underground.
We kept walking along the creek, immersed in the darkness, for a few more minutes, until suddenly, a bluish glow appeared ahead, just a few meters away. I, being at the front of the group, was the first to stop, followed quickly by Oliver, Alice, and Ethan. We stood there, motionless, staring at the light for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to do next.
"I don't know... seeing something glowing in this place, full of monsters trying to kill us, doesn't seem like a good sign" Ethan commented, his voice filled with uncertainty as his eyes stayed fixed on the bluish glow ahead, the strange light's reflection dancing on the menacing shadows around us.
"I agree, this definitely doesn't seem like a good sign" Alice replied, nodding slightly, as if reinforcing Ethan's words.
To be honest, Ethan and Alice weren't the only ones thinking this way. Although I had no concrete proof, I suspected that everyone was feeling the same. However, the glow in front of us was undeniable, exactly where we needed to pass in order to keep following the creek.
Turning back didn't make any sense; we'd waste too much time, and worse, we'd probably starve if we made that choice. So, despite the doubts hanging over us, the only option was to keep going forward, with no other viable alternative.
As we moved on, the glow grew gradually more intense and seemed to get closer. Eventually, we reached a small wooden bridge stretching over a narrow creek.
As we crossed it, we finally got a clear view of the source of that mysterious light. To our surprise, it wasn't a monster or any threatening creature, like we had imagined—it was just a floating orb, softly pulsing with an ethereal glow.
More precisely, it was a blue orb placed on some kind of ancient stone altar. The orb floated gently above the surface, spinning slowly and continuously, emitting a faint bluish light.
Curiously, this glow seemed to intensify as someone approached, almost as if reacting to the presence of the observer, but, paradoxically, it would suddenly dim when the person got too close, as if it was retracting or hiding its true power.
Anyway, beside the orb, there was a relatively large door firmly embedded in the stone wall. Interestingly, it showed no signs of wear: no moss, cracks, or rust—it looked newly installed, as if time hadn't touched it.
An ironic detail, considering the rest of the place was overrun with grotesque creatures, like giant rats and centipedes crawling through the shadows.
Honestly, no one knew what to say, so we just fell silent. We were probably all expecting to see a monster or something similar, but instead, we came across a huge door—something so surreal it defied any expectation. That sight was absurd enough to seem unreal. The only thing that crossed my mind at that moment was: what the hell kind of place is this?.
"What the hell... why is there a door here?" Alice commented, furrowing her brow, her voice full of confusion and mistrust.
Oliver, who had remained silent up until that point, took a step forward and approached the door. His eyes examined it carefully for a few moments before reaching out his hand. His fingers slid gently over the surface, as if searching for something invisible.
After a few seconds, he turned to the others and said, in an uncertain tone: "Doesn't look like this leads to the exit... but honestly, I have no idea what exactly this door is"
Oliver wasn't the only one—everyone there seemed to be wondering, internally, what the hell that door was. But instead of focusing on it, my gaze was drawn to something even stranger: a floating orb next to the entrance. I mean... why was there an orb there? That seemed definitely suspicious.
Driven by this thought, I moved closer to the object. The sphere glowed softly, as if pulsing with living energy. I hesitated for a moment, then reached out and touched it. As soon as my fingers made contact with its surface, a shimmering screen appeared before me, hovering in the air like a hologram.
[Dungeon Detected]
Dungeon Name: Crypt of Perseverance
Recommended Level: 8
Dungeon Duration: 10 minutes
Objective: Survive
[Rewards:]
1 - 2500 Experience
2 – Chest: (Common)
3 - 500 PT
[Entry Mode: Duo]
[Required Classes: Assassin]
[Exit Mode: Automatic closure after completion or failure]
The moment I finished reading the information displayed on the window that appeared when I touched the orb, I was momentarily at a loss for how to react. Of course, I was surprised to discover the existence of something like a dungeon—that alone would be enough to shake anyone. However, that wasn't the part that really stunned me.
What unsettled me was the fact that, as strange as it seemed, that dungeon felt... inviting. There was something about it that almost instinctively drew me in. Did that make sense? To be honest, it felt more like a trap carefully placed there, as if someone or something knew exactly how to catch my attention.
As I drifted into thought, Alice's voice suddenly cut through the silence from behind me, pulling my attention for a brief moment: "... I don't know. This is kinda weird... feels like a trap"
My initial reaction to her words was one of surprise. Until now, we had never discussed this, but I always assumed it was impossible to see someone else's status screen. Usually, all you notice is someone interacting with something invisible in the air — gestures in thin air that reveal nothing to an observer.
However, Alice, who was standing right behind me, had just casually stated that she could clearly see the screen in front of me. That contradicted everything I knew.
Maybe, since we were inside a dungeon, the rules worked differently, allowing status screens to become visible to others? As strange as it seemed, that appeared to be the most plausible explanation.
"Can you see the screen?" I asked, tilting my head slightly and raising an eyebrow, my tone filled with curiosity and a hint of doubt.
Upon hearing my words, Alice's first reaction was one of doubt. She furrowed her brow slightly, deep in thought. However, just a few seconds later, her eyes widened, as if she had just understood what I said: "Oh, right!" she exclaimed, surprised. "Why can I see it?"
In the next moment, Ethan and Oliver also approached me. Like Alice, both confirmed that they could see both the screen and what was written on it. When I received this confirmation, I paused my thoughts for a moment and refocused my attention on the panel in front of me.
Honestly, although the dungeon's objective was, in theory, just to survive, there were no specifications about exactly what we were supposed to survive. In other words, there could literally be anything on the other side of that door — from a simple challenge to something completely absurd and deadly.
As I stood motionless, staring at the screen before me, I felt Oliver's gaze slowly turning toward me. With a firm voice and a tone more serious than usual, he asked: "Are you going in? It says here that only two people from the assassin class can pass... Coincidentally, we have two assassins in the group"
Upon hearing Oliver's words, I fell silent for a few moments, reflecting on what he had said. I won't lie: my first impulse was to think that this could be a good opportunity to level up and become stronger. However, even that thought wasn't enough to dispel my doubts. Still holding onto that idea, I turned my gaze to Oliver, searching for some certainty in his face.
"What do you think about this?" I asked, maintaining a steady gaze on Oliver, trying to pick up any reaction on his face.
He broke the gaze for a moment, turning his eyes toward the door. After a few seconds of silence, with a thoughtful expression, Oliver finally spoke: "... I won't lie. This feels off" he said, furrowing his brow slightly: "It's like this dungeon was artificially created, tailor-made for you and Noa. Still, it's undeniable that it's a great chance for both of you to get stronger... Well, that's just my impression. I'll leave the decision to you two, since you're the ones going in"
Upon hearing Oliver's words, I directed my gaze to Noa, who was further back in the group. With the corner of my left eye, I observed closely as my male body stared at me; at the same time, with my right eye, I fixed my gaze on the reflection of my female body, which also looked at me with the same intensity. For a brief moment, time seemed to slow down, and after a few seconds of reflection, I made my decision. With a serious and determined look, I turned to Oliver.
"We're both going in" I said.
Oliver nodded slowly upon hearing my words, a knowing smile forming on his face, as if he already knew what was coming next. He let out a brief sigh and, with a subtle nod, said: "Alright, we'll wait for you two out here"
"You don't have to do that" echoed the soft voice of my female body, as I walked toward Justin, who was standing near the floating orb. With a firm gesture, I added: "Go ahead, you three. As soon as we're done with the dungeon, we'll catch up"
Oliver heard Noa's words and, with a slight sigh, turned his gaze back toward me. His gaze, direct and firm toward me, was met with a brief nod from me, indicating that I agreed with every word Noa said: "I agree with her" I replied, my voice clear and decisive: "I think it would be more efficient if we split up for now. Having you wait here would waste a lot of time"
"Are you sure about this? I really don't mind waiting for you; I think it would be safer if we stayed together rather than splitting up" Alice joined the conversation, her attentive gaze reflecting concern in her voice. She seemed to be weighing the situation, wanting to ensure everyone was aware of the risks before making a decision.
My male and female bodies turned toward each other, our gazes meeting in a silent exchange. To anyone observing, it seemed as though we were confirming each other's intentions, which clearly made no sense.
After all, we were the same person, two distinct bodies but with a single shared mind. With that clear thought in mind, I turned to Alice, and, as if we were a single entity, both my male and female bodies nodded simultaneously, in perfect synchronization.
"We're sure, don't worry. We'll join you as soon as we're done here" I replied, my female voice softly echoing through the silent space.
After saying this, I turned to Oliver, adopting my male form. His eyes were still fixed on me, and he seemed absorbed in his own thoughts, pondering what he had just heard. However, I maintained my expression unchanged, serious and impassive, as our gazes met, without me looking away for even a second.
After a few seconds of silence, Oliver let out a deep sigh, a half-smile appearing on his face: "Well, alright" he said, in a light and carefree tone: "We'll see you again on the surface, I guess. But first, let's leave some marks on something visible, something that helps us locate each other when we get out of here. That way, just follow the marks to find us again"
I nodded in confirmation to Oliver's response. The next moment, he, Ethan, and Alice bid farewell and headed toward the dark, narrow tunnel corridor. Their footsteps echoed for a brief moment before fading into the dense darkness, swallowing them completely.
The silence took over the space, leaving only me and Noa in the area. The strange feeling of being there, with my male body beside the female one, seemed even more unsettling in that empty space.