24 Chapter 24: Origin
"There are people here... Quite a few of them. They appear to be fighting" I said after using deprehendre
I was able to adjust my deprehendre to suit the dungeon. The only problem is that it can only detect things that are nearby and it still can't really go through the wall
"So they're farming the dungeon too... Why didn't we see anyone before we came here john?" Ariel asked
"I've been wondering the same thing. There were a lot of people lined up outside." I said
"Most experienced people just rush through the dungeons. We took our time to fight the battles and search for the floor boss but the veterans just go down to the floor most optimal for farming." Serena said
"Ah... So they realised that those low level Magic stones weren't worth much and decided not to farm them." I said
"Yeah, pretty much." Serena replied
"Hm... But aren't goblin ears supposed to be worth 10 silver each? How much are those magic stones worth?" I asked
"The goblin magic stones are worth 7 silver each. The kobold stones are worth 5 silver each." Serena said
"I'm guessing their prices are that low because they only have a one time use or don't contain that much mana?" I asked
"Not really, i don't know why either. But i think 5 silver each is a good deal. The stones break after one use, and we can't really use these weak ones that easily break on wands or magic tools."
"I see..." I muttered
"And besides, the professionals rush through it because they know that the stronger the monster, the better the rewards. Which is why they don't waste their energy on the beginner floors. That being said, we'll probably find more people around the 4th and 5th floors." She said
"Ah, okay, i understand now. You're quite knowledgeable aren't you?." I asked
"Hm? Well I had planned to go dungeon so i thought it'd be a good idea to learn more about it" Serena replied
"I'm glad you both are here, i probably wouldn't be able to enjoy it this much by myself" I said with a relieved face
"You better be" Said Serena with a smile on her face
"We're glad john's here too." Said Ariel who was also smiling
c.r.a.p... I feel like something got on my eye... It feels a bit watery...
"Thanks... Let's move on, Also unless they ask for help don't help them. It's their prey and some might not like us attacking it. Don't forget that most of these guys are just here to make money." I said
"Yes!" They replied
"Aren't we here for the same thing?" Serena asked
"Well yes, but we're mainly here to get an understanding of it. Next time we're back we're rus.h.i.+ng through in order to complete it." I said
"Complete it!?! We'd need to at least be an S rank to do that..." She said
"Maybe not complete... But we'd at least try to see how far we could get. It's been at least 3 hours since we started, and we're already on the third floor. At this rate it won't even take us a day to reach to reach the 5th floor a.s.suming each floor is 1 hour long"
"Alright... I've been wondering... How do you know how many hours it's been?" Serena asked
"I'd like to know too." Ariel added
"Body clock." I said
"What?" They asked
"A body clock. I'm leaving it to my instincts. After spending countless nights studying, paying close attention to the time while i did. I developed an ability to be able to freely guess correctly, how much time was pa.s.sed without using a clock." I said
"Study... Weren't you a homeless person? Why would there be a need to study? To be honest, you're able to count aren't you? Since when can someone homeless do Arithmetics?" Serena asked
"Ariel can do arithmetics" I replied
"My uncle taught me." She said
"Exactly! She wasn't always homeless, someone taught her. So who taught you? I'm even more curious about your background now. You can use chantless spells and you erase common sense when it comes to magic!" Serena said
"Serena... John's life is his privacy. Don't you think you're being unfair by forcing him to talk about it? He'll tell us when the time is right." Ariel said
"But..." Serena muttered
"It's fine, Ariel, besides i was planning on telling you guys anyways so might as well explain it while we walk." I said as i began walking forward
The two gave each other a confused look but followed me with curious looks on their faces
"Ariel, before we met. I didn't know who i was. My name, was the only thing i could remember. I didn't know where i was, why i was there or anything about the kingdom. Almost as if my memory had been erased or altered."
The two continued to listen quietly as we walked.
"Furtim," I said as I grabbed on to their hands.
We continued to walk but I didn't activate silentium so they could hear my story
"Confused, I walked around and met a guy called Will. He gave me a few Appas and told me about adventurers. That was when I got the idea of becoming an adventurer."
"So that's how you met will..." Ariel muttered
"Yeah, and it was also how I met you. I was heading towards
"I was also really happy when john invited me..." Ariel said
"Can you two stop flirting in front of me?!"
"We're not!" Me and Ariel said simultaneously
"Yeah,yeah and what happened next? How were you able to use magic without chanting?"
"So everything i told you, so far had happened on the same. Me and Ariel signed up as adventurers and we went to the forest to hunt for monsters and sell them at the guild. While i did lose memories of my life. There were 3 things i still remembered. My name, life skills such as arithmetics and finally The concept of magic."
"The concept of magic?" Serena asked with an amazed expression
"That's right. I understood the concept behind each element. Fire, Water, Earth and wind."
"How is that possible? No wizard so far has been able to understand the concept of a single element much less all 4... Who taught you?!" She asked
"I don't know, i told you i lost my memories. I don't know how i knew that. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that i know it. So me and Ariel got in an accident, on that day. A giant boar attacked us, We were caught off guard and we were in trouble. in that moment, something inside me triggered and i used magic without chanting."
I feel bad for lying to them but i can't let them know i reincarnated from another world... I just feel like i shouldn't. I also don't wish for that information to spread. Even though i know they wouldn't spread it.
"That's a lot to take in... I'm glad you both made it out safe, i think i understand, You were able to use chant-less magic because you understood the concept, right?" Said serena
"That's right. But you know what's the most bizarre thing of all? Everything i told you happened in the same day. Meeting ariel... Becoming an adventurer... I feel like it was all a part of fate. Even meeting you too."
"Fate..." Serena muttered
"But yeah, if you really want to learn how to use concept magic, i don't mind teaching you. Just know that you can't tell anyone else, as it will break the current power balance over this world." I said
"Understood. If you really wish to teach me i would be deeply grateful and i swear on my name that i wouldn't tell anyone about it without your permission." She said
"It's fine, there's no need to swear on your name. As long as you understand, besides I already told you that I trust you, so if you feel like it's necessary to tell someone what it is, it's fine. Just make sure you never teach anyone how to use it. At least for now." I said
"But why do you trust me so much? We've known each other for less than a week." Serena said
"Would you sleep in the same room with someone you don't trust?" I asked
"T-That was because you were paying, and Ariel was there i couldn't leave her alone in the same room with a guy. If you tried anything i would have beaten you up." She replied
"I-I was joking... But yeah, it's just a feeling? Besides, you don't look like someone that betrays others." I said
"If you keep thinking like that, then you really will be betrayed!" Serena said with a worried expression.
"Why are you worried about a guy you just met?" I jokingly asked
"Shut up." She said as she lightly punched me
That being said, i'm only going to teach her the concept of fire. Knowing too much would put her in even more danger... But she had a point, why am i so trusting? Why did i decide to teach her?
"But yeah, I'll teach you when we're outside, we might be overheard from here."
"Yes! Thank you." She said with a bright smile
We've been walking for quite a while now, why haven't we encountered any monsters? Even if we're invisible we should have at least seen them lurking around... Is it because the adventurers which i had detected Earlier have been killing them?
I did see blood on the walls, that might explain it. Where are they? Let's see if i can find them with deprehendre.
"Deprehendre" I muttered
Wh? I can't detect them anymore. No wait... Something's wrong. Something's been wrong for quite a while.
"John, Ariel, there's something i haven't told you guys... I'm an El-"
"No one move. Something's wrong" I said
The moment i said that, the walls on our side began to move. Creating a path which had a Giant door at the end of it.
"What the h.e.l.l? That looks like the door to the dungeon boss room... But why? What's going on? Is this the dungeons doing?" I asked
"John... The path in the direction we were heading. It's disappearing" Said Ariel as she pointed in the direction we were heading
The mossy walls and the bricks were breaking down. Darkness was all you could see, an endless abyss. The same was happening behind us. Leaving the our only option to head to the room which had appeared out of nowhere
"Let's go!" I shouted as we followed the path to the giant door.
Is this the dungeons doing? I heard that it was alive but why us? Why is it targeting us?
"Serena, do you have any idea of why this might be happening?" I said as we ran
"T-There have been cases where people activate traps and are teleported to lower floors in the dungeon! But i don't recall us falling into a trap!" She said as we ran
"c.r.a.p! At any rate! We're going to have to face whatever is on the other side of this door if we want to survive" I said while running.
After we arrived at the entrance, i pushed open the door and we went inside. Shortly after we were in, the door behind us shut itself close.
Once, we were inside. I could feel the little hair i had in my body stand. I felt chills go down my spine at the insane amount of bloodl.u.s.t being let out from it. I looked at the other two and saw them also trembling in fear.
I then, looked at the direction where this pressure was coming from.
"Are... You... Kidding me..." I muttered as i could hear the sound as i gulped down
Serena and Ariel did the same and froze. It was a spider den, literally. Giant Eggs with a Giant spider standing in the middle of them on a web. The spiders our size were crawling around the giant spider which was their mother. The giant spider remained motionless as it appeared to observe us.
"Serena, Lend me your staff for a second." I said as i grabbed the bag which held magic stones
"Alright..." She said as she handed it to me
The spider who noticed i was planning something, shot a web at us, from it's mouth. The web was very fast, reaching our side of the room in nearly a second
"Scutum glacies." I muttered as i moved out of the way.
The Spider web pierced the s.h.i.+eld and hit the wall, But the ice on the s.h.i.+eld began to slowly engulf the web and spread toward the spider. Seeing this the spider let go of the web and became wary of us.
"Sphaera Glacies" I Muttered As i held on to Serena's wand
The sphere of ice which took half a minute to be complete last time was completed in only 5 seconds, thanks to the help of the wand.
"Sphera Glacies Spheara Glacies Sphaera Glacies Sphaera Glacies" I repeated, over and over as i casted even more ice spheres to fully envelop Us in ice. Seeing this the Spider let out a shrieek which appeared to have been a signal to attack.
I consumed 5 magic stones and created a giant sphere of ice which not even the spiders web could penetrate.
"I'll wait until you guys are able to calm down. At this rate, we won't be able to get out of here. I won't be able to beat it without your help." I said as i placed my hand on their shoulder
This is a really bad spot. I'm scared, I can tell that this isn't the full power of that spider. But i can't show it to them. I'm the leader of the party, I need to stay strong at this moment, even if it's just faking it.
"So, take all the time you nee-"
Before i could finish, that 5 layers of Ice sphere i had placed. Were broken.