The next day, Crule and Johan met in front of the dungeon entrance. There were several tanned hide tents set up around the perimeter. A generals goods store, a drug store, and even a small branch of the guild set up tents.
Since they prepared beforehand, Crule and Johan directly went into the dungeon without so much as taking a glance at the temporary shops.
Johan was wearing leather armor with metal spikes imbedded on his elbows, kneecaps, shoulders, and shoe tip. He looked very like a rocker or a biker. His weapon of choice…was a guitar. It would seem his aura works like a bard. His melodies gives one a feeling of freshness and strength.
They were silent when they met each other, and they stayed silent throughout their journey. Only the sound of fighting and music could be heard.
Around a few meters after they entered, they met their first obstacle. From the mossy ceiling of the dungeon, various flowers bloomed. But instead of a stamen, a sharp needle like projectile fired from it. Crule dodged what he could. The stingers that were aimed at Johan, Crule had to intercept with his dagger.
Johan played a melody with an allegro tempo. Crule could feel his speed and agility slightly improving.
Throwing some iron daggers he prepared the day before, Crule dispatched the flowers.
Along the way they met several adventurers who were in larger groups. They were struggling to cope with the onslaught of vegetation.
Crule and Johan generally ignored them. Soon they reached a large open space with a natural staircase at the other side. From the ceiling hang a giant pitcher plant. As soon as Crule and Johan stood under it, it descended from the ceiling with such speeds. With its vines, it tried to tangle Crule. Johan was caught by the ankles and was lifted up in the air. He panicked. Crule was cutting the vines left and right with dagger cloaked with his aura. The giant plant was drawing Johan ever closer to its large open mouth. Crule pulled out a vile of green liquid and splashed it on his dagger.
Now every time his dagger makes an incision on the vines, they wither up as if they haven’t seen any water or nutrients in years.
The withering slowly crept up the vines that Crule cut, soon it reached the main body. With a large roar, the plant suddenly released Johan.
Picking himself off his ass, Johan quickly played a power ballad. Crule could feel his strength increasing by a small margin.
With his strength boosted, Crule leaped high into the air and slammed downwards into what seemed like the giant plant’s stomach. His dagger impaled deeply leaving only the handle out. The green herbicide Crule splashed on his dagger seeped into the main body. It slowly withered away leaving a green crystal.
The crystal looked like a fossilized leaf in an amber except it was a light shade of green. Crule learned yesterday that these drops could fetch good money from collectors. Rumor has it that it was a rare gem that could absorb aura from plant type users.
Crule cleaned his dagger and Johan patted the dust from his clothes. They continue down the natural formed stairs. The lower floor of the dungeon wasn’t as lit as the upper floor. Bioluminescent moss and mushrooms glowed dimly on the floor giving a mystical feeling. Crule and Johan proceeded with caution.
Crule could see clearly once his aura covered his eyes but Johan had trouble with that. He often trip over a large tree root or a small hedge bush.
So far they have not seen any enemies or adventurers. It would seem most people would stay on the upper floors where there’s light to farm. They still had a game-like mentality to it all.
After nearly half an hour of walking, they finally heard a noise. It was a violent humming that grew louder and louder. Crule drew his dagger and Johan readied his guitar.
From behind a dense curtain of vines, a large insect appeared. It looked similar to the monstrosities on Gluttony that plagued Crule’s childhood nightmares. Crule only smirked. It was one thing he enjoyed, crushing bugs beneath his feet.
Not giving the bug even a chance to stab them, Crule shot off a fast rotating ball of his aura which immediately bore a hole in the bug. It fell with a soft ‘thud’ onto the mossy floor. Creepy enough, the vegetation covered floor seem to swallow the dead bug. Crule paid no heed but Johan was deeply scared by it.
Johan couldn’t take it anymore and lit up a small torch. Taking care as to not burning all the vegetation in their surroundings, they moved on.
Soon they reached what seemed like a hollowed out giant tree. The top of the tree was missing as if knocked down by age and time. The wood looked old and was a darker shade than the other young trees in the area.
In the middle of the hollowed out tree, was actually a hole leading downwards.
Guarding that hole was a large mantis looking bug. On its four appendages were sharp serrated blades. Its yellow eyes beamed in the darker tree root. Johan was fearful, but yet something compelled him to move on. Crule noticed it but didn’t ask him about it.
Taking the initiative, Crule fired off more aura bullets. They were somehow dodged by the mantis as it shuffled across the forest floor with speed and dexterity. Its small wings allowed a short period of flight to boost its speed even further. It rushed at Johan as he seemed weaker.
Johan played a folk song and a wall of dust seem to form in front of him. The dust condensed into dirt then into stone. It blocked the mantis’ path and temporarily confused it. Crule took this chance to arrive next to the mantis and plant his dagger straight into its head. It took heavy damage but still have yet to die. Crule quickly pulled out his dagger and leaped away.
Johan’s folk song turned into a techno jazz tune and the stone wall crumbled back into dust and was blown away. In its place however, was a membrane of electricity that flew towards the bug from his cords.
It rendered it incapacitated.
Crule took advantage of the situation and enveloped the bug whole in his aura.
Several seconds later, the black aura sheet dissipated leaving not a single trace of the bug nor the electrical membrane. Crule nodded to a shocked Johan and they immediately proceeded down the hole.
