Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

Walking deeper into the dungeon, placing my hand on Kevin's shoulder once again, I stopped him.

"Hm?"

"Stop for a second…"

Grabbing a small rock from the ground, closing my right eye as I measured the distance in front of me, I took a step back and tossed the rock.

-Tlack!

-Swoooosh! -Swoooosh! -Swoooosh!

At the same time the rock hit the ground, multiple sharp and unnatural objects flew to the other side of the wall and impaled themselves onto the hard bedrock at the opposite end.

"Alright, let's go…"

Glancing at the sharp arrows that dug deep into the bedrock for a second, I urged Adrian to follow along.

Those were poison-coated arrows that could kill even a ranked user if not careful.

"…"

Unfazed by the current happenings, Adrian followed along.

This wasn't the first time this had happened. In fact, I've encountered similar traps multiple times during our exploration of dungeons. It seemed that whoever built this dungeon was particularly fond of using deadly traps to deter intruders.

Navigating through the dungeon required not only strength and skill but also keen awareness and quick reflexes to avoid falling victim to these traps.

As we continued our journey deeper into the darkness, I couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration mixed with trepidation. Every step forward brought us closer to the unknown dangers lurking in the shadows.

Thump-!, Thump-!

Currently, we are still outskirts of the main area of the doungen but as soon as we reached theain area the numbers of traps, monster would exceed.

Thump-!, Thump-!

...And when that time I also have to draw my sword out, right now I've been using Adrian for my own advantage but soon I can't do that ethire.

Thump-!, Thump-!

Also if we...Wait! What was that sound?

Suddenly I stopped on my tracks and frowend bit.

Thump-!, Thump-!

"What is it? Why did you stop so suddenly?"

"Can't you hear this sound?"

Thump-!, Thump-!

Adrian frowend a bit and said

"No I didn't hear anything."

How can that be? I can clearly heard this strange sound, It was as if someone was walking in this doungen.

And whoever they are, They are not alone.

"Wait minute."

Saying that, I activated the [Mana Eyes].

My dark green eye turned into gold eyes as it's began to glow.

"Ugh!"

I feel pain in my eye as soon as I activated the [Mana Eyes].

It's because we are inside the doungen and all around is very dense amount of mana and because of that my eyes feeling pain now.

Thump-!, Thump-!

Ignoring the pain, I foucosd on the source of the sound.

There was another pathway on the other side. If we started from the right side, it meant there was another entrance from the left. Was it like this in the original story? No, I didn't think so.

Two people were walking forward from the pathway.

—Where is this?

—A hidden stage I'm guessing?

I couldn't tell who they were from their faces, but considering the feeling I got from them and the tattoos on their faces, they didn't look like kind people.

"...Wait, stay quiet for a moment."

"Why?"

Adrian whispered.

I clenched my teeth. With my [Mana Eyes] I can easily see the mana inside of the ones body and the mana they are radiating is not the human once.

Their Mana Core is pitch black, It's easy to tell that they are Fallen Human.

They were disguised as Heroes, being at least [C-] rank in power. Even Adrian would have trouble dealing with them.

"There are other people in here."

"...Damn."

For now, I closely watched their movements as I eavesdropped on their conversation.

Listening intently to their conversation, I made sure to keep my presence concealed, not wanting to alert the newcomers to our presence.

The two individuals seemed to be discussing their surroundings, trying to ascertain their location within the hidden dungeon. Their voices were low and cautious, betraying a sense of wariness and suspicion.

With my enhanced senses, I could detect the faint aura of malevolence emanating from them, a stark contrast to the pure mana of righteous heroes. It was clear that they were up to no good, and I couldn't afford to let them discover our presence.

Gesturing silently to Adrian, I signaled for him to stay hidden and maintain vigilance as we monitored the movements of the intruders.

—Let's check this area.

—Yeha, Let's go. We don't have much time left.

"Let's finish this fast."

I concentrated magic power on my Mana Eyes. In an instant, my vision expanded, and the Dungeon's internal structure entered my sight.

As the Fallen Humans continued their conversation, discussing their plans to explore the dungeon further, I remained hidden with Adrian, carefully monitoring their movements.

With my Mana Eyes activated, I could see the intricate layout of the dungeon's interior, allowing me to anticipate any potential threats or obstacles that lay ahead. It was a valuable tool that gave me a significant advantage in navigating the treacherous maze of corridors and chambers.

As the intruders moved deeper into the dungeon, I made a mental note of their path, keeping track of their movements while ensuring that Adrian and I remained undetected.

Their intentions were clear—they were here for a specific purpose, and it was unlikely to be anything benevolent. The presence of Fallen Humans in the dungeon only served to heighten the sense of danger and urgency surrounding our mission.

With each passing moment, the tension in the air grew thicker, and I could feel the weight of the impending confrontation looming on the horizon.

But I was prepared to face whatever challenges awaited us. With Adrian by my side and my abilities honed to a razor's edge, I was confident that we could overcome any obstacles and emerge victorious.

As the Fallen Humans disappeared from view, venturing further into the depths of the dungeon, I turned to Adrian, silently communicating our next course of action.

"We need to proceed with caution. Keep your guard up and stay alert for any signs of danger."

Adrian nodded in response, his expression resolute as he prepared himself for the challenges ahead.

Together, we ventured deeper into the dungeon, our senses keenly attuned to the subtlest of movements and sounds. With each step forward, we edged closer to the heart of the hidden labyrinth, where untold dangers awaited us.