A day, a full day. I've been exploring these pool dungeons for a day, but still no exit within sight. I silently hoped that my decision to explore this area didn't lower my chances of finding the exit.
However, knowing my luck. That may be the case.
Enough is enough. I will not spend my time walking around shards of glass with naked feet. This time, I am wearing thick armored steel plate boots and running through everything.
I've sharpened my senses, heavily emphasizing my vision. I've faced the wall, several meters away from me, cocked my position, and then leaped forward with great force.
*Whoom!* I pierced through five tiled walls. Debris is flying everywhere, destroying several areas in the process. For these past two weeks. I've been conducting myself as a proper knight, protocols and such.
That even in the face of adversity, a knight will know how to act properly. But there is no adversity here other than the elusive exit. I have a duty to uphold and a kingdom to protect. What kind of knight am I if I cannot even do that?
I destroyed another wall. This time, I found myself in an area where it's extremely spacious. A huge pool of water was in the middle, and it was deep. The vertical length of this area is as tall as the tallest tower I've ever seen.
It reminded me of how small I was and how insignificant I am when placed in this eternal prison. My anxiety that was slowly pooling started to leak, but with a single motivated huff, it dissipated.
It gave me enough motivation to move forward.
This place was even more barren than that yellow dungeon. The only saving grace is that it's not a sickening yellow prison. The colors here are neutral; they dull you, but they don't hurt you. You can even rest comfortably here.
However, time is of the essence. I should take fewer stops.
That tingle again.
I've noticed the shadows flee from my shadow. Whatever it was inside my shadow, it was both hurting and discomforting. I pretended not to see them as they fled.
Then that same tingle again.
That's strange.
As far as I know, there were only two following me. Wait, did Mr. Jin Woo Sung follow me? I hope he knows what he's doing. This place is still a prison, and I've yet to find any clues.
No, this is different. It's no shadow. It's another life form. It didn't sense me yet, but whatever it was, it wasn't far from here. I decided to approach its general vicinity, hoping that it might lead to another clue or an exit.
It was moving, wandering around. Aimlessly.
Was this life form not sentient? I've focused my senses, listening to the silent breathing and footsteps. It's tall, definitely gigantic, breathing strangely. It followed a pattern different from a human or a humanoid.
It must be another lost soul or maybe a creature.
I stopped before the entrance of the next area. What I saw confirmed my suspicions. This thing wasn't human, and it didn't seem to be related to that creature I encountered not too long ago.
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell Mr. Jin Woo Sung about that creature...." I cursed my inability to think. Meeting another person gave me the ray of hope that I needed, and it turned that monstrous encounter into a trivial activity instead.
How could I have forgotten to mention it...
Wait, these two shadow stalkers can relay that information to Mr. Jin Woo Sung. I'll tell them later, along with a heartfelt apology and a hopeful understanding of my frail mentality.
Anyway, this thing that I am looking at wasn't human. The area it chose to inhabit was destroyed; there was rubble everywhere. It may have tried to destroy this place.
It was wandering around, walking in a circular motion.
This thing wasn't alive. It was rather similar to those shadow soldiers. I could tell that this one was summoned, too. This humanoid was made of a unique energy and matter that was unfamiliar to me.
I could tell that my protection was helping me in this case, too. This thing wasn't supposed to be seen by the naked eye. I could tell that my two shadow stalkers from behind were confused; they couldn't see the humanoid in front of me, but they could sense it.
The humanoid was tall, roughly three meters in height. It had a levitating eight-handed wheel in its head with small orbs at the end. It had no eyes; it had these small wing-like limbs where its eye is supposed to be. It had a tail coming out of its head.
Its right hand was wrapped in bandages, and it wore loose black shorts with a thin white cloth as a belt. There was a sword coming out of its right hand.
Whatever this thing was, it's dangerous.
It instantly snapped its head at my location, surprising me. It charged forward, but my two shadow stalkers intervened and managed to stop its charging.
My two shadow stalkers, the two hulking orcs, have protected me.
The humanoid then proceeded to fight the two shadows. The two of them have some amazing speed; they parried and delivered blows. The teamwork of the two orcs was impeccable; they've managed to hold the humanoid for a while, but it was useless.
That humanoid was stronger than both combined. Also, they can't see it, relying on senses instead. It destroyed the two shadow orcs within a minute.
The humanoid then glanced at me, grinning widely.
"Hello, my name is Reinhard van Astrea, and you defeated two shadow soldiers. The owner of those two soldiers is strong and may not take your actions kindly..." I said, raising both my hands to signal that I am not a threat.
The humanoid charged at me with even greater speed, intending to use its frame to slam me, but the direction shifted, and it charged straight into the wall instead. *Thunk!*
The humanoid then dislodged itself from the wall and proceeded to attack me, trying to punch, grab, slice, kick, and slam me.
But they've all missed. I let it do what it want for a minute, hoping to exhaust it.
It then delivered a downward kick, but I lightly jumped straight upwards. It then shifted its position and aimed a punch straight to my abdomen, but it hit the air instead.
I landed with a polite smile.
It was confused and irritated.
I tapped it and it was then sent flying, slamming against a wall.
Then the wheel on its head turned.
It charged then delivered a punch that missed, but this time, it almost hit me.
"H-huh?" My eyes were wide open.
The humanoid grinned and lowered its frame. Intending to body slam me again.