[ 1s ]

...….

It happened too fast, a flash of light overwhelmed my vision, and in the next second I opened my eyes, I was already in a different place all over.

I couldn't see anything around me as it was pitch dark, all I could sense with my perception was that there were two walls on each side, other than that it was too quiet to tell.

[Want some light? Easy peasy!]

Just as I heard the familiar voice once again, the place was lit up, and the source of that light was surprisingly on my shoulder.

[What are you looking at? Want a picture?]

A small lizard that looked like a worm was standing there, it was red in color, and shining like a firefly. It was the source of the voice….

"Zero?.."

[Who else would I be?!]

"I thought you were just an AI wired to my brain or something, you were actually a lizard?....pfft"

I tried to suppress my urge to laugh as I teased the lamp looking lizard.

[Humph, the system space is basically managed by me, that's why I didn't need to appear to talk to you, but upon transfer every AI takes a shape of an infant creature, our role is to assist with nonsensical tasks such as this and support with allowed information as said before.]

'A convenient tool bag, huh….'

I whispered to myself while staring...

[Did you say something?!]

'Hmmm, his hearing is too good'

"Nothing, just…. What sort of creature's infant are you supposed to be? A lizard?"

[what lizard?! I'm a dragon! A drrraggonnn!]

"I see, well, then we need a new name for our great dragon then. Zero seems a little old."

[Well, as long as its majestic enough…]

Zero squinted his eyes as he stared intensely, he looked quite excited for a new name more than his words implied. This AI seemed quite advanced, it felt like I was interacting with a real human 10 years old child.

"What about little worm?"

[HUH?]

"Calm down, I was just joking, I already thought of a suitable name for you, what about shenlong, it means spirit dragon, which seems to suit your actual situation right?"

The small angry face of the lizard seemed to brighten up as if it liked it.

[Just so-so but I shall accept this name. From now on I'm the great Shen Long!]

"Oh, glad you liked it. Well then, I shall call you Long for short"

The new named Long seemed quite gullible as he liked the name that I remembered from a certain popular series, even though I planned several other famous mythological dragons in case he didn't like it. Unlike his haughty & playful attitude, he was quite fun to interact with. At least it was much better than my life of solitude in the forest back then.

>>>>

After a quick 5 minutes inspection with the newly acquired light, I found out that it was a 10 meters wide road that seemed to continue ahead, while behind me was another wall, the only exception was that there was a small door at the center of that wall.

I decided to check that door first, but I wanted to test something before that.

[ Activating 'Eye of knowledge'.... ]

[ 'Massacre Corruption gate' (one-floor)

Status: Active

-> Current location: 5m away from corruption core ]

Was I sent directly to the boss room?!