This chapter has been proof-read by: AnthonyL

A new bromance is blooming. (I'm so going to get killed for this. lol)

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Blinded by the white light, Irene and I traversed the portal leading to who knows where. It took a few seconds for our eyes to adjust to the darkness after arriving on the other side. Turning to look at where we had come from, I realized that the portal was already gone.

This was a one way trip with no way of going back the way we had come from. The high density of mana in the air seemed to indicate that we were deep in the lower levels of this annoying dungeon. We were in a small circular room with two doors on opposite sides of each other.

Normally we would have needed to decide which way to go but in this particular case it was relatively simple since one of the two massive iron doors was closed.

“What now? Any idea what's going on brother?” (Irene)

“I'm a bit scared...” (Irene)

“I'm not really sure, the dungeon master may have sent us to our death.” (Kneeko)

I realized this probably wasn't what she hoped to hear me say but it was the truth. We were killing all his precious monsters so he probably forced us through a shortcut toward the final dungeon boss or something. That way we couldn't kill all of his “babies” and be dealt with by the most powerful monster he had.

It was either that or other kinds of unpleasant surprises. He said we would potentially find death after all... Worried, I tiptoed toward the large open door to see what was on the other side with Irene following close by. What I saw was, nothing...

All there was on the other side was a large stone corridor with the ceiling so low I would almost have to crouch. The corridor was relatively large and long but the ceiling height worried me greatly. The only reason one would build a room like that would be to prevent people from “jumping or flying” over traps.

Unsurprisingly, the floor was littered with subtle pressure plates meant to look like normal stones. Having a good idea of what this room was going to be I grabbed a few pebbles on the ground and began trowing them on the pressure plates while staying at a safe distance.

The first one triggered some iron spikes coming out of the wall in an irregular pattern. The second one triggered some giant blades coming out of the ceiling and moving like a pendulum from left to right while others were balancing from the back to the front.

There were flamethrowers coming from the floor, poisoned arrows coming from the walls, giant blades meant to decapitate and other nasty traps. Any normal person would need a week to memorize the patterns and find a way to go through.

As for me though, it wasn't too much of an issue since I was already memorizing the pattern of each pressure plate and creating mental simulations to find how to avoid them in the most efficient way possible. After a while I ran out of pebbles and resorted to using copper coins instead.

After having triggered every single pressure plate I had already found the pattern allowing us to walk through without issues but I had a more serious problem on my hands, Irene. Every step needed to be precise and choreographed to perfection if we wanted to avoid certain death.

Irene didn't have my photographic memory so i needed to teach her until she remembered it.

“One, two, one, two, jump forward, two step backward, 3 step forward and 2 to the left, 1 step back, 4 forward then 2 to the right.......” (Kneeko)

We were in the circular room, currently practising the movements as if it was a dance. Of course Irene kept stepping on my feet at first but after a few hours she finally began to get the gist of it. It took Irene a total of 4 hours before perfectly mastering the choreography.

Feeling confident, we walked back to the trap room and stood next to each other. I turned and looked at Irene in the eyes before presenting her with my left hand for her to hold. I then placed my right arm around her waist as if we were about to do a waltz.

“Now, breathe in and out slowly and relax. You have trained hard enough and will do this perfectly. Trust in yourself.” (Kneeko)

She nodded and exhaled loudly before looking back at me with eyes filled with determination.

“Let's do this big bro!” (Irene)

“My life is in your hand brother.” (Irene)

“Go! One two tree, one two tree......” (Kneeko)

We were dancing beautifully, bending our bodies left and right as blades, flames and arrows were flying only a few centimetres away from our faces and vital organs. Totally ignoring these death traps we kept going like we practised and were slowly but surely working our way forward.

I grabbed Irene and made her spin around with her back bent backward barely missing an iron spike heading for her head. We continued and after a few heart stopping near misses, made our way safely to the other side of the room.

“Pant* pant* pant* Let's never do that again shall we...” (Irene)

“Huhuhuhu* I thought it was quite fun actually.” (Kneeko)

“Masochist!” (Irene)

We then walked through another door leading to a different room. This time it was a small room with a golden door on the other side. On that door were many circular disks looking a lot like the mechanism of a round multi-dial combination padlock.

Engraved on these disk were cryptic symbols and characters that seemed to have no meanings. I began fiddling with it and in less than 2 minutes i had completed the puzzle which allowed us to open the door with no difficulties.

To be honest i was quite happy with how things were turning out since I could deal with any puzzles or traps they could throw at me, but if they had thrown us in a pit filled with monsters we would have been fucked. Monsters are the hardest thing to deal with and so far we hadn't come across any.

The next room was a simple game of giant chess, which I once again won effortlessly. Then the next one was a puzzle using colours and shapes which I cruised through with no problems. At this point I was filled with self confidence and impatient to see what our reward would be.

Hurrying forward, Irene and I finally arrived at a giant golden door engraved with drawings that I could identify as astronomy related. Some were constellations, other were things such as orbit patterns and drawings representing moon phases and eclipses...

I couldn't understand what to do with all this. For once I was puzzled but before I began fiddling with it, the door opened by itself with a loud creaking sound. This door may not have been a puzzle after all. We then entered a massive golden room decorated with carvings and drawing.

The entire room was lit by giant torches shaped like ancient Egyptian oil lamps. A row of giant columns engraved with hieroglyphics were leading toward the giant golden statue of a winged sphinx. Silky draperies were hanging from the highly ornamented ceiling down to the floor.

“Is it over? Is this the treasure room or something?” (Irene)

“I don't know. Doesn't feel like a room where you have to fight something...” (Kneeko)

I don't like the feeling given by this room. I can't shake the feeling of being observed by something dangerous. Having no other choice we walked forward on the red carped leading to the giant winged sphinx statue.

“The door must be behind this giant statue...” (Kneeko)

Usually sphinx don't have wings... but i have some information about that in my database. (About 1600 bce the sphinx first appeared in the Greek world. Objects from Crete at the end of the middle Minoan period and from the shaft graves at Mycenae throughout the late Helladic age showed the sphinx characteristically winged.)

Everything seemed to indicate this statue to be incredibly old. So much gold, if we could melt it, we would be the richest people on earth. Too bad games don't work that way. When we arrived at less than 10 meters away from the statue, a loud rumble began to be felt. We stopped and readied ourselves for anything.

I couldn't help but be stomped by what i saw next. The giant sphinx eyes began to glow red, then the statue itself began to move. This giant thing wasn't a statue, it was a monster all along.

“[Identify]” (Kneeko)

Monster (Enigma)Species:Boeotian Sphinx (Dungeon Guardian)Level:350Monster Rank:HighRarity:Very Rare

“Irene! Back away!!!” (Kneeko)

With the reflexes of a cat we both jumped backward and readied our weapons. This was going to be one hell of a fight!

“Two visitors. Answer 3 of my questions correctly and you shall be allowed to go through, answer wrongly and you shall perish.” (Boeotian Sphinx)

Guhuhuhu* I almost got scared shit-less there... Of course a sphinx will give you riddles to solve and let you through without a fight if you answer correctly. I should have known from the beginning. There's no riddle I can't crack so this was already a win in my mind.

“Go and ask ahead great guardian!” (Kneeko)

“Alive without breath as cold as death; Never thirsty ever drinking, all in mail never clinking. What am i?” (Boeotian Sphinx)

“A fish!” (Kneeko)

“Correct.” (Boeotian Sphinx)

Guhuhuhuhu* Easy win.

“Second question: Voiceless it cries, Wingless flutters, Toothless bites, Mouth-less mutters. What am i?” (Boeotian Sphinx)

“The wind!” (Kneeko)

“Correct.” (Boeotian Sphinx)

“Now's your third and last question: A box without treasure, key or lid. Yet gold inside is hid. What am i?” (Boeotian Sphinx)

“Guhuhu* Easy, An egg!” (Kneeko)

“Correct.” (Boeotian Sphinx)

“Yayyy! We did it Irene! Let's go get our prize !” (Kneeko)

“Brother's the best!!!!!” (Irene)

“Now's your turn young lady.” (Boeotian Sphinx)

[...]

Ho fuck...

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PROFILENAME:KneekoLEVEL:189GENDER:MaleMONEY:445G 36S 31CRACE:Bolt Basilisk (Rare Variant)MONSTER RANK:Medium highHEALTH:4800STAMINA:600MANA:6190STRENGTH:1335(M)INTELLIGENCE:504 (+100)SPEED:22DEXTERITY:18(H)VITALITY:415 (+50)CHARM:40 (+40)LUCK:19 (+40)AGILITY:19RESISTANCE:125 (+50)(S)ENDURANCE:45SKILL POINTS:480FAME/INFAMY:-1700 (Mostly Evil)CLASS:-------------------TITLES:Spoiler : ☑ Elemental Master

☑ King of the pond

☑ Toxic Powerhouse

☑ TycoonPASSIVE SKILLS:Spoiler : Amphibious (E)

Obscuro Poison (B)

Poison Resistance (A)

Viper Neurotoxin (A)ACTIVE SKILLS:Spoiler : Basilisk Cry (D)

Deadly Breath ©

Death Stare (S)

Gardener touch (B)

Lightning Strike (E)

Lightning Discharge (E)

Luminar (E)

Poison Spit (D)

Sad puppy eyes (B)

Tail Whip (B)

TerrorEyes (B)

Vines Hell (D)

Viper Bite ©ARCANE LIBRARY:Spoiler : Arcane FireBall