A short distance into the forest border. A wounded fox was hiding inside a old animals den at the base of a tree. It was in the process of trying to heal its wounds. This fox was none other then Reku himself.

He was in hiding to attempt to regain his stamina. The dungeon was supposed to be in the vicinity of the forest entrance. If he could recalled while they were traveling. That this particular dungeon none have dared to enter. The fact that the dungeon mostly was in between two hostile countries.

If one of the two attempted attempted to take control of the dungeon. The other would attack and try to take it for themselves. For the most party cities would be built around the dungeons. As they were good source for warriors and adventures to increase their level. While they could also gain fighting experience and gain items from the defeated creatures.

Unlike most normal inhumans and humans. That held on to their senses. Those that absorbed too much evil miasma energy or those went to far down the path of evil. Those that took this path for quick power. Would end up losing their mind becoming corrupt and wicked. Only thought on their mind. Would be simply to kill others in their way. Some would form groups and pray on the weak.

On rare occasions there be few who could withstand against the mind corruption. They be able to keep part of of their mind intact becoming known as shadow lords. Shadow lords when born. Would end up ruling over a small areas and clusters of others like them.

Dungeons tended to gather the surrounded area miasma. That helped crew more monsters. The monsters in dungeons tend to drop items and experience. Unlike in the outside world where one would have to meditate to absorb the experience from the defeated enemies. For unknown reasons after killing an enemy one would gain experience automatically. Which saved a lot of time as absorption of another soul force. tended to take one quite a bit of time per kill.

Scholars for a long time. Tempted to try to figure out how one got experience this way. Along with how and where the items dropped from these creatures came from. These questions have for a long time been on the mind of scholars for hundreds of years. Since the founding of the first dungeon.

None knew how dungeons came into being. Only thing that was known. Was that dungeons were the source of power. More dungeons a country had. The stronger the country could become. As more dungeons meant higher the troops level could become. Which raised the strength of the whole country together.

The dungeon Reku planned to enter. Was said to have no explores in more than a century. So there was not much info on what to expect inside. The only thing that was clear. Was he had a better chance of surviving inside the dungeon. Then he did attempting to make it to the border.

He would spend the next few weeks in the dungeon. Explore the inside and making himself stronger. Along with all, he could attempt to try to familiarize himself. With more about the dungeons of the world and what to expect within.

The problem was right now. Reku was to wounded. The dungeon was dangerous and after the war. Reku health was barely at the minium. The experience at fighting was not enough. He learned this in the latest battle. Upto this point his survival was just pure luck. If he planned to survive in this world much longer. Then he had to gain more experience on how to survive in this world.

It seemed to Reku by ways things were going. It would not be a easy task enjusting to this world. There seemed to be more things that made no common sense. Then there was things made he grew learning was commonly known.

The thing that was running on Reku’s mind at the moment. While he was resting to let his health slowly to recover. How did people in the stories? Being sucked into a world. That is full of things thought to believe to be fantasy and to adjust to it so easily. Was it normally like that or did he just have bad luck? Thinking about it Reku figured if others did get sucked in and adjust so easily. Then the only conclusion was that he really did have terrible luck.

While Reku was thinking about his bad luck. Next thing he knew he was dozing off from exhaustion. After falling a asleep. Reku had of dream of his past. When he was with his childhood. Who later became his wife. The memory of the time of them playing in the local watering hole.

During that day at the watering hole. They two of them was practicing how to swim. Her name was Zena. on this particular day. She had her shoulder length hair tied in a ponytail behind her head. Which was a dirty brown color.

Zena stood at one hundred and fifty centimeters in height. Her figure was slim with a cup size bust. Most men would have consider her a natural beauty. Her cheeks had a small freckles. The freckles on her face help bring out her beauty. Which would make anyone give her a second look. Which made many look at her in ah.

On the day at the watering hole. Zena wore a black swimsuit with a silver trim and flowers. Which brought out her figure making her more beautiful. Going perfectly with her figure.

Zena looking at Reku while in the water. She had a faint smile on her face. Before teasingly slapped water at Reku. Who seemed hesitant to step into water. When the water hit him. Reku lost all sense of thought before jumping into the water. To start splashing water back at Zena.

This dream went on for. What felt like forever. Reku enjoyed every moment. Before waking up and the sense of loss hit him again. Remembering that it was impossible for him to ever see his love Zena again. The way to see her again. Was in his dreams or memory.

Waking up Reku noticed a short distance away. There was sound of people yelling orders. All Reku could hear. Was a unknown voice screaming in a loud as they possibly could. “search the area for any survivors. They all could not have escaped. There a good chance that a few of them are hiding nearby. If you find them kill the unholy beast. There is no need to capture them ungrateful beast. We feed them and gave them a place to sleep.

All we asked of them disgusting beast were to fight for our entertainment. They should of been pleased to be able to die for our enjoyment. Yet, instead they dare to rebel against our kingdom and kill our brethren. They deserve death for that unforgivable crime.”

After the one in charge yelled out orders for his group. The rest cheered in hearing the order to kill. While rushing off in different directions. Reku didn’t know. How much time he would have. Before they would be close enough to find him. Soon he would have to leave hiding and take his chances to find the dungeon.

There was no sign of the dungeon yet. Plus he didn’t know what a dungeon entrance normally even looked like. When he normally thought of something called a dungeon. Would be more like a prison. Just like the prison cages they were in under the coliseum.

Instead in this world. There was a difference from a prison and a dungeon in this world. Before heading out Reku scanned himself one last time. To see how much of his health had regenerated. Since he started resting in the hole in the tree.

Race. Kitsune

Class: Hero

Elemental Power: Lightning and fire

Age??

Level: 14

Mana: 532

Health: 579/1054

Strength: Wind, Fire, Lightning,

Weakness: Water, Earth

About half his health had been regenerated. With the few hours of rest he was able to get. From abstaining from exertaing to much energy. Reku was still in his fox form. With no idea how to return to his human form. Now was not the time to be worrying about a issue. He had no control over.

First he needed to start looking for the hidden dungeon. That is rumored to exist around this area. Standing up Reku felt the sharp pain in his shoulder. From the time the arrow embedded itself in his shoulder, While he was in his human form. Since shape shifting back into his kitsune form.

Reku was limping along threw the woods. Trying to keep much pressure off his leg as possible. While still moving fast as he could to find the hidden entrance. Everywhere Reku looked. He could only see trees and bushes. There was no sign of any building or cave in the surroundings. Everything was overgrown with wildlife.

The sounds of birds singing in the distance, could be heard. While a very dim sound of the protroling soldiers could be heard in the distance. Reku spotted a tree around three times the size. The tree base width was over four hundred meters in width. While looking at its height stood around two hundred and thirty meters. It was like looking at a skyscraper known from his world. It made Reku think of the mythical tree of life. It had a majestic aura coming off it just by the look of it.

Having a strange sensation coming from the tree. That seemed to streat to the stars, breaking thru the clouds in the sky. Ruku kept limping toward the tree. Trying to think how he never noticed earlier. When the entire group was walking to the border. How did he not notice a tree. That stretched to the sky. With something so large and intense aura coming off it.

Closer Reku came to the tree, the more pressure he felt hitting him. It was like weight was slowly increasing on his body. The more pressure he received with each step taken. The feeling he was getting closer to something wanting to be hidden. What would give such pressure, unless it was something special.

Around a hundred feet away from the tree. A sensation of relieve passed over Reku. After he passed through an invisible membrane substance. The feeling of a thin jelly substance stuck to him. As he passed thru the membrane like substance. The jelly membrane started to reseal itself. Soon as he made it to the other side.

Reku was completely dry nothing on his body. From passing thru the invisible wall. Reku didn’t even notice or see the wall. Till he ran into and pass thru it. The feeling of scenery changed once he was inside. The base of the tree was still there. But the surrounding woods disappeared. In its place was a small building all around the base of the tree. Like a small village around the tree. A mix of demi humans walking from one house to another.

A small farm nearby the village at the edge of the town. With two female demi humans with human like appearance. Exect one had panther link tail and ears. While the other had puppy ears. Both seemed to be happy and laughing. While picking vegetables from a corn stalk like plant.

Limping toward the town, Reku spotted an elder dimi coming toward him. The man had body was like a dogs but stood up like a human. He also had human like hands and dark gray fur covering his entire body. With his ears hanging to the side. Like when a dog get upset. Last he was walking with a cane.

The cane was made of light, red wood. Carved with designs of demons and beast fighting. The design was so realistic. It looked like the carving, would come alive at any moment. The tip of the cane. Where the demihumans hand was gripping, had a carving of a foxes head. Which caused the foxes head. To look like it was peeking thru his hand.

After a few pedestrians noticed the elder heading toward Reku. Who was not known to the inhabitants of the village. Once the pedestrians noticed. There was a unknown animal entered the village. They retreated into their house and came running out. With weapons in their hands.

The weapons ranged from makeshift swords and spears. To weapons from pickaxes and plows. Not everyone ran indoors and came back out. While others ran indoors and others kept doing as they pleased.

Reku kept heading the direction he was with his limp. There was no way he could escape. Even if he wanted to getaway. The limp would keep him from getting to far. Before they caught up to him. A sound came into Reku mind but no one’s mouth opened. That he could see coming toward him.

“ Young one this place. This place is hidden from the outside world. It is designed to deter others. From ever finding this place. If you made it here. Means you are intelligent, strong will, and determined.

Not many our able to make it thru the magical deterrent. That was set up long ago. To keep countries from fighting for country of the dungeon. That is now hidden from the outside world. While keeping us safe from those who discriminate against our kind. Our village has been hidden for hundreds of years now.

Since the holy one lady Taramyth saved our kind from discrimination. She put up the field you passed through to protect us. The major question is. How did you make it threw the field while even wounded and weak? Also how did you come to be in this state?”

The voice that entered Reku’s mind was deep sounding but also calming. By just the voice the only one. That came to mind by looks was the elderly dog like demihuman walking toward him. With an growing body guards. Right at that moment there was about seven people guarding the man. With a few more on there way with weapons in hand. Everyone around the man seemed to be on guard. Ready to attack at any sign of aggression.

In a lower voice then he got use to lately. Reku replied out loud to the voice. “I am known as Reku. I am not hostile to your people. My wounds was inflicted on me by human soldiers. Chasing a bunch of us that was held in captivity but escaped. There didn’t like that a bunch of demihumans killed and escaped from humans. I assume it was a hug blow to their ego

Now they our trying to kill or capture. Anyone who escaped from the underground coliseum. I was informed there was a hidden dungeon. Which was long ago lost in this location. As I was unable to get far. I searched this area for the hidden dungeon.

A dungeon is dangerous but it is one of of the best places to hide. As dungeons are like mazes. It could keep me safe long enough for the soldiers to stop searching for me.