Fenrir

A little while later

In the middle of my cultivation, Dawn’s voice suddenly echoes in my mind, “Fenrir, a group just got their keys.”

I pause in my cultivation before taking the moment to check out my status.

Name: Fenrir

Race: Dungeon Core

Element: Void

EXP Level: 10

EXP: 102/110

Cultivation Level: 10

Cultivation to next Level: 4%

Mana: 67/300

Secondary Tabs: Dungeon Status, Skills List, Talents List, Achievements List, Starter Environments

My cultivation speed has settled a little. Originally it was slowed down a lot after reaching Tier 2, but the void portals have sped it back up to what it was before reaching Tier 2.

I’m also almost EXP Level 11, so that’s progressing faster as well.

I close out of my status before turning to look at the intruders in the fifth floor mini boss room.

Unsurprisingly, it’s the group of intruders who were the first ones to beat Fang on the tenth floor.

Ever since they lost two of their members in the dungeon, they’ve been avoiding going to the tenth floor and instead spending their time on the other floors, just gathering the EXP from the mini bosses and mana infused monsters.

They also got a new party member, who also happens to be an Orc, just like one of the two members they lost before.

“You think these keys are meant for those pedestals in the new room?” Sophia asks with a frown while looking at the key in her hand.

Each of the keys are specially created with the mini boss or boss that gave the key in mind. So this one has a simple depiction of a leaping wolf across its body, with the key itself being a slightly faded black, bordering on gray in color.

“Probably,” Roland answers while pocketing his key. “But we should keep moving.”

The others quickly agree, and they soon make their way down the staircase before arriving in the portal room. This one has only a single portal arc in the center of the room, with two lycan statues on either side of it, and the same obsidian walls as the entrance hall.

“Another one of these rooms?” One of the twins asks while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

However, the other twin shakes his head and says, “No, this one’s a little different.”

His sister looks at him, only to turn to Roland as he speaks, “This one probably only leads back to the entrance. Probably connects to the entrance.”

Yep.

It’s where the portal in the entrance hall connects.

And it’ll make it so that the next groups of intruders don’t have to wait hours just for a group to leave the dungeon from the end. Because that takes way too long.

The group begins to explore through the room, with the majority of them – the new Orc excluded – expressing quite a bit of interest in the design of the room itself.

After several minutes pass – right when I’m about to turn my attention away from them due to them not doing anything – one of them approaches the pedestal and suggests, “Should we try activating the portal?”

Oh? I wasn’t expecting them to do that till the end of their run… although it is possible that they might just be planning on simply opening it and then closing it again.

Roland glances at Sophia – who is standing next to the pedestal with her key in hand – before shrugging and saying, “Go ahead,” with a look of curiosity on his face.

Everyone – including Dawn and myself – intently watch as Sophia puts the key into the pedestal before turning it.

Almost immediately, a snapping sound echoes through the room and a pure black and purple portal appears underneath the arc. It has no indication as to what’s on the other side and is even letting out small flakes of black and purple flame from the edges of the arc.

For some reason, one of the twins steps up to the portal and tries to catch one of the embers, only for her to immediately take a step away with a muttered, “Ouch,” as it leaves a tiny burn on her hand.

Did she… why did she just do that? Is she stupid?

Her brother hits the back of her head without saying anything. Meanwhile Roland just sends her a strange look before shaking his head and looking at the portal.

“Just what…” Roland begins while approaching the portal and leaning in to get a closer look, “element is this?”

Hmm? Guess my element still hasn’t become public knowledge yet. Even if a couple groups know about it.

Too bad for them that they can’t see my monster’s elements even after identifying them and seeing their names.

Not really sure why the System just removes the void part of their names whenever it’s shown to them though.

“For the dungeon’s element to be used to make portals while it’s only Tier 2…” Sophia starts with a frown while crouching next to Roland by the portal. “The only elements I’ve known can do that are space and glass.”

“Glass…?” I mutter in confusion before glancing at Dawn, who quickly begins to explain, “If someone’s talented enough with the glass element, they can usually connect the reflections between two different pieces of glass.”

Huh… that’s kind of interesting.

“Although the portals made form it are extremely fragile,” Dawn adds as an afterthought.

Well, if they’re made from glass, that would make sense.

Although that’s a rather interesting and probably not a normal use for that element.

“Do you think this is actually a new element?” Jack asks while looking at the arc surrounding the portal.

The healer furrows her brows for a few seconds, only to shrug and say, “It’s possible, but it’s not up to us to figure that out.”

“She’s right,” Roland interjects, drawing the other intruders’ attention towards him as he climbs to his feet, “for now, we should go up to the ninth floor. But when we come back down, we can use the portal to get out.”

Wait, so were just planning on leaving the portal activated like that?

It doesn’t actually cost any mana to maintain it, but it’s still a little…

Unknowing of my thoughts, the intruders just begin to enter the next floor through the door on the other side of the portal from the room’s entrance.

Guess they are just planning on leaving it on after all.

I watch them move through the sixth floor for a few minutes before turning my attention back to my cultivation.