Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Into the dungeon, let's hope for the best.

Awaking in the morning, the smell of smoke ran through the silent den as Jordan opened his sleep-filled eyes. Wake to the light of this place's sun, the orange light bleeding through the cracks of the vines making up the roof of the den. Pushing himself up off of the ground, Jordan walked over to Jackson on the other side of the firepit, stumbling as he tried not to step on anyone. He woke him and the other's up from their needed rest, despite their objections still got up and equipped themselves as they soon realized that they really weren't tired. Their bodies somehow had recovered completely over the night through the sleep as they now continued into the den of monsters. Their bodies and minds were now awake and alert as they plunged themselves deeper into the depths.

Wandering through the den, slowly but surely they traveled not encountering any mantises. 'Where are the insects?' Jordan and most likely the others thought of him. The lack of monsters was odd, not unwelcomed but odd, they waited for the monsters to appear and attack them as a surprise attack. Everyone, although silent, was obviously terrified for their life, frantically searching for any sign of movement. Until they encountered this message.

Congratulations! You are the first to have discovered the (Queen's den) dungeon

XP gained in this dungeon is doubled during the tutorial period(First quest)

You are the first to discover a dungeon in Tutorial 6, you have received 3 stat points.

"Amazing! These are amazing prizes for finding a dungeon, but what is a dungeon? Is it like a separate section? Or a special place that has a boss monster?" Oliver, practically bursting with excitement, began to ramble to himself before saying "Make sure to invest your stat points well. I am sure that they will be important if they give so much in a place like this."

Nodding in agreement, Jackson says "Yes I will invest in strength and stamina, you guys try and invest well this will be difficult." Raising his shield as he moves forward, Kaiya knocks an arrow into her bow at the ready. Jordan pulled from his side his sword, ready to hack at any monsters in the night. 'Invest all stat points in agility.' He commands, his body feeling lighter and feet moving with less noise and quicker.

Soon after traveling for no one knew how long they eventually found a group of mantises, gathered in a small cluster of 3 each as strong and tough as the others they had seen but were together. This was odd, they were never together like this, maybe it was a feature of the dungeon?

At a whisper, Jackson to the rest of the group spoke, attempting not to draw any attention. "Be careful, we may have to take them all on at once." the notion caused a stir among them. "I said might, Kaiya do you think you can shoot one and cause it to come over here alone?"

"Maybe, but I think we may have to separate then ambush them, Jordan and Oliver move to the furthest sides of the den, then when I shoot the arrow and the move comes from behind and cuts off their arms. Think you can do that?" She looked at the two of them.

Jordan nodded back "Yes I can, just give me the chance."

Oliver next to him said "Oh yes, but I will need us both to be as fast as possible, with you guys doing your part as well. Kaiya tries to blind at least one of them with some shots." Then moving to his side. Jordan sees this taking his, watching and lying in wait for the first shot.

From his spot, although he couldn't see much in this much darker end of the cave-like den, he could at least watch Kaiya and her bow in position, ready to fire at any moment. Suddenly the gleam of the steel streak pierces through the exoskeleton of the mantis, causing it to rear back and charge towards where the shot came from, the others following before they also are shot from the dark, causing them to separate and divide as well. Seeing this is when Jordan pounced, finding his prey as he crept in the dark. Each step thought out, foot brought down slowly as he approached closer and closer to the beast. It's a frantic search for the one who shot it ceaselessly as he found his opening. Coming from the side and cutting down on the monster's forearm, slicing it clear of, along with nearly half of its hp.

Arasioid Mantis - Lv 2. HP- 58

Now leaping back with ease he circles around the creature, swiping furiously and endlessly at the dark with its scythe. Then he brings down his sword on its other arm in another gap between frantic swings. The blade cleaves the arms right off, leaving the poor defenseless as he then cuts through its neck. Killing it instantly as its body falls limp to the ground.

Congratulations! You have killed the monster (Arasioid Mantis Lv 2) and you have earned 50Xp! You have leveled up! You received 1 stat point! 560 Xp until you level up to Lv 4!

Seeing this message a sudden realization came to Jordan. 'We had been splitting the XP this whole time! The monster must give out 50 XP normally and with this buff both me and Kaiya must have gotten this and they must be freaking out. This is an amazing buff! And we're the first to get this and we have the extra stat points, we have to exploit this!' He thought to himself as he headed back, the others were just finishing off theirs.

Seeing him they wave at him, Jackson the most enthusiastic to see him, shouting "Hey! Over here! Did you also get an explosive Xp?!"

Running over before answering Jordan replies "Yeah, I even leveled up to level 3. How about you guys?" he asked them.

Sky responded "Although we did get a lot more XP than usual, Kaiya got 200 XP! We couldn't believe our eyes, it was insane. I think that if we continue to travel and grind then we may be able to grow to immense levels."

"Yes it's great, so once Oliver comes back let's head further in." she says, waiting for some time. Oliver hadn't come back. Everyone was stressed, his mantis was definitely killed, so what kept him?

Finally, Jackson spoke up, "Let's head in and try to find him, if we can't we leave. There may be something dangerous that we haven't ever imagined."

Following his lead they traveled deeper and deeper into the den, hunting any and all Matises they saw.

'We may reach level 4 at this rate, maybe even higher? But we should focus on finding Oliver. We have been fighting for

hours and still haven't found him. Hopefully, he isn't dead.' he sighs in denial of the very real possibility of someone all alone like Oliver being torn apart and devoured in an entirely different world.

Looking at the faces of the others, it seemed that the same thought weighed on their minds. But still pushed forward despite this.

'I have to do the same. No, I will save Oliver with these guys.' He decided as he followed behind them.

Two hours later-

They had been hunting for hours upon hours at this point. Jordan could barely take it at this point. He had leveled up again and had to invest in strength again to help with standing and fighting.

'I hoped that we would reach LV 5 today, but at this rate and with a ginormous bridge of 1200 xp to level up between levels with these bugs I doubt that it would even be possible. Maybe if we kill a boss or something then we may get even more?' he thought as he took upon Oliver's job of striping the bug. Trying to forget about Oliver's disappearance as he continued to butcher and tear at the monster with a blade like its own.

You have inserted a (Mantis arm) into your inventory. Processing item….Congratulations you have discovered a (Mantises Sword)!

'Finally. It's taken so long to find another weapon. The drops that the others got were given to me but it only feels bad since I should have been able to get them myself.'

Getting up he turned to the others, "I got a Mantis sword. Does anyone need it?"

"No, just store it and we can ask Oliver when we find him." Says an unfocused Jackson. Dismissing it as if a fly was bothering him as he then begins to walk forward again with the others trailing behind in a similar manner.

Sighing, Jordan follows as well, checking the inventory to confirm their gains during this hunt.

(Make sure to fix this later)

Inventory menu:

2

6

7

100

2

Quest log:

Survive and adapt: You have been brought to the tutorial to prepare you for the new world you will soon be in, but to do that you should grow and become stronger to survive.

Success conditions: Grow to Level 5, survive for 6 days in the tutorial prepared.

Rewards: 5 stat points, linked quest(Acquiring the skills needed)

Multiple sets of armor, two swords, and a few scraps that didn't do anything. Maybe they had some other purpose? But it didn't matter they would be used for repairs later. Jordan dismissed the inventory as he too followed the others.

Stepping forward, determined as they tracked past the humourous limp bodies of the Mantises they had killed, laid about gutted and striped on the floor. Leaving the carcasses behind they went further and further into the den. Soon the light became nearly absent, with only the light of blue firefly-like creatures to illuminate the ground beneath their feet as they continued into the pit of darkness.

Soon the ground, once covered in vines, leaves, and dirt turned into sticks and wood. As they stepped, the ground beneath them began to creak under their weight. With Sky and Jordan being the only ones to make the least amount of noise with only minor snaps.

Pointing upwards, "Hey look, what are those strange pods? Are those what made the Mantises?" Says Maiya pointing at green pods bulging from the roof. Being carried by the vines as they slowly moved along the roof back to where they slinked up to the earlier parts of the den.

"Might be. For now let's focus on moving forward and finding Oliver." Says the unwavering Jackson as he continues into the den in resolution.

Ignoring the pods on the roof they traveled down the den, the environment changing and growing more and more as they eventually found a large room.

It was round and dark. The only light being the fireflies specks of blue light to show the trails of vines and logs used to build this room.

Jordan, seeing this, immediately started to look for Oliver, finding him soon on the wall held up by the white vines as blood dripped down his body. Cuts and slashes covered his body revealing bone, muscle and the dark, crimson blood that now flowed down his body as with his little strength looked back at them. He was alive!

Jackson immediately began to run down and into the room, straight towards the bloodied Oliver. "Oliver! Don't worry we will get you down. You will survive!" He yelled, causing Oliver's face to contort as soon a barbed blade came down on the unexpecting Jackson, cutting at his side. He fell, blood soon began to drain out of his body as a strange, red and brown mantis stood over him along with 3 other regular Mantises. Over its head read.

Mantanoid female LV 3

HP 300/300

It was a monster in a completely unknown world. Its body, unlike the bulbous if somewhat thin bodies of the other Mantises. Was sleek, strong and streamlined. Its arm blades were as long as him and they were covered in crimson barb's. Whether naturally or from Jackson and Oliver was unknown. It's body was lined with red lines along it. The exoskeleton seemed to have been made from steel.

Seeing this new monster the only thought Jordan had was 'run!' But his body wouldn't move, couldn't move. His whimpering legs shivering as they held him up. Despite this innate fear he knew he had to stay, he had to help save Oliver and Jackson. He had to save them all.

During this fear-driven daze, Kaiya and Sky had already gone to fight these beasts, leaving him alone in this fear.

'Snap out it! We have to help them!' He thought smacking his face and drawing his sword as he charged into the fray.

Running for Jackson with Sky next to him holding off the Mantanoid with her spear, Kaiya shooting at the other's eyes and blinding them to help distract the monsters deterring them from joining the queen.

"Jordan! Grab Jackson and pull him away from there. Then grab Oliver and keep them safe while we hold these two off. Then we can take these guys down once we know they are safe!" Shouted Kaiya as she knocks another arrow, soon piercing the tough surface of the Mantises as she begins to weaken them.

"Got it!" He says as he grabs a hold of the bleeding Jackson. Despite his weight pulling him back up with ease with Kaiya.

"Going for Oliver and then helping Sky." He announces as he goes back. Kaiya gives a nod of approval as she aims once again with care, then lets loose another streak of steel.

Jordan, after gaining her approval, sprints towards Oliver, past Sky holding the Mantanoid back. Finally arriving in front of Oliver, flashing his sword in the pale blue light, he hacks at the vines causing Oliver's limp body to fall onto him. Heaving him onto his back, bleeding, then striping onto his face and hands. Staining his skin in crimson as he tries to carry his limp and helpless body back to Kaiya.

Carrying him back to Kaiya, he lays down Oliver's near-dead body next to her."Forget about firing arrows, for now, I can handle the monsters you just focus on these two for now." He says without waiting as he cuts at the blind bugs that Kaiya had been fending off. Severing their arms and then heads with ease as he strikes at their weak stick-like joints, killing them instantly.

After farming their XP, Jordan soon then chased Sky and the Mantanoid. Her body was slashed and cut to near death in their long exchange. The monster raises its long scythe-like arm and during this swing, Jordan raises his arm and heaves his blade into the monster's own hand. Nearly cutting right through it but as he nearly cheers in triumph the blade shatters and the arm is still barely attached even if not functioning.

With no blade in hand, he throws the handle away, pulling another from his inventory as he then strikes again, but the frantic beast moves so the blade cuts at its side, cracking the new blade in its strength.

'I can't let this creature survive!'. He declared as he pushed his whole body into this one swing, the blade aimed for the nearly severed arm. Pushing in his whole weight and speed, he cuts right through before the demon could react. Fully cutting the arm off, leaving it tumbling onto the floor, its purple blood spilling out in splatters of paint on a canvas.

It reels back, screaming in its pain, furious at its attackers. As if momentarily, behind them Jordan hears the screams of Kaiya and Jackson.

"Help! There were more!" In a desperate plea for aid.

Looking back around, Jordan sees tearing at the now dead corpse of Jackson with Kaiya shooting arrows trying to fend off the half a dozen Mantises ripping at Jackson's limp and grotesque corpse. Soon releasing "Jordan I've shot my twenty arrows! I need help." As she tries to fend off a scythe of a beast with her now. It snapped like a twig as the flood of starving monsters feast on her still screaming body.

Behind him, Sky screams "Get out of here Jordan! I'll just get caught by the monsters but you can escape and find any others, please just survive." Says the tearing up Sky, her face full of fear and horror as she realizes her fate. It is even more apparent as with a look of horror towards her, Jordan notices the dozens of gashes along her body dripping blood as the one-armed queen hacks at her spear.

Like a deer caught in the headlights, Jordan stands still, unable to move as he hears the screams of his soon-to-be dead party, no friends, dying around him. His body, which normally would die with them in fear by instinct to survive, sprints as fast as possible past the monsters and out of the den of horror. Past the Mantises popping out of their pods, the fire that Kaiya made the previous night. The screams of his friends follow him in an empty forest as he finally escapes.

Screaming out "SO WHY CAN I STILL HEAR THEIR SCREAMS!" With tear-branded eyes.

Tutorial quest(Survive and adapt) time left- 4 days. See you next round.