Free Web NovelChapter 25: Mana Bullet Spell
"Think of it as a special area with challenges and enemies. If you clear everything inside, you usually receive rewards. They appear in computer games," Emma answered before Sarah could respond.
Frank nodded slowly after hearing the explanation. He seemed to understand the basic idea. Though he was confused as to why the word [Dungeon] existed in this world.
Alex had the same questions. Was it possible that System had been secretly influencing their culture for decades so that when the summoning happened people could adjust quickly?
"Joseph wanted to investigate it, and at the time we trusted his judgment because he knew far more about this world than any of us. So we entered the dungeon together.
"At first, things weren’t too bad. We moved carefully and managed to defeat a few monsters. Then we started encountering stronger enemies, and we quickly realized we had overestimated ourselves," Sarah explained.
Her expression tightened slightly as she recalled what happened next. "We decided to retreat, but Joseph injured himself while we were escaping."
"What kind of injury?" Alex asked.
"He sprained his leg badly enough that he couldn’t walk anymore. Yulia refused to leave him behind, so the two of them stayed inside while Petra and I ran for help."
"That... I’m sorry that it happened to you," Frank said.
"Thank you," Sarah sighed. "The only reason they’re still alive is because I had an item that creates an invisible protective dome. It can withstand attacks from enemies up to Level 10 for thirty minutes."
Her gaze shifted toward the direction they were heading. "Joseph and Yulia have that item with them right now. Once the effect ends, they’ll be exposed."
The group fell silent for a moment as everyone considered the situation. Alex, however, was focused on a particular detail.
"He sprained his leg?" he asked again.
"Yes. He invested most of his stat points into Mana and Mind, so his body was the same old one as it was on earth," Sarah said slightly confused by the question.
Alex noticed a crucial detail. Joseph was a Mage. He must have a Spell if he was focusing on Mana and Mind.
"How was Joseph fighting? What spell was he using?" Alex asked.
"Mana Bullet. Why are you asking? Wait, are you a Mage?" Sarah asked.
"Yes. If you can tell me more about how he used the spell, it might help. Learning additional Spells could increase our chances if we decide to rescue him," Alex said.
Whether he would actually participate in the rescue was still undecided. Gathering information beforehand, however, cost him nothing.
Sarah thought for a moment before answering. "He used a wand, and he learned the spell from a Reward Box. Every time he cast it, a projectile of energy shot toward the target. I don’t know how the Spell worked. Sorry."
Alex nodded slowly. Internally, he felt somewhat disappointed. If Sarah knew more details about the spell, he might have been able to compare it with his own Fire Bullet and learn something useful.
The group continued moving through the forest while exchanging information. Several minutes later, Sarah suddenly raised a hand, causing everyone to become more alert.
"We’re here."
Sarah led them into a patch of bushes overlooking a large clearing. Alex crouched down and carefully looked through the leaves while the others did the same.
At the far end of the clearing stood several giant stones leaning against one another. Between them was a narrow opening leading underground, creating what looked like the entrance to a cave.
Two massive Titan Reef Crabs stood guard in front of that entrance. They were noticeably larger than the Level 6 Titan Reef Crab Alex defeated earlier, and even from a distance their thick shells looked difficult to penetrate.
Alex quietly circulated mana toward his brain. His focus sharpened for a few brief seconds as he carefully observed the monsters’ muscle movements, posture, and physical condition.
’They’re around as strong as the Mid-Rank Species badger. If they aren’t Mid-Rank Species themselves, then their levels must be very high,’ he thought after a moment of observation.
"What is their level?" Alex asked.
"Level 8 or Level 9, I think. We never fought them directly," Sarah replied quietly.
"Then how did you get inside?" Alex glanced at her.
"We had an item called Sweet Smelling Sweets. We used it to lure nearby monsters toward the guards. While the crabs were distracted fighting, we slipped into the dungeon."
Alex nodded as he looked back toward the entrance. He wanted to ask why they had entered a dungeon when they couldn’t even defeat the monsters guarding the entrance. However, he could already guess the answer.
These people had probably assumed the guards were unusually strong while the monsters inside would be weaker. Unfortunately, reality rarely worked that way.
"There are many tunnels inside. If we’re careful, we can avoid most of the monsters and reach Joseph and Yulia in about five minutes. There should only be a few enemies near them, and with our current group, we should be strong enough to handle those," Sarah explained quietly while the group remained hidden among the bushes.
As she spoke, Alex noticed the anxiety in her expression. She was clearly worried that someone would refuse after seeing the two giant Titan Reef Crabs guarding the entrance.
Given the size of the monsters, that concern was understandable.
Alex considered the situation carefully. The first thing he examined was the potential benefits of helping Sarah.
Traveling with a larger group naturally improved everyone’s chances of survival, while strong monsters like these crabs were valuable opponents for gaining levels and improving his abilities.
’My own safety improves with a group. I can hunt stronger monsters while having people nearby if something goes wrong. These crabs are powerful, but they’re slow, so they are good for levelling up. They’re still dangerous enough that fighting them should help me improve Body Reinforcement Spell quickly,’ Alex thought.
There were other benefits as well. Joseph seemed knowledgeable about both magic and the world they had been thrown into.
The information he had could make the risk of rescue mission worthwhile.
On top of that, there was always the possibility of gaining rewards from the dungeon itself.
Then he considered the disadvantages. Sarah’s group had already encountered Level 8-9 monsters up to the point they explored.
If the dungeon followed the usual pattern of computer games, where monsters became more dangerous the deeper one traveled, then they might be walking into something far beyond their current capabilities.
The rescue was undoubtedly risky. However, Alex had been taking risks ever since his first battle. Hiding forever, and staying weak was not an option when any random monster could end his life.
If he wanted to survive in the long term, he needed to continue growing stronger.
Dungeon was perfect for it, even if it was risky.
..
Author’s Note: Add the novel to library, and send support if you like it!
