Five hours. Five long, exhausting hours of navigating this damned dungeon.
The deeper I went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.
The shadows seemed to cling to me, their whispers growing louder with every step. But I didn't stop. I couldn't. Not until I found what I was looking for.
The latest obstacle in my path was a massive shadow monster, towering over me with its four grotesque arms.
It was stronger than the others—somewhere around [E] rank—but still not enough to pose a real threat.
It lunged at me, its claws slashing through the air, but I dodged with ease, my movements fluid and precise.
My sword flashed, cutting through one of its arms, then another. It roared in frustration, but I didn't give it a chance to recover.
With a few more strikes, I reduced it to a pile of shadowy chunks, its form dissolving into nothingness.
I sighed, wiping the sweat from my brow. "Where the hell is this fruit?" I muttered under my breath, my frustration mounting.
I'd been fighting these things for hours, and I was starting to feel the strain.
My mana was low, and my body was aching from the constant battles. But I couldn't stop. Not yet.
I pressed on, cutting down more shadow creatures as I ventured deeper into the dungeon.
The air grew colder, the darkness thicker, until finally, I saw it—a massive door, ancient and imposing, covered in intricate carvings that seemed to shift and writhe in the dim light.
I nodded in satisfaction. This was it. In the novel, this was where Aron had passed through to reach the room with the Truthseeker Fruit. I was close. So close.
"What novel are you talking about, brat?" Aro's voice echoed in my head, his tone dripping with amusement. "You keep mentioning it, but you never explain. It's getting old, you know."
I ignored him, as usual. The less he knew, the better.
I didn't trust him, and I wasn't about to give him any more ammunition to use against me.
Instead, I focused on the door, pushing it open with a grunt of effort. The heavy stone groaned as it swung inward, revealing the room beyond.
The room was vast and empty, its walls lined with glowing runes that cast an eerie light.
At its center stood a single tree, its branches twisted and gnarled, its leaves a deep, unnatural black.
And there, hanging from one of the branches, was the Truthseeker Fruit.
It was a deep, vibrant purple, shaped like an orange, and it pulsed faintly with an otherworldly energy. Just looking at it sent a shiver down my spine.
I stepped inside, my eyes locked on the fruit.
This was it.
The reason I'd come here.
The reason I'd fought through hordes of shadow creatures and endured hours of exhaustion. I could almost taste the power it held, the knowledge it promised.
"Well, well," Aro said, his voice filled with mockery. "Looks like you finally found what you were looking for. But are you sure you're ready for what comes next?"
I didn't answer. I didn't need to. I knew what I was doing.
Or at least, I thought I did. But as I approached the tree, a sense of unease settled over me.
The room was too quiet, too still. It felt like I was being watched.
I shook off the feeling and reached for the fruit, my fingers brushing against its smooth surface.
It was warm to the touch, and a faint hum of energy coursed through me as I plucked it from the branch.
I held it in my hand, staring at it for a moment before slipping it into my space ring.
"Finally," I muttered, relief washing over me. But it was short-lived. The moment the fruit was gone, the room seemed to come alive.
The runes on the walls flared brightly, and the ground beneath my feet began to tremble.
"Uh-oh," Aro said, his tone far too cheerful for my liking. "Looks like you triggered something. Better run, brat."
I didn't need to be told twice. I turned and bolted for the door, the room shaking violently behind me.
The runes were glowing brighter now, their light almost blinding, and I could hear the sound of stone cracking and collapsing.
I burst through the door and into the corridor beyond, not stopping to look back.
The dungeon was coming apart, and I had no intention of being buried alive.
I ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest, the sound of collapsing stone echoing in my ears.
"Well, that was exciting," Aro said, his voice filled with amusement. "But don't relax just yet. You've still got to get out of here in one piece."
I gritted my teeth and kept running, my mind focused on one thing: getting out of this dungeon and finding Katherine. Everything else could wait.