So many people…
Adam observed them quietly, and they, in turn, observed him.
He frowned as his gaze lifted to the volcanic mountain in the distance. Thick clouds of pitch-black ash rolled from its mouth, yet no heat reached the ground.
So this is the Valar Pits. A grin tugged at his lips beneath the mask. A dungeon inside a volcano… this should be fun.
While passing through Targarth’s cities on his way to Gido, he had learned that Valar—the military capital—boasted only one dungeon: Valar Pits. Though classified as D-rank, Varidan’s records mentioned that two C-ranked Awakened had perished inside.
“Hey. Are you alone?”
The voice jolted him. Turning, Adam saw four figures approaching—and recognized one instantly. No fucking way.
“Hello. My name’s Hendrix,” the young man said with a cheerful grin. “This is Fien, that’s Chadwick, and she’s Amara.”
Hendrix radiated the same naive friendliness Adam remembered, but his teammates looked less welcoming. With Manipulator active, Hendrix couldn’t tell who stood before him.
“What’s your name? And where are your party members?” Hendrix asked, scanning the surroundings. “We Varidan students should stick together.”
Adam smiled wryly behind his mask. He remembered how Hendrix once said he wanted nothing to do with dungeon raids, yet here he was. It seems Varidan doesn’t care what we want.
He was about to respond when Amara cut in. “Hendrix, you can’t invite strangers into our party—even if they’re from the same academy.”
She was a caramel-skinned girl with dyed-blue hair, her tone sharp and disinterested. She didn’t spare Adam a glance, focusing instead on Hendrix.
“It’s just until his teammates arrive,” Hendrix countered. “There’s no harm—”
“It doesn’t matter,” Chadwick interrupted, voice hard. “What do you know about him? What if his party ditched him for being dead weight? Unlike you, we don’t want extra trouble during this mission. As leader, think about how your choices affect the group.”
The young man’s smile was shallow, his gaze dripping with disdain as he looked Adam up and down.
“You don’t even know him, yet you’re calling him trash to his face?” Hendrix snapped. “What’s your problem, are you upset I’m the leader?”
“Of course not.” Chadwick snorted. “I just find it funny people say the only reason you’re in charge is because you’re screwing one of your teammates while another’s got a crush on you. I mean, who wouldn’t—”
“Are you insane?” Fien barked, hand flying to a dagger on her belt.
Amara’s eyes went blood-red with anger as she unsheathed her short sword.
“What are you two so mad about?” Chadwick drawled, unfazed. “I didn’t start the rumor, I’m just repeating what I heard.” His hand hovered over the whip at his waist, ready to strike if provoked.
Teenagers…
Adam silently watched, unable to believe the live drama playing out before him. His gaze lingered on Hendrix, who struggled to restrain the two furious girls, before shifting back to Chadwick.
There’s no way in hell I’m joining this ticking bomb.
He hadn’t planned to join or reveal himself anyway; the short exchange only cemented that decision.
“You all need to calm down,” Hendrix growled. “Do you want to be laughingstocks? Remember where we are.”
Laughter rippled from the surrounding Awakened, adding insult to chaos. Adam even noticed another Varidan student quietly backing away, pretending not to know them.
“I wish you success on your mission,” Adam said, his voice slightly distorted through the mask. “Goodbye.”
He turned and walked off, ignoring the awkward silence that followed.
“I wish you success too,” Hendrix muttered behind him.
Once Adam was far enough from the group, he drew the amulet from his inventory and tapped it. The mission details glowed across his vision.
Mission
- Eliminate a Baccarra Queen.
- Obtain the Heart of the Baccarra Queen to complete the mission.
That bastard was right about one thing—Baccarras are far deadlier than goblins.
He released the amulet, letting it vanish back into his inventory. If I’m not careful, I might not make it out alive.
Yet he couldn’t suppress the grin spreading across his face. His pulse quickened as he gazed at the fumes belching from the volcano.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
I can’t wait.
Footsteps approached from behind. “Hey there. How’re you doing?”
Adam turned to see two bald men with identical builds approaching. Tattoos covered their arms and necks, and both wore sleeveless tunics, gray pants, and scuffed leather boots. Their smiles looked rehearsed.
“I’m Cale, he’s Curtis,” said the taller twin. “We’ve got a deal for you. How much for that amulet—?”
“Not interested.” Adam turned to leave, but Curtis stepped in front of him.
“No need to rush. Hear us out.” Cale’s grin widened. “We’ll give you a hundred thousand gold coins. What do you say?”
“You’ve got five seconds to walk away,” Adam said coldly. “I won’t repeat myself.”
The twins chuckled, unfazed.
“One fifty?” Cale offered.
Adam said nothing.
“Three hundred?” Curtis tried again, his smile faltering.
“Are you two idiots?” Adam finally asked.
A flash of irritation crossed their faces before they masked it with false calm.
“I don’t know where you got your information,” Adam said evenly, “but you should really ask for a refund. Let’s say I did sell it to you—do you think Varidan wouldn’t have a way to retrieve it? Do you really think three hundred thousand, or even a million gold, is worth drawing Varidan’s ire?”
Adam sighed and shook his head. “Most especially, do you honestly think they’d allow two nobodies to profit from their possession? This is the first time I’m seeing someone pay to bring about their own destruction. Isn’t that what a moron would do?”
The twins’ mouths hung open, but no words came out.
“Don’t bother me again. Better still, if you’re looking for a quick death, trespass into Varidan territory.” Adam walked past the stupefied duo. He had no time to waste on them.
“Wait, let’s—”
A thunderous explosion cut Cale short. The ground trembled beneath them, and Adam turned toward the source—the volcano.
The dungeon is about to open.
Manipulator shifted into battle mode as Adam broke into a sprint. Among the seventy Awakened who reacted fast enough, he led the charge.
The ground grew hotter beneath his boots. Is the volcano becoming active?
Thick fog rolled across the land, laced with the acrid stench of ash. The glow of molten rock painted his path as he ascended the vent. When he reached the summit, he froze.
Below, at the heart of the volcano, a black tower clawed its way upward, surrounded by a sea of magma.
Hot gusts tore through the air, dry and suffocating, but Adam ignored the sizzling heat licking his skin. His gaze fixed on the colorless portal swirling above the tower’s tip.
He squinted. Are those yellow flashes flickering across the portal, or magma reflecting off it?
Now it made sense why Valar Pits had claimed so many lives. To enter the dungeon, one would have to jump directly into the portal. Miss the mark, and you’d die screaming.
Laughter erupted behind him. The others had caught up.
“You ran like a madman earlier,” Chadwick jeered. “What’s wrong? Scared after seeing where the dungeon’s located?”
Adam didn’t bother to look back. Most of the Awakened now wore specialized masks that filtered the air. The crowd at the edge thickened by the second, but no one dared to jump.
He noticed groups huddled in quiet strategy, and then a deep baritone voice rolled over them.
“My name is Gallien, from Raventhorn.”
Adam’s face tensed. Dozens turned at once.
Gallien wore a tiger mask, his eyes cold, a smirk twisting his mouth. “I know Valar Pits is a neutral dungeon in Targarth, and I’ve no authority to dictate your actions. But for today, I’d advise you all to stay clear of the Baccarras. You can fight over anything else—treasures, beasts—but leave those creatures to us.”
“Sir, how can you say that?” someone shouted. “We’ve trained for—”
“You have two options,” Gallien interrupted, raising his fingers. “Hunt them and die…” He lowered one finger. “Or leave them alone and live. Your choice.”
His twenty-man party unsheathed their weapons in unison. Silence blanketed the summit.
“Thanks for your cooperation,” Gallien said coolly.
Adam could feel the tension ripple through the crowd. Many of these people had come specifically to hunt Baccarras.
The Armstrong family sent them, he thought.
His eyes narrowed. They’re after the Baccarras’ bones for their healing properties. It seems they’ll do anything to save that weasel.
Gallien’s gaze suddenly met Adam’s. “What the hell are you looking at?”
Adam said nothing and looked away.
“Fucking Varidan students…” Gallien muttered, spitting into the ash.
His group moved toward the cliff’s edge; steps light and confident. Adam watched, hands folded, every movement under quiet observation.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught three Awakened break from the crowd and leap toward the portal.
“You bastards are dead!” Gallien’s roar echoed, but he didn’t follow. “Shoot them down!” he barked.
Three archers stepped forward, longbows creaking as they drew. With sharp twangs, the arrows cut through the air like streaks of light.
Each was different. The first arrow shimmered green and twisted like a living serpent. The second blinked in and out of existence, doubling its speed each time it reappeared. The last shattered mid-flight, scattering into a storm of glowing needles.
The spectators murmured in awe. The projectiles closed in on their targets—until the magma sea below bulged.
What is that?
Three massive pillars of molten rock erupted skyward, annihilating the Awakened and the arrows in one fiery sweep. In seconds, the magma stilled, bubbling softly as if nothing had happened.
Adam blinked, lips parting beneath his mask.
A new notification flickered before his eyes.
[Anomaly Detected in Dungeon!]
“What just happened?!” someone shouted.
The crowd erupted into confusion. Some began backing away from the cliff. Even the Raventhorn warriors faltered.
What’s causing the anomaly?
[Arranging Data...]
[Data Arranged]
[Portal will close in three minutes!]
Adam’s eyes widened.
Another notification followed.
[Unranked Demonkin Detected]
Name: Magma Salamander
Current State: Awakening from slumber
Estimated Time: Three minutes
System, place everything in Endurance and Agility.
[STEALTH MODE: CON 0 (-20) | AGI 53 (+35) | END 55 (+25) | DEX 0 (-20) | STR 0 (-20)]
Adam moved before anyone else reacted. In a single blur, he dashed past the stunned Raventhorn warriors and hurled himself off the cliff toward the molten sea below.
Adam plunged downward at breakneck speed, the air around him a blur of heat and chaos. His gaze flicked between the churning magma below and the swirling portal hovering above it.
A notification flared before his eyes.
[Anomaly Detected in Dungeon.]
His chest tightened. I’m dead if those magma blasts erupt again.
He braced himself, expecting another eruption. None came. The portal was close now—only a few meters away—when a violent gust ripped through the air. The wind struck like a hammer, throwing him off course and sending him hurtling toward the molten sea.
Fuck!
Adam thrust out his hand. Nearby rocks shuddered, then shot toward him like blazing meteors. Two massive chunks slammed into his body midair, their fiery mass redirecting his fall. The impact launched him upward, straight onto the top of the obsidian tower.
He hit the platform hard, the searing stone biting into his back. For a breath, the world spun. Then the magma below roared, and a titanic pillar of fire erupted, obliterating the rocks that had saved him moments ago.
“The portal is shrinking!”
Adam heard the shout from afar. Raising his head, he glimpsed several figures descending through the fog.
He sprang to his feet and sprinted toward the portal. The heat clawed at his skin, the air thick with sulfur and smoke.
He dove through the swirling light, and vanished.