RE: The Extra's Dominance-Chapter 32 - Sneaking In [2]

"Bleeergh!"

I got on all fours and vomited as soon as I entered the portal-dungeon. The mana around here is a lot more intense than Earth’s!

And as soon as I got in, the mana forcefully tried to enter my body!

I could feel my insides twisting—it hurt like hell, making my eyes teary.

"Coff.. coff..."

I coughed again and again, then sat in a lotus position.

I already predicted this situation, so I was ready.

So while sitting, I closed my eyes and started to circulate my mana throughout my whole body.

I could do this without care on my surroundings here, as I’m still in the safe zone.

I could feel the mana in the air trying to enter my body, as if it wanted to devour me.

As I thought, the mana here is not just intense, but it’s also denser.

Normally, it’s a good thing, as refilling mana would be faster and it can boost one’s growth—but I don’t have enough capacity to absorb them easily.

So I distributed all the mana that entered my body equally.

Transparent black energy covered my entire body—it was calm but dense.

I knitted my brows together and released a lot of mana. The ones I absorbed had my capacity on the verge of overflowing.

S W O O O S H–!!!

"KEUKK...!"

The mana covering my whole body became intense and started raging like wildfire!

"GRRRGH!!!"

I could still feel my insides hurting, but I endured it and focused more on releasing and absorbing mana continuously.

So just like that—I started meditating.

...

...

*****

"Fuuuuuh..."

After meditating for a long time—

I got used to the heavy atmosphere of the dungeon, I achieved this through continuous cycle of mana circulation. It’s still burdening, but now it’s bearable for me.

I feel refreshed, and my whole body feels a lot lighter than usual.

As a matter of fact... I’m close to ranking up again.

My ranking-up pace is incredibly fast. I was surprised by it myself... My trait [I like the spotlight] is a lot more helpful than I thought.

’Then... I guess I should thank the system.’

[Oh, you’re very much welcome.]

Just as I thought of thanking it, the system appeared, and I could tell it was being high and mighty.

I ignored it—I still remember that the system chose that trait specifically to mess with me before.

And instead... I looked around.

"Holy shit."

I unconsciously cursed out. I’m inside a forest too—there are trees everywhere. Some have blue leaves, some green, red, and many more.

And all of them are as tall as a five-story building!

Their trunks and branches are as thick as sewer pipes!

Behind me is where I came from—a huge green portal. It’s pretty awesome seeing it up close.

The grass around isn’t that tall and feels comfortable on the skin. I was sitting on them for a while now.

’System, appraise the dungeon.’

I said inwardly. I know what this dungeon is, but just to make sure.

The system then immediately projected a new transparent window.

Swish~

=====

[Mysterious Woodland]

Difficulty: A+

<Description>

-A woodland that has dense mana. A lot of mysterious beings roam here—some are evil, some are neutral, and some are good.

=====

An <A+> rank dungeon. To be honest, I’m nervous as fuck—but as written in the description, not everything here is hostile.

So with that confirmed, I immediately stood up from my position and transformed into a cat—to avoid being detected by the members of [Coldvale] guild and hostile beings.

Checking the time, I’ve been in a stupor for about two hours now because of meditation.

So the [Coldvale] members are not in sight anymore... Luckily though, they left trails on the path they took in case one of them gets lost.

I followed those trails, quietly.

*****

After three hours of non-stop following their trails, I caught up with the [Coldvale] members. It’s not like they’re moving at a fast pace—it’s just that I avoided all mysterious beings I saw while on my way here, so it took me a while.

Anyway, the reason I’m here in this dungeon is because I need to get a material.

What material?

I don’t know, really. I plan to get random materials that can be used to make a weapon for myself.

Now listen first... If you’re a great blacksmith, what do you think would be the three most valuable things you will ever create?

For me—

’First is the best thing you ever created. Second is the last thing you ever created. And lastly, the third—is the first thing you ever created.’

In Tyrone’s skill, [Vulcan’s Heir], those three things I mentioned will receive a huge enchantment.

Tyrone still hasn’t made anything with his newly acquired skill yet, and he won’t until I ask him to.

That’s because I requested him to wait for me. And because he still feels grateful toward me, he immediately agreed.

When the assessment test’s date changed and I told him he could take his time upgrading [Nyx]—

He was relieved. Even though he confidently told me he could get it upgraded by Friday, he’s new in gunsmithing, so the upgrade would most likely be his worst work of all time. He said he wants to learn more about gunsmithing first before upgrading my [Nyx].

I also told him to ready himself first and fix his workspace—which he agreed to.

As you all probably guessed by now, I plan to make Tyrone use his skill for the very first time when he’s making my weapon.

And based on my novel, there’s a lot of good materials in this dungeon—I just didn’t name them all.

Even Alec’s future armor’s materials were from here.

"Wait... If I kill Tyrone after he makes me a weapon, the weapon will receive all three enchantments."

I muttered.

It would be his 1st creation, best creation, and last creation with the skill...

[Real dark thoughts you got there.]

The system said.

"Fuck off, I was just curious. It’s not like I’m gonna do it—Tyrone’s a good guy."

I replied in a low voice.

[So if he’s a bad guy you’ll do it?]

"Yeah, why not? It’s like killing two birds with one stone. I’ll reduce bad guys, and I’ll also receive a very good weapon."

I said without hesitation.

[Killing a bad guy wouldn’t reduce them, you’d just replace them.]

The system nagged.

And without batting an eye—

"Then I’ll kill more of them. Imagine I killed five—then I reduced the bad guys by four, right?"

I added that.

[Wow... Just wow...]

The system don’t know what to say.

[I don’t know if that’s right or wrong.]

"I’m obviously right—"

"Who’s there?!"

As I was talking, Oscar, the vice guildmaster of [Coldvale], snapped his head in my direction.

I was in my cat form, so I was pretty unnoticeable—but as soon as he looked in my direction, I stopped breathing.

"What’s the problem?"

Clifford asked. All the members of their group looked in my direction too, as if trying to see what Oscar was looking at.

Oscar intensely stared in my direction—I began to sweat a lot.

But he soon shook his head and looked at Clifford.

"It’s nothing, Sir Clifford. I just thought I heard someone talking."

He muttered.

And after that... They all started to walk again.

I remained motionless for a while. Then, when they were out of sight—

"Pwaaaaaaah..."

I let out a relieved sigh.

’No talking for the time being.’

I reminded myself and started to follow after them again.

’Oscar is so sensitive.’

I complained inwardly. That’s one of Oscar’s traits—it’s called [High Senses], which makes him very sensitive to presence and mana around him.

I wish I had that too.

[You can. You’ll just need 8,000 CP.]

"Shut up. You’re not helping—you know I can’t afford that, jerk."

I said to the system as I started jumping from tree to tree.

*****

(Clifford’s POV)

"It’s following us again."

I said to the group as I felt someone’s presence. It’s small and almost unnoticeable.

But unlucky for it—I noticed it not long ago, even before Oscar did. It’s hard to accurately pinpoint its location.

It’s not strong, so we’re letting it be for now. It doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions either.

We hinted earlier that we could sense them by making Oscar act like he just heard someone talking—but it still followed us.

"Are you sure it’s okay to let it be?"

Oscar asked me.

"Let’s just watch for now."

I replied. After observing for a while, we found that not all creatures here are hostile, so we don’t engage in battle carelessly.

Because if we did, it’d be like making a stranger an enemy.

The fewer enemies the better, as we don’t know what the boss monster here is, so we need to save energy and resources as much as possible.

...

...

*****

(Raven’s POV)

It’s now [6:00 AM] on Thursday. It’s been more than 8 hours since I entered the dungeon.

The [Coldvale] members encountered enemies from time to time. The monsters and beasts they met were already known—

Like trolls, rock golems, and mad bears. So they handled it pretty easily. Watching their fights made it clear how powerful these heroes are.

Even from afar, I felt the force of their attacks. I also had to move away when they fought, or I’d get swept away.

Now it makes me wonder...

"How will those women die in this raid?"

In my novel, the three women will die in this raid. Two of them are <B+> rank, while the last one is <A+> rank.

I didn’t put exact details on how they died—I just wrote their deaths to indicate how dangerous the [Mysterious Woodland] is.

I know it’s not me who will kill them, but it still burdens my conscience that what I wrote before for entertainment of others will be their fate.

’Well, I also don’t want to see someone die in front of me, so I’ll save them if possible.’

I thought and continued tailing Clifford and his group.

’I’ll assume that the Higher Being thing will just fill in the unavailable details of their deaths for me.’

This dungeon wasn’t really described much in my novel—I created it on a whim as an information filler for Alec’s armor.

But I know I made the three women die in the novel—just for unnecessary drama.

Anyway, as I was thinking...

We all arrived in a meadow.

And that meadow... A large amount of herbs were there!

My eyes widened.

’Hey, appraise!’

The system immediately projected the herb’s description when I exclaimed that in my head.

Swish~

=====

[Mellow Flower]

<Description>

-It can increase your mana capacity. It can also improve your mana control.

=====

’It’s a valuable herb!’

I couldn’t help but be excited.

’But how will I get some?’

The meadow was full of [Mellow Flowers]. I want to get some, but I can’t just take them because of Clifford’s group!

"Wow, it’s all herbs!"

One of the men in the group exclaimed. Their appraiser, I assumed.

Clifford and Oscar were thinking carefully about something.

"Let’s get it all!"

The man exclaimed again.

My eyes widened in devastation upon hearing that.

’NOOO!!!’

I activated [Calm Thinker] and [Insight] to the max—

Calculating every action I could to take and their possible outcomes.

And after a few seconds...

"I got it."

Bam-

I jumped into the meadow where the herbs were, while still in my cat form.

Tap—

"Huh?!"

"!!!"

"...?"

The group got startled by my appearance, and they all took a fighting stance.

Though, I just looked at them calmly, and with straight face—

"You should all calm down if you don’t want to get hurt."

I said that to them while emitting a portion of [Monarch’s Presence].