TBATE: Art and Tess's Second Chance

Chapter 21: Molted Lightning

Arthur Leywin's POV:

"Well, while we're exploring this place, why don't you tell me about your ultimate dungeon experience? I told you all of mine already!" Tess shook me with shining eyes.

"Sure, we got the time anyway. After I got out, I decided to name that particular dungeon Molted Lightning due to the boss and its annoying deviances," I stated.

*Flashback 2 days prior*

I was traversing the outskirts of the beast glades on my side for what felt like the ninth time by now trying to find the next dungeon. I wasn't expecting much difference this time around, but Tess had a great idea for me to use Realmheart to search. This way I would be able to see the dungeon even if it was hidden under rubble or blocked by natural debris as the aether would stick out like a diamond in the rough.

Then, as if it was scripted to happen, I found one of the ultimate dungeons practically carved into the side of a rather large hill, or at this point, I would categorize it as a mountain. The aether concentration from the sky was enormous, it was like the sun was placed onto the surface of the earth and was made of aether particles that radiated from the dungeon. When I approached the entrance on the side of the mountain, I felt the temperature rise to double or maybe even triple the midday heat of the outside.

I started my descent through the blistering heat of the dungeon, having to augment myself because of temperature for once, but what struck me as odd was the lack of beasts I hadn't found so far. At the very least I should've run into some kind of rodent mana beast that would be the weakest on the food chain, but I haven't seen a single sign of life.

I kept up my pace through tunnel after sweaty tunnel until I finally made it to a large opening, a welcome relief from the small ovens I'd been cooking myself in. I entered with my guard up since a change in topography could mean a beast's den. Walking out to the brightly lit cavern, I saw pools and streams of lava flowing further inside the dungeon.

'It's a good thing Regis isn't here, he would have so many masochist and lava jokes to make right about now.' I laughed at the prospect while thinking, 'Guess this landmass wasn't just a misleading mountain, but a previously dormant volcano, and looking at it from the inside, I'd sure say it's active now.'

I was broken out of my thoughts when I heard an abnormal sound from just inside the lava, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something swimming around in it. "And here I thought I was the only one with a fancy for taking a dip in some soothing lava," I joked, now a little upset that Regis wasn't here to hear my amazing jokes.

Letting the familiar sensation of Realmheart wash over my body, I looked closer at the lava pools and streams and noticed six large, agile monsters with bodies that strongly resembled sharks. Their skin was translucent so it blended with the lava itself so they were impossible to see without Realmheart. Then there were their mouths and teeth, they were shaped and arranged like a lamprey but much larger.

I decided against killing them since contrary to popular belief, I don't like submerging myself in lava without a good reason. Walking towards the exit opposite where I had entered, I slowed to a stop when I felt rumbling beneath my feet. Lava started flooding the room from cracks in the wall and floor that just formed from the mini earthquake.

'Nope, once again I'm glad Regis isn't here,'  I thought as the lava made its way around my feet and quickly flooded up to my calves.

I called out my relic armor so my clothes didn't melt away and imbued it with enough aether so that it didn't get damaged by the lava. Noticing that a wall of magma had formed over the exit, I realized that the lamprey sharks were a likely suspect for my current predicament as they were most likely controlling the lava.