Chapter 318 - Gigant Dungeon (1/2)
”What is it?” said Li. He looked up to Asala with immediate concern and then followed the direction of her serpentine gaze. His senses were currently tuned down because he was not in combat, but even then, nothing truly important should ever slip by him.
”I see,” said Li.
Up ahead perhaps twenty hundred meters, the end of the Midpath bridge stood. Twin pillars of obelisk stone stood from each other, carved in with countless light runes that channeled the mighty power of the Midpath from one end to the other.
Beyond it, there lay a gigantified forest. Trees that towered over a hundred meters tall that grew in such clusters they would quickly begin to blot out the sun entirely. This, Li was not surprised about. He had seen it coming from far ahead, of course.
But what he did note was that there seemed to be a ripple in space flowing from the obelisks marking the end of the bridge. A very faint, almost imperceptible ripple.
”I am surprised you even caught that. You have sharp eyes,” said Li to Asala.
”Not mine own,” said Asala. ”But when I am in the presence of the magics of mine goddess, these senses of mine are greatly sharpened.”
”Hm.” Li scrutinized the end of the bridge as the Vukanovi neared it. He did not stop the party yet. This ripple was not at all like the strange dimensional rift that Lira guarded.
No, this was entirely different. In feeling, primarily, for this ripple did not emanate with a deadened cold. But in basic shape, too. The spatial distortion seemed to have an even, flowing pattern resembling a spiral instead of a chaotic mess of twisted and warped space.
From this spiral, Li by heightening his senses could feel normal Elden World magical energy emanating from it. He remembered too where these spiral spatial patterns formed from.
He of all people would have been incredibly familiar with this.
”This is an entrance to a dungeon,” said Li.
”Thou doth know of dungeons?” said Asala, surprised, though quickly, she grew calm, knowing that nothing about Li should truly surprise her for long. Still, she peaked down to her tablet and scratched a note in it.
”Yes. But I had not expected to encounter any. I have not seen any so far,” said Li. ”And no records or books that I have read seem to ever mention them. Do any of you other than Asala-,” said Li as he turned to the rest of the party, his eyes flickering green. ”Know anything about dungeons?”
”Nay,” said Old Thane.
Vilga narrowed her eyes to signify she did not know and that she was listening, and Sheela ċȯċked her head like a confused cat.
”Dungeon? Sounds like a bad place!” said Tia as she tugged at Li's sleeve. ”Are-are we going to bad place?”
”Let me see,” said Li. His eyes flashed even brighter green, and he analyzed the density of magical energy coming from the spiral of warping space.
In Elden World, Spiral Doors indicated the presence of hidden dungeons, and using a general [Sense] skill could yield the average level of monsters in a dungeon, though some dungeons were impossible to use clairvoyance magic on.
Thankfully, this dungeon did not seem hidden.
The approximate level of monsters in this dungeon ranged from 30 to 50. Li put a hand to his chin, ȧssessing this information. Tia could survive on her own in this dungeon, as could Asala. Old Thane, Vilga, and Sheela could probably manage by working together.
Mason and Mercer, though, well, they were basically just ants. They were level 19 and 17 respectively. Even these levels were a result of having leveled 3 times since the beginning of their adventure with Li.
They would need Li's support.
”Well, not too bad,” said Li. ”Most of you can handle passing through to the dungeon. You two-,” Li pointed to Mason and Mercer. ”Will have to stay beside me to be in range of my buffs. Otherwise, you will die.”
”I will never leave your side, good seer,” said Mercer as he kneeled, and Mason looked awkwardly at his younger brother for a moment before kneeling with him.