My Cheat Skill Lets Me Copy Powers....But only if i kill-Chapter 33: The Dungeon Exploration Part 2

Chapter 32 – The dungeon exploration part 2

The dungeon's air grew colder, a moist chill clinging to their skin as the narrow corridor twisted ahead. Renji led the way, steps measured, his Shadowfang padding silently beside him — the beast's jet-black fur blending with the dim shadows, its bone-like spines twitching with every sound.

Not a single footprint marred the dust-laden path. No torchmarks, no bloodstains. Just the eerie hum of concentrated mana drifting along the stone walls.

Lena's eyes scanned the corners. "You'd think with all the parties down here, we'd find something — gear, blood, anything."

"They're either too deep or gone." Elara's tone was flat, tension barely veiled.

Renji didn't respond. His hand rested lightly on his weapon, eyes sharp. The Shadowfang sniffed the air, low growl rumbling in its throat. Something was nearby.

A faint clash echoed ahead — metal ringing against stone, followed by the familiar snarls of beasts.

Elara paused. "Other adventurers."

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"They're in trouble." Lena's grip tightened on her sword.

No hesitation.

They pushed forward, torches held low, rounding the corner into a scene of chaos.

A Rank C party, five strong, fought to hold a chokepoint against two Crag Hounds, their jagged stone hides deflecting attacks. One adventurer was pinned, shield cracking under relentless claws. Another stumbled back, bloodied, as the second beast lunged.

Renji's Shadowfang snarled and leapt into the fray.

Elara and Lena moved without a word, weapons flashing. Renji followed, Quickdraw activating, blade slashing across the nearest hound's flank — sparks and blood flew. The beast recoiled, howling, but Renji pressed the advantage.

The Shadowfang lunged, fangs piercing through gaps in the hound's armor, dragging it down.

Lena darted past, finishing it with a swift, precise strike.

The second Crag Hound turned — too late. Elara's daggers flashed, a blur of motion, before Renji's Dual Strike carved deep into its exposed side. It crumpled.

Silence fell — save for heavy breathing.

The rival party regrouped, bruised and bloodied, eyes wide at the sight of the Shadowfang now sitting calmly beside Renji, its red eyes locked on them.

One of them broke the silence. "You... tamed that thing?"

Renji nodded once. "Shadowfang. Useful."

A spear-wielding woman stepped forward, tension in her stance. "Didn't think anyone could pull that off. And you're... the guy from Lysoria, right?"

No response.

Another adventurer scoffed, glancing at the bodies of the Crag Hounds. "We had it under control."

Elara's smirk was subtle but sharp. "Right. Next time, try bleeding less."

Lena crossed her arms. "Maybe next time, don't scream so loud. Drew them right in."

The rival party exchanged glances, pride wounded, but no one pushed it.

One of them gestured to the passage ahead. "We're heading deeper. You should clear out before it gets worse."

Renji turned without a word, his Shadowfang falling in step beside him. Elara and Lena followed, tension lingering.

Behind them, whispers echoed through the chamber.

"Where'd he get that beast...?"

"Didn't think he was that strong..."

"We should keep our distance."

Their voices faded into the dark as Renji's group moved forward, the dungeon pressing in, and real danger still ahead.

The corridor narrowed, the air turning staler, thicker — as if the dungeon itself resisted every step. Their footsteps echoed strangely, sound swallowed too quickly by the oppressive stone.

Renji halted, raising a hand. The Shadowfang froze beside him, ears flat, nose twitching.

Elara's eyes flicked forward. "Trap?"

"Not a trap," Lena whispered, squinting ahead. "Something... else."

They advanced slowly, entering a circular chamber with smooth, polished stone walls. The floor was tiled with large square plates, each etched with runes that pulsed faintly with a soft blue glow.

In the center stood a sealed stone door, massive and unyielding, flanked by two statues of armored knights, their faces hidden behind time-worn visors.

Elara crouched by the tiles, brushing her fingers across one. "Pressure plates."

Renji scanned the room. "Puzzle lock."

Along the wall, near the entrance, a faint inscription caught his eye. Faded and cracked, but legible.

"Step where they have not. The path is made of restraint, not boldness."

Lena's brow furrowed. "What does that even mean?"

Renji's gaze swept the floor. "No obvious pattern."

Elara nodded toward the opposite side. "Look — marks. Faint scratches on a path leading to the door... then suddenly gone."

"Someone tried," Lena muttered. "Didn't make it."

Renji exhaled, eyes narrowing. "The wrong tile probably triggers something... poison, darts, worse."

They paused. Then without a word, Renji reached into his item box, pulling out a small, rusted blade — loot from an earlier quest.

He tossed it onto one of the center tiles. The moment it landed, the rune beneath it flared red, and with a hiss, thin metal spikes shot upward, skewering the blade with a clang before retracting.

Lena winced. "Not that one."

Elara stepped forward carefully, scanning the room. "Restraint... the path is made of restraint."

Her eyes traced the tiles again. "Maybe... don't step forward. Go around?"

Renji nodded. "Edge tiles. They're cleaner, less worn."

They moved together, stepping only on the outermost tiles, following the room's circumference.

Each step was slow, deliberate, sweat beading despite the cold. The Shadowfang stayed behind, watching in eerie silence.

They reached the door. No trap triggered.

A soft click echoed from above — and the massive stone door rumbled open, dust spilling from the edges.

Inside: no monsters, only a small chamber filled with aged weapon racks, torn banners, and a collapsed table.

Atop the table — a map fragment, rolled tightly, sealed with wax bearing the Valkris Guild crest.

Elara broke the seal and unrolled it. "This... isn't the first floor. This shows at least two more levels."

Renji's jaw tightened. "No mention of this at the guild."

Lena scanned the rest of the room, picking up an old guild token, tarnished with age.

"Someone was here before. But not recently."

Renji pocketed the map fragment. "We're done here. Report back, regroup."

Elara's eyes lingered on the map. "And come back better prepared."

The door creaked shut behind them, sealing the secrets within — for now.

The air in the dungeon had changed.

It wasn't just the cold anymore — it was the weight of the place pressing against their skin, seeping into their bones. Each breath was thick, like breathing through cloth soaked in ash. The faint tremors underfoot had ceased, but the echo of something moving below lingered, like the heartbeat of a slumbering beast beneath the stone.

Renji unrolled the map fragment again, crouching near a crumbled section of wall. The flickering torchlight made the ink dance across the aged parchment, the runes and sketches old but deliberate. Two things stood out — a stairwell icon, and strange symbols, different from anything they'd seen in Valkris before.

Elara's voice broke the silence. "That mark... it's not part of any guild mapping system."

Renji traced a finger along the jagged symbol — a circle surrounded by runes, with lines running downward. "Could be a warning. Or something valuable."

Lena paced nearby, her sword resting against her shoulder. "Or both. Probably both."

A low growl from the Shadowfang drew all eyes down the corridor. Its hackles were raised, body stiff, eyes fixed on the darkness. It didn't bark or snarl — it just stared, muscles coiled tight.

Elara tightened her grip on her blades. "It's close."

"No," Renji stood slowly, eyes narrowing, "it's watching."

Another silence fell, but this one buzzed with energy. Not fear — not quite. Anticipation. They all felt it.

Lena broke the stillness, voice dry. "We heading back or pressing our luck?"

Elara's glance shifted to Renji. "We have what we need. The guild didn't ask us to clear anything, just survey."

The torchlight danced across Renji's face, catching the faint edge of a smile. "And the ones who play it safe never rise above average."

He rolled the map tightly and stowed it. "We go deeper."

Lena groaned, but there was no real protest. "And here I thought we might survive this week."

Their steps echoed into the darkness as they advanced. The corridor twisted sharply and opened into a massive stone landing, ancient stairway descending into the unknown. The steps spiraled, wide enough for three men abreast, the stone worn but solid, lined with etched runes that pulsed faintly as they neared.

No torches here. No signs of life. Just the sound of air moving, like a long, slow exhale from the depths.

Lena peered down the void. "Feels like this place is swallowing light."

Elara ran her fingers along the wall. "Fresh etchings. This part of the dungeon's... different. Crafted."

Renji said nothing, stepping onto the first stair. The Shadowfang followed, its eyes catching the faint glow of the runes — watching, waiting.

As they descended, a deep, resonant roar rippled from below, shaking dust from the ceiling, the walls quivering with the force.

Not a Crag Hound. Not anything they'd faced before.

Elara's whisper was barely audible. "What the hell is that?"

Lena's hand tightened on her weapon, eyes wide. "We should—"

"No." Renji's voice cut through the moment, sharp and sure. "This is why we're here."

Another step downward. Another rumble — closer.

Not a warning.

A welcome.