Chapter 16: Hollow Veins Beneath

"Okay... maybe I overestimated my stamina," Nagomi muttered, crouched behind a mossy boulder as his chest rose and fell with each breath. The beast he’d narrowly escaped—a hulking, boar-like creature with glimmering tusks—let out a final roar before stomping away into the shadows of the forest.

He peered from behind the rock cautiously.

"...Gone. Finally," he whispered. His voice was dry. His shirt clung to him with sweat, and a sharp pain throbbed in his calf where he'd slipped during the chase.

"This is what I get for wandering too far without a plan. Note to self: never follow mysterious glowing butterflies again."

Nagomi stood up slowly, wincing at the ache in his legs. He took a step... then froze.

Beneath his boot, the ground made a hollow thud.

"Huh?"

He knelt and brushed aside the fallen leaves and dirt. Beneath it was a stone slab—weathered and cracked, but unmistakably man-made. At its center, a metal ring protruded slightly.

"A hidden hatch...?" His eyes lit up. "No way. Did I just stumble onto a hidden dungeon?"

For a moment, the pain in his leg was forgotten. With effort, he gripped the ring and pulled. The slab groaned, resisting, but finally gave way with a low creak, revealing a dark stairwell descending into the earth.

Nagomi stared into the abyss.

"...Of course. A creepy staircase into the unknown. Because nothing says 'safe adventure' like going underground right after being chased by a murder-hog."

Still, his heart pounded with excitement.

"This... this is it. A real side dungeon, like in games! Probably full of traps and monsters, but also—loot. Rare materials. Maybe even clues about this world’s history."

His mind raced with possibilities as he descended slowly, conjuring a small glowstone he'd bought in town. It emitted a soft bluish light, casting long shadows along the walls of the passage.

The stone steps creaked with age. Vines slithered along the ceiling. The deeper he went, the colder it became.

After several turns, he arrived at a stone chamber, circular in shape, its walls lined with weathered murals—depictions of skeletal beasts, men in armor, and strange sigils that shimmered faintly when the light touched them.

"This place is ancient..." he murmured, awe creeping into his voice. "But why does it feel... familiar?"

He stepped forward, only to stop suddenly as a click echoed beneath his foot.

"Wait. That’s a—"

SHUNK!

A thin spear shot from the wall beside him. It grazed his sleeve and embedded itself into the far stone.

"Trap!" he yelped, jumping back. "Of course there's traps. It wouldn’t be a dungeon without them!"

Nagomi’s breathing quickened. He examined the ground more carefully this time. Hidden pressure tiles, wires, small holes—danger was everywhere.

"I can’t rely on magic here," he reminded himself. "I barely scratched the surface of spell control. One wrong move down here could be the end."

He exhaled, calming his nerves. His grip tightened on the handle of his dagger.

"Alright, Nagomi. Use your head. This is what you've dreamed of, right? Classic dungeon, hidden loot, lurking danger—it’s everything you wanted."

The next hallway was narrow, barely enough for him to squeeze through. Slime-like creatures slithered along the walls, glowing softly. He kept his distance.

He spotted an old chest in the corner of a side room—its surface rusted, its lock broken.

"Trap or treasure... maybe both?"

He opened it slowly, ready to dive back if needed. Inside, there was a strange crystal fragment, pulsing gently with blue light.

"…A mana shard?" he muttered, eyes widening. "This could be useful for crafting or enchanting..."

As he stored it carefully, his fingers brushed the pouch with the slime core.

"Slimes... crystals... traps... This dungeon has a theme. I wonder what lies at the heart of it."

But then he froze.

A faint rumble echoed from deeper inside.

"...That can’t be good."

Nagomi backed away from the chest as the ground beneath him vibrated faintly. Something had awakened.

But instead of retreating, he grinned.

"This is insane... but this is exactly what I wanted. Not some dramatic fight with a demon lord. Not some tragic hero’s journey."

He drew his dagger again, stepping forward.

"I just want the thrill—the raw, unpredictable chaos of exploring a world where anything can happen."

The air grew colder as he ventured deeper into the Hollow Veins. Somewhere in the darkness ahead, a low growl echoed.

And Nagomi welcomed it.