Chapter 17: The Labyrinth’s Whisper

Nagomi's breath came in short, quiet puffs as he leaned against the cold stone wall of the cavern. The echo of the beast’s growl still lingered behind him—distant now, but not far enough. He had barely escaped the creature with the scythe-like limbs, its crimson eyes glowing in the gloom of the tunnel.

“Okay,” he whispered, clutching his chest, “note to self: don’t taunt anything that looks like it eats adventurers for breakfast…”

He peeked around the bend. No sign of pursuit.

With a nervous chuckle, he turned back down the dimly-lit corridor. That’s when he noticed it—an uneven section of the stone wall to his left, almost hidden behind an overgrown patch of moss. A breeze…? Yes, faint and dry, like something exhaling behind it. He reached forward and brushed the moss aside, revealing an archway carved with faded symbols.

“Huh?” His eyes narrowed. “Was this… always here?”

He pressed his palm to the center. The wall groaned, then slid open with a low rumble, revealing a staircase that spiraled downward into pitch blackness.

“Well… nothing suspicious about a hidden staircase underground, right?” he muttered sarcastically. But there was that familiar pull again—curiosity, adventure, danger. And something else too… a faint thrill he couldn’t resist.

With a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, Nagomi stepped into the darkness.

The staircase was longer than he expected, and colder. The torches on the walls were long dead, but his eyes gradually adjusted. Each footstep echoed like a whispered warning. When he finally reached the bottom, the air shifted—thicker, musty, and charged with something… old.

He stepped into a massive chamber. Dust drifted in lazy spirals from the high ceiling. Cracked pillars lined the edges, and at the center stood a massive stone door etched with a familiar insignia.

“This isn’t just any dungeon… it feels like it’s been waiting for someone,” he murmured.

"I hope I never meet cursed statues that smile creepily."

He took a cautious step forward—click.

“Eh?”

A panel beneath his boot sank.

CLANK!

Dozens of arrows shot from the walls. Nagomi dove forward, rolling across the floor as the projectiles thudded into the stone behind him.

“Whew—classic!” he gasped, grinning as he stood. “It’s like I stepped into a dungeon-crawler game!”

More traps awaited. Pressure plates triggered swinging blades. Statues spat jets of fire. Spiked pits yawned beneath crumbling tiles. And through it all, Nagomi pushed forward, panting and laughing.

This is it… this is the kind of thrill I dreamed about back in my old world!

He paused near a puzzle door, looking at the mural above it—six stones, six symbols, and a pattern etched across the arch.

“Hm…” He scratched his head. “If this were a game… I’d have to match the runes based on the elemental icons… maybe wind with feather, flame with—”

Suddenly, a memory sparked—the old book from the guild’s library. It had shown similar patterns. He arranged the runes accordingly and…

Click. The door slid open with a low rumble.

“Yes!” he whispered, pumping his fist.

Beyond the puzzle door, the air changed again—damp now, with the soft trickle of water. The corridor opened into an underground lake, lit faintly by glowing moss and crystals embedded in the ceiling.

Nagomi stepped to the edge. “...Whoa.”

A soft breeze rippled the surface. Then something moved beneath the water—silent, massive.

His eyes widened. “That’s not just scenery, is it…”

The surface broke. A serpentine creature with iridescent scales rose, its body coiling through the water like a shadow.

Nagomi backed up slowly. “Alright… maybe I should… y’know, admire from a distance—”

Splash!

The creature lunged.

The battle was a blur. He dodged, rolled, slid across the stone. His attacks did little against the beast’s tough scales, but he noticed its movements—predictable, rhythm-based, like a boss fight.

He hurled a loose stone at a weak joint behind its fin. The beast shrieked, retreating slightly. Another opening. Nagomi grabbed a broken spear from the ruins and leapt—

CLASH!

The weapon pierced deep, and the creature thrashed violently before collapsing into the water, vanishing into the depths.

Nagomi landed hard, coughing.

“Note to self…” he groaned. “Bring better weapons next time…”

He sat at the edge of the lake, drenched but smiling.

That fight had been tough—but exhilarating. He felt more alive than ever.

And yet… a dull ache spread through his arms and legs. He rolled his shoulders.

“I’m relying too much on reflex and luck…” he muttered. “I need more than just magic and clever tricks. If I’m gonna enjoy this world fully, I need to sharpen my body too.”

The realization settled deep within him—not out of fear, but eagerness. To move better, fight longer, survive more dungeons… all to keep chasing this dream.

He stood, stretching. “Alright then. Let’s call this one… ‘The Hidden Hollow Veins Dungeon – Cleared!’”

A sudden click behind him made him jump. A hidden alcove opened, revealing a chest.

He blinked. “...Okay, that’s just too perfect.”

Inside? A glimmering ring and a pouch of coins. He slipped the ring onto his finger, smiling at its warm glow.

With that, he made his way back up the staircase. The beast above was long gone, and dawn was creeping over the horizon.

The forest greeted him with birdsong and soft sunlight.

Nagomi exhaled. “What a day…”

He tightened his grip on his satchel. “Let’s get back to town. And maybe eat something that isn’t cave moss or panic.”

And with light steps and a grin on his face, Nagomi headed for the city once more—his story still unfolding.