Chapter 78 Cryptic Projection
The group moved cautiously, mimicking the girl's every move. If she skipped, they skipped.
When she crouched to pick an invisible flower, they bent down and mimicked the motion. Occasionally, she would turn to face them and her large eyes would glow with an unnatural light. The group froze every time, holding their breath until she resumed her movements.
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System Notification:
[ Success: You are following the spirit correctly. Continue to mimic her actions and follow her. ]
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At one point, the spirit began to hum a strange, disjointed melody. Aria quickly whispered for everyone to hum along. The off-key tune grated on their nerves, but they complied.
"Damn, Torin why do you sound like a monkey being slaughtered?" August chided causing the group to hold their bellies as laughter threatened to spill.
"Singing isn't my strong suit," Torin shot August a disgruntled look.
As they moved deeper into the floor, the flowers became denser, and the glowing crystals more erratic.
[ System Notification: You Have Avoided The First Calamity. Keep Mimicking the Spirit Actions ]
...
...
Elsewhere in the dungeon, chaos had a different face.
A group of three players moved with confidence. Their dark robes brushed against the stone floor as they descended rapidly.
Unlike other adventurers, they showed no signs of hesitation or exhaustion. Each of them carried an aura of dominance and precision.
The mage, Orlma, led the way. Her avatar was tall and regal and her dark robes were embroidered with glowing red patterns that shimmered as she walked.
Her hair, long and silver, flowed like a waterfall, and her piercing golden eyes reflected a quiet but terrifying intelligence. A staff carved with serpentine designs rested in her hand.
Behind her walked the warrior, Drakos. His massive frame was clad in spiked obsidian armor, each piece etched with pointy crimson veins that pulsed faintly.
His weapon, a massive greatsword, hung loosely across his back. His face was partially obscured by a half-mask that revealed a twisted smirk.
Finally, there was the assassin, Lyriss. Her lithe frame was wrapped in black leather armor that seemed to blend into the shadows.
Her hood covered most of her face, but her sharp, violet eyes gleamed with malice. Twin daggers with glowing purple edges were strapped to her hips.
They moved in perfect unison and their silence was broken only by their conversation.
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"We must reach the fruit of sin before anyone else," Drakos growled with a low tone. "Every second we waste is an advantage for those behind."
Orlma halted, raising her hand. "Patience, Drakos. The fruit isn't going anywhere. But we must tread carefully."
"Can you sense it, Orlma?" Drakos pressed.
Orlma nodded as her golden eyes narrowed. "It's on the lowest floor. The aura is faint but unmistakable."
At this, Lyriss produced a strange, jagged crystal from her inventory. Its glow was erratic, flickering as if alive. "We have one of these left," she said. "But we'll use it when it counts."
Drakos scowled. "Use it now. Skip the floors. Let's leave them unable to catch up."
Orlma placed a hand on her hip, considering. "Fine. But remember, this is our last one. If we miscalculate, we'll be stranded."
Lyriss smirked. "Then don't miscalculate."
Without another word, Lyriss crushed the crystal in her hand. A blinding light enveloped them, and when it dissipated, the trio found themselves ten floors lower.
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[ System Notification: Floor Skip Activated - 10 Floors Descended. ]
[ Current Floor: 25th ]
Drakos cracked his neck causing the sound to echo in the cavern. "That's better. Now, no one can stop us."
Orlma raised an eyebrow. "Don't get cocky. We're ahead, but it doesn't necessarily mean we're alone. Stay sharp."
The three exchanged glances before continuing their descent.
...
...
The group continued to mimic the translucent spirit girl's actions hesitantly.
As the girl skipped through the floral terrain, she approached what looked like a dead end—a blocked-off area of rubble and overgrown vines.
She paused, glanced back at the group with a mischievous smile, and made a series of strange, flowing movements with her arms. It was almost like a dance.
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[ System Notification: Follow the Spirit's Movements ]
[ Hint: Imitate perfectly to unlock hidden paths. ]
Aria frowned, watching the spirit intently. "Everyone, pay attention. We need to copy this exactly."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Drask let out a groan. "Seriously? Dancing now? This dungeon's trolling us."
"Shut up and move, Drask," Aria snapped. "We didn't come this far to mess up now."
August watched the girl's movements carefully. The way her arms swirled and her legs stepped seemed almost rhythmic, as though tied to the mana-rich air around them. "It's not just random movements," he muttered. "It's a pattern."
"Let's just do it," Torin grumbled. "We don't have all day."
Each of them mirrored the spirit's flowing gestures. As they finished, the blocked-off area began to tremble. The rubble shifted and crumbled away, revealing a strange structure hidden beneath.
The ruins seemed to vibrate with power, glowing faintly as ancient carvings etched into the stone came alive.
"What in the world is this?" Viora whispered with wide eyes.
The ruins began to shift and morph, almost as if they were alive. Stone walls twisted, forming a large, rectangular room that radiated an overwhelming ancient energy. At the center of the room, a glowing projection flickered to life.
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[ System Notification: A Fragment of the Past - Watch the Memory. ]
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The group watched silently as the projection unfolded.
The spirit girl, now more vivid, was laughing and playing with a broad-shouldered man. His back was to them, but even from behind, his figure radiated majesty.
His long, flowing robes shimmered with gold, and a crown rested on his head.
The man reached down to the girl and his large hand gently patted her head. He then handed her a glowing object—a small, intricately shaped trinket resembling a flower.
"Who is that?" August whispered.
"No idea," Aria replied with a hushed tone. "But he seems important. Look at that crown."
The group watched as the projection faded with the man and the spirit girl vanishing into the ether. The ruins returned to their original, desolate state, leaving no trace of the scene they had just witnessed.
"Well, that was... cryptic," Gareth muttered while scratching his head. "Anyone wanna guess who Mr. Fancy Crown was?"
Aria's brows furrowed. "The Swordking, maybe? It's his dungeon, after all."
"Could be," August said thoughtfully, "but we only saw his back. He's definitely connected to the girl, though. That trinket he gave her—"
"Whatever it is," Torin interrupted, "it's important. Let's keep moving."
The group followed the spirit girl as she galloped forward with her translucent form glowing brighter.
She skipped through the ruins until she reached a pair of massive open doors. On either side of the doorway stood two colossal humanoid statues.
Their stone forms were over thirty feet high. Each statue held a massive weapon—a sword for one and a spear for the other.
The spirit girl passed through the doorway effortlessly as her laughter kept echoing.
However, as the group approached, the statues' heads turned toward them in unison and their stone eyes glowed ominously.
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[ System Notification ]
[ Warning: Intrusion Detected. Defend or Evade. ]
[ Hint: The statues are activated by the unworthy. ]
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Before anyone could react, the statue with the spear raised its massive hand and swatted downward with terrifying speed.
The air whooshed loudly, and the force of the swing created a shockwave that sent debris flying even before the spear reached its target.
"Move!" August yelled while activating Dash just in time to grab Aria and pull her out of the way.
The statue's hand smashed into the ground where she had stood, leaving a massive crater.
"Thanks," Aria said breathlessly.
"Don't thank me yet," August replied, glancing at the statues. "These things are level sixty-five. We can't beat them."
"Sixty-five?!" Drask exclaimed with widened eyes as the levels appeared above the statues' heads. "Are you kidding me? We're screwed."
"Not yet," Gareth said while raising his shield warily. "There's gotta be another way."
The group scattered, trying to avoid the statues' relentless attacks. Every step the statues took shook the ground, and their swings made it impossible to get close to the doorway.
"Anyone see a system notification or a clue?" Viora inquired with panic in her voice.
August's sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, desperate for something—anything—that might help them.
That's when he noticed it: a carving etched into the stone floor just a few feet in front of the statues. The carving was faint but unmistakable—it was the exact shape of the trinket the crowned figure had handed the spirit girl in the projection.
"There!" August pointed to the carving. "That trinket from the projection—whatever it is—needs to go there."
Aria followed his gaze and nodded. "But how do we get it?"
"I don't think we have it," August replied grimly. "Which means we either need to find it or figure out another way past."
The group exchanged tense looks as the statues loomed in the distance ready to strike again while the spirit girl's laughter echoed faintly in the distance.