MTLNOVEL Chapter 4: CHAPTER 4: FIRST UNDEAD
(5 Minutes Later)
...
The dark clouds hung heavily above, and Ken's taxi bumped toward the Portal Dungeon.
Chilling air spread across the windows, forming strange, claw-like patterns that seemed to pulse with cold.
As they got closer, the blue light of the portal flickered on the horizon, casting a strange glow over the barren land.
The taxi driver squinted and muttered.
"You feel that, kid? It's getting colder the closer we get,"
The driver said.
Ken nodded, rubbing his hands together.
"Yeah, I noticed. What's going on?"
The driver tightened his grip on the wheel.
"That's the portal's aura. The colder it gets, the more dangerous the dungeon inside. This one's bad news, kid. People don't make it out of places like this unless they're careful."
Ken's heart skipped a beat.
"So the stronger the aura, the more dangerous the dungeon?"
He asked.
The driver glanced at him, unease flashing in his eyes.
"You better stay sharp kid. Not everyone walks out of dungeons like this."
As the taxi screeched to a stop, Ken's mind raced.
His feet crunched in the snow as he stepped out, his eyes drawn to the swirling, ominous portal before him.
It looked like a tear in reality, its glow pulsing like it was alive.
"This... this is incredible,"
Ken whispered.
"A real Portal Dungeon! "
...
Behind him, the driver cleared his throat.
"Hey, kid, you forgot to pay."
"Oh! Right!" Ken fumbled for his wallet and handed over a few bills.
The taxi drove off, leaving Ken standing at the edge of the portal.
A pair of black cars sat nearby, their engines running, as men in dark suits stood around, waiting for something.
Two scientists stood by the portal, their instruments buzzing as they monitored the aura.
One, a woman with sharp eyes, tapped her tablet and frowned.
"The readings are fluctuating,"
She muttered.
"This portal's aura is unstable."
Her younger colleague adjusted his glasses, anxiety clear on his face.
"Temperature's dropping faster than we thought. If this keeps up-"
"The portal could evolve or even worse,"
The woman finished.
"We need to alert the adventurers Guilds-"
...
Before Ken could think much of it, a loud voice interrupted.
"Hey, kid! You must be Ken!"
Ken turned to see a big man in shiny silver armor striding toward him.
He had a strong presence and a friendly smile.
"..."
"Yes, I'm Ken. Nice to meet you, sir,"
Ken said politely.
The man threw his head back and laughed.
"Ha! Just call me Grand! 'Sir' makes me feel old! Ha Ha Ha Ha-"
Before Ken could respond, a sharp voice came from behind Grand.
"Lying to a kid already, old man?"
Grand spun around, scowling.
"Hey! I'm only 56! Stop calling me old!"
Ken raised an eyebrow.
"56 isn't old?"
A young woman behind Grand smiled and waved at Ken.
"Hi, new member! Nice to meet you!"
Ken smiled back, a little unsure of how to respond.
Grand huffed in irritation.
"I wasn't finished talking!- ...never mind, you can continue."
The young woman grinned.
"I'm Sasha, a Healer. I'm 23, rank E+, and new, just like you. It's great to have company!"
Ken smiled, feeling a little more comfortable.
"I'm Ken, 18, rank E, and my class is Undead Master."
Sasha tilted her head.
"Undead Master? What does that mean?"
"huh? Old man?"
Grand gave Ken a sympathetic look and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, kid. I'll protect you."
Ken blinked in confusion.
"What's wrong with this old man?"
Grand cleared his throat.
"Now, let's get down to business. I'm Grand, class Paladin, rank D+, leader of this team from the Bukidon Guild. That's Cid rank E+, a Berserker, 20 years old."
Cid gave a lazy wave.
"Yo."
Grand gestured to a woman sitting by a campfire.
"That's Miya, Fire Mage, rank E+, 27."
Miya gave a quick nod, her eyes focused on the flame in her hands.
"And that's Troy, 19 years old, a Stalker rank E."
Troy, in a black cloak, barely acknowledged anyone.
Ken's mind raced.
"A Stalker? That sounds like an Assassin class..."
Grand clapped his hands together.
"Alright, everyone! Five minutes to get ready. We're clearing this dungeon."
Ken stood nearby as the team prepared. Sasha stayed beside him.
"So, Undead Master? Do you summon skeletons or something?"
She asked.
Ken smiled awkwardly.
"Kind of... but I'm not sure how it works yet."
Sasha's eyes lit up.
"I'd love to see it in action if we survive."
Ken swallowed nervously.
"Ye... Yeah, sure."
From the corner of his eye, he saw Cid smirk.
"'If' we survive. This dungeon feels like a time bomb."
Grand shot Cid a sharp look.
"Keep it together. Don't scare the rookies you spoiled brat!"
Troy's voice came from the shadows.
"He's not wrong... "
...
Ken shifted, adjusting his gloves to ignore the unease rising in his chest.
The tension in the air felt almost unbearable.
He glanced back at the portal, it's chilling aura pulsing like a heartbeat.
Sasha nudged him.
"You okay?"
Ken nodded.
"Just... nervous. This is my first real dungeon."
She smiled kindly.
"Everyone's nervous the first time. You'll be fine don't worry."
Grand's voice shouted.
"Listen up! Stay sharp. Don't underestimate this place. Portals like this can turn on you fast."
The team gathered by the portal, their breath visible in the freezing air.
Miya stretched her fingers, sparks of flame jumping between them.
Cid cracked his neck with a grin, looking eager for the fight.
"This'll be fun,"
Cid muttered, his grin widening.
Miya shot him a side-eye.
"You're too eager. That's how people get killed."
Cid replied,
"Mind your business."
Troy stood off to the side, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings.
Ken couldn't help but admire how calm they all seemed, even with danger lurking.
Grand pointed toward the swirling portal.
"Formation. I'll take point. Miya, stay back and use your fire magic to control the field. Sasha, keep everyone healed. Cid, Troy, flank when needed. Ken..."
...
Grand paused and gave Ken a reassuring nod.
"Stay close to Sasha. Observe and support when you can. Don't push yourself too hard kid."
Ken nodded, trying to ignore his fear.
"Understood."
The portal pulsed, pulling them in with its heavy energy.
The scientists exchanged worried glances, their voices tight with concern.
"We need reinforcements,"
One of them murmured, adjusting her device.
"This portal's aura is dangerously unstable."
"It's too late for that,"
The woman with the tablet replied.
"They're already going in."
...
(Inside Of Dungeon Rank ???)
As Grand led the group through the portal, the blue light enveloped them, and Ken felt a chill settle in his bones.
The world around him twisted as they passed through the portal's threshold.
When the dizzying sensation stopped, they were inside.
The dungeon was dark and distorted.
Jagged stone pillars stretched high, and mist coiled around their feet.
The air smelled of decay and something older, more dangerous.
"Stay close everyone,"
Grand ordered. His voice was firm.
"We move as one."
Ken glanced around, senses on high alert.
He gripped his sword, feeling the cold sweat on his palms.
"Kreeeeeeekkkkkk!"
Suddenly, a deep growl echoed through the dungeon.
From the suffocating darkness, a monstrous shape lunged forward, an Undead Spider with glowing red eyes full of malice.
The adventurers, moving as a group, braced themselves for the fight.
"Kreeeeeeekkkkkk!"
"Kreeeeeeekkkkkk!"
Then creature charged at them with terrifying speed, its beastly movements accompanied by an eerie, high-pitched screeching sound.
Grand's instincts flared up.
His eyes narrowed as he raised a hand.
"Wait! Don't engage! It's undead! We need to-"
Before he could finish, a man with double swords dashed ahead.
Cid grinned with excitement as he rushed forward.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
His twin swords gleamed in the dim light, flashing as he parried the monster's claws in a burst of sparks.
"Finally!"
He shouted, clearly thrilled.
CLANG!
"Let's go! Don't let my fun go to waste! Come on, be stronger!"
"Cid, you spoiled brat!"
Grand started to yell, but Cid was already in motion.
Dodging a swipe of deadly claws, Cid leapt into the air.
"Why are you... "
His swords spun, and in one clean swing, he beheaded the Undead Spider.
WHOOSH!
"So slow!"
He shoutedwith a smirk as the creature's body crumpled to the ground.
Breathing heavily, he turned to Grand with a wide grin.
"Hey, old man! What do you think of my fighting style? Good, right?"
Grand, unimpressed, folded his arms.
"Spoiled brat! You shouldn't rush in like that. These things are undead. You need to follow my command, I'm the leader of this team. If something happens to you, it's my responsibility. Got it?"
Cid shrugged, still amused.
"Yeah, yeah. Relax, it's dea-"
KRKK... KRKK...
Suddenly, the spider's body trembled violently.
A dark, red glow surged from its decapitated form, and its severed head began to twitch.
"What the…?"
Ken whispered, fear spreading across his face.
Grand's voice turned sharp and commanding.
"Get ready. It's not over!"
The Undead Spider's body surged forward, its claws gleaming with twice the power as before.
"What?!"
Cid's confident smirk vanished, his eyes wide with fear.
"I can't block it… I can't dodge… I'm done for!"
The massive claw raced straight for his head-
"SHIELD'S TAUNT!"
...
Skill: Shield's Taunt
Rank: D+
Info: A defensive skill that forces a targeted enemy to prioritize attacking the user over other threats. Highly effective against instinct-driven monstrums.
- Effect: Redirects aggro within a limited radius.
- Weakness: Ineffective on enemies ranked higher than D+. Intelligent monstrums or skilled adventurers with higher mental resistance can resist the taunt entirely.
...
A powerful shout echoed through the dungeon.
The spider's claws twisted mid-attack, veering away from Cid and slamming into Grand's raised shield.
CLANGGGGGG!
Sparks flew as the force of the impact echoed around them.
"You won't hurt them while I'm here!"
Grand roared.
With a mighty swing, he brought his hammer crashing down, shattering the spider into the ground.
SPLAT!
From the side, Cid held his chest, breathing hard.
"Puta!… I almost died!" (F*ck!... I almost die!)
...
They planned to move deeper into the dungeon, but Ken lingered beside the spider's remains.
A curious thought crossed his mind.
"Can I make this one become my summon?"
He placed his hand on the fading remains.
"Serve me."
...
A purple glow flared from beneath his palm.
Ken's eyes glowing with amazement
.
"Did it work? Did I... "
The spider crumbled to dust.
"…Did I really made it submit to me?"
Ken muttered.
"Ken!"
Sasha's sharp voice broke his thoughts.
"We're leaving!"
"Just a sec!"
Ken grinned, standing.
"I'll try to summon you later…"
He dashed forward to rejoin the group.
The path ahead grew too quiet and eerily.
Only the clatter of bones echoed, and no monsters appeared.
Grand's face grew dark with concern.
"We've been walking for six minutes,"
He muttered, half to himself.
"No monsters. Just that Undead Spider. Why?"
Miya broke the silence, her voice timid.
"Mr. Grand, why aren't there any monsters? What's happening?"
Cid groaned.
"This is getting boring, old man."
Grand suddenly stopped and turned, his expression serious.
Ken felt a knot tighten in his stomach.
"Leader… what's wrong?"
"Look around."
Grand motioned to the floor.
"Bones everywhere, but we've only fought one Undead. Listen carefully… In some rare cases, a dungeon boss eats its minions to grow stronger, but that only happens in a Red Portal Dungeon..."
Miya's eyes widened in fear.
"Wait… Are you saying this isn't a Blue Portal Dungeon?! "
Grand shook his head slowly.
"No, it's blue. We all saw it. But something's not right here."
Cid scoffed, crossing his arms.
"So what? Even if the boss is eating its own kind, we can still kill it. What's the big deal?"
Grand's gaze sharpened.
"You're right brat, we can kill it. But my job is to keep you all alive."
...
In the back, Troy remained silent, his eyes distant as if he weren't there at all.
Ken swallowed hard.
"A boss that eats its own to become stronger…"
He whispered to himself.
"I have a really bad feeling about this."
Sasha leaned closer to Grand, her voice trembling.
"Dad… can we really beat this boss?"
Grand placed a hand on her shoulder.
"We still have a vacation to Boracay Island tomorrow with your mom."
He smiled faintly, though his eyes remained grim.
"I'll make sure of it."
_________________________________________
MORE INFORMATIONS
Name: Grand
Age: 56
Class: Paladin
Rank Level: D+
Guild: Bukidon Guild
More Info:
Grand is the experienced leader of his team, known for his protective nature and commanding presence. Despite his age, he retains remarkable strength and resilience. He treats younger adventurers like family and emphasizes teamwork and caution over reckless bravery. His humor and fatherly demeanor often mask his deep concern for his comrades.
Name: Sasha
Age: 23
Class: Healer
Rank Level: E+
Guild: Bukidon Guild
More Info:
Sasha is cheerful, empathetic, and eager to prove herself. She is new to adventuring but has a natural talent for healing magic. She shares a close bond with Grand, who is her father.
Name: Cid
Age: 20
Class: Berserker
Rank Level: E+
Guild: Bukidon Guild
More Info:
Cid is impulsive, thrill-seeking, and fiercely confident in his combat skills. He wields twin swords with exceptional speed and power. His tendency to rush into battle without thinking often causes conflict with other adventurers, though his raw talent is undeniable. He's known for his smug attitude but respects strength above all.
Name: Miya
Age: 27
Class: Fire Mage
Rank Level: E+
Guild: Bukidon Guild
More Info:
Miya is quiet and focused, with a deep affinity for fire magic. She prefers observing her surroundings before acting and values strategy over brute force. Her calm demeanor contrasts with the explosive nature of her magic.
Name: Troy
Age: 19
Class: Stalker
Rank Level: E
Guild: Bukidon Guild
More Info:
Troy is enigmatic, silent, and highly perceptive. His class, 'Stalker', is belong to an assassin, specializing in stealth and critical strikes. He speaks only when necessary and rarely shows emotion. His cold, calculating nature makes him a dangerous combatant and an invaluable scout. His motivations and past remain a mystery to the team.
Name: Undead Spider
Species:Spider
Rank: E+
Type: Undead
Skill: Imitation
Weakness: Holy magic, fire-based attacks
More Info:
An aggressive, reanimating creature that remains dangerous even after decapitation. Often a minion of Undead bosses.