Standing before the white door, Merlin was not exactly sure how to feel. He was nervous, that much he'd confirmed, unable to look at neither his roommates' nor sister's way. He couldn't help but wonder if he was really going to do good.
Another sigh escaped his lips for like the umpteenth time.
"Chin up," Kim Minji said from his side. Her mouth was quivering, but her facade of being composed was expertly done. "We'll be fine. Let's just do our best."
I hope so… Merlin wanted to say, but he'd been called a killjoy enough by Hakyun already. He smiled instead.
"Sure," he replied simply. Kim Minji nodded with a smile of hers. Merlin wondered if he had read her wrong the past day. She seemed like a sweet person now that he was not overwhelmed by friendship proposals.
Well, enough of that. He inhaled deeply and exhaled. He needed to compose himself.
Professor Jung fiddled with her smartwatch for a few seconds more, then she cleared her throat, and, finally… "Begin!" she voiced.
Merlin swallowed dryly, his fists clenched as he watched the white door slide open, its glowing blue edges even brighter than they had seemed from where he was still seated a minute back.
When it opened fully, all he could see was an empty space within, black like a void. He had to step into that, he thought, expectant of how the whole experience would feel.
Kim Minji moved, and he put his thoughts away. He walked in.
Surprisingly, there was no erratic spin or any of the sort. It was simply like he had gone from his sitting room into his bedroom. What disoriented him, though, was that the void-like space he had seen just a second ago was nowhere to be found. He had not blinked, but he had not even noticed his scenery change. It baffled him so much that he could not stop his lips from pushing to the side slightly.
Crazy…
They had stepped into what seemed to be an ancient stone chamber, lit dimly by blue flames in a few sconces mounted from the walls. Three separate paths branched out from the center of the room, where a ceramic altar stood, a sword laying on top of it. And, just beyond it, set into the alcoves of the far wall were five stone knights, each with their hands clasped tightly around the hilt of their own swords driven into the ground. Unlike the one on the altar, though, which seemed to be quite real, theirs was made of stone just like them.
The whole place carried an eerie chill that crept under Merlin's skin, sending shivers down his spine.
But it seemed Kim Minji had it worse. She looked pale.
I guess she's meek… Merlin sighed. If he left her that way, getting out before the time limit would prove difficult.
"Hey," he called out. Kim Minji turned to him. "Mind if I speak to you casually?" The girl nodded rapidly, her hands holding each other and pressed close to her face. "Alright. I understand. You're scared. I'm scared too. But it's just a simulation. No matter what happens here, it won't affect us once the test ends. So let's just do our best, okay?"
Kim Minji looked away for a moment and heaved out an exhale. She loosened the tension plaguing her body and nodded.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I was just…"
"No need to explain. I get you." Merlin smiled. "On the other hand, we have to figure out how to escape. I counted while the others took their tests, and we have about two to three minutes to discuss before the Dungeon starts reacting to our presence. We should use it wisely."
"I understand," Kim Minji replied.
"Good. One minute has passed already. Now, to the more important thing. Do you know how others escaped?" Kim Minji shook her head. Merlin licked his lips and approached her. "I'll whisper it to you."
This was the only way he could find out where the mana concentration was the highest in the Dungeon. He could only hope that the girl was just clueless on what was being done, not how it was being done. Otherwise, they were screwed.
"Wait! Really!" Kim Minji exclaimed, her eyes widening. Merlin nodded. She chuckled as though disappointed in herself. "I didn't realize it was something as simple as that."
Merlin's head jerked back slightly as a beam of hope hit his heart.
Did those words mean that she could do it?
"Yeah," he continued. "Some of us are better in practicals than theory, so don't beat yourself up about it."
Kim Minji nodded. "I'll search for the exit then."
Merlin sighed. She had even offered to do it herself. He couldn't be more happy about the turn of events. It seemed all would go well. Once she found the exit, then they would proceed towards it before the Dungeon woke.
He was still relishing in his relief, hands on his waist, when a mechanical beep—the sound of a notification—flashed through his head. Merlin frowned. He knew he was not with his phone, so he instantly realized that the notification was from the System. The problem was, since receiving the absurd Lying Mage Quest from it, he had been wary about its beeps.
There was no way the thing would toy with him during his test, right? There was only one way to find out.
System… he called inwardly, and it appeared, bearing its messages.
[Conditions for creating a Quest has been met]
[Quest: Dungeon Raider has been created]
[Quest Description: Escape from the Dungeon within the timeframe given]
[Quest Timeframe: 31:40]
[Quest Reward: Random Loot Box]
[Accept quest?]
[Yes]/[No]
Merlin's heart tumbled. Really? A Quest during his test?
He read through the message again. This seemed like nothing besides a jackpot. Because, unlike what had been asked of him from the Lying Mage Quest, this was favoring him. He would be getting a loot box for just taking his test like he was going to either way. It felt like all those 'win a million by clicking this link' scam. But there was no reason for him to reject it.
As he was about to mentally reply, Kim Minji yelped, startling him. His attention snapped to her.
"What's it?" he asked, concern in his voice.
Kim Minji had paled again, and in her cerulean eyes was a certain fear that Merlin could only attribute to someone that thought there was no hope for them. She clutched her hands once again.
"Everywhere," she said. "It's everywhere."
Everywhere?
Merlin was so confused. But only for a moment. After all, there was only one thing she could be giving him an answer to, and in such a cryptic way.
The mana sensing had gone wrong? Did she not know how to sense it? No. It was not that. She sensed mana, it was just everywhere.
Why would it be everywhere, though? Merlin's brows pulled in. A second later, he came to a conclusion.
His gaze flashed towards the statues of knights and how still they were.
He should have known. A Quest in this situation? There was no way it was anything good. He did not have much of an idea on how the System functioned with Quests, because it had not been present in The Dungeon Mage. But it seemed it was anything but friendly. The Quests would never be easy. The System would tamper with the Dungeon simulation and make it dangerous if he accepted the Quest.
If it was left to him, he might have taken on the risk either way. He wanted to get stronger, and the loot boxes would do just that for him. But Kim Minji was here. He had to consider her wellbeing.
He returned his attention to the System. Merlin clenched his chin and was about to reject the Quest when the timer for the Dungeon simulation to start appeared on his smartwatch. However, that was not what had halted him. It was the System itself.
[Time given to make a choice has elapsed]
[Quest: Dungeon Raider has begun]
[Quest Description: Escape the Dungeon and its knights within the timeframe given]
[Quest Timeframe: 30:56]
[Quest Reward: Random Loot Box]
What is this? Merlin felt his whole world spin. I did not accept the quest. What is this? Hey! What are you doing?! Aren't you meant to listen to my input?!
"M-Merlin…" Kim Minji called, backing towards him. "I thought the professor said that there would be no monsters? What are we to call those?"
Merlin's head creaked slowly in the direction of the alcoves near the altar. The knight-statues were creeping towards them.
His heart caught in his throat.
What was going on here? He was losing his mind. Was he to fight them? But he was not battle ready. Wait. The simulation. It was a simulation, right? They would not be harmed, right? And even if they could, considering how the System had tampered with the simulation, they just had to find the exit. There was no need to fight. Yes. That was the way to end the Quest too.
And even if they could not find the exit, they could just wait out the time. Let it run down. Losing a few points was better than taking a risk at dying, was it not?
The sound of a notification beeped in Merlin's ears then. The System modified the message before his view.
[Quest: Dungeon Mage ongoing]
[Quest Description: Escape the Dungeon and its knights within the timeframe given]
[Quest Timeframe: 30:56]
[Quest Reward: Random Loot Box]
[Penalty For Failure: ???]
Blood flowed into Merlin's head.
A penalty?! He was screwed. They had to escape by any means.
"Hey, Merlin!" Kim Minji yelled, grabbing him by his arm, her body shivering so much that he too began to shiver. "What should we do?!"
Why was she asking him? Wasn't she a Mage herself? Couldn't she think for herself?
No. No. He shouldn't think like that. This was his fault. This was happening because of the System. He had to take responsibility.
But first…
Merlin clenched his chin. "Run!!"
###
Professor Jung's expression crumpled as soon as Merlin and Kim Minji materialized within their Dungeon. Nora did not fail to notice this.
"Hey, Yiseo," she called to the girl seated by her side. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"What?" Kim Yiseo asked with her abnormally cold voice.
Nora nudged her head in the professor's direction. "She seems nervous."
Kim Yiseo let her eyes peruse Professor Jung from head to toe. She then frowned. "You're right," she said. "She's tapping on her watch so much, like she's trying to cancel something."
At that moment, a loud yelp resounded through the simulation room. Nora's attention was reeled in like a fish by a hook towards the projection. Kim Minji looked like she had seen a ghost. What made Nora's brows fall, though, was that her twin brother had been staring forward as though in a daze.
The System? She came to a deduction. Why would he be looking at it during his simulation?
"Everywhere. It's everywhere," Kim Minji said, plunging Nora into further confusion, along with the rest of the students in the room.
Everywhere? Nora thought. The mana concentration? That should be impossible. Unless… She glanced at the Professor again, who was now biting on her lower lip. Then she recalled what Merlin had told her about the System and its quests. Is it tampering with the simulation as a quest for Merlin?
Nora's body turned cold. This was bad. Very bad. She clenched her fists, biting her lower lip as well. Kim Yiseo glanced at her, noticing the change in her body tics. But said nothing, and instead turned to look at the projection with furrowed brows.
Then the knights moved from their alcoves and all hell broke loose. Those watching in silence could not take it anymore.
"Professor!!" A boy shot to his feet, pointing at the projection. "Those knights are moving! Is this part of the test?!"
Professor Jung glanced over her shoulder. She could clearly see the unease of the students in their gazes, but still, nothing had changed in the Dungeon simulation. Nora realized then that it was beyond her powers to correct. It was definitely the System's doing. That thing was weird. She'd always known.
"M-Merlin…" Kim Minji's voice came clearly through the speakers despite the ruckus that had ensued. "I thought the professor said that there would be no monsters? What are we to call those?" When she got no reply to her question, she grabbed Merlin's wrist, panicking. "Merlin! What should we do?!"
Professor Jung gave up fiddling with her smartwatch at that moment. She turned fully to face the students.
"You all should sit down," she said with no trace of authority in her voice. She was worried. "I'll take care of it."
"Eh?! They're Mages, aren't they? Let them battle it out." Those were the words of a boy with curly brown hair, watching the projection without a care in the world. Everyone turned to him, some with scowls, most surprised. He had a condescending smile on his face. Nora didn't like him.
"You aren't allowed to make such remarks, Choi Sangook," Professor Jung replied. "Any more of that nonsense, and I will deduct points from your Cohort." The boy made a zipping gesture over his lips, still wearing his smug smile. "The rest of you, sit down, please. This outburst won't do anything useful."
The students clenched their chins and fell to their seats. Professor Jung approached the white door then, and tapped her smartwatch. Once. Twice. Three times. Nothing happened. She rubbed the rims of her glasses, and tapped the smartwatch again. Still nothing. She blanched.
Nora's heart was pounding faster now, her lips pressed even more tightly together, as she dragged her thumb's fingernail over her skin.
What could she do? Was there anything she could do but watch? This was really bad.
Her eyes fell upon Merlin's roommates and their expressions gave her an idea of what she was probably wearing. That only worsened her mood, because now her right foot had begun to quiver rapidly.
"Professor?" A girl seemingly noticed Professor Jung's plight. "What's wrong, professor?"
The simulation room became silent and stuffy. It was like all the air had been sucked into a vacuum.
Merlin's loud scream spread through the simulation room at that moment, and so did Professor Jung's…
"Run!!"
"Fuck!!"