Chapter Sixty-Six: The Mysterious Warrior

Dazzling white light streamed from the door, stabbing painfully into my eyes and rendering me blind for a moment. My whole body was seized by an immense force, dragging me irresistibly forward, almost as if I flew through the doorway.

Once my vision returned, I found myself within a vast cavern carved into the heart of a mountain. Steep stone walls encircled me, and before me stretched a boundless sea—not of water, but of seething magma. The molten rock undulated endlessly, and across this lava sea stood a towering wall of stone, with a fissure spilling forth a relentless flow of magma. Instinctively, I pulled out the token; it blazed with a brilliant red light.

Suddenly, the sky dimmed; clouds pressed low. The heavens seemed veiled in a thickening gray mist, swirling and spreading. In the distant west, sparks lit the horizon, merging with the churning sea below so that the boundary between earth and sky vanished.

Amid this chaos, a patch of fiery red cloud appeared overhead, swelling larger and nearer, rolling and surging. The magma was whipped up, the ground heaving like storm-tossed waves. Yet where I stood, all was strangely calm—volcanic ash and gravel flowed gently beneath my feet, the air thickened only with faint, dirty winds, and the earth trembled ever so slightly; no monsters lurked in sight.

I knew this was the omen of an approaching storm, one whose terror defied all imagination. No matter how strong or swift a player might be, escape was impossible. Worse yet, this was only an ordinary storm; there was no retreat.

Dragonwar reacted instantly, grabbing me to his chest, then turning to face the coming storm head-on.

The true horror of the storm lay in its heat and wind. Anyone caught in it would be swept away, blinded by volcanic ash, eventually buried alive, their health draining until, finally, suffocation sent them back to town.

The storm struck with sudden fury. Sand and ash battered our faces; though Dragonwar shielded me, some grains still stung like knives. The storm devoured the world, plunging everything into darkness. My vision faded to black; opening my eyes was futile. Even Dragonwar couldn’t manage it, much less I.

At first, the roar of wind and sand echoed like a low, heavy breath, then swelled louder, like thunder rumbling from afar, as if countless ancient beasts cried out in unison, armies charging, waterfalls plunging straight down, the tempest raging without end.

Dragonwar knew he could not falter; even a moment’s weakness would mean both he and his master would be sent home. The volcanic ash and scorching heat were unbearable. Dragonwar’s legs were gradually buried in ash and gravel, then his waist, then his chest disappeared.

His hands wrapped tightly around me, and I watched his life force drop steadily. Whether he could withstand the storm seemed doubtful.

Another violent gust swept over us, and Dragonwar was finally swallowed whole, buried deep beneath the sand and ash...

———

I had no idea how much time had passed. The sky had darkened, the ground transformed into a desert of sand, while the lava sea still steamed with heat, magma churning within. The sand stirred, and a head emerged, followed by a person crawling out.

Once free, I collapsed onto the sandy, ash-laden ground, gasping for air, coughing violently. I fumbled for my water flask, drank deeply, then swallowed a potion. I had narrowly escaped death, thanks entirely to Dragonwar’s sacrifice.

Sitting atop the sand, I couldn’t imagine what would happen if a whole group of players tried to explore these depths—perhaps less than a hundred survivors out of tens of thousands.

Dragonwar, my summoned beast, had exhausted his life and entered slumber. I stared blankly at the token, gazing over the endless lava sea. Just as I caught my breath, the magma before me began to surge.

My nerves tightened; I resolved to gamble once more and investigate, regardless of what monster awaited me. At worst, it would be a boss—after all, I was the first to venture here. If I died and lost a level, so be it.

A figure emerged from the magma. Soon it became clear: it was a dragon, enormous and fire-red, over sixty meters long, its wings spanning nearly a hundred meters. Compared to this creature, Dragonwar was utterly insignificant. The dragon soared to the massive stone wall and coiled upon it, its glittering eyes fixed upon me.

Fire Dragon, ? Level
Boss.

Damn! Damn! Damn! The gap was astronomical—a boss with its level marked only by a question mark, meaning it was far beyond mine. Even a hundred Dragonwars combined would stand no chance.

“Finally, you've arrived. I've waited a long time for you. Brave adventurer, your journey here proves your strength and courage!” The Fire Dragon breathed heavily, addressing me, “Now, answer me a question, will you?”

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation.

The Fire Dragon grinned, then asked: “Borrowing the sun to shine, circling the earth day and night, if the earth blocks the sunlight, children point to the sky and ask their parents...”

“So, tell me, what natural phenomenon is this called?”

“Lunar eclipse,” I answered without delay. The Fire Dragon nodded with satisfaction, flicked its long claws, and said, “You possess some knowledge. You’re already a qualified warrior! Come, receive your final trial.” As it finished, the token flashed red, illuminating the fissure in the stone wall, and a mysterious suction drew me inside.

The atmosphere within was eerily strange; not a soul could be seen. Only a long staircase slanted upward to an unknown destination.

I ascended and entered a grand hall, ablaze with torchlight (not electric), resplendent with gold. A wide red carpet stretched from the entrance to a sacred throne at the front. The medieval palace covered at least ten thousand square meters. The walls were adorned with murals of demons and monsters, their forms animated by the flickering light as if ready to leap from the walls.

Looking up, I saw upon the altar at the front a person seated—clad in fiery red armor, his face concealed by a dragon-headed helmet, a long spear resting against the wall beside him.

Instinctively, I gripped my staff; this figure was either an NPC or a boss.

He rose and said, “You finally made it in! I’ve waited so long for you.”

The voice was male, strangely familiar, as if I’d heard it somewhere before. I replied, “Who are you, and why did you say you were waiting for me?”

The man in red armor answered, “Because I summoned you here. You’re the person I’ve been searching for, but whether you’re the one I hope for, I still need to verify.” With that, he picked up the spear, gripped it, then hurled it at me in a sweeping arc. The distance was at least fifty or sixty meters, and I dove aside.

With a thunderous crash, the ground erupted in a crater. Such power—no doubt this was a boss.

“Well done! You managed to dodge my spear. Not bad,” he said, then dashed forward with uncanny speed, appearing before me in an instant. I instinctively feinted for an attack, but he slapped my shield, shattering it in one blow.

I knew I was finished. This boss was more ferocious than any I’d encountered, and there was no way I could handle him. Yet something was off—bosses weren’t supposed to speak, and the voice sounded familiar... Suddenly, a jolt shot through me, and I retreated rapidly.

He summoned the spear again, preparing to strike a third time. I shouted desperately, “Wait, I have something to say!”

The spear’s tip hovered at my throat. He said coldly, “What do you want to say? I’ll give you one chance.”

Steeling myself, I cried, “Your voice... Why does your voice sound just like mine?!”