Warning: Mention of Death
"Blair, Hazel. We need to head to the lower levels of the dungeon."
"What? Are you insane?! Haven't you seen what happened to Hazel when she went there?"
Blair retorted. On the other hand, Hazel seemed to be contemplating my suggestion.
"We do need to save Hazel's partner... Also, if more students head to the lower levels, more of these transformations will happen."
"You..."
The next few seconds were an awkward silence.
"I agree with Y/N. We should go to the lower levels"
Blair stares at Hazel like she was crazy.
Blair huffs and folds her arm.
"If you suggested that, you must have some sort of plan already?"
"Well... first of all, we should recount the events that happened before Hazel's transformation."
I look towards Hazel.
"Well... I remember setting up a campfire with my partner and resting after defeating some monsters..."
She paused for a while before continuing.
"We were boiling some of the water we got from a lake in the dungeon to cook... After a few minutes, we were getting ready to go deeper in.. then, my partner disappeared and I blacked out after a wave of immense pain."
"The water. Which lake did you get it from?"
"Huh? I'm not sure. It was my partner who got the water..."
I narrowed my eyes. The water... could it be...
"Let's head to that level then. Just make sure not to drink the water. I'd like to confirm a theory."
We get ready to set off, and Hazel leads us to a shortcut.
Arriving at the level, it looks completely different from the cave-y dungeon at the upper levels. It had grass and trees, even a 'sun' in the 'sky'.
We head towards a lake. I stare at the suspicious water. It looked normal... but I can't confirm that.
"ROAR!!"
It's another monster..! Could it be Hazel's partner?
We rush to the sound, only to see a huge mutated wolf.
It had a red aura, and seemed to be in pain.
This must be the same case as Hazel's...
I draw my sword and aim right for the parasite. This time though, after destroying the parasite, the wolf explodes.
"...!"
I leap back from the explosion. The smoke dissipates, and we see a burnt body on the ground...
"That... is he... dead?"
I glance over to Hazel apologetically.
"That... that isn't my partner."
Huh?
"He's too tall for that. Judging from the size of the corpse... it must be a senior..."
A senior student... now he's... dead...
"Tsk. So you know about the parasite..."
We hear a voice from behind. We turn to see a male figure in a hood. He takes off his hood, which makes Hazel gasp in surprise.
"He-he's... Xander..."
"Hazel...? You're... human?"
I furrowed my brows. This guy must be her partner. However, he seems to know something about the parasite...
The guy seems annoyed to see Hazel as well..
A group of monsters emerge from behind the guy. They all have red auras, yet the auras seem even more concentrated...
I draw my sword and get ready to attack.
"Y/N.. what are you doing? We're supposed to save him...Y/N...?"
The guy sends his monsters to attack us. I attack the parasites, but they aren't destroyed as easily as the wolf's or Hazel's.
"Ah, ah... You remember what happened to that wolf, yes? By destroying the parasites, you'll trigger the self destruct bomb I implanted in them. They are students too, would you really kill them?"
"Tsk... playing like that?"
"Xander... why...?"
"Hazel. Don't take it to heart. I just need to get rid of you for her plans."
"Who...?"
Xander's gaze lands back on me.
"It's unfortunate that you had to discover how to get rid of the curse. It was the only way I could keep Hazel alive without her getting in the way."
"It seems I have no choice now. I'll get rid of you... personally."
Xander gulps down a suspicious potion... His heartbeat became rapid. His eyes turned red, and an aura envelops him, except this time it's black. He grows claws on his hands, and wings on his back.
He lunges forward with his new claws.
"Hey... Who do you think you are to attack my servant?"
Elise appears in front of me, her fire magic forming a barrier in front of her, blocking the attack.
"Elise...! Wait up!!"
Alisa follows behind her. How did they find us here?
"I'll burn you down for even trying to touch her..."
"Haah... ha...ha... this power... you..."
Elise summons her fire blades. Her eye twitches and the fire blades behind her multiply.
"I'm gonna kill you..."
She fires her blades down on Xander, even though the blades stab and burn him, she doesn't stop.
"Elise... that's a little too much..."
She continues firing. His body starts melting, but she doesn't stop.
"Argh...! It burns... it burns! Haah..! Ha...ha..."
His words die down along with him.
"Elise.. you.. you actually killed him..."
Elise turns around and wraps her arms around my waist.
"I won't let anyone touch you.."
She nuzzles her chin into my head.
"How did you find us...?"
"That doesn't matter."
A little suspicious, but okay...
"Uhm... can we focus back on the current situation...?"
Hazel interrupts.
"Ah, right... we still have to find out the truth... but Xander's dead so I guess we can't interrogate him..."
I walk towards to burnt corpse of Xander. I notice a glass tube containing the same liquid he downed before transforming. I pick it up and examine it.
This must be the cause of the transformation...
[Host. This is a concentrated solution of the Dungeon Lake Water.]
Concentrated solution... We need to find the source of this water... Over many years, students should have been using this water, but for this to happen recently... there must be something affecting the water...
I began following the flow of the water in the lake.
"Y/N? What are you doing...?"
"I'm finding the source of the water."
Blair tilts her head but follows behind me, with everyone else following after.
Elise overtakes Blair and walks beside me, grabbing my hand and intertwining our fingers.
We continue heading on before reaching a waterfall.
[Host. The source lies behind the waterfall. After destroying it, you will find the truth of the dungeon.]
We head on behind the waterfall. Inside it was a lab...? It had piles of papers on a table, shelves of colourful concoctions... even a crafting table.
Behind everything, a bright red crystal stood shining. This must be the source... it has so much dark energy in it... it's overwhelming....
"Y/N... Are we supposed to destroy it...?"
"Is that even possible? It's so... huge."
I walk towards the crystal and place my palm on it. I can feel it. The crystal feels... alive.
"Alisa... could you try using your light magic to destroy the crystal?"
"Huh...? Sure..."
She casts a light beam at the crystal, which leaves a small dent in it...
"It didn't work...?!"
I was about to retract my palm, when the crystal suddenly started reacting...
"...?!"
I couldn't retract my arm. I tried to pull myself back, but I couldn't.
"N/N!"
A light illuminates the cave. When I look back, a strange white cat was in front of me. Behind it was a black cat. Both cats had red eyes. That was when I realised the crystal had been destroyed.
The cats climb up my arms and the white cat wraps its tail around my arm while the black cat settles on my head.
[Oh, it seems the cat distribution system has chosen you, Host.]
This isn't the time to be joking?! Also, what about the secret of the dungeon?
I grasp my head when I feel a surge of memories passing through me.
"Amilie, I'll save you. Just wait."
....
"It's been 10 months since the project. I created this crystal, soon, the water here will be ready for the next phase..."
....
"How many more do I need...? I've turned countless students into monsters... how many more do I have to turn for you to be satisfied, Amilie?"
....
"I did it! I found a solution!! We can finally be together.. my dear Amilie..."
....
"Amilie... the Albrecht family found out about my project... they want to stop me... nothing can hold us back, I will get rid of their daughter..."
....
"Amilie... I've done it. I've done as you said... I fed the souls of those students all to the crystal... it's larger now... Will you finally come back to me?"
I groan. These memories... they belong to the researcher here...
[Host has completed a quest. Congratulations. Rewards have been delivered to the Host.]
I black out not long after.