Lynn didn't linger in the upper floors.
He found a secluded spot and used a teleportation point to head straight to the 10th floor. The monster strength here was moderate—perfect for an experiment.
"Nice place. Spacious enough to walk the dogs."
From the item pouch at his waist, he carefully withdrew the silver [Spirit Calling Bell]. The bell felt ice-cold in his hand, its engraved patterns seemingly thrumming with the magic of the stars. He gave it a gentle shake. A crisp, ethereal chime echoed through the cavern, carrying a strange, soothing power.
Next, he raised the [Lone Wolf Ashes] in his other hand. He funneled his Focus Points—or rather, his mana—into the bell.
Ding-aling—!
The chime rang out clearer and more melodious than before. Ripples distorted the air as three spheres of pale blue light manifested out of nothing, circling and elongating before him like ghost-fire. As the light dissipated, three semi-transparent giant wolves, radiating a white aura, appeared on the ground.
They were a size larger than ordinary wolves, their muscular frames sleek and brimming with power. Upon appearing, they didn't howl; instead, they quietly lowered their bodies, nudging Lynn's leg with their heads and letting out low, guttural whimpers.
"Hey there. Long time no see, boys."
Lynn couldn't help but grin, reaching out to pat the head of the lead wolf. His best companions from his early days of exploration—the brothers who had drawn boss aggro and created openings for him countless times—were back!
Just then, a dense sound of footsteps, like metal scraping against stone, echoed from the other end of the cavern. Lynn looked up, his gaze sharpening. Seven or eight humanoid monsters, pitch-black and phantom-like, emerged from the shadows. They had no facial features, only two crimson points of light flickering where their eyes should be, and they clutched rusted blades in their hands.
War-Shadows.
These weren't common monsters for the 10th floor. They were notorious for their speed, tricky attack patterns, and tendency to swarm. For rookie adventurers, they were a nightmare to deal with.
"Perfect. I'll use you lot to test the waters." Lynn smirked, reaching back to draw the Bloodhound's Fang.
Almost the instant he drew his blade, the three wolves instinctively shifted into combat mode. Without a hint of hesitation, they transformed into three blue blurs, pouncing from three different directions!
Awoo!
One War-Shadow had just begun to lunge at Lynn when it was tackled to the ground by a wolf. Razor-sharp spectral fangs sank deep into its neck. The other two wolves executed perfect harassment tactics, circling the group at high speeds, darting in for a bite and retreating instantly without overextending.
The War-Shadows' formation fell apart in seconds. They swung their weapons futilely at the slippery ghosts, a flicker of confusion appearing in their crimson eyes for the first time.
Now!
Lynn lunged forward, his feet propelling him like a shell from a cannon as he cut into the center of the fray. The Bloodhound's Fang traced a beautiful, bloody arc. Where the blade passed, two War-Shadows were cleaved in half, dissolving into black smoke.
"Good boys!"
Lynn praised them. With the three wolves drawing aggro, he didn't even need to worry about dodging or parrying; he could focus all his energy on the offensive. This feeling was, quite frankly, incredible.
Like elite hunters, the three wolves perfectly partitioned the battlefield, herding the isolated War-Shadows right into the path of Lynn's blade. In less than a minute, the entire squad was annihilated, transforming into pure Runes that surged into Lynn's body.
[Runes +1,600]
"Perfect."
Lynn looked at the three wolves with satisfaction. He walked over and patted each of them on the head, and they responded with affectionate nudges.
However, Lynn's attention was soon caught by something odd. At an inconspicuous fork in the path, the edge of a cave entrance showed clear signs of being man-made—it was completely inconsistent with the naturally formed rock walls around it.
"Hmm?"
Lynn raised an eyebrow. Why did this scene feel so familiar? He signaled the wolves to stand by and walked over cautiously. The cave mouth was pitch black, and a cold, damp wind blew outward. He poked his head in to see a narrow passage that twisted and turned, leading into the unknown.
"Another trial?"
Lynn muttered to himself, though it didn't quite feel like one. The cave here was bare, giving off a vibe that was both cheap and eerie. After a moment's thought, he decided to investigate. No risk, no reward—what if something good was hidden inside?
He followed the passage for about fifty meters until the space suddenly opened up. It was a small, dilapidated, and damp cavern. The walls were covered in moss, and the ground was pitted with puddles of stagnant water.
The cave was empty. No monsters, no Sites of Grace... except for a single, solitary wooden treasure chest sitting right in the center, looking as ordinary as could be.
Lynn's footsteps stopped instantly. His entire body went rigid.
Something was wrong.
This scene... this layout... this goddamn atmosphere... it was too familiar! He could almost smell a faint, greasy scent in the air—the signature aroma of a certain bald bastard. His backside even twitched instinctively, as if a large boot was about to kick him from behind.
"Patches..."
The name escaped Lynn's lips unconsciously—the man he loved to hate. A thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. Ranni had arrived, and she remembered everything. If so... what about the others?
Would the people he had encountered in the Lands Between also appear in this world in some form?
Lynn stared intently at the chest, trying to see through it. This thing looked like it had been placed here by Patches' own hands—an invitation dripping with malice and temptation.
He circled the chest twice, knelt down to inspect it, and even tapped it with the hilt of his sword. No lock, no strange runes—just a plain chest. But the simpler it looked, the more it set Lynn's nerves on edge.
"My intuition is screaming at me..." he talked to himself, brow furrowed. "This thing is either empty or a trap. There is absolutely no way it's anything good."
He knew the logic. But... what if? What if the "Old Bastard" had actually turned over a new leaf this time?
The cursed curiosity and gambler's mentality inherent to every Souls player began to claw at his mind. If he didn't open this chest, he felt like ants were crawling under his skin.
"Fine! Screw it!"
Lynn gritted his teeth, his resolve hardening.
So what if it's a trap? What haven't I seen before? How much could a simple chest trap actually do to me?
He took a deep breath, like an EOD technician defusing a bomb. He slowly reached out, placed his hand on the lid, and then—in one swift motion—yanked it open!
"Let's see what kind of game you're playing... Oh, crap!"
There was no gold or silver inside, and no monster jumped out. Instead, a thick, impenetrable cloud of white mist erupted like a burst dam. With a loud poof, it engulfed Lynn instantly!
The mist carried a strange, sickly-sweet scent. The moment he inhaled, the world began to spin—it was a Transporter Trap!
His vision was overtaken by pure white, and his consciousness began to fade rapidly. Just before he slipped into total darkness, he thought he heard a petty, snickering laugh:
He-he-he—
"It really is you, you bald prick... You just wait!"
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