Dual System: Ascension of A Nameless Nobody

He was keeping careful watch of the map, making sure they weren't losing their way.

"It's only an hour more," he finally spoke up, looking up from the map, "Besides, I'd prefer to just walk the distance anyway. We're going to make it early, and I like being in control of my movement."

"As cautious as ever," Korain smirked.

"Ain't he?" Archie laughed.

Surprisingly, there weren't any monsters of note on their path to the marked location on the map besides practically harmless slimes and scaled newts that were less than half of any of their levels.

[Feeble Slime | Level 5]

"Think it's worth killing any of these things?"

As Korain posed his question, he nonchalantly kicked one of the translucent blobs of blue gel, causing it to bounce over the dirt trail like a bouncy ball.

"I'd bet against it," Archie said, "though, I think I'll take one of these sticky fellas!"

"'Take one'?" Korain watched him.

He stopped for a moment, tucking the map under his coat as he watched, "Right, you haven't seen it yet, have you?"

"Seen what?" Korain asked.

"Archie's unique System," he replied, folding his arms over his chest.

Korain raised an eyebrow, opting to stay silent and watch for himself as the golden-haired Australian manifested his trusty net into his grip.

"--Easy does it!" Archie said.

With a clean toss, the net was launched directly over the blue slime just as it had stopped its bouncy movements, being ensnared as the webbing of the net shrunk until fully capturing the creature.

"What exactly did I just witness?" Korain asked.

Archie smiled, retrieving the net and allowing it to dematerialize again, "Added that one to my 'Reserve'!"

"Huh," Korain let out, "Wasn't there a game based off of something like this? Ya know, that pocket monstro-whatever one?"

"Yeah, well, I stopped questioning stuff like this a long time ago," he said, continuing to move as he took the map out again.

"Same, honestly–too much weird crap out there now," Korain sighed out, scratching his head.

Venturing down the trail, they wound up within a closed-off valley, secluded by walls of stone that seemed carved unnaturally, but were laden with overgrowth.

The path became narrow as smooth walls of stone now neighbored their path, walking up carved steps that led up and into the interior of a cloud-inhabiting mountain.

"Damn!" Korain said sharply, swatting his shoulder.

"Huh? What is it?" He looked back, leading the way.

Korain huffed, swatting a cobweb that was in his path, "There was a huge spider on my shoulder–no, seriously!"

"Haha! Critters ain't out to getcha, mate," Archie laughed.

"You say that, but damn thing was the size of my palm," Korain huffed, glancing over his shoulder.

He looked forward again, "Let's just be happy it's not rats we're dealing with."

"You can say that again," Korain agreed.

"I feel like I'm missin' something here," Archie said.

"Don't ask," the other two said in unison.

Reaching the top of the staircase tucked away within the exterior of the mountain, they arrived in a cleared chamber within the colossal mass of rock; it was kept lit by torches hung on the overgrowth-clung walls.

"Is this really where we're supposed to go? This place looks abandoned," Korain asked.

He sighed, "Have some faith in my navigation skills."

"Yeah, well, you brought us straight to a place out of Indiana Jones," Korain glanced around.

Archie laughed, "It ain't that dusty, izzit?"

Though he realized just from a short time walking through the temple embedded into the mountain that it wasn't some abandoned place left to be consumed by nature. The walls weren't dirtied with dust or cobwebs, but instead carved with designs of dragons.

It was certainly archaic, but it was nothing that was long since left to decay; where they were was a renowned domain.

"…This place definitely isn't abandoned," he spoke his thoughts out loud.

"Yeah, I was starting to think that as well," Korain agreed, "torched, clean walls…it's well-maintained."

Archie was mostly in his own world, gawking at the critters that did make their way into the temple, capturing them with his special net, though Korain looked disturbed by the fact that the young man happily caught arachnids.

He kept his guard up, venturing down the ancient corridor as a passageway was seen and illuminated at the very end.

"Woah. Pretty awesome," Korain noted.

What the ponytail-wearing man was commenting on were the draconian statues that inhabited the spot between the columns of the hall, standing tall and uneroded throughout time.

"Seems like they really like dragons around here," he muttered.

At the end of the corridor, a steep incline of old steps awaited. It reached high, bringing them through a passageway that led to further steps. There were no railings as these steep platforms continued reaching higher, and no walls or flooring existed within the vast in-between chamber.

"…Mighty long fall under us, huh?" Korain said.

Below the stairs there was only an abyss in which words seemed to echo on for an eternity into the void.

"Don't look down, mate. First rule," Archie told him.

"Human curiosity is a funny thing," Korain replied.

Each step they took echoed with harrowing reminders of just how large the area was, and how dreadful a fall would be. Though a fall was nearly impossible for the red-haired assassin due to his natural agility and balance.

He was the first to reach the summit of the steps, to which an entrance with a threshold designed like the wings of a primordial dragon awaited.

"...Seriously, where did you bring us?" Korain mumbled under his breath.

He glanced back, "Hey, if you know a better way, speak up…"

"Nope. Lead the way," Korain waved his hand.

Into the doorway he walked, entering through it as the air immediately shifted; what was once shallow air, thin of oxygen, was now bountiful and rich.

The chamber that sat at the summit of the mountain-interior steps was of grand scope, loomed over by a colossal statue of a dragon, carved of pale-gray stone that stood as tall as a skyscraper.

"--" He looked around in quiet surprise.

There were already other players present in the room, though most seemed absent of any companions–which wasn't all too surprising, considering the current predicament he found himself in.

A quick scan around the room found varying levels, though most were in the mid-twenties, some even reached into the thirties, and a couple were in their forties.

"...Though we were early," Korain said, standing beside him.

He responded quietly, "Yeah. Guess we weren't the only ones with that idea."

It looked as though everybody was waiting for "something", though nobody knew truly what it was they were waiting for, only that the "Advent Dawn" event was slated to arrive at the turn of noon.

"Yo! Firehead!"

"--!"

Such a nickname called by a rough voice was unmistakable to his ears as he immediately looked to the side, confirming it with his eyes. The scar-covered member of Gangcheori was approaching from the right.

"Yeong-Un!" He called out.

Korain was caught in surprise too, "Hot damn! You didn't bite it!"

The spiky-haired young man chuckled, shaking the hands of the two and giving them a short embrace, "--'Course I didn't bite it! Do ya know who yer talking too?!"

As they caught up, there was still little known between them about the nature of the Advent Dawn, or what they were actually waiting for. Though it was a relief enough to him to have found another of his lost friends.

"Have you been alone? Pretty rough out there," Korain asked, leaning against the wall.

Yeong-Un huffed, "Well, for the most part, yeah. I came here with another guy–he ain't my friend or anything, honestly–he kinda rubs me the wrong way."

Pointing out who it was, Yeong-Un directed his finger across the room, pointing out the stoic, quiet man who kept to himself with his arms folded over his chest, possessing unique, rainbow eyes.

[Guozhi | Level 44]

"Level forty-four? You were traveling with somebody like that…?" He asked.

"We were just walkin' in the same direction, really," Yeong-Un exhaled.

He scratched his head, "We've got to be careful. I've seen it myself already, but people are pretty desperate. I can't blame them, considering the kind of threats are out there, but…it seems like they'll do anything to get extra experience."

"Yeah–cowardly runts," Yeong-Un sighed.

"A bit harsh, mate," Archie laughed.

It had been something he didn't want to mention, but it felt like now was the time, with Yeong-Un returning and the other two not being mind-numbingly drunk any longer.

He glanced at Korain, "...Sorry, I didn't mention this yesterday, but…I ran into Baek-Hyeon."

"You what–?!" Korain reacted in shock.

"...That bastard?" Yeong-Un clenched his fists.

Korain rubbed the bridge of his nose, "You didn't tell me that? That's kind of a huge deal, you know?"

He was a bit annoyed by the fact that the man even asked that as he looked up at him, furrowing his eyebrows, "...Excuse me for not telling the one who was in an alcohol-induced coma about how I almost died."

Korain swallowed his words, averting his gaze, "You're, urr, right. Sorry."

After settling that, he continued while the attention of his companions was tightly held on him in the event of such news, "I had a short encounter with him. Obviously…It wasn't the smart thing to do, but I was seeing red."

"Can't blame ya," Yeong-Un said.

"Same here," Korain added.

Meanwhile, Archie didn't have much of an understanding of the context of this "Baek-Hyeon" fellow, so he stood nearby and gazed into his reserve through a small marble he held.

"But yeah, he's here. Which…I don't have to explain why that's a bad thing," he scratched his head.