PERFECT REINCARNATION : Being Invincible in Another World-Chapter 79: The Stone That Awakens

The cavern slowly fell silent after the wolves were defeated. Only the faint dripping of water from the stalactites above remained, echoing softly through the underground chamber. The bodies of the Gloomfang Wolves lay scattered across the stone floor, their dark fur blending into the dim green light emitted by the glowing moss that clung to the cave walls.

Rowan stood still for a few moments, catching his breath. The fight had ended quickly. Sally stepped in, but the tension of the battle still could be felt in his muscles. He sheathed his sword slowly. "...That was insane," he muttered. Sally stretched her arms above her head. "...That was short." Rowan glanced at her. "...You knocked a wolf through a wall." Rowan rubbed his forehead.

Aurelion stepped past them and examined one of the fallen wolves briefly. His gaze moved calmly across the cavern, analyzing the terrain and the deeper tunnels stretching into darkness. The chamber connected to two different passages. One descended further into the dungeon.

The other curved upward slightly. Aurelion studied the ground carefully. "...Interesting." Rowan approached him. "What is it?" Aurelion gestured toward the floor. "Look closely."

Rowan crouched down. At first he didn’t notice anything unusual. The stone floor looked rough and uneven like the rest of the dungeon. But after a moment, he saw it. Thin grooves, Faint lines carved into the stone surface."...These look artificial." Aurelion said. "They are." Rowan traced one of the lines with his finger. "...Are these traps?"

"Possibly." Aurelion answered. Sally leaned forward. "...Where?" Rowan pointed. "Here."

Sally stared at the grooves. "...Looks like scratches." Aurelion nodded slightly. "They are scratches prolly." He stood up again. "Dungeons sometimes create natural traps as the mana within them alters the terrain." Rowan looked around the cavern again. "...So stepping in the wrong place could trigger something." Rowan swallowed. "...Good to know."

The group began moving again, heading toward the descending tunnel that led deeper into Gloomfang Hollow. The air grew colder as they walked. The mana in the dungeon felt thicker here. It pressed faintly against Rowan’s senses like invisible pressure surrounding his body. Sally walked ahead again, tapping the cave walls occasionally as she moved. "...This place is quiet."

"Yes," Rowan said. "Too quiet." The tunnel curved downward gradually. The moss growing on the walls grew dimmer here, forcing Rowan to rely more on the faint lantern attached to his backpack. The shadows stretched longer across the uneven stone floor.

Aurelion walked calmly behind them, his gaze constantly scanning the surroundings. They had traveled only a short distance when Rowan noticed something unusual ahead. "...Wait." He slowed his pace. Sally stopped.

Rowan pointed toward the ground. A section of the tunnel floor looked different. The stone there appeared smoother. "...That looks suspicious." Aurelion stepped forward carefully. He studied the area for a moment. "...Good observation." Rowan felt a small sense of pride. "...So it is a trap."

"Most likely." Aurelion crouched slightly to examine the stone surface. But before he could say anything further— Rowan stepped forward.

A deep rumbling echoed through the tunnel. The stone beneath Rowan’s feet suddenly shifted. "...Oh no." The ground collapsed. Rowan dropped. "AH—!" He fell several meters as the stone floor gave way beneath him. Dust and debris filled the air as chunks of rock tumbled into the newly opened pit.

Rowan landed hard against the ground below. Pain shot through his shoulder as he rolled across the rocky floor. "...Ow!" Above him, the opening in the tunnel ceiling revealed Aurelion and Sally standing at the edge of the collapsed section. Dust drifted down around them.

Rowan groaned as he slowly pushed himself up. "...I hate traps." Sally looked down at him. "...You triggered it." Rowan glared upward. "Yes, thank you for the helpful observation."

Aurelion leaned slightly over the edge. "Are you injured?" Rowan flexed his arm cautiously. "...No." He moved slightly. "...Just bruised."

The pit he had fallen into was not extremely deep. Perhaps four or five meters. But the tunnel below looked different from the one above. The air felt colder.Rowan picked up his lantern and held it higher.

The light revealed a narrow cavern passage stretching into darkness. "...I think I found another level." Rowan said. Aurelion studied the opening for a moment. Then he jumped. He landed beside Rowan effortlessly. Sally followed a moment later, dropping lightly to the ground like a feather. Rowan looked around the lower cavern. "...This definitely wasn’t on purpose."

"No," Aurelion said. "But it is useful." Rowan blinked. "Useful?" Aurelion pointed down the newly revealed tunnel. "This section likely connects deeper into the dungeon." Rowan sighed. "...Of course it does." They began moving cautiously through the lower tunnel.

This passage was narrower. The stone walls looked rougher, almost jagged in places. The moss here glowed faintly purple instead of green, casting eerie shadows across the cavern floor. Rowan felt uneasy. "...Something feels different." Aurelion said quietly. "The mana density has increased." Sally sniffed the air. "...Something is nearby." Rowan tightened his grip on his sword. "...Monsters?"

Before anyone could answer—

A loud roar echoed through the tunnel. The sound shook the cavern walls. Dust fell from the ceiling. Rowan froze. "...That’s not a rat." Heavy footsteps echoed through the darkness ahead. Something large was moving toward them.

The tunnel ahead trembled slightly with each step.Rowan raised his lantern. A massive shadow appeared at the far end of the passage. Then the creature stepped into the light. Rowan’s eyes widened. "...What the hell is that?"

The monster resembled a giant lizard. Its body was covered in thick stone-like scales that reflected the faint purple light of the cavern. Its claws were massive, each one capable of tearing through rock. But the most terrifying feature was its head. Jagged stone spikes protruded from its skull like a crown of blades.

The creature’s glowing yellow eyes locked onto them. A low growl rumbled from its throat. Aurelion recognized it instantly. "...A Stonejaw Basilisk." Rowan swallowed. "...That sounds bad." The creature roared again and charged. The tunnel shook violently as the massive monster rushed forward. Rowan raised his sword."...This is very bad."

The basilisk lunged. Its massive claws crashed into the stone floor where Rowan had stood moments before. The impact shattered the rock. Rowan barely rolled out of the way in time. The creature’s tail whipped through the air, slamming into the cavern wall with a thunderous crack. Stone fragments exploded across the tunnel. Rowan scrambled back to his feet. "...Okay!" He shouted. "...I officially regret falling down here!" The basilisk roared again and prepared to attack.

Rowan braced himself. A flash of silver crossed the cavern. Aurelion stepped forward. His sword moved once. The blade cut through the air like a streak of lightning.

For a moment nothing happened.

Then—

A deep crack echoed through the tunnel. A glowing line appeared across the basilisk’s neck. The creature froze. Then its massive body collapsed. The head separated cleanly from the body as the monster crashed to the ground. Silence filled to the cavern. Rowan stared.

Aurelion calmly wiped the blade of his sword before sheathing it again. "...That was enough." Rowan looked at the enormous corpse lying across the tunnel floor. "...You killed it in one hit." Rowan slowly turned toward him. "...You could’ve done that earlier." Aurelion diverted. "...Perhaps." Rowan groaned. "...I hate this dungeon."

But deeper within Gloomfang Hollow, something had heard the basilisk’s final roar. And it had begun to awaken.

[To be Continued]