I stare at myself in the mirror, then turn to see my reflection in 3 different angles. The first thing that comes to mind is the thought of someone staring back at me from the other side.
It may be an overly paranoid assumption, but it feels pretty reasonable to me right now.
The only break I get from the nauseating sight of mirrors infinitely reflecting my image back to me is a heavy metal door on the 4th wall of the small room.
It has no handles or keyholes. It’s sealed off completely, most likely locked from the outside.
I activate conceal to hide all my skills and odd items except for my fire magic and blade handling skills. I’m back into Association territory, it is best to stay on my best behavior.
Thick red liquid continues to drip from my chest and abdomen. I have a few pretty deep wounds, and my HP bar is slowly ticking down as I lose more blood.
I uncork the HP potion in my left hand and drink it at once, still looking straight at myself in the mirror to my right.
I feel the cool green liquid start to heal my wounds, but it mostly just regenerates my HP. There’s still severe visible scarring and it’s painful to the touch.
A quick self regeneration would heal me up fine, but I’m still unsure If I’m being watched. It’s better if I save using any suspicious skills for another time.
I squint my eyes and step closer to the mirrored wall on my right side. Less than half a meter away from the reflective surface, my gaze darts back and forth, then I activate my All-Seeing Eye.
The moment I turn my ability on, the pain in my head returns and I’m hit with an unsettlingly claustrophobic feeling. All I can sense is the room I’m standing in. The walls around me are shielded off with dense mana thicker than I can perceive in my weakened state.
I cut my skill off before my headache gets any worse, and let out a sigh.
This all makes sense, but it’s a bit nerve-wracking…
Fisher did say if I were to transport here while touching a monster, it would come with me. The Association must have safety precautions to keep whatever transports in here contained until dealt with.
I gulp, then bring my hand up to the mirror before me and knock on the glass.
An odd sound rings out.
It’s a combination of a muffled buzz being interrupted by each tap and a light echo following.
My gaze tightens even more and I place a finger up against the mirrored wall. It looks like my index finger is touching my reflection exactly, there’s no gap at all…
This is much different from my mirror back home.
I bring my hand away from my reflection again, then ignite a small flame in the palm of my hand. It burns dark red, and the area of glass nearby begins to glow slightly, like the light is shining through.
I clench my jaw and look around, then yell out loud.
“Hey… I know you’re watching! W-What is this place…?”
My head begins to spin as I piece everything together.
This much be a trap.. right?
I’m in a mana-shielded cell with a 2-way mirror on every side.
I curse under my breath.
“This is the Director’s doing isn’t it.”
Gritting my teeth and ignite my whole arm into dark flames, then reach down to grab my sword.
I charge the remaining few hundred MP into an attack and start to run at the silver door at the back of the room. I’m filled with annoyance and anger, and can only blame myself for dropping my guard and just blindly transporting to wherever this crystal took me.
What was I thinking….
I begin to swing my sword at the silver door, but before I can release an attack, I hear an unfamiliar voice ring out from all directions within my tiny cell.
It’s a man’s voice, but it’s very soft and calming.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jay. Please, do calm yourself down. I’ll open the door for you momentarily, there’s no need to break it down.”
“…”
I stop mid-swing, looking up at the ceiling.
“Who are you…? What is this place?”
There’s silence for a few seconds. I leave my sword charged and aimed at the heavy silver door.
*Click*
It swings open towards me.
I take a step back, still keeping my sword locked straight ahead as I hear the same soothing voice that echoed throughout the room come out of the door.
“I wasn’t expecting company so soon, it seems you were rash enough to face the 20th-Floor Boss just like the director predicted. He’s really never wrong.”
A tall pale-skinned man with thin black-framed glasses and short silver hair walks out from behind the door.
He’s wearing a long dark purple cloak, with black pants and shiny dark-colored boots. If I had to guess he’s not more than 30 years old.
The young man greets me with a genuine smile and looks me up and down before putting out his right hand for me to shake it.
“Nice to meet finally meet you in person, I’ve been hearing all about you. The names Leo.”
I examine him closely, activating my Inspect and Appraisal skills while still pointing my flaming sword straight at his chest.
_________________
[Lv. 308]
Active Items:
[Enchanted Cloak] +103% Mental Strength
Active Skills:
Artificer [Legendary Grade]
__________________
My gaze tightens even more as I concentrate on the interesting individual in front of me.
He’s a much lower level than me, but has a legendary skill, Artificer… I’ve never seen anyone with this ability before.
The man speaks up again, turning his body to let me see down the hallway that stretches out through the open door.
It’s long, with dark walls, and is dimly lit…
“Come on, I won’t bite. Let me take you up to the surface. I have a few things to fill you in on after all.”
I gulp, watching him pull his hand back and shrug as I continue to point my flaming sword upward now pointing straight at his head.
“You still haven’t answered me. What is this place…? Where am I…?”
The man tightens his gaze on my sword, then looks down at the floor covered in my blood. He lets out a thin nervous smile, then it evolves into a chuckle before he responds.
“We’re in the Association’s HQ, right in the center of the capital.”
“…”
“I assume you used one of my transport crystals. I’ve heard stories about the 20th-Floor Boss, but never made it past the 15th floor myself. I’m more of a craftsman, an Artificer actually-“
I cut him off as a few things begin to piece together in my mind. I take a step closer.
“Your transport crystals? What do you mean by that?.”
He nods, gulping, and motioning for me to move the sword away from his neck while continuing to eye the floor covered in my blood.
“I really mean you no harm, Jay. As I said, I’m from the Association, same as you. We’re on the same team here. It looks like you were bleeding badly, do you need anything else before we make our way to the outside world?”
My eyes continue to dart around as he shows me the open door behind him again with a genuine lock of concern for himself and possibility even me as well.
I thrust my sword down to my side and put out the flames. He gives me a friendly smile and starts walking out the door while motioning for me to follow.
“To answer your question, those transport crystals are made in my lab. I’m the only Legendary Grade Artificer in the Vice region, after all, I tend to create a few neat gadgets and custom items for higher-ups and Elites at the Association.”
I continue to listen and carefully walk through the heavy metal door of the mirror-lined room as he continues.
“I was going to meet you and your team tomorrow, but it seems we’ve met earlier than expected. Funny how things work out sometimes isn’t it?”
I shrug, resting my sword on my side as the heavy door shuts behind me.
I follow the cloaked man down a narrow black hallway. There are white lights that shine down on us from the ceiling every 10 meters or so, making it dim and shadowy, but not dark enough to the point where I have trouble seeing.
To my left and right we pass many locked silver doors, just like the one I came out of.
None of them are labeled with any numbers or text, and they’re all locked from the outside.
Our footsteps let out light echoes through the long narrow hallway, and my breathing begins to slow down the further we walk.
This man wasn’t lying about his class, he’s definitely not the combat type… There only thing that irks me is his connection to the Association. I’ve never seen these halls before, this place gives me an eerie feeling.
I continue to follow him in silence until we make it to the end of the corridor and arrive at a large elevator door.
The purple-cloaked Artificer taps his ID against the small sensor next to it and the silver double doors open up immediately. The card has an Association logo and a “C-Class” marking on it.
He steps inside and motions for me to follow.
“Let’s head upstairs, we’re pretty far down. This may take a while.”