”Kyaaaa-!”
The scream echoed in the tunnel as the huge body crumpled to the ground. It stood lifeless form slumping against the tunnel wall, its brain scattering around, pieces of flesh painted the wall dark red.
“Wha-“
Martin’s mouth was wide agape as if he had witnessed the most horrifying scene of his life. His mind raced with disbelief and horror as he stared at the grisly scene before him. The image of Carl, the person he had respected and trusted, lying lifeless on the ground shattered his sense of security and understanding.
Despair and fear gripped Martin’s heart as he struggled to comprehend what had just transpired. His thoughts whirled with questions and doubts, unable to make sense of the sudden and brutal attack.
Before he could utter a word, a figure emerged from the shadows, stepping forward with purpose. Martin’s eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the silhouette, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and dread.
“Who… who are you?” Martin stammered, his voice trembling with fear. “What is happening?”
The figure stepped closer, revealing himself to be the real Carl, his expression serious but with a little bit of annoyance, while holding the huge hammer in his hand.
“It was an enemy that took my appearance,” Carl explained, his voice low and steady despite the chaos around them. “We’re not alone down here.”
Just as Carl finished his explanation, the body of the imposter he had smashed began to transform before their eyes. Martin watched in horror as the once-solid form turned black, its flesh deteriorating rapidly.
A putrid smell filled the air, making Martin gag and cover his nose with his sleeve. Smoke started rising from the ground where the imposter’s body lay, curling upwards in eerie wisps.
As the smoke thickened, obscuring their view, Martin’s heart raced with trepidation. What horror would be revealed next?
Slowly, the smoke dissipated, revealing a gruesome sight. Where the imposter’s body had been, now lay a pile of bones and indiscernible flesh, twisted and contorted in a grotesque heap.
Martin recoiled in disgust, his stomach churning at the sight.
“Burghk-!”
Following that was a puke from Becky, as she witnessed everything. Martin didn’t blame her as he was about to do the same if not for holding it with every bit of willpower he had.
“We need to be careful,” Carl’s voice broke through the tension, his gaze scanning their surroundings warily. “There may be more of them lurking in the shadows.”
–SWOOSH!
But then, before he could say more, something flew through the darkness, aiming right into his eyes!
THUD!
Yet, with a fast movement, Carl’s arm moved, and his hand grabbed the projectile. It was an arrow, an arrow that was specially made.
“Hmm?”
As Martin and Carl turned to look at the angle from which the project came, they saw the girl Becky trying to clean the puke from his mouth.
Becky raised her head, wiping the remnants of vomit from her mouth with a shaky hand. “What?” she asked, her voice weak and confused.
Martin felt a chill run down his spine, his mind reeling with confusion and fear. He couldn’t discern who was real and who was not amidst the chaos and deception surrounding them.
Suddenly, a silhouette appeared beside Martin, causing him to startle. It was Becky—or at least, someone who looked like her. But this version of Becky was injured, her arm cut down and bleeding profusely.
Martin’s heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. “Becky?” he whispered, his voice trembling with uncertainty.
The injured Becky mumbled through panting breaths, her words barely audible. “This girl… imposter,” she gasped, her eyes wide with pain and fear. “But don’t… don’t say it… aloud… to not… alert it.”
Martin’s mind raced as he processed her words. His already unstable mind didn’t even doubt her words, seeing her injuries.
“Deal with….her secretly…I know…I can trust you….” Becky mumbled while retreating back to the darkness.
–CRACK!
But before anything else could happen, a sudden cracking sound echoed through the tunnel. Martin’s heart skipped a beat as a pillar of earth erupted from the ground right where the injured ‘Becky’ had disappeared into the shadows.
The ‘Becky’ let out a bloodcurdling scream as the earth enveloped her.
Martin’s eyes widened in shock as he felt a figure dash past him, the rush of air sending shivers down his spine. He turned just in time to see Carl’s hammer strike down on the exact spot where the injured ‘Becky’ had been moments ago.
“What are you doing?” ‘Becky’ exclaimed in surprise, evading the strike at one last second.
“Don’t let it fool you, Martin.” Carl’s cold voice echoed around the place while looking around. He raised his hand and utilized his trait once again while looking at where the silhouette was.
CREAK!
The ground once again cracked, creating a cage of earth to trap the girl.
“Heh….” Yet, suddenly, ‘Becky’s’ expression became twisted, her smile widening like a devil’s. “Kekekekekekekeke….”
She laughed loudly, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.
“Hope you will like my present~ After all, it won’t be the end.”
Martin’s blood ran cold as he watched ‘Becky’ transform into a clump of black flesh before their eyes.
Suddenly, Carl’s expression darkened as he sensed something amiss. Martin’s heart pounded in his chest as he felt the ground tremble beneath them.
RUMBLE!
His worst fears were realized as the ground began to crumble, sending them all tumbling into darkness.
“NO!”
Both Becky and him were falling, but they were somehow spread from Carl. The fall seemed to be long and dangerous, but just as the two could feel the dread, they felt a sphere conjured from Earth enveloping them.
Yet the crumbling was what was happening all across the tunnels on the western side of the mine, though not as serious as this.
*******
“Hmm….This is quite tiring…”
I mumbled while looking at the Magic Stones I had mined.
“Fourteen low-quality and one mid-quality.”
Counting the numbers, I calculated how much money I would make from this. Submitting some of them to the academy for grades was a must, but aside from that, I could just sell them.
As I finished my calculations, a sudden tremor ran through the ground beneath my feet.
At first, it was barely perceptible, but as I focused my senses, I realized that it was growing stronger by the second.
‘This…There is no way such a tremor naturally happens.’
I realized that this wasn’t a natural earthquake; it was something artificial from the findings. Then, again, I didn’t have any time to analyze it more since it was approaching rapidly.
Instinct kicked in, and without hesitation, I grabbed the defensive capsule provided by the Blackthorn’s. It was a special capsule to protect students in such situations, as neither the academy nor the Blackthorn’s could deal with another scandal.
With practiced movements, I activated it and stepped inside, sealing myself within its protective shell just as the ground beneath me began to crumble.
With a deafening roar, the earth gave way beneath me, and I plummeted into darkness as the tunnel collapsed around me. Rocks and debris rained down, pummeling the capsule’s reinforced exterior as I braced myself for the impact.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still as I hurtled through the darkness, the sound of my own heartbeat echoing in my ears. Then, with a bone-jarring thud, I slammed into the ground below, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of me.
“Haaaah….Haaaah…..”
Gasping for breath, I struggled to regain my bearings as the dust settled around me as I left the capsule.
The defensive capsule had successfully held up against the onslaught, shielding me from harm as the tunnel collapsed above.
The adrenaline of the life danger coursed through my veins, but I forcefully calmed myself down.
“Sigh….” Releasing a hearty sigh, I couldn’t help but feel a bit annoyed. First, I was trapped in a tunnel, and then I was buried in one of them. Standing up, I observed the place.
Brushing the dust and debris from my clothes, I took stock of my surroundings. The tunnel I found myself in now was different from the one I had been in before. Its ceiling was higher, allowing more space above, and the walls seemed to stretch further into the depths. There were no lights, but with Shadowborne, I was able to see in the dark as if it were normal.
However, as I examined the ground beneath me, I noticed something peculiar. Unlike the previous tunnel, which showed signs of recent activity with footprints and disturbed earth, this one appeared untouched.
The ground was smooth and undisturbed as if no one had set foot here in years. The mana traces around me were also saying the same.
‘An abandoned tunnel. Just what I need…..’
Shaking my head, I was about to move, but I suddenly felt something.
SWOOSH!
From the darkness, a silhouette appeared. Even before I could look at its outline, I was forced to dash to the right, utilizing my full speed.
SMASH!
The place I was in was smashed with debris rising. A silhouette revealed himself there from the debris.
It was our bulky military guy with his hammer in his hand. He seemed to be a bit tense for some reason, though.
“Calm down.”
I said, looking at him.
“Are you real?” He asked in response. His brown eyes looked cold, but he seemed to be doubtful.
“Real?”
‘Something happened that made him question me the moment he saw me. Something is messing with his senses? An illusion? No, that can’t be. I don’t see any traces of illusion with [Perceptive Insight], and I would like to know if he was in a dream or not. His body state tells me there is no such thing. Then, is there something else?
A clone? That can be possible. Did he encounter something that could copy other people’s appearances? If that is so, there is only one thing I need to do.’
As those thoughts flashed in my head in a second, I raised my hand and then looked at him.
“I am different from the other students. Something about me tells you about it.”
As I repeated the words he had spoken to me after we had sparred, he relaxed.
“I see….You are real.” He also seemed to understand what I had implied. Whatever he had faced, I assumed he didn’t have a long contact with it since it should appear in these tunnels.
“What happened here?” I asked, gesturing to the debris and the aftermath of the explosion.
“Sigh…”
And with a sigh, he started explaining everything that happened.
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