"Next time, I'm staying in bed. No matter what happens, nobody's allowed to wake me up!" I muttered, trailing behind Titan and Leah as they led the way down yet another dimly lit corridor.
I'm saying this again, why?
Well, my legs were jelly, my head was pounding, and I was pretty sure that if I had a stamina bar and looked at it, it would just laugh at me.
[System Response:
Stamina at 7%. Please consider sitting down before you fall down.]
"Shut up," I hissed at the system, earning a glance from Leah. Did this system seriously just created that out of nowhere?!
"What's with you and talking to yourself all the time? Maybe you're dehydrated?" she asked, her tail swishing in amusement. I have a feeling that amusement is because she thinks I've gone coo-koo in the head...
Seriously, what is wrong with this woman?? I don't remember doing anything bad to her! Why she has such malice towards me? (;°□°)/
Ahead, Titan walked forward, his glowing eyes casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. It was comforting, in a weird way, to have a walking tank on your side. Too bad he didn't talk. Or maybe that was a good thing, considering the sass I already got from the system and Leah. And judging by how he acted back at the shrine from before? I have a feeling he'd be worse actually...
The corridor opened into a sprawling cavern, its ceiling glittering with what looked like glowing crystals.
"Ooh, shiny," I said, craning my neck to look up. So shiny... I wonder if I can sell those?
So, the thing with me is, I love shiny and beautiful things. And that up there? It's both! It sparkles, it gleams, it practically sings to me.
I must have it.
I don't care if it's perched on a mountaintop, guarded by dragons, or at the bottom of some bottomless pit—I'll get it! Just try and stop me.
I find myself reaching out dramatically, voice dropping to a hushed whisper as I mutter, 'My precious...'
*Ahem*
Yeah, maybe I went full Gollum for a second there, but you don't understand—it's so shiny! (☆∆☆)
I was about to grab some after dugging it out with my trusty new sword when Leah's voice came up behind me.
"Focus, and stop being creepy" Leah snapped, already scanning the room for threats.
I sighed and stood up. "You're no fun." It would've been fun if there was another one in this world like me! Then I would have a buddy to play with!
Wait, the system said I wasn't the only one with a system here. So it's possible!
"No, I'm *alive*. There's a difference." Leah said, dragging my thoughts back to reality.
I will go find you! I thought dramatically, already making up my mind.
Titan raised a gauntleted hand, signaling us to stop after he just dug out some of the glowing crystals.
See? I'm not the only one who likes shinies~ (*^▽^*)
"What is it, big guy?" I asked, stepping closer. Maybe it's another shiny stuff?
He pointed to the center of the room, where a massive treasure chest sat on a raised platform.
"Oh, come on," I groaned. "It's never just a chest, is it?" That's gotta be a trap, or another mimic! Better inspect it with the help of the system first!
Leah grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming. "Only one way to find out."
Before I could protest, she darted forward, her nimble kobold frame easily avoiding the obvious pressure plates.
"Leah, wait!" I yelled, but it was too late.
The moment her claws touched the chest, the ground shook, and the ceiling crystals flared brightly. A deep, guttural roar echoed through the cavern as the chest morphed into a monstrous mimic, its lid splitting into rows of jagged teeth.
"Why am I not surprised?" I muttered, drawing my sword.
Leah dodged the mimic's snapping jaws, flipping backward with infuriating ease.
"Well, this is your fault," she said cheerfully, landing beside me.
"How is this my fault?" I demanded. Why is everything my fault now?!
"Just cuz." She said with a shrug.
Before I could argue, Titan charged in, his massive frame slamming into the mimic. The creature screeched, its slimy tongue lashing out and slapping against his shield.
"Ew. Just... ew," I said, grimacing.
"Stop gawking and do something!" Leah yelled, already darting back into the fray with her daggers.
"Fine, fine," I muttered, activating Spore Cloud again. As usual, the glowing particles swirled around the mimic, clinging to its slimy exterior.
It roared, thrashing wildly, and I couldn't help but smirk. "How's that taste, huh?"
Apparently, it can understand me and it didn't appreciate my commentary, because it lunged straight at me.
"Why do I talk?" I yelled, diving out of the way.
Titan intercepted it, his sword slicing through the mimic's tongue with a sickening squelch. Leah took advantage of the distraction, her daggers finding purchase in the creature's softer underside.
I scrambled to my feet, channeling Frostbound Aura. The temperature plummeted, and frost crept along the mimic's slimy body, slowing its movements.
"Leah, aim for the core!" I shouted, spotting a faint glow inside the mimic's gaping maw.
She nodded, flipping over the creature with practiced ease. Her daggers plunged into the glowing core, and the mimic let out one final, ear-splitting screech before collapsing into a puddle of goo.
"Ugh," I said, wiping mimic slime off my boots. "Why is this dungeon's mimic so gross? Last mimic I faced had arms and legs and this one only had a very long tongue to fight with." Is there a difference between the monsters in a dungeon? I'm pretty sure the shrine I went to was also a dungeon, what's the difference?
I felt a stare besides me and saw Titan looking back at me, maybe he'd tell me if he could talk.
Leah shrugged, already rifling through the remains. "Maybe it changed cuz it hates you?"
Titan went forward towards the remains of the mimic and handed me a small, glowing orb he'd pulled from what was left behind.
"Another loot drop?" I asked, holding it up to the light.
[System Notification:
Acquired Mimic Relic. Unknown effect. Please handle with caution. Riddle will be given when dungeon run is finished!]
"Great," I muttered. "Another mystery item. Just what I needed." Atleast it's a relic, that's good enough.
"Quit whining," Leah said, pocketing a few shiny trinkets. "We're not dead, so I'd call this a win."
I sighed, trudging after her as we moved toward yet another tunnel.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just hope the next room doesn't try to eat us."