The beast Info appeared about it.
[Name: Salamrage (C-Rank)]
It's jaw widened. Showing its jagged teeth the size of daggers. Then it snapped, lunging to gnaw at Retnan but he rolled away perfectly timed. By an inch the beast missed and crashed into the wall.
Retnan took the opportunity and scrambled to his feet. His ribs screamed. He ignored it and ran.
The ground trembled beneath his feet. Loud stomps echoed from behind. When he looked over his shoulder. The lizard-like creature was back on its feet, charging towards him.
Shriek!
Retnan looked straight ahead and scanned for a way out. He spotted one and ran towards it.
At the pathway, a figure stood in the shadow, wearing armor that glimmered in the dungeon's dim light. At their hip was a sword. The figure leaned against the wall, watching Retnan run towards them.
As Retnan got closer, he was relieved. Rather run towards a strange knight than a beast.
He slowed down to glance at the face. She didn't wear a helmet. Blonde, long hair packed in a ponytail. Blue eyes with white lashes.
Arms crossed. She didn't flinch or turn to look at the person who passed her. Just focused on the beast. With a dead stare.
Retnan stood behind the strange woman.
Attempted to get her attention, but she was too focused.
"Can you kill it?"
"..." No reply.
Retnan looked at the beast still charging towards them. The tremors grew closer. Its tongue whipped out.
For his own safety. He took a step back, just in case this knight only had a death wish. But after studying her he was sure she could handle it. Her confidence didn't waver.
'Let's see what she can do.' So he didn't run. Waited to watch the scene play out.
The beast skidded to a stop. Its crimson eyes landed on the knight. It didn't charge like it sensed something. It made sounds to scare her off. She remained still, holding a bored expression like she'd seen far worse.
Retnan was impressed. 'So much confidence. How strong is she?'
Still, the beast grew enraged. It shrieked and widened its jaw to devour her.
Then she made her first movement. Pushed off the wall and reached for her blade. She gripped the hilt and mana began to flow from her palm to the steel color. Icy blue.
Her blade sang out smoothly, revealing well-crafted steel. Its colour was steel blue, matching her aesthetic.
She swept her blade through the air and a cold wind washed over Retnan. The temperature dropped drastically. His breath fogged. His sweat crusted.
Ice spread out from where she stood. The walls and floor were covered in tiny crystals.
The beast, seeing her mana output, tried to retreat.
"Glaciem-craft: Ice Crescent," she whispered.
With a single swing, ice formed a large crescent. It whistled through the air and sliced the beast's head off cleanly. The headless beast staggered forward before crashing to the ground. The sound rang through the dungeon's structure. Dust billowed where it fell.
Retnan's eyes widened. Just a single swing. It was now clear why she hadn't even flinched while he ran for his life.
She turned around, facing Retnan. Her eyes gauged him from head to toe.
How dirty he was disgusted her.
The silence became awkward. Retnan adjusted his gown and straightened his spine. "Thank you for the save. Knight in shining armor." He bowed slightly.
She didn't say anything back. Her brows furrowed instead. "Pathetic," she said at last.
"...Rude."
"Rude? I'm calling you what you are you pathetic fool!"
Retnan rolled his eyes. He would have shot back, but he didn't know his way out. So for now he'd use her to get out of here and not act impulsively.
"I don't mind you insulting me." Veins bulged on his neck. "Just point me the way out of here."
The knight scoffed. "For breaking the law of Avalon. You're going to jail for a year. Hope you rethink your life choices there."
"Ehn? Why? What's my offense?"
"Stop acting like you know nothing. I still don't understand why you perverts risk your lives to sneak into Avalon. There are literally other lands where men are allowed. So help me understand."
'Wait did I spawn in a place men aren't allowed? Why didn't Mava tell me?' Retnan realized why she looked at him with disgust. She thought he was a pervert.
"I'm from another world. I was in a hospital when a goddess sent me here." He held up his hospital gown as evidence.
"A goddess?" She looked at the strange cloth he wore. Not convinced at all. "...Do you think I'm a fool? To believe such lies."
"Believe me or not, I'm telling the truth. I don't even know my way out of this place." Retnan gestured around.
"You're still going to serve your jail time."
She walked towards Retnan. He didn't run. He stood tense, watching her approach. Running was a bad idea anyway the dungeon was filled with beasts he stood no chance against.
The knight stopped before him, sword in hand. She was taller than Retnan. His head barely reached her chin.
Retnan didn't flinch. They stared at each other.
"Don't resist arrest. I can increase your sentences." She moved fast aimed the hilt of her sword at his neck.
His instincts screamed. Retnan ducked. The hilt swept over his head. Without a second wasted he took to his heels.
In one smooth motion she ran after him, grabbed his arm, and swept him off his feet.
Retnan tripped to the ground. Tried to push himself up but the knight pinned him down, resting her knee on his back, holding his hands behind his back.
He struggled. But his weak stature couldn't overpower a knight.
"I'll warn you again resist and I'll increase your sentence," she whispered into his ear.
Retnan headbutted her nose. But her grip didn't even loosen. Like it was nothing. He looked over his shoulder and saw crimson running down her nose. She wiped the blood off.
"Trespassing Avalon. Assaulting a knight. Your sentence is increased to two years."
She reached into her side pocket and pulled out a rope.
'I can't let her take me to jail. I'll die there. I have to escape.'
But no matter how hard he tried to force himself up, her strength was superior.
She pressed his head against the cold ground to keep him in place. There, he noticed something and stopped resisting.
A magic circle on the ground, but it was faint, almost invisible. But with a closer look, it emitted a faint mana glow.
That's when he got an idea. He gathered his strength and rolled his back touched the magic trap and it activated. Glowed.
She grabbed Retnan by the collar, about to evade the trap. But the world around them collapsed into a void.
In the next instant, they appeared in what could only be described as a temple. The place was spacious. Pillars supported the tall ceiling. A series of staircases led up to a statue of a veiled woman carrying a child with a sword sticking through her heart. It was creepy.
It was the main dungeon. The knight knew immediately. She yanked Retnan's collar. "You absolute piece of—" She stopped herself. Let go of his collar. "Pardon my behavior."
Retnan stared at her blankly. "No… problem."
"I was avoiding triggering the main dungeon until my team arrived. And you just rolled on it."
"I did it intentionally because you were trying to arrest me for an offense I didn't commit intentionally."
She looked at him. Annoyed. Then stood to begin surveying the temple. "Let's just hope I can protect the both of us. So you can serve your jail time."
The temple was empty. Retnan and the knight were the only ones present.
Then the air felt heavier. Thicker. The ground trembled. Retnan dropped down like gravity had doubled.
The knight held her ground, eyes locked on where the overwhelming presence was coming from.
A huge door appeared dark mana pooled around it, the color of blood. The hinges creaked as it opened. And a wave of heat washed the room.
Touch at wall lit themselves.
The knight gripped her sword tighter. Retnan pushed himself up, scanning for another exit. There was none.
A mighty golem stepped out. Six horns. Six hands. Each gripping a massive sword each blade far larger than a human size. It whipped its tail, smashing a pillar. The stone crumbled. Dust billowed through the entire room. It roared so loud Retnan covered his ears from the deafening sound. The force of the roar cleared the dust around it.
[Name: SixHorned Golem (S-Rank)]
Then its eyes of fire landed on the knight.