Chapter 10: I Found A Dungeon

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: I Found A Dungeon

One of the older guards frowned.

"Going hunting again at this hour?"

Kyle shook his head.

"I just want to confirm something."

Seeing the serious expression on his face, the guard wisely chose not to ask any further questions.

Kyle quietly stepped beyond the village gate and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

----

The moon hung high above the night sky, its pale silver light filtering through countless layers of leaves.

The forest was far quieter than it had been during the day.

The chirping of insects echoed from every direction, while distant howls occasionally drifted through the trees.

Kyle moved with practiced ease.

His footsteps were nearly silent as he navigated through the undergrowth, avoiding dry branches and loose stones without even looking down.

Years of hunting had made traversing the forest as natural as breathing.

After nearly half an hour, Kyle gradually slowed his pace.

He recognized this area.

This was where he had briefly noticed the strange structure earlier.

He carefully looked around.

Nothing, only trees. Bushes, and scattered rocks.

"...Was I really seeing things?"

He muttered quietly.

Just as he was about to turn around.

A gap between two enormous trees suddenly revealed something impossible.

Moonlight reflected faintly against smooth white stone.

Kyle immediately froze.

His breathing became heavier.

"...So I wasn’t hallucinating."

He slowly stepped closer.

The trees gradually parted before him, revealing the mysterious structure in its entirety.

It was a magnificent stone hall standing alone in the middle of the forest.

Unlike the crude wooden buildings of his village, this structure was constructed entirely from enormous blocks of polished white stone. Massive pillars supported the roof, each carved with intricate patterns that resembled flowing vines and mythical beasts.

Despite being surrounded by wilderness, there wasn’t a trace of moss or weathering upon its walls.

It looked... Perfect.

As though it had only been completed yesterday.

Kyle stared at it in stunned silence.

"...What an incredible building."

His eyes slowly swept across every detail.

Even though he had never visited a large city before, he instinctively knew that constructing something like this would require an unimaginable fortune.

"No ordinary noble could afford this..."

He whispered.

His hand instinctively rested upon the hunting knife hanging at his waist.

Remaining alert, Kyle cautiously approached the entrance.

The massive doorway stood wide open.

No guards.

No servants.

No signs of human activity.

Only silence.

After hesitating for several moments, he slowly stepped inside.

His footsteps echoed softly against the polished stone floor.

The interior was surprisingly spacious.

Towering pillars stretched toward the ceiling while moonlight streamed through narrow openings high above, illuminating the hall with an ethereal glow.

Yet, the entire place was empty.

There were no rooms.

No furniture.

No decorations.

Nothing, only an enormous stone hall.

Kyle frowned.

"This place..."

"...Why is there nothing here?"

He slowly walked deeper inside.

At the far end of the hall stood a massive structure resembling an ancient stone doorway.

Unlike the entrance he had just used, this doorway wasn’t open.

Instead, it resembled the mouth of a cave carved directly into solid rock.

Darkness filled the passage beyond it, making it impossible to see what lay inside.

Kyle’s heartbeat gradually accelerated. His breathing unconsciously became heavier.

He had seen something similar before.

Not personally, but in the stories told by traveling merchants and wandering adventurers.

His pupils slowly contracted.

"...Don’t tell me..."

He swallowed hard.

"...This is a dungeon?"

The very word sent a shiver down his spine.

Everyone in this world knew about dungeons.

Some appeared naturally.

Others were discovered hidden beneath mountains, inside ancient ruins, or deep within forgotten forests.

They were places of incredible danger.

Countless people entered them seeking fame and fortune, only to never return.

At the same time... Every major force coveted them.

Because a dungeon was far more than a nest of monsters.

It was an endless source of wealth.

And countless other treasures could be found within their depths.

Any force capable of controlling a dungeon would grow stronger with astonishing speed.

Kyle’s heart pounded violently inside his chest.

If this truly was an undiscovered dungeon. Its value was beyond imagination.

Even the smallest dungeon could completely change the future of his tiny village.

He stood silently for nearly a full minute, carefully weighing his options.

"The correct decision..."

"...would be to return immediately and report this."

His rational mind warned him not to proceed.

Unknown dungeons were notoriously dangerous.

Many people had died because of their greed.

Yet, curiosity slowly won against caution.

"I’ll only take a quick look."

"I won’t go too deep."

"If I encounter even the slightest danger..."

"I’ll retreat immediately."

After taking a deep breath, Kyle tightened his grip on his hunting knife.

Every muscle in his body tensed.

With slow, cautious steps, he walked toward the entrance, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

The moment Kyle disappeared into the cave-like entrance, the darkness swallowed him completely.

The temperature immediately dropped.

The peaceful warmth of the entrance hall was replaced by the cold, damp atmosphere of an underground passage. Kyle could hear the faint sound of water dripping somewhere in the distance, each drop echoing through the stone corridor and making the dungeon feel far deeper than it appeared from the outside.

He tightened his grip around his hunting knife.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.

The corridor itself was surprisingly clean.

The walls were made of smooth gray stone, with several dimly glowing crystals embedded within them.

The faint light they produced was enough for Kyle to see several dozen meters ahead, but beyond that, everything disappeared into darkness.

"This is definitely a dungeon..."

Kyle muttered.

There was no longer any doubt in his mind.

He had heard countless stories about dungeons from traveling adventurers and merchants who occasionally passed through his village. Most dungeons were dark, dangerous places filled with monsters and traps.

Yet this one felt strange.

No signs that anyone had explored this place before.

Kyle took another careful step forward.

His boots landed softly against the stone floor.

Step by step, he advanced deeper into the dungeon.

What Kyle didn’t know was that every movement he made was being watched.