Unaware of the commotion outside, Nox remained inside the level-five dinsional rift. He continued to stare at the mushroom-like creature.
There was an extrely serious expression on his face, as if he were about to fight a great battle.
It even made the mushroom champion frown as it tried to understand what was going through its new master's mind.
"What should I na it? Mushroom Man?" Nox thought as he looked at the hollow green eyes. Because the tunnel was slightly dim, the glow of the eyes was especially striking and one of the features one would notice about the beast.
It was intimidating yet beautiful at the sa ti, but for so reason, the way it stared at Nox was filled with skepticism, as though it were looking at soone far weaker than itself—which pissed Nox off slightly.
Little did he know that this look was because of his terrible choice of na.
"You've got so nerve staring down like that," Nox said, arching an eyebrow. His arms were crossed, and his tone was laced with mock amusent. "I'm the one who just pieced you together, you know."
The creature let out a low rumble, almost like a scoff, and thumped its chest again, sending a small shockwave through the ground. Its serrated maw twisted into what might have been a sneer.
Nox tilted his head, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh? You think you're hot stuff because you've got biceps now? Hate to break it to you, but you're still a mushroom at the end of the day."
The creature responded with a sharp roar, spores erupting from its jagged shoulders in a dramatic display. The mist curled around Nox but dissipated harmlessly before reaching him. It gestured to itself with a clawed hand, its posture filled with indignation.
"Ah, I see," Nox said, nodding as if in deep thought. "You're saying you're more than just a mushroom. A 'fungal powerhouse,' perhaps? Is that what you're going for?"
The creature huffed, the glowing green in its eyes flaring brighter as it slamd its foot down. A cluster of sharp fungal spikes erupted from the ground a few feet away, narrowly missing Nox.
Nox didn't flinch. Instead, he let out a low chuckle. "Impressive. But let make one thing clear." He stepped closer.
His entire aura seed to change as he spoke in a dangerous tone,
"I don't care how strong you think you are. You're mine now. And if you don't get that through your thick stalk, I'll fuse you with a literal dung beetle next ti. Got it?"
The creature froze, its glowing eyes flickering uncertainly for a mont. Then, slowly, it lowered its head in what could only be interpreted as begrudging acceptance.
"Good," Nox said, smirking. "Now, that's more like it. See? We're going to get along just fine."
"Co, let's go!" Nox waved his hands, gesturing for the beast to follow him as he headed deeper into the tunnel. However, before he could completely disappear, his voice rang out.
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"Oh, by the way, your na is Mushroom Man!"
Hearing this, Mushroom Man stomped the soily ground angrily, and with a couple of huffs, it started to trail behind Nox and Blazy, who was illuminating the path ahead.
anwhile, near the exit of the level-five dinsion, the two couples who had followed Nox in were waiting casually, eating MRE food. It was a type of energizing snack that Awakened brought with them into dinsions.
It was no different from stamina potions, only that it was packed with more nutrients, which could replace traditional als, especially during long expeditions.
"Should we go and check on him?" the woman asked. "I'm starting to get bored just waiting for him."
The woman frowned, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Even though he's powerful, it's still strange for him to explore an unexplored rift alone. Either he's reckless, overconfident, or he's hiding sothing."
There was a reason why the Adventure Guild had strictly suggested that three party mbers were needed, and all of them had to be above level 50. Level 100 Awakened, although rare, could still die inside dinsions.
Even though he was an expert, there was a high chance that he might perish if he were ganged up on by several monsters. In fact, they were not confident that he alone could even deal with the boss if he ca in contact with it.
The man scoffed, leaning back against the jagged rock. "You didn't see the way he carried himself? That's not overconfidence; that's power. People like him don't need an entourage to explore a rift like this. He'll be perfectly fine."
anwhile, outside the dinsional rift.
Amos soon arrived on the western side of the capital; however, there was a problem.
After finding out that the hound had indeed entered this rift from the guards present, he was denied entry, which provoked him.
Amos stood before the swirling vortex of the dinsional rift, his arms crossed as he glared at the guards barring his way. His black cloak billowed slightly from the energy radiating off his body, the air around him crackling faintly with power.
"This is a restricted zone," one of the guards said firmly, his grip tightening on his spear. "Only authorized personnel—"
"Step aside," Amos interrupted, his tone low but nacing. His eyes glead dangerously, and the faint crackle of lightning danced along his fingertips. "I won't repeat myself."
A lightning mage! Shit!
The guards exchanged uneasy glances. They were no strangers to Awakened individuals flaunting their strength, but the sheer weight of Amos's presence made them hesitate. It was as if the air itself was pressing down on them.
"Sir," the braver of the two guards said, trying to maintain his composure, "we can't allow anyone inside without proper—"
Amos raised his hand, and a thin arc of lightning shot past the guard's face, scorching the rocky wall behind him. The guard flinched, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
"I'm not here for your permission," Amos said coldly, his voice carrying an unspoken threat. "Soone I know is inside, and I'm going to find him. Unless you want to be the first obstacle I eliminate today, I suggest you move."
"Dammit! Soone call the guild master!" one of the Awakened shouted, and the rest of the guards held their weapons tightly.
"Tsk, humans and stupidity... five and six." Amos shook his head in disappointnt. "Well, since you want the hard way, so be it!"
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