Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

"What happened with that Treant?" Bill asked, eyeing Lucas suspiciously.

There were no signs of a struggle on Lucas, and it seemed as if he had done nothing but stroll to the dungeon. But Bill knew that couldn't be the case.

"Nothing major," Lucas replied with a smile as he adjusted the belt holding his potions and gear.

"You coming with me?"

Bill didn't seem fully convinced, but he decided not to press the matter. "Alright," he said.

They both entered the dungeon, greeted by the familiar dim-lit room.

-"Hello, Lucas Garde. How have you been?"- A voice echoed through the chamber, startling Bill.

"I've been great, Overseer. And you?" Lucas responded with a warm smile.

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-"I'm doing well. Would you like to proceed with the stages immediately?"- The overseer's voice, robotic but feminine, resonated.

"Yes, please," Lucas replied, and a door materialized before them.

"You two have been together for so long but you're still so formal," Bill commented, he kept a hand near his mouth to hide the smile on his face.

"She is the Overseer of a whole dungeon, such an important person should always be addressed formally and respectfully, Bill."

"You're boring."

"Our goal today is to clear ten stages in a single run," Lucas said, turning to Bill. "So don't hold back. We're speedrunning."

Bill looked at him and nodded. "What's the final objective?"

"Forty stages. After that, we'll get a reward. And believe me, it's something worth all the effort."

With that, Lucas entered the door, disappearing. Bill followed close behind.

———————

Back at the shelter, Sarah was staring into the oven, her face pale and focused.

"You shouldn't drain all your mana just to keep the fire going. Take a break," John advised.

"Yeah, I know, but… could you check this for me?" Sarah said, not taking her eyes off the oven.

John crouched beside her, glancing inside. He saw nothing wrong. Following her gaze, he realized she was looking at the ceiling.

"By now, the inside of the oven should be completely charred, but it hasn't even begun. I've been fueling it with fire for hours."

"That's why I said to take it easy. The more you try to force yourself, the more difficult it will get to concentrate."

"No, no… You don't get it. I think I know why Lucas put me on this task. I leveled up my fireball skill so quickly, and I feel like I'm on the verge of something bigger. It's like I'm standing at a door, and I just need a little push to walk through it." Her eyes gleamed with intense focus.

John, surprised by her determination, nodded. "I'll bring some mana potions."

He hurried off, leaving Sarah alone to concentrate. She was clearly on the verge of a breakthrough, and any disturbance could make her lose that opportunity.

John smiled to himself. Watching the younger members of the group grow and improve always gave him a sense of pride. They had become like family.

———————

SPLATTER.

A fountain of blood erupted from the neck of a creature as a shadowy figure emerged from its own shadow.

Bill's dagger dripped with blood, and around him lay the bodies of ten monsters. Their forms varied from large, lion-like beasts to humanoid creatures. Each one lay dead with a single puncture wound to the throat.

"We've already cleared five stages, and I haven't had to fight at all. Good work, Bill," Lucas said, nodding approvingly.

Bill didn't respond. He vanished into the shadows once more, swiftly dispatching the last monster in mere seconds.

"Next?" Bill asked, his tone flat.

Lucas simply nodded, and the monsters' bodies dissolved into particles. A white door materialized and opened in front of them.

They both stepped through, entering a different type of room than they'd encountered so far.

====

[Welcome to the next stage of the dungeon!]

[Objective: Find the hidden door that leads to the next floor.]

[Failure: Dungeon resets to Stage 1.]

====

"Same fail condition as always. You're up," Bill said, sitting down in the corner.

Lucas smiled and examined the room. The walls were textured with jagged rocks.

"I'd love to solve this puzzle properly, but unfortunately, we're on a speedrun."

His irises glowed a bright green as he scanned the area, quickly zeroing in on a small button hidden within a crack in the rock. He pressed it.

Suddenly, the room shook, and a white door appeared in the center.

Bill glanced around the room, noting the multitude of cracks in the walls. Without Lucas's help, this task would have taken ages with just the two of them.

-"If only I could make things more challenging for you. But the stages are made automatically. You'll need to complete many more stages before I can push you even a little."- The overseer's voice echoed again.

"Oh, this is already good enough, Overseer. I'm having fun with my friend here." Lucas chuckled, glancing at Bill, who merely grunted in response.

They passed through the door once more, and the same cycle repeated. The entire day was spent in this fashion.

When the Overseer informed them that night had fallen outside, they decided to stop for the day.

After thanking the overseer, Lucas and Bill exited the dungeon and began walking back toward the shelter.

"You can travel through the shadows if you want," Lucas offered his eyes never stopping their analysis of the herbs they passed by.

Lucas had already checked around the shelter and unfortunately, there was nothing that could be called as unique or a good herb according to Lucas's standards.

It was as if the PLains of Amaeron was a young world.

"I want to know more about this reward we're chasing after by completing so many stages. Normally, even one stage could net us some rare gear but we are skipping those rewards completely," Bill said.

"You're right about that. But I want us to aim higher than rare-grade equipment. What I'm after is far more valuable than anything you could ever imagine, Bill. Trust me."

"Then tell me what it is," Bill insisted.