“Huh?” Blue mumbled. “I’m not a rock.”

  “It seems I am also still unpetrified…” Arbur added.

  “Thanks for not turning us to stone,” Micro said, but Lo’s expression soured further. Micro looked back at his nervous friends, then continued to address the angered basilisk staring at him through the barrier. “We don’t have any crystals, by the way…”

  “Ray gave you that skill, didn’t he?!” Lo growled. “That spiteful, arrogant, imposter—”

  “He did mention you would react a certain way when I used it,” Micro replied. “It’s a nice skill though.”

  “Well go back and thank him, now…” Lo seemed to roll his eyes as he backed away. “Be gone!”

  “But I—” Micro started.

  “I cannot petrify you while you remain behind that barrier,” Lo explained, his tone bitter. “May you be the first to leave me in peace!”

  “Leave…?” Micro raised an eyebrow, then turned to Blue. “I do have to fight Lo, right?”

  “That’s what the dragon said…” Blue answered, slowly turning to face the creature with her own eyes.

  “Dragon, you say?” Lo suddenly roared. “You make me laugh!”

  Though Lo said that, he didn’t laugh. Rather, his growling seemed to deepen. His long tail thrashed about, leaving deep craters in the rocky floor around him.

  “He definitely looked like a dragon…” Blue replied without thinking.

  “Many know of the dragon called Ray…” Lena added, her curiosity piqued by the conversation which had suddenly developed. Without looking in the basilisks direction, she continued. “His legends extend beyond this kingdom’s borders.”

  “What would a dragon have been doing in a Serpent Art Dungeon?!” Lo roared. “Are all of your legends so lacking in sense?”

  “Huh…” Blue paused, then nodded slowly. “Good point.”

  “That fool is no more a dragon than I am,” Lo growled. “But he’s half the basilisk I am!”

  “Well, anyways…” Micro suddenly stepped forward, through the shield of his own making, and stood before the giant serpent with a small shield in front of his face. “Here—”

  “What are you…” Lo growled in confusion, but without further warning, Micro suddenly wound back his hand, then jumped up and slapped Lo’s face as hard as he could. The impact sounded like a deafening thunder clap that shook the cavern. But Lo remained unmoved, aside from the baffled expression which formed on his face.

  “What—” Lo mumbled. “What was that?”

  “I attacked you,” Micro replied.

  “There was no effect…” Lo said with a disgruntled sigh. “Was it meant to be a curse? A feint, even…?”

  “Ah…” Micro sighed, ignoring Lo’s baffled growl as the pressure in his chest was suddenly relieved. Though the protective ring of water remained in place around his core, it no longer felt like it was about to strangle him. Instead, it now felt like a calm, protective barrier between his core and the outside world. “That feels much better.”

  “Is that all?!” Blue blurted out.

  “It seems like it worked,” Micro shrugged. “Ray wasn’t too specific about how to attack Lo, but I guess it’s the thought that counts…”

  “So that petty worm bound your core to the task of assaulting me in my own home, threatening your existence should you fail to carry out the task…?” Lo growled. “Typical!”

  “What did you do to get the both of you kicked out of your dungeon, anyway?” Micro asked as the other members of his party continued to cower beneath the shield behind him.

  “Kicked out, you say?” Lo tilted his giant head. He let out a wry laugh as he adjusted his posture and brought his head closer to Micro. “I left as soon as I was able. Ray’s expulsion could only be described as the result of his own shortcomings.”

  “You left, by choice?” Micro asked.

  “Is that a thing?” Blue added.

  “I grew weary of seeing countless mortals barge into the room where I waited, only to be petrified, turning to dust as the centuries went by…” Lo replied bitterly. “There were many of us in that dungeon. Our number grew quickly as boredom prevailed. Though we retain the will of our creator, an eternity is enough time for problems to arise in any context…”

  “Sounds more like the Rabbit Art Dungeon, eh?” Blue chuckled, but Lo ignored her remark.

  “That does sound very unpleasant,” Micro said sympathetically. “It’s nice that you escaped.”

  “It was glorious to escape that horrible place!” Lo cried out with a pained look in his glowing eyes. “The creator must never have intended for such weak humans to find their way into our dungeon. And they only grew weaker as time went on. Ray and his brothers sent many cultivators away, but still they flocked to our dungeon, recklessly charging through each room until they found me. I wondered if anybody would ever master the Serpent Art at all…”

  “Fascinating…!” Lena gasped, though her eyes remained closed. “The fact that the Serpent Art is so prevalent today may be a result of its strongest guardians abandoning its dungeon!”

  “That would be unprecedented…” Arbur gasped. “If this became commonly known, the world i nits entirety would be turned on its head!”

  “Cool, I guess…” Micro shrugged, then continued to speak to Lo. “Was it easy to escape?”

  “Not at all! It was never intended to be possible,” Lo replied. “But I grew to understand the true nature of a dungeon.”

  “I can’t believe what I’m hearing…” Arbur mumbled to himself. “A rogue dungeon guardian’s own testimony…”

  “Draw no further attention to yourself, boy,” Lena whispered urgently to Arbur. “Micro’s ability to defy logic and even fate itself may not extend to those around him.”

  “Understood…” Arbur nodded soberly.

  “The eldest guardian of the dungeon is ultimately bound by the will of the dungeon’s creator. And since none of us were capable of willingly passing through the gate to the outside world, I knew that the only way to escape was to be sent away,” Lo explained, closing his eyes as he recalled the event with nostalgia, though his eyes still seemed to glow brightly through his eyelids. “I begged my siblings to expel me from the dungeon as they would do for the sake any human, but they were unable to defy her will.”

  Lo suddenly began to glow, then transformed into a middle aged man with a bushy beard and dirty robes. He stood before Micro with a lethargic expression.

  “Oh, you can do that too, huh?” Micro remarked, capping his hands briefly in praise. “That’s a neat trick!”

  “I thought to disguise myself as one of the cultivators who became petrified in my presence, and then I challenged Ray, the least observant of my brothers and sisters…” Lo explained, his voice now that of an ordinary human man. “I fought so feebly that Ray ejected me from our dungeon without a second thought. I was almost offended that he had so completely failed to recognize me, but I suppose I am proud of my disguise.”

  “So Ray helped you escape?” Micro asked. “By accident…?”

  “He wouldn’t have helped me willingly, but I do owe my escape to his negligence,” Lo replied. “His mistake was a betrayal of his duties, however. As such, he was exiled as soon as my absence was realized by the eldest.”

  “Huh…” Micro frowned. “Well, I guess it worked out fine. Ray looked healthy, and now you have all the crystals you could want.”

  “Masquerading as a dragon, after all these years…?” Lo rolled his eyes. “Such a petty, pathetic old creature…”

  “Umm…” Kira suddenly spoke up, apparently less fearful of Lo in his human form. “Why are you in this mountain now?”

  “I only ever desired a place to be alone!” Lo cried. “I have no desire to see another foolish cultivator die in my presence. Those with the power to withstand my gaze, such as you do, had no reason to find me in the first place. Those arrogant young fools who fear nothing… So many wasted lives.”

  “So, you came here to hide?” Kira asked. “You just didn’t want to hurt people anymore? What about the crystals?”

  “Hiding was my goal,” Lo answered. “It had been so unbearably long since a worthy challenger appeared in my presence. And the Crystal Art Dungeon’s presence here was irrelevant to me, or so I thought at the time…”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “That doesn’t sound like something a dungeon monster would do,” Kira chuckled. “You aren’t very scary at all!”

  “There are lots of different guardians, Kira,” Micro replied before Lo could reconcile the odd observation of the young girl behind Micro’s shield. “Some are mushrooms, and some are turtles. Some dungeons are just a mountain…”

  “I see!” Kira answered with bright eyes.

  “Ura was very friendly too,” Micro added. “She helped me a lot in her dungeon.”

  “She is not known to be excessively kind to you humans, but…” Lo said in surprise, but his eyes narrowed as he looked more carefully at Micro. “But, you are not quite human… Interesting. You’re a rather easy creature to speak with. A pure soul, and strong in your own way…”

  “Thanks, Lo,” Micro smiled. “You’re an interesting person too.”

  “You are gracious…” Lo shrugged.

  “So how do you like your new home?” Micro asked. “It’s kind of gloomy, isn’t it?”

  “I sought a home with an abundance of energy in which to slumber for an age or two, but those cultivators with their crystals started bothering me recently,” Lo lamented. “I assumed it was fate that I should be forever plagued by reckless challengers—”

  “Recently?!” Arbur blurted out.

  “It was like being back in the dungeon again, people rushing to a dusty death…” Lo shook his head. “I wonder if it was bad luck or karma which caused so many dungeon portals to manifest in this hill. The Crystal Art appealed to a particularly large number of arrogant young masters…”

  “We were actually going to drop by a few dungeons on our way out,” Micro went on. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Oh, by all means, enjoy yourselves,” Lo replied. “Your company was not unwelcome today, despite the smell of Ray on you.”

  “I’d invite you to join us, but I suppose it would be a problem if you turned everybody in the world to stone,” Micro said.

  “Not all basilisks are cursed with such a nature. Many can control their power, but even closing my eyes is futile. And the skill you now wield to protect yourselves from my curse is rare among the weak,” Lo explained. “If only my creator had foreseen this pathetic future…”

  “Can you not use the skill yourself?” Micro asked.

  “Of course I can,” Lo scoffed. “But what need is there to defend myself from young cultivators who turn to stone in my presence?”

  “No, I mean—” Micro pointed at his eyes. “It’s just a windshield… wouldn’t it block the curse both ways…?”

  Lo raised an eyebrow, looking at Micro as though he were looking at a small child who was confused about something very simple. However, as Micro waited for Lo’s reply in the increasingly silent cave, Lo’s expression evolved. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open. A familiar yellow glow formed around the man’s head as he transformed back into his original form. Like a helmet, the amber shield formed a translucent barrier around his face.

  “Using a Spirit Shield, to protect your enemies…?” Lena whispered. “Such a perversion of the sacred technique…”

  “What’s sacred?” Micro asked. “It’s just a windshield, and what enemies does he even have?”

  “You!” Lo roared. “What is your name?!”

  “I’m Micro.”

  “You are wise, Micro!” Lo shouted.

  “Thanks, Lo.” Micro smiled.

  “To think Ray would send me such a gift!” Lo laughed so loudly that small rocks fell from the ceiling, landing on the shield around Micro’s friends.

  “I don’t think that was his intention, but I’m glad I met both of you,” Micro said with a smile. “I hope you can enjoy this world a little bit more now.”

  “No reward I can offer will suffice!” Lo shouted, bowing his head to Micro. “All I have is…”

  Micro watched happily as Lo began to materialize two Core Cards in front of Micro, but all were shocked to see the cards suddenly explode into a dense cloud of energy which poured into Micro’s chest.

  “Ray already gave you the only two cards we are able to offer,” Lo remarked while focusing on Micro’s chest. “But utilizing the energy contained in that reward is possible… there, nearly done now—”

  Micro looked inward to see the rings around his core were in a state of chaos. Energy was flowing into their orbit, causing a storm around his core. However, after a moment of feeling like he was about to explode, the energy of both the ring of fire and the ring of water had dispersed and formed a spherical barrier around his core. A large amount of energy from Lo continued to flow into the spherical barrier even as he watched in surprise.

  “The rings are gone, but now there’s a—” Micro wondered aloud, but a new feeling overwhelmed him. “Woah!”

  “The bindings of a guardian’s oath are strong, but I assure you an outer core will serve you better,” Lo explained, his head still bowed. “It is a far more efficient use of energy.”

  “Thank you so much, Lo!” Micro’s face brightened at the mention of efficiency, and he continued to look inward at the beautiful globe which surrounded his garage-shaped core.

  “Honourable Imperial Guard… was there ever such a thing as an outer core…?” Arbur whispered frantically to Lena.

  “I know only of stories about the rings a guardian may grant to cultivators who prove themselves worthy, but I have heard no mention of such a technique in all my years…” Lena replied, equally baffled.

  “Ah, you’re only an amber core, of course,” Lo said apologetically, noticing Micro was also confused by the sudden change. “An external core is most often cultivated by those of a more advanced stage. It’s a far more reliable means of strengthening and protecting your soul.”

  “Oh?!” Micro’s eyes widened at Lo’s explanation.

  “Greatly so, in fact,” Lo continued, apparently enjoying Micro’s enthusiasm. “Your soul is robust for its age, otherwise it would not be possible to maintain. The external core I have created should be quite easy to utilize. It seems like you’ve had multiple encounters with a source of chaos energy. Is that correct?”

  “You’re right,” Micro agreed with a nod. “Magicians are all over the place these days.”

  “Magicians? I haven’t heard of them. Must be a newer sect…” Lo replied. “The external core should protect you from the harmful effects of chaos energy until you are able to utilize it properly.”

  As Micro looked inward to confirm the nature of the new layer of energy surrounding his core, the shield protecting his friends dissipated. Arbur and Lena let out a gasp as they braced themselves to be turned to stone, but the group was relieved when Lo’s barrier seemed effective in blocking his petrifying gaze. With renewed confidence, Blue took her place on Micro’s shoulder with a curious expression.

  “You sure have gotten chatty since we met,” she remarked to Micro.

  “I’m starting to understand why the old man enjoyed meeting new people so much. Even if it made him late to something, he never hesitated to stop and enjoy a conversation,” Micro explained with a warm smile, then turned to Lo again. “It was very nice to meet you. I hope we can talk again soon.”

  “Oh, are you leaving so soon?” Lo smiled back.

  “Yes, but I’ll be back,” Micro replied. “There is a lot of metal in this mountain which is going to waste. You wouldn’t mind us mining here, would you? I’m going to be on this world for a long time, and there are some things I’d like to make with the iron here.”

  “Not at all!” Lo laughed. “I’d enjoy the company!”

  “See you soon, then!” Micro waved, then turned around to face the nervous group behind him. He placed the two Core Cards in his storage, then placed his hands on his hips. “Let’s enjoy some dungeons!”

  Micro began to lead his party away from Lo, back into the tunnels. However, Lena stopped and turned to face Lo once more.

  “You said something…” Lena spoke timidly, bowing her head deeper as she spoke. “Something about strengthening the soul… What does that mean?”

  “Hmm?” Lo tilted his head. “If you didn’t do that, you’d only be able to master a few Core Cards, half a dozen at most, no?”

  “But even two Core Cards can grant one immense power, if you’ll excuse my insolence,” Lena continued slowly, her curiosity starting to outweigh her anxiety. “Much of what you said is difficult to understand…”

  “If our creator only wanted you to get that strong, why would he have made so many dungeons?” Lo frowned. “Don’t tell me the mortals give up after finding a few cards these days!”

  “Give up—No, but a sect specializes in only one or two arts. To learn more…”

  “Oh my…” Lo gasped. “That explains a lot actually. I did think it was strange for that one sect to use only the Crystal Art. To think they just didn’t bother learning more.”

  “The creator’s intention was for us to master such a variety of Core Cards?” Lena looked up in shock, her reverent tone fading.

  “That child called Micro is well ahead of you, but even he has only taken the first of many, many steps,” Lo answered. “I may have run away from my duties in the dungeon, but it pains me to see the creator’s gift to you mortals wasted in such a way. Your soul is as weak as your will. Go now. You should follow the child’s example. Your core is currently wasted on your neglected soul.”

  ~

  After the shocked and dumbfounded Lena rejoined Micro and his friends, Micro decided to lead his group back the way they came, toward the Mountain Art Dungeon they had passed by earlier. Kolt and Kira were excitedly recalling their encounter with the transforming basilisk, though Arbur and Lena were having a more serious discussion about what they’d witnessed.

  “Have you heard of cultivators conversing with dungeon guardians…?” Arbur asked quietly. “Is that not counter to their nature?”

  “I have heard of no such thing,” Lena replied, her eyes fixated on Micro as she walked far behind him. “Guardians rarely reply to the appeals of mortals. They reward one with the courage to challenge the unknown, and they chase out those who beg for their assistance.”

  “That is common sense, but what did I just witness?” Arbur mumbled.

  “He spoke of chaos energy and cultivation of the soul…” Lena thought aloud, unsure how to reply. Eventually, she looked at Arbur and frowned. “I would advise you to observe your sect leader closely as you draw nearer to your own conclusions.”

  “Of course, but—”

  “I mean that you may be wasting time by asking these questions,” Lena continued. “Cast aside what you know, and seek to understand what you see with your own eyes.”

  “I thank you for your guidance,” Arbur said with a bow, but he couldn’t help but mumble to himself as he recalled the surreal experience. “Are dungeon guardians so easy to find in mountains…?”

  “No,” Lena answered. “Such legends are rare.”

  “Could the basilisk be much less strong than we assumed?” Arbur couldn’t help but to ask as his curiosity burned. “It spoke of the dungeons’ creator so casually… Could it have been lying?”

  “Had you possession of an advanced version of the Spirit Vision Skill, you’d have witnessed a fraction of the unimaginable power that dwells within that creature,” Lena replied, turning to face the young cultivator. “Its relation to the dungeon’s creator is genuine. And have you considered the power required to create a Core Card?”

  “What do you mean?” Arbur looked confused.

  “You have held a Core Card in your own hands, have you not?” Lena asked. “You understand their power.”

  “I’ve heard they can’t be broken, though their power can fade with time,” Arbur replied. “I once saw one used as a shield in battle, and it suffered no damage at all.”

  “Imagine the power needed to create such an artifact,” Lena continued. “The basilisk created two such things in an instant, and I noticed no change whatsoever in its energy. I don’t know if there is a single cultivator on this world which that basilisk could not smite with ease.”

  “Surely such a legendary existence is not normal!” Arbur said, increasingly flustered as he understood Lena’s explanation.

  “I dare not say what is or is not normal in the presence of your new master…” Lena sighed. “The world is indeed wide, and I fear I may know much less about cultivation than I believed…”

  “Master was such an amazing person?!” Arbur exclaimed. “I thought I had run out of ways to be inspired by him…”

  “What’s that?” Micro called back, having caught mention of his name.

  “It’s nothing, master!” Arbur humbly replied.

  “It is just the idle chatter of two novice cultivators,” Lena added with a wry smile. “Forgive us for distracting you.”

  “Alright!” Micro smiled, and then looked ahead toward the glowing portal in the cavern where they had arrived. “It’s time for some offroading.”