[Good News] After My Childhood Friend Was Stolen by a Playboy, I Woke Up With a Crazy Fast Level-Up Ability and Turned My Life Around in One Year ~ Then a Famous Streamer Broadcast Me Without Permission and I Went Super Viral!~ - 90

Chapter 90: The Hidden World

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Upon accepting the challenge of the hidden dungeon, I walked along a path illuminated by light until I saw a set of stairs leading upward at the far edge of my vision.

I have no idea what will happen once I step past that point.

Ready to draw my weapon at a moment’s notice, I took the lead and ascended the stairs. We stepped into a light far more brilliant than the glow that had lit our path. The scenery that stretched out beyond that light at the top of the stairs was a shocking sight that I had never anticipated.

What met my eyes was a landscape overflowing with nature, dominated by massive, lush trees. Looking up, I could see the sun’s rays sparkling as they filtered through the gaps in the green leaves above. The source of the light I had seen while climbing the stairs was this very sunlight. Beyond the trees, flowers and wild grass swayed in the breeze, appearing almost as if they were dancing.

“Wha-… what is this place…? Is it really a dungeon? It’s just like… the outside world.”

Just as Piyoko said, this place appeared somewhat different from the claustrophobic dungeons we had seen until now. I had seen the sky before, such as in the space where Ulysses lived, but that had still been a closed-off area—a labyrinth with a forest motif. This was the first time I had seen a place so open.

If I had to describe this place in one word, it was the typical ‘fantasy world’ forest often depicted in anime, games, or light novels.

“Ke-Keita-sama!? Is this… truly a dungeon!? It looks exactly like the world outside!?”

“I don’t know. To be honest… I’m surprised, too.”

For the time being, I looked back at the exit we had emerged from. It looked like a small cavern formed by heaving earth.

“This feeling… it is somewhat nostalgic.”

“It’s true… it’s somehow more comfortable than Keita’s world.”

In contrast to the bewildered humans, Momiji and Ulysses seemed calmed by the scenery rather than wary. I activated my detection skill to secure the surrounding area. In that instant, I sensed more life signs than I had ever felt before. If I were to think of it the same way as the real world… There might be a vast number of wild animals here.

“Anyway, let’s move.”

We decided to move away from the cave we had stepped out of. To understand the situation here, I headed toward the nearest detected life sign. I figured that simply encountering a creature living here would provide information about what kind of place this world was. Fortunately, the life sign I was tracking was moving slowly toward us. I guessed it was likely a small monster or a small animal.

After walking for a few minutes… we were finally about to encounter the first living being. The detected location was just behind this tree. I slowly peered out from behind the tree and looked at the spot where the life sign should be. Standing there was a white horse. However, it was no ordinary horse. A long, sharp horn grew from its forehead.

But that wasn’t what surprised me. Sitting atop that horse-like creature was a ‘humanoid something.’ I describe it that way because the figure was clad in a black robe that hid its face.

“Wh-what? A person?”

The moment I muttered that, the figure instantly turned its eyes toward the tree where I was hiding. Then, our eyes met.

Are you kidding me? I shouldn’t have been speaking that loudly, but did they hear my voice?

Whether it was the creature’s sense of hearing or some other power, our presence had been discovered. The figure immediately turned its back to us and made the horse-like creature bolt from the area as if fleeing.

This is bad… if they call their allies, things would get troublesome.

“Piyoko! I’m going after them! Ulysses, Momiji, protect Piyoko!”

Without waiting for their replies, I began chasing the fugitive. The horse-like creature wove through the thick trees with practiced movements, galloping at full speed without slowing down. Fortunately, however, it wasn’t faster than my own legs. I caught up, pulled alongside it, and kicked the horse-like creature to knock it over.

“Kyah!?”

The rider let out a short scream as they tumbled to the ground and collapsed. As I moved closer to check the fallen figure’s face, the horse I thought I had kicked away suddenly charged at me from the side.

I had kicked it quite hard, yet seeing that it didn’t have a single scratch made me realize this horse was indeed a type of monster. I readied my weapon to strike down the charging horse, but just then, the humanoid figure that had been lying on the ground lunged between me and the horse.

“Sophia, stop!”

As the humanoid shouted, the horse’s speed dropped until it finally snuggled up against the figure.

“There’s a good girl, Sophia.”

The robed figure gently stroked the horse, which regained its composure and became docile.

“I beg of you… please… do not harm this child…”

The humanoid spoke to me in a weak, frightened voice.

“Who exactly are you?”

“I-I am…”

I approached slowly and lifted the deep hood to see the hidden face. Emerging from beneath the hood was a girl with short, white hair that sparkled in the sunlight and translucent light-blue eyes that had blue, gem-like stones embedded near them like tears. However, her most striking feature was the craggy blue crystal horns growing from her head. At that moment, I knew for certain that this girl was a monster.

“Are you… a monster?”

“…A-Are you a human?”

“I am…”

Our eyes met, and just as I was about to attempt a conversation with the frightened monster girl, it happened.

“YOU!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE!!!!”

Suddenly, a high-pitched rebuke rang out from above, and I immediately looked up. There, soaring in the air above us as if to surround us, were several large dragons.

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