THE GUARDIAN'S FINAL QUEST- Adams journey to six worlds

14 phenomenon

"I don't believe we should wait around for that thing to catch up with us," voiced one of the group members.

Catherine raised a question, "Shouldn't we confront it head-on?"

"Well, first of all, we're all in our night clothes without any armor or protection. What if there's not just one, but multiple adversaries? Secondly, if we do decide to engage, we should equip ourselves with familiar weapons. I don't feel comfortable fighting without my armor, shield, and hammer," Dwarf Ricky explained. The sound of footsteps grew louder, drawing nearer to them.

"Alright, let's leave immediately. On second thought, let's not engage it. We need to prepare and regroup," Juliet exclaimed, panic evident in her voice, as she headed for the door. The rest of the team swiftly followed suit and exited the room. The footsteps continued, leading the mysterious figure into the open. The figure wore heavy golden armor from knees to head, obscured by darkness, with only two glowing golden eyes piercing through. A voice emerged from the darkness, uttering a single word.

"Neo Eric!"

The team emerged through a blue door and hurriedly ran down a towering hallway until they reached an exit portal to the outside world. As they stepped out, the sun's rays bathed the streets, and the team attracted some amused glances from passersby due to their night attire. Lacking money or any means of transportation, they had no choice but to head towards the guild. Although embarrassed, they pressed on.

Entering the director's office, the team's night clothes on a sunny afternoon elicited a shocked reaction. They explained their unusual ordeal to the equally astonished director.

"But how did you end up in the dungeon from your bedroom? Did you come into contact with anything or awaken something to cause such a phenomenon in the dual dungeon?" the director inquired.

"Not at all! As far as bringing those adventurers here, we didn't encounter any dungeon bosses. Those footsteps were strange. Maybe it was the dungeon boss or something. That's the only unusual thing we encountered," Neo replied.

"For now, we must prepare for the worst-case scenario. We can't send anyone into the dungeon until we understand what's happening. Let's have our weapons and armor ready tonight since these incidents mostly occur at night. If it happens again, we'll be ready to face the boss monster," the crew nodded in agreement and departed from the office. The director assisted the adventurers with clothing and weapons before they convened in the guild hall to strategize.

"I think we shouldn't sleep alone tonight," Neo suggested, pulling a chair closer to sit.

"Why? Do you believe we'll be drawn back to that place?" Rick questioned.

"Yes, I think we should stay together in pairs in case we find ourselves in the dungeon again. With pairs, we can attack and defend each other," Neo concluded knowing the fact of his life in another body. Telling them about his life in another body will make him look crazy.

"Alright, then Ricky and I will pair up," Gregory declared.

"I'll pair with Sandra," Neo stated.

"Catherine and Juliet will be a pair, which leaves Brody on his own," they all turned their heads towards him.

"I can handle myself alone," Brody replied, folding his arms.

"Alright, that's the plan. If we encounter that thing in the dungeon, we attack it together," Neo confirmed.

"Okay, we have a plan," the team discussed further for a while before heading home.

Sandra and Neo arrived at Neo's house. As they climbed the stairs, they noticed an old shoe at the front door and the door slightly opened. Sandra looked at the door and asked, "Are you expecting anyone?"

"It looks like Nana is here. She still wears the same old sandals," Neo replied.

"Really? My mother is here?" Sandra's eyes widened in surprise.

"Sandal!" Sandra's eyes rolled down as she realized her mistake. "Oh, those sandals. That's right?"

"She wears the same shoes as a memento to remember him on this day," Neo explained, gazing at the shoe as memories from the past drifted into his mind. Neo could only recall waking up near a dungeon as a young child, and the only person who helped him was Nana. She adopted him and took care of him because they didn't have a male child. They loved him as their son, and he was three years older than Sandra.

Sandra and Neo grew closer after a humorous incident in the bathroom. One day, Neo had just finished bathing when Sandra urgently needed to use the bathroom. Oblivious to the fact that Neo had just emerged, she swung the door open, causing her to slip and stumble. Desperate to hold onto something, she inadvertently pulled Neo's towel, causing both of them to fall to the ground.

As Neo's bare chest and muscles were revealed, Sandra blushed and panicked, while Neo's body reacted naturally to the sensation of Sandra's naked body, resulting in an awkward situation. That day, Neo realized that Sandra had intense feelings for him. Apologizing profusely, he quickly got up to leave, but Sandra grabbed his hand, leading to their first kiss.

Their destinies intertwined, and the pair found themselves in a relationship. However, they struggled with the courage to tell their mother, Nana, about their romantic involvement. They didn't know how to break the news to her, especially since Sandra was dating her adopted brother.

They decided to keep their secret hidden, especially from friends who might inadvertently reveal the truth to Nana.

Both Neo and Sandra enrolled in the same university, studying fine art and literature, which further strengthened their bond. They hoped that someday when they were ready to marry, they would find the right moment to disclose the truth to Nana, who had always been a strict but loving mother figure to them.

Neo swung the door open, and before them stood an elderly woman with white hair and brown eyes, dressed in pink and white attire. A warm smile crossed her face as she saw her two children entering the house.

"Neo, Sandra! It's been a while," Nana greeted them. The duo smiled and welcomed her inside. Neo cherished Nana for her motherly love and care throughout the years.

The three of them engaged in conversation, and after arranging their equipment, Sandra handed Neo new boxers and clothes she had bought for him to use in case they had unexpected dungeon encounters during the night.

Neo luxuriated in the soothing warmth of the hot bath, slipping on a fresh pair of boxers before settling down in front of the television. Exhaustion washed over him, causing his eyes to grow heavy with drowsiness.

He leaned back in his chair, seeking solace in the gentle comfort it provided.

....

Brody burst into his room, but as he entered, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him, causing him to collapse onto the floor.

Meanwhile, Ricky and Gregory engaged in lively conversation with fellow adventurers within the guild. However, an unexpected bout of dizziness seized them, and they succumbed to a deep slumber.

Catherine and Juliet, riding on a commercial bus, also fell prey to the strange dizziness and swiftly drifted off into a peaceful sleep. As Sandra strolled through the kitchen, she stumbled and collapsed, quickly succumbing to a deep slumber as well and suddenly a blue portal opens up swallowing up her body into the portal.

The entire team, one by one, surrendered to the mysterious fatigue while strange portals opens up swallowing the up into darkness.

Within this collective slumber, Neo's eyes slowly fluttered open, his vision blurred and disoriented. Adjusting his gaze to sharpen his sight, he found himself in an unfamiliar environment—a cavernous dungeon.

Confusion flooded his thoughts as he attempted to comprehend his surroundings.

"What? How did I end up here?" he wondered aloud, his voice echoing within the cave-like chamber.

Desperate to make sense of the situation, Neo instinctively reached up to wipe his face, only to feel sharp claws scraping against his skin.

His gaze darted down to his hands, which had transformed from their previous pale complexion to a haunting shade of green, now adorned with wicked claws. A chill ran down his spine as he inspected his legs, discovering the same ghastly transformation.

Disbelief consumed him as panic welled up inside.

"What in the world is happening?" Neo's voice trembled with fear as he rose to his feet, surveying his altered body—dressed in his familiar blue t-shirt and shorts. His attention was drawn to a small pool of water on the floor. Hastily, he approached it, hoping to catch a glimpse of his reflection and find answers.

The sight that greeted him in the water was beyond his worst nightmares. His face, once familiar, had morphed into a monstrous visage—an unsettling shade of green, his eyes now resembling those of a frog, and sharp fangs protruding from his teeth.

"Kkkkkyyyyyaaaah!"

A blood-curdling scream escaped his lips, reverberating through the eerie dungeon. "No! What have I become?"