TREVOR KING AND SYSTEM MISADVENTURES

Chapter 6: Enter the Rogue and the Secret Map

Trevor leaned against the jagged stone wall of the dungeon corridor, his breaths echoing in the silence. The flickering light of a torch barely illuminated the narrow path ahead, casting shadows that danced like specters. His trusty sword, Bob, was strapped to his back, humming faintly as if eager for action.

“This whole dungeon life thing is overrated,” Trevor muttered, taking another swig from his water flask. He glanced at the crumpled map he’d found in the last dungeon—its edges burned, and the markings on it cryptic at best.

The scroll mentioned "breaking the rules," but the only rules Trevor wanted to break were the ones forcing him into another dank, monster-infested cavern.

“Why couldn’t the system drop me into a nice meadow or, I don’t know, a beachfront resort?”

Before he could lament further, a faint rustling sound reached his ears. Trevor stiffened, his hand instinctively reaching for Bob. The sound grew louder—a mix of hurried footsteps and... jingling coins?

Suddenly, a figure darted out of the shadows and collided with Trevor.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed, stumbling back.

The person—a lithe young woman—quickly regained her balance. She wore dark leather armor, a hood concealing most of her face, and a belt lined with various small pouches. Her emerald eyes narrowed as she drew a dagger from her side, pointing it at Trevor.

"Out of my way," she hissed.

Trevor raised his hands defensively. “Hey, relax! I’m just the poor schmuck who got dragged into this world. No need for violence.”

Her eyes flicked to the glowing outline of Bob on his back. “A player, huh? Figures.”

Trevor frowned. “And who are you supposed to be? Discount Robin Hood?”

The woman smirked, sheathing her dagger. “Name’s Lyra. And I’m not the one who’s lost in a dungeon without a clue.”

“Hey!” Trevor protested. “I’ve got plenty of clues. I just choose to ignore most of them.”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “Figures. Players like you are all the same—blundering around, messing up the world for the rest of us.”

“Excuse me, but this world messed me up first!”

Before Lyra could respond, a low rumble reverberated through the corridor. Trevor’s heart sank as the walls began to shake, loose stones tumbling from the ceiling.

“Let me guess,” he said, gripping Bob. “Big scary monster?”

“Not quite,” Lyra replied, her voice tense. “It’s the dungeon’s self-defense mechanism. You tripped something, didn’t you?”

Trevor blinked. “How was I supposed to know that statue’s nose wasn’t a lever?”

Lyra groaned. “Come on, genius. Follow me!”

Lyra sprinted ahead, her movements fluid and precise, while Trevor struggled to keep up. The dungeon trembled violently, sections of the floor collapsing into pits of glowing lava.

“Do you always run headfirst into danger?” Trevor shouted.

“Only when idiots like you trigger traps!” she shot back.

Despite her insults, Lyra seemed to know the dungeon’s layout intimately. She led Trevor through a series of winding corridors, expertly avoiding falling debris and hidden traps.

Eventually, they reached a large chamber with a high vaulted ceiling. A massive iron door loomed at the far end, covered in glowing runes.

Lyra approached the door, pulling a strange, glowing crystal from one of her pouches. She placed it in a small indentation on the door, and the runes began to shimmer and shift.

“What’s that?” Trevor asked, catching his breath.

“It’s called a key,” Lyra replied dryly.

“I gathered that, smartass. What’s it doing here?”

“Let’s just say I have a habit of preparing for situations like this.”

The door groaned open, revealing a spiral staircase that led upward. Lyra gestured for Trevor to follow.

After what felt like an eternity of climbing, they emerged into a small, hidden chamber lit by pale moonlight streaming through a crack in the ceiling.

The room was sparse, containing only a single pedestal in the center. On the pedestal rested an ancient-looking map, glowing faintly with an otherworldly light.

Lyra approached the map with reverence, her fingers tracing its edges.

“This is it,” she whispered.

Trevor stepped closer. “Another map? What is it with this world and maps?”

“This isn’t just any map,” Lyra said, her tone serious. “It’s a Fragment of Ascension. The system scatters these fragments across the world, and anyone who collects all of them gains unimaginable power.”

Trevor raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess: that ‘unimaginable power’ includes getting the hell out of here?”

Lyra hesitated before nodding. “Yes. If you survive long enough to use it.”

Trevor’s eyes lit up. “Well, then. Looks like we’re on the same team now.”

Lyra smirked. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, rookie. Just because we both want the fragments doesn’t mean I trust you.”

“Fair enough,” Trevor said, holding out his hand. “But if we’re working together, you might as well tell me why you’re so invested in this.”

Lyra hesitated again, then sighed. “Let’s just say... I’ve got my reasons.”

Before Trevor could press further, the chamber trembled violently. A deep, guttural roar echoed from the staircase they had just climbed.

“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Trevor said.

Lyra drew her daggers. “Looks like the dungeon isn’t done with us yet.”

Boss Battle: The Guardian

A massive, stone creature burst into the chamber, its body covered in glowing runes similar to those on the iron door. It towered over them, its eyes burning with fiery intensity.

[ENEMY ENCOUNTER: DUNGEON GUARDIAN]

Level: 10

HP: 1,000

Special Ability: Earthquake Slam

Trevor groaned. “Why can’t these things ever be small and squishy?”

Lyra didn’t respond. She was already darting forward, her daggers flashing in the dim light as she struck at the creature’s legs. The Guardian roared, swiping at her with a massive stone arm.

“Hey, big guy!” Trevor shouted, drawing Bob. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”

The Guardian turned its fiery gaze on him, letting out another roar.

“Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea,” Trevor muttered as the creature charged.

He rolled to the side just in time, slashing at its arm with Bob. The blade connected, leaving a faint crack in the stone.

“Okay, Bob,” Trevor said, gripping the sword tightly. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

After a long, grueling battle filled with dodging, slashing, and more than a few close calls, the Guardian finally crumbled into a pile of rubble.

Trevor collapsed to the ground, panting. “I hate this world.”

Lyra sheathed her daggers, smirking. “Not bad, rookie. Maybe you’re not completely useless.”

Trevor managed a weak laugh. “Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The Fragment of Ascension glowed brighter, and a notification appeared in front of them.

[YOU HAVE OBTAINED A FRAGMENT OF ASCENSION!]

Trevor stared at the glowing map fragment. For the first time, he felt a spark of hope.

“Looks like we’ve got a long road ahead of us,” Lyra said.

“Yeah,” Trevor replied, gripping the fragment. “But at least I’m not doing it alone.