Is this really a Game?!

Chapter 844 Veil of Corruption: A New Solo Dungeon

"The hell?" Shadow asked as the rest gathered around what appeared inside the jungle after they had finished talking.

As the Verdant Behemoth left, the team discovered a strange anomaly left in its wake—a pulsating portal. 

This portal would transport them to a hidden realm, a dungeon of sorts that led to the nexus of corruption that serves as the source of the jungle's affliction, of course, it was not the true thing, merely a dungeon that was made like that.. The team faced a dilemma: should they venture into this corrupted nexus, to a dungeon as they had a long time ago, or continue their current mission of hunting corrupted monsters? 

The nexus promised not only intense challenges but also the possibility of acquiring potent artifacts and items that would help them quite a lot.

"It's certainly been a while since we have gone to a dungeon, I just don't know if we really need to go to one right now." Reign said with a sigh before inspecting the dungeon closer.

"It's a limited one though, it will only be present for 15 more minutes, after that, it will be gone, I don't know if we should let such an opportunity go to waste, to be honest," Wolf added from the side as Reign nodded his head.

"A solo instance dungeon, just the mention of that brings me back," Beast said with a smile as he remembered how they had stumbled upon their first dungeon and entered it in the past.

[ The system advises the players to go in the dungeon, time flows differently in that dungeon as it is a special one, only seconds will pass outside as you start the dungeon, and no death is true. ]

"What, isn't that a bit too generous at this stage?" Reign asked as he stared at the portal in great confusion.

[ No, it is not generous, that is simply how dangerous the dungeon in front of you is, finishing the dungeon is almost impossible for the current you and without the fact that you cannot die inside of it, the system would strongly advise against it as most of you will die in it. ]

[ Dying in this dungeon will only result in you not getting any final rewards, and the exp you have gained without leveling up will be gone, with some other light penalties present, but staying inside will be greatly beneficial in improving your strength, your skills, as well as your weapon proficiency. ]

[ Because of all of that, the system strongly urges all the players to enter the dungeon and try their best to complete it. ]

[ Because of its high danger and the near impossibility for you to complete it, the rewards you will gain upon managing to complete it will be immense, even a Rank Z item is not out of the question. ]

The mention of a rank Z item, the most powerful and the most broken item in the world, everybody present widened their eyes and stared at the dungeon with zeal.

"So … no matter how much time we spend inside the dungeon, only a couple of seconds will pass, and we can't die?" Shadow asked before smiling widely.

"What the hell are we waiting for then, this is a no-brainer guys!"

"Let's gooo!" Shadow shouted in happiness before suddenly placing his hand in the portal and disappearing, causing Reign to shake his head and sigh.

"Yeah, not going would truly be a waste, see you guys after we all die or finish the dungeon, I guess."

And in a blink of an eye, all of them disappeared, and the portal disappeared with them as well.

As the team members stepped through the pulsating portal, they found themselves instantly transported to a realm that mirrored the corrupted jungle they had been traversing. However, there was an eerie stillness in the air, and the usual sounds of the jungle were replaced by an unsettling silence.

Reign found himself standing in a dense thicket, the foliage casting elongated shadows on the ground. The air was thick with an unnatural tension, and the atmosphere seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy. The system's message echoed in his mind, reminding him that time outside the dungeon would flow differently, and no death within the dungeon would be permanent.

Surveying his surroundings, Reign tightened his grip on his swords and prepared for the challenges ahead. He couldn't shake the feeling that this dungeon held secrets and trials beyond anything they had faced before.

Elsewhere, Mia found herself in a clearing surrounded by towering trees with twisted, thorn-covered branches. The air was heavy with an oppressive aura, and the very ground beneath her seemed to pulse with corruption. The system's words resonated in her mind, urging her to press forward despite the foreboding atmosphere.

Wolf, Beast, Shadow, and the others each found themselves in different parts of the corrupted jungle, isolated from one another. The solo nature of the dungeon presented a unique challenge, forcing each member to confront the darkness within the jungle on their own.

Of course, they were not in the same jungle, each one of them was in a separate instance, a completely different jungle in a separate pocket dimension.

[ Solo Dungeon started. ]

Verdant Jungle of Corruption

Difficulty: Impossible

Recommended strength: low to mid-grade Tier VI

Mission briefing: The Verdant jungle in front of you has been a part of the surrounding landscape for hundreds of years. The jungle has always been a home for many monsters and many adventurers would often venture forth to fight them, but in recent years, fewer adventurers dared do so thanks to the strength of the monsters that have increased tremendously. 

Your task is to investigate what exactly has changed the jungle and its inhabitants that much and to eliminate the source of that change. Each field boss killed inside the jungle will give bonus rewards to the player, as will corrupted cores, other powerful entities, and more.

The reward for completing the jungle without any side rewards, calculating …

Because of the difficulty, the rewards shall be raised by 500%

Rewards for completing: 2x Rank Z items, immediate level up to the peak of Tier V, and after the player manages to evolve, he will be leveled up to the peak of Tier VI and will be eligible to start the Tier VII challenge right away.

The player shall also be awarded other consumable items that can improve some stats, of his skills, and even help him improve his ability.

Reign stared at the screen with his eyes wide open in shock as his hand trembled before he gulped.

'This … this isn't real, right?'

'These rewards, no way something like this is real, I mean, isn't this too much?!'

"You fool, that just shows how difficult this dungeon is, to be honest, I doubt you have any chance of finishing it, otherwise the difficulty wouldn't be placed at 'Impossible'." Aethion barked in order to make Reign snap out of it.

"You've heard some say that there were people that overnight reached even godhood when they were in the leveling phase before that, so why wouldn't it be possible to get such rewards, huh?"

"That is why I always tell you that even those that do badly during the leveling phase have a chance of one day becoming immensely powerful, it is just that those that are always doing well will have a much higher chance, won't be dependent on luck, and will always strive for greatness."

"These rewards are actually without any negatives, with the consumables that you will gain, your proficiency level, your skills, even your ability will improve with you right away, so even if you reach Tier VII right away thanks to this, you will be more powerful than normal Tier VII individuals, just like you are more powerful than other Tier Vs of the same level."

"Got it, first things first, establish where I am and what kinds of monsters are present." Reign said seriously as he got up a tree and started climbing to its tallest branches.

"Attaboy, you are in a dangerous environment, do not let your mind wander for an instant, and do not lower your guard no matter what," Aethion said as he nodded his head before glancing at Jared.

"What do you think, two weeks?"

"I think three."

"Wanna bet on it?" Aethion asked Jared who glanced at him before thinking.

"I bet 4 weeks then," Jared said before Aethion smirked.

"Alright, I will then bet 3 weeks, if the kid kicks the bucket before that, then the one whose answer was closer will win, which is me, of course." Aethion smiled brightly as he stared at Jared who nodded his head.

"What does the winner get?"

"If I win, I want you to show me some of that fancy soul technology that you mentioned, I want to see how it works, and if possible, to see if I can implement it to my soul skills and soul manipulation."

"That will not bring me, master, or my mission in danger, alright."

"I want some of the souls you have gathered if I win, and you must teach me some of the soul manipulation techniques you have thought master."

"Deal."

"What if master wins though?"