We walked through a gray hallway, our footsteps echoing throughout the place. Touching the wall, I could feel it was made of hard concrete. Looking at the floor, I saw several lines that radiated a blue light.
Farther ahead, the end of the hallway could be seen, and when we came out, the place was gigantic. It was circular; there were four pillars supporting the ceiling, and at the very top there was a tunnel that extended upward.
The people around were chatting peacefully, letting out occasional laughter, while others were there exchanging objects for other items.
—This is the KITPVP bunker.
I looked around, fascinated. "This place is incredible!" I looked around to see what else there was and noticed more tunnels and some stairs leading up to a sub-level.
From time to time, I could feel a small breeze of wind, and I spotted some vents. The walls had the same grayish color as the tunnel, but a question suddenly came to my mind.
—Why are we in this bunker?
I said it aloud without thinking. Famtom, who was standing there with his arms crossed, looked at me from the corner of his eye.
—Before the apocalypse happened, there existed a civilization from millions of years ago. Its name was Valoryn, a clan of extremely powerful knights, but five years ago it was massacred by something or someone.
—Hold on—massacred!? How is that possible? Didn't you say they were very powerful?
—Yes, but the problem wasn't that. After they were exterminated, spatial distortions called rifts appeared. These are zones where monsters begin to emerge. At first, they were easy to defeat, but as the days, weeks, or months passed, they began to evolve to the point of becoming stronger.
Famtom began walking, and I, immersed in what he was explaining, followed him until we reached the center of the place.
—The bunker was created to fight the monsters.
—Yes, but you said there are those things called rifts.
—You're correct, but rifts can be closed if energy is applied to them… with that, you'll understand enough. Let's continue the tour. The place we're in now is the center of the bunker, also known as the lobby.
—Lobby…
I looked around, contemplating the new word I had learned, but Famtom continued:
—Now I'll explain the structure of the bunker chief.
"Structure… chief? What kind of word is that?" When I heard it, my head started hurting a little, and I looked at Famtom.
—Hey, can you speak in a simpler way? I don't know what those words mean. I literally lost my memory moments ago, and you're talking with all these complex explanations.
He stared at me, but he seemed to be thinking about something.
—I understand. To make it easier, the bunker is made up of two parts: the exterior and the interior. On the surface is the bunker city, where most people live, and below is the bunker itself.
—Cities? Aren't there monsters outside?
—Yes, but the city is protected by a barrier created by my Chief, to prevent the monsters from entering.
—Wow! That's incredible. Tell me, how does he do it?
—I must admit I'm not very interested in such topics, so I don't have enough knowledge. I only know that the barrier works through plasma pillars that create hexagonal shapes.
—What's a hexagon?
—I think it would be better not to delve into those subjects due to your lack of knowledge. It would be a waste of time.
—Eh!?
I frowned at his comment, but he didn't seem to care and continued his famous "tour." But now that I noticed… why was everyone looking at us so strangely?
The people around stared from the corner of their eyes or whispered among themselves, but their looks weren't directed at me—they were directed at the person in front of me.
—Over there is the weapon shop.
Famtom pointed his finger toward a small entrance up some stairs.
—Weaponry? What's that?
Hearing a new word, I focused on where Famtom was pointing, forgetting the strange looks from before.
—Yes. If I explain it now, you wouldn't understand. It's better if you see it.
—Hehehe, you're right. Let's go then!
We walked up the small stairs leading to a small platform. Once we were up, the store's entrance became clearer. Some crystals on the sides displayed various strange objects I didn't recognize.
—Woooow! This is incredible!
—Yes, this is one of the most important shops in the entire bunker.
When we entered, the place was filled with too many objects. Some shone brightly, others had a small purple aura around them. There were armors, swords, and all sorts of things for combat.
"Hohoho, this is amazing. Ohhh… what's this? And this? Ahhh! This one shines so much, and this one changes colors! How fun!"
Being naturally curious, I peeked at every shelf to examine the items more closely, until I reached the armor section, where I found myself staring at a sign with numbers.
—Eh?
Famtom, who was talking to the receptionist—I hadn't even noticed her because of how excited I was—looked at me and walked over.
—It seems you've discovered the prices.
—Prices? What are those for?
I tilted my head, and he gave me the same expression as always.
—They're used to buy various things in the bunker shops.
—What!? There are more shops? Why didn't you tell me that earlier!?
Famtom stared at me as if he didn't understand what I had just said.
—I told you when we entered the shop, but it seems you didn't hear me.
—Really? I don't remember hearing anything.
I looked to the side, thinking hard to remember if he had said it, but nothing came to mind.
—So you're saying money is used to buy things in the bunker… but how do I get it?
—There are many ways: doing business, taking missions, but the most common is the mine, where you gather minerals and exchange them for coins.
"Mines… that word sounds familiar. Weren't they deep caves full of rocks and minerals?"
—Ahh, I think I know what you mean—those caves where you find lots of rock and they're huge, right?
—No.
He said it without hesitation, so coldly that I stared at him confused.
—Are you sure you're not mistaken?
—No.
Again, without hesitation. I gave up. I thought I had remembered something, but apparently, I was wrong. I stood back up and looked at Famtom with a defiant smile.
—Fine, if you're so sure, why don't you show me this mine you're talking about?
—Alright.
Famtom said it bluntly, turning around and heading for the exit. I was left a bit confused—I thought I'd intimidate him, but that wasn't the case.
We left the shop and went down the stairs. Famtom turned right toward a massive tunnel. "This must be one of the main ones." After crossing it, we arrived at another hall, similar to the bunker but without the pillars and smaller in size.
I looked around and saw strange black doors with floating dots on their surfaces.
"What are those things?"
I stared at them with a mix of uneasiness and fascination.
—What are those black things?
I pointed at them, and Famtom, who already knew I would ask that, crossed his arms.
—They're teleports.
"Teleports… I can't remember that word at all. But why do they have those white moving dots? They're so strange…"
—And what are teleports for?
—They simply take you from one point to another in a matter of seconds.
I approached the portals and examined them closely. I didn't really trust them—their appearance alone made them suspicious.
—And are they safe?
—Yes.
I felt something touch my shoulder. I turned my head, and it was Famtom, who had placed his hand on me. His face was serious. "Wait—don't tell me he's planning to…?"
Before I could finish the thought, he pushed me into the portal.