[DRAGAN MATIC]
[EXP: 5/100]
After killing the alien–that's what the person in black was, he decided–one of his stats had increased.
He felt the urge to laugh at the absurdity of it.
A system-like screen with a message telling him he acquired EXP. It was ridiculous.
Prompting the system for an explanation yielded no results.
This is like the Dark Souls of isekai.
Quipping didn't help the situation, but it did help alleviate his dread. A little.
It said my existence was too low, earlier. Will I get some answers if I raise it?
It was obvious how he was meant to do that. Killing an alien granted EXP. Dragan was gamer enough to know what you use EXP for. The problem was the 2nd line from the top.
[EXP: 5/100]
He needed 100 EXP, yet the black alien gave him only 5. The fight nearly killed him, and the system was telling him to do it 20 more times.
His hand clenched around the sword's hilt.
Pushing the doubts and fear to the back of his mind, he continued walking down the tunnel.
After walking for a while, a shimmer appeared from beyond the tunnel's bend.
He paused and listened. There was no sound except for the occasional buzz of the glowing pipe. It also wasn't growing brighter, now that he stood still.
After a brief hesitation, he continued to move.
The shimmer got brighter and brighter until he quite literally saw a light at the end of the tunnel. It wasn't very bright, so his eyes adjusted quickly.
Soon, he found himself in a large circular chamber.
In the very center was a huge sphere, half-embedded in a raised pedestal. It emitted a white light, the same kind like the pipes which illuminated the tunnel.
In fact, the pipes themselves slid down the wall and crawled over the floor to join the pedestal at the base.
On the chamber's threshold, the tunnel's floor turned into a walkway that was raised off the ground up to his waist. There were no railings, just a sudden drop if one wasn't careful.
The walkway went to the pedestal and circled around it. It was wider there. There were two walkways branching off from the main ring, revealing two more tunnel entrances, identical to the one he was standing in.
The floor, besides the glowing pipes, was a similar cluster of dark tubes and cables like the tunnel walls.
After brief observation to make sure that nothing was going to get a jump on him, Dragan approached the sphere. The closer he got, the more he appreciated how large it was. Only a half was visible from the pedestal, yet it was already taller than him.
It's strange. I am so close to it, but the light it emits doesn't bother my eyes at all. It was the same with the glowing pipes, now that I think about it.
When the initial wave of wonder subsided, he turned to more practical considerations.
Where do I go next?
Even after making a full circle around the sphere and checking the other two tunnels, there was no obvious answer.
The light pulses from the other tunnels moved the same way as the ones he had already seen. One pipe led the light towards the sphere, the other, away.
He scratched the back of his head.
"This blasted labyrinth," he cursed in a low voice.
The system advised him to return to Earth and that's what he intended to do. Although he liked isekai as a genre, this other world did not suit his tastes. Where was the magic, the fantastic landscapes and, most importantly, the harem of cute girls?
"Can't have an isekai without a harem," he mumbled while trying to decide on the route.
Then he heard it. Coming from the tunnel to the right of his own. A soft, clicking sound, slowly getting louder.
It didn't take him long to recognize what it was.
Footsteps.
Although he could hear them getting louder, it was difficult to gauge the distance.
He was surprised he heard anything at all. His own footsteps didn't create so much noise.
Not daring to waste too much time thinking, Dragan did the only thing he could on short notice.
Balancing the need for speed and the care not to make too much noise, he lowered himself off the walkway. The floor was uneven due to tubes of various sizes, which made it difficult to walk over.
Crouching, he hid himself under the walkway connected to the corridor that the footsteps were coming from.
The walkway, just like the corridor floor, was made out of large metal plates. Anyone standing on it would not be able to see what's underneath.
Almost as soon as he was in place, a voice reached him.
"So pretty…"
English. A woman's voice. Strong accent.
The footsteps continued and Dragan could hear the person, the woman, walk above him.
"Too bad the rest of this place gives me the creeps."
Her voice was not loud, but at that moment she was almost right above him.
The clicking steps moved over his hiding spot. Metal vibrated slightly as she passed.
Making an effort to be as silent as possible, he moved slowly out of his cover to take a look at the newcomer.
Her back was turned to him as she observed the sphere. Her blond hair was tied in a messy bun and she wore a simple business suit. On her feet were black, low-heeled shoes.
Using the fact that the woman's attention was preoccupied, he slid out from his hiding place and made an attempt to quietly climb back on the walkway.
It was a failure. During his clumsy pull-up, the sword hit the edge of the walkway.
The noise it made might as well have been an explosion with how loud it sounded to him.
The woman spun around with a surprised jump. Eyes wide, body tensed, arms raised in a mockery of a martial arts stance, it was like looking at a frightened animal.
Only halfway done with the climb up, Dragan raised his free hand and smiled awkwardly.
"H-hello! I-I am not suspicious!" he stuttered in English.
Oh great job you silver tongue!