I followed behind him as he led the way.
We had to run swiftly due to the danger of the storm and the [ICE Birds].
Even though Fabian and his team took care of them, birds were challenging to chase down, and some could escape.
*Whoosh*
I felt a tingling in my neck and took a small step to the left.
*Boosh*
A one-meter-long icicle now stuck where I had just been standing. Thanks to my danger sense I could avoid it!
While running, I informed Fabian that an [ICE Bird] was attacking us.
"Then run faster, Your Majesty!" he called back.
"Don't we want to take it down?" I shouted.
"Far too dangerous, Your Majesty! Once the storm starts again, we're history, and the bird itself is not weak!" Fabian shouted.
The bird shot again, this time with two ice spikes, which I dodged.
Without a word, I drew my sword, infused it with mana, and swung it.
This time, it wasn't heavy and hard but quick and repeated.
*Whoosh* *Whoosh* *Whoosh* *Whoosh*
The flying blades cut through the air, with some passing the bird, but two hit their mark.
~KRAAR~ the bird screamed as it lost two icy wings and fell to the ground.
Since I had lost some speed, Fabian was already on the iceberg.
He stood there with wide, enthusiastic eyes.
Then he suddenly shouted, "FASTER, Your Majesty!"
In a light jog, I heard him and asked why, until I realized a slight breeze had already begun, and my feet were sinking into the sand up to my ankles.
I reacted immediately, feeling my energy and strength channel into my legs.
I let some mana flow into my heart to make it beat faster. Now in a crouched position, and I could feel the tension in my calf muscles.
I hadn't felt this kind of nervousness in a long time, and my body tingled slightly.
All of this happened in less than half a second, and as I sprinted, I moved explosively forward.
I was hardly slowed down by the sand; it was only stirred up.
Behind me, there was a *BOOM*, and suddenly, I felt a gust of wind at my back.
*WHOOSH*
In just six seconds, I covered the last two hundred meters with the wind at my back.
(A/N: Approximately 120 km/h)
I couldn't brake quickly enough, and the ground was icy, so I zoomed past Fabian and crashed behind him into a... sand dune?
*Kaboom* was the sound of the impact, and a lot of sand was stirred up.
"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Fabian came running, looking concerned.
"Ptui," I tried to spit the sand out of my mouth. "I'm fine; something like this can't harm me. But why is there a sand dune here? I thought we were on the iceberg."
"As you know, the characteristics of this dungeon are ice and sand. That's why you'll find several sand dunes and smaller deserts on the iceberg."
I nodded then I spit again and mumbled : „Ptui! Disgusting!"
"So, there are probably more monsters here, right?"
"That's correct, Your Majesty. We should have taken care of the majority, though."
"That's good. Show me the way to the next floor."
Fabian bowed slightly. "Then please follow me, Your Majesty!"
...
On our way to the next floor, we encountered some monsters despite the soldiers' efforts to clear them out.
Among them were [Dune Demons], [Frosty Sandworms], [Sandstorm Spirits], [Frosty Ice Crystal Spinners], and a few more [ICE Birds]. None of them were particularly strong, so I dispatched them with joy.
The only problem with these monsters was their ability to hide and camouflage.
Especially the [Dune Demons], which concealed themselves in sand or snow dunes and attacked from ambush.
I found these monsters fitting for the dungeons, which were known for being cunning, malevolent, and abominations of hell.
I also noticed more soldiers searching for and exterminating monsters, working in groups of a hundred soldiers.
I asked Fabian why he was alone.
He explained that he had been assigned to guard the entrance today. He proudly pulled out a telescope from his pocket and showed it to me.
I nodded and urged him to continue leading the way.
Interestingly, at some point, we started following a path leading into the iceberg, rather than towards the peak.
"Do we not need to climb the iceberg?" I asked Fabian.
"No, Your Majesty! This is merely a reflection created by the dungeon with its ice. At the summit, you'll find only death and the worst storms!" he replied with a slight hint of trauma on his face.
I stared at him for a moment, realizing that he didn't want to talk more about it.
"Then where is the path to the second floor?" I asked him.
"Right under the reflection, deep inside the iceberg. Just follow me, Your Majesty!"
I nodded and continued to follow him.
We followed the path made of ice and sand deeper into the iceberg.
Initially, it was a narrow trail, but it soon led into a menacing cave.
We traversed it, and the blue light and the large icicles on the floor and ceiling gave off an eerie, malevolent appearance.
It felt as though the iceberg wanted to consume us, luring us into its depths.
Sand was trickling from the ceiling onto hollow ice spots, creating a grating sound in the silent cave. Moreover, it seemed to come from all sides due to the echoes.
I was close to drawing my sword, not because I was scared but because this whole atmosphere reminded me of the nature of dungeons, which deeply angered me.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my soldiers had already killed all the monsters in the cave system, so we had a smooth journey since entering the caves. But my anger couldn't break free I had to suppress it with a lot of effort the whole time.
After about four hours since arriving on the first floor, I now stood in front of the wooden door leading to the second floor.
"Thank you, Fabian!" I thanked the soldier. "After I've destroyed the dungeon and made it feel Manara's wrath, I'll reward you with something small!"
"That's too much to ask for!" Fabian said as he knelt. "As your subject, it's my duty to serve you!"
I nodded, turned around, opened the door, and said, "So that Manara will accompany you on your journey!"
Although Fabian didn't desire a reward, I still wanted to bestow a small blessing upon him, which I did just now.
Then I took a step forward through the door, and a kind of status screen appeared before me.
_____
[Floor 21]
-20-
[Floor 19]
[…]
[Exit]
_____