Surviving These Unfair Scenarios [LITRPG - DIMENSION HOPPING]

The splinter group of six—Adam, Chloe, Solène, Teo, Samantha, and Charles—moved with a constant pace through the silent, oppressive vastness of the 'Great Palace of Vharzun'. The absolute darkness that had initially blinded them had long since receded into a mere oppressive gloom, and their eyes, having adapted, allowed them a clear view of the obsidian hallways.

Adam walked at the very front of the line, his senses entirely focused, casting out his spectral awareness in an attempt to detect anything that could be a clue to Sebastian's whereabouts. He moved with a serious determination, and he utilized the privacy of the front position to activate his [Friend List] skill, initiating a silent, written chat with Drake.

No one in the group could see the glowing, holographic text that Adam was typing, but his entire posture suggested that it was serious… And speaking of such skill, his check revealed a worrying truth: he was now able to attempt contact with Sebastian using the skill, a functionality that had been blocked before, but the old man was not answering, a silence that immediately amplified Adam's concern.

Directly behind him walked Chloe, Solène, and Samantha, a truly bizarre trio who were engaged in a continuous, animated conversation that was strangely curious to observe. Samantha was relating the history of the Solène she knew, her voice soft and filled with retrospective sadness.

"The Solène from our universe was very different, even though she was just as fond of combat as you are."

Samantha said, her tone reflective and solemn.

"She was not nearly as emotionally open. She only truly got along with Drake, whom she respected immensely for his unyielding strength. It was his unique presence that allowed us to make an alliance with 'Dragon Utopia'."

A flicker of genuine grief crossed Samantha's face, a brief, profound moment of despair.

"That alliance, and all of our other allies, were infiltrated and destroyed by 'Team Abyss'... We lost contact with almost everyone."

Chloe's expression turned somber, the cheerful light in her eyes dimming at the tragic revelation. She had forgotten the worrying commentary that alter Li had made the day before.

"I am so sorry to hear that."

Solène immediately interjected, her voice sharp and filled with a strange, fierce pride; her face lit up with a confident, terrifying smile that showcased her fangs.

"If my counterpart were anything like me, then she would certainly still be alive. Or, in the worst-case scenario, she did not fall without a brutal, blood-soaked fight, and she certainly met her end with a smile on her face."

Solène paused, the smile growing wider, the statement more absolute.

"Fighting until there is nothing left to fight for is the only thing I have in my life after all, dying while doing it doesn't sound so bad."

Chloe and Samantha exchanged a quick, worried glance, a silent assessment of Solène's mental stability. They were asking themselves if the Dragonkin was truly as psychologically sound as she appeared to be or if she had some personal issues.

Behind the trio, covering the rear, walked Teo and Charles, maintaining a vigilant, practiced silence. They occasionally exchanged low whispers, but for the most part, they kept their eyes fixed on the immense, empty corridors, ensuring that no immediate threats approached the group from behind.

They continued their walk for several minutes, passing through numerous gigantic chambers and recesses, all of them vast, cold, and utterly empty, while Adam continued his mental mapping of the colossal structure… Then, abruptly, something changed.

A raw, blinding flash of pure, unadulterated energy manifested from nowhere, a sudden, powerful beacon of light that shone in a specific direction, far ahead of the group, like an invisible lighthouse in the eternal gloom. Adam, Chloe, Solène, Teo, and Charles instantly lifted their heads toward the direction of the unknown power surge. Every single one of them, with the exception of Samantha, whose focus remained entirely on the physical world and whose body was incapable of sensing raw energy, felt the immense, irregular power spike.

Samantha, completely oblivious, merely stared blankly at the sudden, unified movement of her teammates, while Chloe, whose new racial trait allowed her to sense the intense energy for the first time, asked the obvious question, her voice tight with fear and awe.

"What was that? What is that energy?"

Adam's voice was cold and precise, immediately dismissing the most common threat.

"I am not certain, but it is definitely not cursed energy, so it cannot be a Dracling or any of Vharzun's progeny."

He paused, his brow furrowed in concentration, focusing on the sheer magnitude of the spike.

"It is pure, concentrated energy, emanating from a single, unknown source, and worse… The energy source is moving! Whatever it is, it is not an inanimate object. The worst-case scenario is that we have encountered another hostile entity."

Adam scanned the reaction of his allies, but all he saw was profound confusion. Then, his eyes fell upon Charles. While Teo was visibly nervous, the blond's entire expression was one of cold, absolute terror, as if he knew the origin of the energy and that knowledge was consuming him. But before Adam could voice his question, Solène suddenly jumped, her eyes widening in a rare moment of surprise.

"That energy… it is strangely familiar. But I cannot place where I have felt it before."

She muttered, her voice low and tight with effort.

"Is it the energy of a Dragon or a similar entity?"

Adam pressed her, his mind seeking any logical categorization.

"No…"

Solène replied, her voice filled with a sudden, frustrating rage.

"It is something else entirely, but it is annoying! It is strong, and I cannot remember where I felt it before, and that, for some reason, irks me a lot."

Charles immediately stepped forward, his body visibly shaking, attempting to project a sense of pragmatic caution to mask his overwhelming terror.

"We should retreat now. That energy is unknown and far too dangerous, especially in a place like this. The safest action is to immediately return and warn the others of a possible enemy."

Solène instantly cut him off, her own voice filled with a powerful, predatory certainty.

"It does not feel like an enemy. Even though sensing it makes me angry, I feel no malice or aggression from it. It is simply… overwhelmingly powerful."

It was at that moment that Chloe, guided by a strange, illogical instinct that defied Adam's assessment, spoke, her voice still timid but filled with a profound hope.

"What if that energy is Sebastian?"

Everyone turned to stare at her. Adam immediately dismissed the thought, his voice sharp with cold logic.

"That is irrational, Chloe. The sheer magnitude of the energy we are sensing right now rivals the power I felt emanating from Lord Varek himself after his ascension. It is far beyond the scope of any user we know."

As the deliberation continued, the powerful energy suddenly ceased its forward motion and settled, remaining completely still for a single, agonizing moment. Then, to the absolute horror of everyone present, the energy seemed to detect them, and it began to move forward again, slowly, deliberately, directly toward their location.

They knew that they were still too far apart to be immediately engaged, and they still had the option to flee, but the fact that they had been detected was the greatest threat. Teo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, while Charles was completely pale, the fear overriding his usual calm demeanor. Samantha remained blissfully unaware of the profound danger, and Solène continued her deep, internal struggle to remember the source of the energy.

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Adam tensed, his own logic forcing him to admit that a full retreat was the best immediate option, yet fleeing without knowing what they were facing was a massive strategic failure.

It was the Empress who gave a sharp sigh of frustration, speaking through Adam's mouth.

"What did I tell you about thinking like a human? … I am beginning to think that you are more difficult to teach than I had initially thought."

The sound of the Empress's voice startled Adam, but after a moment, the cold reality of her words broke through his shock. He had a way to verify the source of the energy, a way he had failed to consider because his mind was still rooted in the limitations of human abilities.

The boy extended one of his arms, and with a surge of cold, necromantic energy, he invoked several Ghoul-type and Feral-Type ghosts. These spectral scouts were instantly guided by Adam's powerful mental command, their sole mission to find the source of the immense energy. Teo watched the strange, sinister spectacle with profound interest, remaining utterly silent as Adam concentrated his entire being on the spectral network.

One of the least explored aspects of Adam's abilities was the class 'Devilguard Champion', a class created by the Empress in the last scenario after the corruption of the 'Paladin Champion' class he had sealed within himself. This class possessed a peculiar passive function relating to "malignant" summoned entities, allowing Adam, through intense concentration, to share the senses of his summoned creatures. In this case, he focused all his will on sharing their sense of sight.

The spectral scouts instantly vanished into the absolute gloom, moving at an impossible speed, and after a little more than a minute, they arrived at the source of the energy… Adam's body instantly froze, his eyes fixed on nothing, his mind completely stunned by the sheer impossibility of the image he was seeing.

Chloe noticed his immediate, profound shock.

"Adam! Are you alright? What did you see?"

She demanded, her voice tight with fear. After a long, agonizing moment, Adam simply let out a nervous laugh, followed by a profound sigh of resignation, the sound filled with pure, exhausted disbelief.

"Chloe, you were entirely correct… The one who is emanating that power is… Sebastian."

The announcement caused an absolute shock. Solène immediately exclaimed, her voice a mix of disbelief and sudden recognition.

"It is familiar! I knew it! It reminds me of the insufferable automaton who humiliated me in the last scenario!"

Charles, on the other hand, was even more pale, his expression one of complete, disbelieving confusion. He quickly moved toward Adam.

"Are you completely certain that it is Sebastian? Your friend, the old man I saw?"

Adam was surprised by the intense, immediate urgency of the question.

"Yes, I am seeing him directly through the eyes of my summons. Why do you ask?"

Charles pressed him, his voice strained and desperate.

"Is this the same old man I met when both of our teams found each other for the first time?"

Adam confirmed the identity.

"Yes? … But why the persistent questioning?"

Charles immediately dismissed the question, though his entire body was trembling with an unspoken terror.

"It is nothing... I must be confusing him with someone else."

The group, now guided by the immense, unmistakable power signature, immediately rushed forward, running through the gigantic corridors until they arrived at a large intersection.

Sebastian immediately spotted the group, and his face lit up with genuine, profound joy. He lifted both hands, waving vigorously to get their attention, immediately recognizing Adam.

"Ada—!"

Sebastian began, his voice filled with relief. However, Adam immediately raised his hand in a sharp, silencing gesture, a powerful, unspoken command to preserve his secret. The old man, while not understanding the reason behind it, immediately understood the gravity of the signal, and he quickly closed his mouth, nodding his understanding, careful not to use Adam's name again. Chloe, however, did not notice the silent exchange. She was utterly animated by the sight of the old man, running toward him like a child reunited with her grandfather.

Solène remained behind, her arms crossed, watching Sebastian with a serious, intense scrutiny. Sebastian noticed her presence, and despite the terrifying appearance of the Dragonkin, he immediately greeted her, entirely ignoring the silent animosity.

"Well, hello there! I see you are doing well, young lady."

Solène seemed profoundly uncomfortable with his lack of hostility; the utter kindness of his demeanor entirely disarmed her predatory instincts. Sebastian chuckled nervously, his old eyes twinkling.

"You have to calm down, young lady. No hard feelings. That entire affair is in the past."

The sheer, unyielding kindness seemed to visibly annoy Solène. Teo, meanwhile, fixed Sebastian with a sharp gaze, was thinking about how such a regular-looking old man could be emanating such enormous raw power. Samantha, however, immediately rushed toward him, her face alight with a little concern.

"Excuse me, sir, you must be hungry. This will help you recover your strength!"

Samantha said, offering him a strange, savory cookie from her pocket. Sebastian accepted the offering with the refined, old-world manners of a true gentleman.

"Thank you, my dear. I am Sebastian Rüegg, by the way, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

He bowed slightly, and the simple act of pure courtesy caused Samantha's cheeks to flush a delicate pink. She was entirely charmed by the old man's manners.

Sebastian finished the cookie, gently wiping the crumbs from his lips with a handkerchief, before Adam asked him some questions.

"Sebastian, where have you been?"

Sebastian smiled, completely unperturbed by the gravity of the situation.

"I woke up in the Treasure Hall of this Palace, but it took me a while to get out. I simply followed the immense corridor outward, and…"

Sebastian was abruptly cut off by Teo, whose eyes were now shining with intense, greedy excitement.

"What?! You must tell us where that Treasure Hall is! We must go there!"

Sebastian looked at him with profound confusion, especially because he didn't know Teo.

"Perhaps we should look for the immediate exit instead, young man. The Treasure Hall simply contained various objects, some of which were entirely too large and impractical."

The entire group stared at the old man, entirely consternated by his complete lack of greed. They could not believe his indifference to the sheer mention of the Treasure Hall of a freaking Dragon God.

Teo let out a low, frustrated sigh and composed himself.

"Please, old man, you must guide us there."

Sebastian turned to Adam, his gaze seeking guidance. The boy gave him a firm, single nod.

"There is no problem with that, Sebastian. It is possible that we might find something there to help us end this scenario."

Sebastian meditated on the decision for a moment, then sighed, accepting the necessity of the task.

"Very well. I will guide you to the Treasure Hall."

Teo, Chloe, Solène, and Samantha were instantly overjoyed by the decision. Charles, however, remained behind, watching the entire exchange with a subtle, palpable annoyance that Adam immediately noticed but chose not to be obvious about it for the moment, dedicating his attention to the immediate needs of the group.

Adam quickly used his [Friend List] skill once more to send a rapid, written update to Drake, informing him of the change in plans. The group immediately set off, following Sebastian's guidance toward the location of the immense, legendary hall.

After several minutes of walking, a moment used by Chloe and Adam to explain what had happened to the team in his absence. Sebastian finally raised his hand.

"The only thing that remains is a straight path toward the door I used to exit the hall."

The group immediately broke into a run, eager to reach the entrance of the Treasure Hall. However, Adam and Sebastian were the ones who intentionally lagged behind. The old man had specifically held Adam back, allowing the others to rush ahead so that they could talk in private.

"What is happening, Sebastian?"

Adam asked, his voice low and concerned. Sebastian let out a deep, weary sigh.

"While I was trapped in that hall, searching for an exit, I had a very particular conversation… With a Patron."

Adam's surprise was extreme upon hearing that.

"A Patron?!"

It was hard to believe, an entity of similar power as 'The_Hunger'? Sebastian nodded, confirming the surreal reality.

"He calls himself 'The_Absolute_Thinkerer'. He told me some profoundly important things that I want to share with the entire team, but especially with you, Adam."

"Why me?"

Adam asked, his mind racing with possibilities. Sebastian stopped walking, his body entirely still in the massive, dark hall.

"Are you entirely certain of where we are, Adam?"

Sebastian asked. The boy gave the standard answer.

"We are in another universe, right? That is what I've been told."

The old man shook his head, his old eyes filled with a profound, terrifying sadness.

"No... We are not in another universe. We are in another 'Timeline'. That is a critical difference. It signifies that both worlds are fundamentally identical, and the existence of both timelines was forced by something or someone."

Adam paused, his analytical mind struggling to grasp the horrific implication.

"Did the Patron tell you that? … What are the implications of that statement?"

Sebastian's voice was low, heavy with the weight of the cosmic truth he had learned.

"I do not know all of the answers, but there is one thing that I am entirely certain of: the counterparts we encounter here are truly us, not just other versions, but the same people, existing in other, altered circumstances."

The thought was a devastating blow that immediately brought to Adam's mind the image of his alter ego, the most dangerous, despicable villain in the entire System... Was he truly capable of that villainy? No, something wasn't right about it.

After that, both of them began to walk to the entrance of the Treasure Hall, however, the boy's head was filled with doubt.