Duo Leveling LITRPG | Post Apocalyptic | SYSTEM-Chapter 57 - The Train to Another World

Chapter 57 - The Train to Another World

«The shortcut is in Zone F-10.»

Even as Pete was speaking, Jhin moved swiftly.

He carefully gathered the prisoners — those captured by the black-market traders — and seated them safely to one side of the safe zone.

’Honestly, I want to free them all...’

But that would be too dangerous.

Once freed, who knew where they might run?

What if they accidentally crossed into the next zone?

The system would register it as a quest event, and they’d be mercilessly attacked by the goblin spawns.

’And I can’t exactly take them with me, either.’

They didn’t know what dangers lay ahead.

Trying to protect these helpless prisoners while fighting monsters would be almost impossible.

It was safer — far safer — to leave them in the monster-free "safe zone."

Meanwhile, Pete persistently kept talking as he followed.

«The Station Master’s stronger than you think.

It might look like a simple goblin, but it’s almost on the level of an elite boss.

Even with you and Millie, it’s going to be tough.»

«...»

«Besides, this is a themed dungeon.

Experience gains are boosted here.

Wouldn’t it be better to level up properly before we move on?»

Jhin wrinkled his brow in irritation.

«I already told you. We don’t have time.»

It was the same argument over and over.

Pete insisting they should grind levels now —

Jhin brushing it off, dead-set on pushing forward.

Still, Pete didn’t give up easily.

Looking at him like he was a doomed soldier about to march into battle, Pete said pitifully,

«Hans, do you still think you’re the number one ranker?

It took you three whole months to clear the Trial nexus.»

«I had my reasons.»

«You cleared it in just one month in Exodia 1!»

Of course, Jhin understood Pete’s concern.

Even to him, his current gear looked barely good enough for a D-class dungeon.

But there was no need to waste breath explaining.

Seeing is believing.

They’d find out soon enough.

Without a word, Jhin marched into Zone F-6.

«Seriously! Can’t someone stop him?!»

But the party just silently followed.

Even Millie.

Seeing them move without hesitation, Pete let out a long sigh — and had no choice but to follow into F-6.

And then, the system messages popped up:

[Hunt 100 "Goblin Spawns."]

[Clear Reward: Key Item obtained.]

[!] [Special condition met.]

[Zone F-7 unlocked.]

«Huh...?»

Following behind them, Pete let out a confused noise.

Jhin ignored him and casually crossed Zone F-6.

[The "Goblin Spawns" recognize the possession of a Master Key.]

[The "Goblin Spawns" hide in fear.]

Apparently, word had spread.

The goblin spawns didn’t even try to attack — they scattered like terrified rats.

Breezing through the zone, Jhin pressed the button to open the door to the next area.

Pssshhhk.

«...Why’s the door opening so easily?»

Pete’s voice was laced with disbelief.

That reaction continued all the way to F-10.

Finally, unable to hold it in, Pete turned to Millie.

«Millie... have you been here before?»

«No.»

«Then why is everything open?

And why are the goblins acting like that?»

Just then, as Jhin opened the door to Zone F-10, Pete shouted in panic.

«Hey, Hans, wait! freewebnøvel.com

You can’t just open that one! That’s where the floor boss — the Station Master — should be— Wait, what?»

Following into Zone F-10, Pete blinked and muttered,

«Where’s the Station Master...?»

Jhin shrugged.

«Maybe he’s taking a nap.»

«Huh...?»

«Whatever. Where’s the shortcut?»

Still dazed, Pete pointed toward a corner with a stiff hand.

«...Left side of the exit. On the ceiling. That’s the entrance.»

«Found it.»

Jhin tapped a suspicious-looking rod in the corner with his hand.

After a few knocks, a staircase folded down — like one leading up to an attic.

It connected to the roof of the train.

Pete, still looking stunned, mumbled,

«Millie... it hasn’t even been a week since Hans cleared the Trial nexus, right?»

«I think so?»

«Do you know what level he is?»

«Well... he said 37?»

A few minutes later, they were all climbing the stairs.

As Jhin paused at the top, he looked back and called out,

«Aren’t you coming?»

«...Coming.»

Scrambling up after them, Pete spoke in a complicated tone.

«Hans.

Be honest.

What’s your real level?»

Jhin smiled faintly and answered,

«Forty-six.»

Pete’s face twisted as if he’d bitten into something foul.

He was too stunned to even speak.

The first thing that struck them when they climbed onto the roof — was the fresh, cold air.

Gone was the dusty, suffocating air of the cargo holds.

Instead, they stood under the wide, open night sky, cool wind whipping through their hair.

«Is this the shortcut Jerry was talking about?» Jhin asked.

«Yeah.

We cross over the top of the train, skipping E-Zone entirely.

Apparently even the merchants find it too dangerous to go through E-Zone normally, so they built this route instead.»

Jhin lifted his head, staring upward.

The sky above was jet black — glittering with stars.

And yet... hadn’t they entered the train underground?

But now, standing here... they could see the boundless night sky stretching infinitely overhead.

Caleb murmured in wonder,

«It’s hard to believe we’re inside a subway station.

How can there be such a vast sky... inside here...?»

And that wasn’t all.

The scenery — the wild West desert landscape they had seen through the train windows — now stretched in a full 360 degrees around them.

It felt like they had stepped into an entirely different world.

And in fact, that guess was spot on.

«It’s easier to just think of it as another dimension,» Jhin explained.

«...Another dimension?»

Climbing fully onto the roof, Jhin continued,

the night wind tearing at his clothes but not slowing him down.

«Up to F-grade dungeons, they usually stay tied to the real world.

Because they’re just fragmented pieces being assimilated.

But starting from E-grade... it’s different.»

«...They grow.»

«Yeah.

Dungeons that grow create their own ecosystems.

They evolve into worlds that are perfectly suited for the monsters inside them.»

That was why the "Collapsed School" dungeon had resembled a ruined college campus.

And why the "Ghost Train" dungeon now sprawled endlessly across giant rails under a surreal, starry sky.

Looking around, Jhin recalled past memories.

’C-grade, B-grade...