djarcher

The people of the alpha plane have made it their hobby to enter the dungeons of other worlds and conquer them. Naturally not everyone is happy with this as dark undercurrents begin to work against the conquerors.

As some people die in the dungeons they are made an offer. To give up their humanity in order to live on. 
Guy, a veteran carrier, is one of them, he can't bear to leave his family alone and accepts. From then on he must fight in the dungeons but as a monster while simultaneously continuing his life in the alpha plane in the shape of a human.
Jade, an elite adventurer, also accepts the offer but her intent is solely to get revenge on those who killed her and make humanity suffer for her life.
Monica, a little girl not native to the alpha plane is pulled into the happenings due to her childish innocence.

Counter Dungeon-Delving

For a few seconds, there is nothing but silence that fills the darkness around me. Navi takes her time before she abruptly responds.


So the lesser salamander I poured so many stats into died just like that. Guess I shouldn't have been so reckless and underestimate those adventurers for being newbies.


If this is a joke then I don't think it's funny!


<No, it skipped a whole step of evolution AGAIN!>


<Oh, don't misunderstand. I am furious. Just not furious enough to try and kill you.>


But is it my fault that those lizards evolved?


universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map


throwing lv. 5; enhanced stamina lv. 3; breathing technique lv. 3; stealth lv.3; soul vision lv.1; enhanced stomach capacity lv.1;


instructing lv.3; instructor's assessment lv.1; 


dagger use lv. 4; backstab lv.2; energy dagger lv.1;


trap making lv. 5; camp construction lv.2; make-shift crafting lv.1;


<Yeah, still want to tell me you had nothing to do with those evolutions when your instructor skill just leveled up? You are the cause and there is nothing you can do to change that.>


But isn't this a good thing? If I can help monsters achieve better evolutions then VR dungeons profits, right?


<True. However, seeing you do things so easily when it took us tons of suffering to accomplish similar feats. It makes me feel like you deserve to suffer. Just a little bit.>


Can't we find a more peaceful solution to this?


I feel more than see the soul thread begin to pull me towards my destination at an insane speed. I doubt I'll respawn in the dungeon I was in before.


I slam into my body and take a moment to get ahold of myself. My vision shows the ceiling of my room at VR dungeons and my ears report a very sinister voice hissing at me.


"Hello there. Glad you could make it to my little party to celebrate your sudden fortune. Unfortunately, the pinata I ordered went missing so you'll have to take its place."


Now that just sounds outright threatening. Navi, beam me up!


You have terrible taste in movies and now get me out of here before Darwin murders me!


<I'll have you know that my taste in movies is exquisite. Also, it's not like death is the end for you. I'll simply respawn you as fast as possible.>


That's torture! Also, isn't it bad for me to be respawned at the fastest speed?


<You'll suffer, yes, but that is the whole purpose.>


<Yes, Darwin should calm down after killing you a dozen or so times. Just imagine it as high-intensity resistance training.>


"What are you lying there for like a dead fish? You're supposed to stand up! This is for Fortuna!"


I turn my head in time to see Darwin punch out with an enraged look on his face. My body is hit and instantly splattered across the wall.


I reenter the darkness and immediately feel the pull of the soul threads. Moving at an insane speed in a place with no points of reference feels strange. And I already feel a throbbing headache approach along with the end of the darkness.


I crash into my body even harder than last time and my mind just blanks for a full second. Then the splitting headache sets in along with the pain of having my body splattered across the wall again.


As darkness envelopes me I am kind of thankful that I can't be instantaneously respawned. At least I now have ten seconds of mild headaches instead of those few seconds of mind-boggling pain when I'm respawned.


To distract myself from what's to come once I am dragged out of the darkness straight into Darwin's waiting fists I try to focus and look at the soul threads.


They are easy to see. As soon as I try to get a look at them they appear before me. Perhaps the strain they put on my soul by creating such a strong pull makes it easier to see them?


Before I can expand on that theory my ten seconds are up and another bout of intense pain follows. Darwin still looks like a mad ox seeing red but I swear that his punch this time wasn't as strong as the ones before. Still, it splattered my body into a bloody mess all the same.


You might die