Dungeon

As William stepped through the portal, the warm sunlight and gentle breeze of the outside world gave way to the damp, musty air of the dungeon. The sudden change was jarring, and William's senses struggled to adjust.

The air inside was heavy with the scent of mold and decay, and the only sound was the faint dripping of water somewhere in the distance. William's heart pounded in his chest as he looked around, his eyes straining to pierce the darkness.

"Alright, let's get this over with," William muttered to himself, trying to sound braver than he felt. "I've come this far, no turning back now."

He reached into his inventory and retrieved his trusty spear, its familiar weight a comforting presence in his hand. William gripped the spear tightly, trying to shake off the feeling of unease.

'This dungeon I'm in right now is just an F Rank,' he thought to himself. 'The lowest of the low. Usually, people form groups to clear it, but I'm solo. No choice, really.'

He took a deep breath, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. 'Dungeon ranks go from F to SSS. The SSS Rank... that's a legend. Only one has ever appeared in the world. SS Ranks are rare, too. You might see one every few years. S Ranks are the most common of the high-tier dungeons, but even those are few and far between. And then there are the A to F Ranks... those show up here and there, usually in clusters.'

As William ventured deeper into the dungeon, the air grew thick with the stench of rot and decay. He could hear the scurrying of rodents, and the sound sent a shiver down his spine.

Suddenly, a pair of beady eyes appeared from the darkness, followed by a snarling, snapping creature. A giant rat, its fur matted and filthy, charged towards William.

"Well, well, well, look what we've got here," William said, eyeing the rat's considerable girth. "You're so fat, I'm surprised you can even move."

The rat lunged, its jaws wide open, revealing yellowed teeth. William dodged to the side, avoiding the rat's attack by mere inches.

"What have you been eating, huh? Entire wheelbarrows of cheese?" William quipped, thrusting his spear forward.

The spear tip sank into the rat's side, but the creature's momentum carried it forward, causing it to collide with William. He stumbled backward, struggling to maintain his balance.

The rat, wounded but far from defeated, turned and charged again. William regained his footing, ready to face the creature once more.

"Seriously, dude, you need to lay off the snacks," William said, dodging the rat's attack.

The rat's eyes seemed to blaze with fury as it charged again, its jaws snapping wildly. William dodged and weaved, but the rat's attacks were becoming increasingly unpredictable. He stumbled backward, his footwork faltering as the rat's snapping jaws narrowly missed his face.

"Whoa, easy there, chunky!" William exclaimed, his voice laced with a hint of panic. "You're faster than you look!"

He regained his footing, but the rat's relentless assault pushed him back. William's spear thrusts were wild and inaccurate, barely scraping the rat's matted fur. The creature's sheer ferocity was starting to overwhelm him.

The rat charged, its eyes fixed on William with a crazed intensity. William tried to dodge, but his footwork was off, and he stumbled backward, his legs tangling beneath him. He fell hard on the damp ground, the wind knocked from his lungs.

"Fuck!" William exclaimed, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

The rat was on him in an instant, its jaws wide open as it prepared to deliver the killing bite. William reacted instinctively, jamming the silver spear between the rat's teeth. The creature's jaws snapped shut, but the spear held firm, its silver tip glinting in the dim light.

"Ah, shit!" William grunted, struggling to maintain his grip on the spear. "You're stronger than you look, you fat fuck!"

The rat's hot breath washed over him, its eyes blazing with fury as it tried to wrench the spear free. William's arms trembled with effort, but he refused to let go.

"Get... off... me!" William grunted, his voice strained with effort.

He tried to push the rat away, but it was too heavy, its claws digging deep into the stone floor. William's legs flailed wildly, searching for leverage. Finally, he managed to hook his foot under the rat's belly.

With a surge of adrenaline, William kicked upward with all his might. The rat's claws scraped against the stone as it was lifted off the ground, its jaws releasing the spear. William took advantage of the reprieve, scrambling backward to put some distance between himself and the rat.

The creature landed hard on the stone floor, its eyes fixed on William with a malevolent glare. William's chest heaved with exhaustion as he struggled to catch his breath.

"You... ugly... fuck..." William panted, his eyes locked on the rat.

William's eyes locked onto the rat, his mind racing with a plan. He gripped the silver spear tightly, focusing his energy.

"Time to end this," William muttered, drawing back his arm.

With a swift motion, he threw the spear at the rat. The creature, caught off guard, barely had time to react. The spear flew straight and true, but missed the rat's heart by a hair's breadth, striking the stone wall behind it with a loud clang.

The rat's eyes widened in surprise, its gaze fixed on the spear quivering in the wall. William seized the opportunity, his hand instinctively reaching for his inventory.

He retrieved Oblivion, its familiar weight settling into his palm. William thought to himself, 'Transform into a spear'.

Oblivion began to shift and morph, its form blurring and reshaping into a spear. William grasped the new spear firmly, feeling its balance and weight.

Without hesitation, William thrust the spear into the rat's exposed flank. The creature let out a pained squeak as the spear pierced its heart, ending its life instantly.

William stood over the rat's lifeless body, his chest heaving with exertion. He nodded in satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with a mix of relief and admiration for his own quick thinking.

Oblivion reverted back into its original form, and William stored it in his inventory.

[ Giant Rat defeated!

Experience gained: 10 EXP.]

Looking at the notification upon killing the rat, he muttered, 'status'.

Name: William Barlowe (Simon Reed)

Age: 17

Current Status: [Relieved, Adapting, Determined]

Afflictions: Fatigue

Attributes

Mana: 100/100

Vitality: 92/100 (-8)

Strength: 7

Endurance: 9

Agility: 6

Intelligence: 10

Charisma: 15

Sanity: 90/100

Progress

Level: 1

Experience Points: 10/100

Attributes Points: 0/5

William let out a gentle sigh, gazing down at the rat's lifeless body. "At least 9 more of these guys before I can even think about leveling up," he thought to himself, a hint of resignation in his voice.

William reached down and carefully extracted the Mana Core from the rat's body. The small, crystalline object glowed softly in his hand.

"I could've used my fire element to make that battle easier, but I'd rather save my mana for now. Who knows how many more creatures I'll face inside this dungeon?"

William carefully stored the Mana Core in his inventory, he then leaned against the cold dungeon wall, deciding to rest for a bit before moving forward.

The brief battle with the rat had taken more out of him than he expected, and his fatigue was starting to catch up. William remained vigilant, his senses alert to any potential threats, as he took slow, deep breaths to calm his mind and recharge his body.

William pushed off from the wall, his brief respite helping to alleviate some of the fatigue. He retrieved his spear from the ground, feeling its familiar weight in his hands. With a deep breath, he began to move forward, his senses on high alert for any signs of danger.

As he ventured deeper into the dungeon, William stumbled upon a gruesome scene: two giant rats were feasting on the carcass of another rat, their razor-sharp teeth tearing into the flesh with savage abandon.

William froze, holding his breath as he observed the rats from a safe distance. They were completely absorbed in their meal, oblivious to his presence.

William gripped his spear tightly, his mind racing with strategies. He recalled the previous battle and how the rat's speed and agility made it a formidable opponent. This time, with two rats to contend with, William knew he had to end the fight quickly.

William carefully observed the rats, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He focused his mind, and Oblivion began to take shape in his hand. The slimy substance transformed into a spear, and William swiftly activated his Elemental Ability (Fire): Flame Edge.

A fiery aura enveloped Oblivion, and William threw the spear at one of the rats with precision. The spear coated in flames struck the rat, dealing moderate fire damage and setting it ablaze.

The rat let out a blood-curdling screech as it succumbed to the flames, its body crumbling to the ground.

[ Giant Rat defeated!]

[Experience gained: 10 EXP.]

The remaining rat, startled by the sudden attack, turned towards William with a fierce growl. Its eyes blazed with fury, and it charged towards him with reckless abandon.

William steeled himself for the impending battle, his grip on his actual spear tightening... "You're next," he said, his eyes locked onto the rat.

....