Dungeon (2)
[Giant Rat defeated!]
Experience gained: 10 EXP
Level Progress: 30/100
Attributes Points: 0/5
William huffed, his chest heaving with exhaustion. He leaned against the cold dungeon wall, trying to catch his breath. "Damn...those rats...are tougher...than they look," he panted, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"How the fuck am I supposed to clear this dungeon when I can't even take down some fucking rats?" William muttered to himself, frustration and doubt creeping into his voice.
William's gaze dropped to the ground, his eyes fixed on the dusty stone floor. "Forget the academy...I'll be lucky if I make it out of this dungeon alive," he muttered, a wry laugh escaping his lips.
"Status"
A holographic screen flickered to life in front of William, displaying his stats. But his eyes narrowed, focusing on one section in particular.
"Mana Reserve: 70/100".
William let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly as he gazed at the Mana Reserve reading.
William rubbed his tired eyes, the dim torchlight of the dungeon exacerbating his fatigue. "Only an hour in, and I'm already running on fumes," he thought, his mind foggy with exhaustion.
With a quiet resolve, William pushed off from the wall and stood up, his weary legs protesting the movement. He took a deep breath, gripping his spear tightly, before continuing onward into the darkness of the dungeon.
As William turned a corner, he heard the sound of footsteps and laughter. Three goblins appeared from the darkness. They were small and carried knives and swords. They looked at William with excitement and shouted loudly.
"Eeek! Chk-chk-chk! Hss! Hah-hah-hah!"
William's eyes narrowed, his irritation growing at the goblins' cackling and jeering. He gripped his spear tightly, his voice low and menacing. "I'll wipe that smug off your faces."
William charged forward, his spear flashing in the dim torchlight. The goblins, taken aback by his sudden attack, scrambled to defend themselves. The largest goblin, clearly the leader, let out a shrill battle cry and lunged at William with its crude dagger.
William dodged the goblin's clumsy attack and swung his spear in a wide arc. The goblin tried to jump back, but William's spear caught it on the shoulder, sending it tumbling to the ground.
Just as William thought he had the upper hand, the two other goblins snuck up behind him and stabbed at his back with their crude daggers. William grunted in pain as the blades bit into his skin, but he refused to go down.
William snarled, his eyes blazing with anger. "You little shits!" he growled, swinging his spear at the two goblins with renewed ferocity.
With a swift and deadly strike, William's spear plunged into the chest of one of the goblins, sending it crashing to the ground. The other goblin let out a terrified shriek and stumbled backward, tripping over its own feet.
William sneered at the cowering goblin, his chest heaving with exertion. "Not so happy now, are we?" he taunted, his spear still trembling with the force of his previous blow.
The goblin leader, enraged by the fall of its companions, flung itself at William with a fierce battle cry. But William was ready, and with a swift kick, he sent the goblin flying across the room. The goblin crashed into the wall, momentarily stunned.
William took advantage of the distraction to turn his attention to the remaining goblin, which was still cowering on the ground. With a swift and deadly strike, William ended the goblin's life.
The leader, now recovered from its crash into the wall, let out a deafening shriek as it realized it was the last one left.
William turned to face the goblin leader, his eyes blazing with triumph. "I told you, didn't I?" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.
"I'll wipe the smug off your faces." He took a step closer to the cowering goblin.
[Goblin Defeated!]
- 2 Goblins defeated, each providing 20 EXP.
- Total EXP gained: 40 EXP.
"Hoh, seems like you guys give more EXP compared to the rats!" William said with a chuckle, eyeing the goblin leader with a mix of amusement and contempt.
"I wonder how much EXP you'll give," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Will you be worth more than your friends here?"
"Eeek!"
With a fierce battle cry, the goblin leader rushed at William, its crude dagger flashing in the dim light. William stood his ground, his spear at the ready, a fierce glint in his eye. "Come on, then!" he growled.
William sidestepped the goblin's clumsy attack and swiftly counterattacked, his spear slicing through the air.
The goblin tried to dodge, but William's spear caught it in the chest, pinning it to the wall. The goblin's eyes widened in shock as it slid down the spear, its life slipping away.
[Goblin defeated!]
Experience gained: 20 EXP
Level Progress: 90/100
"Only 10 more EXP to go," William muttered to himself, eyes fixed on the experience bar in his mind.
William knelt down beside the lifeless goblin and carefully extracted the Mana Core from its body. The small, glowing crystal pulsed with magical energy as he held it up, examining it briefly before tucking it away into his inventory.
William furrowed his brow, puzzled. "I swear, those giant rats put up a tougher fight than these goblins. What's going on? Are goblins really that weak?"
William's eyes narrowed in thought. "The rats were a real challenge, but they gave barely any EXP. These goblins, on the other hand, were pushovers, but they gave a decent amount. There's got to be more to it than just strength versus reward..."
William shook his head, chuckling wryly. "Well, I'm not complaining about the extra EXP. But I'd better not get too used to it. Who knows what's waiting for me deeper in the dungeon?"
William shouldered his spear, his eyes scanning the dark passageway ahead. "Alright then, let's see what's around the next bend..."
.....
William walked on, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The torches lit his way, casting flickering shadows around him. He kept walking, the silence starting to feel eerie.
William's eyes narrowed in concern as he thought about his stats. Despite gaining experience points, his attributes hadn't increased. He wondered if there was something he was missing, or if it was just a matter of accumulating more experience.
As William turned a corner, the passageway opened up into a large underground chamber. The ceiling disappeared into darkness, and the sound of dripping water echoed off the walls. The room was filled with a thick layer of fog, making it difficult for William to see more than a few feet in front of him.
William's grip on his spear tightened as he cautiously stepped into the chamber. He strained his ears, listening for any signs of movement. The fog seemed to swallow all sound, leaving an unsettling silence.
Suddenly, William's Mana Sense tingled, warning him of an impending attack. He spun around, his spear at the ready, but the fog obscured his vision. A faint rustling sound came from his left, followed by the soft thud of footsteps.
"What's out there?" William muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the fog.
As William continued through the dungeon, the fog began to clear, revealing a narrow corridor lined with cobweb-covered stone blocks.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. William's footsteps echoed off the walls as he made his way deeper into the corridor.
The walls seemed to press in around him, making him feel claustrophobic. William's skin crawled as he noticed that the cobwebs seemed to be stirring, as if something was moving through them. He shone his torch on the webs, but saw nothing.
Suddenly, a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness ahead. William's heart quickened as he raised his spear, ready to face whatever creature was lurking in the shadows.
As the eyes drew closer, William saw that they belonged to a massive wolf, its fur a thick, gray coat that seemed to blend seamlessly into the darkness.
The wolf's eyes, a piercing yellow, locked onto William, and it let out a low, rumbling growl.
"Ahh shit," William muttered, his eyes widening as he took in the wolf's massive size. The wolf's gaze seemed to be fixed intently on him, and he could sense its hunger and aggression.
As he was about to battle the wolf, a system notification appeared in front of him
*Enemy Detected:* E-Rank Wolf
*Abnormality Detected:* Target's stats exceed expected parameters for this dungeon.
*Recommended Action:* Exercise caution. Target's enhanced strength and agility may pose a significant threat.
[Quest generated]
[Abnormality detected: target's stats exceed expected parameters for this dungeon
Objective: defeat the anomaly
Reward : 2 stat increase in all physical attribute
Penalty: Death]
"An E-rank monster in an F-rank dungeon?" William's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the implications. "This doesn't add up. Either someone's been messing with the dungeon's ecosystem, or... or this thing's not supposed to be here." He gripped his spear tightly, his senses on high alert. "Whatever the reason, I need to take it down before it takes me down."
.....