Beneath the Sand

Ten days passed.

Ten days has gone by since I got the Pantho Blade, and every cent was well worth it.

Compared with fighting barehanded, this sword made clearing dungeons easy. The agility and power of this sword made me dispatch monsters as if I were just cutting through the air, and that passive trait Cursed Edge...it has come really at handly because it has destroyed them way faster.

I'd raided every E-rank dungeon I could find in the StarNet app, booked and cleared them out one by one.

Akira opened his Status Window, and that familiar rush came in as his stats came into view:

[Level: 14]

[Strength: 24]

[Agility: 24]

[Endurance: 24]

[Stamina: 24]

[Intelligence (Magic) : 24]

[ For more details... ]

I have gained quite a few levels from those E-rank dungeons but it's getting obvious that I have reached a wall.

Every E-rank dungeon felt easier than the last , the experience gain has started to taper off and even monsters barely put up a fight anymore.

"If I go on like this, then I'll stagnate."

"The next step that the fake id that Hiroshi-san has given allows me to raid D-rank dungeons too."

Pulling out his phone he opened the app "StarNet" and scrolled through the list of available dungeons.

There were legions of E-ranks, but he scrolled past them, tapping on the D-rank section.

D-rank meant tougher monsters, better loot, and more experience.

That made everything more riskier, of course.

But that was just what he needed.

"Time to step it up"

He said to himself, choosing the nearest D-rank from the ones available, reserving it.

A notification chimed, confirming the booking.

Two hours later he would be in his first D-rank dungeon.

"Let's do this" - He muttered

The two hours now passed, Akira arrived at the dungeon entrance early a dark, swirling portal set against the rocky terrain of the mountain.

Ironically the dungeon was near his hidden house in the mountain.

He took a deep breath, and with the surge of energy rolling off it he knew this D-rank was going to be more intense than any E-ranks he had cleared.

This dungeon wasn't even give details out on the app yet.

No intel about monster types, just some vague warning about danger level.

As he sat in wait for his slotted time, Akira opened his Status Window and started his Daily Quest.

He started doing the push ups the sit ups and the squats and it didn't take to much and soon enough the notifications buzzed-his quest complete.

[Daily Quest Complete]

[Congratulations All Attributes Increased by 2]

"Now im ready" - He muttered

The entry countdown expired.

"Time to go"

Akira stepped through the portal, the familiar disorienting shift washing over him as he crossed into the interior of the dungeon.

It was unlike the dark, rocky landscapes of previous dungeons a sprawling mini-jungle stretching in every direction, it seemed.

Sand coated the ground, trees stood dead and brittle, and the air was thick with dry, nearly suffocating heat.It was something that seemed caught between life and decay, he thought as he moved forward, his steps cautious.

The earth shuddered suddenly, low, rhythmic Akira went still, dead in his tracks, the fingers of one hand fluttering instinctively across to the haft of the Pantho Blade.

A hulking creature burst from beneath the sand, then..

A Deevral, its skin mottled and scaled, a mouthful of teeth like needles, its clawed hands digging with inhuman speed through the sand.

"This is new Type!"

Akira growled, eyes narrowing.

He called up his Status Window in an instant and let it scan the creature for information.

[Deevral]

Type: Mutant Beast

Abilities: Bone-Crushing Bite, Blood drain

Weakness: Sensitive Underbelly.

Akira's eyes darted, his gaze honed in sharp focus on all points of the Deevral's weaknesses.

"Since i learned about the scan of the system it really has been helpful telling me the weakness of the monsters i face"

"So if this thing gets its teeth into me then it's Game Over,"

He muttered, hand tightening on the blade.

It lunged, jaws wide, snapping shut Akira sidestepped in a quick, calculated movement; he felt the rush of air as the teeth bit down on empty air.

In the same second, he kicked up a burst of speed, slipping to its side and homing in on the spot that was exposed near its underbelly.

With one swift and sure slash, he drove the Pantho Blade deep into its scales, twisting as he did so.

The wail of agony tore out of the Deevral's mouth as Akira backed away, but the monster was beyond reason, thrashing about madly.

Blood sprayed from the open wound, yet it showed no mercy to itself, dragging itself forward with frenzied speed.

"Persistent, aren't you?"

The Deevral moved fast and wounded a bit Akira at his left arm as the blood leaked because he couldn't fully dodge him.

Akira sneered, leaping back before charging at full speed. He danced around its attacks, quick as a shadow, until he finally found his opening.

In one smooth motion, he sliced low across its legs and the creature fell sidely.

The Deevral fell to the sand, struggling weakly as Akira gave a final blow against its exposed underbelly.

It quivered, let out one last groan, and stilled, falling to silence.

Akira cleaned his blade on the sand, gazing at the monster as it dissolved, leaving only wisps of energy in the air.

The surge of experience seeped into him-a satisfying reward for such a high-intensity fight.

"One down."

After The Deevral took it last breath a familiar chime echoed in his mind and the system notification flashed before his eyes:

[Ding!]

A system notification flashed before his eyes, cutting through the haze of battle

[Congratulations you have leveled up.]

[+5 Stat Points awarded.]

The next line followed immediately:

[Perfected Symmetry in effect. Allocating stat points equally across all attributes.]

A warm, energizing flow went through his body, and he felt his muscles strengthen as the pains disappeared, his wounds sealing themselves.

Everything about him seemed rejuvenated the exhaustion from his earlier fights had vanished, as it had never been there.

"I really love this system"

A slight grin curling onto his face as he proceeded deeper into the haunting jungle.

One Hour passed

Akira wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked around at the remains of the twenty Deevral scattered across the sand-strewn jungle floor.

The thrill of leveling up several times had lost some of its edge, given how quickly he dispatched these creatures.

He was starting to think this D-rank dungeon wasn't as challenging as he'd hoped.

But suddenly, without a bit of warning, the ground beneath him lurched with a long, clashing hum, which in that instant built into a quake.

Sand and dust filled the air, and then, from the shuddering earth, a monstrous figure burst forth.

A mutant Sand Maw blew out from beneath, large and twisting, like a snake of flesh and stone, its every scale shaking with heavy force.

There was no Deevral here-this was a monster worthy of his notice.

It growled low and heavy, a rumble in the pit of its stomach that chilled Akira's blood.

He called up his Status Window in an instant and let it scan the creature for information.

[Sand Maw]

Type: Mutant Beast

[Abilities:]

[Quicksand Trap: Can generate quicksand around itself to immobilize prey.]

[Tremor Strike: Slams the ground to create shockwaves that destabilize enemies.]

[Armored Scales: Extremely resilient scales that reduce damage from most attacks.]

[Weakness: Exposed Neck—attacks to this vulnerable area can bypass its armored hide and deal significant damage.]

"Alright,"

He rasped, clenching his hand tight on the Pantho Blade,

"Finally, something worthy of the trouble."