Don't Read

Saw others doing this so why not, am I right?

Dead bodies.Dead bodies everywhere, smashed or ripped apart by an unknown force, the gruesome sight filling one of the dungeon rooms, a space with only one entrance and exit. Among the carnage was the body of a lean and athletic man, his jet black hair matted with blood, and his doberman ears and tail lay lifeless.His head had been sliced clean down the middle, splitting his face in half, with one of his red-brown eyes dangling grotesquely from its socket, while his exposed skull and brain glistened under the dim dungeon ceiling light light. Blood and gore pooled around him, drenching his clothes, yet his hand still gripped the hilt of a broken magic sword.Then, suddenly, the corpse twitched. Slowly, his split skull began to knit itself back together, Brains shifted and fused, bone met bone, and the torn flesh began stitching itself closed. His dangling eye shifted and moved back into its proper place, snapping into focus. Within moments, his body looked whole again, as if he had never been injured.Then—"HAAAAA!" The man gasped, sucking in air as though surfacing from deep water. His eyes shot open, his chest heaving. "Haah... haah..." He gripped his chest, feeling the frantic pounding of his newly beating heart. "What the fuck?!"The last thing he remembered was walking down the street after another exhausting 9-to-5 shift at McDonald's. He had been thinking about dinner when a loose tire from a truck came hurtling toward him—and then… nothing.And now…"Where am I?" he muttered, his voice shaky as his eyes darted around the cave-like room. Blood painted the floor, walls, and looked down at himself to notice his clothes, drenched in gore, thick and sticky."Wh-WHAT THE FUCK?!" he roared, stumbling to his feet, but before he could process anything further, something hit him like a freight train.Memories.Memories that weren't his own came flooding in."Gaah!" He cried out, gripping the cold stone wall for support as the overwhelming torrent consumed him. Scenes, emotions, and knowledge, flashed before his eyes.It took a few seconds, but eventually, the storm within his mind began to settle. The foreign memories slotted into place, his thoughts working instinctively to sort and integrate them. Breathing heavily, he pressed his bloody palm against his face, grounding himself.He exhaled deeply,closing his eyes. "I'm not on Earth anymore." The memories left no room for doubt. They showed him a world of elves, cat people, dwarves—and gods. Literally, mythological gods walking among mortals.And then he realized. This wasn't just any world. "Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon..." he murmured, lowering his hand to survey the blood-soaked dungeon room around him. "I'm in Danmachi..."It was an anime he'd watched a few years ago. He could recall bits and pieces—general plotlines, the protagonist, and snippets about the world. The details were fuzzy, but it was enough to confirm where he was."How…" he whispered, closing his eyes briefly, trying to rationalize how he had crossed worlds, but he couldn't even begin to theorize.And after crossing over, he took over a body. Rex Magnus, a member of the Soma Familia—a quiet, money hungry man like everyone else in the Familia who died to a Minotaur wandering on the upper floor.'What the fuck is a Minotaur doing on the upper floor.' He groaned, massaging his neck, and then he remembered. 'Ah, right…' He nodded, 'I am either during the beginning when the loki familia came back from an expedition or I entered the body furring the time Ottar trained that Minotaur to kill Bell.'He thought back. "It's the latter," he mumbled. Bell has already killed that silverback monster, so it was way past the beginning of the show, at least he believes. 'Whatever, I need to get out of here.' He thought, looking around.Escaping shouldn't be a problem. Based on the memories of his stats, his highest attributes were Strength and Endurance at E-rank, making him more than capable of handling the challenges of floors 7 and 8. However, the Minotaur was likely still wandering nearby, so there is a chance he would run into it and that would almost certainly lead to his third death—or rather, his second.'Shouldn't I have a cheat skill like other reincarnators?' Rex wondered, his thoughts drifting to the manhwa and manhua he'd been reading recently. 'Am I in a fanfiction!?' he thought briefly, before shaking his head and deciding to try his 'golden finger.' "Uh… Status?" He muttered.To his surprise, a translucent screen materialized in front of him:— — — — — — — — — —[Name] Rex Magnus[Level] 1[Strength] E459[Endurance] E447[Dexterity] F319[Agility] F363[Magic] I2[Development Ability] None[Magic] None[Skill]Scavenger— Scavenge a dead corpse to gain up to 10% of its stat points.— Chance to acquire skills from the corpse.— Low chance to acquire magic and properties from the corpse.— Stats, skills, magic, or properties can be declined.— Status automatically updates.— Treasure Detection— Sense and judge the quality of anything, including abilities, people, objects, locations, or even abstract concepts or properties.— — — — — — — — — —"...Okay..." Rex mumbled, staring at the screen. This Scavenger skill hadn't been part of his original memories. It must have been his gift from reincarnation, and rightfully so. This thing looked overpowered. "And I guess the sub-ability to 'sense and judge the quality of people' is what gave me this status power."His eyes drifted to a dead body nearby. A faint aura seemed to radiate from it, drawing his attention, so he moved closer. The body was headless, blood still pooling from its neck in thick, dark streams. He gulped hard, looking away from the sight. Fortunately, his strong stomach—along with the memories of the original Rex—kept him from vomiting whatever was left in his gut.Let's see, he thought, crouching beside the corpse. He placed a hand on the drenched, blood-soaked torso. Scavenge.The aura he sensed flowed into him, and multiple notifications appeared in front of his eyes:[+18 Strength][+3 Endurance][+11 Dexterity][+11 Agility][+1 Magic]He could decline or accept the gains, but like any sane person, he accepted all of them. A warm, invigorating rush coursed through his body as his stats updated.'Nice.' He clenched his fist, feeling the subtle improvement in his strength. "An overpowered skill indeed. Really fucking overpowered." WIth this, it wouldn't take him more than a month or so to max out his stats and level up. Even faster than that 'Ais' from Loki. Granted, the original Rex has already been adventuring for five years so he wouldn't be breaking any record.He scanned the room, spotting another corpse—a teammate of the original Rex—but this body didn't emit the same aura. It seemed too much time had passed for scavenging to work. However, that didn't mean the body was useless.Walking over, Rex rifled through the man's belongings. After a brief search, he removed a utility belt that held a sheathed dagger, a pouch containing magic stones, and another pouch with three healing potions.He fastened the utility belt to his waist and pulled out the dagger, the blade completely dark and straight with a double edge, and the hilt wrapped in brown leather. 'Quality inspect,' he thought, and a blue screen appeared:[Dagger: A 35 cm double-edged dagger crafted from War Shadow finger blade by a Goibniu Familia highsmith with the Blacksmith Development Ability. It is a second-class weapon with an excellent edge and durability. Market Value: ~175,000 Valis]"Eh?" Rex blinked at the screen. "This expensive weapon was hiding in plain sight?" The dagger looked so ordinary that he had assumed it was just a regular blade. The dagger's previous owner had picked it up off the ground and only used it to threaten others. 'Who knew it would be this good? Nice.'He added the dagger's sheath to his belt but kept the blade unsheathed, holding it securely. After another quick scan of the room and finding nothing else of value, Rex closed his eyes to concentrate.After gaining a blessing from a god, all adventurers experienced heightened senses, and as a doberman Chienthrope, Rex's hearing was already exceptional. Though his sense of smell was vastly better, he rather not use it in a place filled with blood and dead bodies. Focusing, his ears twitched slightly as he focused on the faint sounds of the dungeon, trying to gauge how many monsters might be nearby.'None?' There were no sounds of movement, no growls, no skittering claws. 'Did the Minotaur kill all the monsters in its rage?' That was good—he wouldn't have to fight. I should head up.Strong light spills down from the phosphorescence in the ceiling, lighting up the pale green walls in every direction around me, and as he advanced, his eyes scanned the ground. Monster corpses littered the path—most of them ants, with a few of the bodies still carrying the faint aura his skill seemed to detect.'Don't mind if I do.' He approached the nearest ant, squatting down and placing his hand on its abdomen. 'Scavenge.'The aura flowed into him, followed by a notification of modest gains.[+2 Strength][+3 Endurance][+1 Dexterity][+6 Agility][+0 Magic]"So bad," he muttered, frowning slightly at the numbers. Still, he couldn't complain—this was better than what most adventurers could achieve after a full run. And there were two more bodies to scavenge nearby. He muttered to himself, "And I can't forget the magic stones."However, when he turned back to the ant, he saw it turning to ash. "Eh?" Monsters in the dungeon only turn to ask when their magic stone is removed so… "Hmmm…" he went to the next body and removed the stone, watching the body turn to ash, and the moment the stone was in his hand, the aura became unmistakable."Ah," he realized aloud. The stone is what carries the aura, not the body itself. Placing his palm on the stone, he triggered his skill again. Scavenge.[+1 Strength, +4 Endurance, +3 Dexterity, +5 Agility, +0 Magic]He nodded, satisfied, and moved to inspect a third ant body. This one had no aura—neither from the corpse nor the stone. "I guess I can't go around scavenging every magic stone I find," he muttered. Like human bodies, the stones seemed to have a timer before their power faded and the aura disappeared."Sacrifice money for power," he mumbled. "I don't mind." With that, he moved on to the next ant body.He continued cautiously, following the path of destruction left by the Minotaur. Along the way, he scavenged more corpses, learning something new about his skill when he encountered two adventurer corpses. Both had died at roughly the same time, judging by the state of their blood and bodies, but he could only scavenge one of them.The difference became clear after closer inspection: the corpse he couldn't scavenge was too damaged. The same rule applied to magic stones—if they were cracked or otherwise destroyed, his skill wouldn't work.Now, Rex stood before the door leading to the eighth floor. The trail of blood clearly showed that the Minotaur had gone down, likely chasing an adventurer. He stared at the door, weighing his options."Should I follow it down?" he muttered.He glanced at his updated stats:— — — — — — — — — —[Strength] D580 | [Endurance] D548 | [Dexterity] E476 | [Agility] D500 | [Magic] I12— — — — — — — — — —In just 15 minutes of cautiously scavenging around 15 bodies, he had gained 457 points. If he went down to the next floor, the monsters would undoubtedly be stronger, and their stats would yield even greater rewards.'But that would be stupid.' The thought hit him hard.The Minotaur could be waiting just beyond the door. Even if it wasn't, encountering it would spell his doom. It was a level 2 monster, and it was also trained by Ottar himself. Bell had defeated it to reach level 2, but Bell's stats had all been at S by then, while Rex's highest stat was D.If it came after him, the odds of escape were slim at best."Fuck." He rubbed his hands together, trying to decide. 'Play it safe and go up? Or take the risk and head down?' If he died within an hour of entering this world, it would be game over. 'I could just head up and mass-hunt ants for stats…'After several moments of agonized thought, he made his decision."Let's go down," he said firmly. "Besides, I could loot the bodies I find along the way."He still wore a light-blue shirt, a light-brown sleeveless vest, and a dark purple cloth draped around his neck and right shoulder—all of them stained with dried blood. However, he had looted some additional equipment along the way. He now wore black shin-high boots, a leather knee pad over his blue cargo pants, and a sword strapped to each side of his utility belt. One was a basic longsword, cheaper than his dagger. The other, however, was a magic sword capable of shooting fire—its market value was a staggering 897,000 valis, according to his inspection.In total, his current gear was worth 1,205,500 valis, with the magic sword being the most expensive item. If he sold all his current equipment, he could buy a good house and live well. That is, if he managed to sell them for their market value, which he doubted he would be able to since they are used items. So if he went down and looted more corpses, it would undoubtedly be worth the risk."Let's go," he said, gripping the hilt of his dagger tightly as he walked down.Chapter 2: Bull"And another loot," Rex mumbled as he removed the red cloak from a girl's body whose head had been crushed like a juicy fruit. Though her body was too damaged to scavenge for stats, her clothing was salvageable."Thankfully, it isn't damaged." The cloak ended just above her ankle, and holding it up, Rex inspected the garment, and a screen appeared:[Leather Cloak: A durable cloak made from orc hide. Market Value: 2,500 Valis.]'It doesn't cost much, but every Valis counts,' Rex thought, removing the bloodied cloth from his neck. 'And it's cleaner and looks better.'He draped the cloak over his shoulders and fastened it at the neck, the high collar covering his mouth, but due to his stature compared to the deceased human woman, the cloak barely reached his knee, though it hid his hands completely. However, the tips of his sword sheaths peeked out from beneath the hem.The only other item he gained from looting bodies over the past thirty minutes was a pair of leather gloves, however, Rex has scavenged so much from monsters that he now rivaled high-rank Level 1 adventurers in raw stats.— — — — — — — — — —[Strength] S919 | [Endurance] A873 | [Dexterity] B790 | [Agility] A814 | [Magic] I22— — — — — — — — — —The rate of growth was staggering. In less than an hour, he had surpassed what the original Rex achieved in five years. Even the protagonist of this world couldn't match his pace. His skill was, without a doubt, a cheat.'But my magic…' Rex frowned. The ants had low magic stats, and their corpses reflected that.Humans will give more magic, but counting the girl whose body he had looted, he had only encountered three adventurers, and all of them were so destroyed that they were beyond scavenging. 'I need to head to the lower floors to scavenge from monsters with stronger magic.'The Hellhounds on the middle floors came to mind. He recalled from original Rex memories that they are supposed to have magic, but venturing down there now would be reckless. He needed higher physical stats—preferably S-rank across the board—before he dared to descend further. No, it's best he even becomes a level 2 before going down there, so that's out of the question for now.He also needed better skills and equipment. His dagger was his most reliable weapon, but it wouldn't be ideal for the lower floors. He didn't want to get too close to the monsters so a longsword or spear would give him the distance he needed to stay safe.A sharp crack interrupted his thoughts, snapping his attention to a nearby stalagmite, a thick column of stone that stretched from the ground to the cavern's ten-meter ceiling. A hairline fracture appeared on its surface before it burst open, and a Killer Ant emerged.It was massive, over 1.7 meters long, and while standing on its back two legs, its head would almost reach his neck. Even on all six legs, it came up to his knee—a size terrifyingly large when you encounter it in real life. Its front legs ended in razor-sharp blades, each capable of cleaving a human in half with ease.The ant snapped its mandibles together, creating a sharp clicking sound as it turned its attention to Rex. Without hesitation, it charged, its bladed forelegs raised high as it charged.Rex quickly drew his longsword in one swift motion, gripping it tightly with both hands. 'Okay,' he thought, taking a steadying breath. 'My first official fight.'The ant closed the distance in an instant, its bladed arm coming down in a deadly arc aimed at his torso. At the last moment, Rex leapt back, the blade missing him by a hairbreadth slamming into the ground where he had stood, sending shards of stone flying in every direction.The moment his feet touched the ground, he rushed forward, thrusting his sword toward the space between the ant's head and thorax. The blade pierced the thick exoskeleton, meeting resistance for only a moment before sliding through, tearing the flesh and splitting the sinew.*Ding.* The blade hit the dungeon floor as it exited the other side, and a spray of purple ichor splattered onto the ground, and with a flick of his wrist, Rex severed the ant's head. It fell to the ground with a thud, but the body continued its attack, unaware of its decapitation. He sidestepped its erratic movements, watching as it finally collapsed a few moments later."Well…" Rex exhaled, flicking his sword to the side to clear off the purple goo. Droplets splattered across the ground as he sheathed the blade. "That was easy."Killer Ants weren't particularly dangerous when encountered alone. The real threat came from their pheromones. When in a pinch, they can release chemical signals that attract other nearby ants, leading to the deaths of many inexperienced adventurers. Their blood can also release these pheromones, so Rex had a few moments before reinforcements arrived.He crouched down and placed his hand on the ant's severed head. 'Scavenge.'[+1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Dexterity, +1 Agility, +1 Magic]"Amazing!" he muttered exaggeratedly, mentally accepting the gains.His ears picked up something, and he snapped his head to the side, his yellow eyes locking onto glowing red eyes moving toward him. His throat tightened as a massive figure emerged from the shadows—a 2-meter-tall Minotaur with red skin, a gray chest, and one missing horn.The beast Ottar had trained, and the one old Rex had freed."Shit!" Rex shot to his feet and bolted, sprinting like his life depended on it—because it did.He ran with short, frantic breaths, his arms pumping furiously at his sides, his speed far exceeding anything a human on Earth could achieve, the dungeon blurring past. He didn't dare look back; the thunderous hoofbeats and enraged snorts behind him told him everything he needed to know."FUCK!" he spat, hearing the beast gaining ground. Though slow by Level 2 standards, the Minotaur was still faster than a Level 1 adventurer, even one with A-rank agility like Rex.He turned sharply into a side room, his shoulder slamming into the wall from the momentum. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs, but he pushed through, continuing his desperate escape. Behind him, the Minotaur failed to make the same sharp turn, its massive body crashing into the wall with a deafening BOOM.The delay bought Rex a few precious seconds, but the monster quickly recovered. "UOOOOOA!" It roared, the sound reverberating through the room like an earthquake. The vibration paralyzed Rex mid-stride, his body seizing up as he fell forward, hitting the ground face-first.'!!!' His mind screamed as he lay there, his fingers twitching uselessly against the stone floor. The heavy footfalls of the charging beast grew louder. 'I'm dead!' He frantically activated all his skills, desperate for a solution.'———' Scavenger can judge the quality of even more abstract concepts or properties, and this includes his thoughts. Out of hundreds of fleeting ideas, one stood out—Scavenger deemed it the highest 'quality.' Rex.*SPURT.* He bit down hard on his tongue, the sharp pain jolting through his nerves like a lightning strike, breaking the paralysis.He rolled to the side just as the Minotaur's massive sword slammed into the ground where he'd been lying, the impact shattering the stone, sending jagged chunks of rock flying outward. The force flung Rex backward, his body slamming into a stalagmite with enough force to knock the breath out of him again."Haah… haah…" He gasped for air, struggling to his feet as the Minotaur dashed toward him, each step deliberate and menacing. "Get BACK!" he shouted, pulling his magic sword from his belt. He activated its power and aimed for the ground.A fireball shot out, striking the ground and exploding in a fiery burst. Smoke and debris filled the area around it, momentarily obscuring the monster. Using the brief opening, Rex forced his aching body to move, adrenaline dulling his pain as he sprinted away.The Minotaur blasted through the cloud of dust moments later, roaring in fury as it charged again. Rex's mind raced, thoughts firing off in every direction. How to escape? How to run faster?Then he heard it—muffled voices. 'People!' He couldn't pinpoint the source, but Scavenger judged one direction as having the highest 'quality.' Without hesitation, Rex turned and ran toward it, deciding to just trust the skill.As the voices grew clearer, he suddenly heard a low growl from behind him and quickly pointed his magic sword behind him, quickly activating the sword. The fireball blasted out from the sword, hitting the Minotaur square in the shoulder, momentarily stunning it and halting its building roar. Rex didn't stop, the dungeon walls blurring past as he pushed himself to his limit.Finally, two figures came into view—a teenage boy with white hair and red eyes, wearing lightweight armor, and a small girl in a full-body cloak with a hood, carrying an oversized backpack."!!!" Rex's eyes widened. It wasn't hard to recognize them. Bell Cranel, the protagonist of this world, and Liliruca Arde, the girl who once belonged to the Soma Familia. 'Isn't she supposed to be dead? I heard she died from killer ants!?' He didn't care.The two froze as the bloodied doberman demi-human sprinted toward them, his cloak billowing behind him and blood dripping from the side of his mouth. Liliruca's eyes widened in shock, immediately recognizing the figure.Rex ran past them, not stopping as he shouted, "It's all yours!"He didn't look back. Moments later, the Minotaur stormed into view, its massive form emerging from behind a stalagmite, huffing angrily as it locked eyes with the startled duo.After running for a while longer, Rex finally slowed down, his chest heaving as he leaned against a stalagmite that stopped short of the ceiling. "Oh, fuck," he breathed, feeling his veins throbbing in his temple and his head growing light. "Never again," he huffed, wiping the sweat from his brow and sliding his magic sword back into its scabbard.'That was the protagonist's achievement to reach Level 2,' he thought, resting his back against the wall. 'He should be able to handle it.' His ears twitched, picking up the distant, angry mooing of the Minotaur echoing through the dungeon."I should leave… after catching… my breath." He took in one long, steadying inhale, then pushed himself off the wall. "..." But then curiosity got the better of him. 'I can just outrun it if it comes after me again.'Instead of leaving, he circled back around the large chamber, careful to keep to the shadows as he returned to the room where he'd left the Minotaur with Bell Cranel. Sticking to a dark corner, he peered into the room just in time to see the white-haired boy get flung across the floor.Bell's body hit the ground hard, the impact knocking his dagger from his hand as he coughed up a mouthful of spit. The Minotaur slowly advanced toward him, its cleaver scraping against the ground with a metallic screech as Bell struggled to get back on his feet.Rex cursed under his breath. 'When I was down, you charged me like a lunatic, but now you decide to take your time?' He clicked his tongue in frustration. 'So unfair.'Then, before the Minotaur could reach Bell, a stunningly beautiful young woman leapt between them, her golden hair catching the dungeon's faint light as it fanned out behind her. Her presence was magnetic, commanding attention without a word.'Ais Wallenstein.' Rex instantly recognized her. She wasn't just any popular adventurer—she was the adventurer, the Sword Princess of the Loki Familia, and the girl with the fastest level-up in Orario's history. 'Was she the main female lead? Or was it that fox girl?' His memory was hazy, but it didn't matter.From his hiding spot, he watched silently as Bell, with newfound resolve, rose to his feet. Then, Bell grabbed Ais by the wrist, gently pulling her behind him as he stepped between her and the Minotaur. The massive creature growled low in its throat, lifting its clever to point directly at Bell, as if accepting his challenge.Rex resisted the urge to groan. 'So cliché.' He cringed. 'That Minotaur definitely wouldn't have pointed its sword at me like that. It would've just tried to slice me in half.'The room grew more crowded as Tione, Riveria, and Finn entered. Rex ignored their banter, focusing entirely on Bell, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed the fight, analyzing each movement.'Hmm…' he thought, narrowing his eyes as Bell and the Minotaur clashed. The sheer speed and precision of their movements were leagues above what Rex could manage. 'Yeah, he definitely out-stats and out-skills me.' If they fought now, Bell would annihilate him.A shockwave from the combatants' clashing blades rippled through the room, ruffling Rex's hair and cloak. "Damn," he muttered, blinking. 'My strength is at S. I should be able to do that… right?' He watched as sparks flew with each strike, the room illuminated by bursts of light as strength met speed in a fierce exchange.After about thirty seconds of watching, a wicked thought crept into his mind. 'What if…' He unsheathed his magic sword, carefully pointing it at the Minotaur. Adjusting his aim as the beast moved, he smirked. 'What if I attack it right now? Wouldn't that mess up the high-rank excelia he's supposed to get from beating it alone?'His grin widened. 'One fireball and I could destroy the entire plot—'*SHIVER.*A cold dread washed over him, freezing his entire body, and slowly, like a poorly oiled machine, he turned his head. His heart dropped when he saw Finn Deimne, the captain of the Loki Familia, staring directly at him, his piercing blue eyes seeming to glow in the dim dungeon, cutting through the shadows like a blade. Rex swallowed hard, his grip tightening on his sword as he noticed Riveria, the high elf, was also watching him with a piercing gaze.'Shit.' Without a word, he slid his magic sword back into its scabbard before taking one careful step back. Pulling his cloak's high neck over his mouth, then another, then turning around entirely and walking away as nonchalantly as possible.Chapter 3: TeacherIt was 10 in the morning, and the Adventurer's Guild buzzed with activity. Adventurers moved in and out of the building, their voices blending into a constant hum. The usual chaos of early-morning business filled the air, with workers behind the counters handling requests, transactions, and reports.Rex entered the building, his cloak swaying lightly as he walked toward an unoccupied counter. The doberman demi-human approached a brown-haired elf, setting three pouches filled with magic stones on the counter in front of her and sliding them forward."I want to exchange all these," he said simply. The elf glanced down at the pouches, then up at his face. Her hesitation was brief but noticeable, causing Rex to raise a brow. "Is something wrong?""No, nothing's wrong." she replied, quickly taking the pouches. "Give me ten minutes; I'll be back." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and disappeared into the back.Rex stepped away from the counter, finding a seat by the wall. He adjusted his cloak before leaning back and calling up his status.— — — — — — — — — —[Name] Rex Magnus[Level] 1[Strength] S920 | [Endurance] A882 | [Dexterity] B799 | [Agility] A825 | [Magic] I24[Development Ability] None[Magic] None[Skill]Scavenger…— — — — — — — — — —Nothing had changed significantly. Killing a few monsters on his way up had increased his stats slightly, pushing his Dexterity closer to A. He sighed. 'Even with these stats, my combat capabilities are below average.'Bell had shown him what a true high-level adventurer should look like. Even if he managed to get all his stats at 999, he doubted he could defeat the Minotaur the way Bell had. The old Rex had relied entirely on his party, barely knowing how to wield a sword or dagger properly.And courage? That was in even shorter supply.'I just hope that once I max my stats at 999, I won't need to go on a suicide mission to get high-rank excelia,' he thought, folding his arms as he leaned back in his chair. 'Maybe the skill will forcefully level me up once I scavenge someone's stats after reaching 999.'He nodded to himself. 'Yeah, that sounds about right.' Even if leveling didn't work that way, he still needed to gain fighting experience. His thoughts drifted as he watched a pair of cat people leave the guild, shouting at each other, each sentence ending with a 'nya.' He shook his head slightly. 'I can't believe how quickly I've adjusted.'Back on Earth, Rex had prided himself on being adaptable, but this situation was far beyond anything reasonable. And yet, he wasn't panicking or dwelling on the absurdity of his circumstances. Instead, he was focused on getting stronger.'Is it because of the old Rex's memories?' Though the memories hadn't fused with his personality, they were still those of a man who had lived for 23 years, 2 years longer than he had lived. They were bound to affect him, even if only subtly.Whatever. He wouldn't complain.After about ten minutes, the elf returned to the counter. Rex stood and walked over as she placed the pouches back on the counter."Your total was seventy-five thousand nine hundred twelve, but after tax, it came out to sixty-four thousand five hundred twenty-five," she said, pushing the three pouches forward, two empty with one filled with Valis coins in denominations of 500. "Have a good day." She gave him a small nod.He didn't reply and secured the pouches back onto his belt before turning to leave. 'This is barely enough to buy Soma wine,' he thought bitterly as he stepped outside. The body's previous owner had been a heavy alcoholic addicted to Soma wines much like everyone else in the Familia, and while Rex himself wasn't mentally addicted, the body would still experience withdrawal symptoms.'And I definitely don't want to deal with that in the dungeon.' He groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 'That's going to be a problem, isn't it?'He'd get a discount as a member of the Soma Familia, but he wanted to save his Valis for better equipment. His Familia wouldn't support him financially, no matter how much he begged. 'Nah, screw it. I'll deal with the withdrawals when they come.'Decision made, his first stop was a nearby inn to clean himself up. Returning to the dungeon covered in blood wasn't an issue, but entering a restaurant like that would definitely cause problems. Fortunately, cleaning his fur, tail, and hair of blood wasn't as difficult as he'd initially feared."This is so fucking weird," he muttered, staring at his tail in the mirror. It grew from his tailbone, reaching down to his knees when relaxed, and it was thin, straight, and short-haired, with a slight curve at the end. "I've become a furry. Damn."With a shake of his head, Rex dried himself off with the provided towel. The shower at the inn had cost him 225 Valis—something he wouldn't have had to spend if he'd gone home to clean up. But his Familia home was too far away, and he didn't want to waste the time walking back.Once dressed, he adjusted his cloak to hide his bloodstained shirt, secured his armor, and equipped his weapons before stepping out of the inn. His next priority was to restock supplies.The first stop was a shop where he purchased a high potion for a staggering 50,000 Valis, consuming the bulk of his earnings. "Fuck," he muttered, gripping his chest dramatically as if his heart might burst. Two days of hunting income, gone in an instant. But it was worth it.Unlike standard potions, which cost only 500 Valis, a high potion was a lifesaving item. It could stop any bleeding, heal severe injuries like broken bones, deep gashes, and third-degree burns, and keep an adventurer alive in the harshest conditions.The even more powerful Elixir, priced at 500,000 Valis, was reserved for the wealthiest Familias—certainly not for someone like him. Soma Familia might be rich, but Zanis, the captain, was notoriously greedy and wouldn't spare a coin.With 14,300 Valis left, Rex spent 4,000 on nine regular potions. They were essential for adventuring, capable of treating first- and some second-degree burns, moderate injuries like cuts, and other minor trauma. He packed the potions into his pouch, then headed to a nearby inn for a meal, which cost him another 300 Valis. That left him with exactly 10,000 Valis.'I've got about 7,000 Valis in savings at home, so that makes 17,000 total,' Rex thought, patting his pouch as he debated whether to return home to store the money. 'Nah, too much time wasted if I do that.' Instead, he turned toward the dungeon, ready to continue his grind.Returning to the dungeon, Rex made his way down to the sixth floor, killing goblins and kobolds on the way. He collected their magic stones rather than absorbing them, having learned from the first attempt that weaker monsters yielded almost no stat gains.One absorbed stone had given him a single Dexterity point, with 0 in the other stats. It was clear that scavenging stats depended heavily on the strength of the target relative to his one. Still, the stones were worth selling, so he kept them.Once on the sixth floor, it didn't take long for him to encounter his first monster—a Frog Shooter.The almost-human-sized green frog stared him down with its single large, glowing eye, its croaking echoing loudly, a telltale sign of its presence. The Frog Shooter's most dangerous weapon was its tongue, capable of crushing armor and breaking bones at point-blank range. While its body was soft and easy to damage, its tongue was fast and lethal.Rex's ears twitched as his eyes caught movement. Instinctively, he leapt to the side, rolling to his feet just as the frog's tongue shot past, slamming into the wall with a loud crack that left a noticeable dent."Fast," he muttered, pulling his longsword from its scabbard as the tongue snapped back into the Frog Shooter's mouth. Most adventurers underestimated the speed of its attack, and it often proved fatal. But Rex had no intention of making that mistake.The frog croaked loudly, its tongue lashing out again. Rex spun on his heel, dodging to the side with practiced ease. Without breaking stride, he dashed toward the monster, adjusting his grip on the sword as he moved. With a smooth motion, he passed the Frog Shooter, slicing along its side. The blade tore through its soft skin, spilling steaming blood and entrails onto the floor.Rex stopped a few feet away, flicking his sword to the side to clear it of blood as the Frog Shooter collapsed in a pool of its own gore."Easy peasy," he muttered, turning back to scavenge the fallen monster.But as he approached, a shiver ran down his spine. His instincts screamed at him to move, and he twisted his head just in time to avoid a shadowy object flying past his face, leaving a sharp sting and a thin line of blood across his cheek.Quickly, he jumped back, spinning to face the source of the attack. A War Shadow loomed before him. The humanoid monster stood at around 180 cm, its skin so dark it blended perfectly into the shadows, its single, glowing red eye staring unblinkingly at Rex, with its long, clawed arms ready to strike.The War Shadow dashed forward, thrusting its right arm forward, the knife-like claws shooting toward his head. Reacting quickly, Rex raised his sword vertically, deflecting the claws as they skidded off the broadside of his blade to the side.He ducked and rolled to the side as the monster followed up with another strike, a horizontal slash to his head with its other claw. Coming out of the roll, he dashed forward, gripping his sword tightly with both hands as he thrust it into the War Shadow's ribs. The blade pierced clean through its body, emerging from the other side.The War Shadow's beady eye turned to him in its final moments. Rex twisted the sword, tearing through its insides before the monster slumped forward, lifeless.Releasing his left hand from the hilt, Rex placed his palm on the creature's head. 'Scavenge.'[+3 Strength, +1 Endurance, +2 Dexterity, +5 Agility, +0 Magic]The war shadow turned to ash, leaving behind a drop item. Turning back to the Frog Shooter, he crouched down and touched it to scavenge whatever stats he could.[+4 Strength, +2 Endurance, +2 Dexterity, +0 Agility, +0 Magic]'Now, all my stats are at A with strength at S.' He thought, flexing his muscles. 'But my fighting is still so awkward.' He replayed the fight in his mind and sighed. 'I don't think thrusting a sword with two hands is good swordsmanship.' He looked at the drop from the war shadow.The War Shadow's middle finger blade—the longest and most durable of its three—was a valuable material. These blades could be crafted into high-quality weapons, like his black dagger, and sold for around 250 Valis each, depending on their condition.Rex stood, examining the blade in his hand. It was too long to fit in his pouch, and carrying it would be impractical without a supporter. With a sigh, he tossed it to the side, deciding to leave it."Wait a minute…" The Scavenger skill judged things so… wouldn't it be able to judge his thoughts and tell him the one with the highest quality. "Hmm…" He drew his sword and shifted his stance, holding the blade in front of him.He closed his eyes briefly, visualizing five different stances for an overhead strike, drawing from the memories of the original Rex and his own experience back on Earth, he pieced together possible techniques. And indeed, Scavenger immediately judged one as superior.While the ability couldn't create new ideas for him, it excelled at judging the best one. "Hehe~" A satisfied chuckle escaped him.Following its recommendation, he adjusted his posture, raising the sword high above his head with the blade angled diagonally backward. Both hands gripped the hilt firmly—his right near the guard—and one foot stepped forward while his weight shifted slightly onto the back leg for balance.With a deep breath, he transitioned into a powerful overhead strike. The blade came down with force—but he overdid it. The tip slammed into the ground with a dull thud, and he froze, staring at the embedded sword."…" He blinked at the weapon for a moment before shaking his head. "Well, at least now I have a teacher," he muttered to himself, retrieving the sword and turning toward the sound of a low croak nearby.A Frog Shooter emerged from the shadows, its glowing eye locked onto him as it prepared to strike. Rex grinned, gripping his sword tighter."My own teacher is myself, BIATCH!" he yelled, charging toward the monster, ready to put his self-taught lessons to the test. Dead bodies.Dead bodies everywhere, smashed or ripped apart by an unknown force, the gruesome sight filling one of the dungeon rooms, a space with only one entrance and exit. Among the carnage was the body of a lean and athletic man, his jet black hair matted with blood, and his doberman ears and tail lay lifeless.His head had been sliced clean down the middle, splitting his face in half, with one of his red-brown eyes dangling grotesquely from its socket, while his exposed skull and brain glistened under the dim dungeon ceiling light light. Blood and gore pooled around him, drenching his clothes, yet his hand still gripped the hilt of a broken magic sword.Then, suddenly, the corpse twitched. Slowly, his split skull began to knit itself back together, Brains shifted and fused, bone met bone, and the torn flesh began stitching itself closed. His dangling eye shifted and moved back into its proper place, snapping into focus. Within moments, his body looked whole again, as if he had never been injured.Then—"HAAAAA!" The man gasped, sucking in air as though surfacing from deep water. His eyes shot open, his chest heaving. "Haah... haah..." He gripped his chest, feeling the frantic pounding of his newly beating heart. "What the fuck?!"The last thing he remembered was walking down the street after another exhausting 9-to-5 shift at McDonald's. He had been thinking about dinner when a loose tire from a truck came hurtling toward him—and then… nothing.And now…"Where am I?" he muttered, his voice shaky as his eyes darted around the cave-like room. Blood painted the floor, walls, and looked down at himself to notice his clothes, drenched in gore, thick and sticky."Wh-WHAT THE FUCK?!" he roared, stumbling to his feet, but before he could process anything further, something hit him like a freight train.Memories.Memories that weren't his own came flooding in."Gaah!" He cried out, gripping the cold stone wall for support as the overwhelming torrent consumed him. Scenes, emotions, and knowledge, flashed before his eyes.It took a few seconds, but eventually, the storm within his mind began to settle. The foreign memories slotted into place, his thoughts working instinctively to sort and integrate them. Breathing heavily, he pressed his bloody palm against his face, grounding himself.He exhaled deeply,closing his eyes. "I'm not on Earth anymore." The memories left no room for doubt. They showed him a world of elves, cat people, dwarves—and gods. Literally, mythological gods walking among mortals.And then he realized. This wasn't just any world. "Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon..." he murmured, lowering his hand to survey the blood-soaked dungeon room around him. "I'm in Danmachi..."It was an anime he'd watched a few years ago. He could recall bits and pieces—general plotlines, the protagonist, and snippets about the world. The details were fuzzy, but it was enough to confirm where he was."How…" he whispered, closing his eyes briefly, trying to rationalize how he had crossed worlds, but he couldn't even begin to theorize.And after crossing over, he took over a body. Rex Magnus, a member of the Soma Familia—a quiet, money hungry man like everyone else in the Familia who died to a Minotaur wandering on the upper floor.'What the fuck is a Minotaur doing on the upper floor.' He groaned, massaging his neck, and then he remembered. 'Ah, right…' He nodded, 'I am either during the beginning when the loki familia came back from an expedition or I entered the body furring the time Ottar trained that Minotaur to kill Bell.'He thought back. "It's the latter," he mumbled. Bell has already killed that silverback monster, so it was way past the beginning of the show, at least he believes. 'Whatever, I need to get out of here.' He thought, looking around.Escaping shouldn't be a problem. Based on the memories of his stats, his highest attributes were Strength and Endurance at E-rank, making him more than capable of handling the challenges of floors 7 and 8. However, the Minotaur was likely still wandering nearby, so there is a chance he would run into it and that would almost certainly lead to his third death—or rather, his second.'Shouldn't I have a cheat skill like other reincarnators?' Rex wondered, his thoughts drifting to the manhwa and manhua he'd been reading recently. 'Am I in a fanfiction!?' he thought briefly, before shaking his head and deciding to try his 'golden finger.' "Uh… Status?" He muttered.To his surprise, a translucent screen materialized in front of him:— — — — — — — — — —[Name] Rex Magnus[Level] 1[Strength] E459[Endurance] E447[Dexterity] F319[Agility] F363[Magic] I2[Development Ability] None[Magic] None[Skill]Scavenger— Scavenge a dead corpse to gain up to 10% of its stat points.— Chance to acquire skills from the corpse.— Low chance to acquire magic and properties from the corpse.— Stats, skills, magic, or properties can be declined.— Status automatically updates.— Treasure Detection— Sense and judge the quality of anything, including abilities, people, objects, locations, or even abstract concepts or properties.— — — — — — — — — —"...Okay..." Rex mumbled, staring at the screen. This Scavenger skill hadn't been part of his original memories. It must have been his gift from reincarnation, and rightfully so. This thing looked overpowered. "And I guess the sub-ability to 'sense and judge the quality of people' is what gave me this status power."His eyes drifted to a dead body nearby. A faint aura seemed to radiate from it, drawing his attention, so he moved closer. The body was headless, blood still pooling from its neck in thick, dark streams. He gulped hard, looking away from the sight. Fortunately, his strong stomach—along with the memories of the original Rex—kept him from vomiting whatever was left in his gut.Let's see, he thought, crouching beside the corpse. He placed a hand on the drenched, blood-soaked torso. Scavenge.The aura he sensed flowed into him, and multiple notifications appeared in front of his eyes:[+18 Strength][+3 Endurance][+11 Dexterity][+11 Agility][+1 Magic]He could decline or accept the gains, but like any sane person, he accepted all of them. A warm, invigorating rush coursed through his body as his stats updated.'Nice.' He clenched his fist, feeling the subtle improvement in his strength. "An overpowered skill indeed. Really fucking overpowered." WIth this, it wouldn't take him more than a month or so to max out his stats and level up. Even faster than that 'Ais' from Loki. Granted, the original Rex has already been adventuring for five years so he wouldn't be breaking any record.He scanned the room, spotting another corpse—a teammate of the original Rex—but this body didn't emit the same aura. It seemed too much time had passed for scavenging to work. However, that didn't mean the body was useless.Walking over, Rex rifled through the man's belongings. After a brief search, he removed a utility belt that held a sheathed dagger, a pouch containing magic stones, and another pouch with three healing potions.He fastened the utility belt to his waist and pulled out the dagger, the blade completely dark and straight with a double edge, and the hilt wrapped in brown leather. 'Quality inspect,' he thought, and a blue screen appeared:[Dagger: A 35 cm double-edged dagger crafted from War Shadow finger blade by a Goibniu Familia highsmith with the Blacksmith Development Ability. It is a second-class weapon with an excellent edge and durability. Market Value: ~175,000 Valis]"Eh?" Rex blinked at the screen. "This expensive weapon was hiding in plain sight?" The dagger looked so ordinary that he had assumed it was just a regular blade. The dagger's previous owner had picked it up off the ground and only used it to threaten others. 'Who knew it would be this good? Nice.'He added the dagger's sheath to his belt but kept the blade unsheathed, holding it securely. After another quick scan of the room and finding nothing else of value, Rex closed his eyes to concentrate.After gaining a blessing from a god, all adventurers experienced heightened senses, and as a doberman Chienthrope, Rex's hearing was already exceptional. Though his sense of smell was vastly better, he rather not use it in a place filled with blood and dead bodies. Focusing, his ears twitched slightly as he focused on the faint sounds of the dungeon, trying to gauge how many monsters might be nearby.'None?' There were no sounds of movement, no growls, no skittering claws. 'Did the Minotaur kill all the monsters in its rage?' That was good—he wouldn't have to fight. I should head up.Strong light spills down from the phosphorescence in the ceiling, lighting up the pale green walls in every direction around me, and as he advanced, his eyes scanned the ground. Monster corpses littered the path—most of them ants, with a few of the bodies still carrying the faint aura his skill seemed to detect.'Don't mind if I do.' He approached the nearest ant, squatting down and placing his hand on its abdomen. 'Scavenge.'The aura flowed into him, followed by a notification of modest gains.[+2 Strength][+3 Endurance][+1 Dexterity][+6 Agility][+0 Magic]"So bad," he muttered, frowning slightly at the numbers. Still, he couldn't complain—this was better than what most adventurers could achieve after a full run. And there were two more bodies to scavenge nearby. He muttered to himself, "And I can't forget the magic stones."However, when he turned back to the ant, he saw it turning to ash. "Eh?" Monsters in the dungeon only turn to ask when their magic stone is removed so… "Hmmm…" he went to the next body and removed the stone, watching the body turn to ash, and the moment the stone was in his hand, the aura became unmistakable."Ah," he realized aloud. The stone is what carries the aura, not the body itself. Placing his palm on the stone, he triggered his skill again. Scavenge.[+1 Strength, +4 Endurance, +3 Dexterity, +5 Agility, +0 Magic]He nodded, satisfied, and moved to inspect a third ant body. This one had no aura—neither from the corpse nor the stone. "I guess I can't go around scavenging every magic stone I find," he muttered. Like human bodies, the stones seemed to have a timer before their power faded and the aura disappeared."Sacrifice money for power," he mumbled. "I don't mind." With that, he moved on to the next ant body.He continued cautiously, following the path of destruction left by the Minotaur. Along the way, he scavenged more corpses, learning something new about his skill when he encountered two adventurer corpses. Both had died at roughly the same time, judging by the state of their blood and bodies, but he could only scavenge one of them.The difference became clear after closer inspection: the corpse he couldn't scavenge was too damaged. The same rule applied to magic stones—if they were cracked or otherwise destroyed, his skill wouldn't work.Now, Rex stood before the door leading to the eighth floor. The trail of blood clearly showed that the Minotaur had gone down, likely chasing an adventurer. He stared at the door, weighing his options."Should I follow it down?" he muttered.He glanced at his updated stats:— — — — — — — — — —[Strength] D580 | [Endurance] D548 | [Dexterity] E476 | [Agility] D500 | [Magic] I12— — — — — — — — — —In just 15 minutes of cautiously scavenging around 15 bodies, he had gained 457 points. If he went down to the next floor, the monsters would undoubtedly be stronger, and their stats would yield even greater rewards.'But that would be stupid.' The thought hit him hard.The Minotaur could be waiting just beyond the door. Even if it wasn't, encountering it would spell his doom. It was a level 2 monster, and it was also trained by Ottar himself. Bell had defeated it to reach level 2, but Bell's stats had all been at S by then, while Rex's highest stat was D.If it came after him, the odds of escape were slim at best."Fuck." He rubbed his hands together, trying to decide. 'Play it safe and go up? Or take the risk and head down?' If he died within an hour of entering this world, it would be game over. 'I could just head up and mass-hunt ants for stats…'After several moments of agonized thought, he made his decision."Let's go down," he said firmly. "Besides, I could loot the bodies I find along the way."He still wore a light-blue shirt, a light-brown sleeveless vest, and a dark purple cloth draped around his neck and right shoulder—all of them stained with dried blood. However, he had looted some additional equipment along the way. He now wore black shin-high boots, a leather knee pad over his blue cargo pants, and a sword strapped to each side of his utility belt. One was a basic longsword, cheaper than his dagger. The other, however, was a magic sword capable of shooting fire—its market value was a staggering 897,000 valis, according to his inspection.In total, his current gear was worth 1,205,500 valis, with the magic sword being the most expensive item. If he sold all his current equipment, he could buy a good house and live well. That is, if he managed to sell them for their market value, which he doubted he would be able to since they are used items. So if he went down and looted more corpses, it would undoubtedly be worth the risk."Let's go," he said, gripping the hilt of his dagger tightly as he walked down.Chapter 2: Bull"And another loot," Rex mumbled as he removed the red cloak from a girl's body whose head had been crushed like a juicy fruit. Though her body was too damaged to scavenge for stats, her clothing was salvageable."Thankfully, it isn't damaged." The cloak ended just above her ankle, and holding it up, Rex inspected the garment, and a screen appeared:[Leather Cloak: A durable cloak made from orc hide. Market Value: 2,500 Valis.]'It doesn't cost much, but every Valis counts,' Rex thought, removing the bloodied cloth from his neck. 'And it's cleaner and looks better.'He draped the cloak over his shoulders and fastened it at the neck, the high collar covering his mouth, but due to his stature compared to the deceased human woman, the cloak barely reached his knee, though it hid his hands completely. However, the tips of his sword sheaths peeked out from beneath the hem.The only other item he gained from looting bodies over the past thirty minutes was a pair of leather gloves, however, Rex has scavenged so much from monsters that he now rivaled high-rank Level 1 adventurers in raw stats.— — — — — — — — — —[Strength] S919 | [Endurance] A873 | [Dexterity] B790 | [Agility] A814 | [Magic] I22— — — — — — — — — —The rate of growth was staggering. In less than an hour, he had surpassed what the original Rex achieved in five years. Even the protagonist of this world couldn't match his pace. His skill was, without a doubt, a cheat.'But my magic…' Rex frowned. The ants had low magic stats, and their corpses reflected that.Humans will give more magic, but counting the girl whose body he had looted, he had only encountered three adventurers, and all of them were so destroyed that they were beyond scavenging. 'I need to head to the lower floors to scavenge from monsters with stronger magic.'The Hellhounds on the middle floors came to mind. He recalled from original Rex memories that they are supposed to have magic, but venturing down there now would be reckless. He needed higher physical stats—preferably S-rank across the board—before he dared to descend further. No, it's best he even becomes a level 2 before going down there, so that's out of the question for now.He also needed better skills and equipment. His dagger was his most reliable weapon, but it wouldn't be ideal for the lower floors. He didn't want to get too close to the monsters so a longsword or spear would give him the distance he needed to stay safe.A sharp crack interrupted his thoughts, snapping his attention to a nearby stalagmite, a thick column of stone that stretched from the ground to the cavern's ten-meter ceiling. A hairline fracture appeared on its surface before it burst open, and a Killer Ant emerged.It was massive, over 1.7 meters long, and while standing on its back two legs, its head would almost reach his neck. Even on all six legs, it came up to his knee—a size terrifyingly large when you encounter it in real life. Its front legs ended in razor-sharp blades, each capable of cleaving a human in half with ease.The ant snapped its mandibles together, creating a sharp clicking sound as it turned its attention to Rex. Without hesitation, it charged, its bladed forelegs raised high as it charged.Rex quickly drew his longsword in one swift motion, gripping it tightly with both hands. 'Okay,' he thought, taking a steadying breath. 'My first official fight.'The ant closed the distance in an instant, its bladed arm coming down in a deadly arc aimed at his torso. At the last moment, Rex leapt back, the blade missing him by a hairbreadth slamming into the ground where he had stood, sending shards of stone flying in every direction.The moment his feet touched the ground, he rushed forward, thrusting his sword toward the space between the ant's head and thorax. The blade pierced the thick exoskeleton, meeting resistance for only a moment before sliding through, tearing the flesh and splitting the sinew.*Ding.* The blade hit the dungeon floor as it exited the other side, and a spray of purple ichor splattered onto the ground, and with a flick of his wrist, Rex severed the ant's head. It fell to the ground with a thud, but the body continued its attack, unaware of its decapitation. He sidestepped its erratic movements, watching as it finally collapsed a few moments later."Well…" Rex exhaled, flicking his sword to the side to clear off the purple goo. Droplets splattered across the ground as he sheathed the blade. "That was easy."Killer Ants weren't particularly dangerous when encountered alone. The real threat came from their pheromones. When in a pinch, they can release chemical signals that attract other nearby ants, leading to the deaths of many inexperienced adventurers. Their blood can also release these pheromones, so Rex had a few moments before reinforcements arrived.He crouched down and placed his hand on the ant's severed head. 'Scavenge.'[+1 Strength, +1 Endurance, +1 Dexterity, +1 Agility, +1 Magic]"Amazing!" he muttered exaggeratedly, mentally accepting the gains.His ears picked up something, and he snapped his head to the side, his yellow eyes locking onto glowing red eyes moving toward him. His throat tightened as a massive figure emerged from the shadows—a 2-meter-tall Minotaur with red skin, a gray chest, and one missing horn.The beast Ottar had trained, and the one old Rex had freed."Shit!" Rex shot to his feet and bolted, sprinting like his life depended on it—because it did.He ran with short, frantic breaths, his arms pumping furiously at his sides, his speed far exceeding anything a human on Earth could achieve, the dungeon blurring past. He didn't dare look back; the thunderous hoofbeats and enraged snorts behind him told him everything he needed to know."FUCK!" he spat, hearing the beast gaining ground. Though slow by Level 2 standards, the Minotaur was still faster than a Level 1 adventurer, even one with A-rank agility like Rex.He turned sharply into a side room, his shoulder slamming into the wall from the momentum. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs, but he pushed through, continuing his desperate escape. Behind him, the Minotaur failed to make the same sharp turn, its massive body crashing into the wall with a deafening BOOM.The delay bought Rex a few precious seconds, but the monster quickly recovered. "UOOOOOA!" It roared, the sound reverberating through the room like an earthquake. The vibration paralyzed Rex mid-stride, his body seizing up as he fell forward, hitting the ground face-first.'!!!' His mind screamed as he lay there, his fingers twitching uselessly against the stone floor. The heavy footfalls of the charging beast grew louder. 'I'm dead!' He frantically activated all his skills, desperate for a solution.'———' Scavenger can judge the quality of even more abstract concepts or properties, and this includes his thoughts. Out of hundreds of fleeting ideas, one stood out—Scavenger deemed it the highest 'quality.' Rex.*SPURT.* He bit down hard on his tongue, the sharp pain jolting through his nerves like a lightning strike, breaking the paralysis.He rolled to the side just as the Minotaur's massive sword slammed into the ground where he'd been lying, the impact shattering the stone, sending jagged chunks of rock flying outward. The force flung Rex backward, his body slamming into a stalagmite with enough force to knock the breath out of him again."Haah… haah…" He gasped for air, struggling to his feet as the Minotaur dashed toward him, each step deliberate and menacing. "Get BACK!" he shouted, pulling his magic sword from his belt. He activated its power and aimed for the ground.A fireball shot out, striking the ground and exploding in a fiery burst. Smoke and debris filled the area around it, momentarily obscuring the monster. Using the brief opening, Rex forced his aching body to move, adrenaline dulling his pain as he sprinted away.The Minotaur blasted through the cloud of dust moments later, roaring in fury as it charged again. Rex's mind raced, thoughts firing off in every direction. How to escape? How to run faster?Then he heard it—muffled voices. 'People!' He couldn't pinpoint the source, but Scavenger judged one direction as having the highest 'quality.' Without hesitation, Rex turned and ran toward it, deciding to just trust the skill.As the voices grew clearer, he suddenly heard a low growl from behind him and quickly pointed his magic sword behind him, quickly activating the sword. The fireball blasted out from the sword, hitting the Minotaur square in the shoulder, momentarily stunning it and halting its building roar. Rex didn't stop, the dungeon walls blurring past as he pushed himself to his limit.Finally, two figures came into view—a teenage boy with white hair and red eyes, wearing lightweight armor, and a small girl in a full-body cloak with a hood, carrying an oversized backpack."!!!" Rex's eyes widened. It wasn't hard to recognize them. Bell Cranel, the protagonist of this world, and Liliruca Arde, the girl who once belonged to the Soma Familia. 'Isn't she supposed to be dead? I heard she died from killer ants!?' He didn't care.The two froze as the bloodied doberman demi-human sprinted toward them, his cloak billowing behind him and blood dripping from the side of his mouth. Liliruca's eyes widened in shock, immediately recognizing the figure.Rex ran past them, not stopping as he shouted, "It's all yours!"He didn't look back. Moments later, the Minotaur stormed into view, its massive form emerging from behind a stalagmite, huffing angrily as it locked eyes with the startled duo.After running for a while longer, Rex finally slowed down, his chest heaving as he leaned against a stalagmite that stopped short of the ceiling. "Oh, fuck," he breathed, feeling his veins throbbing in his temple and his head growing light. "Never again," he huffed, wiping the sweat from his brow and sliding his magic sword back into its scabbard.'That was the protagonist's achievement to reach Level 2,' he thought, resting his back against the wall. 'He should be able to handle it.' His ears twitched, picking up the distant, angry mooing of the Minotaur echoing through the dungeon."I should leave… after catching… my breath." He took in one long, steadying inhale, then pushed himself off the wall. "..." But then curiosity got the better of him. 'I can just outrun it if it comes after me again.'Instead of leaving, he circled back around the large chamber, careful to keep to the shadows as he returned to the room where he'd left the Minotaur with Bell Cranel. Sticking to a dark corner, he peered into the room just in time to see the white-haired boy get flung across the floor.Bell's body hit the ground hard, the impact knocking his dagger from his hand as he coughed up a mouthful of spit. The Minotaur slowly advanced toward him, its cleaver scraping against the ground with a metallic screech as Bell struggled to get back on his feet.Rex cursed under his breath. 'When I was down, you charged me like a lunatic, but now you decide to take your time?' He clicked his tongue in frustration. 'So unfair.'Then, before the Minotaur could reach Bell, a stunningly beautiful young woman leapt between them, her golden hair catching the dungeon's faint light as it fanned out behind her. Her presence was magnetic, commanding attention without a word.'Ais Wallenstein.' Rex instantly recognized her. She wasn't just any popular adventurer—she was the adventurer, the Sword Princess of the Loki Familia, and the girl with the fastest level-up in Orario's history. 'Was she the main female lead? Or was it that fox girl?' His memory was hazy, but it didn't matter.From his hiding spot, he watched silently as Bell, with newfound resolve, rose to his feet. Then, Bell grabbed Ais by the wrist, gently pulling her behind him as he stepped between her and the Minotaur. The massive creature growled low in its throat, lifting its clever to point directly at Bell, as if accepting his challenge.Rex resisted the urge to groan. 'So cliché.' He cringed. 'That Minotaur definitely wouldn't have pointed its sword at me like that. It would've just tried to slice me in half.'The room grew more crowded as Tione, Riveria, and Finn entered. Rex ignored their banter, focusing entirely on Bell, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed the fight, analyzing each movement.'Hmm…' he thought, narrowing his eyes as Bell and the Minotaur clashed. The sheer speed and precision of their movements were leagues above what Rex could manage. 'Yeah, he definitely out-stats and out-skills me.' If they fought now, Bell would annihilate him.A shockwave from the combatants' clashing blades rippled through the room, ruffling Rex's hair and cloak. "Damn," he muttered, blinking. 'My strength is at S. I should be able to do that… right?' He watched as sparks flew with each strike, the room illuminated by bursts of light as strength met speed in a fierce exchange.After about thirty seconds of watching, a wicked thought crept into his mind. 'What if…' He unsheathed his magic sword, carefully pointing it at the Minotaur. Adjusting his aim as the beast moved, he smirked. 'What if I attack it right now? Wouldn't that mess up the high-rank excelia he's supposed to get from beating it alone?'His grin widened. 'One fireball and I could destroy the entire plot—'*SHIVER.*A cold dread washed over him, freezing his entire body, and slowly, like a poorly oiled machine, he turned his head. His heart dropped when he saw Finn Deimne, the captain of the Loki Familia, staring directly at him, his piercing blue eyes seeming to glow in the dim dungeon, cutting through the shadows like a blade. Rex swallowed hard, his grip tightening on his sword as he noticed Riveria, the high elf, was also watching him with a piercing gaze.'Shit.' Without a word, he slid his magic sword back into its scabbard before taking one careful step back. Pulling his cloak's high neck over his mouth, then another, then turning around entirely and walking away as nonchalantly as possible.Chapter 3: TeacherIt was 10 in the morning, and the Adventurer's Guild buzzed with activity. Adventurers moved in and out of the building, their voices blending into a constant hum. The usual chaos of early-morning business filled the air, with workers behind the counters handling requests, transactions, and reports.Rex entered the building, his cloak swaying lightly as he walked toward an unoccupied counter. The doberman demi-human approached a brown-haired elf, setting three pouches filled with magic stones on the counter in front of her and sliding them forward."I want to exchange all these," he said simply. The elf glanced down at the pouches, then up at his face. Her hesitation was brief but noticeable, causing Rex to raise a brow. "Is something wrong?""No, nothing's wrong." she replied, quickly taking the pouches. "Give me ten minutes; I'll be back." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and disappeared into the back.Rex stepped away from the counter, finding a seat by the wall. He adjusted his cloak before leaning back and calling up his status.— — — — — — — — — —[Name] Rex Magnus[Level] 1[Strength] S920 | [Endurance] A882 | [Dexterity] B799 | [Agility] A825 | [Magic] I24[Development Ability] None[Magic] None[Skill]Scavenger…— — — — — — — — — —Nothing had changed significantly. Killing a few monsters on his way up had increased his stats slightly, pushing his Dexterity closer to A. He sighed. 'Even with these stats, my combat capabilities are below average.'Bell had shown him what a true high-level adventurer should look like. Even if he managed to get all his stats at 999, he doubted he could defeat the Minotaur the way Bell had. The old Rex had relied entirely on his party, barely knowing how to wield a sword or dagger properly.And courage? That was in even shorter supply.'I just hope that once I max my stats at 999, I won't need to go on a suicide mission to get high-rank excelia,' he thought, folding his arms as he leaned back in his chair. 'Maybe the skill will forcefully level me up once I scavenge someone's stats after reaching 999.'He nodded to himself. 'Yeah, that sounds about right.' Even if leveling didn't work that way, he still needed to gain fighting experience. His thoughts drifted as he watched a pair of cat people leave the guild, shouting at each other, each sentence ending with a 'nya.' He shook his head slightly. 'I can't believe how quickly I've adjusted.'Back on Earth, Rex had prided himself on being adaptable, but this situation was far beyond anything reasonable. And yet, he wasn't panicking or dwelling on the absurdity of his circumstances. Instead, he was focused on getting stronger.'Is it because of the old Rex's memories?' Though the memories hadn't fused with his personality, they were still those of a man who had lived for 23 years, 2 years longer than he had lived. They were bound to affect him, even if only subtly.Whatever. He wouldn't complain.After about ten minutes, the elf returned to the counter. Rex stood and walked over as she placed the pouches back on the counter."Your total was seventy-five thousand nine hundred twelve, but after tax, it came out to sixty-four thousand five hundred twenty-five," she said, pushing the three pouches forward, two empty with one filled with Valis coins in denominations of 500. "Have a good day." She gave him a small nod.He didn't reply and secured the pouches back onto his belt before turning to leave. 'This is barely enough to buy Soma wine,' he thought bitterly as he stepped outside. The body's previous owner had been a heavy alcoholic addicted to Soma wines much like everyone else in the Familia, and while Rex himself wasn't mentally addicted, the body would still experience withdrawal symptoms.'And I definitely don't want to deal with that in the dungeon.' He groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 'That's going to be a problem, isn't it?'He'd get a discount as a member of the Soma Familia, but he wanted to save his Valis for better equipment. His Familia wouldn't support him financially, no matter how much he begged. 'Nah, screw it. I'll deal with the withdrawals when they come.'Decision made, his first stop was a nearby inn to clean himself up. Returning to the dungeon covered in blood wasn't an issue, but entering a restaurant like that would definitely cause problems. Fortunately, cleaning his fur, tail, and hair of blood wasn't as difficult as he'd initially feared."This is so fucking weird," he muttered, staring at his tail in the mirror. It grew from his tailbone, reaching down to his knees when relaxed, and it was thin, straight, and short-haired, with a slight curve at the end. "I've become a furry. Damn."With a shake of his head, Rex dried himself off with the provided towel. The shower at the inn had cost him 225 Valis—something he wouldn't have had to spend if he'd gone home to clean up. But his Familia home was too far away, and he didn't want to waste the time walking back.Once dressed, he adjusted his cloak to hide his bloodstained shirt, secured his armor, and equipped his weapons before stepping out of the inn. His next priority was to restock supplies.The first stop was a shop where he purchased a high potion for a staggering 50,000 Valis, consuming the bulk of his earnings. "Fuck," he muttered, gripping his chest dramatically as if his heart might burst. Two days of hunting income, gone in an instant. But it was worth it.Unlike standard potions, which cost only 500 Valis, a high potion was a lifesaving item. It could stop any bleeding, heal severe injuries like broken bones, deep gashes, and third-degree burns, and keep an adventurer alive in the harshest conditions.The even more powerful Elixir, priced at 500,000 Valis, was reserved for the wealthiest Familias—certainly not for someone like him. Soma Familia might be rich, but Zanis, the captain, was notoriously greedy and wouldn't spare a coin.With 14,300 Valis left, Rex spent 4,000 on nine regular potions. They were essential for adventuring, capable of treating first- and some second-degree burns, moderate injuries like cuts, and other minor trauma. He packed the potions into his pouch, then headed to a nearby inn for a meal, which cost him another 300 Valis. That left him with exactly 10,000 Valis.'I've got about 7,000 Valis in savings at home, so that makes 17,000 total,' Rex thought, patting his pouch as he debated whether to return home to store the money. 'Nah, too much time wasted if I do that.' Instead, he turned toward the dungeon, ready to continue his grind.Returning to the dungeon, Rex made his way down to the sixth floor, killing goblins and kobolds on the way. He collected their magic stones rather than absorbing them, having learned from the first attempt that weaker monsters yielded almost no stat gains.One absorbed stone had given him a single Dexterity point, with 0 in the other stats. It was clear that scavenging stats depended heavily on the strength of the target relative to his one. Still, the stones were worth selling, so he kept them.Once on the sixth floor, it didn't take long for him to encounter his first monster—a Frog Shooter.The almost-human-sized green frog stared him down with its single large, glowing eye, its croaking echoing loudly, a telltale sign of its presence. The Frog Shooter's most dangerous weapon was its tongue, capable of crushing armor and breaking bones at point-blank range. While its body was soft and easy to damage, its tongue was fast and lethal.Rex's ears twitched as his eyes caught movement. Instinctively, he leapt to the side, rolling to his feet just as the frog's tongue shot past, slamming into the wall with a loud crack that left a noticeable dent."Fast," he muttered, pulling his longsword from its scabbard as the tongue snapped back into the Frog Shooter's mouth. Most adventurers underestimated the speed of its attack, and it often proved fatal. But Rex had no intention of making that mistake.The frog croaked loudly, its tongue lashing out again. Rex spun on his heel, dodging to the side with practiced ease. Without breaking stride, he dashed toward the monster, adjusting his grip on the sword as he moved. With a smooth motion, he passed the Frog Shooter, slicing along its side. The blade tore through its soft skin, spilling steaming blood and entrails onto the floor.Rex stopped a few feet away, flicking his sword to the side to clear it of blood as the Frog Shooter collapsed in a pool of its own gore."Easy peasy," he muttered, turning back to scavenge the fallen monster.But as he approached, a shiver ran down his spine. His instincts screamed at him to move, and he twisted his head just in time to avoid a shadowy object flying past his face, leaving a sharp sting and a thin line of blood across his cheek.Quickly, he jumped back, spinning to face the source of the attack. A War Shadow loomed before him. The humanoid monster stood at around 180 cm, its skin so dark it blended perfectly into the shadows, its single, glowing red eye staring unblinkingly at Rex, with its long, clawed arms ready to strike.The War Shadow dashed forward, thrusting its right arm forward, the knife-like claws shooting toward his head. Reacting quickly, Rex raised his sword vertically, deflecting the claws as they skidded off the broadside of his blade to the side.He ducked and rolled to the side as the monster followed up with another strike, a horizontal slash to his head with its other claw. Coming out of the roll, he dashed forward, gripping his sword tightly with both hands as he thrust it into the War Shadow's ribs. The blade pierced clean through its body, emerging from the other side.The War Shadow's beady eye turned to him in its final moments. Rex twisted the sword, tearing through its insides before the monster slumped forward, lifeless.Releasing his left hand from the hilt, Rex placed his palm on the creature's head. 'Scavenge.'[+3 Strength, +1 Endurance, +2 Dexterity, +5 Agility, +0 Magic]The war shadow turned to ash, leaving behind a drop item. Turning back to the Frog Shooter, he crouched down and touched it to scavenge whatever stats he could.[+4 Strength, +2 Endurance, +2 Dexterity, +0 Agility, +0 Magic]'Now, all my stats are at A with strength at S.' He thought, flexing his muscles. 'But my fighting is still so awkward.' He replayed the fight in his mind and sighed. 'I don't think thrusting a sword with two hands is good swordsmanship.' He looked at the drop from the war shadow.The War Shadow's middle finger blade—the longest and most durable of its three—was a valuable material. These blades could be crafted into high-quality weapons, like his black dagger, and sold for around 250 Valis each, depending on their condition.Rex stood, examining the blade in his hand. It was too long to fit in his pouch, and carrying it would be impractical without a supporter. With a sigh, he tossed it to the side, deciding to leave it."Wait a minute…" The Scavenger skill judged things so… wouldn't it be able to judge his thoughts and tell him the one with the highest quality. "Hmm…" He drew his sword and shifted his stance, holding the blade in front of him.He closed his eyes briefly, visualizing five different stances for an overhead strike, drawing from the memories of the original Rex and his own experience back on Earth, he pieced together possible techniques. And indeed, Scavenger immediately judged one as superior.While the ability couldn't create new ideas for him, it excelled at judging the best one. "Hehe~" A satisfied chuckle escaped him.Following its recommendation, he adjusted his posture, raising the sword high above his head with the blade angled diagonally backward. Both hands gripped the hilt firmly—his right near the guard—and one foot stepped forward while his weight shifted slightly onto the back leg for balance.With a deep breath, he transitioned into a powerful overhead strike. The blade came down with force—but he overdid it. The tip slammed into the ground with a dull thud, and he froze, staring at the embedded sword."…" He blinked at the weapon for a moment before shaking his head. "Well, at least now I have a teacher," he muttered to himself, retrieving the sword and turning toward the sound of a low croak nearby.A Frog Shooter emerged from the shadows, its glowing eye locked onto him as it prepared to strike. Rex grinned, gripping his sword tighter."My own teacher is myself, BIATCH!" he yelled, charging toward the monster, ready to put his self-taught lessons to the test.