I Level Up by Cleaning Dungeons
Darkness swallowed everything as the door closed. It only lasted a few seconds.
Several torches embedded in the walls lit up one by one with magical snaps. Their faint light revealed a wide chamber built from massive blocks of dark stone, decorated with animal figures in relief and a dense tangle of hieroglyphs running across the walls.
Hatz recognized the layout. He had been to Grann-Korh a couple of times. He knew what was coming: three-headed snake corpses, vampire bats, scorpions the size of carts, and stone golems that vomited burning guts. The latter were probably responsible for the mess the foreman had mentioned.
As he passed under an arch crowned by a glowing carved eye, the stench hit him—old blood, scorched flesh, and explosive magic.
The scene would have discouraged even a veteran cleaner.
Heaps of corpses had been stacked deliberately, as if someone had attempted to stage a grotesque art installation.
Blood trickled through the cracks in the floor, forming a red network that soaked the chamber. Body parts were scattered everywhere—claws, tails, skulls still bearing expressions of violent death.
"So the abstract art part wasn't a joke", he muttered with a grimace.
It was clear the previous group had used the mass aggro technique, luring every creature into one spot and wiping them out at once. Efficient... for them. For the one cleaning up afterward, it was hell.
With a sigh, he dropped his backpack and peeled off the glove on his right hand. He eyed the rune impatiently, but it didn't glow. Clicking his tongue in frustration, he muttered,
"What's wrong? Worn out already?"
Wasting no time, he pulled out a magic waste bag and began tossing creature parts into it. Each time he dropped in another chunk, he shot a glance at the rune, hoping for a flicker of light.
When the bag was nearly full, it finally happened.
The rune glowed with a faint bluish light, and the moment he touched it with his thumb, a floating panel popped up before his eyes. A translucent rectangular frame of light materialized with a soft chime of crystal.
Hatz stepped back in surprise.
"What the—what is this?!"
The panel flickered, as if recognizing his voice.
[Dimensional Maintenance System]
User: Hatz
Class: NONE
Occupation: Dungeon Waste Collector
Current Status: Alive (somehow)
Level: 1
Class Level: 0
Experience: 12 / 100
Passive Skill: Echo-Cleaner (Lv. 1)
– Absorbs magical residue when cleaning
– +1 EXP per effective cleaning action
– Low chance to obtain arcane materials
New Resources Acquired:
– Arcane Grime x3
– Residual Essence Drop x1
Active Missions:
"Clean Infested Areas (0/3)"
– Reward: +50 EXP, +3 magical materials, unlock new rank.
[Tip: Don't die.]
Hatz blinked, confused.
"Don't die?" he scoffed.
He reached out to touch one of the panel's sections, and it dissipated like smoke.
"No no no! Come back! I wasn't done reading!"
The interface reappeared after a few seconds, rearranging itself. This time, a secondary tab opened with a small broom icon shining.
[Missions → Active]
"Beginner Collector"
– Clean 3 full dungeon levels
– Progress: 1 / 3
– Reward: Class Level 2 + "Energized Mop Lv. 1"
"Hand-Crafted Recycling"
– Clean 3 full dungeons levels
– Progress: 1 / 3
– Reward: "Reinforced Gloves Lv. 1, Strength +1"
"Special Waste Collection"
– Objective: Obtain 5 units of "Arcane Grime"
– Progress: 3 / 5
– Reward: Unlock Basic Rune Crafting
"Energized mop and Reinforced gloves?" he whispered, half amazed and half incredulous. "Am I going to end up with a magical mop...?"
A comical glint lit up his eyes.
"That... that would be amazing."
For the first time in ages, Hatz felt like cleaning might actually lead him somewhere. He rolled up his sleeves, tightened his gloves, and stepped into the inferno of dungeon trash with renewed determination.
"Let's clean this place like it's the Dragon King's personal bathroom."
As always, he began by hauling waste into the magic bags—but this time with genuine enthusiasm.
With every filled bag, his experience increased, and he couldn't stop smiling. He silently thanked the idiot adventurers who had made it easier by gathering all the remains into one grotesque pile.
He was having fun. For the first time ever, he was actually enjoying this humiliating job.
After seven full bags, his experience had climbed to [75/100]. Then a soft blue flash lit up his rune, followed by a floating notification:
["Special Waste Collection [COMPLETED]"]
– Objective: Obtain 5 units of "Arcane Grime"
– Progress: 12 / 5
– Reward: You've unlocked [Basic Rune Crafting]!
"Yes!" he cried, excitedly digging through the status menu until he found:
[Skills]
[View Class Skills]
[View Functional Skills (!)]
[View Arcane Skills]
He tapped on the Functional Skills tab, where most slots were locked—except one:
[?????] [Rune Crafting Lvl 1] [?????] [?????] [?????] [?????] [?????] [?????]
He selected the Rune Crafting icon.
[Basic Rune Crafting]
Select materials to convert:
– [Arcane Grime] x12
– [Residual Essence Drop] x1
(i) Every 3 Arcane Grime units can be converted into a random basic equipment material.
[Convert x1] [Convert x2] [Convert x3] [Convert x4]
His eyes sparkled. Without hesitation, he pressed "Convert x4".
The rune's glow intensified.
Streams of glowing light rose from the bags, twisting and weaving together until they formed solid objects. As the light faded, several small metallic plates dropped to the ground—some black, others silver, like miniature ingots.
[You obtained Weapon Ascension Material (Basic) x6]
[You obtained Armor Ascension Material (Basic) x2]
"Holy shit... this is insanely cool!" he muttered, quickly stuffing them into his backpack.
It was unbelievable. He could collect, craft, ascend—without being an official adventurer.
With the bags depleted, it was mop time.
His EXP sat at [89/100], and fortunately, there was no shortage of gory mess. He mixed his special solution in the bucket, soaked the mop, and began wiping from the edge of the floor.
As he cleared up the blood and remains, he noticed that his progress bar rose slowly but steadily. He had discovered that fully cleaned areas gave more EXP.
+1 for small stains.
+3 for completely cleaned zones.
With meticulous patience, he worked until he reached +98. Then he stood before a massive puddle of purple blood.
"Alright... here we go, level two", he whispered, took a deep breath, and dragged the mop across.
When he hit [100/100], golden light engulfed him. His body rose several centimeters into the air as the rune shone like a divine beacon.
"Hell yes, I'm leveling up, bastards!" he shouted to no one in particular—maybe all the bastards he'd ever met.
As he landed, the interface flickered with a new alert. When he tapped it, that familiar voice echoed in his mind with cheer:
Congratulations, Hatz! You've reached Level 2!
– Stat points have been added.
– New missions unlocked.
– New skill acquired.
He let out a triumphant yell and jumped into his status screen:
User Status: Hatz
Level: 2
Experience: [0/200]
Class: NONE
Class Level: 0
Occupation: Dungeon Waste Collector
Magic Affinity: Not registered
Stats:
• Strength: 3
• Agility: 5
• Intelligence: 4
• Dexterity: 4
• Luck: 2
• Rune: 0
Available Points: 2
[Assign]
Seeing those numbers nearly made him cry. He could improve his stats. He could get stronger, faster... maybe even learn magic!
He hit "Assign" and the (+) buttons appeared beside each stat. Without overthinking, he dumped both points into Strength.
The change wasn't immediate—but when he tried lifting two full bags at once, he managed to sling them over his shoulders without falling over.
"Holy sacred grime, it works!"
He flexed his arms and smiled. His muscles were firmer, tighter. He could feel the difference.
Then he spotted a new exclamation mark next to [Class Skill].
[Residue Pulverization Lv. 1 / 10]
(i) Delivers a blunt strike with the mop, pulverizing biological remains and making them vanish. Can be used in combat. Medium chance to generate Arcane Grime.
"I can use this... as an attack?" he murmured, stunned.
Without hesitation, he dragged the torso of a dead scorpion from one of the bags into the center of the room. He stood over it and gripped the mop with both hands.
He inhaled deeply. Then, with all the grace of a toddler wielding a stick, he raised it overhead.
"Residue... Pulverization!" he yelled like a kid playing swords.
A buzz ran through the rune. The mop glowed blue for an instant, and when it struck, a vibrating wave engulfed the torso.
The scorpion disintegrated into black particles that vanished into the air.
[+1 Arcane Grime]
[+1 EXP]
Hatz stood there silently.
"...Am I crazy or was that actually awesome?"
The smile didn't fade for several minutes. His work had only just begun, but at least now he had a system… and an enchanted mop.
After finishing level B1, Hatz quickly descended to B2.
The space that opened before him was different: a wide atrium with four carved pillars and enormous decorative vases in each corner. The design evoked a sanctuary forgotten by time… or perhaps desecrated.
This time, the remains were scattered everywhere. It was absolute chaos, but now that he had his new ability, picking up every piece wasn't strictly necessary.
He smiled confidently and gripped the mop handle.
He ran straight toward what looked like the winged torso of a headless, limbless creature.
"Residue Pulverization!" he shouted forcefully as he struck it. The mop glowed with a bluish gleam while the remains turned into a luminous mist that vanished.
"Residue Pulverization!"
"Residue Pulverization!"
"Residue Pulverization!"
For twenty minutes, he ran back and forth across the atrium, reducing everything he found to magical dust. The sound of the skill activating and the faint ethereal hum it left in the air were… addictive.
More blood splattered in his wake, and the stench of mixed fluids barely disturbed him. It was, in a way, his battlefield.
He soon discovered he didn't need to shout the skill's name. It was enough to will it active while striking, and it responded precisely.
When he finished with the larger remains, he checked his status: he had accumulated [53/200] experience. In his inventory, he had x22 units of Arcane Grime.
It was time to bring out the bucket and mop.
He opened the quest tab with a quick blink of the rune:
[Quests → Current]
"Initial Collector"
– Clean 3 full levels.
– Progress: 2 / 3
– Reward: Class Level 2 + "Energized Mop Level 1".
"Clean Hands Recycling"
– Clean 3 full dungeons.
– Progress: 2 / 3
– Reward: "Reinforced Gloves Level 1, Strength +1".
"Oh… the forest level counts…" he murmured, surprised but satisfied.
If he completed this level, he would gain not only the class level but also equipment upgrades. Two quests with one stroke.
He forced himself to contain his excitement while picking up the last creature fragments manually.
Fatigue was beginning to weigh on him, as if his body was paying the toll for so much accumulated effort: a dungeon in the morning, three hours of walking, being thrown against a tree by a giant centipede, and now this.
Still, he smiled as he grasped the bucket and dipped the mop. The fluids slid in puddles, some thick, others iridescent. But they all gave experience, and that was enough.
When he cleaned the last corner, a burst of blue light shot from his rune.
["Initial Collector" - COMPLETED]
– Progress: 3 / 3
– Reward: Class Level 2 + "Energized Mop Level 1".
["Clean Hands Recycling" - COMPLETED]
– Progress: 3 / 3
– Reward: "Reinforced Gloves Level 1, Strength +1".
His tools shone with a glow that took his breath away. When the glow ceased, he could see the changes:
The gloves now had reinforced plates on the knuckles and back, more like combat gloves than cleaning gear.
The mop, meanwhile, looked new: the strands gleamed with a faint light, the head seemed forged from a runic alloy, and the handle was fully restored.
"Wow…" he muttered, lifting the mop with respect. "This is no longer a common cleaning tool…"
Thanks to the upgrade, his strength had increased to 6 points. For the first time, the idea of going down to a floor with still-living monsters didn't seem like total madness.
However, he decided not to rush.
He carefully descended to level B3, the last one he had to clean.
He found himself clearly in a mortuary chamber. The air was dense, and there were faint murmurs of falling rocks. Green fire torches illuminated a huge sarcophagus at the center of the room.
What caught his attention the most was the golem embedded in the wall. It was immense, its body seemed carved from obsidian and still emanated a faint vapor. It was so perfectly lodged that it gave the impression of sleeping… or watching.
"Damn…" he whispered.
That had to be the golem Gulka mentioned.
There was no way to transport it. He was facing what was called in his trade a "Product Overload," which implied leaving a report mark so the foremen would come with their secret extraction methods.
He looked at it… then at his mop.
"What if…?"
He thought about using his ability directly. Maybe, if he pulverized parts of the golem, he could get exceptional materials. But he knew he would need more strength for that.
"Better level up to 3 first…" he murmured, looking at his current experience:
[156/200]. If he focused, he could reach the next level right there.
The level was much clearer, which made sense given the stronger monsters. There were some remains of crimson salamanders, lesser golems, and a strange winged, hairy creature with one eye… something between comedy and nightmare.
Hatz sighed deeply. His shoulders, fingers, and lower back ached. But at least this time, that pain made sense.
He pulled out several bags and began filling them as best as he could. Bigger monsters meant many more bags. For the foremen, it would be a great haul.
He managed to fill about ten more bags and cleaned with his reinforced mop all the viscous puddle surrounding the central sarcophagus. That was enough to raise his experience to the maximum.
[200/200]
Level up achieved!
A new golden flash enveloped him, lifting him for a few seconds. A comforting warmth ran through his body. Then the voice sounded again in his mind:
"Congratulations, Hatz! You have reached level 3."
New status points available: 3 New skill unlocked: [Concentric Purge Strike!] Parameters passively increased by leveling up.
Hatz smiled, exhausted but satisfied.
"Come on, one last effort before I leave…" he murmured.
He walked toward the immense golem embedded in the wall. It was covered in dust and its core seemed off. The cracks on its chest and shoulders gave it a defeated look.
Hatz stopped in front of it. The janitor's staff glowed faintly, announcing that he had a new skill.
He climbed the golem's body until he reached its chest, where its core was exposed.
"Let's see if this works on you too..." he said, gripping the weapon with both hands.
He stepped back, aimed at the golem's exposed torso, and shouted firmly:
"Residue Pulverization!"
The impact echoed like a broken bell.
A bluish wave expanded from the point of contact. One of the golem's chest plates disintegrated... but then, the light in its eyes ignited with a crimson glow.
The silence of the chamber broke with a dull, vibrant, almost mineral roar.
The monster shook.
"W-what...?" stammered Hatz, stepping back with his heart in his throat.
The golem moved one of its arms, which just a second ago seemed part of the wall. Rocks and dust fell in heaps. Then, as if exhaling the very anger that kept it standing, it opened its mouth, releasing a dense, scorching red vapor.
An alert flashed violently on his floating screen:
⚠ IMMINENT DANGER!
[Grann-Korh Infernal Golem - LEVEL 16] active
Status: Enraged
"No, no, no, no! You're not dead, damn it!" shouted Hatz, desperately digging through his status screen.
Parameters:
• Strength: 7 (+1)
• Agility: 6
• Intelligence: 5
• Dexterity: 6
• Luck: 3
• Runic: 1
Points available: 3
[Assign]
He had gained parameters passively after leveling up, and still had points to allocate. But he had no weapons. Only his mop and gloves.
And in front of him, a monster that would make any professional squad tremble.
The golem roared again as it clumsily stood up, and the entire atrium vibrated under his feet.
A jet of incandescent fluid spurted from its cracked chest: its core was exposed. Its left knee trembled, almost about to detach.
It was damaged. Badly.
"Okay, this is really happening! Shit!" exclaimed Hatz as he assigned the three available points directly to Agility. It was the only thing that could allow him to run away alive.
His body responded instantly. His legs felt lighter, and each stride gained new balance, as if suddenly he knew how to move.
He ran after the central sarcophagus as the Golem tried to follow him. With every step, the ground creaked and a shower of dust and stones fell from the ceiling. The titan raised an arm and smashed it against the sarcophagus with tremendous force.
Hatz threw himself to the side, rolling on the ground. To his surprise, the momentum carried him farther than expected.
"Those points really paid off...!" he muttered, panting.
But the relief didn't last long.
This time, the Golem wasn't going to strike.
Its mouth began to fill with light. A suffocating pressure filled the room. Steam and heat. Breath of fire.
And Hatz was completely exposed.
His eyes locked onto the nearest pillar. Maybe, just maybe...
But the roar interrupted him.
A torrent of molten lava burst from the Golem's mouth like a tongue of molten rock devouring everything in its path.
Hatz didn't think. He just ran.
He jumped behind the pillar at the last second, as the fire grazed his back, scorching part of his backpack and singeing the edge of his mop. The heat was unbearable.
"I'm dead... I'm fucking dead..." he whispered, curled up behind the pillar, gasping.
But then he saw it.
In the midst of its attack, the Golem had lost balance. Its wounded knee no longer held. It staggered. Its own weight betrayed it.
Hatz quickly checked his class skills; the new skill was there.
[Concentric Purge Strike]
(i) Uses strength to concentrate energy into a runic punch. Can cause severe damage to weakened enemies. Removes a large amount of concentrated residue. Cooldown: (30 min.). Low chance to obtain drops from all levels.
Hatz looked at the blue glow of his mop. He swallowed hard.
He could run. Save himself. No one would blame him. No one would know.
But...
He placed a hand on the ground and pushed himself up. His entire body trembled, but the decision was made.
If he fled, he would never know what could have happened if...
"One chance... just one..." he said, gritting his teeth.
The golem stumbled.
He ran towards it, dodging embers, smoldering debris, and the constant trembling of the atrium.
The creature saw him and its eyes flashed with fury; struggling not to fall, it threw another blow at Hatz with its arm.
"I can do this!" he said, as his body responded with agility, masterfully dodging the blow.
The entire level shook. The golem struggled to get back up.
Hatz slid toward its damaged leg.
"Don't kill me!" he shouted, raising his mop.
Striking it full force, the leg detached and in seconds pulverized like any other residue.
The golem fell sideways with a monumental crash, its burning core left exposed, unprotected.
Hatz dropped the mop and jumped onto the golem's body.
He watched in horror as it gathered its fluid in its mouth again for a new attack.
Showing off his new speed, he leapt from the monster's abdomen, focusing on his new skill. Clenching his right fist and using his momentum to direct his attack straight to the golem's core.
"CONCENTRIC PURGE STRIKE!" he roared with all his strength.
There was a blinding flash. The sound of shattering glass. And then... silence.