Drip... drip... drip...

A cold droplet landed squarely on James's forehead, jolting him from a restless sleep. For a fleeting moment, he imagined himself back home, the familiar sound of rain pattering against the thatched roof, perhaps a leak his father would wake him to help fix. But as his eyes fluttered open, the harsh reality pressed in—the damp chill of the cavern, the eerie glow of luminescent moss casting elongated shadows on the rugged walls. They were still trapped in the Rift.

His heart lurched, a surge of adrenaline propelling him upright. His breaths came quick and shallow as he scanned the dim surroundings. The weight of their predicament settled heavily upon him once more. Beside him, Joey lay curled on the rocky ground, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

"Wait," James whispered to himself, confusion giving way to irritation. "Joey was supposed to keep watch!"

A mix of fear and annoyance bubbled within him. What if something had crept up on them while they slept? The cavern was rife with unseen dangers. Without hesitation, James kicked Joey's side with his foot—not too gently. A sharp pain shot up his leg as his toes met unexpected resistance, as if he'd kicked solid stone.

"Ow!" he hissed, hopping back. "What in the world?"

"Mm... five more minutes," Joey mumbled, shifting slightly but not waking.

James crouched down, his face close to Joey's ear. "Wake up!" he whispered urgently, giving him a firm shake.

Joey's eyes fluttered open, a haze of sleep clouding his gaze. "Huh? What's going on?" he murmured, blinking rapidly as reality set in. "Oh shoot," he muttered, realization dawning on his features.

"Yeah, 'oh shoot' is right," James replied tersely, standing back up. "You were supposed to keep watch!"

"I'm sorry," Joey said sheepishly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I guess I dozed off."

James sighed, the initial anger dissipating. "It's fine. Just... let's be more careful. We can't afford mistakes down here."

A loud grumble echoed through the cavern, and for a moment, both boys froze, eyes darting around in alarm. Then James felt a pang in his stomach. He laughed nervously. "I think that was me."

Joey managed a weak smile. "I heard it from over here. I'm starving too."

James rubbed his stomach, the emptiness gnawing at him. "I don't know if we can go back to that stream after what happened yesterday, but I don't know what else we can do."

Joey pondered for a moment. "That thing only showed up when you fell in. Maybe if we don't disturb the water, we'll be fine?"

James considered this. "Maybe. But our bellies won't fill themselves. We need to try something." He extended a hand to help Joey up. "Come on."

Joey grasped his hand, pulling himself to his feet. "Your arm—how is it?" he asked, concern flashing in his eyes.

James flexed it experimentally. "Almost back to normal. Still a bit sore, but I can manage."

"Good," Joey nodded. "Are we going to eat the fish raw if we catch any?"

James scratched his head. "I don't have any way to make fire. Do you?"

Joey's shoulders slumped. "No. But maybe the next fight, our loot will be something fire-related."

"Let's hope," James replied, though doubt lingered in his mind.

They set off toward the main cavern, the path winding through jagged rock formations that loomed like silent sentinels. The luminescent moss provided just enough light to navigate, but shadows danced at the edges of their vision, fueling their unease. Every so often, a distant sound—a drip, a scuttle—would make them pause, hearts pounding.

"Stay alert," James whispered, gripping the trident tightly.

Joey nodded, clutching the broken hilt of his wooden sword, the only remnant of his weapon. "Do you think there are more creatures down here?"

"Probably," James admitted. "But we can't let fear stop us."

They reached the bend leading to the stream. The gentle sound of flowing water met their ears, a soothing contrast to the oppressive silence of the cavern. James crept forward, peering cautiously into the water.

"They're all gone," he said softly, disappointment evident in his tone.

Joey joined him, scanning the stream. "Maybe they swam into the lake. I thought I saw some glowing shapes earlier."

"Let's check," James suggested.

Their journey continued to the vast underground lake. The cavern opened up, the ceiling disappearing into darkness above. The water stretched out before them, its surface smooth like glass, reflecting the ghostly light of the moss and the faint twinkle of crystal formations embedded in the walls.

"There," Joey whispered, pointing toward the center of the lake. A cluster of luminescent fish swirled around a small island—a rocky outcrop rising from the water, about twenty feet across.

James squinted. "Was that there before? I don't remember seeing it."

"I don't think so," Joey replied. "But we weren't exactly exploring last time."

James frowned. "I don't see a way to get to it. And I'm not about to become fish bait for whatever lurks in that water."

"Agreed," Joey said, James taking a cautious step back. "But what are we going to do? We need food."

James watched as Joey bent down and scooped a handful of water, bringing it to his lips.

"Joey!" James exclaimed, alarmed. "Are you sure that's safe?"

Joey shrugged, wiping his mouth. "I'm thirsty, and it tastes fine. Besides, with my tough skin, nothing's getting through this." He flexed his arm with a grin.

James shook his head, a mix of admiration and exasperation. "You're braver than me."

"Or just hungrier," Joey chuckled.

James considered the water. His throat was parched, his lips cracked. Seeing Joey unaffected, he decided to take a chance. He knelt down and drank deeply, the cool water soothing as it flowed down his throat.

Feeling slightly refreshed, he sat back on his heels. "So, I guess I'll be the one to say it," he began, his tone serious.

Joey looked at him expectantly. "What's on your mind?"

"I think we need to fight another salamander," James said, the words hanging heavily between them. He hurried on before Joey could object. "We have the trident now, and we know they're not that smart. I think we can take one."

Joey's expression was unreadable. "You really think so?"

"I was thinking," James continued, "read me the dungeoneering title again."

Joey nodded, closing his eyes briefly as he accessed his status screen. He recited:

---

{Acquired Title - Dungeoneer (Ashen)}

- Enter a dungeon with a party and defeat at least one creature.

- Gain a 25% chance for dissipating mana to coalesce into an item (Item randomized based on collective species understanding of valuable rewards).

- Title Upgrade - Dungeoneer Prodigy (Viridian)

- Enter a dungeon with a combined party total Ten times lower than the dungeon's power ranking.

- Gain a 30% chance for dissipating mana to coalesce into an item (Item randomized based on collective species understanding of valuable rewards).

---

"See?" James said, his eyes alight with determination. "This dungeon is level 10, and we're nowhere near that. I don't even have my status yet. We need to get stronger, and fast!"

Joey looked thoughtful. "Should we wait until you get your status? It's only a couple of days away. Then we can both get stronger together."

James hesitated. "I thought about that, but we don't have anything to eat. What would we do in the meantime? Starve?"

Joey sighed. "So, we just walk around until we find a salamander? If this Rift is level 10, what if something stronger finds us?"

"I don't know," James admitted, frustration creeping into his voice. "But we can't do nothing. It's just you and me, Joey. No one is coming to get us."

A heavy silence settled between them, the weight of their situation pressing down like a tangible force.

"Look," James said finally, "we saw some salamanders wandering around the lake yesterday. If we walk along the shore, we're bound to find at least one."

Joey glanced at his broken hilt. "That's all good, but I don't have a weapon. This is useless, and I can't use your trident. What am I supposed to do?"

James pondered for a moment. "Do you remember how we defeated the last salamander?"

"Kind of," Joey replied. "I was in a lot of pain. Honestly, I thought we were done for."

"Well," James said, "they're mindless beasts. We can use that to our advantage. If you lure one into a narrow space, I can use the trident to ambush it."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "So, I get to be the bait? Great."

James offered an apologetic smile. "If you have a better idea, I'm all ears."

Joey sighed, running a hand through his hair. "No, I get it. I just wish I could use the trident. Actually, wait a second." His eyes glazed over as he focused inward.

James watched curiously as Joey accessed his status screen. After a moment, Joey's face lit up.

"James, I think I've gotten stronger!" he exclaimed.

"Really? How so?"

Joey began to read aloud:

Name - Joseph Broadhammer Age - 10 Titles - N/A Achievements - N/A Achievements - N/A Race - Human (Ashen Rank One) Level - 1 (23/100) Class - N/A HP - 215/215 MP - 95/95 Stamina - 210/215 Strength -

4 (+ 1)

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Dexterity - 5 Agility - 5 (+ 1) Intelligence - 3 Endurance - 4 Charisma - 5 Wisdom - 3 Fate - 3 (+ 1) Inate skill Level 1

******

Level 50 Locked Level 100 Locked Active Skills Tough Skin (Ashen Level One) Passive Skills Affinities ********

Joey beamed. "I gained one point each in Strength, Agility, Endurance, and Fate! My dad told me you could train your stats and grow them apart from leveling up, but I didn't think I'd gain so much from just one fight!"

James felt a surge of excitement. "That's great! It means we're getting stronger just by being here. So, are you in for another round?"

Joey hesitated, the enthusiasm dimming slightly. "We only get stronger if we survive, James. But... I understand. We need to do this." He stood up straighter. "Lead the way, fearless leader."

James grinned. "That's the spirit!"

They set off along the lake's edge, keeping a cautious distance from the water. The path was uneven, strewn with rocks and the occasional stalagmite jutting up like jagged teeth. The air was thick with moisture, and the soft glow of the moss painted everything in shades of blue and green.

"Stay close," James whispered. "And keep your eyes peeled."

They walked in silence, the tension building with each step. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat, every distant sound a precursor to danger.

"Do you feel that?" Joey asked quietly after a while.

"Feel what?"

"I don't know... it's like the air is heavier here."

James nodded. "Yeah, I feel it too. Maybe we're getting close."

Suddenly, a low hiss echoed from somewhere ahead. They froze, exchanging a glance.

"That's it," James whispered. "Get ready."

Joey swallowed hard. "Remember, I'm the bait."

"Right. Just lead it toward that narrow passage over there," James said, pointing to a gap between two large boulders.

"okay let's do this thing."