I jerked awake, gasping for air. My hands scrambled at my helm before ripping it free and dropping it to the ground. I bolted up to my feet, slowly calming down. I scanned the room, confirming that I was safe as the nightmare faded.
I blinked a few times before putting away my sword. I wasn't even sure when I had pulled it out. I shook my head, clearing it of the last bit of sleep. I pulled my dirk free and got to work harvesting the two rabbits and looting the goblins. Overall, I got two horns, two pelts, one hundred and eighty pounds of rabbit meat, seventeen silver, and fifteen arrows.
I cast Create Water, washing the blood and grime off my armor and knife. I shivered as the cold water washed over me. I pulled a pelt out, using it to dry off before going over to a tree. I sat down, leaning up against it before pulling up open my status to finalize my level-up.
★Status★
Name: Theseus
Race: Primae Sciurus [Primal Squirrelfolk]
Class: Fighter
Level: 3
Titles: Dungeon Delver, Progenitor
Health: 380/380
Stamina: 285/285
Mana: 250/260
Strength: 21
Agility: 23->25
Dexterity: 25
Constitution: 19
Intelligence: 26
Wisdom: 25->27
Skills:
Acrobatics level: 2
Analyze level: 2
Basic Archery level: 2
Basic Greatsword level: 7
Basic Leather Crafting level 2
Basic Spear level: 1
Basic Spellcraft level: 3
Calligraphy level: 2
Cooking level: 6
Dodge level: 6
Fire Resistance level: 1
Harvesting level: 2
Heavy Armor level: 3
Lightning Resistance level: 1
Meditation level: 6
Natural Weapons level: 4
Pain Resistance level: 4
Ranger level: 3
Weapons Crafting level: 1
Abilities: [+1]
Armored Skin level: 3
Bond Blade level: 1
Charge level: 5
Danger Sense level:4
Father Fall level: 3
Tongues level: 2
Weapon Focus [Greatsword]
Spells:
Bolt level: 3
Create Water level: 1
Flame Breath level: 2
Minor Self-heal level: 2
Overflow level: 2
With how my fights were going, I decided to try to get my speed up a bit to help avoid the bigger hits. I could tank the small blows all day with how good my armor was, but I didn't want just to stand there and eat the damage. I never enjoyed playing tanks in the past, and now that the damage had real pain behind it, it was an even more off-putting idea.
With the bookkeeping all up to date, I climbed back to my feet and chewed through my supply of bones to free up space. I dusted myself off and headed over to my discarded helm, putting it back on after dusting it off. I searched through the room, clicking my tongue when I didn't find a chest. I bounced lightly, settling my armor before I headed out of the room and into the labyrinth.
It took a while before I came to the next room, letting me regain the bit of mana I was missing. I peeked my head in, searching the room, a bit surprised to find that this room seemed to take after a clearing in the woods with a small cabin at its center with a tall fenced-in area behind the cabin. I lifted my visor, getting a better look at the room, as I pulled my bow out.
I knocked an arrow as I stepped into the room. My ears twitched, and my tail flicked as I heard multiple dogs barking. I groaned as I moved up to the cabin, not looking forward to another group fight. My thoughts turned toward the abilities I could grab to help deal with groups.
I sighed heavily, refocusing as I reached the cabin. I pushed the door open with my foot as I brought my bow to full draw. The door swung open, showing a one-room building. The space gave me flashbacks to my old life. Trash littered the ground and was pushed into piles to create walking space. A musk filled the air, one part dog, one part trash, and two parts mold. The only thing that stopped me from slamming the door shut was a half-buried wooden chest sitting in the center of the room.
I moved into the room, my stomach revolting at the smell. I slowly released the tension on my bow before trying to open the chest. The lid refused to open, and I had to jump back to avoid a cascade of trash revealing a lock.
"Of course, it's not that easy."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I moved back out of the cabin, ignoring the door at the back of the room. I placed my bow into my inventory before climbing up the cabin's wall, my claws digging into the wall with ease. I hunched low, took my bow back out, and knocked an arrow again. I slowly moved to the roof's edge, peeking over it as a sharp whistle cut off the barking. A goblin in furs stood just ten feet in front of me. Past him, four hounds were quickly breaking away from each other before lining up in front of the goblin. I quickly shot off a round of Analyze as I stood up, sending my first arrow at the goblin's unprotected back.
Goblin Beastmaster level 3
Canis Ignis level 5
Canis Tonitrua level 5
Canis Ventus level 4
Canis Terra level 3
My arrow streaked between the goblin and me in an instant, slamming just to the right of its spine and punching through its chest. Blood sprayed out of the goblin's mouth. It fell onto its knees before tipping sideways and slamming into the ground. Silence filled the yard before the hounds turned their heads to my spot on the roof.
The hounds burst into action, rushing towards me. I sent another arrow down at the earth hound only for it to dodge. I clicked my tongue, switching my bow out for my sword. I had set my feet ready for the hounds to jump up to the roof when the wind hound slashed the air in front of itself.
Danger Sense yelled at me, allowing me to jump out of the way as a Wind Blade sliced through the space I was just in. Just as I landed, the three remaining hounds leapt onto the roof. Thankful that my visor was still up, I channeled mana into my mouth to spew forth a way of flame. The hounds acted quickly.
The fire hound jumped forward, blocking the majority of the flames. It was still taking some damage, but nowhere near the amount, the spell did with even the minimum cast. I burn a bit of stamina, charging forward. I brought my blade up, aiming at the fire hound's neck, making it choose between protecting its pack or its own life. Before the hound could make a choice, its earthen brother, now clad in rock armor, burst through the flames, slamming into my side, knocking my blade off course, and causing it to nick the flame hound's muzzle.
I staggered back from the hit and had to jump off the roof into the backyard to dodge a bolt of lightning. I rolled as I landed, popping back up to my feet. I quickly turned to face the wind hound just in time to catch a wind blade with my blade. I managed to deflect the spell, forcing it towards the roof.
My left hand shot forward, sending a bolt of lightning back at the wind hound. Before I could rush forward, I was forced to jump back as fire streaked between us. I pressed my back to the fence and slammed my visor shut. Even though I had a distaste for trading blows, it seemed like I would be forced into it. I slowed my breathing as mana flooded my body with my gaze locked onto the earth hound that placed itself in front.
I burned stamina charging forward. My lightning-clad pommel slammed into the hound's head, cracking its armor and causing it to slump dazed. A Bolt slammed into my left shoulder. I forced my twitching muscles into action. My foot lashed out, knocking the dazed hound's head back. My blade cleaved down through its skull. As the hound crumpled to the ground, a blade of wind, a ball of flame, and a bolt of lightning slammed into my chest, hurling me through the wooded fence.
Constitution was a fantastic stat. It helps toughen the body, making you more resilient to damage, and gives you a larger pool of health. The problem was until your constitution hit triple digits, steel trumps bone. Of course, some abilities changed this, and luckily for me, Armored Skin was one. Unfortunately for me, I had not leveled the ability up enough for it to stop something in my chest from breaking. I came to a stop after bouncing off the ground. Groaning, I climbed back to my feet, looking for my sword. I found it lying a few feet to my right. Scooping up the blade, I addressed the red notification.
-Warning-
You have multiple cracked ribs.
Stamina costs doubled.
Stamina regeneration halved.
While it was helpful to know there wasn't much I could do with the information. Thankfully, the adrenaline pounding through my veins combined with Pain Resistance helped me move despite everything, breath causing a sharp pain to pulse through me. I forced myself back up onto my feet, my vision blurring slightly. I dragged my attention back to the hounds, my eyes growing wide at the second wave of spells.
I hurled myself to the left, dodging out of the way before I scrambled to put the wall between us. I back up, hearing the hounds barking and coming closer. A gentle tugging from Bound Blade let me know my khopesh had been safely tucked in my inventory. A thought struck me, causing a smirk to cross my lips.
Lightning dancing between my fingers. The wind hound was the first to come leaping out of the new hole in the fence. A double cast of Bolt flashed thru the air and hammered into the hound. Its head snapped in my direction. The hound snarled before shooting another Wind Blade my way.
'So much for that idea.'
I willed my khopesh back onto my hands. Rushing forward, I attempted to hook the spell. Sadly, I was too unfamiliar with the action and misjudged the timing. The Wind Blade cut into my left vambrace, pushing my arm back into my chest, sending a spike of agony cascading out from the impact. I stumbled, grinding my teeth together as I fought the pain.
Danger Sense screamed louder than the pain. I jerked to my left, dodging another trio of spells. My eyes traced the spells back to their origin. The other hounds had caught up, but what surprised me was the wind hound was changing at me. I pushed forward, dumping stamina into Charge. Lightning clad my blade as it hacked up into the hound, catching it mid-stride and splitting the hound. Its body continued forward, forcing me to twist out of the way, my chest feeling like it was on fire.
I spun to see the hounds split up. The fire hound started to move away from the wall, heading to my right as its lightning brother paced, waiting until they flanked me. I braced for the drain before charging to the fire hound's side, placing it between its brother and me. I lashed out as I spun to face the hound. My blade met the hound as it tried to latch onto my leg. Its head fell to the ground two steps away from its body. I stepped over the body, putting my sword up onto my shoulder.
Froth built on the lightning hound's muzzle as it barreled toward me. It lunged for my throat once it got in range. I ducked down under the lunge. My blade flashed up, hooking the hound's midsection, and slammed it into the ground. I flipped my blade, putting the whimpering hound out of its pain.
My gaze drifted up to my user interface or UI. I winced as I saw my health, stamina, and mana all hovering around fifty percent. I watched my mana bar drain to about fifteen percent, and my health ticks up to about sixty-five percent as I cast Minor Self-heal twice. I walked over to the wall, slumping down, and leaned against it after stashing my sword back into my inventory.
It took a lot longer than usual for me to get into the right headspace and meditate. I kept slipping in and out of meditation time, dragging on until after the two more casts of Minor Self-heal, I could breathe again without it causing pain to radiate through me.
With my ribs fixed, I pulled my visor up, taking a good look at my armor. It had a few new dents, a scorch mark on my chest, and two long cuts. All considered, I thought it held up just fine and would be able to get repaired. I stretched, going over to each body and looting them.
Each hound only gave me a fang, while the goblin only gave me a key. I ate each fang as I got them. I bounced the key gently in my hand as I walked over to the chest.
'Honestly, with how simple this key is, I wonder how hard it would have been to pick the lock. Eh, it's probably magical or has some system fuckery going on with it."
With a thunk, the chest unlocked the key, dissolving into motes of lights. My fingers twitched as I reached for the lid before throwing it back, revealing a blue-white token and a simple silver ring. Curiosity got the best of me. I reached down and grabbed the token, only for it to burst into motes and flood into me. I blinked twice before picking up the ring and stuffed it into my empty belt pouch before turning to my notifications and checking my progress.
-Congratulations-
Armored Skin has leveled up!
+1 Constitution
-Congratulations-
Analyze has leveled up!
+1 Wisdom
-Congratulations-
Flame Breath has leveled up!
+1 Intelligence
-Congratulations-
Meditation has leveled up!
+1 Wisdom
-Congratulations-
You have defeated a level 3 Goblin Beastmaster, a level 3 Canis Terra, a level 4 Canis Ventus, a level 5 Canis Ignis, and a level 5 Canis Tonitrua.
EXP has been awarded for defeating your opponents.
-Congratulations-
You have acquired an Ability Point.
Goals updated:
0/1 Exits found
6/10 hounds Defeated[Optional]
1/5 Huntsmen Defeated[ Optional]
3/5 Riders Defeated [Optional]
0/1 Oberon Defeated [Optional]
11/? Hunters Defeated [Optional]
'So that's how you get extra Ability Points.'
I rubbed my paws together at the thought of all the abilities just waiting for me. I walked back out of the cabin and sat my back against the wall. Before I continued on my delve, I had to get my health, stamina, and mana back to full.