Darius awoke to the sound of clanking chains and the faint echo of distant footsteps. Blinking groggily, he tried to make sense of his surroundings, only to find himself shackled to the cold stone walls of a dimly lit dungeon cell. Panic surged through him as he struggled against his restraints, the realization sinking in that he was trapped. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed four other figures chained up around the cell just like Darius.

"Hey, are you awake? We need to get out of here," a voice whispered from the darkness. Darius turned to see a young man, seemingly younger than himself, his eyes filled with determination despite the despair that hung heavy in the air. Darius nodded in agreement, before realizing that the others probably couldn’t see his gesture through the hazy darkness of the dungeon.

“Yeah, who are you guys? And do you have a plan?" Darius asked. The young man shook his head, his expression grim. “Not yet. But we can't stay here. The Akere-Konko will kill us if we don't find a way out."

“The Akere-Konko?” Darius asked.

“Do you even know how you ended up here? Those things that captured all of us are the Akere-Konko, they’re extremely tribal and territorial frogmen. They kill and eat anything or anyone that steps foot into their swamp lands.” The young man said.

“Not to mention, even their weakest warriors are at least level 50,” said a middle-aged man chained up next to the young man.

“Level 50? Can everyone see each other's levels and stats?” Darius asked, remembering everything that had happened to him before he was knocked out and taken captive.

“Yeah, anyone can check their level and stats with an analysis stone. This is Glenn, he’s my—” The young man paused for a moment, giving the middle-aged man a quick look before continuing.

“Traveling companion, and he’s only level 35.”

“So, he’s Glenn, what about you? And what about them?” Darius asked, nodding to the other two seemingly unconscious figures chained up to the cell wall.

“I’m Melchior, but my friends call me Mel. As for them, your guess is as good as mine. They’ve been unconscious since I woke up here. What about you?” Mel asked.

“I’m Darius, and what’s an analysis stone?” Darius asked.

“You don’t know? They look like large orbs made of crystal. Most major organizations have them. We just checked our stats at the analysis stone at the holy church in the capital before this trip.” Mel said.

“Good to know, thanks. So, any ideas how to get these shackles off?” Darius asked, and for the first time since he awoke, he took a good look at the other people in the cell with him. Aside from Mel and Glenn, there were two seemingly unconscious women chained to the cell walls. One of the women was covered in leather armor all over her body. She looked to be about the same age as Mel, but her appearance was distinctly Asian to Darius. The other appeared to be a young girl, seemingly no older than 10 years old. The young girl wore an ornate white dress with flower designs all over it. To Darius, it looked like the type of dress some Chinese princess would wear, but it had slashes and rips all over it, showing the struggle the two must have gone through before being taken captive. Her hair also appeared to have been done up in some elaborate fancy Chinese-like hairstyle with two pins sticking out of it. Darius guessed it once looked perfect, but now loose strands of hair stuck out all over her head.

“I don’t, but we don’t have much time. Glenn overheard some guards talking about the feast preparations last time they came to check on us,” Mel said, with an affirming nod from Glenn beside him.

“Should we try to wake them up? Maybe they’ll have some sort of idea how to get out of here,” Darius asked. With a nod, Mel started to whisper to the two women. After calling for them a few times, the older woman began to stir.

“Hey, are you awake?” Mel whispered loudly to the woman. With a groan, she shifted herself to face Mel.

“Who are you, where are we?” She asked.

“I’m Mel, we were captured and are being held here just like you, but we don’t have much time. We have to figure out a way out of here before the guards come back,” Mel said. The clattering of chains filled the cell as the woman tried to wrench her hands free from the shackles with no luck.

“I knew we never should have come to this accursed continent,” the woman muttered as she reached her foot out to gently shove the young girl.

“Lady Yumia, you have to wake up,” she whispered to the young girl. After a few gentle shoves, the young girl began to stir awake. The young girl groaned as she began to shift, but after a few moments, she seemed to realize where she was and gasped.

“My lady, we need to figure out a way out of here,” the woman said.

“Okay, now that we’re all awake, why don’t we work together to get out of here?” Mel asked.

“Who are you?” The young girl asked.

“I’m Melchior, but you can just call me Mel. This here is my traveling companion, Glenn,” Mel said and nodded his head at Glenn.

“That guy over there is Darius, I’m not sure how he got here, or you for that matter. But since we’re all in trouble here why don’t we work together?” Mel asked the young girl.

“Okay, I’m Yumia,” the girl said.

“Nice to meet you, Yumia,” said Mel with a gentle voice.

“You swine will address her as Lady Yumia,” the older woman said.

“Stop it, Taiomi, we need these gentlemen's help if we’re going to get out of here,” Yumia said.

“If you say so, my lady,” the woman, apparently named Taiomi, said.

“So do either of you have any ideas how to get rid of these shackles?” Glenn asked, and even through the hazy darkness of the cell, Darius didn’t miss the glare Taiomi aimed at him.

“Do you think we can use these?” Yumia asked. Her shackles clanged as she shifted around before pulling the pins out of her hair.

“That should work,” Mel said excitedly. After a while, Yumia managed to pass the pins to Mel and after a few minutes Mel managed to pick the lock on his shackles. He then went around and freed everyone from their shackles one by one. Darius was freed last, and he got to his feet, rubbing his now free wrists.

“Okay, so what now? You said we didn’t have much time,” Taiomi said curtly, looking at Mel.

“Well, the way I see it we have two options. We can either try to find a way to sneak out of here. Or we can wait for the guards to come back and try to overpower them,” Mel said.

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

“I think the first option is our best bet, after all did anyone here manage to even beat one of those things before getting caught?” Glenn asked.

“Taiomi managed to fend off four at once, if it had just been one, I bet she could have managed,” Yumia said with a thoughtful look on her face.

“Well, let’s look for a way out first, if we can’t find a way out before the guards come back the choice might be made for us,” said Mel. The five of them wasted no time in searching for a way to sneak out of the cell, but after a few minutes of no luck, Taiomi spoke up.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere. I said we set up an ambush for the guards.” The others simply nodded and began to plan to ambush the guards.

“Lady Yumia is a non-combatant, what about you three, what level are you?” Taiomi asked.

“I’m level 18, but Glenn here is level 35,” Mel said. Taiomi’s eyebrows raised at that.

“Level 35, and you still managed to get caught?” She asked.

“We were surrounded, and by level 50 monsters no less,” Glenn said a bit defensively.

“I see, I’m level 46 myself, what about you? What was your name again?” Taiomi asked, turning to Darius. It took Darius a moment to realize the fiery woman had been talking to him, but before he answered, he turned his attention to the boxes that he had been ignoring since waking up. He began to read the first one.

You have defeated a level 53 Akere-Konko soldier.

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have gained 1 level

You have reached level 9

You have 90 unassigned stat points

You have learned the skill hand-to-hand combat

After glancing through the screens, Darius waved them away. So, I’m level 9 now? And I have 90 unassigned stat points? That must mean I get 10 stat points every level. Oh well, I’ll figure this stuff out later. Darius thought, and without checking his full status screen, he turned to Taiomi.

“I’m a pretty low level to be honest, I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to help.” Taiomi scoffed at him and turned back to Mel and Glenn.

“So, it’s just us three then. If only I had my sword, I could probably handle these guards myself,” she said.

“Oh, so you must be a sword master,” Glenn said.

“Not quite, I’m actually a sword mage. My sword Jade is my partner not just my weapon,” Taiomi said. Darius, not able to follow the conversation, stepped back and glanced over at Yumia.

“So, you’re a non-combatant, if you don’t mind my asking, what level are you?” Darius asked. He nearly turned away at the glare that Taiomi aimed at him, but Yumia didn’t seem bothered as she turned to answer.

“I’m level 10. The nobles from my homeland all get their children to level 10 as soon as they turn 10 years old.”

“Really? Why level 10?” Darius asked.

“Because everyone gets their first skill at level 10,” Yumia said giving Darius a quizzical look.

“Have you not reached level 10?” She asked. The other three had stopped their conversation about their ambush plans, and Darius could feel the gazes of everyone in the cell focused on him. He scratched the back of his head as he began to talk.

“Ah, not yet unfortunately, but are you saying that people don’t get any skills until level 10?”

“Are you not an adult yet?” Yumia asked stifling a giggle. Taiomi didn’t even try to hide it as she burst out laughing.

“Where the hell did you come from? I don’t know of any country where the adults aren’t all at least level 10,” Taiomi said as she continued to laugh. Even Glenn and Mel started chuckling as they all gave Darius judgmental looks.

“It’s as Taiomi says, only the children of nobility are rushed to level 10, but adults regardless of class are always at least level 10.”

“Ah, I see,” Darius said sheepishly.

“So where are you from?” Yumia asked with a faint smile.

“Somewhere far away, I doubt you’ve heard of it,” Darius said, wishing he had just kept his mouth shut.

“Sir Darius, did Taiomi tell you how we ended up in this cell?” Yumia asked.

“Sir Darius?” Darius asked with a smile of his own. Yumia giggled before responding.

“Yes, Sir Darius, I suppose I should properly introduce myself.” Yumia swept into an elaborate bow.

“I am Lady Yumia Kiriken, second daughter of Lord Mitsupachi, ruler of the Kiriken Shogunate. I was on my way to the Geralsior capital as a diplomatic envoy to set up diplomatic relations with the Geralsior Empire when our vessel got caught in a storm. When we woke up only me and Taiomi were together, washed up on a shoreline with nothing but swamp lands around.” Darius paused at this. That was a lot of information to take in all at once.

“I see, it’s an honor to be in such esteemed company,” Darius said, and not knowing what to do, he returned her bow. Yumia emitted another bout of giggling, and this time the other three all laughed as well.

“Your home must be really far away, but if that’s the case how did you end up in the Akere-Konko swamp lands?” Mel asked trying to contain his laughter.

“Ah, that’s a good question,” Darius said, trying to buy time to come up with a good excuse while ignoring the laughter from what must have been some sort of social faux paux. However, he was saved from needing to think of something due to the sounds from outside the cell of guards approaching.

“It’s time, get in position,” Taiomi said, and took her place next to the cell door.

“Time for the feast,” croaked a voice. As soon as the door swung open Taiomi pounced on the first guard, wrapping her arm around his neck and dragging him out of the door frame. Before the second guard could react, Glenn was on him, and after a brief skirmish, the second guard lay on the floor unmoving. A few moments later, the first guard stopped his flailing as Taiomi managed to choke him unconscious.

“Quickly, let’s move before more guards show up,” Glenn said, and with a nod, the others silently followed him out of the cell. After creeping down a few hallways, they found a large door made of stone with light shining from underneath.

“This should lead us outside, but who knows how many might be waiting for us out there. We should get ready to run,” Glenn said.

“I can’t leave yet, I need to find Jade first,” Taiomi said.

“Do you know where it might be?” Asked Mel.

“I’m not sure, but thanks to our magical bond I can feel the general direction, and I can sense it’s below us,” Taiomi said.

“Then let’s go, lead the way,” Darius said, causing the others to all turn to him with questioning expressions.

“You don’t have to come with us, Sir Darius, not when the exit's right here,” Yumia said.

“I might not be level 10, and you all can laugh at me all you want, but I’m not going to abandon you all to save myself, what kind of man would that make me?” Darius asked.

“Well, when you put it like that,” Glenn trailed off, his gaze focused on the floor.

“We don’t have time to argue, I’m going to get Jade. Yumia, you come with me, the rest of you are free to do as you want,” Taiomi said and set off back the way they had just come. Darius followed the two women, and after a short, whispered conversation, Mel and Glenn followed as well.

It didn’t take long for Taiomi to find the sword, and Darius was left speechless as he looked at the majestic sword. It was propped against a stone wall of what appeared to be some sort of storage room. The sword was at least 6 feet tall with an ornate green dragon coiling around the hilt. Mel let out a whistle as they all looked at the sword.

“That’s one hell of a sword,” Mel said as Taiomi set the sword on her back, held in place by a few leather straps that seemed to be built into her leather armor.

“It sure is, my partner the Jade Dragon breaker, or Jade for short. I’m ready to go,” she paused before continuing. Before she could say anything else, Yumia spoke.

“Thanks for coming with us, now let’s all escape together.” The others all nodded and started making their way back to the large door they had found before.

Much to their surprise, they reached the door again without running into any more guards.

“Okay, let’s make sure we’re prepared before we open that door,” Glenn said. The others began checking their gear.

“Glenn, you stay with me to form the front line while Mel can give us support. Darius just look out for Yumia, I guess,” Taiomi said dismissively, as she drew NAME and took her place next to the door. Darius only nodded and looked over at Yumia. She was clearly nervous, but she returned Darius’ look and gave a nod.

“Okay, let’s do this,” said Glenn as he slowly opened the door.

As the door swung open, Glenn and Taiomi immediately rushed through followed by Mel.

“Shall we go, my lady,” said Darius half-jokingly hoping to lighten the mood, but Yumia merely nodded. As they followed the others out the large metal door, what Darius saw almost made him turn and run away. Directly in front of them was a massive bonfire with a wooden pole held over the fire. Surrounding the fire were dozens if not hundreds of Akere-Konko who were all turning to face them.

“The sacrifices are escaping, in the name of the great god Spiro capture them,” yelled one of the enemies as they began to swarm toward Darius and the others.

“Well, that’s not good,” said Darius as he prepared for his second fight since being transported to this strange world.