“Kaiden?”

Maya looked like she had just woken up, which was unsurprising considering that it was around seven in the morning, but I’d wanted to start the day off as quickly as possible and it seemed that with my increased stats I just didn't need as much sleep.

“Is your mom home?”

Maya shook her head as she rubbed her eyes. “She left an hour ago. She has some business to sort out, why?”

“I just wanted to let you two know that I’ll be out of town for a week or two, maybe more.“ I shrugged. “I'm meeting an old friend who lives nearby. So, if you knock on and I don't answer then don't worry.”

She frowned. “You just got here didn't you?”

“I won't be gone long, probably,” I said, surprised she seemed disappointed. “Oh, and can you make sure Linda doesn't go poking around my property? Considering what you told me about her, it seems like something she might do.”

I didn't want her anywhere near the loot shed.

She nodded with a smile. “Don't worry about her. After years of living on the same street, I've learned how to deal with her. Is that all you came here for?’

There was a hint of something in her voice which I couldn't quite put my finger on, and it wasn't just because I was trying not to stare down at her exposed cleavage. She had on a pair of very loose light blue pajamas and it was taking a lot not to glance down. I didn't want to come off as a perv or a freak. I liked Maya and wanted to remain friends with her and her mother.

“Erm, for the most part, is there anything you need from me?”

Her smile faltered slightly before she sighed. “No, but we should hang out when you get back.”

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

I held back my surprise. An actual beautiful girl wanting to hang out with me? “Of course, I mean sure, whatever. I’ll see you then, oh, wait, one last thing, here’s the container you gave me. Do thank your mom for me.”

She giggled as she took the container. “I will. Goodbye Kaiden.”

“Kai, friends call me Kai.”

I had a smile on my face as I walked back to my home. That had been the first time a girl had ever asked me to hang out, and though it wasn’t a date, it was progress. I actually considered postponing my extended delve, but if I went back now then it would probably make me seem desperate, and my uncle had always told me that girls didn't like the desperate type. Moving down to Oldmire really had been a good idea, even with the Linda problem, things were better in every possible way. I just wished my uncle was here as well.

As I was walking down the street a sudden chill swept by and made me shiver. Despite it being morning and the middle of summer, it was unnaturally cold, and cloudy, something I wouldn't have expected in Texas and definitely not in summer. A blanket of dark clouds covered the sky and it looked like it might actually rain. Was it a freak storm? Were those even a thing?

I increased my pace and the first thing I did when I got home was have a large breakfast to fill myself up so that I wouldn't need to eat for a while when I entered the dungeon. After which, I headed out to the loot shed and began double-checking everything I had prepared. It was mostly the same setup with my pistol, shotgun, sword, and knives for weapons and the mix of leather, steel, and kevlar for armor. I had more food than ever and also a few other things like rope, spare clothes, a lighter, some tinder, and extra batteries for my torch and the light attachments to my weapons. My backpack would have been a lot more trouble for the old me, but with my increased stats, it was only a small bother.

Once I was geared up, and ready, I made my way to the dungeon and down towards the large door.

According to the map, so far I had explored only a small fraction, though I was missing the other maps. The area around the Rat Den had been explored as had the first dozen or so caverns, so this time I wanted to actually make my way into the Rat Den and from there head to the next floor, or so I assumed. There were labels at the edges of the map, which simply said go to map two or four. I was assuming that my uncle had drawn a map for each floor he’d explored. I had tried to find them but so far I had been unsuccessful. So after the first floor, I’d be going in blind which didn't stir up as much fear I as expected it would. Perhaps it was the increased stats or just how much better life was going, but I was far more confident.

Although I had my firearms, one of the main goals this time was to get used to the sword as the ammo wouldn't last. I could only carry so much and if this dungeon was like that of a video game then the mobs would get stronger and stronger and take more bullets to kill, and while I had magical weapons in the loot shed, I had no magical guns. I needed to learn how to use melee weapons as that would allow me to stay in the dungeon for longer, not that I was going to forgo guns entirely. Definitely not, they were way too useful for that, and I had no other ranged weapons save for the throwing knives, and I wouldn't get time to really aim in an enclosed space so until I trained more or increased my stats, the guns would stay as my go-to ranged weapons.

The door to the dungeon slowly opened after I placed the key in the lock, and with a single deep breath and glance back, I entered, ready for whatever might happen.

I was going full dungeon delver this time.