Still, nothing had changed. I was still stuck in the construction site. I checked the time—9:31 AM. By now, I had already given up on expecting the police to arrive.
I could only rely on myself now.
My eyes landed on the entrance to the construction site—it looked creepier than usual.
I stopped for a moment. Suddenly, a system notification appeared in front of me.
Ding!
[System Notification: Congratulations to Player Lee Han. You’ve discovered a hidden dungeon.]
“Huh? A hidden dungeon at this early stage? And I found it? What’s going on?”
I shook my head. I didn’t know what was happening, but this was my chance.
I stepped into the first floor of the dungeon. The silence was heavy, broken only by the sound of my footsteps. Not long after, I saw three small goblins walking in circles.
[Lesser Goblin]
(A basic monster, humanoid)
Level: 2
HP: 50
I bent down and picked up a small rock. I threw it at one of the goblins and quickly hid behind a broken column.
The goblin that was hit turned toward me and walked over cautiously.
I gripped my sword tightly in my hands.
As the goblin got closer, I thrust the sword into its chest.
Screech!
The goblin let out a cry before its body turned into light particles and disappeared.
I looked down at the dropped item it left behind.
[Rune of Strength]
(Consumable Item)
Effect: Increases Strength +1 (Permanent)
"A rune?"
Before I could think further, the rune dissolved and entered my body. I felt a strange warmth spread through my muscles.
The other two goblins heard the noise and came closer.
I didn’t hide this time.
I charged forward, slashing at the first goblin with all my strength. It died instantly. The second goblin didn’t have a chance to react before my sword pierced its head.
[Rune of Agility]
(Consumable Item)
Effect: Increases Agility +1 (Permanent)
[Rune of Strength]
(Consumable Item)
Effect: Increases Strength +1 (Permanent)
The runes dissolved and entered my body. My muscles felt stronger, and my movements became faster.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Not bad. If I keep this up, I’ll only get stronger."
I moved deeper into the dungeon. Whenever I saw goblins, I killed them without hesitation.
Ding!
[You have gained a level.]
"Status."
[Lee Han]
[Level 2 (0%)]
[Profession: Swordsman]
[Str: 15.1]
[Agi: 13.4]
[Vit: 10.2]
"I’ve become stronger… but this isn’t enough. I need to keep going."
I climbed to the second floor.
[Hobgoblin]
(A basic monster, humanoid)
Level: 4
HP: 150
I didn’t hesitate. I charged at the hobgoblin, cutting off its limbs before stabbing it in the chest. The hobgoblin let out a cry before disappearing.
The others rushed at me, but I killed them all with precise strikes.
Ding!
[You have gained a level.]
"Status."
[Lee Han]
[Level 3 (0%)]
[Profession: Swordsman]
[Str: 25.1]
[Agi: 17.4]
[Vit: 14.5]
[Sense: 10.3]
[Mana Resistance: 11.4]
"Not bad. I’m getting stronger, but I still need more power."
I had killed nearly all the lesser goblins on the first floor, so I made my way to the second floor.
And, after that, I went to the third floor. I had acquired a few runes, and a new type of rune along the way. I also acquired B-rank relics.
[Ring of Devour]
(Growth-Type Relic, B-rank)
Effect:
Life Drain: Restores HP by taking a portion of the enemy’s health with each attack.
Mana Drain: Restores MP by absorbing the enemy’s mana with each attack.
Additional Stats: Vitality +3
"No way… This relic is insane! A growth-type item?!"
I quickly put the ring on my left middle finger.
As I walked forward, my eyes fell on a massive goblin holding a heavy weapon. It was surrounded by hobgoblins.
[Goblin Chieftain]
(Special Elite Monster, Humanoid)
Level: 15
HP: 10,500
"I'm royally fucked," I muttered, glancing at the monster.
Before I could come up with a plan, the hobgoblin charged at me with terrifying speed. Without hesitation, I gripped my sword tightly and swung.
A clean cut. The hobgoblin's head flew off. But before I could even take a breath, the goblin chieftain’s attack came at me.
Shrieeeek!
I froze. Why did they attack so suddenly? Then it hit me—one of the hobgoblins must have seen me hiding under the stairs earlier.
"Fuck!"
Ignoring the chieftain for now, I dashed toward the remaining hobgoblins. My sword pierced through one’s throat with precision, killing it instantly.
I can't fight that special elite monster right now, I thought, shifting my focus back to the hobgoblins. I can handle them—and their runes will make me stronger.
I moved quickly, taking them down one by one. But the moment the last hobgoblin fell, the goblin chieftain let out a deafening roar. Its movements became faster and more aggressive.
Bang!
The mace struck me, slamming me into the wall. My chest tightened, and my ribs felt like they had cracked.
"Shit..."
My breathing was rough. Blood dripped from my lips, but I forced myself to stand.
"No one said anything about it going berserk after killing its minions!"
The goblin chieftain roared again, swinging its mace wildly, destroying everything around it.
I barely managed to dodge the debris flying in all directions. The chieftain suddenly closed the distance, its mace crashing down with terrifying speed.
Bang!
I blocked the strike with my sword, but the impact made my arms numb. I clenched my teeth and held on.
The goblin staggered slightly, off-balance. I saw my chance. I lunged forward, driving my sword deep into its throat. Blood gushed out, drenching me. The goblin's HP dropped rapidly.-100.-150.-350.-500.
But it wasn't enough. I didn’t stop. I slashed at its chest, shoulders, and neck, chipping away at its health.
Shrieeeek!
The goblin chieftain roared again, stunning me.
"Shit!"
My body froze. My fingers wouldn’t move, and the goblin’s mace was coming straight for me. Desperate, I bit my lip hard, the sharp pain breaking the stun.
Just in time, I rolled to the side, avoiding the mace by a hair's breadth.
Bang!
"That was too close..." I muttered, breathing heavily.
The goblin was stumbling now, its movements slowing. I gritted my teeth and slashed at its tendon. The monster fell to one knee.
Without hesitation, I pierced my sword into its chest with all my strength.
RAAAAH!
The goblin's HP hit zero. Its massive body dissolved into particles of light, leaving behind a skill book and a few relics.
[Trait Acquired! You've obtained the Thread Manipulation.]
Thread Manipulation (S)
A trait that allows the user to control and manipulate threads with incredible precision. The user can weave, extend, and control threads to bind, attack, or defend.
"S-rank?"
I couldn’t believe my luck. A trait like this so early? It was beyond anything I'd expected.
Ding!
[You've gained a level!]
[You've gained a level!]
[You've gained a level!]
[You've gained a level!]
The notifications kept coming. My body surged with power. My wounds healed, and my exhaustion disappeared as if it had never existed.
I picked up the other items left behind.
"This... isn’t bad at all," I muttered, smirking.
I inspected the items again, satisfied with what I had obtained.
Camping Tent (Unique-Grade Relic)
Fully restores health and energy while resting.
Equipped with an alarm system to warn of approaching threats.
Includes a stealth function to reduce detection by monsters.
100% recovery rate when used.
Apprentice Cooking Stove (Common Cooking Tool)
Allows cooking in the wilderness.
Reduces cooking time by 10%.
I couldn’t help but smile. The Camping Tent was exactly what I needed. The alarm system would keep me safe, the stealth function ensured monsters wouldn’t find me while I rested, and the 100% recovery rate was perfect.
The Apprentice Cooking Stove, though common, was still useful. Cooking would be faster, and I wouldn’t have to worry about food during my travels.
“This should make things easier,” I muttered, storing the items in my inventory.
I opened my status window to check my progress.
[Lee Han]
[Level: 13 (0%)]
[Profession: Swordsman]
[Str: 55.1]
[Agi: 57.4]
[Vit: 44.5]
[Sense: 42.3]
[Magic Power: 42.0]
[Mana Resistance: 41.4]
[Possessed Traits]
[Thread Manipulation (S)]
"Not bad," I muttered, a satisfied grin forming. "All that effort wasn’t wasted. Now that I’ve cleared this dungeon, it’s time to leave."
A portal appeared before me. I glanced around for any signs of danger, then stepped through without hesitation.
The world spun, and in an instant, I was standing outside. The construction site that had hidden the dungeon was completely gone, as if it had never existed.
“What the hell?” I muttered, staring at the empty space, confused by the sudden change