And so it continued in this way for the next six (subjective) weeks.
Jeff spent his time running the dungeon in a variety of ways, honing his Skills and raising his Attributes.
He would occasionally take a break and engage in a chat, or rather an enhanced interrogation session, with the Baron. Between bouts of combat with the Kobols, Skeleton Knights and the Baron, he managed to snatch some sleep on the desolate battlefield or in the Bone Tempering Bath Chamber, making use of his pop up tent.
His provisions dwindled rapidly as the days passed.
Once his supply of Roc Eggs and Ahud nuts had become depleted, he supplemented his diet with a handy protein source from the Dungeon entrance—a very large and tasty flightless bird. The snail that had been clutched in its beak was grateful for Jeff’s timely intervention too…
Each dungeon run served to push up his Attributes and to refine his combat style even further.
By the end of his sixth week in the dungeon, the sun in the outside world of Tantalus had nearly set, signifying it was now almost time to head back to town to reunite with Fracta.
His progression had begun to stall anyway—as he neared the point of evolving to Grade H, the rewards, Omega Energy and real experience he earned inside the dungeon were becoming thinner. With the threshold of Evolution looming, Jeff knew that he would no longer be allowed entry to the dungeon once he leveled to the next Grade.
After running the same Dungeon successfully a staggering hundred times in a row, the System had awarded Jeff another, perhaps dubious Achievement: Dungeon Rerun, which gave a significant 5% permanent boost to his Strength Attribute.
----------------------------------------
“Pills,” mumbled the Baron, snapping Jeff out of his reverie.
Jeff peered down from the raised throne at the long skeletal figure of the dungeon boss, securely bound to the banquet table.
The life story of the Bone Baron had turned out to be a sad one. Jeff extracted a patchwork of information from the mealy-mouthed giant during successive interrogations, spread out across numerous dungeon dives.
Using judicious applications of Life/Acuity composite, a form of electroshock therapy that proved effective in loosening the Baron’s tongue, Jeff managed to piece together the events that had culminated in his transubstantiation into a low level Dungeon boss.
The original Bone Baron, or Urstap Vongolay as he had once been known, had started out as a minor noble hailing from a small regional empire known as the Bayzon Triumvirate, covering around a hundred star systems tucked away in a far corner of the System-universe.
The principal inhabitants of the empire were tall, blue-skinned people known as the Rhin.
Aeons before, the Rhin had achieved a significant victory in The Tournament, successfully fielding a World Champion who had managed to rank highly in the Prime League, granting the Rhin race full membership in the Community of Equals.
In the following centuries however, the Rhin had not capitalized on this triumph, but had instead rested on their laurels.
Their civilization had stagnated, becoming preoccupied with the arts, fine dining and the peculiar Rhinish pastime of body-swapping and identity reassignment.
This descent into decadence was noticed by surrounding forces who, sensing weakness, eyed their territory with cold, envious eyes.
And they plotted.
The Darwinian nature of the System decreed that you either progressed, or you died.
Inevitably perhaps, a rival power in the next globular cluster over, a fanatical cult of blood magic adepts who were looking to expand their territories in the Glogly sector, made their move.
Somehow, the cultist’s machinations were successful, and with the help of the local Vogellian Satrapy, they lobbied to have the Rhin relegated back to Candidate status, thereby losing their position in the Community of Equals.
This demotion meant that once again, the Rhin were required by law to field a candidate in the first stages of the Tournament.
Baron Urstap was selected as the Rhin’s chosen champion, possessed as he was of an athletic physique and an unusual interest in the combat arts. The Baron, the only child of unconventional parents, had been enrolled into an old-fashioned school known as ‘The Academy of Excellence’, run by an eccentric sect of monks on a backwater planet of the Bayzon Triumvirate.
Within the halls and libraries of that venerable and ancient institution, the devoted monks had rigorously pushed the acolytes to hone their martial skills and apply themselves to the art of mana cultivation, something that most Rhinish society neglected.
Only the Baron knew the awful truth, a grim reality of which his oblivious fellow Rhin were blissfully ignorant. Despite, or perhaps because of his education and his peculiar obsession with war, he knew that he didn’t stand a chance of victory in the Tournament.
Out of sheer desperation, a few days before the arrival of the Vogel’s enforcer fleet, he had turned to a contact in the Sempiternal Empire for assistance.
Jeff’s curiosity was piqued by the Baron’s mention of the Sempiternal Empire, a name he had heard mention of once before.
The Empire was in fact an ancient, shadowy confederation of six undead races, eclipsing even the Vogels and the Autochs in their antiquity.
Their empire had ‘outlived’ thousands of other groupings and species, calmly watching their rise and fall throughout the ages of the System universe. The cold, slow existence of the death-attuned made the comings and goings of the ephemeral, life-attuned species look like mayflies passing through a crypt.
The Sempiternal Empire had gifted the Baron with the ability to succeed in the Tournament. For a price.
“Pills…” the Baron mumbled once again, the single word laden with regret.
“It wasn’t the Academy or my training. It was my pact with the Sempiternal Empire…” he coughed and strained half-heartedly against his bindings, the chains securing him to the banquet table rattling faintly. His gaze drifted away, lost in ancient memories.
“The Academy honed my Skills and got me to the lower ranks of Grade I, which I admit was head and shoulders above the average citizen of the Bayzon Triumvirate—those decadent, spineless dilettantes—but not enough to guarantee me victory in the Tournament and gain my people re-entry into the Prime League.”
The Baron’s rambling speech drifted, sometimes incoherently, between pride in his achievements and bitterness towards his fellow Rhin.
He continued to reminisce for some time, grumbling about the jaded nature of the Rhin while simultaneously boasting about his strength compared to his fellow people.
Jeff steered the conversation, or interrogation, back to the Sempiternal Empire with a few tongue-loosening jolts of Life/Acuity-attuned mana.
“Ok…Ok…I told you I would help! As I was about to explain, when it became clear that I stood very little chance of survival in the Tournament, desperation caused me to seek an alliance. I reached out through intermediaries to an emissary of the Sempiternal Empire. They gave me the means to level up my Grade—a purchase way beyond the financial reach of The Bayzon Triumvirate. Each one of those Grade F Lesser Shining Path Cultivation Pills was worth a small fortune.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Jeff’s leaned forward in fascination, intrigued by the idea that he could possibly find such a miraculous pill, one that would instantly elevate him to the next Grade.
“What are these pills, and how do they work?”
“There are many ways to accelerate your evolution, to push you on to the next Grade early. Some use natural items like magical herbs, ascension fruits or Beast Cores. Others turn to drugs like Ambrosia, popularly known as ‘Synthetic Omega Energy,’ though many believe that term is misleading. Make no mistake, young Jeff, all these methods come with risks—faulty foundations, damaged pathways…”
“Can I buy any of these items in the Tournament Store?” Jeff asked the Baron eagerly.
“Bah…” the Baron scoffed, his face wrinkled in scorn.
“the Store is a useless trinket shop, a Vogel creation. You would never find anything of such potency there.” He paused for a moment, thinking.
“You might be able to find something like it in the Auction, though…”
The Auction… Jeff had forgotten all about that additional, locked doorway accessible through the Store vestibule.
Jeff waited, but the Baron had fallen silent, having no more information on the subject. He decided to quiz Boz and Misty on the subject of the Auction at the next available opportunity.
Further grilling of the Baron ceased to yield any further useful information, other than a postscript to the whole sorry history of the Rhin people.
On Baron Urstap’s triumphal return to the Bayzon Triumvirate, after successfully completing the Tournament and saving his people from the threat of enslavement or annihilation, he was forced to adhere to the terms of the pact that he had undertaken with the Sempiternal Empire.
On every planet inhabited by the Rhin, an enclave of Undead colonists from Ankh-Dûm was allowed to take root.
At first, it seemed that the Rhin had gotten off lightly—the small influx of undead polluting their planets seemed nothing but a minor annoyance. Until the undead began to work their insidious plan…
Exploiting the Rhin’s fascination with body modification and appearance, the undead managed to inveigle their way into every aspect of Rhinish society.
The tools and wisdom they supplied always came with a heavy price tag, and over the ensuing century, the Rhin were subverted, becoming nothing more than a vassal state in hock to the Sempiternal Empire.
Baron Urstap himself, meanwhile, became increasingly obsessed with the pursuit of power through mana cultivation, ascending into the ranks of Grade E.
He teetered on the cusp of becoming a pseudo-immortal and attaining Potentate status. An acclaimed Cultivator and warrior in the Glogly sector, he was crowned the undisputed ruler of the Bayzon Empire, usurping the traditional Triumvirate in the process.
His own personal creation, the Path of the Bone Orchard, was lauded by critics across the System-universe.
By this stage though, he had become a full-time adherent to the dark doctrines of the Sempiternal Empire.
The Bone Baron had seemingly saved his people by cozying up to the undead, but in the process he had allowed his Path to become corrupted and his homelands to be defiled.
Eventually, his strength withered, his early promise remaining unfulfilled, stuck in an E Grade bottleneck. At that crucial stage he languished, nothing more than a medium-ranked, ephemeral Necromancer, his evolution hollow, his Core Space corrupted by the unbalancing influence of Necrotic energy.
Jeff listened to this salutary tale, resolving to do his best to avoid any dealings with the Sempiternal Empire, if possible.
The goblet in his hand began to sizzle aggressively, indicating that the bubbling, corrosive substance had begun to eat through the heavy metal receptacle. He took another sip, allowing the bone broth to course through him again.
You have consumed an enhanced food item
Your Endurance Attribute has risen by 2
Drinking the broth had been another of the Baron’s suggestions. Sure, his HP took a hit with each excruciating mouthful, but his constitution had scaled so much that his health soon ticked back up to full.
That old phrase ‘that which does not kill you makes you stronger’ held considerable weight in the System-universe.
Living a life of hardship and pain was a surefire way to improve.
Of course, nothing surpassed real combat as the ultimate way to level and hone one’s attributes and Skills. Jeff had embraced this fact over the past (subjective) weeks.
With a determined gulp, Jeff took a final swig of the Bone Tempering Broth, before tossing the now useless goblet into a corner of the room. Jeff steadfastly ignored the pain as the scorching broth went down. His lips fizzed and a puff of smoke escaped from his mouth as his gullet was burnt.
Achievement Unlocked!
*Cast Iron Stomach*
By consuming that which should not be consumed, and surviving.
Reward: +5% Endurance
That was what he had been waiting for. It seemed his time in the dungeon was up.
“Monster…” mumbled the Baron from his supine position, observing Jeff’s astounding progress.
Jeff took a look at his stats.
NAME: Jeff Nostro
RACE: Human
HIT POINTS (HP): 80/180 (+10*)
MANA POINTS (MP): 70/170
Path: Spellsword [Hidden]
* Path Rewrite: Awarded if 7 tribulations are completed.
* Tribulations passed: 3/7
GRADE: I, Level 921
CLASS: Arcane Duelist 2
SKILLS:
* Identify (Level 1)
* Physical Fitness (Level 7)
* Night Vision (Level 2)
* Jump (Level 4)
* High Pain Threshold (Level 23)
* Combat Proficiency (Level 8)
* Sub-Skills:
* [Unarmed Blade] Level 3
* [Knockout Punch] Level 2
* First Aid (Level 2)
* Dodge (Level 7)
* Poison Resistance (Level 1)
* Cooking (Level 2)
* Mana Burst (Level 2)
* Mana Essence (Level 4)
* Metalworking Basic (Level 1)
CLASS SKILLS:
* Infinite Sword (Level 2)
* Sub-Skill: [Blade Storm] Level 1
* Cutting Edge (Level 2)
ATTRIBUTES:
* Strength: 96 (+5% from Dungeon Rerun)
* Speed: 95 (+2*)
* Vitality: 99 (+2*)
* Endurance: 181 (+2*) (+5% from Cast Iron Stomach)
* Cognition: 88
* Offense: 119
* Defense: 134 (+7*) (+5% from Iron Body)
* Stealth: 61 (+5*)
* Total Attribute Points: 873
* Unallocated Attribute Points: 43
Achievements:
* Iron Body: Defense Attribute boosted by 5%
* Brutality Unleashed
* Dungeon Rerun: Strength Attribute boosted by 5%
* Cast Iron Stomach: Endurance Attribute boosted by 5%
Dao:
* Dao of Sundering (Seed)
* Ability: Hand of Mu Cephei (Early)
His Level hovered just short of the requirement to upgrade, but the System had ceased awarding him much in the way of rewards in the dungeon recently—the dwindling Omega Energy gains another clear signal that it was time to move on.
Jeff decided not to apply any of the unallocated attribute points for the moment, waiting to see what the next dungeon held in store for him.
Jeff stood up from the gilded throne and gazed down at the Bone Baron silently, his mood solemn. He no longer derived any pleasure from the act, but there was no way to leave the Dungeon without first dispatching the Dungeon boss.
Still silent, he walked down the steps towards the bound form of the Baron. His hands, haloed by flickers of Life/Acuity mana, reached out and almost tenderly, rested on the giant’s blue skull.
“Know this,” Jeff spoke up suddenly, compelled by an inexplicable need to justify his actions.
Jeff knew, on an intellectual level, that the creature before him was merely an avatar, a high-functioning simulacrum created by the System.
In spite of this awareness, as a result of the many, extensive conversations he had shared with the Baron, getting to know his life story, the countless times he had killed him were beginning to weigh on his conscience.
“I will do my utmost to save my people. After that, I hope one day to visit a Bayzon Empire that is liberated from the scourge of the Undead.”
The Baron looked up at him, the customary sneer fading from his lips. To Jeff’s astonishment, he responded in a serious tone.
“Bah…such weakness. The path to power is long and arduous. The System will soon purge you of these romantic notions. Always remember—it is It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both…Go on, Champion of Earth. End me,” he urged, nudging Jeff’s mana-filled hand with his forehead.
"Never stop advancing. You are strong—stronger than any I have seen or even heard of, not for millions of years…perhaps you are the one who could…”
The dungeon boss’s voice became more uncertain. “no, no, it can’t be…”
The Baron had often muttered vague pronouncements like this during their sessions in the dungeon. Jeff’s ability to manipulate and counter Necrotic energy filled him with a form of superstitious fear, but Jeff was unable to make little sense of it.
The Baron collected himself, and, looking up at Jeff, said solemnly,
“Eliminate all that stands in your way, or you will surely fail.”
Jeff nodded tersely, acknowledging the stark reality of the System. He sensed a deep truth in the Baron’s bleak words.
Delaying the inevitable no further, but still feeling some sympathy towards the Baron, Jeff withdrew a sizable portion of the mana inhabiting his Core Space.
A devastating beam of near-solid energy erupted from the palms of his hands, completely vaporizing the Bone Baron’s skull.
You have killed a Grade I Dungeon Boss
Reward: One Omega Energy Point
The familiar System dialog appeared, prompting Jeff to leave the Dungeon. Jeff clicked ‘Y’ and returned to Tantalus.
The setting sun hung low on the horizon ahead of him as Jeff activated the RemoteTalk Bangle encircling his wrist and initiated the link to Fracta. To his relief, she responded immediately, her voice a welcome sound in his head.
“Jeff, good to hear your voice. I barely made it through the Western dungeon. I’m heading back towards the inn now. How was your dive?”
Jeff detected a new-found confidence in Fracta’s voice and guessed she had gained valuable Omega Energy and leveled her Skills considerably by grinding her way through the dungeon.
“Fracta, it’s good to hear from you too. It’s been a long time…”
“A long time? But we saw each other just this morning, Jeff.” Fracta replied, her voice tinged with confusion.
As Jeff set out across the marshes, he began to explain the bizarre time dilation he’d experienced in the Tantalus-East dungeon.
“in the Western Dungeon, there’s no time change, just wave after wave of increasingly powerful beasts.” Fracta replied.
“I managed to defeat the Dungeon Boss in the end. A poisonous, fire breathing Wyvern…”
Jeff felt a swell of pride for her achievement, and found himself eager to head West to test his own mettle against a real-life dragon.
He was already looking forward to finding out more about the challenges he would encounter on his next Dungeon dive.
They agreed to temporarily pause their conversation as Fracta neared the town, what with her needing to focus on reaching their room undetected.
Wasting no time, Jeff broke into a distance-devouring sprint across the mist-shrouded marshland, heading back towards the inn at the town center.
He picked up speed, barreling across the tussocks and weaving around the quicksand pools and bogs of the marsh. A couple of times, beasts of prey noted his passage, but something about his aura dissuaded them from attacking.
As Jeff was nearing the town, a sudden piercing squawk rang out from the bangle.
“Jeff… Jeff help…under attack..can’t…” Fracta’s words, laced with panic, were abruptly sliced off as the transmission cut out.
Jeff immediately attempted to regain contact with her through the bangle, but was met only with a deafening silence.