I took a deep breath, hand clutching the handle of the sheathed blade. I stepped through the doorway. This time the dark fog I surrendered myself to didn't fade. I felt I was clearly in the next room already, but the darkness lingered longer than it should have. Oh. The roots must have gone out, again. I withheld a chuckle and glanced at the weapon's timer to keep track of how long the dark lasted. Assuming I was correct.
Now for the problem at hand. I couldn't see a thing in the sheer dark. I couldn't see even the faintest outline of my surroundings. I assumed it was another earthen cube based on the similar ground where I stood, but my only reassurance that no monsters lurked in the void was the absence of a mission notification.
That was a reassurance I considered tenuous at best, as there was definitely something moving about the room, now that I was listening. Panic tried to claw its way into my thoughts, but I resisted, choosing instead to wait and observe. It was a repeated sound like a soft thunk followed by a shuffle. It didn't sound inherently menacing, but that didn't mean anything. There were plenty of small yet dangerous monsters on my home world.
I slowly crouched down, my form pressed against the unseen ground and nerves taut as I honed in on the sounds. There wasn't any pattern to the sounds as it regularly took longer or shorter pauses. It kind of sounded like it was hopping? Again, that didn't sound very dangerous, but… My uncertainty molded my expression, and all I was willing to do was wait some more.
As the minutes stretched on, the darkness around me slowly began to dissipate, replaced by dim, paced light. It took about ten minutes, according to the timer. "...It's a rabbit," I muttered, blinking at the small white-furred creature as relief washed over me. Not a Horned Rabbit or a Mosquito Rabbit, just a normal, harmless, everyday rabbit.
The animal was still occasionally hopping about the room, nibbling on the little green sprouts that grew from the walls near the floor.
As if the System was finally done laughing at him, a screen appeared.
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You have found a resource room!
Doors will appear in 8 Minutes and 32 Seconds.
"A resource room," I repeated, still watching the rabbit. "Is that the resource..? Is it supposed to be food?" I hummed in thought, then shrugged. "I guess it doesn't matter. It's not like I'd have any way to cook you, little guy." I chuckled, moving to settle down against the wall while I waited on the timer.
"Why is there even a timer? I don't think I was even in that last room for twenty minutes…" My eyes followed the rabbit while I spoke, having already decided Hopscotch would be my new conversation partner while I tried to organize my thoughts. It was a small comfort, a brief respite from the near constant tension of this labyrinthine realm. "I guess all of this is happening. Not a chance left of it being a dream. Do you think anyone else from my world was selected? Were you pulled from your world, too?" I asked, giving a polite pause for the rabbit to respond. Naturally, it did not.
"...Pretty rough, huh?" I continued, sighing. My fingers absentmindedly swept through my red-tinted hair, now tinged with a few earthy streaks from my adventures, and brushed away some dirt from the fiery locks. I'd been neglecting a haircut for a while, but it didn't seem too unruly yet. At least it stays out of my eyes. "I guess it's not like I've left much behind. Going to miss my spellwork, though. I still feel like I got scammed with that exchange. Some of these skills are pretty cool, but half of them are practically designed to backfire. How am I going to fight if I don't get a weapon next time? What do I do if I accidentally buff an enemy? I guess I better test that one out at least once."
I cleared my throat, focusing on the shadiest skill I had in my arsenal, 'Flip a Coin'. Not entirely sure how to target, I did my best to focus my intent on the rabbit as I activated it.
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Greater Buff of Speed has been applied to your target.
I dismissed the screen and observed the rabbit. It seemed confused and had stopped moving, aside from some erratic twitching. Once it finally did shuffle together for a hop, however, I watched in horror as it launched itself into the dirt ceiling with an audible crack.
I only stared with wide eyes as the critter fell limp to the floor.
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Rabbit defeated!
You have obtained 5 EXP in Mental for the unorthodox method used.
Go, you!
"What? I… I didn't mean to!" I grimaced, feeling very much like a monster for what I'd done to Hopscotch.
My unintended cruelty was a stark lesson in the unpredictability of these skills. It was a reminder that even the buffs could lead to unintended consequences. I stared at the consequence of my actions for a bit longer before I was distracted by the formation of the doors. It was absolutely time to move on and maybe try not to dwell too hard on it.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
After looking at each door, I moved stiffly to the one that seemed to stand out the most. Whether or not that was my imagination was irrelevant.
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Mission obtained! Slay five monsters in total.
Your current progress is: 1 out of 5.
Reward: Communication module
Mission obtained! Slay the Goblin.
The mission panel was quickly shooed to the side without so much as a glance as I found myself face to face with a very awake Goblin. It looked a lot like the previous one, tail and all. While it was only about waist high, its height didn't make it any less intimidating.
While it was also startled, I quickly unsheathed the scimitar and used Aces before barreling towards it.
Everything about the action was admittedly clumsy, and the Goblin had no problem dodging to the side and swiping towards me with its claws. I could only throw myself backward from them, stumbling until my back hit the wall.
The guide was right, my physical capabilities were pathetic. I raised the scimitar's sheath to block the next set of claws, then swung the blade towards the first patch of leathery green skin I saw.
The Goblin screeched in rage as the sword bit into its side, swiping sideways to knock the sheath out of my hand. I didn't have time to worry about that as it was quick to reposition, now leaping as it brought both sets of claws toward me in an arc. Trying not to panic, I raised a foot, kicking outwards to force it away from me. It had more effect than I'd intended as the Goblin was knocked into the opposite wall.
I breathed out in relief, activating Aces again as The Goblin was already moving back to its feet with little effort. It was hard to tell if the skill was doing anything, as my first strike didn't seem to cut into the Goblin any more than it normally would have. How was it applying the stated 'double damage'?
I shook my head, thoughts running in multiple directions as I worked on a solution to the battle. It was dangerous to make a preemptive strike, I was too slow and clumsy. Maybe I needed to take a gamble, after all…? I winced thinking back to the rabbit. It was difficult to convince myself to use the skill. If things went badly, I might not make it to the next room.
Alas, I had no time to weigh my options, as the Goblin was pissed and on the move. Breathing out, I focused on the creature and used Flip a Coin.
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Debuff of Lost Sight has been applied to your target.
The Goblin paused, claws lowering as it looked this way and that. It made a confused squawk and shook its head.
I grinned, raising my sword and moving towards it. I just had to get one good stab in and I already knew the throat was a weak point. As I got closer, however, the Goblin's nose twitched. It roared, raising its claws to strike out blindly if need be. Of course, it could still smell me…
Taking a step back, I leaned down to pick up the dropped sheath. I tried to be as quiet as possible as the Goblin's deep growling filled the space. It was like it was just waiting for me to get close enough… Standing straight, I decided to do it all at once and hope for the best. I tossed the sheath towards the Goblin. The moment it lashed out in panic at the harmless item, I moved in, slicing the sword down towards its neck.
The attack landed true, and I felt the blade cut into the creature's leathery skin. But, in a cruel twist of fate, the roots around us chose that very moment to dim, plunging us into darkness once more. "You've got to be shitting me!" I hissed, finishing my slash and yanking the sword back before distancing myself from the Goblin. I stumbled backward, keeping my distance from the blind and enraged Goblin. The cacophony of half-gargled screeches filled the air as the two of us faced off in the obsidian void. I understood why the Goblin had decided to stand still– I wasn't about to go in blind, either.
I could still see the Goblin's eyes, as they apparently glowed. I had to assume it would have been able to see in the dark if I hadn't previously blinded it. An unsettling thought I pushed to the back of my mind as we stood, both blind, both waiting.
After what felt like an eternity, the Goblin's noises grew quieter, its glowing eyes eventually falling to the floor, extinguishing their eerie glimmer.
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Mission complete!
You have slain the Goblin! You are luckier than I had figured.
You have received 5 Physical EXP!
You have received 5 Mental EXP!
You have received a small chest!
You have slain 2 out of 5 monsters!
"As cheeky as ever, I see…" I grumbled, moving to sit down right where I stood. I heard the thunk of the chest landing, but I'd have to wait for the light to return either way. I opened my status, examining the information. I still wasn't entirely sure how much ranks or experience points helped, but I could at least take solace in the fact that I was a tenth of the way to upgrading my Physical. I'd already used up half of my fatigue, so I needed to be more careful with that. 'Tired' had been added to my condition, which was accurate enough.
Resting my head against the chamber's wall, I closed my eyes and contemplated the mission I had acquired earlier. I hadn't been able to check it then, but it lingered on the corner of my status screen. What was a 'communication module?' My gut told me it was related to the System itself – perhaps a means for the enigmatic guide to speak to me again. Or maybe it would enable me to communicate with others who had been chosen like me? That would be pretty cool. If it was something on that scale, three more goblins didn't sound too bad…
I couldn't help but notice just how eager I felt to keep moving. Thoughts like 'I wonder what awaits behind the left door? Or the right?' seemed to dominate my mind. It was a mindset that didn't bode well for my safety. "Maybe I really am a gambler at heart." Grumbling to myself, I continued to wait for the lighting to return.
Once the dim light began to cover the room once more, I moved to stand, frowning at the sight of the crumpled Goblin. The sheath lay next to it, just about torn to shreds. Releasing a breath, I leaned down to pick up the small chest and flicked it open. Inside was a small, plain-looking ring.
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You have obtained a Basic Ring of Physical!
This ring will provide a temporary 50 EXP to your Physical while worn.
I blinked, taking the ring out of the chest and looking it over. It didn't appear special in the slightest, but it sure sounded useful. At least, it would be once I made up for the rest of the EXP needed. Without hesitation, I slid the ring onto my left index finger and glanced around the chamber, considering my next move.
…
"Left it is," I murmured, resolute as I headed toward the chosen door, eager to uncover the next challenge this mysterious realm had in store for me.