I wake up even earlier than usual, well before Bunchy. "Wake up, Bunchy."
“What—what—it’s 5:30 a.m., Slimmy!” he groans, burying his head in his pillow.
Since hitting Level 3, I feel faster and stronger. The morning jog I usually do in thirty minutes now takes me half the time, and I cover twice the distance. It isn’t just my skills improving; my whole body is changing. Leveling up isn’t just some abstract concept—it’s real, and I can feel it.
----------------------------------------
At work, I power through all the chores, leaving Bunchy and Sorey in the dust.
Tenque notices, leaning on his shovel with an annoyed look. “Bunchy, Sorey, how come the new guy is working better than you two?”
“I dunno, boss,” Bunchy says, scratching his head. Even he looks confused.
Tenque waves a dismissive hand. “Doesn’t matter. We’ve got more work to do thanks to those thugs from the other day.”
That’s when I hear a low growl. From the edge of the forest, a tiger steps out, its eyes locked on us like we’re breakfast.
I immediately activate Eye of the Intern out of instinct, scanning both the tiger and Tenque.
Tiger of the Mountains
Level: 2
Description: A territorial tiger. Does not possess skills or mana.
Name: Tenque
Category: Fighter
Class: Manager
Level: 2
Description: Boss of Section 146, father of two children. Earns 55 gold coins every two weeks.
Mana: 40
Skills:
* Management (Passive): Handle calculations up to six digits without tools.
* Bravado (Passive): Multiply basic attack power by 2 if no fear is present.
* Backpack (Passive): Store up to three objects and summon them at will.
The tiger lunges at Bunchy, its claws bared, but Tenque steps forward with a grin, flexing like he’s about to wrestle a bear.
The tiger’s charge is fast, but Tenque is faster. With a roar of his own, he meets the beast head-on. The tiger’s claws swipe at his chest, but he dodges, countering with a brutal swing of his fist. His muscles bulge as he grapples the tiger, throwing it off balance.
And then, from nowhere, a pickaxe appears in his hand. Must be his Backpack skill in action. In one swift motion, he swings it down, the crack of impact echoing through the air. The tiger crumples to the ground, lifeless.
The sight is brutal. The blood, the sheer force—it’s hard to watch. Good thing he keeps the mess contained, or Bunchy might puke.
Unfortunately, Sorey doesn’t hold back.
Tenque wipes sweat from his brow, tossing it in my direction. “What? You pissing your pants, Slimmy? Like your daddy?”
“Why do you keep bringing my dad into this?”
Tenque smirks. “Hah! Don’t get so serious, Slimmy. Let me enjoy myself a little.”
My fists clench, anger rising in my chest. Before I can respond, he laughs again, walking away as if nothing happened.
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I take a few minutes during the lunch break to load my pickaxe, shovel, and crowbar into my Backpack, testing the limits of my new skill, seeing Tenque taking action make realize is better to be prepared for anything. Once done, I sit back down with Bunchy, Sorey, and Josh to eat.
Bunchy passes around hamburgers. “Slimmy, don’t you think hamburgues are life-changing?” he says between bites.
“They’re good, but don’t you ever get tired of eating them every day?” I ask, munching on one myself.
“Hamburgues are heaven, Slimmy. They’re my reason to live,” Bunchy declares, dramatically savoring another bite.
“Yeah, Slimmy. Don’t mess with Bunchy’s hamburgues,” Sorey chimes in. “He gets sensitive about it.”
“Not really,” Bunchy replies, grinning through his mouthful of food.
“And you, Josh? Aren’t you tempted to join the religion of the hamburguer?” Sorey teases.
Josh shakes his head, holding up a taco. “Nope. I’m loyal to tacos. They’re superior in every way.”
“Oh great, here we go again,” Sorey groans, rolling his eyes.
Before we can start debating food superiority, a commotion erupts from the entrance to the underground mines. Miners scramble out, their faces pale with fear.
“Help!” one of them yells as a group of about thirty crowds the surface.
Tenque marches over, looking as unfazed as ever. “What’s going on here?” he asks, arms crossed.
One of the miners, still catching his breath, replies, “We heard something… something weird down there.”
Tenque raises an eyebrow. “Weird? Like what?”
“Squeaks,” the miner says. “High-pitched, echoing through the tunnels. Like some kind of animal was there.”
“So it’s an animal. And you’re miners,” Tenque says, his tone dripping with disdain. “You’ve got the strength to choke out a boar. What’s the big deal?”
“It wasn’t just the sound, sir,” the miner continues, visibly shaken. “I saw… a silhouette. Dark and huge—almost three meters tall. And it wasn’t alone. There’s more down there.”
Tenque pauses, his brow furrowing in thought. “Three meters, huh? Sounds like Gula Moles. Though I’ve never heard of them getting that big…” He shakes his head. “Probably just shadows messing with your eyes. Disappointing. I’ll talk to the higher-ups about deducting your pay for wasting time.”
He turns to us. “Bunchy, Sorey, Crack, Slimmy—you’re coming with me to check this out. Grab whatever tools you’ve got. Wrenches, crowbars, doesn’t matter.” He taps his pickaxe. “Let’s sort this out and get back to work.”
As we approach the entrance to the mines, the atmosphere grows heavier. This is my first time venturing underground, and the sheer size of the mine makes it feel like stepping into another world.
What surprises me most isn’t the ominous, yawning tunnels, but the reaction of the other miners. These men, who spend their lives swinging pickaxes and hauling stone—men with arms like tree trunks and faces covered in rugged mustaches—are trembling with fear.
Whatever is down there, it isn’t just shadows.
As we descend deeper into the mine, the dim light from the oil lamps along the walls flickers, casting long shadows that dance with every movement. The air grows heavier with every step, thick with the smell of damp earth, rust, and something faintly metallic.
I can’t help but marvel at the scale of the operation. Massive wooden beams crisscross the tunnels, supporting the weight of the world above us. Strange machines sit idly along the walls—hulking contraptions of gears, levers, and pipes that look like they belong in a steampunk fantasy. It seems similar to the surface mining in sections organized; we are in Section 146. I don’t know their names or purposes, but their sheer size and complexity make me feel small.
Tenque, always in charge, walks ahead with his pickaxe slung over his shoulder, inspecting the walls as we go. “I don’t hear anything,” he says, his voice echoing. “Probably just the gas down here making those wimps hallucinate.”
I glance around. “This place is huge.”
“Not as big as my guts, Slimmy,” Tenque shoots back without even looking at me. “Too bad I can’t say the same about your dad’s.”
I clench my fists, ready to swing. “Why don’t you say that again, old man?”
Before I can act, Bunchy grabs my arm, holding me back. “Whoa, buddy. Easy. I know you can knock him out, but he’s the boss. We need this job.”
I grit my teeth. “Fine…”
The smell is getting worse.
“This place stinks,” Sorey mutters, pinching his nose.
Suddenly, a series of fast, scratching sounds echo through the tunnel, and from the shadows emerge creatures—massive moles, their fur bristling and claws glinting like knives in the dim light.
Tenque doesn’t hesitate. “Gula moles!” he barks, charging forward with his pickaxe. His first swing lands with a sickening crunch, sending one mole tumbling lifelessly to the ground.
Bunchy, Josh, and Sorey leap into action. Bunchy wields his wrench with surprising precision, while Josh swings two crowbars like a whirlwind. Sorey’s shovel is a blur as he strikes down another mole.
I join in, swinging my pickaxe with all my might. The fight is brutal but short, and soon we are all standing over the corpses of the moles, panting.
“Ugh, I’m covered in mole guts,” Bunchy says, wiping his wrench on his overalls.
“I guess we’re done,” Sorey says, leaning on his shovel.
“Not quite,” Tenque says, scanning the tunnel. “These things are fast and crafty. If there are more hiding in the mine, we need to deal with them before we can continue operations. Let’s move.”
As we prepare to continue, something on the ground catches my eye. Among the rubble and debris is a pair of sleek, futuristic-looking boots. They gleam faintly in the flickering light, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
“What are these?” I ask, picking them up.
Bunchy looks over. “Magnetic boots,” he says casually. “They use advanced magnetic properties to let you float. Handy for cleaning mine roofs or reaching tall equipment.”
“Float?” My eyes widen. “That sounds incredible!”
“You’ve never tried them?”
“No, but I want to.”
Tenque’s voice booms from up ahead. “Slimmy! Stop wasting time! Let’s go!”
“We’ll catch up, boss,” Bunchy shouts back. Then, turning to me, he grins. “Go ahead. Try them on. You won’t regret it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I was just like you when I first saw them. Curious. Trust me, it’s worth it.”
Excited, I quickly swap out my boots for the magnetic ones. The moment I put them on, they adjust automatically, snugly fitting to my feet.
“They feel amazing,” I say, admiring how light they are. “But how do I turn them on?”
“You just focus,” Bunchy explains. “They drain a little mana to work, and easy to use. They’re super efficient, though, so don’t worry about them draining you dry.”
I close my eyes and concentrate, willing the boots to activate. Almost immediately, I feel a strange pull, and one of my feet lifts off the ground.
“Whoa!” I exclaim as the sensation of floating sends a thrill through me.
“Relax, you’ll get the hang of it. Just keep your balance.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
With a deep breath, I focus again. Both feet hover a few inches above the ground. The rush of excitement and freedom is exhilarating.
“These are amazing!” I say, grinning as I float a few inches above the ground.
“You can use them while we’re in the mine,” Bunchy says, walking beside me. “But don’t get attached. These boots aren’t cheap. Most miners make do with ladders, but a few of us get to use these for special jobs.”
“I see…” I reply, focusing on adapting to the boots. It doesn’t take long to feel comfortable, gliding forward with ease. “Wow, I’m getting good at this!”
“Yeah, they’re pretty intuitive. No special skills required,”
When we catch up with the group, they’re finishing off the last of a few smaller moles. These ones are less aggressive than the first wave.
Tenque notices me immediately, floating in the boots. “Now what? A flying wimp joins the fight?”
“You’re really getting on my nerves, old man,”
“Oh yeah? Good to know.” He smirks, giving me a pointed look. “Stealing company boots is a bad move, Slimmy.”
“I’m not stealing them. I’m testing before I decide to buy,” I shoot back, irritated.
“Same thing,” Tenque says with a shrug.
“Shhh,” Bunchy interrupts suddenly, his voice low and cautious.
“What? Are you telling me to shush, Bunchy?” Tenque growls, his tone laced with irritation.
“Sorry, boss, but something’s not adding up here,” Bunchy says, his eyes darting around the mine. “These moles we’ve been fighting—something’s off. The first ones we saw were running, not attacking. Gula moles can’t see, so they shouldn’t even know our location. And they hate light. Why would they be here, acting like this?”
Josh chimes in, his face pale. “And the miners said they saw something big—three meters tall. These moles are barely a meter and a half. Plus, they didn’t squeak. Those miners mentioned squeaking.”
Tenque’s brows furrow. “Squeak?”
Josh nods. “Yeah. Whatever they saw made squeaking sounds.”
Tenque crosses his arms, looking between Bunchy and Josh. “What are you trying to say, Bunchy?”
“The moles aren’t attacking us. They’re running from something else,” Bunchy says, his voice barely above a whisper.
The group freezes at his words.
“HAHAHAHA!” Tenque’s laugh booms through the tunnel. “You’ve got a wild imagination, Bunchy! You too, Josh! There’s no way there’s something down here that could scare off gula moles. The only creatures that could live in these mines are moles, earthworms, and the occasional bear that wanders in by mistake. I’ve never seen anything else in all my years.”
Before he can finish laughing, a loud, echoing squeak fills the tunnel. The sound is shrill and menacing, bouncing off the walls and making the air feel even heavier.
“Tell me I’m imagining this,” Sorey whispers, clutching his shovel.
“It might be some kind of rodent, but—” Bunchy starts.
“Rodent or not, I’ll stick this pickaxe in its brain,” Tenque says, still grinning, though his bravado is starting to crack.
As if summoned by his words, a silhouette emerges from the shadows behind Tenque, slowly stepping into the dim light.
The creature is massive—nearly three meters tall and hunched over, its muscular frame covered in matted fur. It stands on two legs, its long, jagged claws scraping the ground.
Tenque, still laughing, reaches out to touch the fur. The moment his hand makes contact, his laugh dies, and his smile vanishes.
The rat is enormous, towering over Tenque, who is nearly two meters tall.
Its red eyes glow faintly, filled with malice. Its weight alone seems to shake the ground with each step.
I instinctively activate Eye of the Intern, focusing on the creature.
Name: Giant Rat of the Cave
Level: 3
Description: A predatory rat that thrives in cave systems, feeding on anything in its path. Its heightened aggression and pack mentality make it a formidable threat. Its claws and teeth are strong enough to tear through rock and flesh alike. Does not posses skills or mana.
Tenque moves to a side, then his actions proceeds, swinging his pickaxe with all his strength. The weapon strikes the rat’s chest with a dull thud but barely makes a dent in its thick fur and muscle.
The rat lets out a guttural growl, baring jagged teeth the size of daggers.
From where I stand, I can see it—Tenque’s face, usually full of confidence and bravado, is now pale with fear.
“Shit…” he mutters, trembling. But in a flash, he forces himself to recover, gripping his pickaxe tighter. “Come on, guys! Help me!”
Without hesitation, we rush forward, weapons ready, to face the towering monster.
Everyone rushes into action, but the giant rat moves with terrifying speed and strength. With a casual swing of its massive body, it tackles Tenque, sending him flying into the mine wall. The impact echoes through the cavern as dust and debris scatter.
“Boss!” Bunchy and Sorey shout, charging forward with their weapons. But the rat turns its attention to them, swiping its claws and knocking both men back as if they were ragdolls. They hit the ground hard, groaning in pain.
Josh grits his teeth and steps forward. “I’ve got this!” His hands glow faintly as he controls the shovels around on the floor. With a swift motion, the shovels shoot toward the rat, striking its head repeatedly.
The giant rat screeches in pain, staggering under the relentless blows. “Good job, Josh!” I shout, feeling a glimmer of hope.
But before we can celebrate, another rat emerges from the shadows behind Josh. Its red eyes lock onto him as it lunges.
“Josh, behind you!” I shout, activating the boots. With a burst of mana, I dash through the air and grab Josh, pulling him out of harm’s way just in time. The rat’s claws rake the air where he had been standing.
“You… saved me,” Josh says, panting.
“Don’t get the wrong idea,” I snap. “If one of us dies, it makes it harder for the rest of us to survive. That’s all.”
But there’s no time for banter. As I float higher to get a better view, my heart sinks. More rats pour into the cavern—dozens of them. Twelve at least, their hulking forms moving like shadows in the dim light, approaching.
Bunchy and Sorey scramble to hide behind some overturned crates, their earlier bravado gone. Tenque, despite his injuries, roars in defiance and charges one of the rats alone.
“Come on, you oversized pest!”
But the rat doesn’t even flinch. Its tail lashes out, slamming into Tenque’s chest and sending him to the ground, coughing blood. Before he can recover, the rat bites down on his arm, its jaws crunching through flesh and bone as it tries to rip it apart.
“Run! Everyone, run!” Tenque yells, his voice raw with pain.
My instincts scream at me to flee, but I can’t leave him like that. Activating the boots, I soar toward the rat’s head. With the momentum of my dash, I summon my pickaxe from the Backpack skill and swing with everything I have. The pickaxe strikes true, shattering the rat’s skull. It lets out a final screech before collapsing, releasing Tenque from its jaws.
“Get moving!” I shout at the others, who are frozen in fear.
I want to help Tenque up, but another rat is already charging toward us. I have no choice but to retreat, dashing out of the mine.
Once outside, I land among the group, panting. The remaining miners stand in stunned silence, their faces pale.
“Where’s Tenque?” Bunchy ask, scanning the crowd.
“He’s gone, Bunchy".
“No way,” Sorey mutters, his voice trembling.
“We have to go back for him!” Josh says, his hands clenched.
“We don’t even know if he’s still alive,” Bunchy says, shaking his head.
I sigh, my stomach churning with a mix of guilt and frustration. “Maybe he is…” I mutter. “Damn it, I don’t want to save him, but we need to clear out those rats either way. Leaving the mine like this isn’t an option.”
I take a deep breath and turn back toward the entrance.
“I’ll go alone,” I say firmly.
“Slimmy, are you sure?” Bunchy asks, his voice laced with worry. “It’s too risky.”
“With these boots, I’ve got the advantage,” I reply, tapping my foot against the ground. “And saving Tenque is the priority. Once he’s out, we can deal with the rest of the rats. Stay here. I’ll handle it.”
The deeper I go, the thicker the air becomes. The sour tang of rat musk clings to my nose, mingling with the metallic bite of the mine’s stagnant air. It smells like rot—like something alive has been left to die.
I’m close.
My heart thuds in rhythm with my boots’ quiet steps. This must be how adventurers feel, right? Stalking through dungeons, fighting monsters, testing their mettle. My hands shake, but I don’t care. Excitement buzzes under the surface of my nerves. If I can handle this, maybe I’m not just some weakling coasting on luck.
I bend down and grab a rock, hurling it into the shadows ahead. It clatters against the ground, echoing faintly. Moments later, two rats scuttle into view, their snouts twitching as they sniff at the distraction. Gotcha.
image [https://i.imgur.com/ufficwU.png]
I activate my boots, soaring upward silently. My pickaxe is ready in hand, its weight comforting. The plan is simple: strike fast, strike hard. But as I launch forward, a blur of fur streaks toward me from the side.
Teeth the size of daggers snap shut inches from my face. I twist midair, narrowly avoiding the ambush. The first two rats notice me, their squeaks rising into an ear-piercing frenzy. My stomach drops, but I force myself to move, zipping between the walls of the tunnel in sharp zigzags. The boots hum faintly with each push.
I swing the pickaxe down, the blade sinking into one rat’s skull with a wet crunch. It collapses instantly. I spin to strike the second one, but my swing lodges the pick in the jaws of another. It screeches in pain, thrashing violently. The vibrations rattle through the handle, and I have no choice but to let go and retreat.
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As I hover, catching my breath, I spot something ahead—a jagged hole in the wall, too smooth to be natural. It’s just wide enough for one of the rats to squeeze through.
Is this where they’re coming from? The thought barely forms before I notice something else—a rock flying toward me. My instincts scream danger, but it isn’t an attack. Someone has thrown it.
“Tenque?” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the squeaks echoing around me.
I move carefully, weaving between rusted equipment and shattered beams, until I find him slumped against a wall. His arm hangs limp, blood staining the dirt beneath him. He gives me a faint smirk.
“Sup…” His voice is weak, barely a rasp.
“Stop talking,” I say sharply. “Save your energy.”
“Energy for what? I’m done for…” His grin widens, despite the blood on his teeth. “You can leave, Slimmy. No hard feelings.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
“Or…” He coughs, wincing. “You could take out the rest of those rats. Clear the mine.”
I frown. “You must be crazy. If we couldn’t handle them as a group, you think I can do it alone?”
“Section 123, a lever” he mutters. “There’s TNT set up there for an operation. Lure the rats there, blow the bastards sky-high.”
“And what about you?”
“I’ll be fine. Maybe. But hey—if you pull it off, we both walk outta here alive.”
I hesitate, then stand. “I’m not doing this for you,” I mutter. “But I’m not heartless enough to leave you here, either.”
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As I find the section, I spot the TNT neatly arranged near a marked wall. A lever connected by a long wire sits 20 meters away.
This has to be it.
I grab a handful of rocks and hurl them down the tunnel. The squeaks come almost immediately—louder, angrier. Eight rats surge forward, their claws scraping the dirt as they bound after me.
My heart races. A shadow blurs in my peripheral vision, and I barely avoid the snapping jaw. The rat’s leap knocks me off course, but I shove a crowbar into its mouth to keep it from biting down. I twist away, the boots propelling me forward as the other rats close in.
The TNT is just ahead. I shoot past it, zigzagging to avoid the snapping tails. If I can accelerate in the last moment when I turn right, I can press down the level and explode the rats.
As I getting closer I can see the figure of Tenque standing there, grinning.
“What are you—” My words freeze in my throat as his hand moves to the lever.
“Sorry, Slimmy,” he says, coughing. “But we needed a sacrifice to make this work. Better you than me.”
“You bastard!” I shout, but it’s too late. He yanks the lever.
The explosion roars, the shockwave hurling me backward. The rats ahead of me take the brunt of the blast, their bodies flung like ragdolls. Pain lances through me as I hit the ground, coughing on the dust and heat.
Footsteps crunch closer. Tenque stands over me, laughing weakly.
“Can’t believe you fell for that,” he wheezes. “Thanks for taking care of the rats, Slimmy. I’ll take it from here. The miners’ll call me a hero after this—”
My fist connects with his face before he can finish. He crumples to the ground, unconscious.
Turning on my heel, I leave him there and return to the others.
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Outside of the mine I finally see all the miners.
“The mine is clear,” I tell Bunchy and Sorey. “Get the cleanup crew in.”
I sit on the floor, and I can see the menu notification and I check it.
You achieved lv5, it says.
Title Unlocked: The Caveman
Effect: You are now attuned to the primal instincts of creatures that thrive in caves. Skills inspired by cave-dwellers are now accessible. Grants a passive bonus of +10% stamina recovery when underground.
But that wasn’t all. Two skills materialized before me, floating like ghostly inscriptions in the air. My hand twitched as I tried to swipe at them, but they remained still, waiting for a choice.
Skill Options:
1. Chew Rock
* Description: Grants the ability to consume rocks to restore health. Bland taste, but regenerates HP based on the amount consumed.
* Effect: Eating rocks restores 5% HP per 10 units.
* Passive Skill
2. Claw of the Excavations
* Description: Grow hardened claws to excavate walls and tear through enemies.
* mana: 15
* Effect:
* Increases critical hit rate by 15%.
* Boosts mining speed by 25%.
* Effective against enemies with light armor or thick hides.
* Active Skill
The options hovered before me, both strange yet oddly fascinating. My thoughts raced.
If I were an adventurer perhaps I would focus on damage, but I am not, I might never have a party the way I am going, so I have to be independent and choose chew rock. Either way I can do damage with my pickaxe.
I chose Chew rock passive skills.
I sit on the cold, hard floor, every part of my body screaming in pain. My butt is sore, my arms feel like they’ve been torn apart, and my head pounds relentlessly from the deafening noise. The vibrations still echo through my skull, threatening to shake my brain into mush. If it weren’t for my Survival I skill, I’d probably be sleeping with the fishes right now.
Even so, I can’t believe I pulled off that turn in time. Maybe... just maybe, it’s thanks to the Level Up I earned earlier. Could it have granted me resistance? Strength? Whatever the case, it’s the only reason I’m still alive.
My blurred vision clears, and I spot a rock lying just ahead. My instincts flare to life. I know exactly what I have to do now.