A massive spear swept over Ethan’s head, the tip shaving stray hairs from his scalp. The Caller performed a quick roll, only putting himself in more danger after snatching the key. The distance he traveled was less than if he were to have taken a step, leaving him open to errant spear jabs. But Luca was on it, placing himself between the spear and its target. Though his memory wasn’t the best, he guessed there were at least 20 holes on the box.

The way the [Very Big Goblin] fought, even after being maimed by Luca, revealed the depth of his health pool. This wasn’t a fight Ethan could win by attrition. His mana ticked down to 110, from its original pool of 185. Even with the [Mana Tap Ring], this fight was hopeless.

Burning that pool down to 90 to cure the glancing blow he took, Ethan formed a plan. Luca executed the idea immediately, edging the boss toward the wall to take pot-shots. The key still glowed in the Caller’s head, sending his mind back to the box. He watched Luca’s health, darting toward the box and jamming the key in every hole. On the tenth attempt, he found the correct hole. It turned with a satisfying click, and the box took on a pale blue glow.

First key inserted!

Insert the remaining 23 keys to finish the boss fight, or kill the boss.

Ethan would be dead without the puzzle. As Luca and the boss fought it out against the wall, splashing it with faint hints of blood, he realized that. Several more keys glowed, but the Caller had no time to collect them. He focused on his next move. With only his full cast-time summon available, he was out of decent options. Left with nothing but risky moves, he’d need to make every motion count.

Like the intelligent ooze sub-boss, the large goblin was likely smarter than normal. It would know what he was trying to do. Before he did it, if Ethan’s luck was anything to go by. The scenario where the boss didn’t pursue him between the pillars was slim.

Luca found five more keys by the time his health dipped dangerously low. Ethan still gained distance from the fight, watching from behind a stone pillar. The Symbol’s health hit 0, and the Caller weighed his options. That moment of hesitation was enough for the goblin boss to be upon him. The spear swept through the room as the monster blurred. Mana flooded through his body, but his health dipped when the spear caught the pillar. Shards of stone and rubble exploded from the strike.

Ethan tumbled back from the strike, looking up at the descending goblin. He rolled to the side, and the spear missed him. Even more proof the monster was intelligent. Toying with him. But the Caller was on his feet, running away as quickly as he could. He darted between the crowd of pillars. The spear darted in, searching for where its prey hid.

“Come on,” Ethan said, watching his mana tick up. He gained 40 mana before he lost his nerve, casting the [Summon Lucantele] ability.

The quirk of [Caller’s Resilience] meant that he still got the 10 mana discount on the spell. So long as the mana regeneration effect was active. The spear nearly found him during the 15 second cast time, but Luca sprung from his silver circle. The formation appeared on one pillar, allowing the Symbol to jump forth. He latched onto the boss’ face and clawed away.

Ethan removed himself from the tangle, finding that his leg was almost pinned from the destruction. He’d only use the pillars again if he was desperate. The Caller poured his will into the summoned spirit. They needed to find the keys. As quickly as possible.

While Luca fought against the wall, dancing around the spear strikes, Ethan inspected more keys. He collected those glowing ones, desperate to find some common factor. Something was off about the ones that glowed. Their construction was identical, but the design was different. He ran his fingers along the flat part of the key, his finger sensing tiny indentations. The keys that weren’t glowing didn’t have those marks, but it led to another problem. He couldn’t run his finger over the thousands of keys.

“Get him Luca,” Ethan said, sprinting toward the goblin. Instead of away.

Luca used his [Barrier of Hope] ability, falling to the ground and growling at the goblin. That gave enough room for Ethan to move in, smearing his free hand over the boss’ back. The monster turned, swiping its spear through the air. But the Symbol jumped, latching onto its neck and tearing away. With blood-smeared hands, the Caller left the fray and touched every key he could find.

Between the efforts of the summoned spirit, and the dousing of blood, Ethan found the remaining keys. Luca’s health dropped by the second, now. Without time to worry about a strategy, he dropped his staff and snatched the box. The pouch he’d created with his robe, jangling with keys, slowed him down as he retreated to the tangle of pillars.

“I hope I counted right,” Ethan said, jamming keys into various holes.

Luca’s health dropped further, plummeting to empty.

Tenth key inserted!

Insert the remaining 14 keys to finish the boss fight, or kill the boss.

10 keys…

5 keys…

The summoned spirit died.

4 keys..

3 keys..

A searching spear plunged into the tangle of rubble, striking the box to send it clattering to the ground. Ethan froze, two keys in his hands. He jabbed the first forward into the box.

1 key…

The spear found his shoulder, digging in and pinning him to the wall. In all the chaos, Ethan reflected on how little it hurt. His health had reduced to 10 points, dropping by the moment. The Caller kicked at the box, hooking his foot around the corner and edging it toward him. With a deft motion, the boss twisted the spear. Now that was painful.

Ethan held the last key in his working hand, edging the box closer to himself. The goblin outside the protective pillars shrieked. Shimmying the heavy metal box inch by painful inch, the Caller focused. One last hole within the box needed a key. The goblin reached inside with its massive hands, probing to grasp anything.

The last key fell into the hole before the boss’ hands grasped anything.

[Puzzle Solved]!

You’ve completed the Rank 0 [Goblin Dungeon]!

Defeating the final boss by solving the puzzle and surviving has granted you a [Gold Boss Chest].

Clearing the entire dungeon has granted you a [Silver Dungeon Chest].

You completed the [Rank Seal] challenge! Find your reward in the treasure room.

The room melted away. Ethan suddenly stood in the room’s center, where the box was originally. His health and mana were restored, all memories of the pain in his shoulder gone in a blink. Standing stunned, he watched as a pulsing orb rose from the ground. It radiated a sense of a predator, as though it were a lion and he was an antelope. He watched as it rose to hover in the air, barely larger than his head.

No system message came up. It was just him and the dungeon core for long uncomfortable minutes. A door Ethan hadn’t spotted before swung open behind the core. Perhaps it was never there, but he had no interest in messing with the core. He side-stepped it, and proceeded to the treasure room. Unlike most of the dungeon, this room was made of finely hewn stone, displaying torches burning in ornate sconces. Three objects marked the room.

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Sitting in a row was a plinth, and two chests. One chest was gold, and the other silver. Ethan approached the plinth first, finding a metal disc containing the text “Rank 1”. It was his [Rank Seal]. His ticket to ascending to the next stage of his leveling.

Next was the [Silver Dungeon Chest]. He popped the lid open, finding several items inside. First was a set of pants he couldn’t wear. Not until he hit Rank 1.

[Caller’s Pants]

[Pants]

Rank 1

Epic

Description:

Tight-fitting but comfortable, [Caller’s Pants] are meant to preserve their modesty while wearing robes.

Effect:

Your summoned spirit will occasionally steal health while attacking with physical attacks.

The attached effect was amazing. Even better than that, he could finally wear something other than his boxers underneath his robe. Next, there were 2 [Sub-boss Monster Cores] and a handful of silver coins. Ethan nodded to himself, unable to keep the smile from creeping across his face. Next up was the [Gold Boss Chest].

Unsurprisingly, the first item in there was a Rank 1 [Boss Monster Core] and a pile of silver coins. The piece of gear that dropped was unexpected, and not useful for him. He picked up the single earring and chuckled to himself.

[Fighter’s Earring]

[Earring]

Rank 1

Rare

Description:

Invest your health in this earring, allowing you to enhance a single future attack.

Effects:

Use your current health to charge this ring.

At your command, activate this item to enhance your next attack.

Maximum of 100 health.

He considered what to do with it when he left the dungeon. Ethan didn’t remember how much time he’d spent in the dungeon. It felt like a month, but he knew his friends were waiting outside for him. The Caller loaded all his items into his bag, pushing the idea of selling it out of his mind. He had little use for money. The coins seemed to do almost nothing for him. He needed items. Monster cores and gear. It was doubtful anyone in the land sold caller-specific gear.

After looting the items, a shimmering portal appeared on the far side of the room. Ethan approached it, gaining a system confirmation to leave the dungeon. He accepted, finding himself tumbling through space. An uncomfortable knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he arrive in the forest, dazed and almost unable to stand. He shielded his eyes from the blinding sun, spotting two looming figures nearby.

Without caring if it was actually Targe and Twist, Ethan stumbled and yanked the nearest one into a massive hug.

“Alright there, Ethan?” Targe’s powerful voice asked. “You were gone for quite some time.”

“You’re telling me,” Ethan said, taking a shuddering breath. “Not sure I want to do that again.”

“Worrying,” Twist said, coming over to pat Ethan on the back. “It is the easiest way to get your [Rank Seal]. We apologize.”

“I almost didn’t make it a few times,” Ethan said.

“But you did it,” Targe said, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “You’re not the most powerful class out there. Not by a long shot. But you have staying power.”

Ethan pushed away from his friend. His eyes had adjusted to the bright light, but the images he saw were blurry. A tear rolled down his cheek without him noticing. Three days of hard fighting splattered against the forest floor, forgotten immediately by the adventurers.

“You’re going to get far, kid,” Twist said. “The loot.”

Ethan showed Targe the [Fighter’s Earring] first. He shoved it in his companion’s hand and gave him a stern look. “Payment for all the training. If you need a reason to accept it.”

Targe grinned. He put the earring near his earlobe and it attached. “I won’t complain.”

“Nothing for you, Twist,” Ethan said. “Monster cores, money, a few pieces of gear, my seal…”

“Four sub-boss cores?” Twist asked, counting the pile several times.

Targe shared a concerned look with Twist. The Fighter cleared his throat. “Didn’t I tell you to go straight for the boss?”

Ethan couldn’t remember that instruction. “I wanted the experience points.”

“There’s usually a strong sub-boss and a weak one in the Rank 0 dungeons,” Targe said, laughing nervously. “Wait, why are there so many monster cores? You didn’t clear the whole thing, did you?”

Ethan thought back. He had cleared the entire thing, hadn’t he? “Yeah. Did the whole thing.”

“You did it solo. Like I said, you have staying power,” Targe said. “Do not do that again, though. Not in a Rank 1 dungeon.”

“Message received. Now, can we please go back to Oudsted? I need a bath, and about a week’s worth of sleep.”

“To the camp, first,” Targe said, helping Ethan pack his bag once again.

The walk through the forest was heaven. Ethan appreciated everything that he saw. When he crossed a narrow stream, he stood inside the cold water for a long time. Little fish, minnows or the fry of another species, clustered around the cloud of dirt he kicked up. Targe and Twist said something but he was lost in the mix of sensations. They left him to it, giving way to a silent understanding about the ordeal.

Further down the rise, near the forest’s edge, they ran into another group of adventurers. Ethan tried to give them advice about the dungeon’s sub-bosses, but Targe had a useful bit of information.

“The layout changes every time,” he said, nodding to the small group of fresh adventurers. “They won’t be able to run it for about a day. The timer is longer for high-rank dungeons.”

“Good to know.”

Ethan hugged the donkey when they returned to camp, scratching behind the smelly beast’s ears. The donkey brayed in response, deafening the Caller temporarily. Then he collapsed onto a bedroll and stared into the sky. Blue skies, only marked by the occasional crawl of a fluffy cloud, spread in all directions. The warm sun beat down on him, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Each sensation was a joy compared to the wet, oozing place he’d spent three entire days.

The peaceful rest was broken when Ethan heard the whisper of daggers from sheaths, then shouts.

“Don’t sneak up on someone like that,” Targe said, groaning.

“Sorry,” a familiar voice said.

Ethan propped himself up, squinting to see the form of Lilac approaching. The fox-woman’s red- and white-patterned fur shimmered in the sun. She performed a shallow bow before approaching.

“Message from the Guild,” she said, revealing her sharp teeth when she smiled. “Thanks to ducal initiatives, you’re clear to run ‘that dungeon’ whenever you’re ready. Whatever that means.”

“Oh, thanks,” Ethan said. “We’ve got a few things to do.”

“No rush. Although, there’s normally a rush. Which means this isn’t a normal dungeon. Meaning—”

“We get it,” Targe groaned. “Yeah, it’s a special dungeon. No, you can’t come. It’s Rank 1. You’re Rank 5.”

“Shame,” Lilac said, slipping past the two adventurers to sit near Ethan. She flopped down on the ground, staring into the sky. “Hard not to follow something this interesting. Not when all the other jobs are low-level cleanup jobs.”

“That reminds me,” Ethan said. “I need to talk to Telbarantis when we get back. Figure out how to upgrade Luca.”

Targe shifted uncomfortably. “Little loose with the information near a stranger, eh?”

“I’d bet a stack of silver she’s been spying on me anyway,” Ethan said.

“A Caller’s first dungeon is a big deal,” Lilac said, nodding to herself. “I have an interest in the class. Knew a summoner-style guy when I was younger.”

“Maybe you can explain how summoners are meant to work.”

Ethan’s eagerness to know how other summoners worked was one of self-interest. He knew [Caller] was special, just not how special.

“The closest class to yours would be a [Necromancer]. Or the various styles that archetype generates.”

“But I’m not evil.”

Lilac shrugged, letting out a sigh. “The man I knew had a [Summoner’s Core]. He could maintain a single familiar at a time. When he needed a new one, it was costly. A massive ritual he’d have to perform to get a new one. It was a pain in the ass.”

“I’ve only seen summoners. Never partied with one,” Targe said, inserting himself into the conversation.

“So, you see why I’m interested in the [Caller] class,” Lilac said. “Your summon is weaker than most, but bringing it back mid-combat? Oh, that’s an interesting tactic. Bet it made short work of that dungeon you just did.”

“Well, since you’re going to bother us anyway,” Ethan said. “Care to join us on the trip back to Oudsted?”

“Certainly.”

As the group rested, Lilac seemed more interested in talking about herself than learning about the adventurers. She wasn’t a renowned adventurer, barely into Rank 5. There wasn’t much demand for her illusion magic in the field, making it hard for her to find a permanent team. Instead, she provided a support role on an “as needed” basis. That sent her floating between many teams, never finding a home of her own.

Ethan understood the implication that she wanted to join their team, but the gap between their levels was too great. While the duchy had many high-level dungeons, the team they’d formed wouldn’t be hitting them for some time. After they declined her offer, she asked if she could hang around with them. No one at the camp had a problem with that, even if she was weird.

Ethan decided he wanted her around more often after they began the journey back to Oudsted. She generated illusions of animals that ran along the fields and roads. The Caller asked her to adjust the appearance of the animals, turning them into new creatures altogether. By the time they reached the main road, Lilac had created a convincing copy of a dachshund that chased Twist around with yipping barks.

The group traveled into the night, intent on putting themselves up in the most expensive inn within Oudsted.