I started feeling nauseous right after I woke up. I got off my bed and went to the washroom right away. I sprayed my face with water and took a good look at myself in the mirror.

I...I killed a person. Another human being. I enjoyed it too!

My eyes widened as I felt a hot feeling come up my throat. I quickly opened the toilet lid and threw up. The pungent smell rose to my nose and I started throwing up again until there was absolutely nothing left in my stomach.

‘What the hell is wrong with me. How could I enjoy killing another person.’

Thinking of my actions in the dungeon, I couldn’t believe that it was me who did them. It was unbelievable. I felt a thrill whenever I killed a living being and was completely happy when I killed a human. I laughed whenever something died and had the most fucking disgusting grin in the dungeon.

Have I changed? Am I still sane? Am I even a human?

These thoughts constantly occupied my head. I felt scared knowing that I was becoming a maniac. Just two floors, it’s been only two floors but my personality was completely different. It was psychotic, crazy.

No. I won’t change. Even if I do, I won’t become the insane person I was on the second floor. I’m still completely sane right here and now. It was only in the dungeon when I acted like that without even knowing.  

Could it be because of the title and trait? It should be. No, it must be. My abilities are currently locked unlike when in the dungeon. My trait and title are also sealed. But what would happen if they were to be unlocked? Would I become the person in the dungeon?

No, no, NO!

I won’t. Before I was subconsciously influenced and didn’t know what I was doing. Now I do, that’s the difference.

Determined, I flushed down the toilet and brushed my teeth to get the smell of vomit out of my mouth. I walked back to my room and looked at the time. 6 a.m. I still had time before I had to leave for school so I went back and took a shower.

The shower made me feel refreshed and my mind clear. I started thinking of what I was going to do from now on. To survive in the dungeon, I need the skills to fight. I should sign up for boxing class or anything that can let me get stronger. I also need to check if I can bring anything with me to the dungeon. My clothes were summoned alongside me so if I put something inside my pockets would they be transported with me? What if I wore a bag to sleep, since I’m wearing them they should be transported too right?

But the biggest problem I was facing were other explorers. The dungeon is clearly meant for killers. You don’t gain anything from killing monsters but you could gain stats and items from killing other people. In addition, there might be limitation that prevent people from passing unless some were to die, just like in the second floor. In such cases, don’t I have to kill other explorers?

Of course I do. If I don’t get stronger by killing, I will eventually get killed by a monster or another person. That’s the cold, harsh truth. If I want to live, I have to kill.

But I won’t become a person who enjoys killing. I will never become someone as disgusting as that. I will kill, I will get stronger, but I will never lose my morals, I will have my bottom lines and once I become strong enough, I will leave the dungeon for good.

That’s a promise, a vow I intend to keep throughout the rest of my life.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Hi Leslie! What’s up?”

“Hi Ed. Nothing much other than finishing school work.. How about you?”

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“Exactly the same. By the way, are you ready for our business presentation on Monday?”

“Of course! But I think we should get together and practice, just to be on the safe side.”

“Umm, where do you wanna meet up?”

“How about the public library? If that’s alright with you.”

“Sure, that’s completely alright with me. So...saturday at 3 p.m?”

“Great! Here give me your phone, I’ll save my number in your contacts.”

“Oh..ok. Here you go.”

I gave Leslie my phone so she could save her number. I felt a little happy knowing that I would have the number of one of the prettiest girls in my grade. I didn’t expect that having a casual conversation with Leslie after seeing her at the school library would end up with me scheduling a meet up with her on the weekend and getting her number.

Despite knowing that Drake would be all up in my ass, which guy wouldn’t like seeing a girl like Leslie privately, and even getting her number?

“Here all done. Message me when you get to the library.”

“Sure, no prob. Well I gotta go do some work so see ya around.”

“See ya!”

I left Leslie with a happy mood and went to the computer lab inside the library. I got permission from my history teacher to do research on my history project in the library. But I had other thoughts in mind.

I was searching up information on first aid. Even if I want to avoid getting hurt, I will probably be injured in the future. In such cases I need to know what to do in order to minimize the damage. I might even be able to bring items such as bandages or medicine for future injuries.

I took notes on first aid and made sure I memorized the important parts in my mind. After finishing, the period was almost over so I went to back to my class.

“Yo Jones, guess what.”

“What?”

“Man, you ain’t even gonna guess?”

“I probably won’t guess it right so what’s the point.”

“Tsk, fine. Well I met Leslie at the library and got her number. She wants to meet up on saturday at the public library nearby to practice on our business presentation.”

“Hold up! You got her number? You?”

“Yes, me. What’s there to be surprised about, geesh.”

“Everyone listen. Ed here just got our dear Ms. Banks’s number!”

Fucking Jones, he knows that I don’t like being the center of attention.

I felt countless stares on me as almost everyone in the class had their eyes and mouth wide open in shock. After a couple of seconds, the class erupted in discussion. Some were talking about how I got her number and others were talking about how Drake would beat my ass. Some people even came up to me and started asking me a bunch of questions.

But what made me feel the worst was that Jones had a big smile on his face like he was enjoying seeing me suffer. To be honest he probably did.

‘I swear Jones, any one of these days…’

After getting interrogated by nearly the whole class the period finally ended. I left feeling exhausted and annoyed. I also swore at Jones for a whole five minutes while he just smiled and laughed. Such an annoying guy.

History was the last period of the day so I left school right away. I didn’t go directly home but I went to W*lm*rt to buy pepper spray and a lighter. I wanted to be prepared for the next dungeon and if I can take items with me, those two would be my top choices. Pepper spray for humans and maybe monsters while a lighter can come in handy in the future.

I had a bit of trouble finding the pepper spray but I got it in the end. The cashier gave me a strange look when I bought them but I don’t blame her. A 15 year old kid buying paper spray and a lighter got to look suspicious

I felt hungry so I stopped by M*c D*n*lds to eat before going home. But while I was eating I was shocked to see an old friend of mine. He also saw me and started walking in my direction.

“Ha. Long time no see, Ed.”

“How are you doing, Chris.”

Chris. One of my close friends throughout middle school. He and I played a bunch of games together and we bonded pretty quickly. Unfortunately he went to another school in the middle of the seventh grade due to getting suspended for a fight. We never saw each other again until now.

“More or less. Man, I haven’t seen you since seventh grade.”

“I know right. What school did you go to?”

“This boarding school near my dad’s house. I didn’t like it though, filled with snobbish, rich kids.”

Oh yea. I forgot that Chris’s parents got divorced when he was young and he lived with his mom. I guess he went to live with his dad after the suspension.

“Jones and I went to the same high school. It would have been great if did too.”

“Is that so. Well I gotta go. My dad is waiting for me in the car. Bye man.”

Chris walked away after getting his food from the cashier. I was going to ask him for his phone number but I assume he was in a hurry. I also left a couple minutes after Chris. I almost ate everything before meeting him so it didn’t take long to finish.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I wore sweat pants that would let me move easier and a black hoodie over a white t-shirt. I put the lighter in my right pocket and the pepper spray in the pocket of my hoodie. I also put my phone in my left pocket. It would be interesting to see how a phone reacts inside the dungeon. I wasn’t planning on trying to bring a bag for the dungeon. For now, I didn’t need to bring a lot of stuff with me and a bag would just be extra weight.

Ohh, I almost forgot. I got a chocolate bar that I bought from before and grabbed it in my hand. I wanted to test if someone I’m holding would be sent over too.

Now I was ready for the dungeon.

I closed my eyes and waited until it turned 10:30. I didn’t have to wait too long since it was already 10:28.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………....

[Floor three of the dungeon. +4 explorers]

[Initiating explorer elimination test #1]