“The hell?” Jacob felt his senses slowly returning to him, why was he so dizzy? The last thing he could recall was walking back home from school. He remembered the street, grey cobbled stone glistening from the pouring rain, the racket people made around him as they were caught unaware by the downfall of hail brought by the sudden storm, his feet hitting the stone beneath him as he went running to take shelter in an alley and then… then what? Why was it so hard to remember, and why was it so quiet? Then Jacob looked up, and what he saw sent a ice cold shiver down his spine.
“Where am I...” He whispered looking at the scenery around him. This was no longer the alley he was in a minute ago, no this was nothing like anything he had seen before in his life. Jacob stood wide eyed in a massive cave like tunnel, the walls, pillars and stalactites were all covered in a thick layer of moss and mushrooms, all glowing a faint otherworldly blue. As he stared ahead into the abyss that lay at the end of the tunnel, a thought crossed his mind.
“And where is the exit?” Turning around, he came face to face with a metallic looking gate, etched on it were small characters and symbols he couldn’t recognize, glowing with the same eerie bluish light as the flora around him. What really caught his attention however, was the opaque square with letters written on it, floating gently in front of him.
“Congratulations! Your world of “Earth” has been added to the---” He didn’t have time to finish reading as he threw himself to the side into the wall, avoiding a splash of glowing water that had narrowly missed his head. Wait no, that wasn't water, that liquid…
“IT'S SIZZLING!?” Panic seized him as he noticed the wall on which the acid had fallen bubbling very slightly. Turning his head sharply he saw it, there from where the acid had come, stood a semi-spherical gelatinous creature the size of a dog. The lack of any facial features or limbs, combined with its vaguely translucent, ghostly skin, gave him the impression that this thing, whatever it was, only had the capacity to think of one action, and that was to consume.
What could he do? Clearly he had nowhere to run to, and he was already cornered. As he looked around for a safe spot, a grim thought crossed his mind, what would have happened if that acid had hit him? While his mind raced through endless horrible scenarios he noticed the entity bulge, out of instinct he braced himself. Another splash of acid rushed towards him as he jumped behind a nearby pillar. The creature had aimed for center mass this time however, and Jacob hadn’t been fast enough to dodge all of the liquid. A bit of the projectile had hit his side near the ribs, instantly he let out a howl of pain as his clothes melted and he felt his skin burn and peel away slowly. Pushed out of his daze by pain all jacob saw was red, this little piece of shit had dared harm him? Well it was going to pay, quite dearly so.
Quickly, before the monster could produce more of its foul acid, Jacob rushed towards a slim nearby stalactite. Though his injury flared constantly with pain he knew it was but a surface wound, he simply didn’t get enough acid on him to feel that it was life threatening. As he reached the drooping hunk of rock he heard a splash behind him.
“Big mistake.” Pulling at the stalactite as hard as he heard a crack and felt part of the hard rock give. Left with a long piece of sedimentary stone in his hands Jacob glared at the monster.
“You are too stupid to feel much other than hunger I assume, so I won’t have any qualms with ripping you to shreds. Thanks for having wasted your shot earlier, I appreciate it.” Jacob spoke, as he dashed towards his attacker pumping his legs as hard as he could. Halfway across his eyes widened as he saw its distinctive bulging motion.
“Shit!” He yelled, he really had underestimated how fast the creature could produce its acid. Still jogging towards the wriggling mass of slime, Jacob waited for the right moment/ and expecting another shot towards his center mass, he ducked as soon as the beast expelled the vile fluid. Seeing that nothing felt as if it was melting off, Jacob launched himself once again at the monster. The moment he felt it was within reach he slammed the rock he held down as hard he could, he didn’t hesitate a moment. That monster had attacked him without any shred honor while he had his back from it, and then it even had the nerve to burn his side. Resonating in his head was that saying engraved in his mind, the law of retaliation, an eye for an eye.
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The blow hit the creature square in the middle of its “body”, pulverizing the area around its center and sending pieces of it flying in all directions, some of them landing on Jacob's body. They burned, yes, but nowhere as much as the acid itself. And just like that the slime monster perished, and unbeknownst to him Jacob had slain his first dungeon monster.
Hissing in pain, he laid down on the cold floor of the cave, he was a least a good 20 meters away from where he had awoken but, taking another look at the gate, Jacob had a feeling that it couldn’t be opened anyway. Suddenly the black box reappeared.
“This better be fucking important.” Jacob whispered through gritted teeth.
“Congratulations! Your world of “Earth” has been added to the system!
This is a great opportunity for your whole species. Learn to become powerful beings and defeat threats to the advancement of your race. To begin your journey of introspection and power, simply think of yourselves and speak the word “Status”.
Warning! : As the system recognized you as a specimen of particular interest, you have been placed in a starter Dungeon. Great danger lies ahead, but should you brave this trial, you will come out equally greatly rewarded”
Good luck!
As soon as he read the entire message a slew of similar black boxes instantly materialized in front of him.
“You have managed to save yourself from certain death thanks to your observing and cautious attitude.
You have gained the passive skill Environmental Awareness Lv.1”
“You have managed to dodge lethal projectiles multiple times in a row.
You have gained the passive skill Projectile Dodge Lv.1”
"You have managed to kill a monster of higher level than you thanks to brute force.
You have gained the active skill "Smash Lv.1"
“For having acquired a physical active skill the hidden portion of your status “Stamina” has been unlocked”
“You have slain a level 3 Blue Acid Slime!
Extra experience for defeating a monster of higher level than you has been awarded,
Extra experience for killing this type of creature for the first time has been awarded."
Staring at the boxes Jacob felt overwhelmed. System, Monsters, Skills, Levels, Experience? What in the world was going on? He sat, back against the soft mattress of glowing moss on the wall, and took a few minutes to read the boxes over again, calm himself down, and digest this information. After a couple minutes of consideration Jacob said softly:
“Status” Instantly a longer box appeared in front of him.
Jacob Blackwood
Health 33/41 (+10 / Hour) ; Stamina 60/60 (+24 / Minute)
Species: Human, Class: Classless, Level: 0 (76%)
Vitality: 14
Endurance: 9
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 9
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 10
Will: 15
Passive skills:
Environmental Awareness Level 1, Projectile Dodging Level 1
Active skills:
Smash Level 1
“What the hell is all of this?” Going over the words and numbers floating in front of him, Jacob struggled to make sense of what had happened these last… hours? Jacob now realized another terrifying thought.
“How long have I been in here, it has to have been a few hours right? If that’s the case, then surely Toby would have called by now.” Ruffling through his pockets to find his cellphone, Jacob noticed it was nowhere to be found. Similarly his keys and loose change had all completely vanished. His teeth ground together, a glint anger flashed in his eyes again.
“Oh, great! First abduction, then pickpocketing. If I find who's behind this I’ll make sure they understand just how bad of a decision fucking with me was.” Jacob knew getting angry would only lead him to irrational decisions but he didn’t care, as he boiled from the inside a thought meandered to the front of Jacobs mind.
“76% huh? Well, I have got plenty of time to kill” He chuckled as he got up and made his way further down the so called Dungeon.