Beast dungeons could hold everything from bugs to chimeras and had so much variety that Levi couldn't begin to guess what specific creature this would be.

He'd heard stories of unbelievable creatures — of unicorns and basilisks, of beetles that could swallow a car, of serpents so long and thin they could pretend to be jungle vines right up until they coiled around you with deadly speed.

Until he had a power stone for his manablade, anything that could get up close and deal damage through his protective layers would be a serious danger. Cutting an entangling serpent off your body with an unenhanced weapon was difficult and risky.

With a hiss, three dinosaurs sprang out of the bramble, frills flaring in hypnotic warning as they reared their heads back, preparing their acidic spittle.

Level 1

(Dilophosaur)

Health 100%

The fragile lizards ran on two long legs, scrawny but very quick, their flaring frills serving to make them appear larger. Their acid spit was dangerous at medium-low range; too close, and they wouldn't fire for risk of it splashing back onto themselves; too far and the attack would splatter to the ground before hitting its target. But within range, they were very good at disabling their targets.

“I want one,” Levi said, as he backed away to stay out of the threat range.

The system provided no convenient experience tracker to let him know how near or far he was from leveling. There was a chance he could hit level 5 in this dungeon. Beast dungeons had more creatures in wider variety than most dungeons.

Having something with range in his team would be a big help. Then again, he was in a dungeon with a non-boss spider skunk. As cool as dilos would be, the larger, slower creature would probably be a more valuable opponent. In low-level dungeons the spider skunk could act as tank, and its webs allowed battlefield control in a way that acid-spitting dinos couldn't.

Not that he could tame either at the moment. Until he hit level 5 and unlocked another minion slot, he was stuck.

For a moment he considered unbinding Skarm, allowing his first minion’s body to return to the dungeon of his birth and using the freed slot to tame a dilo instead. Or the spider skunk — either would probably have better utility than the gremlin.

Something deep within him rebelled at the thought. Levi had lost everyone again and again. He wanted desperately to believe he could save someone this time, that he wouldn’t have to keep going on alone. That he could hold onto someone, even a tiny dungeon gremlin, and keep him safe.

Skarm was his.

For a moment, guilt flickered in his chest. He’d failed to find the secret to Revive, wherever it lurked. Was it an item he needed to collect? A spell?

A splatter beside him said that the time for thinking was over: The dilos were closing in. There was still a second pack further away; if he managed to level and decided to go that way, he could tame one from there.

For now, he had dinosaurs to kill.

“Two, close in on the left. Aim for the legs.”

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Gremlin Two saluted and disappeared into the surrounding grasses. Levi halted his retreat, ducked down out of sight, and waited. The dilos’ acid spit demolished the surrounding plants.

Levi listened carefully, but the dinosaurs were being cautious, too. They didn't want to rush in and lose their range advantage. The only sound he heard was Gremlin Two rustling through the grass.

Fine. They wouldn’t come to him; he’d close the distance himself.

He waited another minute until he could no longer hear Gremlin Two’s movement, then pushed himself into the fastest stamina-fueled sprint he could manage.

One of the dilos screeched in alarm, but too late. The concealing undergrowth had worked to their disadvantage this time. Before they could scatter, Levi slammed his blade up through the first dinosaur’s jaw and out the top of its fragile skull. It hissed and gargled, acidic saliva dripping through the hole in its jaw, then toppled to the ground.

In the moment it took to withdraw his shortsword from their dying compatriot, the other widened the distance to their comfortable attack range.

Gremlin Two leaped from the bushes, screaming at the top of his lungs, and spooked the dilo nearest him as it prepared to launch its acidic spittle. It choked and spun, the prepared attack dripping with a sizzle to the ground beneath it as Gremlin Two slammed his horn into its upper leg.

The small dinosaur was twice the size of the gremlin. Were it not for Gremlin Two’s dagger, the fight might have been a near thing. By the time Levi closed in on the third dilo, Gremlin Two had savagely gashed open the second dinosaur’s stomach.

Dilos were much more fragile than he’d expected. Levi's fist slammed the small dino to the ground and his foot held its struggling form still.

He stared down at the helplessly snapping creature and reconsidered his desire to tame one. If they had so little health that he could stomp one as easily as a gremlin, he’d be better off saving the slots for something bigger.

But... dinosaurs.

He promised himself some utahraptors later. Or a triceratops, maybe. Did either of those exist? He would bet they did, sooner or later. But for right now...

“Sorry. Today’s not your day.”

Gremlin Two dove on the helpless dilo, finishing it off with a quick stab through the skull.

Levi nodded. “Well done.”

The second pack was only marginally more difficult, mostly due to one getting in a lucky shot at Levi’s stomach that melted through his layers of jackets.

An irate Levi slammed his sword through one as it opened its mouth and followed up the stab with a quick slash that knocked the last of its health away.

It crumpled to the ground as he moved on to the next, ducking aside from its projectile just in time. The glob of acidic spit grazed his arm but did only minimal damage to his outer layer.

Levi closed the distance, tackled the dilo to the ground, and slammed the pommel of his sword against its skull until it fell limp. It still felt wrong how easy these fights were. Dissonant. Like he was playing at being a dungeon delver. Tackling dinosaurs without proper armor and winning.

Gremlin Two jumped atop the last one from behind, stabbing his dagger into its neck and hanging on like a bull rider as the dilo hissed and twisted its head, trying to get its teeth into the irritant on its back.

Gremlin Two clung for dear life, as the dino did its best to throw him off. When it slowed its thrashing for a split second, the gremlin twisted and drove his horn into its neck.

Acid spittle from the perforation sizzled down the dilo’s back, leaving raw lines of burned skin. Gremlin Two leaped free and rolled to his feet, watching as his personal behemoth flailed, ran, and died.

Levi nodded fondly. “Nice work.” Two had to be getting close to level 4, if not in this dungeon, then certainly in the next.

He took a minute to catch his breath, recovering stamina while he considered his options. The boss would be the highest experience provider, and his only chance of hitting level 5 this run. If that didn’t pan out, the spider skunk waiting in the middle of the room would end up as practice instead of as a minion.

The thought didn’t bother him. He’d be happy to get the level and capture it, but he had no particular desire to own one. The spider skunk evoked strong negative feelings in him. Though he could appreciate its potential value as a part of his growing army, he’d be perfectly fine going a few more years without one.

Decision made, he straightened and motioned for Gremlin Two to join him. “Next up, the boss.”

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