“Don’t go Dad. Please! Wait till Mom comes home.”

Locklear moves her out of his way with ease and continues in silence. Movements slow and methodical he steps into his shed and locks the door behind him. His older daughter bangs her hands against the wood, yelling for him to come out or let her in. Her voice is like salt falling on his open wound, reminding him that his little girl is gone. Taken by dungeon. The dungeon he introduced her to.

It took all his strength not to kill the boy when he came to inform them of what happened. Locklear didn’t even need his new [Enhanced Senses] skill to smell the pee stains on the coward, so not even bothering to listen until the end he got up and headed outside with his older daughter following behind. The details didn’t matter. His baby girl was dead and he knew who would pay for that.

He knew he was acting irrational but he was caught off guard and his [Hunter’s Instincts] skill kicked in to calm him down. The downside to that was that his [Target Acquired] skill activated as a result and it caused him to move on autopilot, preparing for a hunt and willing to risk anything for success. Not knowing if his skills were working for or against him, he didn’t waste time thinking about it.

A shotgun, a machete and the thickest boots and hunting clothes he could find were thrown into a duffle bag together with an assortment of random stuff he took just in case. Next was a good piece of rope he planned to tie his daughter with, so she wouldn’t follow after him.

She tried to fight back but he was too fast and she was never very athletic, unlike his baby girl who was amazing at everything. Oh how he’ll miss her company on his hunts. He felt like crying but his skills prevented him, tears meant blurry vision and weakness wasn’t allowed.

A quick stop to get everything he needed and he was crashing his pickup truck through bushes while avoiding trees. He got as far as he could before misgauging a space and slamming into a tree. The airbags deployed hitting him in the face and causing his nose to start bleeding. Ignoring the disorientation and blood he grabbed his gear with the added guns he always kept in his truck and continued on foot, limping slightly from a still swollen ankle.

When the first dungeon mushroom colored the forest floor he wasn’t even slightly surprised that the territory has grown, he only adjusted his heavy camping backpack and switched hands on his duffle bag. A few minutes longer than he planned he reached the tree which seemed to have grown larger again and stepped down into the darkness.

____________________________________________

Seeing the rock formations and streetlight mushrooms, reminded him of how he leaned on his little angel. How strong she was, holding him and fighting off waves of enemies. For the first time, it makes him think he might die here. Never see his other kids or kiss his wife. But then the pain in his chest returns and the voice of his perfect girl overtakes any hesitation. Pushing him forward and although the rocks blocking his way were big they were lighter than they looked. Being somewhat round made them easier to move as well.

With only one good leg to push with it meant he still had to struggle greatly, and the annoying rodents that never gave up trying to climb him or jump at his face from the shadows were a constant nuisance that more than one time caused him to fear for his life. But all in all this stretch of the dungeon was much easier than the first half.

The attack pattern didn’t change, there was no coordination or ingenuity, and while annoying, after the second wave Liam got the hang of things and it became simple exercise. And except that one time where he stepped on a rat with his bad foot and lost his balance the whole routine was just push, kill, duck, stab, push again. Rinse repeat until he came to what the kids called the boss room.

A large cavern full of columns, stalagmites and stalactites that filled the area with dead spots where enemies could be hidden. Their spread didn’t allow vision of anything further than a few meters and together with the dim illumination provided by randomly placed mushrooms, meant that an attack could come from anywhere.

Locklear walked carefully, almost hugging the largest columns and stalagmites, using them for cover and moving quickly when going from one to another.

Head swiveling and eyes narrowed, he was watching for movement. His hearing was useless in this setting as falling droplets caused echoes as they hit stone or puddles, masking his own steps and as such any noise his unknown enemy would make as well.

Reloaded shotgun at the ready he limped his way through the maze, careful not to hit his head on any sharp edge of a stalactite. He moved away from a large stalactite, heading to a large column half as wide as himself when he heard a loud splash of water from the darkness to his side. Turning to face the direction the sound came from he got knocked backwards and fell on his backpack as something the size of a large dog hit him in the stomach.

Whatever it was it didn’t manage to bite him but it did try, leaving a hole in his rubber waders before jumping away. Aiming in the direction it disappeared with one hand he tried to get up using his other when something big moved from behind him.

Not waiting to see what it was he pushed with his good leg, rolling to the side and trying to come out of the role in a kneeling position. He could feel the wind as whatever the thing was barely missed him but all he could glimpse of it was a thick long tail before he rolled into a stalagmite and broke it from his weight.

Ignoring the pain in his twisted ankle he jumped to his feet as quickly as he could manage, dropped the backpack weighing him down and jumped towards the nearest column. Back touching the stone column he walked around it, scanning the area and waiting for another attack but none came.

Not until he stepped away from his cover to grab a light from the backpack, when another loud splash echoed through the cavern. This time Liam didn’t try to turn and just threw himself to the side just as a body came flying from the shadows aiming at where his exposed back was just a moment ago.

Falling to the floor Liam didn’t waste any time before starting to roll, already feeling the tremors that came from the giant rodent running at him. The same rodent he saw looking at him and the kids the last time he was in this room, but somehow bigger. A giant that most likely weighed as much as he did, not a thing to be underestimated as Liam was quite a large man.

Hugging the next pillar he turned around, flashlight eventually hitting the dead end with the black hole in it’s wall and an idea hits him. Jumping to the next pillar he manages to avoid the jumping threat. His next movement is anticipated and the giant rodent is waiting for him as he turns with his back to the pillar. Skills announcing it’s presence before he can see the creature his shotgun colors the walls in red and he hears his target roar in pain.

Using the moment of distraction he rushes to the hole in the wall. Almost there, something smashes into him, dropping him to the floor with it on top of him. It manages to take a bite of his palm as he tries to push it away, hands trying to get a hold on the slippery fur. Sharp pain shoots through his arm and he waves it sideways, hurling the monster through the air and feeling something tear away with it.

Ignoring the pain and not waiting to see how fast the beast will recover he lifts himself up and jumps forward, chest hitting the edge of the dark opening painfully and knocking the breath out of him. Pushing with his sprained ankle he feels a snap but is already sliding downwards.

Flying out of the tunnel Liam immediately rolls to the side, unholstering his pistol and aiming at the opening. Eyes blinking rapidly while they adjust to the sudden brightness, he balances on one leg as the sound of something sliding down after him grows stronger.

Not waiting to see what it was he fires two shots into the dark the moment the sound hits a last straight before the exit, or at least tries to but nothing happens and he sees a green shape with black fur in between blur past him. He looks down at his hand while the creature finds its barings and sees his index and middle finger are missing, almost until the knuckle, with blood spurting out at the stumps. Switching to his other hand he aims at the rodent to see it jump away and hide behind the flower garden in the middle of the room.

He waits but there’s no movement. Just the sound of something slithering on the floor so he aims at where his skill screams his target is at and fires, the bullet passes through giant mushrooms and flowers like butter to hit flesh on the other side. A squeal of pain and a flutter of talons on stone follows and a moment later Liam is staring down a bloody maw, where sharp incisors the length of his severed fingers glisten in the multicolored mushroom light. Abandoning any caution the enraged rodent is aiming to bite off his face so all he has to do is step sideways and unload the rest of the clip as it flies by.

Reloading with practiced ease Liam waits for any signs of life and after a moment the body begins to dissipate into particles. When only a small shining crystal is left the tired [Hunter] takes a few steps backwards and drops to one of the stone benches. His pistol slips out of his hand and he grabs his shirt and presses to the stumps of his fingers in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He is getting lightheaded and that can't be a good sign during severe hemorrhaging.

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Panting as he regains his breath, he thinks of the backpack he dropped as he looks around the small room for something to stop the bleeding. A red glitter catches his eye, similar to the raindrops that eased his wounds, so he tries to move towards them only to fall down, ankle no longer able to bear his weight.

Looking down, pain begins to register as the only thing holding his foot from flopping around uselessly is the boot that is now cutting off circulation to the swelling appendage. Gritting his teeth Liam jumps the short distance on one leg and drops to his knees next to the garden and a small basin of glittering red liquid in between the glowing flowers.

Holding his breath he lowers his hand and the scrapes on his remaining fingers heal immediately. Still not releasing his breath he submerges his whole palm into the shallow basin and relief washes over him as the pain disappears almost immediately. Saying a small prayer Liam pulls his hand out, disappointed to see that the sumps are still there, healed but not completely.

Pulling off his boot with great difficulty he tries to bring the red liquid to his foot but it gets absorbed the moment it touches the skin. So after a moment's thought, he dips the sock and puts it on. It takes a bit longer this time and he can feel movement under his skin but in less than a minute the sock is dry and he can stand on both feet again.

Repeating the procedure two more times before putting the boot back on, Liam stands up. Properly balanced and sure-footed for the first time in a week, he opens a simple stone door, striding forward into the forest of the second floor with confidence.

A rudimentary gaze makes the forest he stepped into seem completely normal. Almost an exact replica to the one above. The only visible difference is the yellowish-green colored mushroom for a sky and the eerie light it colors the whole forest in.

A closer sweep of his surroundings allows his eyes to catch a similar glitter or reds and blues in the creek flowing out of the smooth stone wall next to him. Looking around the forest he spots no landmarks so he follows the creek as it weaves through the trees.

His first sight of something out of the ordinary is bluish light coming from between the trees. Leaving the flowing water behind he walks towards the blue light and approaches a glowing mushroom taller than his house. A bunch of smaller mushrooms, but still larger than him surround the large one.

He spots movement and raises his gun immediately.

“Just an ermine.”

Keeping his eyes on the animal he watches as it climbs the mushrooms. It’s more agile than any ermine he has ever seen and after a while, he takes a step back. The ermine notices him, jumping down to the ground and rushing to the safety of its burrow.

Completely normal if it didn’t jump from a height of four meters.

Not sure what to do and knowing he won’t be catching the ermine now that it’s hidden he returns to the creek and continues to follow its path through the forest.

He spots more animals. Porcupines and dears mostly, but the ever-present bugs and the occasional flying squirrel also make an appearance.

Twice more he spots blue light coming through the trees but doesn’t go investigating. His gut is telling him that what he will find what he’s looking for at the end of this creek. His hands tighten on the shotgun his carrying and he increases his pace.

Fifteen minutes into his track and he spots the color red for the first time. A red fox looks at him from some distance. It’s look makes Liam’s hairs stand up but it disappears as suddenly as it appeared so he marches on.

The feeling of being watched returns every once in a while but whenever he searches for the cause all he manages to see is a flash of red before it disappears.

“Is it hunting me?” Liam stops for a moment to look around himself again. All he has seen so far were animals he was familiar with. None of the deadly abominations from the first floor.

A few more minutes of walking the twisting path and he reaches a short waterfall he climbs down after walking to the side for a while. Done, he drops to one knee and washes his face. The floor is cold but he is still sweating from the adrenaline in his system.

He encountered no threats but the damn fox has been keeping him on edge the whole time. Every time he lowers the shotgun to his side he feels the creature's eyes on him and his heart pumps faster. Even now. The moment he let his guard down the feeling is back and sure enough the moment he lifts his head in the direction he glimpsed a red tail disappear from sight. He wants to hunt the thing down but knows there’s no chance of catching it. And either way, he has a different target.

His goal isn’t the challenge of the hunt but the satisfaction of revenge.

Feeling refreshed he gets up and marches onwards. Soon the trees become more sparse and he spots the stone wall in the distance. A few minutes later and he sees his destination. A cave where the creek he was following disappears into.

Approaching the cave the sound of squelching reaches his ears. It’s a weird noise that reminds him of a rubber ball hitting a puddle of water.

Not taking any chances, his shotgun aims at the dark entrance and step by measured step he stalks closer. When there’s less than ten meters separating him and the opening the noise gets louder and sounds like it’s moving towards him until a moment later a giant green blob of jello plops out of the cave.

He’s so surprised he forgets to shoot and watches as the substance jiggles and squelches as more of it flows out of the hole in the wall. It has no eyes or distinguishing features but the [Hunter] gets the feeling it's looking and assessing him.

It is bigger than him and four times as wide. Blocking the entrance almost entirely.

Taking a few steps to the side the gelatinous substance spreads to block his path into the cave.

“A guard?”

Whatever it is it’s moving slowly so Liam comes closer. Only a few steps away from the entrance he spots a reflection from the dark interior of the cave. A floating purple crystal decahedron the size of a soccer ball, reflecting the green of the guardian blocking him.

He remembers the boy's words, an explanation of a dungeon core and if that wasn’t enough than the [Hunter] in him screams that he found his target.

He jumps to the side and unloads his shotgun in the gap between the living jello and the cave's wall. His aim is on point but the slime expands in a burst of movement and blocks the pallets. They penetrate into it, passing completely through to the other side but lose all momentum on their way through and simply fall to the cavern floor.

He tries again, dashing to the other side but the squishy guard flows to intercept. Angry, Liam stands in front of what he can best describe as a living ball of radioactive waste and unloads another round, point-blank.

There is no reaction. It doesn’t even bother attacking him. Simply staying in place and accepting the abuse. The [Hunter] tries cutting it, hitting it and shooting it a couple of more times in frustration after nothing works. Letting his weapon drop to his side he punches his hands into the gelatinous substance, trying to claw some of it away and tear it to pieces but it just reforms every time. Leaving no trace of his efforts but for irritation to his exposed skin. An itch that turns into a prickle of a chemical burn.

When the pain becomes unbearable he tries to pluck his arms out but the substance refuses to let go. Weakly sucking him dipper and flowing towards his torso.

Fearing for his life Liam jumps backwards and his arms are set free with an accompanying sound a vacuum popping.

Rolling backward he rushes to the creek and plunges his hurting hands into the cold water. The pain subsides immediately and he does his best to wash away the slime that stuck to his reddened skin.

“Dammit!” he punches the waters.

He looks back at the Slime guarding the dungeon core and notices a lack of vegetation around it. A dead space of dirt even though the forest floor is covered by flora. While he thinks of how to pass it the flow of water reduces the pain in his arms to no more than a sting.

“Fire.”

But he has no lighter or matches anymore. Taking his hands out of the water makes the pain return in full force but he ignores it and searches for wood he can use to start a fire. He has to stop and drop to his knees to reduce the pain of his arms before he can find anything that is even remotely dry enough to be lit. The forest is too new. There’s barely any dead leaves of twigs on its floor. He does a few more rounds of searching in between running back to the waters to recuperate, with nothing to show for his suffering. Even if he manages to climb the slide back to the first floor, there's still the giant black rat waiting in the boss room.

“Fuck. Fuck, fuck. Fuck!”

The damn thing that took his daughter is staring him in the face, only a meter and a half of slime separating them and he can do nothing but stay on his knees.

In desperation, he rushes the Slime. Plunging himself inside and trying to swim through it. He doesn’t care what happens to him as long as he can avenge his daughter. Halfway through his supply of oxygen, he sees something on the other side of the green obstacle that makes him give up. He struggles and manages to free his head to gulp down air.

His whole body burning he grabs the edge of the cavern and pulls himself out. Not bothering to look back, he stumbles and collapses into the sweet relief of the flowing creek. His skills deactivate and he starts to cry. Pain and salty tears washed away by the magical waters as he crawls upstream.

“Velvet ants,” he stops to punch the water, “A freaking nest of goddamn cow killers.”

Once he saw the distinct red of the deadly wasps on the floor and walls of the cavern, moving to protect the dungeon in case he manages to break through the slime, Liam knew he stood no chance.

He continued to crawl, skin burning and waters no longer able to calm his pain. Because now he was again burning from the inside. Fires of revenge were growing stronger by the moment.

“It can be killed.”

Knowing that fact reignited him, refocused his mind and gave him energy.

“It wouldn’t protect itself so thoroughly unless it was afraid.”

He got up and started walking.

“You’re mine and I will never give up. Never forget what you took from me.”

Pushing through the waters he didn't look back or to his sides. He marched forward, climbed the small waterfall instead of circling around it.

“I’ll grow stronger. Levels. Skills. And if that's not enough I’ll use humanity's worst weapons to destroy you.”

He steps through the stone doors back into the garden of the restroom and uses what's left of the red water to heal the worst of his burns before entering the elevator and punching the glowing mushroom embedded into its wall.

Nothing happens and he punches it again and again until his knuckles are bleeding and the air starts to change around him.

“The hunt will end,” he professes through gritted teeth as the wall closes, “when one of us is dead.”

-------- END OF PART 1 --------