What initially seemed like a single goblin turned into a small horde, their growls echoed around me, a chilling reminder of the danger I was in.

"Just my luck," I muttered, realizing I was cornered.

In the dim light, I counted about five shadows, though there could easily be more lurking in the darkness. I could try my luck and strength against them, but if things went wrong, it could be deadly.

I moved deeper into the dungeon, wondering if any other adventurers had taken this path. For my own safety, I stuck to the central and forward routes to avoid getting lost.

Pulling out my phone, I confirmed there was no cell signal inside the dungeon. It made sense. I used my phone to sketch a rough map of the paths I had taken. Just then, a sudden scream echoed, startling me.

I peeked around the corner. The goblins were also agitated, searching for the source of the sound.

"Damn it, they're coming this way," I thought, quickly putting away my phone and drawing my sword.

As the worst case scenario more goblins emerged from the darkness, drawn by the noise.

"How many can I take on?" I wondered, feeling a surge of adrenaline.

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I managed to stab two goblins, but it wasn't enough to kill them. I couldn't stay in one place. Blocking an attack, I pushed forward, stabbing a goblin in the heart.

"One down, many more to go. I need to run."

I sprinted away, tracing my routes and taking different paths. I ran as fast as I could, finally hiding around another corner.

"That was close," I panted, realizing the screams had stopped. Had something happened to that adventurer?

The question nagged at me as I monitored my route and updated my map.

"I need to explore as much as possible. I only have the time until evening," I reminded myself.

Deciding to explore the path in front of me, I hoped to come across other adventurers drawn by the scream.

Despite my exhaustion, I felt a small sense of achievement. I had taken down at least one goblin. Their strength was daunting, especially in a group. I needed to react faster next time.

In the distance, I saw a glimpse of light.

"Is someone there?" a female voice called out.

I decided to respond, avoiding any suspicion. "Yes, I'm over here."

We walked closer to each other. She asked, "Were you the one who screamed earlier?"

"No," I replied. "I heard the scream too, but the echoes make it hard to pinpoint."

She was clearly one of the retired adventurers who had taken up the request. After looking me over, she asked for my guild card.

"Can I check your guild card?" she said.

I handed it over. She seemed surprised. "A newly registered adventurer? And so young."

"Someone... help me..."

A faint, distorted voice called out. We both heard it clearly. She returned my card and cautiously headed towards the sound, entering a new path in the dungeon.

I followed her, both of us on high alert. That’s when we saw an adventurer bleeding out, a horde of goblins crawling over his weakening body.