I continue swimming but I begin to slow as I notice I should be shark food by now. I stop and look back. There is nothing there. Did it not follow me into the water?! It's a shark! I just float there wondering why I didn't follow me. Could it not swim? What an absurd thought that was. A shark only able to swim through air. Maybe it just couldn't leave the shrine, like the barrier between air and the pond was a zone it couldn't pass. All I care about is that it is no longer following me, and I can get out of here.

I start swimming back toward the surface and to my gear on the rocky outcrop. I sit there drying under what I'm assuming is fake sunlight as there is no sun the light is coming from, thinking of what to do next. I really want to explore that shrine. But flying sharks?! Seriously?! Normally I would be taking a hard pass at that bullshit, but whatever, I fought a fucking Minotaur and bunnies with unicorn horns and pelts like a cheetah. How much stranger is a flying shark?! It was a big fucking shark though! I used to watch Shark Week in my past life, so I know not to fuck with these floating razor blades.

I decide I'll tackle that after I explore this pond a bit and get some rest. That last fight with the massive wolf was a whopper. I seriously almost died! I am still in shock how much stronger that first monster was over the Minotaur boss. I again just got lucky. I put my gear back on and start heading for the waterfall. This is an amazing waterfall. It seems to be about 100 feet high and 20 feet wide, the falling water the same blue color as the pond water. I guess that only makes sense since the pond would be the same color as the water flowing into it right? The rock face behind the waterfall seems to be carved out a bit. I explore that area and find a cave behind the waterfall. Oh yes, the old cave behind the waterfall. How shocked I am that this was here. That was sarcasm by the way.

The cave isn't that large and doesn't seem to go anywhere, only extending about 40 feet into the rock behind the waterfall with a slight curve toward the left. This seems like a great place to set up shelter for the time being. I spend some time examining the walls looking for hidden doors and whatnot, before deciding the cave is safe and secure.

"I dub thee, Chris's cave!" I say giggling at the stupidity of what I said.

I exit the cave and head back exploring around the pond and the stream beyond it. There is nothing of any interest here, just more trees stretching off into the distance. I still don't even see the edges or walls to this "room" I am in. I start heading back toward the cave thinking about what I am going to do. Considering how much stronger the monsters are on this level, I'm thinking I'm going to spend some time on this floor, maybe even a couple months on this floor farming monsters to raise my level so I don't struggle as much when I move to the next floor. It is possible that the last floor was only as easy as it was because I got gear drops that significantly boosted my stats as well. There is no guarantee that I will get upgrades on this floor, and even if I do, I doubt the stat increases will be anywhere near as drastic as me going from ripped up clothes to the rare gear I have now. That was a significant boost.

As I get closer to the waterfall cave, I head into the forest to scrounge for things I may need. I wander the surrounding forest gathering fallen branches and twigs and bring them back to my cave. I then head back out and gather a bunch of the fallen large leaves from the trees. These leaves are just as large as the leaves from the trees by my house. I bring them back to my cave and lay them on the floor making a nice mat to sleep on. I stack some logs and twigs in the shape of a campfire, and I use my flame spell to light my campfire. I fold my old bloody shirt and lay it off to the side. I then lay down on my mat made of leaves and doze off to sleep.

When I wake up, I head back to the granite outcropping and look over the pond. Look at that, it's still daytime even though I slept for what feels like several hours. It's time to explore that shrine. I cast my Breeze spell and dive back into the water. Soon I'm back at the shrine door and I pull out a dagger and then step through, ceasing my breeze spell as I pass through. I evaluate the hallway and there is no shark to be seen. Part of me was expecting it to just be there waiting for me to come back. I pull myself together seeing as how the hallway is clear and then grab my other dagger and head down the hallway, once again hooking a right at the end and make my way back to where the shark was. Sure, enough the shark comes around the same corner and sees me. It swims quickly through the air right at me. I smile as this time I am not naked and can fight back. I run at it and slide under it as it opens its mouth to bite me. I stick a dagger in its belly and slice the entire length of the shark as I slide under it.

The glorious sound of wet entrails splatting on a hard stone floor greets my ear, and my wicked smile returning as I turn around in time to watch the shark fall lifelessly to the ground. Well, that wasn't anywhere near as difficult as the massive wolf.

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New Level Acquired!

New Level Acquired!

"Wow really?!" I say surprised such an easy monster gave me two levels. I would expect more of a challenge if its level was that high. It was about the same level difference than I was from the spear goblin during our first fight back on the first floor. That guy gave me some problems the first time we fought, the second time, well let's say I made a bit of a mess. This shark really didn't give me any problems like that goblin did. Well, it's only weapon is its teeth. If you can avoid those, it really doesn't have much of a way to defend itself.

I continue on my way walking the hallways, occasionally coming across rooms with sharks and other various carnivorous fish like piranhas, barracudas, etc. The smaller fish are extremely easy to defeat. Just slice them in half as they fly at you. I continue walking and killing and walking and killing, eventually circling all the way back to the original hallway leading to the pond. I must have slaughtered dozens of fish and several sharks along the way.

Well, this seems disappointing, even though I did gain 10 more levels from the dozens of fish and sharks I killed. I consider leaving, but considering this was basically one large circular mini-dungeon, I wonder what's in the middle? All the rooms with fish and sharks were attached to the outside walls. There were no rooms on the inside walls, leading me to believe there is something in there. There has to be a door somewhere. I work my way all the way back to the other side, completely opposite of the entry hallway, inspecting the inner wall as I walk. Once I reach the far side of the hallway, I spend some time inspecting the wall, paying particular attention to the section between two lanterns that seem closer together than they should be.

As I look closer, I can faintly see an outline of a door. I push on it, try to slide it, and even say "Open Sesame!" To no avail, the door remains tightly sealed. I look at the ceiling, and nothing looks out of the ordinary. I hang my head in defeat. Then I see it. There is a small semicircular cutout in the floor in front of the door. There is a small hole leading from that underneath the door. The hell is this for?!

Maybe I need to pour water in there? I mean, this is technically an underwater Grotto that's bone dry. Maybe it requires water? Seems to make sense to me! Let's give that a try.

"Water!"

Water begins to fill the half bowl shape and drain under the door. I wait, and wait, but nothing happens. Well, it seems the dungeon isn't thirsty.

"Don't tell me I need to pee in this thing?!"

I laugh at the thought. I'm not going to cop a squat in the middle of a dungeon, though technically I have been doing just that ever since I have been down here. At least this floor is a forest. That makes taking care of that business a lot easier, just find a tree out in the forest. Well, the only thing remaining I can think of is... blood.

I wander around until I find a school of smallish flying fish. I kill all but one then I grab the one left over and bring it back to the door. I kneel in front of the door where the bowl is, take out my dagger and I slice the fish in half, allowing its blood to fill the bowl and the pipe running under the door. I toss the fish remains to the side to allow the dungeon to take it back, and then I wait. I continue to wait, but nothing is happening. I sigh as I realize it probably has to be my blood. I take out a dagger and put it to my left wrist. i scrunch up my face as I don't like the thought of hurting myself. Strange I know. I'm no stranger to pain, in fact I have come to love it. It's what keeps me going after all.

"This shit better work! If nothing happens and I cut myself for nothing, I'm going to reduce this place to dust!" I yell out the warning to the Grotto.

I slice my wrist, severing my radial artery. I hold my wrist over the bowl as blood pulses into it. The stream of blood flows under the door. Suddenly the lanterns flanking me turn blood red. A low rumbling sound can be heard and felt. I quickly holster my dagger and cover my bleeding wrist with my hand.

"Light Heal."

My wrist glows white, but my wrist is not healing. What the fuck? Why didn't that work?!

"LIGHT HEAL!"

I pump even more mana into the spell, but nothing happens. My artery continues to pump my blood out of my body. That's not good. I don't like this at all.

The rumbling increases as the door is pushed inward and swings open, revealing a large circular room probably 60 feet in diameter and a ceiling about 20 feet high. As I enter, lanterns lining the wall illuminate. A good one third of the entire wall on the far end is a massive shimmering wall of water, similar to the doorway to the grotto. There is an amazing assortment of sea life swimming serenely like a massive aquarium. This place is amazing!

In the center of the room, sits a throne, a lone man sitting on it. Or it looks like a man. He is half covered in scales with long golden hair that is flowing similar to the way it would underwater. Ornate jewelry adorns his ears, neck, fingers, and wrists. His legs covered by a cloth that seems to flow like it's made of water.

The man stands and greets me. The throne vanishes behind him as he stands.

"You who have sacrificed your life essence are granted audience with me. As you have noticed, your wound won't heal in this place. Your only chance to survive is to defeat me in combat! I will match my weapons to yours. You may attack when ready warrior!"

A pair of very ornate daggers appears at his sides, he takes them up and assumes a combat stance.

"Well, better make this quick. I don't have much time left do I?!" I respond to him.