Finally, I can leave this place. The freedom I’ve dreamed about is finally within reach.

But if the veil is gone, does that mean I was in a trance for three days? That’s weird, I don’t feel tired at all I feel refreshed, almost as if I’ve just woken up from a good rest. The sound of footsteps wakes me from my thoughts and I turn around to see a large, well-built man, with a broad sword strapped across his back, approach from deeper in the dungeon.

Human Lv 4

[Dungeon Boss]

So a thing like dungeon boss is a title, must be nice getting one on birth, just like an otherworlder. Speaking of otherworlders, the coward follows behind the dungeon boss with two others. The larger man smiles and greets me.

”Hello there friend. We are on our way out of the dungeon, care to join us?”

I almost laugh at his words, he treats it like I’m going to stay here if I don’t follow him. Well, let’s go along with it for now.

 “Sure.”

I walk outside with the other 4, noticing something as I exit the dungeon. The thoughts implanted in my mind are gone! I test this out by focusing violent intentions on the others around me, realising with glee that there is nothing holding me back from attacking if I really wanted to enact them.

I look around and see nothing but a wasteland, dead trees and a few Lv 0 birds flying around. A silver moon hangs in the sky, its light reflecting off my spear and making it glow slightly. I turn back to the dungeon, an pair of marble pillars with a swirling portal in between, and try to identify it. To my suprise, it works.

Dungeon Lv 1-4

Current species: Human

Spawns: 6-8 medium creatures

Maximum entry limit: 3

This information tells me why enemies generally came in threes whilst I was in the dungeon, and also explains why they were always Lv 4, as its the maximum Lv at which anyone is allowed to enter the dungeon. The size mentioned when dictating the spawn rate also suggests that different sizes of creature are spawned in different amounts.

Done inspecting the surroundings, I set off in a direction I can faintly see smoke in. After a few moments of walking, the large man calls out to me.

"Wouldn't it be better to stick together?"

To which I reply.

"Sure, you guys can. I'll be going this way though."

I hear a couple mumbles from the others but ignore them and continue walking. Eventually, I reach my destination. A small campfire burns and around it lies several goblins, one sat up and seemingly keeping watch. Something that strikes me as odd is that I'm not as revulsed by the, as I was in the dungeon, that feeling was probably the dungeons way of making sure that I defended it from invaders. The goblins levels are between Lv 2 and Lv 5 and the one keeping guard is Lv 4.

I approach slowly and silently, my previous encounters with goblins telling me that they are hostile toward humans. I hope that the darkness hides me but it turns out that hope is unfounded as the goblin on watch spots me when I get within 15 meters of the campsite. It jumps up and prepares to screech something but I've already closed most of the distance, the effect of my boots having helped at lot. I focus on piercing through the nightwatch goblin, wanting to test out my new skill, and leap towards it. Part of a startled shriek leaves its mouth before there is a sphlt as my spear pierces its throat and a ding as notifications chime in my ear.

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Piercing Intent has become Lv 2/10

You have killed a Lv 4 Goblin, +100 exp

Thankfully none of the other goblins heard the scuffle and remain sleeping as the dead goblin fades into nothingness. Unfortunately, this guard didn't drop any items. I turn to the other goblins, an evil smile stretched across my face. Your kind sneaked up on me when I was sleeping before so now I'm returning the favour, just don't expect me to make the same mistakes you did. The cold night air is filled with soft piercing noises as 5 more lives flicker out like candles.

You killed a Lv 2 Goblin, +0 exp

You killed a Lv 3 Goblin, +50 exp

You killed a Lv 3 Goblin, +50 exp

You killed a Lv 4 Goblin, +100 exp

You killed a Lv 4 Goblin, +100 exp

You killed a Lv 5 Goblin, +175 exp

Only two of the goblin's dropped any loot, a Lv 4 and the Lv 5. The Lv 4 dropped another Lesser Ring of Agility which the effects of, to my dismay, cannot be stacked with the other. I wear it anyway so that I don't have to use a slot in my spacial pouch. The other item that dropped is luckily another piece of chest armour.

Goblin Scavenger's Leather Chestplate (Rare)

Required Lv 5

Durability 45/45

+25 defence, +3 agility, +2 constitution

A leather chestplate designed to allow freedom of movement whilst still protecting a scavenger from harm

I try to donn the armour but it wont resize to fit me, probably because I'm not the required Lv, so I'm forced to replace a weapon in my spacial pouch with it. Realising that I've not checked my status in a while I whisper in my mind Open Status.

Name: Aeron

Race: Human

Level: 4

Titles:

[Dungeon Defender]

HP: 170/170

Strength: 14 (+3)

Constitution: 16 (+1)

Agility: 14 (+3)

Intelligence: 14

Skills:

Intermediate Spearmanship Lv 3/10

-Piercing Intent Lv 2/10

Basic Fist Fighting Lv 9/10

Pain Resistance Lv 8/20

HP Recovery Lv 2/10

I look at my status and realise how much I've grown from my Lv 2 self who only possessed a single basic skill. It's strange to think that ten of the me from 30 days ago couldn't match up to what the me of today and that in another 30 days I could be even stronger. It's strange, but it's also thrilling to watch my own growth.

I sit myself next to the campfire and take an inventory of everything I have on me, but as I do so I get a stupid idea that just might work. If there is a pain resistance then couldn't their be a fire resistance? So I transfer all my rings to my right hand and reach out into the fire with my left hand and stop reaching futher in when the damage from the fire levels out with the HP I recover from my regeneration skill. I grit my teeth as my hand is burned and healed in a seemingly never ending cycle, my pain resistance skill helping out immensely. I begin to wonder if there really is a fire resistance skill until a few hours later when a notification appears in front of me.

You have learned Fire Resistance Lv 1/20

I reach futher into the fire since some of the damage I take from the flames is negated and once again sit there with my hand I the fire. Thankfully this worked, and I didn't just waste time burning myself for nothing. Many more hours pass, some of them with me asleep and my arm in the fire, and I no longer feel like I'm progressing in terms of my resistance. It has reached Lv 3 and allows me to negate a decent amount of the damage from the campfire, which is beginning to dwindle as the sun rises on the horizon.

Feeling well enough rested and satisfied by my latest skill gains, I get up and head in the opposite direction of the dungeon, hoping to find an end to this wasteland.

...

I've already been walking for just over two days without encountering anything but birds and dead trees. I've been hearing howls in the distance for the past day now but I've not caught sight of any wolves yet and the howls have been getting more distant in the latter half of the day. I just keep on walking until I'm tired, at which point I go to sleep with my spear in hand.

Eventually, I find a huge, circular crater in the ground, several thousand meters in diameter and many hundereds deep at the centre, with signs of life in some of the caves dug out of the sides of the crater. At the centre of the crater stands two large pillars with statues of what looks to be warriors with swords drawn at the top, a dungeon, which radiates a heavy mental pressure to the surroundings. I can feel it from the outer rim of the crater so I dread to imagine what it would feel like up close.

Some movement from one of the nearer caves catches my eye and I turn to look as a human-like figure exits the cave. It looks like a human woman, but the savage aura around her and her red eyes suggest otherwise. Another reason I doubt she is human is her sharp teeth that flash in the sunlight. She is wearing practicle and unrestrictive armour and carries a broadsword at least twice as large as the one the dungeon boss from earlier had. Ripped muscles cover her entire body and scars crisscross her skin.

I think she spots me because she raises her head in my direction and shouts something. Two more women appear out of the cave and follow the first woman's gaze to me. Then, all three of them start to sprint towards me, drawing massive weapons as they do so. I inspect one of them when they get close enough and what I see is enough to send me immediately running in the opposite direction.

Savage Lv 9

[Mad Warrior]