Chapter 182: DUNGEON ACTIVATED!

The line I followed led into a large cave, and I could see white shell looking thing sticking out of the sand. I looked ahead and into the cave, but I couldn't see any other fish or any life forms inside. Maybe it was just a search and find mission. That would be nice, but I could hardly believe that MainFrame would let me off so easily, I wondered not for the first time this game why MainFrame was acting like this?

I felt a pull on my tentacles and looked down to see the impatient, but the still cute small face of Grace. She was yanking on my tentacles like I was a horse and I groaned inwardly. Was this really the same composed Grace I had played my first game with? Or had she been hiding that side of herself on purpose?

'Can we go already?' -Grace. 

'We need to be careful.'

'Do you really think that we would be given a mission that we couldn't handle?' -Grace.

Yes!

'You have a point, but I still don't think that is a good enough reason to throw caution to the wind. What's up with you? You seem different than I remember you.'

'Something happened when you first entered the game and I was...mollified. It is hard to explain, but it was like my normal emotions were tucked away and I was given a script that I had to follow. I was still able to make my own action, but I couldn't express myself. Why, Think you have bit off more than you can chew with me?' -Grace.

'No, not at all, you haven't called me stupid or insulted me yet so you are ahead of most of the girls in that respect. No, I was just worried that something happened to you, but if this is your normal personality, then I will get used to it. I was just used to the way you were before.'

'You really know how to be sweet on a girl! If you weren't so damned ugly, I would do a lot more than kiss you!' -Grace.

Grace gave me a double eyelid wink that was equally as disturbing as it was cute. I shook my seal head and looked back at the cave. No point waiting around, no one else was going to come to do this for me. 

I slowly padded my wave like fins and entered the cave, but the moment I did I groaned.

DUNGEON ACTIVATING, DEFEAT THE END BOSS TO EXIT.

I tried to turn back but the cave exit was already a solid wall. Of course, it was, fudge in a can! I should have known, but it wasn't like it made a difference. We needed coins and experience, so complaining about it being shoved into my face would be pointless now. 

'Well, I should have expected that.'

'You get worked up too easily, it's just a game.' -Grace.

'Don't be so naive! What happens if you die? Do you just go back up to the Hall of Gods? Are you guaranteed a spot in my next game? Even if you are a member of my system, without godship, you are just another player and could get lost. If you do, I might not be able to find you again.'

This was a lie, but I didn't really care right now. If lying to Grace would make her more cautious, but maybe be angry with me later, so be it. Easy trade in my books and I did seem to look a little bit less sure of herself. 

'Listen, Grace, I have lost people before, entire parties and myself, and you got to see the backlash of what can happen if I lose. I was left a dumb stupid 42-year-old man that was transported into a seven-year-old body. Then I met you and everyone helped me to find some of the lost members and my memories, but there are still people missing from that game. I don't want you to become one of those people and get stuck in another game.'

I knew she would be silent after that, so I started to swim forwards and down, using my tentacles to pick up the first dead sand dollar out of the sand.

[1/20]

That was helpful, and so far there were no creatures or monsters, so I continued forward and spotted another dollar. I stopped, before going towards it, something was wrong. There seemed to be a spout blowing water very hard to a hole in the wall that wasn't obvious when I picked up the first dollar. Whatever it was, I didn't want to get too close but I would have to travel under it, but for some reason now my tentacles didn't move on their own.

I could make the move around, but I could hold things and still pull my tentacles into me. The problem was that the dollar was right below...HEY! 

'Get back here you little shit! At least take my tentacle wrapped around you so I can have a chance to save you!' 

Grace was crawling towards the dollar, but stopped and looked back at me with a scowl, but I would redden her ass later to make up for it. She was like having a child around, but she only rolled her eyes at me and crawled back. Grace let my tentacle wrap around her small frame, but she made a grossed out expression as I did, and then part of me hoped I had to pull her back in to teach her a lesson.

I smashed that idea down immediately, there was no reason to be salty, just remember Dave, in two days you can have her over your knee again to make her pay...I think or maybe it was just a symbiotic relationship. She frustrates me so I take it out on her backside and everyone's a winner? 

Suddenly, I was focused on Grace as she picked up the sand dollar. I felt her body tense as she did, but there was really nothing to do but watch this trainwreck of trap go off. As Grace picked up the sand dollar, the sand started to move and a very large stingray popped up and was slammed into the whole by the air pressure. 

Wow, that had to be the stupidest trap I had ever seen. when I got to the other side and was able to float more in the middle of the cave I turned back to look. I noticed that there was a part of the cave that didn't look like it belonged. Yes, and I was the one lecturing Grace, but the experience had cowed her a bit and she stayed silent and crawled back inside of my tentacles without any prompting.

[2/20]

That alone was worth its weight in gold, but I didn't sit on the idle thought. Instead, I turned back around to look for the next dollar but was confronted by two approaching small sharks. 

[Scan]

[Scan] Skill has increased to level 6

Name: Sand Shark

HP: 85/85

Skill: 

[Bite]

The sharks were coming straight for me but the two looked like they didn't have the cents to share between them and I also had to remember about the trap behind me. So, with maximum effort on my part and screaming and squirming of Grace yielded spectacular results. 

[Blue Ringed Venom Strike]

[Blue Ringed Venom Strike] 

[Blue Ringed Venom Strike] Skill is now level 4

With a rather casual lift of my tentacles and quick stabs, I was able to dodge idiot one and idiot two. Both went headfirst into the deadly jet spout and spun off in different directions. I wasn't about to wait for them, they were dead. The octopus venom was way too strong and I wondered how long it would continue to be so overpowered? 

'Let me go get the dollars at least!' -Grace.

[Rank C+] Achieved!

[Rank C++] Achieved!

I was distracted, and Grace got away from me, but after a quick look around, I declared that it was safe and let Grace collect the Dollars as I looked through my menu. My health was starting to increase greatly, but only my strength went up by two. Maybe it was getting ready for something big with my next evolution.

That would be nice, maybe a man like body? With my luck, it will have the physique of a four-year-old boy. That was my kind of luck and with MainFrame chomping at my bit for being a cheater, did not make anything look easy for me. Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts by Grace's voice.

'Uh, Dave...help!' -Grace.

I was already moving through the water towards her and my eyes fell on the massive shark in front of me. I rammed the thing with no concern and wrapped my tentacle around the beast.

[Scan]

[Scan] Skill is now level 8

[Grab] 

[Grab] Skill is now level 6

[Constrict]

[Constrict] Failed

The construction failed and it almost broke my grab, but I quickly gave it my signature stab.

[Blue Ringed Venom Strike] 

Name: Bull Shark

HP: 111/135

Skill: 

[Bite]

[Chomp]

The scan info came up but I barely had time to read it as the shark sunk its teeth into me. 

[Bite]

[-25] 50/75 Hit Points remaining

Blood filled the water but I didn't let go. I couldn't let it get to Grace, no matter how stupid she might act sometimes!

[Chomp]

[-45] 5/75 Hit Points remaining

Oh boy, I was having trouble keeping my eyes open, I was about to die.

Wait, no, I will live another day! The shark disappeared out of my grasp and I felt my body sink down to the sand and the world closed around me in darkness.