Chapter 8: Entering an F Class Dungeon

Chapter 8: Entering an F Class Dungeon

The onlookers' gazes were drawn to Dante as he made his way toward the portal all by himself. Puzzled expressions crossed their faces, and murmurs of curiosity began to ripple through the crowd as they tried to make sense of the unusual sight.

"Is he a newbie, maybe?" Someone speculated, craning their neck for a better view.

"I think so." another person chimed in.

"Or perhaps a powerful Holder just having some fun." suggested a girl who appeared to be about sixteen, likely someone who had recently undergone her own ritual.

"I wonder what his skill potential is?"

As the crowd engaged in whispered speculation, Dante's masked appearance added an element of mystery to his presence. All eyes were fixed on him; witnessing someone undertake a dungeon solo, even an F-class one, was an uncommon and intriguing sight for them.

As the murmurs swirled around him, Dante remained unfazed, resolutely continuing on his path.

Approaching the dungeon's entrance, Dante handed his badge number to a member of the staff, while the guards flanking the entrance fixed their gaze upon him.

"You do realize you can still die in there, right?" one of the guards cautioned Dante.

Dante simply nodded, conveying his understanding, and the guard said nothing more, gesturing for him to proceed.

Stepping through the portal, Dante was plunged into darkness, and a sensation of weightlessness enveloped him. His mind braced itself for any potential confrontation, fully aware that upon arrival, he might immediately face one of the dungeon's menacing creatures.

"Did anyone catch his name?" a curious voice inquired.

"I heard it's Eka."

All eyes remained fixed on the spot where Dante had disappeared, curiosity and intrigue swirling amongst the observers.

***

Upon regaining his senses, Dante cautiously raised his hands. He had no choice but to enter the dungeon unarmed initially, as his funds were limited after paying the solo fee, and he planned to find a weapon within the dungeon itself. Fortunately, the area around him appeared to be devoid of any creatures.

He found himself in a sprawling plain, with nothing but grass extending as far as the eye could see. The rising sun cast a vibrant hue upon the grass, energizing Dante. As an F class dungeon, conquering it was relatively straightforward: locate the teleportation stone and destroy it to access the boss room. However, he needed to level up before attempting to face the boss. Uncertain if his choice was the right one, Dante knew he had to take this first step to change his life.

Summoning the status screen, a translucent interface materialized before him.

STATUS SCREEN:

Player: Dante (Human)

Health: 100/100

Energy: 100/100

Level: 1 (0/150)

Stat Points: 0

The goblin tumbled forward, crushed beneath the weight of the shattered rock fragments.

Dante, anticipating a notification screen similar to those found in RPG games, waited anxiously, his breath held in anticipation.

"How many experience points will I get?" Dante muttered to himself.

Seconds ticked by, yet there was no notification in sight. As he watched the goblin gradually rousing from its stupor, Dante realized that he had not slain the creature. Acting swiftly, he moved to the goblin's side and seized its dagger. With a swift, decisive motion, he plunged the blade into the goblin's head, causing a spray of green blood to gush forth. Dante quickly sidestepped to avoid being drenched.

"You killed a goblin! +50 Exp."

The long-awaited translucent screen finally materialized before Dante.

"I did it!" Dante celebrated silently as he promptly checked his status screen, which now displayed an update.

STATUS SCREEN:

Player: Dante (Human)

Health: 100/100

Energy: 80/100

Level: 1 (50/150)

Stat Points: 0

Skills: Concentration(+50%)

Attributes:

Strength: 1

Defense: 1

Vitality: 1

Endurance: 1

Agility: 1

Intelligence: 1

His experience points beside the "Level" increased by 50, while his "Energy" decreased to 80 due to using his skills twice, with only a few seconds between each use. Each use of his skill consumed ten units of energy.

'Goblin provides me with 50 experience points. I need to kill two more goblins to level up,' Dante thought as he salvaged the bow and arrows from the dead goblin. These items would prove useful for his journey.

Dante activated his skill, Concentration, and followed the tracks left by the deceased goblin, hoping to locate more of its kin and dispatch them swiftly. He retraced the footsteps of the goblin; even during his skill's cooldown, he could still faintly discern the tracks, albeit less effectively. However, activating his skill sped up the tracking process.

Before long, he spotted two more goblins. Constant use of his skill had depleted his energy, leaving him with only 35 units, with the last 5 units gradually replenishing. Dante knew he needed to kill them quickly, just like he did with his first kill.