[You are now level 15.]
Kael stood in the dust-choked ruins of the Kovian Tiger's lair, Wiping the remainder of his tears away.
His sword still humming slightly from the last powerful strike. The scent of charred fur and burned moss lingered in the air, and Kael's boots squished in something he refused to look down at. His breath came in short bursts, not from exhaustion, but from the electric buzz of victory.
"Level 15," He whispered in a raspy voice, eyes flickering with excitement.
"Let's goooooo." He screamed, his voice echoing through the blood filled dungeon.
He opened his system menu, the familiar light blue interface appearing before him with a soft ping. There it was in bold, beautiful letters:
[Prestige Available]
[Reward: 1.2x EXP Multiplier upon reset.]
[Prestige?]
[Y/N]
Kael's finger hovered over the big, juicy "Yes" button,He could practically feel the dopamine drip forming in his brain. But then—
"Wait a second... 1.2x? That's it?"
The smile slipped off his face like a wet sock off a balcony.
He stared at the text again. Still said 1.2x. No secret bonus for being cool or handsome. No sparkles. Just 1.2x.
"I almost got murked by a gelatinous rectangle blob and a goblin with a chin like a nutcracker for this?"
Then a flashback occurred:
*Kael, getting absolutely ragdolled by a jelly cube.*
"Mmf— can't breathe— why does this thing have bones?!"
*Kael, running from a goblin.*
"WHY IS IT FASTER THAN ME?! I'M THE MAIN CHARACTER, DAMN IT!"
~ Back to reality.
> I'm NOT going through all of that again for a little "1.2."
Kael shook his head and dismissed the window. "Nah. I'm gonna grind 'til I see at least 2x. I ain't settling for middle."
He stretched, a few cracks echoing from his shoulders, then glanced at the massive, half-decayed Kovian Tiger head nearby. It was the size of a mini-fridge and reeked like a locker room filled with wet tampons and betrayal.
"Time to cash this in."
With a quick gesture, he stored the head into his UI inventory.
~ *Blep!*
It vanished with a satisfying pop sound.
---
Adventurer's Guild – Front Desk
Kael slapped the counter with a grin.
"Yo, guess who solo'd a D-rank boss?"
The receptionist, a tired woman named Arra with glasses too big for her face and a bun that looked like it was holding on for dear life, raised an eyebrow. She scanned him up and down like he was a mop trying to pass off as a knight.
" *Sigh* why do I have to be on shift today... "
she deadpanned.
Kael swiped open his UI and materialized the tiger's head right onto the desk with a big, wet thud.
~ Splat.
Arra stared at the blood on the desk for an abnormally long time then leaned back.
"Sir. This is a government-sanctioned workspace."
Kael gave her a toothy grin.
"Where's my money perchance?"
She sighed and reached into the drawer, pulling out a pouch and dropping it into his hands.
"Twenty silver. You want it in coins or... ramen coupons?"
Kael froze. His eyes glinted at the coin filled pouch.
"Wait... that's enough for two weeks of ramen... every day... with egg."
He clutched the pouch like it was his newborn child.
[ In reality, Kael's parents had enough money to buy him an entire house in the capital without denting their wallet.]
But this—this was his money. Earned through blood, sweat, and traumatic gelatinous experiences.
A Heartwarming pause.
Then—
"Alright," he said, fists clenched.
"I want an E-rank dungeon. Solo."
Arra blinked staring at his Ui. "You just hit Level 15. People usually don't solo E-ranks until they're 30."
Kael winked.
"Yeah but they're not built like me."
He grinned with confidence and humor.
Someone in the waiting line behind him muttered, "Built like an unpaid intern."
Kael turned.
"I heard that, Greg."
"Actually my name is herbe–"
Before he could finish kael was already though the front door.
---
Kael arrived at the dungeon.
Dungeon: E-Rank – Whispering Caverns
The atmosphere changed the moment he entered. The air was heavy, the torches lining the walls flickering unnaturally. This wasn't like the D-rank. The whispering part? Not just a name. He could hear faint voices.
"Turn back... turn back..."
"Your haircut sucks..."
Kael squinted. "I heard that one.."
He flicked his hair upward and entered the dungeon.
The first mob to appear wasn't a goblin or a slime. It was a floating, translucent creature that flickered in and out of the cavern walls.
[Dwinki]
HP: 500
Ability: Phasing
The thing zipped past him before he could blink, slicing his cheek with a sharp claw.
"Woah..." He muttered, quickly side stepping.
It zipped back. Then another joined. Then another.
Soon, Kael was swinging his sword in every direction like a man possessed.
"You wanna phase through stuff?! I'll phase my SWORD through your FACE!"
"That's cringe.." A voice muttered past his ear.
"Heh...gotcha.."
He swung in the direction of the voice, his slash connected.
The Dwinki let out a squeal and exploded into pixels.
[Level Up! Level 16 Reached!]
[Level Up! Level 17 Reached!]
Kael stood frozen.
"...huh...what?"
He checked his stats. Two levels just from one. uno. Dwinki?
"AWWWW YEAH. It's DWINKI SEASON, BABY."
Cue: killing spree.
Sword flying. Limbs flailing. Dwinkis shrieking. It looked less like a fight and more like a gremlin-themed rave.
---
Eventually, only one Dwinki remained. It had its wings torn, one eye half-shut, dragging itself along the rocky floor.
Kael approached slowly, his footsteps echoing with menace. He had a wide grin like a cartoon villain, dragging his sword behind him for dramatic effect.
"You messed with the wrong prestige addict."
He raised his sword.
~ Thwoosh!
An arrow zipped past him, embedding into the floor an inch from the Dwinki's head.
Kael froze.
"That—that wasn't me."
"No shit..." The dwinki on the floor whispered.
He turned sharply, scanning the shadows. A voice rang out, smooth and clear:
"You're a psycho for prolonging this poor thing's suffering, you know."
A figure stepped forward from the dark.
She had long white hair, a short bow in hand, and the kind of composure you only see from people who meditate before breakfast. She looked... normal. Human, even.
Then Kael saw the ears.
Pointy. Graceful. Twitching.
His jaw dropped.
"An elf?"
His brain went haywire.
Comedic anime sparkle filter.
*Fantasy Elf Maids With Big Breasts popped into his mind*
He imagined her in a frilly apron with a tray of tea, bowing.
"Master Kael\~ your bath is ready\~ and also your taxes have been filed\~"
He blinked out of the daydream.
He stared her up and down and then muttered.
"I thought elves had... y'know... big boobs."
He said plainly, squeezing two invisible things in both his hands.
The elf's face twitched. She stared at him. He stared at her. A long pause.
"Huh?" She said flatly.