Minutes passed like hours but Henry lay still till the pain finally subsided.
A soft chime echoed in his ears.
[Evolution Crystal: +1]
He chuckled bitterly. "I knew this wouldn't be easy," he muttered, pushing himself off the damp ground. His muscles ached, but he stood.
Just ahead, partially hidden by the trees was a jagged cave mouth. From another path nearby, he noticed lanterns casting a faint golden glow. They lit a narrow corridor that split into two directions, each path disappearing into darkness.
He turned to the cave again. Something was etched above the entrance, he narrowed his eyes slightly, the symbols were foreign and he couldn't read it.
"A dungeon?" Henry guessed aloud as he adjusted his grip on his slingshot and exhaled slowly. "Alright… Let's see what you've got."
He stepped forward, and walked into the cave.
[Welcome to Solo Dungeon Hennik]
The lanterns flickered to life as he walked. Something about them caught his eye, when drops of slime fell onto the flames, instead of dimming, the fire flared brighter.
He soon reached a wooden gate, or rather, two. The double doors stood side by side like guardians. One bore a large, faded C, the other, a bold H.
"C and H?" he mumbled. He tapped his chin, thinking. "Cannibals? Hobgoblins?"
He shook his head. "Let's try 'C' first."
He reached for the handle.
*Crreeaak*
A gust of icy wind exploded out, stinging his skin like needles.
"C...cold?" he gasped, arms wrapped around his torso. "Damn… I guessed wrong."
He tried the H door, but it wouldn't budge.
[Door C has already been unlocked.]
"Of course," he groaned. "My first choice locks the path."
No way out now. With chattering teeth, Henry returned to the frozen door and pushed it open again. The cold bit into him instantly, worse than before. Still, he stepped inside.
Each breath fogged before him. He slowed his breathing, training it to last twelve seconds at a time. Any faster and he risked passing out.
The moment he entered, the door slammed behind him with a loud metallic clang.
Henry rubbed his arms furiously, his thin green goblin frame shivering. He tried hopping in place, rotating his shoulders, anything to raise his body temperature.
He walked, fast but careful. This was a dungeon, there could be traps.
Minutes passed and frost clung to his hair.
"Co...." Henry couldn't utter a world and as he was ready to collapse, a faint light appeared ahead. He pressed forward with hopes and finally broke through.
He stumbled into the next chamber, gulping air like he'd surfaced from water.
"I almost froze" He whispered and cold air erupted from his mouth.
The room glowed with hundreds of crystals hung from the ceiling, and it's made his body feels warm once again
He stood straighter, his breath steady again. The chamber held four new doors.
Each marked with a letter:
K
G
W
U
Henry eyed them. "Here we go again…"
He hesitated, then stepped toward the G door.
This corridor was different, eerily quiet. No wind, no heat, just stillness.
As he stepped through, the door slammed shut behind him once again.
He kept his slingshot ready, fingers twitching over the rubber band and just then footsteps echoed from ahead, heavy, slow, deliberate.
He glanced at the walls and the crystals reflected a tall, hulking shadow, that could take away his HP with one hit.
"What the hell..." Henry whispered with his heart pounding heavily, seconds which seems like minutes passed by and finally the creature came into view.
Henry blinked in disbelief, it's wasn't as he expected through the shadow reflection, its was an ordinary golbin just like him.
No armor, no weapon. Just bare skin, thin limbs, wild eyes. It stopped, surprised. It stared at Henry's slingshot, confused.
Henry laughed in relief. "Damm.. you scared me! I thought you were a beast."
He stepped forward, arms open to give the golbin a hug.
The goblin hissed.
"Tskkkk!"
Its words were guttural, sharp. It sounded angry.
"What? Hey, calm down," Henry said. "I'm..."
"Tskkk! Kraaa!" The goblin lunged.
A notification flashed:
[Translation Activated]
[Translation of the Language: You speak human tongue. You're a human in disguise!]
"Oh great, I can understand you now," Henry groaned, stumbling back.
The goblin swung its fists, wild and furious.
"I don't want to fight you!" Henry shouted, but the golbin still charged with full force. He pulled back the band of his slingshot, aimed, and released.
*Whisssh*
The stone made a slightly whistling noise and made it way to the goblins head.
"Awl!" The creature let out a loud shriek, staggered, and crumpled to the ground.
[You have killed an Ordinary Goblin.]
[+10 EXP Earned]
For a moment the cave was quiet, then the faint sounds of dozens footsteps could be heard and immediately Henrys face went pale.
"They heard the cry of their comrade" he whispered.
He didn't wait to check if the golbin had dropped any items, survival came first
*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*
He turned back toward the crystal-lit room but the door had vanished.
"Damm it. No going back" he whispered bitterly, the only way was forward.
He scanned the corridor for cover but they was nothing. Then finally he gulped then whispered. 'I have to fight for my life'