The midday sun warmed my back as I stepped outside the murder pit, grabbing a bag of potato puffs from my backpack. Not the most stellar of lunches, but I couldn't afford to be picky just yet.
Even cold, these things were still pretty good. Crunchy, just like hash-browns, except they also had a nice cream filling. I could see where Aiz's borderline addiction for this stuff came from.
A frown curled my lips as I chewed absentmindedly, eyes flicking idly across the nearly empty dungeon plaza. For the past few hours, I've been trying to figure out my new skill, though sadly, without much success.
The problem was actually triggering the Limit Off, which didn't seem to happen, even with the supposedly increased odds.
Maybe the monsters on the second floor were simply too weak? Or maybe I wasn't in enough danger to begin with? Or it could very well be a mindset issue.
Perhaps I'd have better luck on a lower floor.
I grabbed another cold potato puff, taking a hearty bite out of it. I'd have to go deeper either way.
Spending the whole morning killing stuff on the second floor made it pretty clear that the midgets and dogs were too easy for me to murder by now. Their necks didn't snap like breadsticks as often anymore, and my skill only triggered when significantly outnumbered.
In hindsight, it did make sense. Killing the same monsters, over and over again, especially when the power gap became too obvious, made the whole thing less cool. It was less like hunting and more like pest control.
I had to move down a floor or two. Hopefully, I could convince Misha without drawing much attention.
__________________________________________
As I grabbed my pay from the exchange post, the ongoing chat from the nearby guild counter caught my attention.
"—if no other Familia accepts you, there are several which almost never turn down new adventurers." A monotone voice spoke up, with all the enthusiasm of an overworked wage slave. "Soma Familia, Demeter Familia, Ishtar Familia, and Ogma Familia."
Bag in hand, I inched closer to the reception side of the Guild hall, eyeing the counter from the corner of my eyes.
It was the same dead inside looking guy I saw on my first day here, talking to a trio of cute demi human girls. A hobbit with olive hair, a white haired bunny girl, and a dark haired fox girl.
My gaze lingered on the bushy tail poking out of her shrine maiden outfit and the pair of fluffy fox ears perched atop her head.
I've seen my first fox girl back in Melen, though only in passing. This one was much cuter, and only a few meters away from me. A few more steps and I'd be close enough to pet her—
I smothered that urge with an iron grip. Sexual harassment was not cool.
I'd have to wait and satisfy my curiosity with Haruhime. I had enough time to figure out something, even though it would take me a while to put it in practice…
"Neither of them have specific recruitment days, so you can visit right now and try your luck," the guild clerk said. "You can find the city map by the entrance. The Soma and Ishtar Familias are the closest from here."
But why was this dude recommending Soma Familia to new adventurers?
Frowning in thought, I dumped the coins in my waist bag, only to pause mid-step. Ah right, these clerks had no clue about how fucked up that Familia truly was.
My gaze drifted to the exit, and, for a moment, I just stood there idly.
Hmm. This didn't really concern me, and I wanted to get back to the dungeon as soon as possible, but… could I really let three impressionable young girls accidentally join Soma and screw over their lives?
I should at least warn them.
Moving over to the entrance, I fished out my trusty rag and wiped the bloodstains off my armor while waiting. I still looked like a murderhobo, but at least I got rid of the drying blood. Mostly.
Soon enough, the girls finally left the counter, and, shortly after they stepped outside, I walked up to them with an easygoing smile.
"Yo. I happened to overhear that you're looking for a Familia to join."
The trio paused almost in sync, gazes veering in my direction. The bunny girl perked up with a smile while the fox girl eyed me curiously, but the hobbit just lingered shyly behind her friends.
From up close, they looked a bit younger than I thought. They were cute, but… a little too young.
I had no idea who they were, but they looked fresh faced enough to likely be from out of town.
"Yeah," the bunny girl nodded, my eyes lingering on her silver, bob-cut hair. "We just arrived yesterday and don't know much about the city. We've asked around, and were about to check our options."
Her accent was kinda weird, but she'd probably come from the Far East. The katana at her waist could be personal taste, but her outfit looked as Japanese as sushi. A loose, dark blue kimono that barely hung from her left shoulder, leaving half her chest out in the open, with only some flimsy cotton wraps to keep her modesty.
Not as naked as the average Amazon, but still pretty wild.
The hobbit looked the most normal out of the trio, with her orange jacket and brown shorts, but she'd yet to stop trying to hide behind her two companions. Social anxiety was a bitch, even in fantasy land.
"Are you perhaps aiming to recruit us into your Familia?" The fox girl chimed in with all the grace of a sledgehammer, and my mouth twitched in amusement. I liked her.
Her dark hair fell like a silk curtain behind her shoulders, and she wore slightly more clothes than her friend, but her shrine maiden outfit still bordered on fetish levels of short.
Once again, my eyes went to her big fluffy ears, and the sudden urge to just reach out and touch them nearly got the best of me for a moment.
It took a conscious effort, and the promise of another, more age appropriate fox girl I could pet, but I managed to resist temptation.
Before things could get awkward, I shook my head, mouth pressed in a thin line. "Not exactly." I eyed each of the trio in turn. "I wanted to warn you about the less savory Familias in the city."
The fox girl blinked, brow furrowing the tiniest bit. "You went out of your way just for this?"
"Yeah." I nodded, unbothered by the healthy dose of skepticism in her tone. She was young, but she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders.
"Hey, no need to be rude." The bunny girl turned to her friend. "He's just being nice."
A small frown crossed the Renard's face. "I wasn't, but we aren't home anymore. We can't just blindly trust people."
Hmm. Maybe they wouldn't have ended up with Soma after all.
The samurai cosplayer sighed, but didn't push the matter any further as her attention shifted back to me. "Sorry about that." She bowed deeply from her waist. "But what did you mean by less savory Familias?"
"It's not common knowledge, but the Soma Familia has become a lot less pleasant in the past few years, ever since they got a new captain. All the members are addicted to Soma wine and they rob and hurt each other just for another sip." I said, face turning grim. "There are rumors that they rob and even kill other adventurers in the dungeon."
A brief silence followed as the trio shared a few looks among each other. The shortest one seemed a little shaken, fingers gripping at the fabric of her jacket and blue eyes wide in surprise.
Bob-cut nibbled on her lip, looking a little troubled at the revelation. Her dark haired friend had a pretty good pokerface, though. I could only guess what went through her head.
The two of them shared a glance, before having a brief exchange in what sounded like Japanese, while the third one just stared awkwardly at them.
"Ah, please don't forget about me." Came a soft voice as the shy girl spoke for the first time.
"Sorry, Coco." Coco, huh? "Sometimes I forget that you don't speak Far Eastern." The Renard gave an apologetic smile, getting a tiny curl of the lips from her friend.
"We were talking about that guild clerk." Bob-cut chimed in.
"Yes." The fox girl's eyes flickered in my direction. "Why didn't the Guild warn us about this?"
I shrugged. "I doubt they know. Soma Familia is quite secretive with their internal affairs. I only know this because I've overheard some of their members talking about it."
I should probably try to get Eina to investigate Soma like she did in canon. Somehow.
"You seem to overhear a lot of things." The Renard ignored the chiding look from her samurai friend and kept eyeing me suspiciously. I couldn't really fault her when my bloodstained clothes probably had a negative charisma modifier.
Lips twitching in amusement, I pointed at my ear. "The Falna sharpens your senses. You'll see when you get your own."
"I suppose we will." She nodded, seemingly satisfied, even if some traces of suspicion lingered in her amber gaze. Not that it mattered much, so long they steered away from Soma.
Maybe from Ishtar, too. I doubted they'd enjoy that sort of lifestyle. They weren't Amazons.
"It's alright if you don't believe me, but try the other Familias first."
The ball was in their court now. If they were dumb enough to still join Soma despite the warning, they probably deserved their fate.
After a brief staring match with the fox girl, she opened her mouth again, but before she could get a single word out, Bob-cut spoke up with a smile.
"Thank you for warning us." She bowed her head curtly, side-eyeing her dark haired companion, who gave a long, drawn out sigh though remained quiet.
"You're welcome," I said, smiling back.
"Is there any other Familia we should be careful about?"
My gaze drifted to the giant spire in the distance, lips twitching at a sudden thought. Nah, if they caught Freya's attention, they were screwed no matter what.
I gave the bunny girl a wry smile. "Well, there's Ishtar Familia. They're not awful like Soma, but…" A beat of silence passed among us as I looked for the right words. "They have a certain reputation."
Her head cocked a little to the side. "What do you mean?"
I held back a sigh. What did that guild guy even tell them? Listed a bunch of Familias and called it a day? Not even a basic overview?
"Ishtar Familia is comprised mostly of prostitutes, and, upon joining, you're expected to ply the trade, too. So, unless you're into that stuff, I suggest avoiding Ishtar."
A fierce blush creeped up the hobbit girl's face at the blunt revelation, while the other two merely shared a meaningful glance before shaking their heads.
"Anything else?"
My gaze flickered to the Renard, and I shook my head. "That's all I know." Nothing else came to mind.
"What about the other two?" Bob-cut piped in, voice lilting with her funny accent. It was kinda cute, I had to admit, but I had no idea who she was talking about.
I cocked an eyebrow. "Which other two?"
"Ogma and Demeter Familias."
Oh. A small fry who didn't even get screen time, and the farmer goddess with the biggest rack in the city. She might not be a chocolate beauty, but I'd still give her field a good ploughing.
Yeah, Demeter should be fin–
A vague memory surfaced to mind, giving me pause like a slap to the face.
Shit.
"Ogma's fine, but I wouldn't recommend Demeter."
"Why's that?"
Because they get Bad Ended by Dionysus in a few months.
I didn't remember much from the Sword Oratoria plot-line, but I knew that the blond prick was going to cause a lot of problems in the near future. I wasn't sure what I could do to prevent it, but I had a few months to try and come up with a plan.
"Demeter is running a farm outside Orario, but her Familia doesn't really bother with the dungeon. So, if adventuring is your goal, you'd most likely be on your own."
"That's fine. We're used to it." Bob-cut waved it off with a smile.
I held back a frown. What else could convince them to avoi–
Aha.
"You will also have to live on their farm." I pointed out with a smirk. "So, unless you have the money to rent a room inside the city, you'll have to walk on foot every day to the dungeon and back."
That got a grimace out of the Renard. "That would be wasting a lot of time."
"I think we should leave the Demeter Familia for last." The hobbi–Coco–spoke in her soft voice, getting a nod from Bob-cut.
"Yeah, we probably should."
Good. That was another Bad End avoided. Hopefully.
A brief silence fell between us, but before it could get awkward, the fox girl caught my gaze, a curious gleam in her eyes.
"Which Familia would you recommend?"
Well, Hestia would definitely take them, but that would probably wreck the timeline.
A thoughtful line stretched my lips.
Did I really care about the timeline, though? I was going to butterfly the shit out of it, anyway.
"If you're from the Far East," Bob-cut and the fox girl nodded almost in sync while Coco just stared awkwardly at them. "Takemikazuchi came to Orario a few years ago, and he has six people around your age in his Familia. You could join him. I'm sure he would accept you."
The bunny girl took a brief glance at her hobbit friend, worrying her lip. "And what if he doesn't?"
I kinda doubted that. That guy was too nice to turn down a bunch of kids.
"Well, you could always join the Hestia Familia. She's a newly descended goddess, and I guarantee that she wouldn't turn you down. The obvious downside is that you'd have to start from zero." And have to deal with Hestia playing obvious favorites when Bell finally showed up.
The girls shared a look, before Bob-cut gave me a smile. "We don't mind that."
"Yeah." Coco added quietly from the back.
"I've survived on rice for a month last year." The fox girl boasted, lips quirked with a proud, little smile, and I held back a cringe. Poor girl. She probably shat bricks by the end of it.
"Um, I don't know, that sounds really hard." Coco spoke again, eyes shifting between her friends, but an encouraging smile from Bob-cut seemed to make her reconsider.
"Come on, Coco, we can do it together. It could be fun being the first in a Familia. It'll be like we're all captains."
Surprisingly enough, she didn't fold to the peer pressure.
"Can we at least try joining Takemikazuchi first?"
The two demi humans shared a thoughtful look, but before either of them could open their mouth, I chimed in with a smile.
"Personally, I'd try Takemikazuchi first. I've heard he offers to teach his children how to fight, and being a war god, he's likely the best at it."
Barely a moment after I closed my mouth, the bunny girl's face lit up eagerly. Of course the wannabe samurai would get excited at the prospect of training.
"Oh, that's great! I've come here to master the blade. Finding a good teacher so early would be amazing!"
A snort threatened to escape me as the fox girl stared at her friend in something akin to fond exasperation, before sighing. "It would be nice to have with us more people from our homeland."
As the other two girls had another quick exchange in not-Japanese, Coco caught my attention with a stare, the corner of her lips curling with a tiny smile as she mouthed a quiet thanks.
Smiling back, I gave her a short wink, watching in amusement as she quickly averted her eyes, suddenly finding something particularly interesting across the street.
As soon as she wrapped up her brief chat with her friend, Bob-cut turned towards me with a smile, bowing her head. "Thanks for the advice, mister."
"You're welcome."
And that was probably my cue to leave.
We exchanged a few parting words, and then I headed back inside the Guild with a spring in my step.
__________________________________________
She covered a yawn, dipping her quill in ink with a quiet sigh before returning to her half finished documents.
It was barely noon, and she already couldn't wait for her shift to end. Mornings were always slow and full of paperwork, and then she had to deal with the afternoon rush…
A groan threatened to escape her, but she turned it into a drawn out sigh.
At least the pay was nice. And she had a few nice perks, to–
"Hey, Misha. How's my favorite advisor doing on this fine day?"
A familiar voice had her looking up from her boring papers, just as a smiling young man walked in front of the reception counter, his breastplate glimmering as it caught a ray of sun.
Favorite advisor, eh?
Her chair scraped a little against the floor as she stood up from her desk, making her way to the counter, a spring in her step and lips curled playfully.
Jack had such a cheerful air about him that it melted away all her piled up annoyance and boredom even after a busy day of work.
He was back pretty early, though. He didn't look injured, either.
"Not as good as you, apparently." Her eyes lingered on his bloodstained shirt and the dried blood smudged across his armor. "Calling it an early day?"
Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "Not quite. There's plenty of work left for today, but I'm facing a small problem."
He made a vague gesture, seemingly looking for the right words, and she quirked an eyebrow in amusement.
"You broke your knife, didn't you?" She placed both hands on the counter, a teasing smile on her lips. "We can easily fix that for the small price of two thousand valis."
Jack blinked, a beat of silence passing between them as he stared at her impassively, before the corners of his mouth lifted in a brief and slightly forced smile.
"No thanks."
She brought up a hand to cover a giggle, enjoying the pinched look on his face. He wasn't the only one who disliked the overly pricy equipment offered by the Guild, but his reactions were pretty funny.
He also didn't seem to mind her teasing, but rather enjoy it as much as she did.
"So…" Her voice trailed off as she leaned forward a little, looking at him through her lashes. "Did you perhaps come here just to see me?"
It had no effect on him, not even the tiniest bit of fluster on his face as he held her gaze, but that only made her want to see if he had a limit.
Jack smirked. "That too." He said without an ounce of shame, and she felt her mouth twitch with a smile.
"Smooth."
And he even teased her back.
Still, wasn't he forgetting something?
"You were saying something about an issue." She wouldn't mind more banter, but he got her curious with that tidbit.
"Right." Jack nodded, his expression adopting a more serious note. "I've been killing monsters on the second floor all morning, and they seem to die too easily."
"That's horrible." Her voice came out dry as the desert, not a single muscle twitching on her face. She hoped this wasn't heading where she thought it was, but the way he looked at her brought a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"I know. That's why I came to ask if I cou–"
"No."
The mirth vanished from her voice as she straightened, lips curled with the ghost of a frown. She's had this song and dance plenty of times and was ready for a lengthy argument, but Jack just eyed her in amusement.
"You didn't even let me finish." He smirked, tone playful, but, this time, she bit back the almost instinctive teasing remark, her frown deepening a little.
He seemed like he expected her refusal, but then, why did he even ask? Did he think he could convince her? The look on his face made it clear that he was going to be stubborn about it, too.
She held back a sigh, mouth drawing a stern line. "Jack, it's only been two days." She made sure to emphasize the last part. "There's no way you're ready to delve deeper than the second floor.
"Are you sure about that?
Mouth quirked in a smug little smile, he dug a hand inside his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. Familiar looking letters caught her eye as he straightened out the status sheet before holding it out for her, the smile never leaving his face.
Ah, so that was his angle…
But what was she supposed to see there?
Her brow creased a fraction as she took the paper. He shouldn't overestimate himself like that. The dungeon was beyond dangerous, and a single mistake could mean death.
If he was trying to impress her, it would take a lot mo–
She looked at the numbers, and her jaw went slack.
What…
She read his status again, just to make sure she hadn't seen things, but no, it was the same. Over fifty points in strength and the agility nearly there, too. He could easily go down to the fourth floor…
How was this possible?
He had higher abilities than the average rookie after two weeks of dungeon delving, and that Endurance–over a hundred points–gods, what on earth did he do?
The other fields were empty, but most adventurers kept their magic and skills secret, especially their skills.
She stared wordlessly at the paper, her eyes lingering on the twelve points in Magic.
And he even had magic as a fresh level one. That could be simply a matter of luck, but those abilities…
Did he also have a Skill? That could explain his abnormal growth, but… what sort of crazy skill could even do something like this? She could try asking, but that would be rude, and he likely wouldn't even answer.
She nibbled at her lip, folding the paper absentmindedly before handing it back.
Maybe she should just ignore this whole thing for now and–
His fingers brushed her hand, a brief tingle jolting across her skin. Her eyes flickered to his face, and the corner of his mouth curled teasingly.
"So, do you think I'm ready?" His playful voice tickled her ears, and she felt her chest tighten with a spark of heat.
This guy…
She placed her hands back on the counter, her tongue poking out to wet her drying lips. "Jack." She briefly glanced around, keeping her voice quiet. "This status is crazy. You advanced in two days more than the average person advances in two weeks. And I'm not even going to ask about that Endurance. I don't know what you did, but it must've been crazy."
"Yeah. I had to use a High Potion after accidentally exploding my hands with magic." Jack gestured blithely with a hand, and there was a moment of silence as she couldn't help but stare.
"You what?" Her voice rose in disbelief, though a brief glance at his hands eased her worries a little. They looked fine, aside from the dried monster blood staining them up to the elbow.
Frowning, she met his eyes, all but demanding an explanation, yet he kept looking at her in amusement.
"I did some training yesterday, but it got a little out of hand." His teasing smile grew wider, and it became clear that he was doing this on purpose and greatly enjoying her reaction.
A spark of annoyance flared in her chest, though it quickly got smothered as he gave her a playful, if not a little cheeky wink.
The banter was great, but…
Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, lips quirking mischievously.
Two could play at this game.
"You talked pretty big a couple days ago, but I see you're still giving me reasons to worry about you." She said airily, smug satisfaction filling her as Jack's amused smile quickly slipped away.
He nodded, mouth pressing thinly. "Looking back, what I did was pretty stupid."
A quiet moment passed as she studied his face, her smile becoming a little warmer. It was nice to see he wasn't above admitting his own mistakes. She dealt with enough adventurers who always thought they knew better.
She wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily, though.
"What did you even do? Hit yourself with fire magic?" She eyed him curiously. He did seem the type to get a fire based magic.
"I can fire an explosion from my hands, but it also hurts me in the process."
An explosion, huh? Pretty strong for a first spell, but that was an awful drawback. Did magic even work like that outside of curses?
Her gaze drifted up as she sucked at her teeth, trying to remember, but nothing came to mind. Ugh. She should've paid more attention during those school classes…
Smothering a sigh, she glanced back at Jack, lips pursed. "Maybe you should hold back on magic until you can talk to someone more experienced about it."
"Yeah," he nodded, "I'm not touching that spell until I figure something."
She smiled. Good, he–
"Raising my Endurance might help, though."
Her smile became a little strained. "I hope you know that you can improve Endurance without having to get hurt." She joked, but he didn't smile, and the pensive look on his face didn't make it any better.
He'd better not be getting any ideas…
"True, but that gave me three times the usual amount."
A brief silence stretched between them as she gave him a flat look. "Jack." Why were men like this?
"Don't worry, I'm actually doing my best to avoid injuries." He smiled in reassurance, though it didn't fully ease her worry off. "Potions are way too expensive."
She blinked. That's what he was worried about?
Unless he was pulling her leg again…
He didn't sound like he was teasing her, and his face didn't reveal much either.
"Could've fooled me," she said dryly, drawing an amused huff from Jack as his mouth quirked with a smile.
"Guess I'll have to rely on working up a good sweat to raise my Endurance." He lifted an arm, the thin, white fabric of his short sleeves bulging a little as he flexed. "And putting more meat on my bones is always nice."
Oh? Her eyes traced the outline of his muscles, her teeth brushing her lip in a playful bite.
"Planning to get bigger?" She smiled teasingly, leaning forward, hands resting on the counter.
Jack smirked back. "There's always room to get bigger." His eyes bored into hers, and that warm spark from before lit up anew in her chest. "I'm thinking big enough to rip my shirt with just a flex."
Mmm. Yum.
Her smile grew a bit wider with mischief. "Well, that certainly would be a sight." She pushed her shoulders subtly, a thrill surging through her bosom and heart picking up as she caught his gaze lingering on her chest.
Too bad her uniform was so stuffy. The smug, knowing look on her face didn't fluster him one bit, but maybe showing a little skin would have drawn a reaction.
"A perfect way to assert dominance before a fight."
She bit the inside of her lip, smothering a peal of laughter. Men.
"And put on a show." One she wouldn't mind watching.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh?" She leaned a little closer, heat pooling in her stomach. "You'd do that for me?"
His eyes stole another glance at her chest, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "I have a feeling you'd enjoy one."
"You think so?"
"Mm-hmm," he hummed, smile growing a little wider, as if ready to give her another flirty line, but he just held her gaze, a cheeky look on his face.
Her heart drummed in anticipation as the silence stretched on, her shirt feeling a bit too warm and tight around her chest. She felt all tingly around her thighs, the urge to rub them together distracting her enough that she almost missed what Jack was saying.
"–fun chatting with you, but I gotta get back to the dungeon."
Her smile dimmed a little. Aww, and just when it was getting good…
She wasn't sure who won their little teasing game, but she could always have another round next time.
"Guess I'll have to go back to my boring work." She straightened herself, giving him a playful wink. "Don't miss me too much."
Jack chuckled. "I'll stop by when I'm done."
Her mood further soured at the reminder, her sobering look mirrored by her voice. "Be careful down there." She was starting to sound like Eina, but more caution could mean the difference between life and death in the dungeon.
That awful place had claimed too many lives. She didn't want him to go in there and never return…
Jack nodded solemnly. "I will." He'd better be. "See you later, Misha."
"Bye, Jack." She gave him a little wave before he turned around to leave, watching as he made his way outside.
A quiet, yearning sigh escaped her once she lost sight of him.
It's been a while since she's had this much fun flirting with a guy. Most of them either tried too hard, were too rude, or didn't pick up on her hints, but he was just the right mix of playful, cocky, and funny.
He wasn't bad looking, either. Not quite handsome–well, maybe a little–but he had that roguish charm about him, and he was just the right amount of bold that he could get her worked up with just a simple chat.
If he put on some more muscle, he'd be a real ladykiller.
Mmm.
She could almost imagine it.
A pair of big, strong arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her close into a broad chest, and–
She bit at her lip, ending that thought before it got out of control. She couldn't get too worked up here. She still had a job to do.
She lingered by the counter, idly looking around the guild hall as she waited to cool down a little. A couple of adventurers were chatting by the entrance, another one was just walking in, and one more was busy at the exchange post.
The calm before the storm.
A glance to the left met her with a familiar glare from her friend, but she answered it with a cheeky smile and wave, much to Eina's displeasure.
Well, maybe she'd taken a bit too long of a break…
She should probably get back to work. Her uniform was feeling less stuffy and warm, and her heart wasn't racing in her chest anymore.
Reluctantly, she left the front counter, feeling like she was heading for the gallows.
As she made her way back to her desk though, she became acutely aware of the damp feeling between her legs. Her mouth curled in displeasure. With all the pleasant heat fading away, the sticky fabric just clung uncomfortably to her nethers.
She held back a groan. Great. She made a mess again.
She sat at her desk with a frown, giving the half finished paperwork a glare. Now she had to finish her work like this…
A quiet yet long suffering sigh escaped her as she picked up her quill.
Maybe she should start carrying spare underwear?
__________________________________________
I narrowly dodged a slash as the kobold lunged, sharp claws passing by my ear, cutting the air with a whoosh. My fist instantly struck forth in a punishing right hook, hitting the mob in its ugly mug and staggering it just as the other paw came swinging. I brought up my left hand instinctively, catching the claws on my spiky gauntlet as the creature yowled in pain.
Pivoting on my foot, my leg lashed out in a brutal back kick, heel digging in the kobold's furry chest and sending it flying into the wall. Bones cracked on impact, a squelching noise filling the cavern as a sharp piece of rock impaled the dog man through the neck, blood splattering across the wall like a modern art piece.
I could almost hear that Mortal Kombat announcer as the monster twitched in its death throes before slumping over lifelessly.
Rule of Cool was wild as usual with these game-worthy fatalities.
Taking a lungful of stale air, I exhaled loudly through my nose as I stared at the three corpses littering the hallway, lips curled in disappointment.
These guys were a little faster than the kobolds on the previous floor, but not enough to give me a good fight. At least not in small groups. Five of them should make things interesting, but this floor had the same shitty spawn rates as the first two.
Sighing in annoyance, I pulled out my carving knife and moved to the nearest corpse, getting to work.
I've only been here for ten minutes, so maybe I shouldn't complain just yet. I still had a whole floor to explore. If this one couldn't get my blood pumping, maybe the fourth floor would.
__________________________________________
The slimy and still warm innards of the goblin clung to my hand as I grabbed the tiny shard in its chest, pulling it free with a squelch, the body dissolving into dark wisps of whatever substance made up these creatures.
Stashing the crystal in my backpack, I stood up, damp shirt sticking uncomfortably to my back with cooling sweat. Wiping my hands on a blood-soaked rag, I pulled out my watch, mouth curling with a frown as I checked the time.
It took a while for the mobs to respawn, but this spot was likely the best I could get at the moment. The fourth floor had more adventurers running about than the previous three combined, and finding an empty place to murder stuff was a bit of a challenge, especially at this hour.
Luckily for me, nobody seemed interested enough in camping around the entrance to the fifth floor, so I could keep the entire hallway to myself.
Sighing, I moved to the remaining corpse, opening up the belly with a practiced slice, only to pause as the sound of approaching footsteps suddenly reached my ears.
I looked up just in time to see a figure blitzing past the entrance, dark cloak billowing behind as they ran like the hounds of hell were biting at their heels.
Huh…
As I stared in confusion, a cacophony of noises came from the hallway, more footfalls and growls, getting increasingly louder by the second.
My stomach dropped like a piece of lead.
I sprang to my feet in a heartbeat, grip tightening on the knife, slinging my backpack over my shoulder with one hand, before making a run for the entrance. I barely made it halfway there when a pair of kobolds rushed in from the hallway, red eyes blazing with hatred.
Dodging an abrupt lunge, I backhanded one kobold into a stumble, knife carving a bloody line through the neck of the other dog thing, but two more of them popped in, blocking the way.
Shit.
I turned on a dime, avoiding a sharp pair of claws as I retreated back inside the room, the menacing growls getting louder and louder. Looking over my shoulder, I skidded abruptly to a stop and spun around, one foot lashing out and catching a pursuing dog man in the muzzle, snapping its neck.
The wounded kobold at the back fell to the ground, finally bleeding out, but the other two already caught up, with two more popping in from the hallway.
A curse died on my lips as I side-stepped a slash, the displaced air tickling my face. I jabbed the nearest dog man in the face, staggering it, but the other one charged at me before I could've buried my knife in the bastard's neck.
Avoiding the telegraphed attack, I parried the other paw, knife lashing out to carve a bloody line across its neck. The last kobold tried to jump me from behind, but I spun around just in time to deck it in the mug with a spiky fist. A blind claw swipe stopped my follow up, but I easily weaved around it, stabbing the bastard in the neck with a satisfying squelch.
Fucking sit.
Ripping the knife out and kicking the mob away, the two remaining dog men tried to flank me from both sides, but a bit of footwork and a quick jab to the face sent one of them reeling, my sharp implement piercing deeply through the other's neck.
I pulled the dagger sideways with a grunt, blood gushing out of the wound as I kicked the kobold to the ground. I lunged at the last one as it regained its bearings, parrying a clumsy swipe, before a left hook to the jaw broke it with a snap. A punch to the chin interrupted its pained howl, my knife quickly silencing it forever.
Rapid footfalls drew my gaze to the entrance, and I saw four goblins charging in, with another kobold at their back.
A cracking noise from behind brought a sinking feeling to my stomach. A brief glance revealed three midgets and two furry bastards emerging from the wall.
Fuck.
I looked back at the approaching mobs, legs tensing. I still had a few seconds left.
A muscle jumped in my jaw as I dashed to intercept, leaping at the nearest goblin in a flying kick and crushing its face beneath my feet. Side-stepping a sloppy claw swipe, I punched the second goblin in the face, snapping its neck, and kicked away another midget as it tried to claw at my leg.
I saw the kobold getting close, but the fourth goblin jumped in from the side just then, and I lost sight of the dog man for a moment. Punching the offending midget hard enough to snap its neck, a flash of movement from the corner of my vision had me move aside on instinct as the furry bastard tried to flank, but I dodged too late, sharp claws leaving four shallow cuts along my left arm.
Ignoring the flesh wound, I weaved around two more swipes before I saw an opening, a punch to the face staggering the monster long enough for my knife to carve open the side of its neck. A kick to the chest sent the dog man stumbling to the floor, and a stomp on its knee left the monster struggling on the ground as it bled out.
Footfalls closed in quickly from behind, and I pivoted around without even looking, heel smashing a goblin in the face, twisting its head to the side with a crunch as the midget flew through the air like a fidget spinner.
The freshly spawned mobs were already in my face as I regained my footing, and I barely managed to dodge the claw swipes from the kobolds before the angry midgets also joined the fray.
Finding myself on the back foot, I did my best to just weave around the monsters, my lungs starting to burn as I waited for an opening to strike.
A furry paw sailed past my ear, one hand darting up to intercept another swipe aimed at my face, and I grinned, blitzing the kobold as my knife lashed out towards its neck. It carved open the skin, but I saw the midget leaping from my blind spot a second too late, sharp nails tearing through the fabric of my shirt, leaving shallow cuts across my lower back.
I mule kicked the little fucker on instinct, bones giving beneath my foot, but, in a last act of spite, the bleeding kobold swiped a hand, clipping me in the shoulder before I pivoted around, sweeping its feet from underneath.
The last dog man lunged at me with a snarl, one paw lashing forward, poised to rend my face, but a flash of movement in the corner of my eye had me smiling. I ducked just as a goblin leapt from behind, the claws gouging the midget's eyes as I dashed to the side.
Agonized screeching filled the cavern as I spun around, foot whipping forward just as the kobold regained its footing, smashing right into its furry face. The other goblin leapt from the side, but I threw myself forward, narrowly avoiding it as I closed in on the reeling kobold, burying my knife into its neck. I punched the monster in the nose with my other hand, sending it stumbling backwards with a spray of blood.
The blade slipped free with a squelching noise, just in time as the angry midget came running from behind with a growl, only to meet a foot to the face as I whirled around, kicking it into the wall, bones crunching on impact.
Eyes darting around the cavern, I took a moment to catch my breath as I saw the last monster.
Blood pouring from its ruined eyes, the remaining goblin was flailing around blindly, its pained screeches like nails on a chalkboard. A foot to the chest sent it sprawling to the ground, and a stomp on the neck put the midget out of my misery.
Just as the screeching died down, more footfalls and growls drew my eyes to the entrance.
Fuck.
Sweat pouring down my back and heart drumming in my chest, I gulped down the air as three more kobolds rushed inside. I breathed out in relief, but then, behind them, a dark figure stalked in, spindly arms tipped with three sharp claws, a lone red eye on its face, and skin black like tar.
A war shadow.
My blood ran cold.
Oh fuck.
These bastards needed G stats to fight. I couldn't get away. Three kobolds were easy, but that fucking war shadow would just outrun me.
I had to fight.
A chill surged through my veins as the shadow blurred forward, my eyes nearly losing track. I barely pulled my body sideways as gleaming finger blades whistled through the air inches away from my neck.
Fu–
Its other hand came swinging an instant later, the shriek of metal filling the cavern as I leapt back with three shallow lines carved into my breastplate.
–ck.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the kobolds rushing from the side, though I barely had room to breathe, dodging another swipe aimed to take off my head while keeping an eye on my feet to avoid stumbling.
One of the dog men somehow tripped over a goblin corpse, but the other two quickly closed in, lunging from both sides at once. Finger blades whizzed past my head as I jerked aside, jabbing a kobold in the face, but I wasn't enough to avoid the other one, gritting my teeth as its claws raked across my uninjured arm.
I had an opening to slice open the furry bastard's neck, but the shadow kept trying to disembowel me, and the kobold quickly got out of my reach. The third dog man came charging from the side, a furry paw aimed for my head, and I saw my chance.
I jerked aside, leaping away just as the spindly fucker tried to slice off my head again, and the stars fucking aligned as the war shadow cleaved through the kobold's neck, tearing it out in a spray of blood.
As the dog man fell over, its head barely attached to the body, the lone red eye on the war shadow's face shone even brighter. It darted forward in a burst of speed, and I threw myself to the side, narrowly avoiding death.
I leapt over a dead kobold, legs tensing as the shadow caught up in a couple strides, only for it to somehow trip over the corpse, claws sweeping in a wide arc.
There!
Grip tightening around the knife, I almost dove in to take a swipe, but went the other way on impulse, meeting the last dog man as it closed in from the side. I grabbed its wrist mid-swing, pulling harshly on the furry limb, the monster stumbling right into my knife.
The blade sliced through the dog man's neck as I swerved around, just in time to see the war shadow sprinting across the room.
Just the two of us now.
I had a moment to breathe, a crazy idea popping in my head before the monster got up in my face once more.
Pitch black claws whistled through the air, gouging three furrows in my armor and clipping my shoulder as I dodged a bit too slowly. I ignored the flesh wound, just like the rest, weaving around the relentless attacks while inching closer to the nearest wall.
As I backpedaled away, keeping track of those spindly limbs, my back suddenly came flat against the cold rock.
Fu–
Eye flashing brighter, the war shadow lunged, claws thrusting for my face, poised to skewer through my skull. Heart leaping in my throat, I threw one shoulder to the side as fast as I could, the room spinning around as I somehow rolled away in time.
–ck!
My swimming vision quickly came back into focus, and I saw my chance.
The war shadow had its hand stuck deeply inside the rock, all the way up to the wrist, struggling to wrench it free.
Breathing heavily thorough the nose, I dove at the distracted monster, knife lashing at its neck, but the blade just slid uselessly across the inky skin.
A knot twisted in the pit of my stomach.
Shit.
This fucking bread knife–
I leapt back just as the sound of crumbling stone reached my ears, quickly sheathing my knife.
I had to kill this fucker with my fists. Blunt force worked agains armor, so maybe–
The shadow moved like a blur, finger blades cutting through the air as I barely jerked away in time. The claws swiped once more for my face just as I regained my footing, and I dodged on pure instinct, blood pounding in my ears.
A moment later, the monster pounced again, but, this time, I saw the swinging limb a little clearer as I dove out of the way.
My legs burned with pain as I kept moving, lungs stinging with each breath of air.
Something dripped down my cheek as I weaved around another swipe, but I ignored it. I barely had time to even think. All I could do was keep dodging, and hope to get a lucky hit.
I gritted my teeth, avoiding another slash.
No, I couldn't hope for shit.
That's how losers thought.
I had to make another opening, and win.
Ducking around a stab, I sprinted towards the nearest corpse, grabbing the goblin by the neck as I ran by. Pivoting around, I held the dead midget as a meat shield, obscuring the war shadow's vision just as it dove in to strike.
An arm and the head went flying from two claw swipes, and I twisted around a third one, jabbing the bastard in the mug as hard as I could.
It lurched a step back, head turning the other side, and I instantly threw the mangled corpse at the monster while searching its face for damage.
A sinking feeling pulled at my stomach when I saw the shallow punctures in the skin. I dashed the other way as the war shadow batted the dead goblin aside.
Fuck…
My strength wasn't high enough.
How many hits would it take to kill this bastard?
I grabbed another dead midget mid-run, spinning around and throwing it at the war shadow, but it barely bought me a second, the monster tearing the corpse to shreds as it rushed through.
I jerked my head to the side, air tickling my face as pitch black daggers passed by my ear. Another swipe came in a downward arc, though I couldn't move fast enough, the claws slicing through the front of my thigh in their downward arc.
A burning feeling bloomed in my thigh as I sprinted away, warm liquid dripping down my leg. Each step felt like a dozen needles driven into my skin, but I could still move, and that was all that mattered.
Stopping meant death.
Teeth gritted, I snatched up another corpse, aiming for the shadow's feet, and threw, diving in as the monster tripped. It swung blindly at my torso as I got close, but I just batted it away, the awkward angle making the bastard lose balance for a moment.
My fist lashed out like a viper, feeding the spindly fucker a spiky knuckle to the face.
Fuck off.
But even as it reeled back, head tilted to the side and more punctures on its face, the monster swung widely at my gut, claws gleaming ominously in the hateful glare of its eye.
I jerked back, heart thundering in my chest as sharp fingers gouged across my armor, leaving a thin gash on my left flank. I dove away before it regained its footing, looking around for another goblin.
I wasn't dying here.
The shadow caught up just as I grabbed the corpse, a lunge forcing me to give up on throwing and just shove the dead midget in the monster's face. It bought me a second as I dropped into a crouch, ignoring how my injured leg kept screaming, and swept the bastard's feet with my good leg.
As the fucker fell to the ground, I twisted out of the way of its claws and kicked up my legs like a breakdancer on crack, slamming a heel into that baleful, red eye.
A vindictive smile pulled at my lips as the monster lurched back, and, as I rose up, an odd heat suddenly flared across my back, a pulse rippling through my body. An electric feeling rushed through my veins, vigor returning to my limbs.
It felt just like yesterday.
My eyes shot wide open, the stinging lungs and burning pain in my legs forgotten.
Limit Off.
The shadow sprang back to its feet and pounced, yet I could clearly see it coming.
A grin broke on my face as I weaved around the sweeping claws, batting a limb aside, before my arm lashed out. A quick jab to the mug left the monster reeling, a punch to the chest sending the bastard skidding a couple feet, a dark liquid dripping from both wounds.
I could do this.
My legs tensed, body coiled like a spring.
I could win.
I just had to punch this bastard real hard.
Time seemed to slow down as I lunged at the monster, letting instinct guide me. Hips twisting and arm drawing back, I grasped the power surging through my being, pushed everything into my hand, and punched.
The monster tried to jerk its head aside, but my hand shot forward like an arrow splitting the air, and the punch struck true. For an instant, space twisted wildly around my fist, and the world flashed red and black.
Warm liquid dripped on my hand as the sparks rapidly faded away, and I stared wide eyed at the sight before me. The war shadow fell backwards, flopping lifelessly onto the ground, a fist-sized hole punched cleanly through its face.
Holy fuck.
Was that a motherfucking Black Fla–
My thoughts skidded to a halt as telltale cracking sounds reached my ears from behind. Head swiveling around, I almost stumbled as the warmth vanished from my back, strength draining away from my limbs.
Gritting my teeth, I breathed deeply through my nose and straightened myself. It wasn't over yet. I was running on fumes, but still had enough in me to deal with trash.
On both sides, the walls were splitting open, two goblins emerging from the left and two kobolds from the right.
A muscle jumped in my jaw. If this bitch wanted to throw hands–
I ran to the left, legs feeling like two pieces of lead and sweat trickling down my brow, reaching the wall just as the goblins dropped to the floor, beady eyes glaring at me with hatred.
–I'd give her a pair to remember.
The midgets barely had time to growl as I grabbed both by the face, fingers digging in their flesh as they scratched hopelessly at my arms.
Yanking forward in a savage motion, bones cracked easily against uneven rock as I smashed their heads into the wall, once, twice, before the bodies went limp under my grip.
As I dropped the corpses to the ground, heat pooled on my back once more, renewed vigor rushing through my veins.
Oh, hell yeah.
Wiping my brow with an arm, I took a moment to catch my breath, mouth curled with a self assured smile, watching as those kobolds charged from across the room. It only happened twice so far, and I could be wrong, but I had a feeling that my Limit Off was not as random as I thought.
Both dog men lunged at the same time, and I dashed to the side, a punch to the chest sending the closest kobold skidding a few feet away. The other one took a quick swing at my face, but I just batted it aside, leaving the monster off balance, before diving in.
Fist clenched tight, I punched the bastard in the chest.
"Kokusen."
Space warped around my hand, twisting and bursting with red and black.
The sparks consumed my vision like a torrent, fading away as the kobold exploded in dark motes of dust.
Limbs heavy and legs burning from exertion, I narrowly sidestepped a lunge from the remaining dog man, its claws clipping me in the arm. Another scratch, it didn't matter. I couldn't even feel the pain.
The only thing I felt was the wild grin splitting my face in half.
Oh, we're so fucking back.
The kobold yowled as its hand met my spiky knuckles, and I shut its mouth with a fist to the face.
Left.
Another jab sent the monster reeling, and I felt that same, empowering heat sparking across my back.
Right.
Lips peeling back in a savage smile, my hand lashed out with a punch, hitting the dog man squarely in the mug.
Goodnight.
"Kokusen."
Space twisted and bones yielded to my fist, black sparks bursting everywhere around.
I didn't have to say it out loud, but by god if it wasn't cool.
The body fell to the ground, blood dripping from a hole blown all the way through its face.
The cavern went quiet, no sudden noise reaching my ears. I looked around, shoulders sagging in relief. Dead monsters littered the floor, the stench of blood heavy in the musty air.
Nearly two dozen corpses…
I would've been dead meat without my Skills.
My arms fell limply at my sides, chest heaving deeply as I slowly caught my breath. A chuckle bubbled up my throat, the need for air stopping a full-on laughter.
Battered and exhausted, bleeding from half a dozen wounds, I still couldn't keep the smile off my face.
Rule of Cool, man. Absolutely bro–
My legs suddenly went weak, and I fell to a knee, catching myself before I ate dirt as a burning pain throbbed in my thigh. Grunting in effort, I plopped myself down on the back of the dead kobold nearby, legs shaking like jelly and calves burning from exertion.
If this bitch spawned more monsters on my ass…
A cold feeling wormed inside my chest, but I smothered it with an iron grip.
Fucking let her try.
I'd win.
Huffing in amusement, I glanced down at my messed up leg, grimacing as I inspected the wound. My pants were sticking to my thigh, the fabric soaked in blood, more pouring down my leg at a concerning rate.
Quickly taking off my backpack, I grabbed the rag and wrapped it around my thigh as tightly as I could, tying it with a knot. I pressed on the cloth with one hand, ignoring the stinging pain as I focused on my breathing.
Thank god it didn't cut the femoral artery. I would've bled out without a High Potion.
That H rank Endurance was really coming in clutch.
A quiet snort escaped me, but, as my heartbeat settled, a faint lightheaded feeling slowly crept in. Shit. I quickly dug a hand in my backpack, fishing out my half empty water bottle.
Fumbling a little with the cap, I drained the lukewarm water in two gulps, tipping the bottle over to get every last drop out of it.
That should fix the worst part of the blood loss.
Focusing on my breathing, I fished out my basic bitch healing potion and popped the cork. From what Miach told me, it could slow down the bleeding, hopefully enough for the rag to patch me up until I got back to the pharmacy.
I tipped the vial over, drinking everything in one go. A warm feeling settled in my gut as the liquid went down, the throbbing in my thigh abating a little.
I hoped that whoever did this got a taste of karma in the near future. Bastard had run past too quickly to see his face. Hell, I wasn't even sure they were a guy thanks to that shitty cloak.
I knew the dungeon was full of assholes, but I didn't expect to have my first run-in so early.
Sighing, my gaze veered down, and I carefully removed my hand from the wound. My stomach twisted in knots as I waited for a bit, but I didn't feel blood running down my leg anymore.
A relieved breath escaped me.
These cheap potions sucked at clotting blood, but the wound wasn't too deep and the bandage managed to do the trick. As long as I didn't strain my leg on the way back, it should be fine.
My other scratches had also scabbed, the one on my forearm already looking halfway healed. Hopefully, it wouldn't cost too much to get everything fixed.
My gaze wandered across the cavern, idly counting the corpses. Twenty-three. A good chunk of money, but…
Slowly, I rose to my feet, putting most of my weight on my healthy leg. My calves and feet were aching something fierce, but I could walk, maybe even run if I had to.
A feeling in my gut told me that staying around to loot this stuff would be begging for more trouble. The dungeon was a bitch like that.
Mouth curling in displeasure, I limped over to the war shadow, slowly going to a knee next to the corpse. Bastard should at least pay for my dinner after fucking me up like this.
I blinked dumbly as the knife slid uselessly across the inky skin, a long suffering sigh escaping me after a moment.
Yeah. Right. It didn't work before, so why would it work now?
I was ready to give up before a sudden idea gave me pause. I stared at the gaping hole in the war shadow's face, lips pursed.
Alright, fuck it. Some deepthroat action would be a great way to end this shitty day.
Holding the knife like a scalpel, I shoved a hand down the monster's gullet, trying not to think too much, and just hoped the insides weren't stab proof and that my arm was long enough.
I got lucky, at least on that front.
It took me a few tries to get to the magic stone, the monster bursting into dark smoke as I finally dislodged it with the knife. The motes of dust cleared, leaving behind a familiar looking, finger-sized blade.
I picked up the item with a smile, stashing it in my bag alongside the small crystal.
My eyes lingered on the nearest kobold corpse as I stood up, temptation whispering in my ear. To waste my hard work like this…
My grip tightened around the knife as a foreboding feeling kept gnawing at my chest.
Frowning, I glanced around the cavern, a tense, quiet moment passing, before I blew a heavy sigh through my nose.
Yeah, I should definitely quit while still ahead. Leaving behind all this loot pained my soul a little, but I've flirted with death long enough for today. I'd rather not push my luck.
Sheathing the knife, I grabbed my backpack, slung it over my shoulders, and limped towards the exit. Just as I stepped out into the hallway, the ominous, telltale cracking of stone came from behind, sending a cold feeling up my spine.
I quickened my pace as much as my leg allowed, looking behind every few seconds to make sure I wasn't being followed.
Good thing I left when I did.
The noise faded in the distance as I rounded a corner, keeping my ears open and eyes peeled for any danger. It was quiet so far, thankfully, but I couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling from the back of my mind.
I couldn't wait to get started on this alchemy thing. Making my own potions would be great. Not as great as partying up with a healer, but I'd have more luck fighting an orc than finding a healer willing to join up with a rookie.
I flexed my fingers, the drying blood coating my arms uncomfortable as ever. My eyes veered down, and I couldn't help a frown. My shirt was stained with blood, the fabric torn in several places, but my pants were soaked…
I really liked these clothes.
A sudden thought left me with a grimace.
Ah… Misha was definitely going to freak out, wasn't she?
I let out a quiet sigh. At least it wasn't my fault this time.
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