"Drat!" I exclaimed as I slammed my fist on my desk.
"Is everything alright, sir?" my apprentice asked as he poked his head into my office.
"It doesn't matter what numbers I run. It's never enough."
It was my life's work, and it had gone nowhere in decades. I needed a breakthrough, and I didn't have long left to make one.
"Sir?"
"What is it?" I asked as I leaned back in my chair, turning to face the boy.
Scrawny but well fed, a combination all but unheard of in the outskirts of the kingdom, he was tall with dirty blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes that reminded me of a lost puppy.
"That boy, Jaylen, is at the door. He wants to see you. He said he's got got something you'd be interested in. I can tell him to come back later if now's not a good time."
I sighed as I reached for my staff. The intricately carved wood paired with the variety of gleaming gemstones embedded in the tip to form a magnificent sight. Nowadays, the beautiful magic focus served as little more than a cane.
As I got to me feet, I answered, "That kid's probably found some slightly magical moss or a mushroom again. It's fine. I could use a distraction right about now. Go fetch my coin pouch. I'll meet you down there."
"I'm on it."
The boy bowed. Then, he walked off at a brisk pace.
Shaking my head, I ambled my way toward the stairs. I appreciated my apprentice, not that I'd ever tell him that to his face. He was a good lad.
It took me a minute, but I made my way down to the door where he, and an overly excited orc child were waiting.
"Now, what did I tell you about those mushrooms, kid?"
"They're poisonous and useless in alchemy," he answered before trying to move the conversation along, "but that's not why–"
"They are mildly poisonous and only useful for making poisons weak enough to give you a stomach ache. If I'm going to waste my time teaching you something, you had better listen, understand?"
"Yes, sir," he nodded enthusiastically before completely disregarding my lecturing tone and moving on, "That's not why I'm here. I found something I think you'd be interested in."
"Well, go on, then. Show me."
He fidgeted for a moment before muttering, "I don't actually have it on me."
"Then, why are you wasting my time?"
"But! But, I know where it is. I can take you to it."
I shook my head. It was always something with this kid. He wasn't a bad sort, but he could be a real pain. He was a troublemaker through and through.
"This had better be good, then. What is it?"
"Yesterday, Anna and I went into the forest. There's this cave not too far off that we like to hunt for mushrooms in, but this time, there was something else there."
"Kid, if you're trying to drag me into the forest on my bad legs for some strange egg you found, I should turn you into a frog here and now. Forget it, and stay away from that place. You'll wind up getting yourself hurt or killed."
"No!" he shouted as he shook his head emphatically, "It was a big shiny rock. When I got close to it, it glowed and rocks starting falling from the roof."
I was about to turn around and head back into my house as soon as I heard him say, "big shiny rock," but my eyes widened at the rest of what he had to say.
It couldn't be, could it?
He hadn't mentioned the one thing that would be an obvious give away, but though scarce, there were records of barely formed Dungeons not triggering System messages when entering them. It was possible that a Dungeon had only just formed, especially if the pair visited that cave reguarly. I tempered my expectations, but the possibility alone was enough to draw out the smallest hint of a smile on my face.
"Who else knows about this?" I asked.
"Just Anna. She wanted to tell Mr. Chorlus about it, but I convinced her to let me tell you first."
I nodded and said, "That was a good choice. It would be better for you to let me handle this. Unlike that greedy scoundrel, I, at least, won't try to swindle you out of what's rightfully yours. Give me a minute to get my stuff together. Then, you can lead Lawrence and me to it. If it is what I think it is, you'll get something well worth your troubles."
"Sir, are you sure about this? If it's something important, I could go. There's no need for you to head out there yourself," Lawrence, my apprentice offered.
"Lad, trust me, if it is what I think it is, you are not up to handling this by yourself. Now, help me get my things together. Then, we'll go."
* * *
"Right there, you can see it," the kid pointed and started to run off.
"Stop! Don't be impatient, or you're likely to get yourself killed. I will be going in first. Just let me catch my breath. Then, both of you will follow me in. I shouldn't be in any danger, but you two will stay close to me. Don't go making it any harder than it needs to be for me to protect you. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir," both of them responded in unison.
What is this, the army?
The thought didn't sit well with me. I never liked army types, but then again, most of those I had known were pompous big shots drunk on their own power. I took a moment to question at what point my life had gone so far off the rails. Once, I had been at the center of the kingdom. I worked in the palace itself. I was at the forefront of my field. Now, I was living in some backwater village and following a kid into a cave in hopes of finding a Dungeon, something I once could have demanded the pick of materials from a dozen of any time the need arose.
I sighed before gesturing for the two to follow. I didn't even need to make it any further than the cave entrance to feel it.
"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Jaylen asked.
"Kid, you are never going to have to worry about money again."
"What?"
"It doesn't matter, not now. Now stay close, and try not to let the message surprise you too much."
"Huh?"
Smiling I stepped through the cave's opening and was greeted by exactly what I was expecting.
[You are now entering Cave of Absolution.]
I heard both an, "Eep!" and a gasp come from behind me, but I ignored both. Even if I was confident, I knew better than to let my guard down in a Dungeon. Even a young one could be dangerous.
My eyes focused on a single figure within. It was a goblinoid with a big mushroom-like hat and dark skin that resembled bark. Its body was adorned with what appeared to be moss and leaves. In its hands was a large stick. I wasn't personally familiar with the species, but I could hazard a guess as to its capabilities by its appearance alone, not that I need to. I activated my Appraisal ability.
[Trenti
Level: 1
Health: 35
Stamina: 60
Mana: 50
Stats: FORT 7, VIT 12, STR 5, END 12, SOUL 5, MIND 8, WILL 5, COM 8, DEX 6, AGI 8
Skills: None
Abilities: Bark Skin
Description: A small goblinoid monster that is something between a plant, animal, and fungus. Weak but crafty, they enjoy playing pranks on members of the mortal races.]
It braced itself as soon as it saw me, but I made no rash movements. No matter how weak an opponent was, there was never a need to give it an opening. Instead, I relied on my skill, Keen Eye, to spot a trap in the ceiling. It was a standard falling rock trap, one of the most common kinds. I frowned.
"There's not enough."
"What was that?" my apprentice asked.
"There aren't enough monsters and traps. This isn't even half of what I would expect from a newly formed Dungeon. Something's not right."
"Isn't that a good thing?" the kid piped up.
"No. Never underestimate a Dungeon. The danger is always there. Me not being able to spot it just makes it more dangerous."
There was something else in the cave. I could feel it. I couldn't pinpoint what it was, but I knew it was there. That let me move forward with confidence.
"Lesson one," I spoke as I took a step forward, "leave no openings."
I raised my staff with one hand and cast a spell. The air around us cooled rapidly as I used Temperature Control.
At the same time, the monster charged toward us, stick raised to strike. I spoke again, "Lesson two: never fight an opponent on its own terms."
Even as my magic froze the monster solid, I pulled a rock from my bag. Using my Multicasting skill and Stone Manipulation spell, I launched it with great force, but I didn't send it flying toward the ice sculpture. Instead, the rock flew to my right.
I nodded as the head of a monster I could feel sneaking up on us with my Magic Sense skill was crushed before it even knew what hit it. The two youngsters behind me jumped in surprise. That only served to emphasize my next words, "Lesson three, this is the most important one. Never let your guard down. Whether it is a monster sneaking up on you, or one playing dead, never think yourselves safe as long as you're in a Dungeon."
As I spoke, I mentally pulled up a couple of notifications at the edge of my awareness.
[Trenti (Level 1) slain! No experience gained.]
[Shadow Viper (Level 1) slain! No experience gained.]
I slowly began following the edge of the cave as I walked, glancing over my shoulder to make sure the two I was escorting were following close.
"Stay away from the middle of the room. There's a trap there."
I head a gulp, but I paid it no mind. Instead, I made my way straight to where I sensed to Dungeon Core with my Mana Sense skill. It was tucked away in a crevice and would have been hard to spot had I not been relying on the skill.
"Now, I am going to run a few tests on this Dungeon Core. The more information I get on it, the more power we will have when negotiating with the Adventurers Guild, and the more information I will have for my own records. Normally, a Dungeon will do everything in its power to stop you from reaching its core. This Dungeon is still as new as it gets, though. That means, even if it throws everything it has at us, it won't be enough. Stay vigilant while I work, and let me know if you notice anything."
They silently stood guard as instructed, not that it made a difference. The rest of our delve was uneventful. I spent a couple of hours running tests on the core, but the results weren't anything out of the ordinary. I almost thought I felt something when I touched the core, but I wrote that off to my mind playing tricks on me. Eventually, I stood and stretched my back.
"Lawrence, gather the bodies of the monsters; we'll run some tests on them later. Then, we're leaving."
My apprentice nodded and made to do as I instructed, but I stopped him with a, "Remember not to go near the center of the cave."
"Right," came his response, traces of trepidation leaking into his voice.
Once he grabbed them, we started to make our way back to the village. The walk was quiet for a time, but the young orc boy eventually worked up the courage to ask, "How are you so strong?"
I shook my head as I answered, "I have an alchemist class. I'm not strong, not even close, but when you've lived as long as I have, you pick up a thing or two, whether you have a combat class or not."
"That doesn't explain anything."
Sighing, I waved my hand toward him, summoning up a screen with a display reminiscent of yellowed parchment.
[Name: Peter Gyle
Class: High Alchemical Sorcerer
Level: 54]
I continued walking as the kid was left standing there speechless. Before my apprentice and I made it too far, I called back, "Hurry up if you don't want to be left behind."