CHAPTER 6: THE DUNGEON
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The light faded.
Rocky found himself standing inside the dungeon — E Rank, SSS difficulty. The air was thick, heavy with something ancient. Bioluminescent fungi lined the cavern walls, casting an eerie blue-green glow across the rocky terrain.
He walked forward casually, as if taking a Sunday stroll. His mountain of gear shifted silently with each step — no jingle, no clank, no sound at all.
Above him, a small orb camera floated invisibly, its presence undetectable to any monster in the dungeon. It recorded everything — every step, every breath, every moment of aura farming.
Rocky's platinum blonde hair caught the faint glow of the fungi, making him look almost ethereal. His golden-brown eyes scanned the surroundings with mild interest — not fear, not caution, just... curiosity.
He walked deeper.
And deeper.
Until he saw it.
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The G Goblin
A figure emerged from behind a massive glowing mushroom.
A G Goblin.
The original breed — advanced, evolved, far more intelligent than the common goblins found in lower difficulties. Some said they were smarter than humans. Smarter than robots. They could only be found in SSS difficulty dungeons.
And this one?
A young boy.
The G Goblin kid froze the moment he saw Rocky. His golden eyes went wide. His small hand tightened around a crude wooden spear.
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The Audience Watches
In the examination hall, the massive viewing screen flickered to life. The crowd erupted.
Boy 14 pointed at the screen, laughing cruelly.
"There's a G Goblin already! I bet 3 seconds — the unemployed boy is dead!"
Boy 15 nodded, smirking.
"GG. You're dead, boy. E Rank and you picked SSS difficulty? What did you think this was — a game? Hahaha, idiot."
Boy 16 crossed his arms, shaking his head.
"Probably can't read. Just pressed buttons without knowing what he was doing."
The girls reacted differently.
Girl 9 clutched her chest dramatically.
"He's so handsome... but he can't read? He's wasting his good looks."
Girl 10 waved at the screen as if Rocky could see her.
"I don't care if he can't read! I'll teach him! Handsome, do your best! Don't die — your face is too precious! I want to keep seeing it!"
Girl 11 elbowed her sister, whispering.
"Sis, is it working? His charm is insane. I'm actually worried about him. E Rank dungeon, SSS difficulty... He has no chance. He's definitely dead."
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Rika's Thought
At the back of the hall, Rika stood frozen. Her professional smile had vanished. Both hands were clenched into fists at her sides.
Damn it... You're so stupid. You wasted your good looks. You flirted with me earlier, and your plan was to kill yourself? I won't accept this. Damn you, Rocky.
Something warm stirred in her chest — not just annoyance. Worry. She shook her head violently, forcing the thought away.
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The X Suck Group
Stacy's eyes narrowed as she watched the screen. Her instinct — that never-wrong gut feeling — was screaming.
A G Goblin... This is perfect. A real fight. Now I'll finally see your true strength, Red Flag Boy.
Nikki grabbed Mira's arm, her voice desperate.
"No... Why... Rocky, please! Do your best! Don't die! I'll teach you to read!"
Mira laughed despite herself.
"Sis, great minds think alike — teach him to read! Hahaha!"
Nikki leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Sis, if we both thought of that... then you know what else I'm thinking. What happens AFTER we teach him to read..."
Mira cupped her hand around Nikki's ear, whispering back.
"Sis... Don't be like that. You might drain his life force. You're so bad! Hahaha!"
Sara leaned in, grinning.
"Include me in your plan. I'm smart."
Nikki nodded seriously.
"Sis, we know you're smart. But you need to know what ELSE we're thinking — after we teach him to read."
Sara's grin widened.
"Yes. I know."
Mira raised an eyebrow.
"Say it."
Sara struck a lecturing pose, one finger raised.
"The SPG style teaching."
Stacy's voice cut through, flat and commanding.
"Explain."
Sara cleared her throat.
"SPG stands for Strong Parental Guidance. It's a television content rating implemented by the MTRCB. It signifies that programs may contain mature themes, violence, sex, horror, drugs, or coarse language — indicating they are not suitable for children without adult supervision."
Nikki clapped excitedly.
"Yay! Join us, sis! Very good!"
Mira beamed proudly.
"I'm proud of you, sis."
Sara turned to Stacy.
"You, Stacy? Are you joining or not?"
Stacy paused. A slow smile spread across her perfect features.
"Hahaha. I'll join. Of course... If he survives. Hahaha."
Nikki, Sara, and Mira exchanged glances. Then, simultaneously, their faces fell.
Sara's eyes welled with tears. She clasped her hands together, looking upward.
"Oh Creator... Please help Rocky. I know this is the fate of Jobless class users. 99.99% of the world — only ONE person receives this class. And out of all the people in the world, You chose Rocky. So please... help my crush. He's The One for my heart. Because when I touched him... I felt a happiness I've never experienced in my entire life. It's like he's the one I've been searching for all along. In the name of the Creator and the Spirit... Amen."
Nikki's eyes widened.
"Sis... When you touched Rocky, did you feel something strange?"
Sara nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Yes, sis. I felt something strange. A happiness... like he's The One. Because I felt a spark in my heart."
Nikki's voice trembled.
"Me too. What I felt... happiness I couldn't understand when I touched him."
Mira's eyes went wide.
"Me too, sis. It's like he cast a spell on us... Shit."
Stacy's jaw tightened. Her internal voice was sharp.
Sara, Mira, Nikki... all of them felt something for him. Damn you, Rocky. I have a crush on you... I admit it.
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Bolas's Reaction
Bolas stood apart from the crowd, arms crossed, jaw tight. But inside?
HAHAHAHAHA! Damn, I don't know what I'm feeling! It's like joy and annoyance mixed! I didn't get to beat him earlier... But this Rocky? He's going to die in the dungeon! Perfect! Hahaha!
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The Elder's Thought
Elder Choy watched the screen with ancient, knowing eyes.
How pitiful. That's how it is with the Jobless class. In my youth, the first Jobless class users were the same. They gave up on life. Because a Hunter's class... determines a Hunter's survival.
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Inside the Dungeon
Rocky looked at the G Goblin kid. The kid looked back at him, spear raised, ready to fight.
Rocky smiled.
Then, without warning, he raised one hand and cast a spell.
High-Level Magic Translator.
The air shimmered around him. Golden light traced intricate patterns in the space between them.
Rocky spoke — and his words came out in perfect G Goblin tongue.
"Kid. I'm telling you now — don't do what you're planning. You might get hurt. And I might get charged with child abuse."
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G Goblin Kid's Thought
The kid's jaw dropped. His spear wavered.
What?! He cast high-level magic?! Only top-notch sorcerers can do that! Like Elder G Goblin! But... that's impossible!
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G Kid (Out Loud)
The kid puffed out his chest, trying to look tough despite his shaking hands.
"Hey! Handsome! What's your purpose here?! Tell me, or I'll call for backup!"
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The X Suck Group Reacts
Stacy's eyes widened.
"A Magic Translator?! Only high-rank mage scholars can cast that skill! Before you can even attempt it, you need insane intelligence — genius-level! If you try without it, your brain explodes! He's a genius?!"
Nikki's jaw dropped.
"I thought he was dumb... He's actually smart?!"
Sara clenched her fists, tears still fresh on her cheeks.
"Rocky... do your best!"
Mira laughed, shaking her head.
"Amazing — even the G Goblin kid called him handsome. G Goblins really are intelligent."
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The Crowd Reacts
Boy 17 pointed at the screen, furious.
"What?! Even the G Goblin called him handsome?! He's not handsome! It's obvious — makeup and skincare routine!"
Boy 18 nodded aggressively.
"Yeah! He probably bribed the G Goblin to call him handsome!"
Girl 19 snapped, spinning around to face them.
"Shut up! You're just jealous because you're not attractive!"
Girl 14 nodded firmly.
"Yeah, sis! That's how it is when you're a side character!"
Girl 19 grinned.
"Correct, sis! Hahaha!"
Boy 17 threw his hands up.
"Seriously?! As long as someone's handsome, you defend them?! This isn't right! This is discrimination!"
Boy 18 patted his shoulder.
"Bro, don't get angry. That's how women are. Cheaters."
Boy 19 nodded sagely.
"Yeah, bro. Stay strong. Be a sigma. Rule number one: Prioritize self-respect. Your feelings and needs are important. Do not tolerate disrespect or behavior that makes you feel devalued."
Boy 17 wiped a fake tear.
"Bro, thanks for the advice! Plus 10 to me!"
The three boys hugged dramatically.
Girl 19 pointed at them, disgusted.
"Hey! You three! Stop that! You might get HIV!"
Girl 14 waved dismissively.
"Leave them, sis. It's just their plan to get attention."
The three boys exchanged glances, smirking.
Boys' mission... successful.
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Bolas's Accusation
Bolas stepped forward, pointing at the screen.
"Impossible! He's cheating! We know he's dumb — he can't read! We all saw him press E Rank and SSS difficulty without hesitation because he CAN'T READ! So he must be using an artifact translator! He's cheating!"
Boy 1 nodded vigorously.
"Yeah! You're right, boss! Cheater! Look how handsome he is — definitely a top-notch playboy!"
Boy 2 pointed at the girls in the crowd.
"So all of you girls — don't fall for him! If he goes online on Facebook, he'll scam you! He'll ask for load in exchange for abs pictures!"
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Sponsor 3's Thought
In the VIP section, Sponsor 3 stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Yeah... He's right. I need to find out Handsome's Facebook. I'll add him and give him load in exchange for pictures. Oh yeah — if that happens, I'll definitely put his pictures on billboards! Our products will become famous! I'll edit his pictures wearing our premium underwear!
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Sponsor 1
Sponsor 1 leaned forward, eyes gleaming.
"Who is that kid? I want him. How much?"
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Pro Hunters React
Pro Hunter 2 shrugged.
"Why are you asking me? I don't know him. But if it's about money — I can introduce you later. If he survives."
Pro Hunter 5 snorted.
"He won't survive. E Rank dungeon, SSS difficulty? Even S Rank hunter teams can't handle that."
Pro Hunter 9 nodded.
"Yeah. I'd bet my whole house on it."
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Pro Carla and Pro May
Pro Carla's eyes sparkled.
"Shit... A sigma boy. I'm giggling."
Pro May raised an eyebrow.
"Sis, you're giggling because he ignored you earlier?"
Carla nodded dreamily.
"Yeah, sis. I want to suck the life out of him."
May's eyes widened.
"Sis... don't be like that. You might kill him with happiness."
Carla's face fell. Tears welled in her eyes.
"But sis... he ignored me earlier... Am I ugly, sis? Am I ugly?"
May pulled her into a tight hug.
"Stop, sis. Don't cry. It's okay. That's how sigma boys are — they focus on their goals."
They hugged tightly, Carla sobbing into May's shoulder.
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Pro Hunters 8 and 4
Pro Hunter 8's internal thought:
Shit... My crush is crying. She's so cute. Good thing Sigma Male made her cry — now I have a chance. Oh yeah.
Pro Hunter 4's internal thought:
Hahaha. Good thing Sigma Boy is handsome. GG.
Pro Hunters 6, 7, and 3 sat together, drinking coffee.
"Women," they said in unison. "Hahahahaha."
May spun around, furious.
"Shut up! Your laughs are ugly, you jealous men!"
Carla's internal thought:
Ahh... It hurts. I can't accept this. My pride is wounded. No man has ever ignored me before. He broke my world record — 999/1. Shit. I just needed one more to reach 1000. But why didn't he notice me?! I put so much effort into my makeup! He didn't even look at me! Damn you, Sigma Boy x Play Boy!
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Elder Choy's Thought
Elder Choy's eyes narrowed.
GG. Magic Translator... That skill is a forbidden technique. Interesting.
The Peak Elder simply watched, silent, thoughtful.
Interesting.
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Rocky Speaks
Rocky smiled at the G Goblin kid — warm, easy, completely unthreatening.
"Kid. My purpose for coming to this dungeon? Vacation. Entertainment. Nothing else."
The kid blinked.
"Ah... So you're a foreigner. Handsome. But... how? I can't help you if you don't give me money."
Rocky laughed — genuine, amused.
"Money? Hahaha. No problem. You're cheap."
He reached into his pocket and produced a single peso coin.
"Here. Buy some junk food."
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G Kid's Thought
The kid's eyes went wide. He snatched the coin and pocketed it faster than Rocky could blink.
Oy! Jackpot! Rich foreigner! Hahaha! Yummy!
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G Kid (Out Loud)
"Okay! Not bad! Come, foreigner! I'll take you around!"
Rocky stood, brushing off his knee.
"Good boy."
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The Audience Reacts (Again)
Boy 1 pointed at the screen, laughing.
"So arrogant! 'Vacation' he says! Tell him, you ended up there because you can't read!"
Boy 2: "Hahaha!"
Boy 3: "Makeup Boy is a liar! Keep it up so you don't go to heaven!"
The girls in unison: "Liar!"
Rika's internal thought:
Shit... Liar. I know... You're going to kill yourself, Rocky. Damn you.
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The Tour Begins
Rocky and the G Goblin kid walked through the dungeon tunnels. The kid — whose name, Rocky would soon learn, was Cardo — chattered constantly about everything.
They walked deeper.
And deeper.
Until Rocky spoke again.
"Kid. Do you have an arena here?"
Cardo grinned.
"Of course! You want to watch?"
Rocky's eyes gleamed.
Interesting.
"Let's go. Let's watch."
Cardo held up a hand.
"Foreigner... How? My time is up. If you want to go there, you need to pay again."
Rocky laughed — warm, amused, completely unfazed.
"Corrupt kid. Here, 2 pesos. Buy junk food. Buy 1 take 1."
Rocky's internal thought:
Hahaha. Scammer kid. I like him.
Cardo snatched the coins with glee.
"Very good, handsome!"
Cardo's internal thought:
Money equals... rubberybob. Hehehe.
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The Arena
They entered the arena.
Massive. Carved from the cavern rock. Tiered seating rose on all sides, packed with G Goblins of all shapes and sizes. Torches lined the walls, casting dancing shadows across the blood-stained sand below.
The moment Rocky stepped inside, heads turned.
G Gay Goblin 1: "Wow! A foreigner! Yummy!"
G Boy 2: "Guys! A visitor!"
G Boy Old 3: "Wow, handsome. Just like me in my youth."
G Boy 3: "Visitor, you'll have fun here!"
G Gay Goblin 3: "Handsome — 150 pesos, whole body massage."
Rocky's internal thought:
Shit... Oily G Goblins.
Cardo grabbed his sleeve.
"Bruh. Don't mind them. Just chill. And you need to be confident here — otherwise they'll mess with you."
Rocky nodded.
"Noted, boy."
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The Champion
Elsewhere in the arena, a G Goblin ran frantically toward the champion's quarters.
G Goblin 4 burst through the door.
"Boss! Big problem! There's a foreigner — extremely handsome! Bayot might take an interest in him! She might buy him! Play with him! Boss, do something! He might steal Bayot from you!"
Chupapi — the arena champion — sat up slowly. Massive. Scarred. Seven feet of barely contained violence.
"O... Crap. Minecraft. This is serious. Mixed good and bad news."
G Goblin 4 tilted his head.
"Boss... Why mixed? Explain."
Chupapi raised one finger, striking a lecturing pose.
"'Good news' and 'bad news' are phrases used to share information with positive or negative effects.
· 'Good news' refers to positive news or information that brings happiness. For example: 'I have good news for you — I finally get to punch a handsome foreigner!'
· 'Bad news' refers to negative news or information that brings sadness or problems. For example: 'I have bad news — there's a handsome foreigner and he might steal Bayot from me.'
Do you understand? Or should I give another scenario?"
G Goblin 4 shook his head quickly.
"No need, boss! Your answer is correct! Very good! A+ from me, boss!"
He grabbed Chupapi's arm.
"Come, boss! Let's go! Let's find that shit!"
Chupapi stood, cracking his neck.
"Let's go, baby!"
G Goblin 4 froze.
"What?! You called me baby, boss? Are you gay?!"
Chupapi rolled his eyes.
"Idiot! I'm not gay! I'm a man! Strong! My body is as hard as stone... baby."
G Goblin 4 sputtered.
"Shit... 'Baby'? Damn you, boss! Are you insulting me?!"
Chupapi held up both hands placatingly.
"Shh... Stop, baby. Don't be angry. I'm not insulting you. Because you're MY baby."
G Goblin 4 crossed his arms.
"Boss... I'm not a baby. I have a name."
Chupapi raised an eyebrow.
"What's your name... baby?"
G Goblin 4 puffed out his chest.
"Call me... Big Baby."
Chupapi grinned.
"Oh yeah! Let's go, Big Baby!"
G Goblin 4 grinned back.
"Oh yeah, Daddy!"
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Back to Rocky
Rocky and Cardo walked deeper into the arena complex. The tunnels grew darker, the torches fewer.
Finally, they emerged into the central chamber — a massive bar-arena hybrid, packed with rowdy Goblins.
At the top, in a private viewing box, sat Bayot.
Beautiful. Elegant. Dangerous. The arena owner.
Bayot's eyes found Rocky instantly.
Oh my goodness... Is that Cardo? He has a companion. So handsome. Extremely handsome. I'm lucky today... Hehehe.
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The Fight
Below, in the pit, two G Goblins fought.
Hand to hand. No weapons. Pure brutality.
They moved like top-notch mixed martial artists — every strike precise, every dodge calculated, every movement intelligent. The crowd roared with every blow.
Rocky watched, genuinely impressed.
The fighters were:
· Grik — Taller, leaner, faster. He moved like water, striking with surgical precision.
· Brog — Shorter, massive, built like a sack of bricks. He fought like a landslide — relentless, devastating, inevitable.
They clashed again and again. Bone against bone. Will against will.
Rocky leaned forward, golden eyes fixed on the battle.
Something stirred in his chest.
Something he couldn't name.
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[END OF CHAPTER 6]
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