Whether it was impatience or anxiety, Il-seong was already waiting at the foot of his building.
— You look like crap !
The greeting wasn't pleasant, but at least it was honest. Between discovering the system and dealing with the dungeon creature, Si-woo hadn't slept much in the last 48 hours.
And it showed.
Dark circles framed his bloodshot eyes. His clumsy walk grew even more awkward, his movements slower.
— I'm fine, he rasped, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. Just been working on a plan all night. Come on.
Il-seong followed silently.
He hadn't slept either, too anxious about his imminent death. The badge « The early bird catches the worm » had kept him energized. Si-woo's determination pushed him to accept his friend as a coach, but he didn't want to waste time on useless workouts.
I should focus on getting other badges or upgrading the ones I have.
Honestly, that's exactly what he'd been doing. He'd fought with his sister (she crushed him like always), redone squats, crunches, jumping jacks (doubling those with his new badges bumped him to Level 2 "Mortal in progress," raised his physical constitution, and even gave him an extra centimeter in height), and even walked around the house without glasses.
His parents had scolded him harshly.
Between his attitude and being kicked out of the school, they decided to punish: no going out. Luckily, they worked and could only trust him to obey his punishment.
A trust he didn't deserve.
Lost in thought, he missed the route Si-woo was taking. Otherwise, he would've seen they already passed three gyms offering free first sessions.
Si-woo wasn't paying attention either.
Only one thing obsessed him: telling Il-seong everything.
We're alone again, without someone listening. What's he waiting for?!
Two blocks from the house/dungeon, Si-woo had to face reality: he was the one who needed to bring it up. He searched for a subtle way to let Il-seong know he was in on it. Like, "You have a yellow aura, right?" or "Remember Quest Supremacy?"
Ridiculous.
Si-woo shook his head, frustrated. Lack of sleep and creating the dungeon had drained the little imagination he had left. Luckily, they soon passed the croocked house. By some superhuman effort—or maybe just numbness—Si-woo managed not to turn his head when a golden window popped up in front of Il-seong.
[You have discovered the entrance to an E-rank dungeon]
Condition: Defeat the boss
Rewards:
????
????
This system know mesoooo well, Il-seong thought.
A dungeon was perfect for physical progression and collecting badges. The question marks were a bonus—they made him even more eager to go in, since they could only mean one thing: rewards so exceptional they couldn't be named.
He glanced at Si-woo, leaning against a wall, dozing without paying attention. That image eased Il-seong's guilt as he patted his friend's back.
— You're wrecked, man. Go home.
— No, seriously…
— Si-woo," Il-seong said firmly, I appreciate your effort. Really. But I've got this. Give me your workout list and go home to sleep. I'll catch up once I'm done. On foot—extra exercise for me.
Si-woo's disappointment was real.
He could've come up with a better excuse…
His protests lasted only a few minutes before he handed over a pre-prepared sheet listing some boring physical exercises: planks, push-ups, jump rope, etc.
Si-woo pretended to leave, but turned back as he saw Il-seong's yellow dot enter the dungeon on his mental map.
[The player has entered the dungeon]
As if that wasn't enough, the interface piles on, Si-woo grumbled, yawning.
At the internet café's front desk, Il-seong paid for a private gaming booth and breakfast. He planned to stay at least the whole morning—no point starving.
He dropped his bag and slumped into the gamer chair—too soft for his taste. A pinch on his cheek snapped him out of his daze enough to power on the computer.
Just in case someone accidentally walked in and questioned his alibi.
By the time he settled and opened the dungeon admin windows, Il-seong still hadn't chosen his weapon.
I need a badge that boosts strength to wield the sword and shield. Could be useful. But if I'm facing fast creatures, I'll need agility.
In the end, Il-seong chose the wooden staff. The other choices vanished in a puff of smoke.
[The player has chosen the default weapon]
— Bold choice, Si-woo commented, sipping his iced tea.
Il-seong walked down the narrow corridor into an unimpressive circular room with a mirrored ceiling. Columns guarded a pillar in the middle topped by a big red button.
— Smells like a trap, Il-seong grimaced, wrinkling his nose.
He inspected the floor and found pressure plates. He skirted them and looked for an exit.
Nothing.
— Any hints ? the player called out like in a escape room.
— You can always run ! Si-woo replied, sinking into his chair.
Il-seong was on his own.
After another sweep, he reluctantly moved toward the button. A spot on the left side caught his eye. Reflexively, he ducked just as a jet of water shot past him. The blast cracked one of the tiles behind him. Il-seong silently thanked his speed and reflex boots. He ran to hide behind a column. A medium-sized slime slid slowly across the floor.
I should've taken the sword, Il-seong groaned.
A window popped up above the creature.
[E-rank Slime — Elemental: Water]
Basic Attack: Water Jet
Difficulty: Easy
Encouraged by the system's words, Il-seong squared off against the slime, staff forward. The monster puffed up and shot another water blast, which he easily blocked. His weapon wasn't even scratched.
— My turn ! he shouted, lunging at the enemy.
SLASH!
One strike to the head and the slime exploded into a splash of water.
— Rimuru ! Si-woo yelled, leaping out of his chair.
His poor little blob had been wiped out in one hit. He recalled how adorably it used to greet him and follow commands. He opened the chat:
The interface's indifference turned Si-woo's sadness into anger.
He slammed the chat shut. Another window popped up:
[Your player killed an E-rank creature]
Receive 10 mana points
The young Master rubbed his eyes. He wasn't dreaming.
Mana… Magic…
Il-seong also received a notification.
[You have killed an E-rank creature]
Reward: Badge "Monster Hunter"
Endurance +10%
Physical Fitness +15%
— "Hunting" skill level 1 unlocked: Doubles the stats of one badge for 10 seconds during a battle.
— Awesome!
Il-seong allowed himself a victory dance before striding toward the button. He swapped his Level 1 "Bold Acolyte" badge for "Monster Hunter."
As soon as he pressed the big red button, spikes shot up from the floor, trapping him on the central tile beneath the pillar.
— A trap, I knew it!
Il-seong released the button, but the danger remained. Worse, the spikes closed in, crushing him bit by bit.
— Serves you right! Revenge for Rimuru! Si-woo sneered, momentarily forgetting which side he was on.
Cornered, Il-seong looked up, the blades inches from his throat. He noticed in the reflection that the button had turned green.
— Damn perverted system! he cursed, stretching his arm.
He barely touched the ceiling, and the spikes retracted. A door appeared in a small puff of smoke.
— Thinking I wanted to play Zelda…
Il-seong caught his breath and stepped toward the next challenge. Si-woo used the break to try to better understand the master's mana system.
[Mana points are awarded when the player kills monsters.
The master can use mana to upgrade existing skills, buy new abilities/spells, or cast spells.]
Si-woo swallowed hard.
— I can use magic, he whispered, ecstatic.
He immediately pictured roasting Jeunk with a fireball—the torturer's flesh burning under the classroom cameras' light. But the scream of pain pierced deeper, tearing Si-woo's soul until he wept. He snapped out of his trance just in time to realize the agonizing growl was real.
— Damn it!
Il-seong was bleeding.
Backed into a corner, he brandished his worn wooden staff. Donjon licked the blood from his blade. The creature shivered with pleasure before lunging. Cornered against the wall, Il-seong had no choice but to block. He used his size advantage to kick the goblin away. The monster landed a meter off, unharmed.
— Don't they teach game design at your RPG system school? Difficulty should ramp up gradually.
— These are E-rank monsters, Si-woo muttered. You one-shotted Rimuru but you're struggling against Donjon. Be faster and you will be able to defeat him with one punch, If you manage to touch him.
By the way…
Where is Dragon?
Si-woo zoomed in on the screen where he watched the scene. The second goblin climbed up the wall. Just a bit more, and he would've fallen straight onto Il-seong's head. The creature would've slit his throat without a second thought.
— Dungeon's just a distraction! Why don't you see that, idiot?! Si-woo yelled, terrified by this twisted plan.
Il-seong tightened his grip on the staff. The wound on his shoulder radiated pain down his arm, making him wince on and off. The creature sized him up with a nasty glare, unimpressed by his scrawny frame. It came close enough to force him to hold his ground, but not close enough for him to land a hit.
Should I use the "Hunt" skill? Too soon! I don't know the cooldown time. If it's six hours like "Stealth"…
His thoughts cut off abruptly.
What an idiot!
He'd forgotten he had multiple skills. Il-seong activated "Stealth" just as the goblin lunged at him again. He dodged the dagger's tip, which ricocheted off the wall. Confused by the player's sudden disappearance, Dungeon scanned the area, stunned. Il-seong took advantage of the distraction immediately. Lowering his head to the goblin's chin level, he suddenly sprang up. Delivering a crushing headbutt to the monster, which staggered back, disoriented. The stealth effect faded as Il-seong leapt onto the goblin, raising his staff high. Dungeon's eyes widened in horror at the impact... and vanished in a cloud of green confetti.
[Your player has slain an E-rank creature]
You receive 10 mana points.
— One down, Si-woo and Il-seong sighed in unison.
The Master cared less about goblins than Rimuru, yet he still looked away at the crucial moment. Il-seong leaned on his weapon to catch his breath.
— Tough little bastard!
A brief relief.
Dragon had used the fight to finish his climb. As soon as his companion died, he released his grip and landed on Il-seong's shoulders. Weakened from the previous fight, the player didn't react immediately, his body sagging under the creature's weight. The goblin had all the time in the world to draw his dagger, spin it between his fingers, point it at Il-seong's throat and—
— STOP! Si-woo ordered.
Dragon felt a jolt like electricity surge through his body. He froze mid-move, turned into a living statue by his summoner's command. The player took the chance to break free from his grip, threw Dragon over his head, and escaped the dead end where Dungeon had trapped him. Dragon could move again once his enemy was out of reach. The creature grimaced bitterly before prepared himself for the fight. Il-seong pressed his hand against his shoulder, hoping to stop the bleeding by applying pressure. No use—the blood slipped through his fingers and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Are these creatures really E-rank? Or am I even worse than I thought?
His breathing turned wheezy. Not a good sign. He needed to end this fight quickly.
— There were only two of you, huh?
Dragon sneered, rolling his crude lips upward and looking to the ceiling. Il-seong couldn't help but mimic the gesture. As he scanned the rocky ceiling, a flicker in his peripheral vision triggered his reflexes. He dove to the ground just as the goblin leapt at him. That's when he noticed, among the remains of the monster he'd defeated, some glittering objects. Il-seong crawled toward them while Dragon got back on his feet.
A weapon upgrade, some silver coins, and... the chance to level up a badge! A real gold mine that pushed Il-seong back into the fight. He pocketed the loot and faced his enemy.
— One hit and you're dead, scumbag ! he warned. Want to end up like your buddy?
Dragon growled, blade forward, more determined than ever.
— It's going to be a long day, Il-seong sighed.